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Phil was still shaking a bit when the credits started to climb up the TV screen in front of him. He tore his eyes from it and rested his forehead on Dan’s shoulder. Their hands had been intertwined for most of the movie, and Phil had been moving closer and closer every time there was a jumpscare. He was practically underneath Dan now that he’d been burrowing further and further between him and the couch.
“Are you okay?” Dan’s voice was soft and laced with concern. He took Phil’s other hand in his gently- trying to ground him.
“I think my parents were right about me not watching this movie,” Phil chuckled a bit, nervousness shaking his vocal chords ever so slightly.
Dan chuckled as well, glad that Phil was at least able to make a joke, and reached for his phone on the arm of the grey couch to check the time. Once he was done, he tossed the phone next to him on the couch and pushed himself up to a standing position.
Phil’s head immediately popped up at Dan’s movements and tugged at the one hand that was still interlaced with his own, “Whe-where are you going?”
“Just to the bathroom,” he said, twisting his body slightly to look back at his boyfriend through the dim light of the room.
Phil’s usually perfect quiff was sticking up all over the place- it looked like the outline of trees in the dark.
“Oh, okay,” Phil sighed, and tried not to let the thoughts of what could creep up on him take over his mind. “Can you turn the light on before you go?” Phil pointed with a shaking finger to the light right above him.
“Of course,” Dan smiled and walked over to flip the light switch, “Do you need anything from the kitchen?”
“Some water, please?”
Dan nodded and disappeared down the dimly lit stairs, Phil heard small thumps bouncing up from the stairway.
Phil pulled his long, pajama clad legs up onto the couch and hugged them close to his chest, trying not to think about the movie and pressing his back further into the couch.
“Phil?” the sudden sound almost made him jump.
He looked over towards the stairway, where Dan’s head was peeking up from behind the banister. The light made his curls look so much more defined than they had looked in the dark during the movie and the sight of them caused a rippling feeling in Phil’s heart.
“Will you come with me?” Dan took his bottom lip into his mouth like a child who’d just asked the most ridiculous favour of their parents.
“To the bathroom?” Phil’s eyebrows were pulled together now and his arms had relaxed around his legs. It felt nice to be needed and the thought of it made him feel a little braver.
Dan nodded, “You can just stand outside?” his voice was considerably smaller than earlier and his brown eyes were sparkly under the lights.
“Yeah alright,” Phil hurriedly pushed himself up and walked over to the stairs.
Looking down, he saw why Dan didn’t make it very far before coming back.
“It’s dark,” he couldn’t help but state the obvious before he reached for Dan’s hand.
“I know,” Dan says, accepting Phil’s hand in his, “That’s why I’m making you come with me.”
“I thought you said you’d seen, uh-“ Phil faltered for a second, not wanting to say the name out loud as if that would make it real, “-the movie.”
“Yeah,” Dan huffed, “And I also said it scared me shitless.”
Phil giggled a bit at that, letting Dan lead him down the stairs.
Once they were at the bottom, Dan patted the wall, looking for the light switch and flipping it. Phil felt the tightness in his chest loosen and his eyes relax when the light jumped through the previously dark room.
The two reluctantly let go of each other’s hands. Phi headed to the cupboard for a glass and Dan walked to the bathroom. Phil laughed softly when he saw Dan strafing against the wall like he would make his characters do in video games. Dan always made Phil feel a little less ridiculous when he did things like that.
Phil tried hard not to let his imagination grab a hold of him as he turned around, back to the room, to turn on the tap and fill his glass with cold water. He was tempted to somehow turn his back to the counter while filling the glass, but he knew that would only end in disaster.
“Phil?!” he jumped a little and spilled some of the water next to the sink when he heard Dan’s echoed voice from the bathroom. That was the second time Dan had startled him in under five minutes.
“Yeah?” he yelled back, turning around and leaning against the counter, hand on his chest.
“Just checking if you’re still there!” Phil smiled at that, quickly finished his water and walked over to the bathroom.
He leaned against the wall next to the door, glad he didn’t have to worry about his imagination running wild with what could be standing behind him.
Comfort flooded Phil’s muscles as soon as Dan opened the bathroom door again. They linked hands again and returned to the lounge where the credits were still rolling on the screen.
“I know you wanted to watch another horror movie, but can we just go to sleep?” Phil’s voice was small as he rested his chin on Dan’s shoulder, eyes gliding over Dan’s side profile.
“I was about to suggest the same thing,” Dan chuckled at how they always seemed to be in sync in moments like this.
The two tidied up as quickly as they could and ran through the dark -hands intertwined- to the bedroom once they were done.
—fin.