Chapter Text
"Daaannnny B!" Shane announced lazily from his bed.
Gopher and him, like most Fridays, had gotten drunk and suffered the consequences. Meaning, they were both hungover. Shane was the only one who was awake to prove this. Although Danny knew this was a package deal with the two of them.
"Shane, I'm only across the room. There's no need to raise your voice," Danny responded as he lifted his head up from his assignment to look over at the other. "What do you need?"
"Can you get my ibuprofen?" Shane asked, dropping his volume as Danny had insisted. He lazily hung his head off his bed and gazed at Daniel.
"Mhm, it's on the desk by your computer, right?" Daniel set his paper aside and stood up from his bed. He began to make his way to the shared desk after Shane gave him an approving nod.
Most people would've found this behavior annoying. One, you have to share a small ass dorm with not just one but two other people. Two, both of them get drunk and hungover constantly, and you're the only one sober enough to deal with it.
That's exactly how Danny thought about it in the beginning, but it's just something he's used to now. They had bonded a lot in the first semester and they even taught him how to relax and have a good time. He wasn't as uptight as he used to be, a trait he picked up from his mother, he was thankful for that.
When they aren't acting a fool, drunk.. or both, they're really good guys. He thought as he picked up the tiny pill bottle from off the desk. It felt too light, as if it were empty. He popped it open and he was correct.
"Uhm, Shane?" Danny turned to face the hungover man behind him. "Whasssup Danny B." Shane replied, his voice raspy and sluggish. Which made Danny feel a bit guilty.
"You're out of Ibuprofen." Danny spoke up softly, setting the useless bottle back down onto the desk.
"Ohhhh nooough...." Shane groaned and threw his head back. There was a pause before Shane peered up to look at Daniel.
"Hey Dannnnyyy."
"What Shane."
"Can you go get me more?"
"Shane it's freezing outside. Even if it wasn't, do I look like an errand boy to you?" Danny crossed his arms.
"Please?" Shane rolled over to face him.
Danny didn't know if he had something in his eyes or if his pupils were still dilated from the alcohol but it made him look sad, almost desperate. Daniel hesitated. "Fine."
"Thank you, Dannny Beeeeee." Shane called form his bed as Daniel packed up somethings before he leaves. "You're welcome, Shane." Daniel said with a sigh as he walked to the door and unlocked it.
"I love you, Danny!!" Shane yelled. Daniel opened the door.
"Say it back!" Shane exclaimed from where he was laying.
"I Love you too, Shane."
《 ♡ 》
As Daniel mentioned previously, it was freezing outside. Which wasn't very surprising as it was early January. The breeze sifted through Daniel's hair and thin dark green jacket. It was bothersome but not a huge deal.
The convenience store wasn't too far off campus. Weather like this did make him wish he had a car. Not like he didn't have his license, but more so that he was too broke to afford one. That's why he had ended up at this college.
Too smart for a university like this but not wealthy enough for a place like Eshelman or Harvard. Enough with thoughts like that though. He had already gone over them a million times now.
If not for this place how would he have met anyone of his friends in 5-south? He must've been thinking about this for a minute now because he was approaching the campus gates.
What's something else he could think about that's not so negative? His friends are pretty cool. He probably would have lost it if it weren't for them.
It seems like the whole floor was, in a way, a friend group, like some sort of sitcom. The thought made him smile a bit as the cold wind began to get harsher.
Okay, maybe he should've worn something a little more appropriate. He had gotten so wrapped up with trying to make sure Shane would be okay that he forgot to check the weather.
As long as it doesn't snow he sould be fine. Thankfully, he could see the small convenience store come into view. The warm yellow lights almost look like the pearly gates to Daniel, knowing he can escape from the cold.
He rushed inside. He was still cold but it's a bit easier without the wind. He was the only person there other than the elderly lady at the counter.
She was oblivious of the young man as she continued to sort the items behind the counter peacefully. It kinda worried Daniel. The old woman probably has some sort of hearing issue and not everyone in this part of the city has the kindest intentions.
Although, that wasn't his biggest concern at the moment. He began to make his way to the medicine isle. Once there he began to skim over all the over-the-counter medicine. Benadryl... Tylenol.. Advil.. oh Advil works.
He grabbed the small pill bottle, similar to the one Shane had, and began to make his way to the front counter. As he approached, the elderly lady realized he was there. She had a very worrisome expression on her face. Daniel felt a slight change in the atmosphere as if everything around him had gone quiet.
"Oh dear, I must've not noticed you walk in. It's very cold outside isn't it?" She's said, her voice sounded frail and friendly but concern hid behind her words.
"It's way to cold for me, I just had to grab some medicine for a friend is all." Daniel handed the woman the Advil as she typed somethings into the register.
"How nice of you. Going out of your way to take care of a sick friend during a blizzard." She remarked as the two exchanged the cash and change.
"Sick is one way to put- I'm sorry ma'am. What did you say?" Daniel's heart sank a bit as he realized what the woman had said.
"I heard it on the forecast this morning. Did you not?" She questioned in a tone that made Daniel feel stupid.
"No ma'am, I rushed out here without checking." He answered. An answer that does nothing but make him seem more like an idiot.
"Well, unless your friend is in desperate need, I wouldn't mind if you stuck around until it ended. By my looks it's getting ready to start.
"She claimed as she turned to go back to sorting items behind the counter.
"Uhm, I think I can beat it. I'll be fine." He countered. "Thank you anyway ma'am. Have a nice evening." He rushed as he began to make his way to the door.
"Be careful out there, young man." The elderly woman turned her head and muttered.
Daniel nodded in response and rush out of the convenience store without another word.
The snow gently bristled on Daniel's face as he scurried out the front doors of the convenience store, hearing the friendly jingle not far behind him.
He since calmed down and slowed his pace. The snow, now, was no obvious threat, and it wasn't like Shane was dying.
He knows now that a blizzard on the rise, yet he isn't going any faster. He should be running to avoid catching anything, but the silence was so endearing to him right now.
The only thing he could hear was the cold wind gently flow past his ear. Despite the biting cold it was calm. No mindless yelling, no shenanigans, no interruptions. Just Daniel Benjamin and the seemingly endless sidewalk.
Although the peace didn't last as long as Daniel wanted it too. The wind began to pick up aswell as the snow fall which caused a small panic to arise in him. He walked a little faster up the side walk. The same snowflakes that gently flew by Daniel started to pile up.
He had nothing but his thoughts. Daniel wasn't making the smartest choices today and he was unsure if he ever was.
He should've been in some fancy pharmacy school far away from here. Not like this is a bad school but what's gonna happen after he's graduated from this place? What will the people hire and accept, someone like him or a Elsman graduate? He, and the rest of his family, had pushed him so hard just to end up stuck here.
The thought was a pain to think about. Atleast he had his friends. But, in all honesty, what friends would send him out in the freezing cold just to get some Advil!? He couldn't see the sidewalk now.
He began trudging up a hill. The wind was strong now to the point Daniel had to squint to even see a foot in front of him. It pushed him back as he marched through. It had gotten so much colder then when he first walked down here.
The cold was biting at his hands and the red pigmate on his fingers and face was more prominent than ever. He didn't even realize he had wrapped his arms around himself. They didn't provide much warmth.
He was shivering now, he had nothing else to warm him up. His only hope now was to just push himself through the storm until he got back to his dorm.
He was already so stressed from schooling to the point of constant headaches. Why did he have to go get medicine for Shane if he chose to dick around and get hungover? He tries so hard every day. He pushes him self to the limit every single day. What does he do? He skips classes and gets drunk all the time. It's his whole damn personality at this point! Now instead of having a moment of bliss or a sliver of spare time he's walking in a fucking snow storm because his roommate decided to get drunk! Why?!
Because he was his friend. Shane didn't view Daniel as an errand boy or a servant. All he did was plead for Daniel to get medicine for him and Daniel did it. And Shane's whole personality wasn't his alcohol addiction. He was a sweet guy who is talented at the piano.
Daniel didn't even know that the weather was gonna get this bad so he doubt that Shane was aware about it ethier. He had overcome the hill but now the sidewalk ended and he was forced to walk on the side of the road.
Daniel was so tired. He felt terrible for even being upset in the first place. None of this was Shane's fault it's just the stress that he endured everyday seemed to be swallowing him whole. His face was much colder then the rest of his body. Daniel slowly reached up to touch his face and relized he had been crying.
That had brought Daniel out of his head. He now heard himself hicing as he wept. His body begged for him to stop as it burned. It felt like the snow was eating at him. Unable to control himself, he fell to his knees. His body aches terribly as he helplessly trembled in the snow. His clothes were as wet as his face. The crying wasn't slowing nor was the wind.
He reluctantly unwrapped his arms so he could shield his eyes with his hands as he doubled over. If he pushed himself a little harder he could grab the phone in his pocket and call Shane or Mike to come pick him up.
That stayed a thought though. He continued to weep until he had loss any energy to continue before Daniel collapsed on his side and felt the cold snow embrace him as everything faded to black.