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Whatever it was they were running from now, it was faster and stronger than them. It seemed like even among the constant roaring all around, frantic running and distant crying, the subtlest of sounds could still be heard. Something whistled through air and cut through fabric and flesh.
His eyes got fixed on the scarlet horizon, pupils wide. A single breathy sigh escaped from his lips. He tried to move his hands to cover the wound, but not a single muscle in his body responded. The pain that shook through every inch of his being was so agonizing that it wasn't even worth crying. His long limbs gave out and his body fell onto the dust like a bag of bones, with a loud thud.
His friend stopped in his tracks the instant the sound reached his ears. His head snapped back and his eyes, wide in pure horror, threatened to pop out of his skull.
No.
“DAN!!”
Phil didn't hesitate for a moment and ran back towards him. If he was putting himself in danger he didn't give a shit. The most important, the only important person in his life was laying on the floor gravely injured. He ran towrads Dan, screaming his name repeatedly, collapsed on his knees in front of him and started pulling him up.
“Dan? Dan- Are you okay? Dan, please respond?” the latter was struggling to get air inside his lungs, and gagged miserably trying to produce sounds. Phil pulled his face up pressing both hands against his cheeks, and searched for Dan's eyes, dull and confused. It was worse than he'd even imagined. “Dan. Oh-god-no, please...” water pooled under his eyes and didn't take long to overflow like a dam bursting open. Dan didn't have any strength in himself to stay upright, so Phil quickly put his arms around him. He pulled his shoulders up a bit, to lift his trunk from the dirt, and saw the big, wet, dark crimson stain in the left side of Dan's chest. He pressed his palm to it, and felt the warm liquid leaking out. It made him sick.
“Oh, o-oh no... This is bad. It's-” the words hurt his soul like a thousand daggers, that also slit his throat. He pulled Dan closer so he wouldn't have to see it, and a pained sob ragged through his body. The wound was too big, it was no use trying to cover it or stop the blood flow. This was very serious. Since the chaos started and their normal lifes ended, they had assumed that they'll have to deal with difficult situations, and they knew they didn't have many opportunities to survive. But no human is ever ready to loose it all.
Dan whined pitifully, holding onto Phil like it was the only thing keeping him alive. “Dan, Dan, please. You can't do this to me – This can't be happening, no-.” Phil was sobbing, having a full-on panick attack, trying desperately to get Dan to look at him, to say something, to be okay... Trying hopelessly to hold onto any hope that they would both make it out of this. Hopes that slipped through his fingers and vanished like the sand of an hourglass.
“Please don't leave me alone, I can't live without you, Dan. No- This can't be happening, not you -.” Dan tried to swallow the nasty blood accumulating in his mouth and form sounds. “Da-Dan, look at me, please. What do you need?”
“Phil...” it came out hoarse, and tears streamed down his cheeks as well “Phil.” he wiped them away with soft fingertips.
“What-”
“Phil...” his eyelids fell and he rested his head on Phil's chest “Phil, Phil, Phil ...” he kept repeating even if he couldn't push enough air through his larinx to emit sound. It was the only thing he wanted, and Phil was going to give it to him.
He pulled the younger closer, till their chests were flush so that he supported his weight in a more comfortable position, and cuddled him as best as he could. He soothed his hands up and down his back, trying to ignore the convulsive heaving of his own chest and the disgusting wetness covering his clothes. But he didn't care about himself anymore. To be honest, he was starting to feel everything dissolve into a haze.
He pressed his cheek to Dan's head, as a sign of affection, and also hoping it'd magically cure him. He wanted to say so many things, to scream until he tore his vocal chords, to beat himself up, and blame Dan for...- for what? He could still feel his heartbeat, faint and slow. The projectile had slashed through his ribcage and pierced the heart. It was mortal.
There was only one thing Phil could do, embrace him in the last minutes. He buried his face in his dark curls and cried there.
Dan coughed and managed to find his voice, raspy but enough to say out loud “Phil,”
Phil pulled back a little bit and tried to hide the waterfall of tears from his dying friend. But he couldn't bring himself to look at Dan, so he shut his eyes and rested his forehead on Dan's. “Yes?”
“Phil...” Dan spoke slowly and with a lot of trouble.
Phil was agonizing too, drowning in emotions no human should ever experience. He squeezed his lips together and clenched his teeth, and through the pain forced himself to open his eyes for Dan to see them one last time. Indeed, Dan was staring up into his watery blue eyes, trying to stay awake, to keep the light and the beautiful magic they always carried. Those puppy chocolate eyes didn't deserve to be shut forever, they had so much world to see... Phil just wanted to cry more, if that was even possible, but he kept staring lovingly into Dan's eyes, just for him.
“You are, the best thing, that's ever, happened to me... I couldn't have asked, for, anything else, in my life.”
Phil's insides churned violently, his soul was falling appart. Each slow step Dan took towards death ripped the life out of him too. He screwed his eyes shut as pain shot through him. He wished for his heart to stop beating right then and there. But as he couldn't trust his own voice, he tilted his head to close the distance and softly pressed their lips together. If this was the end he might as well give him this. In spite of the tears rolling down their skin, it was sweeter than expected. Although, it was coated in bittersweet pain. Dan even tried to kiss back a little, too much effort for his weak muscles. Phil pulled away to let him breathe, and whispered against his lips “I love you so much.”
When he looked back up Dan's eyes were closed and his face looked relaxed and emotionless, asleep. He was still breathing and he knew he could still hear him, so he clutched him back into his arms and leaned back a little, with Dan's head securely nestled under his chin. He stroked his hair gently as he rocked in tiny motions back and forth, and started talking in a calm and hushed voice.
“Do you remember the day we first met? I do. I never thought I could find a friend like you. And when we moved in together for the first time. You said it was just temporary, but I knew you would never leave my side. And I would never leave yours.
We were so awkward back then, and now look at us. We've traveled the world, we've actually fulfilled our teenage dreams, right? Do you remember Japan? What kind of question is that, of course you do. It was the best time of my life. You have been with me at all the right times. Whenever things weren't going well, you made me feel home. When we're together is like no one could hurt us, like nothing could get in our way. It's like so easy-. No wonder all of the best moments of my life are shared with you.
Do you reckon we should go back to Japan? Do you want to? We can sit under a cherry tree. And sip a bubble tea. Sunsets are very beautiful in Tokyo. It's going to be really nice. Do you want us to go, Dan?”
Finally, Dan's limbs gave out and went limp falling languidly at his sides. Phil took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He leaned back and laid down on the dirty floor, which at this point was a pool of blood, and hugged the warm lifeless body of his best friend, laying on top of him. The tears returned stronger than ever, but silent this time. Everything was silent since the rhythm in Dan's chest had stopped. Phil kept humming lullabies absentmindedly, hearing his own heartbeat slowly fade away too.
He went numb,
then went off,
to a better place,
with his love.