dan woke up to someone climbing on top of him.

his eyes shot open but a hand slid over his mouth, clamping it shut and keeping him quiet.

warm breath tickled his neck and ear as the person leaned over, nipping at his skin. he could feel his cocky grin.

"get up."

the hand was removed from dan's mouth and he took a heavy breath, sitting up as soon as they climbed off of him.

"phil...?"

through the darkness he could make out a figure, narrowing his eyes. the figure laughed.

"no, it's santa claus. get the fuck up, dan."

dan had infinite questions, including how the hell phil knew where he lived, but he just obeyed, yawning. he glanced toward his alarm clock. it was one thirty. jesus christ.

dan went to get dressed, but phil grabbed his arm. "don't bother getting dressed."

dan frowned but didn't argue, staying in his boxers and a ratty t-shirt. phil clearly had an agenda.

phil tugged him to the window and dan's eyes widened.

"you climbed through my window?" he whisper-yelled. phil scoffed.

"i climbed up the fire escape. chill out."

dan didn't understand how he could be so calm about this. he had broken into his house.

nevertheless he climbed out after him carefully, flinching when his bare feet landed on the ridged metal.

"i don't understand why you get to wear clothes," dan mumbled grumpily.

"yeah, well, you look better without them."

dan blushed, falling silent and climbing down the painful ladder after him.

phil led him through his backyard, and they jumped a fence. dan could see him in the moonlight now; he looked almost ghostly. scary.

finally they stopped two houses over, in one of his neighbor's backyards.

"will you tell me what's going on now?" dan asked through a yawn, running his fingers through his hair. phil smirked, picking up a brick from the ground, near a place where the neighbors had presumably been building something, as other bricks and such were scattered around, abandoned.

dan's neighbors had a pool. he presumed many of them did, as he lived in a rich neighborhood, but he only really noticed when his boyfriend stepped up to the water, illuminated by colorful lights beneath the surface, and fell.

phil was holding the brick to his chest, clutched in his arms, and dan knew it was heavy, because he had struggled when he picked it up. a loud splash sounded through the quiet night when he hit the water, and dan gasped. now he was grateful that phil had told him not to get dressed.

he watched phil sink, the heavy object on his chest weighing him down. his dark hair clouded around his face, flowing in a way that dan would think was beautiful if there wasn't the likelihood that phil would literally drown.

phil lay at the bottom of the pool for a scary amount of time before he shoved the brick off of him, swimming for the surface. he gasped for breath, heaving so much that dan jumped, climbing shakily onto the concrete. when he was breathing again he looked up at him, grinning.

"your turn."

dan hesitated as phil pushed himself up, raising his eyebrows.

"are you scared?"

dan's pride took over and he shook his head, grabbing his own brick angrily. the moment was ruined by the struggling to pick it up that followed. he cursed as phil laughed softly.

dan tightened his jaw, glaring at him and storming over to the edge of the pool. he peered over for a moment before spinning around, giving phil a look before plunging into the cold water, falling backwards.

the heavy weight instantly pushed him down, and dan let it. it was his anchor.

soon his back hit the smooth bottom of the pool, and he opened his eyes, even though they stung from the chlorine. he had a temporary terrifying thought that phil would leave him here, would let him stay at the bottom of the pool and walk away. but then he saw him there, his blurred figure hovering by the edge.

dan closed his eyes, trying to focus. he had to preserve his breath, he had to last longer than phil had. he had to win.

soon the aching in his chest began, the desperation for breath. his chest heaved for air that wasn't there, his head throbbing. still, he persevered. he considered forcing himself to stay until he really did die, but then he wouldn't get to see phil's face when he won his sick game.

dan felt lightheaded. finally he decided it was enough, and moved to push away the heavy brick.

but he couldn't.

his limbs felt weak, and it was too much. he tried to roll over, but nothing happened. panic flared in his chest, muted by his need to breathe. he pushed harder, and pain shot through his fingertips. his gaze went fuzzy and everything felt muted and unreal.

his body relaxed.

faintly he heard something and he blinked slowly, making out a figure moving toward him, and for a second he thought it might be an angel. but then firm arms wrapped around his waist, the brick rolling off of him, pulling him toward the surface.

cold air hit dan in the face and he could hear soft panting but he was too busy gasping for breath, his whole body trembling. phil pushed him onto the concrete and he retched, clutching his stomach and heaving until his vision returned.

he rolled over, looking up at the sky, still taking shallow, desperate breaths.

"d-did i w-win?"