Phan Oneshots

The Untimely Death of Dan Howell

Spooky Week #1!

This was requested by @Failingskg, who wanted a sort of Corpse Bride au. It won't be exactly like the movie, but the idea will be the same. And I'm gonna split this into two parts, but the second part will probably be posted after the 31st, so stay posted about that.

Summary: Dan is being forced into a relationship that he's not happy with by his family, and goes into the woods to clear his head, where he meets Phil, who's not exactly...alive.

//very slight homophobia in the beginning//

***

"Her name is Marianna Sheffield, and she's a very nice girl, I'm sure you'll like her."

When he'd been called into his fathers office, Dan had at first assumed that he was in some kind of trouble. That was usually the case, since he usually did it on purpose; nothing else seemed to catch the old man's attention. Dan had expected a few yelled threats about being kicked out or being thrown in jail once and for all for trying to ruin 'the Howell reputation with your foolish teenage rebellion'. Nothing he hadn't heard countless times before.

So it was highly unsettling when his father had greeted him with a smile, and a real one this time, and pulled him into a hug. Dan was almost sure he'd been transported into some alternate dimension in between the walk from the lounge to the office.

And then there was a ring, a very expensive looking and probably overpriced ring, being pressed into his hand, and he was told there was girl he was supposed to marry.

"I don't..." Dan was really struggling to keep up with the conversation. "I don't understand."

"Well, what's not to understand?" His father replied cheerfully, stepping from behind his desk and approaching his son. He clapped a hand on his shoulder firmly. "Mrs. Sheffield has dutifully accepted the proposal, and her family seems quite eager at the idea as well. Don't you think it's a great opportunity for the family? And you know, it's actually very convenient, this time of the year is always the best for a wedding. I never thought I'd get the chance to see you married, you're always so stubborn about it all-"

"But I'm gay."

He interrupts his fathers spiel almost angrily, his fingers clutching the ring tightly in his hand. The words hang, heavy or foreboding, in the air between them, and Dan can see the exact moment his fathers smile turns stiff.

Because that had always been the sore spot in their 'family'.

He was not ashamed of who he was, didn't particularly care that some (most) people looked down on him because they saw him holding hands with another boy. Maybe it had taken him a while to fully understand what he wanted and that he shouldn't give a rats ass about what other thought, but he had come to terms with it, and graciously appreciated the few people in his life who accepted it as well.

But his parents were not so easy to deal with.

He wouldn't call it blatant homophobia, but he never missed the air of indifference or ignorance they passed off whenever it was slightly mentioned. It was why his dad had been relentlessly trying to set him up with different girls every other week, and why his mum had recently taken to going on very long trips to different cities, claiming it was for her job. And Dan didn't care if they didn't care, as long as they didn't outright dehumanize him.

But this was different. His dad trying to force him into marrying some girl he'd never met, was probably the most idiotic and offending thing he'd done so far.

"I assure you, she's a very fine girl," his father continued on. "And I'm sure she can make you see how wonderful it really is to be with a woman."