Finding the Phandom: A Dan and Phil AU

Chapter 5

A/N I am so sorry that this took forever to update, exams are coming up and I am scrambling to save my grades, but this is the next chapter. Please don't hate me.

Also, what the hell? They moved! And rip danisnotonfire. 

I will not be making that URL change for the sake of this fic, it just wasn't something I was prepared to add to my story, so I wont be.

~

Phil woke with a smile on his face, and a notification from twitter. He had another DM from Dan. It had been a week since he sent his first message, and he was pleasantly surprised to find that he and Dan genuinely had a lot in common. He was trying not to get his hopes up, considering he had a bad track record for maintaining friends. He had the feeling that if he got his hopes up and Dan stopped messaging him, it may just be the final straw of his sanity.

He put on his glasses and read Dan's message. "morning phil" He smiled to himself and typed a quick reply. He got up and took his morning shower, drying his hair, putting in his contacts, brushing his teeth, and everything he does every morning, messaging Dan constantly. Dan had managed to work his way into Phil's daily life. Phil lived for the moments Dan would message him, and he found himself look forward to it. However, their conversations stayed on Twitter for the time being. 

Phil occasionally found himself wondering if Dan would like to film a collab. He wasn't sure if Dan would be up for it, considering they have never met in person, or even spoken in any way other than over Twitter DMs. 

He let him mind wander to what he would film if he and Dan were to film a collab together. They could film a simple tag, like a new friend tag or something. They could do a costume video, Phil was particularly fond of those, but he was worried Dan wouldn't be comfortable with that. They could always do a Q&A video. His subscribers really liked those kinds of videos, and they are lots of fun to film. 

Phil's phone started ringing, drawing him out of his own head. His caller ID read "Mum" so he answered it. His mother was wanting to have dinner with him. She was anticipating his upcoming 30th birthday, which was this upcoming Monday, in a mere 6 days time. 

Kathryn Lester loved her son dearly, regardless of how scary he was as a child when he would silently stand next to her bed until she woke up. She loved her baby boy so much, and she was worried about him. She watches all of her youngest sons videos, but she can see the sadness in his eyes, she can see past that fake smile like only a mother can. She knows her son is lonely, and she will be damned if her son will spend his 30th birthday alone, like he has spent the last 5 birthdays. 

Every year, she tries to get Phil to come home and see the family, spend time with his parents, Martyn and Cornelia, and just be surrounded by family, but every year, he makes up some excuse. He spends his birthday alone, in his flat, watching Netflix and eating cake that he bought himself from Tesco, surrounded by cards and gifts sent from people who only seem to remember he exists on his birthday. 

"Hon, why don't you come home for your birthday this year? Martyn and Cornelia will be here, it will be like a big family reunion! Wouldn't that be lovely?" Phil loved his mom, but he wasn't much of a fan of his birthday. He has millions of people sending him well wishes on his birthday, but not a simple one seemed to pull him out of the funk he falls into every year. He would rather spend his birthday alone, drunk, in his flat. He just wanted it over with. 

"Sorry mum, I don't think I can make it this year."

"Philip, you say that every year. You can't keep spending your birthday alone." He didn't want to go see his family, because being with his family meant seeing Martyn and his wife, happily in love. Seeing his parents, still happy and lovey after all of these years. Being around his family, just made him realize that he was 30 years old, almost, and he still didn't have a real relationship. He didn't even have a real friendship, for god sakes. "If you aren't going to come here, we will come to you. We can stay at a B&B in London, won't that be nice?"

"No, mum! Umm..." He had to come up with something quick. He couldn't see his family, it would only make it worse. "I already have plans for my birthday!" Oh Phil...

"Do you? Well that's lovely dear! What are you doing then?" 

"I am going to spend time with my friend..." No. No. This is not good. Whatever you do, don't give her specifics. 

"Dear, thats wonderful! Which friend?" 

"Oh, you don't know him."

"Well what's his name? I may know his family."

"Dan Howell." It comes out before Phil can stop it. He just wanted his mother to leave him alone and let him spend his birthday how he wants to. And this is not what he wanted to come of this conversation. 

"Howell? I don't know them, where are they from?" Phil holds his face in his hands, ashamed that he let himself fall into this mess. He had never even spoken to Dan in person, or even on the phone. Just over a week ago, Dan was a stranger. 

"Hey mum? I have to go, I am filming a new video. I love you. Bye" He hung up before she could stop him. He had two new messages from Dan. Each one talking about an anime Dan has been watching lately, that Phil had already seen. Dan had just made it to the plot twist at the climax of season 2, and he was not expecting it. 

Phil smiles, and types a response he wasn't expecting to say anytime soon. "Hey Dan, wanna Skype?"

~

Dan swore his heart stopped. He has been saying that same phrase a lot since he started talking to Phil, but this time he means it. He was taking a swig of Ribena when Phil's DM came up on his phone. Dan choked on the red liquid and had to go spit in the sink before he could compose himself. Philip Michael Lester had just asked him to Skype. 

"skype? no one has skyped in years" The best way to approach a situation like this is to make a joke. Dan lived for jokes that lighten the mood, and if there was ever a situation where Dan needed to lighten the mood, it was now. 

"Oh, yeah. You're right. Facetime then?" Dan smiled a smile so big that his dimple had to have been the size of the Grand Canyon right about now. Before he could form a response, Phil sent another message. "If you want to that is. I don't want to make you uncomfortable or anything." He is an actual ray of sunshine. Dan will have to wear sunglasses when he sees him, or he may go blind. 

As a response, Dan sent Phil a simple response. "+44 20 7388 7666" 

Dan was trying not to overthink, waiting for his phone to ring and Phil's face to pop up on his screen. He decides he should answer the call on his laptop, so that he can use his phone if he needs to while talking to Phil. He runs to the bathroom to make sure his hair was straight and neat. He changes his shirt from his casual t-shirt to a long sleeve jumper instead, one that was black, as usual.

Okay, he was overthinking. 

His phone and laptop start ringing, and he jumps. He tries to hold himself together while he hits accept. 

Phil really is an actual ray of sunshine.

~

A/N the phone number Dan gave was a number for a hotel in London. Just saying.

Also, I'm sorry this is so short.