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YouTube events are always hectic. The meet and greets are often disorganised and everyone runs riot, the green room fills up every year with more people that they don’t know, the ‘younger, fresher, new faces of online content’, and they often find themselves retreating either to the corner of the room or back to their hotel room as soon as they can.
But nothing is ever as hectic as the after-parties. Not the ones put on by the event, they can rarely be bothered to tolerate awkward small talk, whilst desperately trying to dodge any vlog cameras and snapchat stories and sipping on weak alcohol. Not that they can ever avoid being in an overwhelming amount of thumbnails.
No matter how many times they’ve subtly shown their disapproval at people doing as such.
So for the past few years, they’ve taken to hosting little parties of their own, inviting a few close friends over for drinks and easy chat. Everyone knows that Dan and Phil are introverts, they’ve said it themselves. Everyone also knows that Dan and Phil pretty much come as a package deal, and over time their friends have tired of teasing them about it. If anything, it’s one of the two men themselves who make a dig at their closeness.
Not being ones to break tradition, Playlist is no exception. The event’s party is happening in one of the event rooms somewhere on the ground floor, yet Dan and Phil are in their room, surrounded by their closest friends who are also fellow attendees. Drinks have been had and many a laugh have been shared, but as soon as Tom yawns, everyone begins to yawn, and the long day of panels and meetups begins to take its toll.
Slowly people begin to leave, each hugging Dan and Phil goodbye and thanking them for the get-together, and soon enough it is just the two of them in the big double room.
“So, what do we-“ Phil is cut off by Dan holding up a finger whilst he looks down at his phone.
Phil is about to throw a little tantrum (he can blame it on the alcohol despite not being anywhere near drunk) when Dan shoves his phone in Phil’s face, displaying a text from Cornelia.
Hope you two weren’t planning on leaving anytime tonight…. group of fans heading your way
“How did they even know to come here?” Phil asks, and Dan immediately places a finger to his lips, and nods towards the door.
Muffled voices can be heard, a lot of them by the sound of it.
“Is this the right room?” a voice asks.
“That’s what people are saying. They saw Phil head this way earlier today, I’m sure!” another replies, and Dan turns to face Phil again, and raises an eyebrow.
‘I told you!’ he mouths, and Phil shrugs.
‘I needed it!’ Phil replies, and Dan rolls his eyes.
‘It’s not even cold!’
‘You’re in a jumper!’
Dan waves his hand dismissively, and begins to mouth something else, but Phil can’t even begin to decipher it. He silently asks for it to be repeated, but instead Dan walks over to the desk at the far end of the room and picks up two of the complementary notepads provided by the hotel, and two of the many sharpies they brought for signing.
He then makes his way over to turn off the lights and then switches on the bedside lamps, and sits on one of the single beds (for some reason the hotel put them in adjoining rooms, one with two single beds and one with a double bed – needless to say this is the only time they’ll be using the single beds) and Phil sits on the opposite one, and Dan hands him a notepad and sharpie.
Why the lights?
Dan starts scribbling his reply.
Why do you think, genius?
Phil puts his sharpie to paper, but at the same second, yet another new voice speaks from outside their door.
“Okay I just messaged the person who saw him earlier and they said it’s definitely this room. They’re on their way too, actually.”
Best get used to lamplight and this old-school communication. Dan holds up his notepad, and a small smile has crept onto his lips.
Could we not just text? Phil replies, and Dan heads to writing again.
We could. But admit this is more fun.
Phil can’t deny it. It is fun.
Besides it’s free, it’d be rude not to! Dan is smiling widely, and it is virtually impossible for Phil not to match it.
You’re weird he writes, and when Dan shrugs he writes again, But how long do you think we have to do this?
Dan’s sharpie is poised over his paper when one of the voices from outside speaks up again.
“Shall we just order pizza?”
A while by the sound of things…. do you think they’d give us some of that pizza?
Phil laughs, though immediately cups his hand over his mouth as they both listen to see if they were heard. When the next sounds they hear are someone ordering food from outside, they ease in relief.
It isn’t that they don’t love and appreciate their fans, of course they do, it’s just that after a packed schedule of panels and hours-long meetups, they need some time for themselves. Phil feels slightly guilty as it’s his fault, he was the one who insisted going back to their room to get a jacket (despite Dan telling him again and again he wouldn’t need it, which he didn’t in the end, but wore it anyway to prove a point) and some fans obviously saw him in the lobby and followed from a distance, then posted about it. Credit where it was due, they have always admired their fans’ dedication and sleuth skills, but everyone has their limits.
You’re going to blow our cover, you know! Phil holds up his notepad and waggles a finger from side to side in feigned disapproval, and it is Dan’s turn to laugh, and he too cups a hand over his mouth.
They’re safe again, no voices speak up.
Not the only thing I’m going to blow if you don’t stop making me laugh
Phil tilts his head to the side in confusion, and Dan shakes his head before writing again.
Ignore i said that, i don’t get it either
Phil smiles and flips to a new page. Literally never going to ignore you said that, can you not keep it in for five minutes?
A blush creeps onto Dan’s cheeks as he flips Phil off, and they both press their lips together as they desperately try to keep in their laughter.
It’s these kind of moments that they both treasure most. When the atmosphere is light and easy and they know they wouldn’t rather be there with anyone else, that it wouldn’t be anywhere near the same with anyone else.
People often assume that when Dan and Phil leave early from events and/or are somewhere else keeping themselves to themselves, things are always hotting up. When in reality, they’re doing stupid things like writing to each other on notepads whilst sitting two steps away from each other.
Not that they haven’t done anything of the former calibre, but since the incident of 2014 when it pained Dan to walk and stand upright for countless hours for a meetup the day after, they decided to keep that kind of fun for when they’re back home. Louise and Cat, the only ones who know about said incident, still tease them about it from time to time.
Guess what, Dan writes, and Phil just blinks at him, encouraging him to continue. I have an idea
I have lots of ideas, Phil writes back, Remember my idea to adopt two dogs???
Dan rolls his eyes. Forever home…..
Phil pouts, but Dan doesn’t see as he writes again.
But anyway, want to hear my genius idea?
Do i have a choice? xD
Dan narrows his eyes and flips Phil off. Let me live my life you dork, it’s not my fault people keep bringing that god awful thing up… I WAS YOUNG
Phil holds up his hands in surrender, and Dan reaches for his phone and wiggles it in his hand.
‘Watch and learn’ he mouths as he begins to type.
@danielhowell: is there anything better than free food at an event i think not
Phil’s phone immediately displays the tweet notification, and he glances at it before writing.
Wow check your privilege much
Dan flips him off yet again and nods towards the door.
“Did you see the tweet?” one of the voices asks, and is met with a chorus of mumbles of agreement.
“Should we head to the green room then? Sounds like they’re there” someone else suggests.
“It could be a scheduled tweet though, they might not be there.”
Phil reaches for his phone.
@AmazingPhil: @danielhowell i’m going back for another muffin right now i think i have an addiction help
Dan looks down at the notification and raises an eyebrow.
@danielhowell: @AmazingPhil you have a problem i can literally see you filling your pockets
It all happens in a few seconds, then, multiple voices speak at once, most significantly higher pitched and more excited than before, and then there is the sound of eager footsteps running further and further away.
Dan presses a finger to his lips as he slowly stands up and walks over to the front door and looks through the peephole.
“Looks like it’s finally just the two of us” he says with a grin as he makes his way back over, switching the lights back on as he passes the switch.
Phil stands up from the bed and stretches his legs. “I’d say we maybe have about…” he looks down at his bare wrist and taps a finger to his chin, “Fifteen minutes?”
Dan nudges him in the arm. “We could do a lot in fifteen minutes.”
“I know you mean order room service and watch anime.”
Dan rests his head on Phil’s shoulder.
“Damn right I do. Can we?”
Phil smiles and rests his head on Dan’s. “Whatever you want.”
--
Ten minutes later they’re tucked up in the double bed finishing off a stack of chocolate coated waffles (Phil is still holding a grudge at the hotel for taking pancakes off of the menu) and watching an episode of an anime.
“You know what I just realised?” Phil asks between bites.
“Not until you tell me, oh wise one” Dan replies.
“We probably could’ve just gone straight to this room and just, like, whispered. I think we’d have been fine, the doors are far apart.”
Dan stops chewing for a moment as he ponders the theory, and eventually laughs.
“We’re stupid.”
Phil laughs too. “We really are.”
“We had fun, though.”
“We really did.”
They don’t speak another word for the rest of the episode, but Dan moves into Phil’s arms and Phil gently draws patterns on Dan’s bare skin with his fingers, and they both take a moment to silently thank whatever higher forces may exist in the universe for making everything possible.
As the party downstairs continues in full swing and the sky continues to darken and the American nightlife blossoms outside of their window, they snuggle into the duvet and pull it up to their chins (the sheets are only thin, and they constantly have the air conditioning running despite them not needing it on after ten minutes).
“Can I ask something of you?” Phil whispers, they’re both now half-asleep.
Dan yawns, and turns to face him. “Anything.”
Phil pauses for a moment and smiles to himself. “When we get back can you please take some handwriting lessons?”
Dan doesn’t open his eyes, though gently kicks Phil’s leg under the duvet. “Fuck you,” he says, his voice is laced with sleep and a smile toys at his lips.
“I love you” Phil says, and can’t stop himself from closing the (already very small) gap between them and kissing Dan softly, causing Dan’s eyes to open.
“I love you more” Dan replies, then places a hand on Phil’s neck, bringing him back down for another kiss. “But your handwriting sucks too.”
“If that’s the only complaint you have, I can live with that.”
“You’re lucky you’re cute or else I’d kick your ass right now” Dan says, evidently falling back into the clutches of sleep.
“We established onstage today that we wouldn’t fight, besides you’d be too scared that I’d annihilate you” Phil grins, and Dan sighs dramatically.
“Go to sleep, loser” he says fondly as he finds Phil’s hand and loosely links their fingers.
Phil presses a kiss to Dan’s forehead and closes his eyes.
The room falls silent, and nobody has returned to outside their door.
“… But we both know I’d be the one to annihilate you” Dan adds to his previous statement.
“You didn’t seem to think so on the night before we left for America” Phil quips, and Dan cringes.
“Phil.”
It is the last word spoken before they both fall asleep, lulled to sleep by the distant pounding music from the party.
Little do they know they dream about the same thing that night. Of many easy, light-hearted nights like the one they just had, in a forever home of their own with a canine friend running around at their feet.