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"No no no no this isn't happening no."
"What's wrong Dan?"
"I can't find half the stuff we need and the show starts in an hour and we need to be out there for the VIP meet and greet in like 5 minutes and I don't even know if I will be able to walk onto the stage and what if I screw it all up and say something horrible a-"
"Stop, just stop for a moment Dan." Phil cut off Dan's panicky rant and stepped forward to stand beside the younger.
"First up, even if you do screw up, these are our fans, they know that we're nervous, they would probably love it if we got tangled up and fell over, because that's kind of our brand at this point. Plus, we can come back here for a whole half hour before the show after the meet up thingy and find the stuff we need. "
"Ok but what if the lighting breaks or you fall off the stage and break something or -" Dan was looking calmer for a moment, but his naturally anxious mind was getting the better of him once more.
"Dan, even if something does go wrong, what does it matter, I'll be right there with you and we can fix whatever it is, we can fix anything, now, I think that's our cue to head down to the meet and greet thing."
After a moment of careful thought and deep breaths Dan nodded slowly and turned to the door out to where the fans were waiting.
As it was always going to, the meet up went as smoothly as it was possible for it to go, nobody got injured and everybody got to say hi to the two YouTubers.
Backstage again and with half an hour to go before the first show of the tour Dan had collected himself a bit more, but Phil could see that his hold on rational thought was shaky at best. Phil himself certainly wasn't calm. He was about to go out on stage and perform live for about a squillion fans and he had no idea how that was going to work out, but Dan needed him to stay functional for this final stretch of prep.
After a few more minutes of searching all the props were neatly organized and set out backstage, ready to be collected or passed out onstage as needed.
Dan and Phil stopped for a last few minutes of rest before the show was due to start. Dan was almost shaking, every now and then a little shudder ran through his body.
"Dan look, look out there," Phil said, gesturing out through the gap in the curtain.
"At what, the literal horde of people who will be watching our every move like hawks in just a moment? I'd rather not look thanks."
"No you spork, at the entire room full of people who care about us enough to spend actual money and actually leave their houses to see us do anything. At the sheer number of people who want us to succeed, who want us to be happy." Phil replied, smiling.
"Well when you put it like that I guess I could look for just a moment." Dan glanced out at the assembled crowd, another little shudder racing down his spine at the thought of stepping onto the stage.
"I know this isn't the time, but I think it just might be the best time to say it..."
"What Phil?"
"Dan... Dan I love you, and if you don't love me then that's fine and nothing will have to change, but if you feel the same way then can we please do something about it. I've been waiting since before 2012 to say that, but I never found the right moment and then it just got so weird for so long, and then I just couldn't find the right moment and I kept putting it off an-"
Phil was cut off rather abruptly by Dan's lips against his own and a crushing hug.
After a few moments Dan pulled away "I love you Phil Lester, I think I always have, thank you for saying something."
They returned to the kiss but it didn't last long, the final signal to head out on stage sounded and there was a flurry of movement around them.
The pair, and now couple, stood and walked to the side of the stage, hands linked between them.
"You know, despite all of this, I still never really thought I had a shot with you, you're AmazingPhil, famous YouTuber and general awesome human and I'm just-"
"You're just danisnotonfire, YouTube superstar with 5 million subs and counting, author and generally more popular than me, and you have been for a while now."
Dan smiled at that and in the last possible moment Phil pulled him in for one final kiss, a reassurance that no matter what was to happen, they would always have each other.
They untangled their hands from each other and glanced back at the crew one last time, making sure everything was ready. Thumbs up were exchanged and the two YouTubers turned authors stepped out from behind the curtain and onto the stage, to the deafening roar of applause from the crowd.