Work Text:
iv. Dan and Phil as told by Panic! At The Disco: When the Day Met the Night
https://youtu.be/W4Jaqb4sA1E?si=f2wCky73ylYNdAVM
2009
February
Dan hesitated for a split second before clicking the ‘Enter’ button.
“the gold saucer music makes this quite epic video even more epic”
His first ever comment.
Dan rewatched the video again, eyes never leaving his face.
AmazingPhil. He really did have the most amazing stories. His life seemed so fun. He was friends with so many other YouTubers, he travelled to America, and he just seemed so self-assured.
Dan wished he could be like that. He wished he knew what he wanted to do with his life.
.
2009
June
And now he was 18.
Phil replied to his tweet before, so that must mean he knew Dan existed, at least.
Dan opened up Twitter, and clicked onto Phil’s profile.
wassup i’m dan!!!! │
No.
Delete delete delete.
│i’m dan!!!!
hii│i’m dan!!!!
He thought for a minute about what else to say. Suddenly, he was hit by a stroke of genius.
hii i’m dan!!!!│
hii im dan!!!! i want to start a YouTube channel but idk how to make vids :( can i has some editing tips plz? ><│
And send.
A week later, they became Facebook friends.
When the moon fell in love with the sun
They got to chatting really quickly, and fell into an easy rhythm of things. Something just… clicked. They had loads in common, and Dan had so much fun talking to Phil.
Phil was more of a dork than he thought. He loved Buffy maybe way too much, but Dan could listen to his rambling for hours.
For the first time since he was a tiny child, Dan actually felt safe.
He had a best friend.
He wasn’t wrong. He wasn’t a freak.
And he was happy.
All was golden in the sky
All was golden when the day met the night
.
2009
July
Phil chewed on his hoodie string, contemplating if he should send the text.
Oh, bother.
Would you like to call on Skype some time??
Sent 12:46 am
When the sun found the moon
She was drinking tea in a garden
Under the green umbrella trees
In the middle of summer
Phil chuckled to himself. Despite being in university and even finishing up his Master’s, here he was being reduced to a nervous wreck. All because of a text.
When Phil first read Dan’s message back in June, he would be lying if he said he didn’t immediately recognise his username.
danisnotonfire
Dan had commented on his YouTube videos and tweeted at him before, but this felt different.
This felt like the start of something new.
.
2009
November
When the moon found the sun
He looked like he was barely hanging on
After meeting in real life in October, Dan realised he wanted to hang out with Phil forever.
Phil, who encouraged him to actualise all his ideas into YouTube videos (“It’s an awesome idea, Dan! People will love it!”).
Phil, who never made him feel guilty for being uncertain (“That’s okay. Nobody knows what they want to do at 18, Dan. They’re lying if they say otherwise.”).
They could talk for hours. 5 hours and 42 minutes to be precise.
“just had a biblical-scale argument with the father. pah, ill find sanctuary on the internet.”
Barely ten minutes after he’d tweeted that, Phil had called him in a panic, immediately consoling and reassuring him.
Dan smiled slightly as he listened to Phil. He had someone on his side now.
But her eyes saved his life
In the middle of summer (summer)
Just at the start of the year, Dan thought that he had nothing and no one. That everything would be better if he just disappeared. That there was nothing he could do to change his situation.
How long ago that seemed now.
“I wonder how biology can explain the physical pain you feel in your chest when all you want to do is be with someone D:”
.
2010
February
They were together nearly every week.
They visited each other often, but Dan loved going over to Phil’s more.
In the middle of summer
All was golden in the sky
All was golden when the day met the night
Summer
All was golden in the sky
Dan received an unconditional offer.
Phil was the first to know.
“I’ll go to UoM. Then we could see each other all the time,” he told Phil over the phone.
“I can’t wait. And I also can’t wait to go Portugal with you,” Phil replied, sounding breathless.
On Valentine’s Day, he watched the video Phil made him. He loved it, even if he pretended otherwise.
“I’m fed up of India.. there is somewhere else I want to be right now :[ <3”
All was golden when the day met the night
.
2010
July
Being with Phil was so exciting. He’d got them both on a YouTuber trip to Jamaica.
It was beautiful. The weather and water was causing his hair to go all poodle-y, but getting to spend a week together with Phil was worth it.
Summer, summer, summer, summer
All was golden when the day met the night
.
2009
July
So he said, “Would it be alright
If we just sat and talked for a little while
If in exchange for you time
I give you this smile?”
Dan reread the text over and over, his smile getting wider and wider.
“Would you like to call on Skype some time??” Phil had sent the in the night.
Yes. YES. │
│
yessss :D│
Sent 11:48 am
So she said, “That’s okay
As long as you can make a promise
Not to break my little heart
Or to leave me all alone in the summer”
.
2009
December
Dan was over again. Phil loved having him in his home.
He loved watching Dan. How expressive his face was. How it moved when he laughed. When he talked. When he cried. He loved all of it.
He loved Dan.
Wait. What?
Well he just hanging around
Then he fell in love
Dan ran to the window. “Phil, it’s snowing!” he exclaimed. “We should film something!”
And he didn’t know how
But he couldn’t get out
Phil’s heart thundered and he was suddenly unable to speak.
Just hanging around
Then he fell in love
They were snowed in. Dan had no choice but to stay over.
“Mum. The trains aren’t running. Can Dan stay one more day?” Phil asked his mother.
“Of course.” She smiled knowingly. “He’s a very lovely boy, Phil. You two seem to get along quite well,” she told him.
Phil blushed. “I— well— yeah. He’s my best friend,” he stuttered.
His mother threw her head back and laughed.
.
2010
August
In the middle of summer
All was golden in the sky
All was golden when the day met the night
Dan and Phil collapsed onto the sofa, exhausted after a long day of moving.
Phil’s apartment in Manchester was way high up and next to some sort of prison, but it was pretty nice.
“Thanks for helping me move in,” Phil said.
Dan brushed his long fringe aside. “No problem. Besides,” Dan added, “I’ll be here all the time anyway. Reckon I should familiarise myself with the place.”
Phil looked over at him, watching as he got a little red in the face.
Phil tapped Dan’s foot with his. “That’s alright with me.”
Dan looked back at him, unable to contain his smile.
Summer
All was golden in the sky
All was golden when the day met the night
Summer, summer, summer, summer