Chapter Text
Everybody knows who Daniel Howell is, but nobody knows who he goes home to.
Every red-carpet event or premiere he is invited to, and attends, he’s asked the same question as he is right now.
“Daniel, are you dating anyone right now? The fans want to know!”
And every time, he gave them the same response. “No, no I am not. And I’m happy with that.”
Now when he would say this, it would be live streamed everywhere, and one certain bleach blonde would be sitting on their couch, eating his gummy worms. And he would laugh at the statement, knowing he was his husband.
Dan walked through the red carpet and out of the camera shot of the new movie premiere of “The Secret of Us”, which starred Daniel Howell as a queer man finding love after discovering he was not attracted to women at the ripe old age of 28.
Phil, his husband in real life, is utterly proud of him for this film. He got to see a secret screening of it in their living room last week, and he could not have loved it more than he thought he would.
He pulled out his phone, knowing dan was side stage at the premiere right now, to text him.
Phil – So… you’re single, are you?
Dan – Oh ha ha.
Phil – Hey, you love me.
Dan – Do I? (Yes, yes, I do)
He smiles at his phone, sending back a kissy face emoji to him.
This whole situation would feel weird if Dan was the only famous one of them both, but that’s not correct. Phillip Lester is an award winner director, known for his work in horror, comedies, and sometimes just for fun, rom coms.
So now it’s more complicated than famous and secret normal person. Its famous person and famous person. They manage to hide the relationship from the world and have done so for maybe ten years – four for when they were dating, and six and counting for their marriage.
It’s not a struggle at all for either of them. What would be more of a struggle is not letting the world know they were gay as well as the relationship. But everyone knows about the gay bit.
The bad bit about this whole thing though? Dan hasn’t worked on any of Phil’s movies. Phil uses Dan for his muse whenever he writes a script that he ends up directing, but he’s never been in one out of fear.
Fear they will get found out. Fear that they will get caught. Fear that they will get cancelled. Fear that the movie would flop because of it all causing their careers to be over.
They both desperately want to work together on a movie, really really badly, but it’s all just fear stopping them at this point. Phil has had a script written and edited sitting in his desk draws that would be perfect to direct with Dan staring as the lead, it’s just never been brought up to him.
Phil turns off the TV from the premiere, only keeping it on to see who other celebrities were invited to this event. Sometimes, watching these gave him ideas for his movies or ideas on who he wants to cast. It’s always very educational and fulfilling to him.
He gets up from the couch, placing the gummies on the coffee table in front of him, before picking up his laptop that was sat on the couch next to him.
-_-_-_-_
By the time Dan gets home from the premiere hours later, Phil has forgotten all about the work he was doing on his laptop and instead was playing Mario kart on his switch.
He hears the door open and boots walking through the door and knows instantly who it is. Phil stays seated on the couch, not wanting to get up and risk his chances of staying in 2nd place on his game, so he calls out to him stead. “I’m in the living room, Daniel.”
Dan walks through the living room, his shoes long gone and at the door, before walking up and sitting down on the couch next to Phil and watching him loose his placing and get down to 9th.
“You lost,” Dan says, looking at the screen before turning his attention to his husband. “You had one job, Phil.”
“It’s not my fault!” Phil exclaims as he finishes the race in 10th. He groans, putting his head in his hands. “I blame you, you distracted me.” He turns his head to smile at his husband who smiles back at him.
“I was as quiet as a mouse; how did I distract you?” Dan asks, running his hand up and down Phil’s back.
“Oh please, you are not as quiet as a mouse ever!! Every time we do any gaming, you are yelling in my ear.” Phil retorts, sitting back up and resting against the back of the couch. He opens his arm’s, signalling Dan is cuddle into him which he does instantly. “But never mind that, how was the premiere baby?”
Dan sighs into his arms, feeling Phil’s head rest atop his curls. “It was exhausting talk to everyone, but I enjoyed it very much.”
Phil placed a kiss atop his head, letting his lips stay pressed for a few seconds longer than necessary. “It was the last premiere for this movie though, baby. You’re free from the press for a little bit longer now.”
“Are you saying I get you all to myself tonight? No one to disturb us?” Dan says, lifting his head up to look in Phils crystal blue with a playful and tired smile on his face.
“Yes, that is what I’m saying Howell.” Phil whispers out to him, leaning down to softly catch Dans lips in a small kiss. It’s a comfort to them both. It’s not full of passion, not full of fear or regret. It’s full of the comfort they hold for one another.
“Well then Lester, I feel like we should get some sweet treats from the kitchen and put on a few episodes of some trashy reality TV.”
Phil smiles down at him, “You’re gonna make me get up and get it, aren’t you?”
“Of course! I’ve just been socialising for the past couple of hours; you’ve been sat here playing Mario kart. So go get us some snacks, twat.” Daniel smiles up at him.
Phil rolls his eyes with a smile still on his face, “Fine.” He sighs out, causing a wide grin to break out on Dan’s lips before lifting himself off Phil for him to be able to get up. “But you better have a show ready by the time I get back.” He says, looking down at his husband, who was now laid down with his head rested against the couch’s armrest.
He gives him a salute. “Yes sir.”