-Dan placed Winnie in front of the TV so he could try dress her - Dan ran into Winnie's room, pulling her Adventure Time onesie out of the drawer -Dan ran back into the lounge room to find Winnie chewing on one of the strange things him and Phil have collected - looking after a child without Phil was very hard, so after 10 minutes of struggle Winnie was dressed and sitting in front of the TV - Phil was out with Louise and Darcy, going toddler clothes shopping and Dan couldn't go because Winnie wasn't old enough to go out shopping (according to Phil but he's a little paranoid.) -Dan tried making Winnie eat some apple sauce but she kept spitting it everywhere. Dan didn't know how long he'd last without Phil - after making some green curry for himself, he had just started eating it (with Winnie on his lap) he heard the door jangle open -both Winnie and Dan stood up and ran down the hallway and bombarded Phil with cuddles and kisses - "don't leave again." Dan mumbled
-Dan picks up Winnie, their 3 year old daughter and Thor, their 1 year old son and carries them away from where they were sitting in the kitchen to the lounge room and sat them in front of Peppa Pig
-”can we have a cookie please?” whined Winnie, pulling her best pouty face
-”no Winnie, it’s almost bedtime” Dan sighed, hardly able to resist the pout
-Phil was sitting in the corner of the room with his laptop, and he looked up and gave Dan the most adorable puppy eyes
-”Please Dan?” Phil called
-Dan called out to him “I’m going to go get their onesies” and walked out of the room, ignoring him
-Dan comes back into the room to find it empty, but he heard a giggle in the kitchen
-Dan walked into the kitchen to find Phil and their two children on the floor, the cookie jar open and crumbs all over their faces
-but Dan found Phil’s guilty eyes too adorable to get angry and ended up on the floor with them
Phil sighed, it has been over an hour since his best friend left and he was bored.
He looked over at his mommy, who was luckily already in line, once again. Which meant they could finally leave.
Phil strolled over to his mother and accidentally hit one of the jewelry holder things that he had no idea what they were called. Luckily nothing had fallen, because even as a child, well, younger child, he was always so clumsy.
He looked up at the holder and spotted something, or something's, that made a huge smile grow on his face. He reached for them and hid them behind his back. Before running over to his mother and showing her them.
He told her he wanted them for him and his best friend.
She happily obliged.
~•~•~
"MOMMY, MOM, MOM. WHEN IS PHIL COMING?" Dan asked his mother, who was busy making dinner for her family and their friends. Who just so happened to be Phil's parents. After realizing their children had gone to the same school since they were just three years old and we're best friends, they became close themselves.
"They'll be here soon Daniel," he said, putting the last preparations on the meal and adding, "so go get washed up before they get here"
"OKAY!" Dan exclaimed and ran into the nearest restroom, leaving his mother to laugh at his eagerness.
"Dan!" Phil exclaimed, running up to his best friend, who was just drying his hands on a towel when he got pulled into a big hug.
"Phil!" Dan smiled, and they walked out of the bathroom. Not quite letting go just yet.
A minute later they separated and Phil looked over at Dans bedroom. Dan looked at him, confused, but then realized and grabbed Phil's hand. Dragging him inside.
Phil laughed and sat on the bed while Dan went to go ask his mother when the food will be ready and if they can play.
She said it was fine but made him stay a bit longer and say 'hi' to the Lester’s.
He did just that and after his mom said it was okay for him to leave, he ran into his bedroom. Going as fast as his little legs could take him.
He ran into the bedroom, panting, and closed the door.
"I'm sorry" he told Phil, who was laughing at the current state his friend was in.
"It's alright" Phil grinned and looked over at the lump of blanket that (obviously) looked like they were hiding something underneath.
Dan looked at him, confused.
Phil whispered, "shhh, it's a surprise."
"For?" Dan questioned.
"My best friend and I" Phil shrugged.
Dan was hurt; did Phil have another best friend?
"Oh," Dan said, looking down, sadly, "I hope they like it"
Phil shook his head and jumped off the bed, "I meant you, you spoon!"
Dan looked up and smiled widely at Phil.
Phil reached under the covers and pulled out what looked like a bunch of flowers.
Until Dan saw it.
Dan gasped, "Are those ours???" He asked, excitedly.
Phil nodded and placed one on his head.
Doing the same for the other, but putting it in Dan’s head.
"Does this mean we will always be best friends like the two girls?" Dan asked.
While their moms shopped, the two boys were playing hide and seek in the clothes racks.
"Three points Dan, two points Phil!" Dan happily exclaimed as he found Phil in the rack of sweaters.
They were pink and girly and something Dan would never imagine himself wearing.
"What?!" Phil asked, as he stepped out of the clothing rack, "it's three points for both of us"
"No, it's not,” Dan said as he shook his head.
"Yeah it was!" Phil whined, "You're cheating!"
"Uh-” Dan began but got cut off by Phil.
"Mommy! Danny's cheating!" Phil complained, to his mother.
Who simply looked down at Phil and sighed, before giving him a small smile and said, "How exactly did he do that?"
"He said I had two when I actually had three," Phil said with a confident smile. His mommy always had his back.
"No, I didn't!" Dan exclaimed, defensively.
The sound of laughter came up from behind him and Dan turned around, to see whom it was. Though he already had a good enough idea of whose laughter that was...
He turned to see his mom.
"Well, then, I guess now would be a good time to stop playing and go to check out," Dan’s mom said with a smile.
The two boys whined.
"Why? Are you sure we don't need anything else?" Dan asked his mom and she nodded.
"Can Dan come to our house?" Phil asked, his mom.
"Or can Phil come to ours?" Dan added, looking to his mom.
Mrs. Lester looked at both the boys and then, just at Dan before saying, "We would love to come over or have you over. But you and your mommy have to go home and I'm not done with the store yet. I'm sorry Daniel"
Dan pouted and Phil opened his mouth to ask his mom, but his mom stopped him.
"And no Philip, I'm sorry. You can't go over to Dan’s." She said, not sternly but simply enough to get her point across, "We're having family over for dinner tonight"
"But-" Phil began, but got cut off once again.
Mrs. Lester shook her head, "No buts. You'll see Dan tomorrow anyway, it's Saturday"
"Okay mommy," Phil said, finally giving in.
"It's okay you two" Mrs. Howell reassured them, with a gentle smile, "you also have the time of us waiting in line to hang out"
Both the boys grinned at each other as they followed their mothers to the line.
After about five minutes, the boys grew restless, getting tired of their conversation about which Pokémon they thought was the best, so they slipped away. Though not too far, so their parents could still see them.
Dan and Phil made their way towards the little section with the toys and began playing with them. Until someone accidentally bumped into Phil.
They looked to see who it was and saw two girls, who were holding hands and looked like best friends. Like, Dan and Phil.
"Oh, I'm sorry!" the one that accidentally bumped into Phil said, looking down at him.
Phil looked up at her and Dan followed in suit, "it's alright" Phil answered.
"Are you sure?" She questioned.
"Yup!" Phil grinned, trying to show her he was a big boy and didn't feel a thing.
The girl smiled at them before saying "Alright then. It was nice meeting you two"
She was about to go back to her friend when she heard one of the boys call out, "Wait. Miss.”
She turned to see it was the little one with the ginger hair. "Yes?" She asked, kindly.
"Do you mind me asking?" He said and stood up on his tippy-toes and to the best of his ability, pointed to the thing on her head, "um, what is that?"
The girl laughed a bit, before taking the thing off her head and showing it to Phil, "this, this is a flower crown"
The two boys looked at it in 'awe', though boys were not supposed to like that stuff, right?
"It's very pretty" Dan piped up and Phil nodded.
"Thank you," the other girl said, making her way towards them, "it's our token of friendship"
That intrigued Phil, "Is that to show that you guys will be best friends forever?"
"Yeah," the girl that bumped into Phil said, "something like that"
"Wow," the two boys said, almost simultaneously.
"Daniel, Philip, we have to go" a voice called out and the two boys turned to see their moms.
"Well," the first girl said, "it really was nice to meet you Daniel and Philip, but by the looks of it you two have to go"
"I'm Lily, by the way," the second girl with the black hair said. Then pointed at the blonde haired girl or the first girl, "and that's Emma"
"Bye!" The two boys said and made their way towards their moms. Telling them all about the two nice girls with flower crowns that were holding hands.
Dan Howell and Phil Lester were the closest that best friends could ever be. They did everything together. And by everything, I mean, everything. They were literally inseparable.
Though they were best friends, they were as different as can be. Or so that's what people would think if they didn't actually know the two.
Dan Howell wore all black and acted like he didn't have a care in the world, while Phil Lester wore all bright colors and was always smiling.
But getting past appearances, you'd see they're basically the same person. They love the same things, think the same way, and even laugh at the same thing things.
And that's saying something for a seven and an eight year old.
Yeah, a seven and eight year old.
Quite the interesting age, huh? You're still a kid but getting into double digits in only two or three years. Which is a big deal for any kid.
These two boys being no exception.
"Hey Danny?" The boy with the ginger hair and blue eyes asked the boy with the brown hair and matching brown eyes, which were currently squinting at the pages of a book that the boy was trying to read. Key word being: trying.
"Yeah, Philly?" The brown-eyed boy, or Dan replied back to the blue-eyed boy, or Phil.
"Um..." Phil said, as he questioned whether he should ask Dan what he was going to ask him. 'Would it be weird to ask?' He thought.
He thought against it, "what are you doing?" Phil questioned, trying to come up with an alternate question.
"Trying to read this new book that my mom gave me for my birthday." Dan relied, showing Phil the cover of the book, it read 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' and a few other words Phil could not see from where he was standing.
Phil took the seat next to him, intrigued when he saw the word "lion", "What is it about?" He asked.
Dan thought for a moment, before beginning "So far, it's about four kids, all brothers and sisters, that are sent away to house in the country and away from their parents. I guess to keep them safe, or something like that. I really didn't understand that part.... Anyway, one day, the youngest sister finds a wardrobe that transports her to a magical world called Narnia. And yeah, that's where I am right now. I just started it a few days ago."
"Wow" is all Phil said, thinking about going to a magical world.
"Yeah" Dan smiled, "do you want to read it with me?"
Phil nodded and the two started reading the book, silently.
Though, it was a comfortable silence.
Comfortable until the thought of the question he was going to ask returned.
He took a deep breath and then thought back to what he has heard his older brother say once before, 'better now than never'
'Was it really better to say it now, than never say it?' he thought, but got cut off by the sound of someone calling his name.
Phil turned to see who it was and it was Dan.
"Yeah, Dan?" Phil questioned.
"I was just wondering if I could flip the page" Dan replied.
"Oh, yeah. sure." Phil nodded, "Just turn the page"
Dan nodded back at him, before flipping the page and continuing on with his reading.
Minutes later, there's the same issue, "Phil?" Dan waved his hand in front of Phil's face, trying to get his attention.
Phil jumped up slightly, probably having got really scared due to being stuck in deep thought, "uh huh?"
"Are you okay?" Dan asked, concerned for his best friend.
"Yeah, I'm fine" Phil answered, "why?"
"You seem a bit, uh, out of it" he said.
"Oh" Phil said, "It's fine. I'm fine. I'm just thinking is all"
"Thinking about what?" Dan asked.
Better now than never.
"Hey Danny, you're my best friend and mean so much to me. Like this much" Phil held his arms out, wide, to show just how much, "and I don't want to lose you as best friend. So, Danny, will you promise me that we will best friends forever and ever and ever until we're old like our mommies and daddies?"
Dan looked bewildered, 'why would Phil think they wouldn't be?' he thought to himself and was about to respond, but got cut off by Phil adding, "No, older than them. Like old as our grandma's and grandpa’s.
"Of course Philly, forever and ever and ever" Dan responded, with a giggle at the thought of being as old as their grandparents one day.
"Pinky promise?" Phil asked.
"Aren't we too old for pinky promise's, Phil?" Dan wondered.
"My mommy says you're never too old for pinky promise's" Phil shrugged.
"Alright" Dan sighed, but smiled never-the-less as he took out his pinky and let it hug Phil's pinky, "I promise to be your best friend forever and ever and ever, Philly"
Phil smiled as well, "And I promise to be yours, forever and ever and ever"
A/N: this is a songfic based off of taylor swifts ‘mary’s song’
Summary: "i dare you to kiss me.” “dan ew! kissing is gross! plus. two boys can’t kiss.” dan only smiled. “yeah kissing gives you cooties, my mom says. but i have a friend who has two daddies and he says they kiss sometimes.” “you can have two daddies?!” “apparently.” “weird.”
“take me back when our world was one block wide. i dared you to kiss me and ran when you tried. just two kids; you and i. oh my, my, my.”
“tag!”
“hey no fair!”
the voices rang out through six year old dan howell’s backyard. it was a normal scene. the two were chasing each other back and forth around the yard while their parents conversed inside over coffee; you know, boring grown up stuff. the two young boys could often be found wrestling and covered in mud by the time the day was over. out of breath, the two fell on the green grass, laughing and trying to catch their breath.
“hey phil.” the younger one began. “i dare you to eat that worm.” he continued pointing to the inch worm making it’s way across the ground. “ew dan! no way!” phil giggled. “i dare you to eat the dirt, dan.” phil proposed. “gross!” dan sneered. it was silent for a minute while dan tried to think of something that was even more gross than worms or dirt.
“i dare you to kiss me.”
“dan ew! kissing is gross! plus. two boys can’t kiss.” dan only smiled. “yeah kissing gives you cooties, my mom says. but i have a friend who has two daddies and he says they kiss sometimes.”
“you can have two daddies?!”
“apparently.”
“weird.”
——
‘i was sixteen when suddenly i wasn’t that little boy you used to see, but your eyes still shined like pretty lights’
“bye mom!” dan called as he rushed out the door without another word. it was the weekend and he wasn’t going to waste any time at home. phil’s house wasn’t too far away - about a twenty minute walk which he made nearly every day after school. dan’s parents were starting to get a little suspicious, but he wasn’t really worried. they used to make jokes about the two boys falling in love - never really believing it would happen.
dan arrived at the house and invited himself in like he did most days, seeing as his parents weren’t home. he made his way up the stairs and called out phil’s name, letting him know he was there. he made his way to phil’s room and walked through the open door, smiling like an idiot at the site of the black haired boy sprawled out on his bed fast asleep.
dan reached down and gently shook the older boy into wakefulness. “mind if i lay with you?” dan asked, to which phil only incoherently mumbled. dan took it as a yes and placed a kiss on his boyfriend’s cheek, settling in next to him and sleeping the day away.
——
‘take me back to the time we had our very first fight. slamming the doors instead of kissing goodnight. you stayed outside, ’til the morning light.’
“dan wait!” the black haired boy called as the younger one stormed out of his house. “don’t talk to me.” dan snapped, obviously annoyed phil was following him on the walk back to his house. “why the hell didn’t you tell me you were going to uni all the way in manchester, phil?! why didn’t you give me time to prepare?” dan yelled, wiping stray tears away with his hoodie sleeve.
when dan had arrived at phil’s house, he had seen phil’s acceptance letter on the table and phil was going to be leaving for uni in two weeks. dan couldn’t bare the thought of being without phil, but right now he was hurt…and mad.
“stop following me! i want to be by myself.”
“bear, let me expl-“
“don’t fucking ‘bear’ me right now, phil.”
the rest of the walk home was silent as phil stayed in tow right behind dan; only getting the occasional glare. he was planning on telling dan, he really was, but he needed time to process it too. it’s not like he wanted to be away from dan.
the sun had set and dan had been in his house for over three hours, not bothering to come see phil - who was still sat on his front porch - no matter how many rocks phil threw at his window. the floor of the porch wasn’t that comfy, but he needed dan to know how much he cared.
the sun rose and a sore, achey phil tried once more to get dan’s attention. five minutes of throwing rocks at dan’s bedroom window and the front door opened, revealing a very tired and cried-out looking dan.
after some coaxing the rest of the morning was spent holding dan and telling him how manchester wasn’t that far away and he would see him on the weekends and they would skype every night. it wasn’t long before a few lazy kisses made everything alright.
——
‘a few years had come and gone around we were sitting at our favorite spot in town.
you looked at me;
got down on one knee’
to say phil was nervous was an understatement. he had already talked to dan’s mom and dad and they were elated and even helped phil with the plan. it was going to be simple and beautiful.
phil was in his last year of uni and was spending the weekend with his boyfriend back down south. phil dragged an unwilling dan to their very favorite coffee shop and despite being a nervous, stuttering mess, dan didn’t catch onto anything.
phil had the ring for a while now. it was a simple silver band with their initials carved in the inside of it. he hoped dan would love it….or at least say yes. oh god, he hoped he would say yes.
they finished their cups of coffee and phil stood up, taking dan’s hand. “let’s go on a walk, yeah?” he asked, nervously pushing his fringe out of his eyes. the two found themselves in the park, which wasn’t crowded at this time of day, thank god. phil couldn’t bare to have anyone see him get rejected by the man he loved.
sat on a bench, phil took dan’s hand.
“you know dan, i’ve loved you you’re whole life. from the very first time i heard that someone could have two daddies, i knew i wanted that for us. i knew you were special and i knew i wanted you forever and ever and no one else. so i guess what i’m trying to ask is….”
he swiftly got down on one knee, opening the small box.
“oh my god, phil” dan gasped with his hand over his mouth.
“daniel james howell, will you marry me?”
“yes, phil! oh my god. yes, phil!”
——
‘take me back to the time we walked down the aisle, the whole town came and our mama’s cried. you said i do, and i did too.’
the wedding was simple, just how the two of them wanted it. it was in the church their parents attended and everyone they loved was there to support them. the two of them walked hand in hand down the aisle and shakily gave their vows, but not without some tears thrown in there for good measure.
the reception was nice, but all they really wanted was some alone time, this was their night and they were tired of sharing it. while the dj was in full swing, they made their way to the field in the back of the church and just sat, looking at the stars.
“can you believe it, phil? we’re married. after all this time.” phil only gave a dopey smile, leaning in the kiss his husband. “i love you, dan.” he mumbled against the boy’s lips. “and that suit looks so good on you… i bet it’d look better off of you, though.” he said, his hand on dan’s thigh.
dan only rolled his eyes. “you horny bastard. we’ll have plenty of time for that tonight. but c’mon. everyone’s probably looking for us.” dan said standing up, extending his hand to help phil off the ground. hand in hand, they walked back to the reception, only each other on their mind.
——
‘take me back to the house where we met so many years before, we’ll rock our babies on that very front porch, after all this time, oh my, my, my.”
dan’s parents had moved up north to retire, so dan and phil had bought their house. it had only seemed natural. it’s where they met, it’s where they played, and it’s where they fell in love with each other. it only made sense for it to be the house where they start their family.
the sun was setting and dan was sat on a rocker on the porch, a dark headed newborn wrapped up in his arms. he couldn’t contain his smile, looking down at the baby boy he had phil were parents to. his thoughts were ripped away from him when a brown headed toddler stampeded out the door exclaiming that ‘papa said it was time for dinner.’ dan smiled and followed him inside, laying the sleeping newborn in his crib before making his way to the wonderful dinner his husband made.
later on that night, the kids were both in bed and dan and phil were tangled up in each other in a mess of limbs. the room was dark and the only noise dan could hear was the steady breathing of phil who was passed out next to him.
how was he so lucky that he had his best friend and the man of his dreams? how was he so lucky that he had a family with him? he had two beautiful children and a life that some people could only wish for.
he didn’t know how it happened, but he was sure glad it did.
——
‘i’ll be 87 you’ll be 89 i’ll still look at you like the starts that shine in the sky, oh my, my, my'
