Strangers To Friends Masterlist
a match and a fuse (ao3) - waveydnp
Summary: Phil is twenty six years old and stuck in a dead end life. He works at Starbucks and may or may not be carrying a torch for his best friend of eight years. He doesn’t know who he is or what he wants–or how to go about figuring it out.
That all starts to change when he happens upon the resume of a certain law school grad named Daniel.
A Midsummer Night's Dream (to change a life) (ao3) - croissantbleu (orphan_account)
Summary: Dan Howell is a rising star in theatre, Phil Lester is an actor acclaimed by the audience and the critique. They both get a role in the same play.
Don't Hate The Piano Man (ao3) - lawgrain
Summary: Phil never responded to Dan's messaging and they never met. Instead of pursuing a vlogging channel, Dan came to hate vlogging and eventually made an anonymous piano channel. When playing at a VidCon Dan finds something interesting: Phil's Lion. Now they are thrown together because of a stuffed animal... yay
Fixing the connection (ao3) - jestbee
Summary: Dan has had a crush on the IT guy in his office for ages, not that he'll ever admit to it
Too bad he can't ever talk to him because he's always embarrassing himself when he tries
Which is fine, until his computer breaks
from up here you can't beat the view (just watch me now) (ao3) - kishere, maybeformepersonally
Summary: It's 2009 and Dan finds Phil on the internet when a well-meaning mate of his recommends him to a certain site she likes. Dan quickly becomes a fan: watching Phil's videos religiously and interacting with him on his socials. And, soon enough, Phil starts noticing him.
A familiar enough story on the surface but here's the catch: Phil has never been involved with YouTube.
Phil is a camboy.
If It Tastes This Sweet (ao3) - ellehcorx
Summary: Dan is a lost 25 year-old working as a barista. He has a hopeless crush on a customer who comes into the cafe daily. His co-worker thinks he’s being a good friend by writing down Dan's name and number on his crush’s coffee cup. Unfortunately, he gives it to the wrong black haired man with blue eyes and glasses.
ink and alice (ao3) - dizzy
Summary: Dan joins a band instead of going to university, and then he meets Phil.
Let Go Of The Reins (ao3) - natigail
Summary: Dan did not want to go home to his parents' house the summer after his first year of studying law - which he was failing at - so when a friend suggested a simple job that would keep him busy for three months and give him a place to live, he couldn't say no. Granted, shovelling horse shit wasn't glamorous and he was afraid of horses, but the Lester Stables had other things going for it.
Phil was newly graduated with a video editing degree and moving home to his parents' horse stables, even if he still would not get back on the horse since what happened earlier in the year. He had a complicated relationship with horses to begin with and he had decided he was done riding. When the new stablehand help arrives, Phil finds himself going out to the stables more often despite trying to stay away.
linger on (ao3) - dizzy, waveydnp
Summary: A recent loss has ground Phil's life to a halt. At 33, he's static in his grief and living in the house he grew up in - until his mother kicks him out.
In a fit of indignation and with nothing to lose, he answers the first listing he finds for a room to rent in London... a listing posted by a guy named Dan.
meant for me (ao3) - graydar
Summary: Dan doesn’t believe in soulmates. Phil believes in everything. Dan is scared of everything. Phil is scared of Dan.
pastry chef attempts to steal phil's heart (ao3) - sierraadeux
Summary: If anyone asks, Prince Philip's sneaky morning journeys down to the royal pastry kitchen are for nothing more than the perfect cup of coffee.
Sea Glass (ao3) - kae_karo
Summary: Phil arrives on the Isle of Man to house-sit at his family's cabin while it's repaired and sold. Except the cabin's in far worse shape than expected, and Phil's got to find somewhere else to stay (Phil POV)
Ships that pass in the night (ao3) - jestbee
Summary: Dan and Phil are YouTubers. The catch? They’ve never met, and Phil doesn’t want them to.
Six Ravens (ao3) - iihappydaysii
Summary: Dan meets Prince Philip at a cyberbullying campaign, but what starts as a working relationship grows complicated when Dan realizes he’s falling for the prince and maybe, just maybe, he’s not alone in his feelings. (Part One is complete and is a full story on it's own. Part Two is still in progress)
Sparks of Light (ao3) - JudeAraya
Summary: In a world where some people had magic and some didn’t, Dan had always felt at odds. A boy whose magic was broken. The least gifted in his family. Dan’s only ability--being able to see auras--had done nothing but bring him pain, because in each aura Dan read, all he could see were the most depressing human emotions.
At twenty three, Dan was settled in London, resigned to a lonely life as a barista in a shared flat with no prospects and little hope, just trying to get by.
Until one day, he met a boy on the tube whose aura was so brilliant; so full of color and light, it changed everything.
Summer Love (ao3) - benotafraidofwriting
Summary: Phil's little brother's best friend catches his eye during summer vacation.
the sun rises and sets with you (ao3) - mels
Summary: Dan hates his family’s summer cottage – there’s no Wifi and no civilisation, and spending time with family is just plain and boring. He has his treehouse though, and that makes going up north worth it even if it’s boring. But perhaps this summer will be different.
the water might be lovely (ao3) - isleofbants
Summary: Dan, utterly fed up with uni, runs away to the Isle of Man.
Seeking escape, he gets more than he bargained for when he rents a room out from happy-go-lucky, recent grad, Phil Lester.
