Summary: Dan is a teacher at a high school and Phil calls him halfway through a lesson to tell him he has 3 million subscribers.
Absolutely Smitten (ao3) - manchestereyes
Summary: Teacher AU wherein Dan is a much-adored primary school music teacher, and Phil is just the science teacher who can't keep his mind off of him. But when the students notice and try to get in on the action, will Phil finally work up the courage to ask Dan out?
A Little Bit Of Magic - dxnhowell
Summary: Dan is the new potions teacher at Hogwarts and is muggleborn, this is his first year teaching and whilst he’s excited, he has to get used to being in the castle with absolutely no muggle technology. Phil is the herbology teacher and is clumsy and likes puns and likes to help Hagrid with his magical creatures. Dan and Phil eventually meet and become rather close, some of the students realize this and try to get them together before the end up of the year.
A Long Time Coming - dxnhowell
Summary: College AU where teacher!Dan brings his youtuber boyfriend to meet his students for the first time, and Phil’s nervous, to say the least.
A Thorough Lesson On The Male Body (ao3) - americanphancakes
Summary: Dan Howell – Phil’s substitute sex ed teacher – is very good looking and, luckily for Phil, very into hands-on teaching methods.
Bad Day (ao3) - chatoyment
Summary: Nothing seems to be going right with everything that Dan does on that certain Saturday. It only got worse when Phil and him have a big argument for the first time in their new relationship.
Dan and Phil and Ollie (ao3) - chatoyment
Summary: Phil has a crush on his son's pre-school teacher, Dan.
Phil woos him.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas (ao3) - citizen101erased
Summary: Dan has just started as a new teacher at a secondary school in Manchester, and immediately gets put in charge of the annual Christmas celebration. But between constant budget cuts, the two main roles coming down with laryngitis, and the original teacher possibly coming back earlier than expected, it will take all of Dan’s creativity - and that of the cute English teacher, Mr. Lester - to keep the show going, whatever it takes.
meet you there (ao3) - orphan_account
Summary: Dan's a new teacher and Phil's become his designated tour guide around the school.
One Day - dxnhowell
Summary: pastel!dan is a kindergarten teacher and is married to punk!youtuber!phil, who he hates and doesn’t get along with at all. They’re parents forced them to marry each other. Dan is unhappy but things finally take a turn.
Play Me A Song, Write Me A Story (ao3) - phanimist
Summary: Dan is an English teacher who loves words but doesn’t quite love his job, and Phil is the new band conductor/music teacher with bright blue eyes that Dan loves to describe.Their friendship blossoms instantly, despite both of them wanting more right from the start.
Or, alternate summary: A shit ton of fluff with teacher x teacher action that isn't smut i'm sorry
Pretty Odd - phillestatos
summary: Dan Howell, piano teacher and speedster, craves chocolate cakes at three in the morning. He meets a baker named Phil who owns the only store opened at three in the morning and who bakes the most delicious chocolate cake in the world. It’s a pretty odd love story.
scratch bark bite (oh, love me, i lied) (ao3) - Tarredion
Summary: Music & Drama teacher Dan Howell has a well-known rivalry with his coworker, English teacher Phil Lester.
An unforeseen event flips everything Dan thought he knew about Phil and himself on its head. Slowly but surely, the grudge withers, and the two of them cross the line between enemy and friend. But what will happen when their true intents and feelings get revealed? And was what they had ever really a rivalry? Was it even mutual?
So Many Stars - transdimensional_void
Summary: After graduating with his law degree, Dan decides to move to Japan to teach English for a year.
theia mania (ao3) - hamartiawrites
Summary: Valentines' Day is coming up, and there are two teachers that the school wants to see together more than anything.
The Art Of Teaching (ao3) - pasteldanhowells
Summary: Dan used to be into art when he was in high school but stopped once he grew up but started again and now has a website where he sells his art for money. Phil is a principal at a high school, and nobody is aware that he has a husband, someone he’s been with since he was a teenager. Something happens to the art teacher so Phil offers Dan the job, and Dan takes it. Phil finally introduces Dan to the rest of the school as his husband.
The Music In Me (ao3) - DiamondValley
Summary: Phil takes on Martyn’s bet that he can’t learn to play the piano and gets lessons to prove him wrong. He expects a few things:
- He’ll be terrible
- He’ll get bored very quickly because he is terrible
- Martyn will win the bet, but he’ll have tried something new and completed his new year’s resolution
What he doesn’t expect is the instant connection he forms with his curly-haired piano teacher.
You And Me Have Got A Whole Lot Of History - dxnhowell
Summary: Dan and Phil are both teachers at a school and everybody knows that they hate each other but they don’t know why, the students take it upon themselves to finally get Mr. Howell and Mr. Lester to stop fighting.
you just accidentally fell asleep on my shoulder, but i don’t mind (ao3) - what_the_gosh_dang
Summary: Dan takes the underground at a very bad time of night while slightly intoxicated
Hi! I’m looking for a fic where Dan is a Terrible philosophy TA and Phil is his student who comes to his office hours and they go for coffee together and run into each other at a film festival?
10 Tips on Effective Communication for TAs
Dan’s a TA for an Intro to Philosophy class, and Phil’s one of his students.
Part of the Our Photo Album series - does not need to be read in order but is recommended
Previous Part
Series Masterlist
AO3 Link
Summary: 3 times Phil tries to make Dan breakfast, + 1 time it actually works
Author’s Notes: Hi all! I'm so sorry that it's been so long since I last posted school was insane and then I lost motivation for a bit!
But I'm back and I'll do my best to post as often as possible!!! (Don't expect every Wednesday though unfortunately I can't make that happen!!!)
I hope you're all well and that you enjoy this huge pile of fluff!!!
:)))
1)
It was a cloudy, dark day outside, the sun barely emerged in whisps through cracks of clouds and rain pattered against the roof; creating a soft echo throughout Phil’s apartment.
Phil yawned as he rubbed sleep residue from the corner of his eyes, smiling softly at the sleeping boy beside him. Dan’s hair was ruffled from the pillow, his lips parted as he breathed heavily, face smushed so that he was making an almost fishy face. Phil was struck by that oh so familiar feeling in his chest, a mix between fiery warmth in the pit of his belly and a tingle in his heart that crept all the way to the base of his throat. Love.
Softly, and being as careful as possible not to wake the sleeping boy Phil pressed a delicate kiss to Dan’s forehead. Smiling gently at the way Dan mumbled quietly in his sleep, cuddling closer to the pillow as though chasing Phil’s warmth.
“I love you Daniel Howell,” Phil mumbled to no one in particular, his brain still fuzzy with sleep and the warmth of his bed.
Phil padded quietly down the hall towards the kitchen, in search of the familiar weight of a coffee mug in his hands. He smiled to himself as he listened to the rain continue to pour down, creating a soft ambience throughout the usually loud and bright apartment. It was as he made his way into the kitchen, allowing his hands to instinctively make his morning coffee and finding that he was making one for Dan without a second thought that he came up with idea.
In hindsight, it wasn’t the brightest of ideas, and it certainly wasn’t one that he should have been making in such a half asleep state. However, on that dull, quiet morning Phil decided that he would make Dan breakfast.
There were two things wrong with that idea that sleep addled Phil didn’t think of.
Firstly, Phil was not a good cook, he could barely scrape his way through a packet mix cake and was certainly not equipped to be making any form of breakfast. That was Dan’s speciality. Secondly, he didn’t really have the supplies to make breakfast. Being organised and buying the appropriate items of food to simply have around your house were not two things Phil was particularly good at doing.
However, Phil thought of neither of these responsible issues and so he set off on his little idea. Managing to find a couple of eggs and enough milk to make them both coffees and add to scrambled eggs was deemed as a success to Phil. Clearly something was telling him that he was destined to make his boyfriend breakfast this morning.
So it was decided in Phil’s mind and he continued on, gently easing the door closed so as not to wake Dan, Phil opened his phone, allowing himself a brief smile at the adorable photo of Dan with sweater paws that was his lock screen, he put on some quiet music to play in the background of his cooking extravaganza.
Phil smiled peacefully as he cracked an egg into the pan, humming along happily with the music. He turned around to begin putting the toast in (feeling very proud of himself for how organised he was being of course).
It was as he was sliding the pieces of bread into the toaster that an alert went off on his phone, which of course he couldn’t not check, and it was from Twitter so he slid open the notification without a second thought. What felt like only two seconds of scrolling later, suddenly he smelt a strange smell, and after a few sniffs he quickly identified the smell.
“Shit!” Phil exclaimed, racing over to the blackened and smoky eggs, the awful concoction letting off a harsh smell of burntness and a lot of smoke. Phil removed the burnt eggs from the heat as quickly as possible, acutely aware of the large amounts of smoke drifting up to his ceiling. It was a moment too late that he realised he hadn’t turned the fan head on.
The smoke alarm trilled throughout the apartment, it’s high squeaks ringing in Phil’s eardrums and he winced as he pulled out a tea towel to fan at it. Hurried footsteps thundered down the corridor towards him and Phil sighed as he climbed on a chair to gain a higher vantage point to fan at the loud machine. Dan flung open the door, his bed head creating an almost quiff of curls and his eyes heavy due to still being half asleep. Phil smiled sheepishly at his dishevelled boyfriend, still waving the tea towel across the smoke alarm in the hopes of silencing it.
Dan raised a sleepy eyebrow at him, the corner of his lip quirking into a fond smile as he took in the state of the kitchen as the smoke alarm finally realised that there was no actual fire danger. Phil watched as the chocolate brown eyes took in the smoking eggs haphazardly thrown into the sink, the mess of shells left on the counter as Phil had been too lazy to put them away as he went, the large array of cooking utensils strewn all over the kitchen and his own boyfriend, Phil, standing on a chair, holding a pokemon tea towel and smiling at him sheepishly.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Dan asked, unable to hide the grin that covered his face, eyes sparkling with affection as he held out a hand to help Phil down.
Phil smiled, accepting the hand and using it to tug Dan close to his chest when he reached the ground, his heart leaping with joy as Dan giggled softly, pressing a kiss to Phil’s cheek as Phil replied, “I made you breakfast,” he presented the smoking eggs with a flourish before wincing slightly in shame, “sort of?”
“I am not eating that,” Dan replied with a snort, turning Phil’s face so that their noses brushed together as he pecked him gently on the lips, “but you’re cute.”
2)
The next time was slightly less of a catastrophe, although, not exactly successful either. It was a fair few months after Phil’s first attempt at making their breakfast. Despite Dan’s teasing Phil could tell he appreciated the gesture, no matter how badly it turned out, it’s the thought that counts okay?
This time however, Phil was determined to get it right, he got up at a reasonable hour and had prepared the night before. Purchasing the necessary equipment and ingredients and managing to find himself a recipe for french toast. Phil was adamant that nothing would go wrong this time.
Once again padding out of the bedroom after kissing Dan’s sleeping forehead, this time in Dan’s apartment, Phil made his way to the kitchen. This time the atmosphere was brighter, although it was England and there was the mandatory clouds in the sky, the sun shone through the window creating a soft warm glow in the otherwise bare room.
As Phil wandered around the room, collecting bowls, spoons and ingredients, he was taken aback by how well he knew Dan’s kitchen, and how much his own possessions had integrated into this apartment. His coffee mug sat next to Dan’s on the counter and photos of the two of them could be seen in every nook and cranny. He smiled happily at the implications of their dual possessions as he bustled away, pouring milk and cracking eggs into a bowl. He reached for the vanilla extract, smiling at the photo Louise had taken of their first kiss, the sunset shining in the background.
He hummed to himself as he waltzed across the kitchen, enjoying the pleasant buzz in the centre of his stomach that always began when he thought about Dan. Grabbing the loaf of bread and clicking the coffee machine on he started the stove, double checking the recipe to make sure he was doing it right. Once he had successfully dipped the french toast into the mixture and placed it in a pan ready to start frying he bumbled his way back into the bedroom.
Phil leaned against the doorframe, pausing for a moment to allow his heart to accept that this was something he could do. He could watch his boyfriend happily curled up in bed, with his crazily ruffled curls and his sleeping smile. He could walk over and cuddle Dan to his chest and whisper ‘I love yous’ until the sleeping boy woke up with a smile on his lips and dimples creating soft crevices in his cheeks. Phil sighed happily, watching as Dan shuffled around in his sleep, curls falling in front of his eyes.
He tiptoed across the room, gently sliding into the bed and brushing Dan’s curls out of his face. With a gentle kisses to Dan’s cheeks and nose Phil watched as his boyfriend slowly emerged from slumber.
Dan blinked wearily before smiling, his eyes creasing with fondness that the students teased them about. Calling Dan Mr Heart Eyes instead of Mr Howell and creating ship names and theories behind their back which Phil secretly enjoyed to listen to.
“What’s this?” Dan asked, snuggling into the crook of Phil’s neck, pressing their bodies so tightly together that Dan would definitely be able to feel the way Phil’s heart still sped up when they were together.
Phil smiled, pulling them up so that their faces were in line and he had a good angle to kiss Dan softly, slotting their lips together lazily and allowing the love he held in his heart to pour through the kiss. Every time they kissed it felt magical, as dumb and cliche as that sounded, Phil could still feel his fingertips tingle and his heart skip a beat as Dan moved his lips slowly and lazily against his own. When they finally pulled apart, Phil began to drag Dan out of bed, much to the bemoaning of his boyfriend, “come on, I’ve got a surprise!” Phil grinned.
As they entered the kitchen, their hands intertwined between them, the coffee machine clicked over to ‘ready’ and Phil mentally applauded himself, perfect timing.
Dan grinned in confusion, slipping onto the bench stool that Phil proudly directed him towards, “breakfast!” Phil cheered, doing cheezy jazz hands which made Dan snort with laughter, the noise filling Phil with a bubbly warm liquid like happiness.
“That didn’t go so well last time,” Dan reminded him with a shit eating grin, resting his chin on his hands as he watched Phil get to work.
Phil tutted at his boyfriend, not looking up lest he get distracted by Dan’s beautiful face and make a silly mistake, “yes yes, but I’m doing better this time” Phil flipped the piece of bread onto the plate and risked a glance at Dan who was being as ridiculously beautiful as Phil had expected. With a hint of humour, tracing the fond lines of his face.
“Mmmmhmm,” Dan hummed, watching as Phil made the other piece, sliding the plate of french toast towards himself and sprinkling some sugar on top, “do I eat?” Dan checked. Phil snuck a glance up at him and almost choked on his own spit at the way Dan was looking at him. With a mix of love, amusement and fondness all rolled into a soft smile.
“Um ugh uh yeah go-go for it,” Phil stammered, turning his flaming red cheeks back to the dish he was cooking. He listened as Dan took a bite, humming thoughtfully.
Suddenly there was a gagging noise and a chunk of french toast flew onto the table, Phil glanced up in shock at Dan’s face, screwed up in disgust but still managing to laugh fondly
through it all.
“What happened?” Phil gaped, almost burning his hand on the pan as he got distracted. Dan wiggled his tongue around in disgust, his face screwed up in mock agony.
“Phil,” Dan laughed, his eyes crinkling with amusement, “I love you and all, but that was horrible !” Phil’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
“Why were they horrible though!” He pouted, “I followed the recipe to the exact!”
Dan peered over the bench at the mixture, “what’s in that?” He asked, jumping off his stool to have a look at what was being made. Phil took the pan off the heat carefully and showed Dan the recipe. Dan nodded slowly, a realisation seeming to dawn on him, “did you notice that I moved my sweet flavours to the cupboard?” He asked with a knowing grin.
Phil stared at him blankly, following his eyeline to the bottle of vanilla extract he had used earlier. Only it wasn’t vanilla extract, it was soy sauce. He groaned in annoyance, “I’m an idiot.” Dan laughed softly, tugging him by the apron strings until they were flush against each other, “yeah, but you’re my idiot,” Dan whispered, kissing Phil gently.
3)
It was early in the morning, the sun rising in the sky as light filtered through the clouds. The air felt fresh as Phil breathed in, he quietly made his way down the hall of Dan’s- no- their apartment. Phil smiled to himself at the recent change, allowing tingles of happiness to creep down his arms and swirl in his stomach as he looked at the subtle way the apartment had changed since his ‘official’ move in. More socks decorated the surface of the home, much to Dan’s teasing and feigned annoyance. There were picture frames on their hall table of Phil and his brother next to the photos of Bea and Dan.
His footsteps seemed to echo in the quiet kitchen. To avoid any disasters Phil had decided to make a fruit muesli, no cooking, no disasters. He let his mind stray as he collected the fruit from the fridge, easily slipping back into thoughts of moving in with Dan. Kisses sitting on boxes and unpacking his possessions until they were propped up next to Dan’s, until their lives were intertwined together fully.
He smiled to himself, remembering the way Dan had kissed Phil against the door to their bedroom until Phil’s knees had buckled and his insides had melted.
He was halfway done with the muesli when a flurry of footsteps raced into the kitchen, “fuck!” Dan screeched as he skidded into the kitchen, socks gliding across the wooden floorboards.
Phil looked up in shock as Dan pecked him on the cheek with an apologetic wince, “what’s wrong?” He asked as Dan grabbed a piece of watermelon, noticing that Dan was wearing his suit, albeit slightly ruffled.
“I forgot I’ve got a meeting this morning,” Dan mumbled quickly, his hair still sticking up from sleep and his eyes heavy, “I’m so sorry, I can see you were making breakfast…” Dan trailed off, his face falling to reveal his guilt.
Phil rolled his eyes, grabbing Dan gently by the badly tied tie and pulling him closer so that he could adjust the tie. His eyes were soft with affection, and he smiled at his boyfriend until Dan relaxed visibly before him, “I don’t mind you dork,” he pulled the tie tighter so that it was fit snugly and it looked much neater.
“I love you,” Dan mumbled, cupping Phil’s face in his hands gently, “so much.”
Phil smiled, kissing Dan once on the nose, once on each cheek and once on the lips, before replying, “I love you more.”
Dan snorted, rolling his eyes, “fucking fight me.”
“Bring it,” Phil giggled, wrapping his arms around Dan, so that they were cuddled close in the middle of their kitchen.
+1)
Phil had it planned out fully this time, he had subtly checked the night before that Dan was free the next morning; by subtly he meant that he asked, “are you free tomorrow?”
Causing Dan to look at him with a mixture of amusement and affection before replying with, “yeah I am,” with a quirk of his lips that made Phil kiss him until neither of them could breathe.
He had even gotten the family pancake recipe from his mother, to make sure he could successfully avoid any soy sauce incidents or smoking eggs.
As Phil pressed the usual soft kiss to Dan’s forehead his boyfriend stirred, “Wha’s happenin?” Dan mumbled, clearly still half asleep. Phil smiled softly, nuzzling his nose into Dan’s soft curls.
“Nothing, don’t worry I’m just gonna do something,” Phil whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to Dan’s cheekbone, “go back to sleep,” he encouraged.
“Don’t leave,” Dan whined, cuddling closer to Phil’s body, their limbs intertwining ever further, “stay,” Dan whispered, his eyes sliding closed again.
Phil waited until Dan’s breathing evened out into slow inhales and exhales before carefully slipping out of the sleeping boy’s grip. Allowing a small smile to grace his features as Dan murmured something in his sleep and frowned ever so slightly before going back to his slumber.
Phil made his way to the kitchen, being careful to step over a shoe which had somehow made its way into the hallway. He smiled at the newly hung photo that he had taken of Dan and Bea clumsily dancing on the beach because they could hear their childhood favourite song. Phil drunk in the memory joyfully, even singing the song to himself as he entered the kitchen, pulling up the recipe on his phone and carefully getting the ingredients.
Learning from his mistakes he carefully checked every label and was sure that he retrieved the correct ingredients. He quietly began the recipe, thinking about the two years he had already spent in Dan’s company and considered the future. Maybe one day Dan would introduce him to his family, Phil didn’t mind that they hadn’t told them yet though, he could respect that Dan needed time and that it was a terrifying step. In Phil’s mind they had all the time in the world, he could see himself in forty, fifty, sixty years time, still with Dan and living by his side. As, dare he even think it lest he jinx himself, husbands?
Phil had never voiced any of this aloud to Dan, he knew he got attached easily, and maybe Dan didn’t see themselves as clearly in the future. However, the longer Phil spent time with the brown, curly haired boy he couldn’t see a future without him. He couldn’t imagine living without Dan by his side, with his stupid jokes and his teasing smirk, his soft kisses and his cheesy pick up lines.
Phil pulled himself out of the sappy hole he had fallen into, now was not the time for imagining his future with Dan, he was sure to do that in the shower, and that night, and at work, in fact Phil wasn’t sure when he wasn’t thinking about it at the moment. However at that moment as he was pouring pancake mixture into a hot frying pan, it was not the time.
The smell of cooking pancakes wafted down the hall and Phil smiled as he heard the tell-tale signs of rusting. In not even five minutes Dan was dawdling his way into the kitchen, a disbelieving smile tugging at his features and his phone in his hand.
“I can’t believe you’re still trying to make breakfast for me!” Dan teased as he gently pressed a kiss to Phil’s cheek, “isn’t it time to give up by now?”
“I’m determined, it’s going well this time,” Phil responded, with an exaggerated focused face.
Dan sniffed the air, a fond smile still brightening his features, “no soy sauce this time?” He poked Phil in the side gently, leaning into him ever so slightly while being careful not to inhibit his movement as he cooked.
Phil rolled his eyes heavily, bumping his hip against Dan’s, “nope! I was super careful,” he turned his eyes off the pan quickly to take in the crinkles beside Dan’s eyes and the dimples in his cheeks, just awake Dan was one of Phil’s favourite Dans. Along with work Dan, tired Dan and sappy Dan, actually anything that was Dan.
Phil watched as his boyfriend pulled up a chair at the counter, his eyebrow still quirked ever so slightly as Phil flipped the pancake onto the plate.
“Bon appetit mon cheri!” Phil presented the plate to Dan with an awful french accent. Dan laughed though so the slander of such a beautiful language was worth it.
Phil watched anxiously, his own fork poised and ready to taste but too distracted by Dan and his mouthful to even notice he wasn’t eating. There was a pause as Dan chewed, exaggerating his movements to make Phil laugh.
“It’s delicious you spork,” Dan declared as he swallowed the mouthful, leaning across the bench to plant a pancake tasting, sleepy kiss to Phil’s lips, “you finally made me breakfast.”
part one, part two, part three, part four, part five
Actually.. He Is My Husband (ao3) - che___n
Summary: Dan, an airhead and famous 18 years old YouTuber. He is doing so well in his life, until one day.. his mom announced that Dan will need to marry Phil, a very quiet (not so quiet actually) but yet complicated 22 years old man. Not just complicated, he is Dan's lecturer too!
A Thorough Lesson On The Male Body (ao3) - americanphancakes
Summary: Dan Howell – Phil’s substitute sex ed teacher – is very good looking and, luckily for Phil, very into hands-on teaching methods.
Summary: Dan accidentally spills his coffee on a handsome stranger named Phil. They flirt a bit and go on a date. They end up going to Phil's apartment and having sex. What Dan doesn't know yet, is that he will get a big surprise at college the next day when his new professor turns his world upside down.
Detention (wattpad) - geniusotaku
Summary: Dan is constantly disrupting teacher's classes, but when he does it in Mr. Lester's class, he gets a different result.
Dim Rooms & Daddy Kinks - babyboy-dan
Summary: N/A
Don’t Be A Brat - phanfictrashalex
Summary: Dan likes his teacher, Phil, and he gets annoyed at Dan. They fuck.
Don’t Threaten Me With A Good Time - phanfictrashalex
Summary: So Phil has a bit of a crush on his professor, Mr Howell. He knows that it’s completely under his control on what to do. But the guy just has a nice ass, and he just wants him to fuck him up.
Home-Econ (ao3) - dip_the_pip
Summary: After being homeschooled his entire life, Dan now has to attend a public high school after flopping his final exams to graduate. The schools guidance counsellor, Mr. Lester helps him settle in.
Nothing weird about that (ao3) - htmllost
Summary: Dan's school is pretty fucked up. Physical punishments like spanking and canning are totally normal. But Dan doesn't mind that much because he's a good kid. Although, that quickly changes as he tries to get his new hot English teacher, Mr. Lester's attention. Smutty smut.
Oh, Teacher - doomedhowell
Summary: Summer is over, and school is starting again. It’s Dan’s final year of high school. He’s a senior now, but that’s not the only thing that’s changed.
Roleplay and phone calls - your-precious-phan-blog
Summary: Dan and Phil role play out a studentxteacher au, Dan sucks Phil off while in a ‘meeting’ with the ‘headmaster’ - which is actually the BBC on the phone discussing a new collaboration.
Sleeves (ao3) - KittyCatriona (War_Worn_Lipstick)
Summary: Dan runs into Phil and he's a bit scared for his life, but Phil isn't actually a murderer.
Sure, I Can Tutor You. (ao3) - wekingsandprettythings
Summary: Dan gets stuck taking Linguistics as his elective course, but it’s not all that bad when the assistant teacher looks like a sex god.
Teacher’s & Nekos - phanfictrashalex
Summary: Dan is a neko, and is scared to tell anyone, and Phil finally gets it out of him.
Absolutely Smitten (I’ll Never Let You Go) - manchestereyes
Summary: In which Dan is a much-adored primary school music teacher, and Phil is just the science teacher who can’t keep his mind off of him. But when the students notice and try to get in on the action, will Phil finally work up the courage to ask Dan out?
"A" For Effort (ao3) - Bananna
Summary: Dan and Phil were once high school love birds, but as soon as Phil heads to uni, everything is different. After drifting apart, and not talking for years, the two end up teaching at their old high school of all places. Inevitably, they find each other again, convinced the other has moved on. Through hours of grading, and bearing through crazy parents, they still find their thoughts filled with the other. A single night could change everything.
All the Little Things (ao3) - kittengrapeleaves
Summary: Single dad Dan Howell has a hard time realizing how quickly his daughter is growing up. That is, until he meets her teacher as he drops her off on her first day of school and he realizes: maybe change isn't so bad.
Elusive - lesterkinky
Summary: teacher phil and teacher dan have a student who wants her ship to be cannon.
Falling Flat - the-squirrel-queen
Summary: Dan is a pianist. A recent graduate from Juliard, he finds himself at a job playing music for school children. Phil is a music teacher at said school. They have a rather interesting relationship in class. A rather flirtatious relationship. The children see the interactions between the two and begin to wonder if they are in a relationship. Soon, a work relationship blooms into a romantic one through a love of music and each other.
L'Histoire Française - danfanciesphil
Summary: Since he can remember, Dan has had a bad experience with teachers. When desperate times call for him to take a job as a TA at his local secondary school, he is dreading the experience. Cue Phil Lester: eclectic, vivacious History teacher whom the students and teachers adore for his fantastical, unique methods and sincere passion for his job. Dan was expecting all sorts of drama in his new job, but falling for a member of the faculty was not part of it.
Mr. Lester and Mr. Howell (ao3) - LiquidLies
Summary: Mr. Lester the english teacher is a single (as far as the students know) gay man. Mr. Howell is also a single (as far as the students know) gay man. It's only natural for the students to try and set them up. But what if it isn't needed?
Nothing weird about that (ao3) - htmllost
Summary: Dan's school is pretty fucked up. Physical punishments like spanking and canning are totally normal. But Dan doesn't mind that much because he's a good kid. Although, that quickly changes as he tries to get his new hot English teacher, Mr. Lester's attention. Smutty smut.
Oh, Teacher - doomedhowell
Summary: Summer is over, and school is starting again. It’s Dan’s final year of high school. He’s a senior now, but that’s not the only thing that’s changed.
One Day - dxnhowell
Summary: pastel!dan is a kindergarten teacher and is married to punk!youtuber!phil, who he hates and doesn’t get along with at all. They’re parents forced them to marry each other. Dan is unhappy but things finally take a turn.
Oral Exam - omgdatphantho
Summary: Dan shows off his oral skills.
Pretty Odd - phillestatos
summary: Dan Howell, piano teacher and speedster, craves chocolate cakes at three in the morning. He meets a baker named Phil who owns the only store opened at three in the morning and who bakes the most delicious chocolate cake in the world. It’s a pretty odd love story.
Shakespeare And Coffee - dansphlevels
Summary: Teacher!Phan au where Dan Howell is the new Language and Composition teacher at the high school where Phil Lester teaches English to a bunch of public schooled kids who want nothing to do with it. Includes lots of very un-subtle flirting, a minor caffeine addiction, and a shared love for Shakespeare.
So Wrong, But So Right (ao3) - phanceptional
Summary: Dan has a crush on Mr. Lester, the new extremely attractive English teacher.
Teaching Our Love (ao3) - Phan_Trash98
Summary: Dan Howell was nervous about starting his new job teaching drama in a high school. However that soon vanished when he met Phil Lester, the other drama teacher in the school, Dan soon found out that teaching wasn’t his only love.
Teach Me How to Stay Quiet - analester
Summary: “can you maybe write some smut where dnp are both teachers and dan gives phil a BJ under his desk during class?”
The Art Of Teaching (ao3) - pasteldanhowells
Summary: Dan used to be into art when he was in high school but stopped once he grew up but started again and now has a website where he sells his art for money. Phil is a principal at a high school, and nobody is aware that he has a husband, someone he’s been with since he was a teenager. Something happens to the art teacher so Phil offers Dan the job, and Dan takes it. Phil finally introduces Dan to the rest of the school as his husband.
Theatre Class (ao3) - Star4545
Summary: Dan Howell is the new drama teacher with a classroom the size of a jail cell, students who won't stop singing Hamilton, and the English teacher who won't stop giving him bedroom eyes.
The Best One Yet - dxnhowell
Summary: Dan works at a library, and Phil is a teacher. Phil has been so stressed out lately that he completely forgot about Valentine’s Day (which never happens because Phil loves Valentine’s Day), so he takes it upon himself to surprise Dan.
The Kids Can't Know (ao3) - awesomenessinwhite
Summary: Dan is a teacher, and everything is going quite well until a substitute with a dark past and a deep history comes into his life.
This One Time ... Tomorrow (ao3) - Whommel
Summary: Phil Lester - a music student - gets a summer job teaching at a music summer camp. But what happens when he meets a beautiful boy in his class?
Until The Last Star Blows Out (ao3) - danqueray
Summary: Phil, a new English teacher in a school that’s perhaps a bit too posh for him. Put him in a room for a week with his newly formed best friend, the Art teacher Dan Howell, and add the feelings of love and fear of rejection and perhaps the over zealous Louise, relationships bloom in strings of blue and purple paint, and red and violet clichés and poems strewn from constellations above.
Visions, Voice, Person: The Soulmate Process (ao3) - Star4545
Summary: Visions, Voice, Dreams lead up to meeting your soulmate. Dan is a West End actor and Phil is teacher leaving them to busy schedules, but they work it out. They are soulmates after all.
You’re My Lucky Star - wavydanrises
Summary: Dan sees the same person at the bus stop every day when he gets home from work. One day, he starts to give Dan lucky stars when he’s not feeling great.
Can I Borrow A Kiss? (I Promise I'll Give it Back)
Part of the Our Photo Album series - does not need to be read in order but is recommended
Series Masterlist
Previous Part
AO3 Link
Summary: Lots and lots of different kisses
Author’s Notes: I AM SO SORRY THIS IS LATE
I did post earlier this week tho so it's kinda ok maybe?
Anyway I'm sorry
Also this is really short but I just needed to write some fluff
And this consists of fluff and not much else (actually nothing else)
I hope you enjoy!!!
(Requests are open for this series)
LAZY
Lazy kisses were slow and soft, they were often located at 2am when the darkness surrounded them and they were tangled together for warmth. Dan’s lips at 2am were soft and slow, they whispered words in every press of lips that made Phil shiver with happiness.
At night, when they were too tired to do much more than kiss after marathoning yet another anime, Dan’s kisses tasted like hot chocolate. They were soft and warm, relaxing after an exhausting day, but not strong enough like coffee to wake Phil up.
His lips would push and pull against Phil’s, filling him with a tingling warmth that ran up his fingers and curled around his toes.
Sleepy kisses, often never contained anything other than their lips, there was no tongues slipping into each other’s mouths, no hips grinding down on each other. It was just them, and the occasional hands tangled in curly hair.
Often their lazy kisses were slow, they were like breathing fresh air after being inside for too long, there wasn’t any need to rush anything because they weren’t doing anything anyway.
EXCITED
When Dan got excited his whole face lit up, his hands moved too fast and his eyes sparkled as though they were lit like firecrackers. He would smile too wide for them to kiss properly, his hands tangled in Phil’s hair, or his jacket, or sometimes the loops in his belt.
Excited kisses were filled with laughter and fast pecks, they tasted like lemonade and meringue. Fizzy and sweet, in every way possible. Dan’s hands burned when he was excited, they held Phil’s face as though he needed to hold onto him so he could understand the excitement.
These kisses were often found after Phil had won a photography competition, or when Dan had planned a date that he couldn’t wait for. Phil could always tell when Dan was excited and happy by the way his eyes sparkled before pecking Phil on the lips, unable to hold a kiss for long as he was smiling too much.
I’M SORRY
Sorry kisses were the worst kind of kiss, because they felt sad. They were slow and wet, often from tears down Dan’s face, he was the type to cry when they fought, every tear he shred broke Phil’s heart. However, it took something to reach a horrible point before Phil would start to cry. Dan would always apologise if Phil started to cry because he knew that he had pushed too far.
It tasted like a windy storm, the rain and leaves were scattered everywhere, there was salt from tears left over on Dan’s lips and occasionally he would shake from the pain of arguing. They didn’t fight often, but when they did it was like a hurricane, words they didn’t mean thrown around until they struck the other in the heart.
Phil hated I’m sorry kisses because they hurt like the argument they’d just had, they were usually rough and Dan would clutch at his hair as though he was sure that Phil would leave if he didn’t hold on tight enough.
They were filled with breaks and whispers of apologies,
I didn’t mean it.
I’m so sorry.
I love you.
I MISSED YOU
When Dan was busy marking tests or when a major photography competition was coming up they tended to not have much time for each other. After such a time, kisses were a must. Phil loved I missed you kisses because they were passionate and fiery. Their hands would tangle in hair, their tongues pressed against one another.
These kisses were hot like a fire, warming Phil from the inside out. It tasted like toasted marshmallows, a little bit charred and smoky, but sweet and soft as well.
They would usually kiss until they couldn’t breathe, breaking apart so that their faces were resting close, whispering words like, “I missed you,” as though the other didn’t already know. Until one of them couldn’t stand being apart any longer and would lock their lips again.
I LOVE YOU
The best kiss however was the I love you, the slow and powerful kiss that spoke words they could never truly express. It would transition from soft and slow, to rushed and powerful in a heartbeat but throughout it all the other always understood what was being said.
I love you kisses tasted like Dan, slightly chapped, vanilla lip balm and something indescribable that Phil could never work out. These kisses tasted like words that were too precious to be spoken, but needed to be felt.
It was hands cupping faces as though the other was as fragile and beautiful as porcelain, it was pecks on noses and along cheekbones.
It was the words that they whispered in between every kiss, “I love you,” as though the other person needed the reminder, as though they couldn’t feel it too.
Part of the Our Photo Album series - does not need to be read in order but is recommended
Previous Part
Series Masterlist
AO3 Link
Summary: Not the most comfortable Christmas to say the least
Authors Notes: t/w: there is a very homophobic scene in this, if that makes you uncomfortable stop reading at “his mother turned to look at phil with a smile” (dinner scene) and begin again at “they were sitting in the car park”
Anyway this is the first of two Christmas stories so I’ll post that later in the month
I am taking requests for this series so if you have any please send them in!
As always I strive off of kudos and comments and I love to know what you guys think so please let me know xxxx
Enjoy!!!
Also there will be another part in about an hour! I’m so sorry for not posting on here till now it’s been a hectic week!!!
Phil’s stomach was in knots, he wiped his clammy hands on his jeans, it felt strange he had to admit. Today, he was finally meeting Dan’s parents, yet they had been together for four years. He understood the reasoning obviously, but it was strange nevertheless.
He found himself longing for the comfort of Dan’s hand in his, but the dagger lodged in his throat wouldn’t be relieved by his familiar hand, as Dan had dropped it as they approached the door. Looking at Dan, Phil could see he was as nervous, if not more nervous than Phil himself. After so long they could have an entire conversation through their eyes, but even without eye contact Phil could read Dan like a book. His hands quivered slightly as they rang the bell, his eyes darted around as though something would jump out at him, but most noticeable was the way Dan chewed on his lip, a habit he had almost broken until now.
The door opened and Phil was drawn out of his thoughts in a snap, the uneasy feeling creeping up his throat.
Standing in the doorway was an average heighted, older woman. Her brown hair, the exact same shade as Dan’s, was streaked with grey and framed her face in a casual bob.
Phil, watched a smile tug at Dan’s mouth, it looked fake, totally unlike the relaxed gentle smile that Phil loved so dearly. It was lacking dimples, personally Phil’s favourite part of Dan’s smile.
The obvious fakeness of it didn’t appear to bother Dan’s mother as she beamed at them.
“Daniel!” She exclaimed, pulling Dan into a hug, Phil watched awkwardly from the sidelines as Dan patted his mother on the back tensely.
She pulled him back and her eyes swept over to Phil, it felt as though they were boring into him. He felt like squirming beneath her gaze.
“Philip right?” She confirmed, Phil smiled tightly as she patted his arm gently. It was so different to his own family, that he was momentarily taken aback.
He nodded, “Just Phil,” he tried to correct her but Mrs Howell was already speaking again.
“It’s a shame you two haven’t been home in so long,” she was chattering away, clearly talking about Dan and Beatrice, Dan’s twin sister, not Phil.
“Is Beet here?” Dan asked and Mrs Howell rolled her eyes but nodded, ushering them into the house. She gave Phil the air of someone who wouldn’t take no for an answer, and was used to always getting what she wanted, while also trying to hard to seem kind and friendly. It wasn’t really a surprise to him that Dan hadn’t come home for almost five years.
Dan glanced around his family home, unwelcome memories swirling uncomfortably in his stomach and leaving a bad taste in his mouth. He could tell just from the way Phil’s hands were bent into the loops of his jeans that he was feeling tense and probably uncomfortable. It was taking all of Dan’s willpower not to take Phil’s hand in his, just to feel that familiar comfort of their fingers tangled together, but he needed to tell his parents at the same time. He couldn’t stand saying it twice.
His mother was the same as always, trying her hardest to hold the family together despite not being a kind enough person by default to properly achieve it. He tried his hardest to smile at her as though everything was fine, but just being the house made him want to run and leave. He fingers twitched involuntarily out towards Phil, desperate to hold his hand and cling to his usual comfort support.
Instead he watched Phil from a distance as he shifted awkwardly into the house.
He walked quickly over to Beet, automatically drawn to the only sense of comfort that he had left. The comfort he had always clung to in this house, she gently brushed along his middle finger. He smiled slightly, during the pressure of their schooling years, with their parents constantly breathing down their necks, young Beatrice and Dan had decided to make up their own language. Not a speaking language, but a way to speak through movements, and they still remembered it to this day.
A brush along the middle finger meant ‘Are you ok?’, one of the first things they had worked out how to ask.
Gently he poked the tip of her thumb, ‘No’. She frowned gently bumping their hips together to comfort him. With a smile he pulled her into a hug, Phil raised an eyebrow at him and he shook his head slightly. Just enough to let him know that he was okay, and not to worry.
“So Philip,” Dan’s mother turned to him and Phil jumped slightly at being addressed so directly, even after only three minutes of exposure to Dan’s mother Phil had already noticed that she was very direct in her emotions, “Where did you and Dan meet?”
He was a little taken aback by the question, the idea that his boyfriend of four years’ mother didn’t know where they met was enough to momentarily stump him.
When he managed to snap himself out of his shock, he was aware of both Dan, Bea and their mother staring at him strangely.
“E-erm sorry,” he stammered an apology, avoiding Dan’s eye contact he continued, “We met at work, I’m the receptionist at the school Dan works,” he explained.
Dan’s mother sighed happily, ushering them all into the kitchen, “Oh how wonderful! It’s always great to have a friend at work!” She exclaimed and Phil noticed Dan bite down on his lip so hard he might draw blood. He longed to pull him close and plant a kiss to his temple, or at least do anything to stop him from hurting himself, but he couldn’t. He had to admit, it hurt him just as much as it hurt Dan to hear the word friend be used in regards to them, as though the last four years meant nothing. However, it wasn’t as though he could do anything about it, this was Dan’s chance to tell his parents, not Phil’s. So he gritted his teeth and dealt with it.
“Your father will be home soon,” Dan watched as his mother bustled around the kitchen, he had missed her, but not enough to come home. In fact he still wasn’t sure if coming home would be worth it at all.
Beet looked as awkward as he felt, and he wasn’t sure what to do, so he just watched.
His mother turned to Phil, and he inwardly cringed, there was a reason Dan had rarely brought friends home and that was because his parents had a knack for interrogations and lack of social boundaries.
She begun cutting and smiled at him, “Philip, I have organised a room for you, it’s just down the hall from Daniel,” she informed them.
Dan looked nervously at Phil, he smiled tightly, “Thank you,” Phil mumbled. Dan stared at the floor, he and Phil had been living together for three years now and they’d never had to sleep in different beds anywhere they went together. Hopefully they would be able to move together once Dan had told his parents later that night.
It felt weird, the idea of being in the same place as Dan and not be sharing a bed, but he pretended it wasn’t. Dan was planning on telling his parents today anyway, so they could easily change rooms later on Phil reasoned with himself.
Dan’s mother was speaking to him again, “Are you dating anyone Philip?” She asked, as though it was a comfortable, easy question.
The question caught him off guard a little bit, first of all it was so unlike any other adult he’d ever met, nobody ever asked him so plainly about his private life unless they knew him well (see also: his mother), and secondly it wasn’t as though he could say ‘oh yeah your son’.
“Oh… yeah I am,” he mumbled, glancing sideways at Dan he was relieved to see him relatively calm. “They’re amazing, I love them more than anything,” he added and didn’t miss the light blush that crept along Dan’s cheekbones.
Dan’s mother sighed longingly, “How beautiful,” she said with a smile before rounding on Dan, “And what about you Daniel? Did you finally meet a girl?” She asked.
Phil watched as Dan bit down on his lip again and inwardly sighed, “Nope!” Dan replied overly cheerfully, “Still no girlfriend!”
The precise wording that Dan used didn’t slip Phil’s notice, no girlfriend, but maybe a boyfriend Phil couldn’t help but think.
~-~-~
One of the things Dan was dreading happened not too long later, starting with a jangle of keys and a click of the front door.
“Is that you Michael?” His mother called out from where they were all sitting in the lounge, conversation was flowing reasonably easily, but Dan could tell Phil wasn’t quite comfortable. Maybe it was because he could see the differences between ‘Normal Dan’ and ‘With Parents Dan’, which were admittedly very obvious.
“Yes Ella! Can you come and help me with the groceries?” His father replied, the same blonde hair and bushy moustache peering around the corner, “Hello kids!”
His mother rolled her eyes fondly, Dan was tempted to roll his as well, but maybe not as fondly. “I’ll go help,” she told them, standing up with a small groan, “You can stay here if you want!”
She hurried out of the room and Beet and he shared a look, they had learnt from their childhood that ‘you can stay here’ was never truly the case.
Dan indicated for Phil to follow, gently brushing their knuckles together quickly since no parents were in the room, he relished in the happy smile that covered Phil’s face instantaneously. They were, by default, a very touchy couple, to the point where all of their friends called them ‘the lovey doves’, so not being able to hold hands, or play with each other’s hair was strange and abnormal.
“You can stay here means the opposite,” he whispered in explanation, leaning into Phil’s hair gently and savouring in the intimate act he kept having to hold back.
Phil actually suppressed a groan when Dan leaned away, he just wanted two minutes of holding hands. Anything, would be fine really.
Dan’s father smiled at him, “I’m Michael,” he said sticking out his hand.
Phil introduced himself in return, taking the outstretched hand in an attempt not to be awkward.
“It’s great to meet you sir,” he greeted and Dan’s father smiled. He seemed like a quiet spoken man, someone that didn’t voice their opinions too loudly but still expected to be heard regardless. At least, that was the impression Phil got after thirty seconds of meeting, everything else was inferred from the small things Dan had told him over the years.
He could sense this might be an awkward Christmas, and he had never been more right in his life.
~-~-~
Phil raised the camera to his eye and felt his body relax slightly, this was something he could do, photography was calming and familiar.
“Move in a bit Bea,” he indicated for her to lean inwards and she followed his hand, the family smiled. Phil could see the fakeness in Dan’s eyes as he smiled, the tense hardness of his cheeks where there would usually be dimples.
There was a flash as he took the photo, he lowered the camera and passed it to Dan’s mother. She gushed over it and complimented him, he was too busy focusing on the churning of his stomach, Dan was going to tell his family now, and Phil was so scared it would go wrong.
The dinner table was the same as Dan had always remembered, tense and awkward. His father wouldn’t speak, staring at them all in a way that made Dan uncomfortable even now. His mother would attempt to fill the awkward silences with small talk, that none of them actually cared about. Beet wouldn’t speak unless addressed to, as she never knew how to speak to anyone but Dan. Except, this time there was also Phil, staring at his food and avoiding any communication possible.
His mother turned to look at Phil with a smile, “So you said you have a partner Philip?” She prompted and Phil’s head snapped up, Dan stifled a giggle at the familiar awkwardness of his boyfriend.
“Erm uh y-yes,” he mumbled, eyes wide at being spoken to.
His mother smiled and rolled her eyes at Dan fondly, “When will you find someone Daniel?” She sighed and Dan dug his fingernails into his palm under the table, it was now or never.
“I never said I hadn’t found anyone mum,” he responded and took a bite of turkey, it felt rubbery and tasteless, but that had nothing to do with his mother’s cooking.
She furrowed her eyebrows at him, “You said you didn’t have a girlfriend…” she trailed off in confusion and Dan swallowed the dry mouthful.
“Exactly, I don’t have a girlfriend,” he emphasised and it was clear his mother understood exactly what he meant as she inhaled sharply. As per usual, his father said nothing.
“O-okay…” she stammered and Dan continued to eat his meal, despite every mouthful feeling like a chore, “So what’s h-h-his name?” She stumbled over the pronoun and Dan bit down on his lip to ease the pain, it was just as hard as he imagined.
Phil hated watching Dan struggle so much, and this was probably one of the hardest parts of the whole conversation, this was the moment that Dan’s parents found out about them.
He stretched his leg out to link it with Dan’s and cheered in his head at the small smile that quirked at Dan’s mouth.
Dan’s mother was clearly trying very hard, but the idea of this tension was ridiculous to Phil, his parents were so comfortable and happy about it that he had never had to deal with any awkwardness regarding Dan.
“His name is Phil,” Dan responded, his voice clear and calm, Phil stared at his plate as though it could swallow him up as Dan’s mother gasped loudly. He was clutching his cutlery just that little bit too tightly, enough that it was digging into the palm of his hand.
Suddenly Dan’s father spoke up, and the whole conversation went from tense to furious, “Get out,” he hissed, voice laced with venom.
Phil’s head snapped up so quickly it hurt and he was staring into the eyes of a man who looked murderous. He couldn’t look away, it was as though that furious gaze had frozen him in place.
Out of the corner of his eye he could see Dan’s mouth was wide open, “W-what?” Phil stammered, the handle of the knife was beginning to hurt it was pressed so harshly into the flesh of his hand.
“You heard me,” Dan’s father was glaring daggers at Phil, “Get out of my house.” He repeated, Phil’s blood ran cold, he was shaking and he felt ready to pass out.
Both Dan and his mother spoke at the same time, “Dad!” Dan exclaimed at the same time as his mother hissed, “Michael!”
Dan’s father didn’t appear to care, he didn’t look away from Phil, and Phil still couldn’t tear his eyes away from him.
“I want him,” he jabbed his knife in the direction of Phil, “Out of my house now.”
Phil was frozen in shock, he wasn’t sure how to move, what he should do, and he still couldn’t look away from the furious man at the end of the table.
He seemed to be growing more and more angry by the second, and Phil was so terrified he had forgotten how to breathe. His heart was jumping around like a rabbit on steroids, “Why are you still here?” Dan’s father demanded and Phil had to bite back tears, “Get out of my home, get out of my son’s life!”
He felt his legs push back his chair before he could stop himself, this man had some sort of strange persuasion over Phil, the words were stabbing at his throat and rendering him speechless. All he could do was follow, Phil finally understood what Dan meant about the way his father had controlled him through his childhood.
Dan watched in horror as Phil began to push his chair back, up until that point he had been unable to say anything past yelling his father’s name. Now however, as he watched Phil actually begin to leave he was snapped out of his stupor.
“No fucking way!” He yelled, voice loud and angry as he stood up and grabbed slammed his hands down on the table, “Phil you don’t have to leave.”
“Daniel,” his mother shushed him, eyes wide in shock at his sudden outburst.
He shook his head angrily, glaring at his father with all of the anger he had repressed throughout his 29 years of life, “How dare you ask him to leave?” He spat.
“I will not have this in my house!” His father growled back, Dan had to restrain himself from shrinking back into his shell, “I want him out!”
Dan glanced at Phil and saw those beautiful blue eyes wide with fear, it felt as though someone had reached through his chest and crushed his heart, Dan’s family had done that.
Any fear he felt was smothered by Phil, he needed to protect him, “Absolutely not, if Phil’s goes anywhere I’m going with him and I will never come back.”
He watched as his mother sobbed slightly, tugging at her husband’s arm she shook her head hurriedly, “We’re not losing him Michael,” Dan heard her whisper loudly, tears streaming down her face, “Stop this.”
“I don’t want this in my house Ella!” His father retorted, and Dan actually growled, sinking back into his chair.
His father whipped his head back around to stare at him, “What don’t you want Dad?” Dan hissed, “Love? You don’t want love in your household?”
Phil’s hands were shaking, Dan and he had known that the conversation may have been an awkward one but this was so much worse than they’d ever expected.
“Have you… kissed?” Dan’s father said kissed as though it was dirty, Phil felt his skin crawl and he longed to shower and scrub at his skin to remove the awful words.
Dan was livid, Phil could see it in the way his eyes burning, his lip was curled into a sneer, “Yes Dad! We’ve kissed! A lot actually! It’s been four fucking years!”
Phil chanced a glance upwards and saw pure horror cross Dan’s father’s face, “Four years!” He screeched, Phil was crying he realised, not heavily, but soft tears were streaking down his face, wetting his cheeks, “You’ve been keeping this from us for four years,” he continued to spit.
“Do you really wonder why!” Dan was screaming and Phil couldn’t stop shaking, his hands were quivering and he wanted to run far away, but he needed Dan to come with him and he was willing to wait for him. “Look at how you’re treating us!”
“You deserve to be treated this way, you’re both filthy freaks of nature!”
The words hit Phil in the chest like a bullet.
Filthy freaks of nature
Filthy freaks of nature
They continued to stab at him until his lungs were hollow, every breath coming out in ragged gasps.
He was vaguely aware of a loud slam, but tears were pooling in his vision.Dan didn’t even regret it, he slammed his knife into the table so that it was jammed into the edge and lodged there. He was on his feet, his mother and father stared at him with wide eyes, Phil was crying and Beet was fuming, glaring at their parents like she was trying to curse them.
“You can insult me,” he hissed at his parents, “You have my whole life! But never,” he ripped the knife out of the table, feeling a small sense of pride at the indent that remained there, that would always remind his parents of what they did to him, “Never, insult Phil, my boyfriend.”It was the first time he’d ever said the words in front of his parents, and the way his father reeled back was as though he had been slapped made him quake with anger, “We’re leaving,” he growled.
Both his parents flinched as he shoved back his chair, it scratched along the floor so loudly that his mother winced. He marched around the table and his anger evaporated, not fully but enough as he looked at Phil, shaking silently and trying to collect himself.
He gently lifted Phil to his feet, wiping the tears off his cheeks he pressed a kiss to Phil’s forehead, ignoring his parents behind them he whispered, “It’s okay, we’re leaving now.”It felt like someone had stabbed him to see Phil this broken up, but he stifled all the horrible emotions churning and he took his boyfriend’s hand.
Beet stood up, “Can you drop me at the train station?” She asked Dan with a pointed look, he barely nodded but she got the message.
“You don’t need to leave Beatrice,” Their father said, his normal stern voice back.
However Beet just growled, her eyes flashing with unrelenting anger, “Of course I fucking do! As if I would want to stay here with you.” She marched over to Dan and Phil and they all walked out without a second glance.
~-~-~
They were sitting in the carpark after dropping Beet off when Dan finally broke. The tears streamed down his face and he gasped in pain. “Hey,” Phil shushed him gently, taking his face gently in his hands, Dan leaned into the touch instinctively, “It’s okay now!”
Dan hiccuped softly, the tears still pouring down his face, Phil leaned their foreheads together and they just sat there. The silence was comfortable but Dan had so much he needed to say.“I’m so sorry,” he whispered when the tears finally slowed to a stop, Phil clucked his tongue, leaning away and brushing a thumb across Dan’s cheekbone. Gently wiping away the tears.
Dan mapped his face as they lapsed back into their gentle silence, there were still tear streaks down Phil’s cheeks and his eyes were red but he was as beautiful as ever.
“But he called you a-” Dan begun to say but Phil cut him off with a gentle kiss, it wasn’t long, just a brush of lips to remind each other that they were still here, and everything would be fine.“It doesn’t matter,” Phil assured Dan, staring into those sad, beautiful, brown eyes made him want to start crying again, but he knew that they needed one of them to be strong, “We’ll go to my house for a late Christmas. Bea can come too,” he added and Dan smiled softly, his dimple indenting his cheek.
Phil pressed a gentle kiss to it, “I love you, and nothing - especially not your family - will ever change that,” Dan was still crying but it was soft and he was smiling, it made Phil’s heart squeeze in a mix of both happiness and sadness.
“I love you too,” Dan whispered, brushing Phil’s fringe out of his eyes as though he was a delicate flower.“You’re all the family I need.”
Part of the Our Photo Album series - does not need to be read in order but is recommended
Series Masterlist
Previous Part
AO3 Link
Summary: Dan plans to spend the Christmas alone, Phil isn't going to let that happen.
Author’s Notes:
I thought that after my last Christmas fic everyone deserves a happy fluffy story.
So here it is!
This is FLUFF CENTRAL
I hope you enjoy!!!!
(Also don’t forget to leave a request I would love to hear from you)
To Dan, Christmas had always been one present on Christmas, an awkward dinner with a well cooked chicken, maybe some gingerbread for desert, and, as he got older, wishing he didn’t have to spend it with his mum and dad. He knew it wasn’t like that for most people, kids in his class used to be horrified when they discovered that he only got one present on Christmas, plus a check from his grandma, when she was alive that was.
However, as Dan sat at his dining room table, drumming his fingers against the acacia surface he knew what he wanted for Christmas that year. Phil was as bright as the star on top of Dan’s christmas tree, his eyes sparkled and Dan was drunk on the way that smile made him feel. He was telling Dan all about what he was doing with his family for Christmas, a splotch of whipped cream resting in the corner of his mouth from the pancakes they just finished.
“So I’m taking a train on Christmas morning up to my parent’s house, so we can spend Christmas Eve together if that works for you?” Phil gently patted Dan’s hand as he sat down next to him, Dan grinned, wiping at the cream in the corner of his boyfriend’s mouth, Phil smiled and leant into the touch.
“Sounds perfect,” Dan replied softly, his eyes sweeping over the soft curves of Phil’s mouth, his horrible Christmas sweater, and all the way too his mismatched socks. When had he gotten so lucky?
Phil grinned, lighting up the room as he did so, “So! What’re you doing for Christmas Danny? Catching up with Bea?”
Dan felt his heart sink slightly, Phil hadn’t questioned him when he said that he didn’t really see his family anymore. Understatement of the century, the only member of his family he was planning to see, ever if he had his way, was Bea. Phil didn’t press him on the topic, but he couldn’t really understand, Dan knew that. Phil’s family was just so close, Dan’s family never had been, but it had grown icier since Dan came out.
He shook his head, “Nah, Beet’s gone to Spain with some friends for the holidays,” he shrugged.
“So,” Phil trailed off with an confused look, “What’re you doing for Christmas.”
Dan shrugged again, avoiding eye contact, Phil nudged his arm gently and he sighed, “Just hanging out here? Probably play carols too loud, like the rebel I am,” he attempted at some light humour but judging by the furrowed eyebrows Phil was sporting it fell short. With gentle fingers Dan reached up and smoothed the creases between Phil’s eyes, “Hey, it’s fine. I don’t mind at all, and we can spend Christmas Eve together.”
Phil nodded but Dan had a feeling that wasn’t the end of it.
~-~-~
He was right, not even two hours later, Phil’s phone began to ring and Dan watched as he perked up, as though he was expecting a call. They were intertwined together on the couch, halfway through ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ a movie they had both seen a million times before, in all honesty neither of them were really watching. It was as though putting on the tv gave them an excuse to make out without feeling as though that was all they were doing. Dan let out a noise of protest as Phil pushed him off his lap to pick up the phone.
“Hi!” He exclaimed and raised a finger to Dan, indicating that he would be back soon before walking into the hallway. Dan flopped back on his couch, it almost felt like their couch at that point, Phil spent so much time at Dan’s apartment as it was. It almost seemed ridiculous that they weren’t living together, especially on the random morning’s when Phil would need to go home for a change of clothes, Dan was almost tempted to just ask him to move in, but the prospect seemed terrifying.
He could hear Phil pacing up and down the hall, chattering happily, Dan loved the sound of Phil’s voice. It was steady and even, in ways Dan’s excited blabbering could never hope to achieve, but melodic at the same time. The way he spoke made you want to listen, as though anything he said could be interesting. He and Dan both shared the strange knack of making boring stories interesting, which made for a fun dinner time.
Finally after about ten minutes of Dan lying and listening to the indecipherable murmuring from the through the door Phil returned.
“I have great news!” He exclaimed, dancing over to Dan and snuggling up to him.
Dan hummed, gently placing a kiss to Phil’s jaw as they curled back into their regular position, bodies side by side and legs intertwined so that it was impossible to see where two bodies separated. “What is it?” Dan asked, his hand easily finding its way to Phil’s as though on reflex.
“Mum said you can join us for Christmas!” Phil made little cheering arms with his hands, before mellowing down slightly, “If you want to that is? I totally understand if you would rather stay home, my family can be totally weird and it might be scary but I would love-” Dan stopped listening to Phil’s nervous rambling, his brain short circuiting at the idea.
He could spend his whole Christmas with Phil? With his mother’s feast that Dan had been told so much about, and Martyn who Dan had met over Skype and their crazy extended family? But most importantly, he would get to spend the whole Christmas with Phil.
He realised he had been zoned out thinking about the possibilities of it for a little too long, Phil was still rambling, “I’m going to take your silence as a bad sign and say no you don’t want to come. I’m sorry I should have asked you first, I always do these crazy things where I don’t think about maybe other options would be bett-” Dan cut him off by surging forward and catching his mouth in a kiss, he was smiling far too widely for it to be executed properly but neither of them cared.
When they finally broke apart, barely moving far enough so that their noses stopped brushing Phil smiled hesitantly, “So is that a yes?”
“Of course it’s a yes you spork!” Dan replied easily, laughing as he grabbed Phil by his ugly Christmas jumper and kissed him again.
~-~-~
“MY BEAUTIFUL BOYFRIEND WHO I LOVE MORE THAN PHOTOGRAPHY!” Phil yelled loudly a week later, at an hour that was entirely too early for such behaviour.
Dan groaned and rolled over, burying his face in the pillow beside him, “Remind me why I let you stay over?” He growled into the soft fabric.
Phil chuckled, poking Dan in the side until he turned to face him, hair fluffy and curly from sleep and eyes heavy. Phil’s glasses were slightly askew and his fringe was pushed up in a quiff from sleeping on it, as tired as he was Dan couldn’t help but smile at how adorable his boyfriend was.
“Because you love me?” Phil prompted and Dan groaned weakly again, tugging himself into a sitting position before flopping back onto Phil’s lap.
“Not enough clearly,” he wrinkled his eyes into a sleepy smile as Phil poked his dimples softly.
Rolling his eyes Phil simply began petting Dan’s hair, “It’s Christmas Eve, which means our early Christmas which means I’m treating it as though it’s Christmas morning,” Phil shrugged as though that was a simple explanation, his glasses falling down his nose in a way that was ridiculously endearing.
Dan huffed, reaching for his boyfriend’s face, “Fine then, you can deal with morning breath kisses,” he smirked and Phil obliged moving forward to gently slot their lips together. It was a soft kiss, which didn’t last for long because both of them were still in a half slumberish state, but Dan savoured every second of it. When Phil pulled away Dan sat up, stretching his stiff back and yawning, “Do you really love me more than photography?” He asked with a small smile.
Phil tugged him into an awkward cuddle position, “Obviously,” he laughed.
They hurried down the stairs around ten minutes later, now that Dan was awake he was eager to give Phil his present.
It was the first of many, however Phil’s mother had made them swear to save at least two for the family party, Dan had decided to give his sappiest gift in the safety of their own home, where Phil’s family couldn’t scrutinise him. Not that they would.
“Merry Christmas Bear!” Phil exclaimed, holding out a large red box with a teddy bear attached to it.
Dan raised an incredulous eyebrow at the stuffed toy, as he retrieved the box from his boyfriend’s grip, they both dropped to the floor next to the Christmas tree, ignoring the cold floorboards beneath them, “Really? A bear?” He teased, a bright smile covering his face as Phil blushed staring at the ground. He gently untied the fluffy creature and placed it on the floor beside him. The wrapping was easy to rip through and quickly he found himself face to face with three piano books.
His mouth fell open in shock, eyes drifting over to the barely used piano in the corner of the room and then back to his boyfriend, “Wh-what?”
Phil smiled at him, his cheeks still heavily flushed, “I love hearing you play and I thought maybe some new music might help you play more often?” Dan leapt on him causing Phil to yelp with shock as they tumbled backwards.
“I love you,” Dan whispered softly, as though if he stayed quiet this moment could stay with them forever. Phil smiled in that beautifully intoxicating way, as though he was glowing and happiness was radiating off him.
Dan connected their lips without another thought, trying to project every thought, every word he couldn’t say into the kiss. Phil gasped softly but otherwise reciprocated, Dan could feel the way Phil seemed to glow in the kiss, he could feel his light and he was drunk it.
When they finally broke apart, chests heaving and foreheads pressed together, “I love you too, dork.”
“Nerd.”
“Spoon.”
“Spork.”
“Bear,”
Dan blushed at the nickname, rolling off Phil’s chest and collecting his present from under the tree.
He handed it to Phil without looking up from the floor, suddenly doubting whether it was a good idea or not. It took a lot of effort, and had taken a long time to make, but that didn’t mean Phil would necessarily like it. He had to restrain himself from surging forward to pull the gift out of Phil’s grip, self doubt pressing down on his like a weight.
A small gasp broke him out of his reverie but he didn’t look up from the floor, he could see Phil’s pale slender fingers tracing the edge of the scrapbook delicately, as though it were a precious item.
Then suddenly those fingers were under his chin, and his head was being tilted up with that same air of delicacy, as though Dan was made of porcelain, as though he were a precious item that should be treasured.
“It’s beautiful Dan,” Phil whispered, his face inches from Dan’s own, minty breath fanning against Dan’s face.
Dan chuckled wetly, “You haven’t even opened it yet,” he pointed out, blinking quickly to get rid of the tears pooling in his eyes.
Phil smiled at him, the corner of his lips quirking up ever so slightly and his eyes crinkling in the inner corners, “I wasn’t talking about the scrapbook.”
The tears flowed freely then, Phil pressed their lips together gently, continuing to cup Dan’s chin to angle their heads better.
He pulled apart and whispered in Dan’s ear, “although it is the best thing I’ve ever been given.”
Dan chuckled through his light tears, “Open it you spork!” Phil grinned at him, opening the leatherbound book with sparkling eyes.
Inside the pages were filled with all the photos Phil had taken, whether with a phone, a crappy school camera, or Dan’s camera (which would soon be Phil’s), every photo was there. The first page had the photo from their first date, the two boys smiling with flushed cheeks, only four months ago but how time had flown since then. Dan still remembered wishing he could will up the courage to kiss Phil on that first date, he hadn’t but the cheek kiss had turned Phil into a dopey mess so it was a close second.
On every page were messages from Dan, about how he felt, things he had never told Phil before about him. Like how much he loved Phil’s eyes, how nervous he had been when they first met, his favourite photo Phil took of them - from the day they had first kissed at the ocean - the pages held it all.
Dan realised with a start that Phil, his rock, the steady force that rarely could be broken, was crying. They were soft tears, but with every turned page they grew heavier.
Dan gently reached his hand out to take Phil’s, “Hey? Happy tears o-or-” Phil cut him off with a kiss, similarly to how Dan had done just last week when he was invited to their family Christmas. It tasted of freshly brushed teeth, salty tears and happiness.
“This is the best present I’ve ever received,” Phil choked through tears and Dan chuckled leaning their heads together.
“You gave me mine four months ago.”
