pause // dan howell x reader

Chapter 5 - 5 Seconds

Your POV

Nerves take control of your body and you are literally shaking. You walk up to the entrance of the BBC building and push the door. Except, it doesn't open.

Your body hits the glass and you slightly sprain your wrist. As you step away from the backlash, you see a girl walk from the behind reception desk to open the door for you. She doesn't speak though, just rolls her eyes and struts back to her counter.

"Hi, I'm here for Dan and Phil's radio show." You explain as you approach her.

"Sorry but I can't let any random person in here." She crosses her arms and pops her hip. What kind of receptionist is she? You can't get hired if you have this much of a bad attitude.

"Oh yeah, do you need information? Like an email?" You continue understandingly. She must get lots of people in here, trying to see Dan and Phil. You get why she might be annoyed about that.

"Whatever." She mutters. You shrug your shoulders, letting go of her rudeness towards you, and grab your phone out of your pocket. You open up the email and turn your phone to show her.

"Sure. Name?"

"Y/F/N." You reply as she types on her keyboard.

"You're on here, I'll show you the room." Her heels tap as she begins walking down a hallway. She leads you to the elevator before abruptly stopping.

"Actually, I won't go with you, just go to floor 3 and it's first room on the right. There's no label on the door but, just go through there." She grins and you nod. You press the signal for the elevator as the receptionist waltzes back to her desk.

The elevator doors drift open and you step inside. Turning to your left, you press the button for floor 3. The doors close in front of you and isolate you in the metal box. None of this makes you feel less nervous.

You arrive at floor 3 and walk to the second room on the right. You contemplate if you're ready to go through or not. This moment is a turning point in your life. Being on a radio show? Meeting Dan and Phil? How could you not be anxious? You twist the silver handle and immediately regret opening the door to what happened to be a dressing room.

"Oh my god!" You proclaim as you look upon the sight in front of you. Phil Lester squeezing into a pair of skinny jeans.

"Uh- hi!" He greets frantically. You blush and mentally face palm. How do you get out of this situation? You just walked into a private dressing room, what do you do now?

"I- I'll just go!" You splutter as you close the door on Phil. At least you didn't see anything. Way to go Y/N, how more awkward are you going to be in the studio? You stare at the grey door and try to remember what the lady at the front desk said.

Right! The first room! Not the second, you doof. You get yourself together - as you're almost on the verge of falling to the floor in cringe - and pace over to the first door. Still grey, still nameless, still sketchy. Regardless, you open the door.

"Not again!" You complain which grasps the man's attention. His eyes flick up to meet yours and a mischievous grin spreads across his lips.

"I know right? This keeps happening today." Dan says sarcastically and waves his hand down. As he does you can't help but follow it, down his skinny jeans and up his shirtless torso. He must've been watching your gaze and decides to put his top on.

"Staring is rude, Y/N." He walks over and hits your arm jokingly. Taking his jacket off a hook, you shake yourself out of this strange daze.

"Your mum." Is the best you could reply with before exiting the room, all Dan does is laugh.

"Kill me." You murmur to yourself as the door closes.

-

"Dan, Phil, this is Y/N." The producer introduces you to them and you shake their hands.

"Nice to meet you, Y/N." Phil smiles warmly as he holds your hand. 

"Pleasure." You reply, trying to keep your voice from being shaky.

"Thanks for joining us, love." Dan shakes your hand gently. The way his words roll off his tongue sends a rush through your body and chills up your spine.

"No worries." You smile delicately and struggle to hold it together. Dan and Phil run you through the broadcast program and you nod along. Half of it you don't understand because you are watching Dan trace lines over the page with his fingers.

"You ready?" Dan turns to you, making you snap your head towards him.

"Hm? Yeah, sure. Let's do this."

"That's the right attitude." He cutely pokes your arm and looks up towards the broadcast camera. The director behind it holds up five fingers and you know what this means.

5 seconds until the show starts.

4 seconds until your life changes.

3 times your heart pounds.

2 beautiful people next you.

1, Dan holds your hand.

0, we're rolling.  

I just gave you the feels.

#SorryNotSorry