pause // dan howell x reader

Chapter 6 - Nameless

Your POV

You and Dan's hands are under the table. Playfully fighting between each other. You have no idea what you both are trying to do but it is cute.

"Hello internet." Dan speaks into the microphone and smirks at the camera. He then grabs your hand and interlocks his fingers with yours, rubbing patterns on the back of them.

"Hey guys!" Phil squeaks cheerfully and does his signature wave.

"It's okay, you'll be fine. You're amazing." Dan whispers to you and you smile to yourself.

"Today we have a special guest on the show." Dan explains and gestures to you, letting go of your hand. You frown slightly but quickly you smile at the camera to greet the viewers.

"Hey everyone! I'm-"

"This is Y/N!" Dan and Phil interrupt.

"Did you guys plan that?" You ask whilst laughing. They both shake their heads.

"We're just aliens programmed to say the same things. It's how we get our message across." Phil waves his hands about and Dan gives him a questionable look.

"Oh yes, Illuminati confirmed." Dan comments and nods his head.

"If you really were Illuminati, you wouldn't just out yourselves." You cross your arms, debunking their story.

"True." Dan agrees.

"Apologies, but I don't believe you." You continue and glance at Phil who's pretending to be angry.

"Speaking of non-believers, Phil doesn't believe that cookies and cream is an amazing ice cream flavour." Dan sneers jokingly.

"It's gross! It's chunky but then it's smooth. Make up your mind! I like cookies and ice cream but the combination is just too much." Phil attempts to defend himself.

"What do you like then?" You ask and Phil looks away somewhat ashamed.

"Bubblegum." He whimpers. You and Dan gasp loudly.

"I don't know. Mint choc-chip flavour too, I guess." Phil shrugs and you inhale even further but end up coughing.

"You alright there?" Dan gently pats your back.

"Yeah, just don't gasp twice in a row." You laugh and look over your shoulder at Dan. Seeing him smiling back at you sparks an ember in your soul. A raging fire that you just can't get enough of. 

"Shall we open up live comments?" Phil chirps.

"Sure!" Dan says quickly and chuckles afterwards, looking away from your eyes.

"Alright... This first comment says: 'Dan, what's your most recent embarrassing story?'" You read the message aloud and turn to Dan to wait for his answer. You hope it's not the dressing room, please don't be the dressing room.

"I guess it has to be when I was in the Supermarket." He chuckles and you let out a breath of relief.

"I accidentally dropped a jar of Doritos dip and it smashed everywhere. Thankfully nobody was in my aisle but the whole supermarket was silent, dead silent. I just looked around, awkwardly talked to myself and then hid the evidence under the shelf. Store janitors hate me." Dan chuckles, shaking his head.

"Wait, was that for the Doritos you brought to Zoe's?" You pretend to be clueless, tyring to show that you weren't there to begin with.

"Yes actually, but obviously a different salsa."

"Did you pay for the one you broke?" Phil tilts into the conversation.

"Well, no..."

"What a terrible role model!" You exclaim and Dan lifts his hands.

"Stop attacking me, stop the hate. Anyways, next comment." He smiles and leans over to read off the computer.

Dan's POV

"Are you dating?" I read and laugh nervously. Think of something. Crap, crap. Alarms are ringing in my head because my 'wit system' is overloading. Okay, to avoid a long silence, I'll just say the first thing that blurts out my mouth.

"No, Phil and I aren't dating." I shake my head and keep reading the comments. Hope that's good enough for them. As the comments keep rolling in, my eyes catch a glimpse of another saying: 'No, are you and the girl dating?'

"Oh you mean Y/N and I?" I point to Y/N and myself. What a stupid turnip, I could've just ignored that.

"No, we aren't." I look down but then I grin.

"Not yet..."

"Hm?" Y/N turns to me.

"Nothing." I panic, in return she laughs. I watch her as she looks at the ground, fiddling with her thumbs. I feel funny around her, like I have butterflies in my stomach. I haven't had butterflies around a girl since college.

I still remember that day, the library was bare with students. I was just talking a little with my dorm friends in the corner but then a whole class came in, the second law class I believe. They filled the desks but one girl caught my eye.

"The essay should be handed up to me in 10 minutes, get to printing." The teacher ordered. The girl pursed her lips together and started typing on her laptop. The whole room became mute as I just watched her. You could hear the drop of a pin, that's how quiet it was.

I don't exactly remember how long I watched her frantically type on her computer, but all I know it that I was captivated by her. Now that I think about it, she must have not done the essay she had to do. Must've been a procrastinator like me.

I don't remember her face, it's all a blur now. I didn't ever see her again, not around the school, not anywhere. That's when she became the girl I never knew the name of.

-

"Hey Dan." I hear as I walk into the lobby with Phil.

"Yeah." I turn my head and stop walking.

"Uh, do you want to..." The receptionist mumbles as she slides her heels along the lines on the marble floor.

"Do you want to- to go out sometime?" She curls her hair behind her ear. She's kinda pretty but I don't want to date her.

"Uh- yeah, sure." I splutter. What? Well, it couldn't be that bad but-

"I'm Polly." She holds her hand out and I take it in mine. Okay, I can't stop it now but - Dan - don't stuff this up. It's only a one time thing.

Guys, it's only a one time thing, trust me ;) 

FYI, I have only seen snippets of Dan and Phil's radio show so I don't know how they run them. I tried to watch an episode but none of them were working, sorry if I got something wrong I just suited it to how I wanted for the story :)

Sorry for the super late update but I'll see you next chapter!