pause // dan howell x reader

Chapter 22 - Paper

Your POV

Nick's green eyes peer up at you as the candle feathers. Looking into them, your mind goes blank and you just stare at him dazed. He furrows his eyebrows and lowers his head to get your attention.

"Y/N? Are you deaf? I asked 'what are you getting'?" He repeats and the funny feeling in your stomach disappears.

"Oh sorry."

"Got lost in my eyes, didn't you?" Nick raises an eyebrow.

"Will you shut up?" You open your menu and scan over the options.

"You love me." He challenges further.

"No Nick, I really don't. This is just a dinner for old times." You shake your head, pressing your lips together.

"Then why did I say this is a date?" The smug grin on his face softens as he closes his menu.

"When I said old times, I meant rewind the tape - go back to what we were before." Nick grasps onto your hand, making you put down your menu.

"Oh yeah? Just so you can cheat on me again? No thanks." You snap bitterly and try to ungrip Nick's hand but it tightens.

"Y/N, listen. Hate past me all you want but I swear, I've changed." He pleads.

"You haven't changed Nick. You were all over Polly today to get my attention, that's the same as the past." You laugh, somewhat amused. He goes to talk but you continue in a more harsh tone.

"I'm the one that has changed. I was stupid back then, I let you manipulate me and I believed that letting you play with my heart was okay. I know it's not okay now." You finally fling Nick's hand away.

"You still got jealous in the studio."

"Well-"

"And yes, I still did kiss her cheek to get to you but let's put that behind us. Please, give me another shot." Nick's eyes flicker as he waits for your answer. You let out a sigh and bow your head.

-

Dan's POV

"Why the hell would you scream 'my butt is frozen'?" I ask Phil as we pack up the props off the ground from the latest radio broadcast.

"I was dazed in a lecture! Come on, you know how cringe-worthy I was back then." He hits my arm lightly.

"You still are, you spork." I chuckle and lean back onto my crutches.

"Hey, you can't say that!" He whines and I roll my eyes in return. Then I spin around to the table behind me and straighten out some papers.

"I'm gonna go since you're mean." Phil complains and goes over to discuss next week's broadcast with someone.

In the corner of my eye, Y/N walks up to the sound and graphic equipment and starts to shut it down.

"You're getting the hang of that aren't you?" I smile to her from across the table.

"Yeah." She laughs and flicks another switch.

"It's because of you teaching me." She adds, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"Phil helped too." I lift my eyebrows and smirk at her.

"You know I wasn't listening to Phil." She shakes her head with the same smirk I had and finally finishes turning off the equipment. I blush down at the white paper in my hands and laugh biting my lip.

"Oh gosh that sounded-" Y/N gets cut off by Nick snaking his arms around her waist from behind. I face the desk, pretending they aren't there as I collect some files on the other side of the table.

"So beautiful, what do you think? 2 month anniversary tonight? I can book the same restaurant." He whispers with a soft breath and I mentally roll my eyes.

"Wasn't the 1 month dinner enough?" She giggles back, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"We need to spend every anniversary together, okay?" He turns her around to face him and I huff out a breath as I reach for some more loose documents.

"No we don't." Y/N denies and I feel her eyes glance over to me.

"Besides, I'm going to hang out with Dan tonight." She adds and pushes Nick's hands off her hips; I freeze, nearly dropping half of the junk in my hands.

"But Y/N-"

"Goodbye Nick." She pecks him on the lips and he stands there for a few seconds, waiting for her to say anything else. She doesn't so he shakes his head with disapproval and lumbers away.

"'Hang out with Dan tonight?'" I repeat questioningly, putting all the sorted papers in a neat pile on the edge of the black desk.

"Yeah, can I?" She tilts her head, trying to sound as polite as possible.

"Of course." I smile warmly and grip onto my crutches. Y/N and I walk out the studio together. We stare at the shiny white floors as we make our way to the elevator.

I press the down button and stumble a little as I stand up straight again. Y/N frowns as she looks down at my cast.

"When are you getting that off?" She points to my leg.

"In a few days. It was meant to be 3 weeks ago but Phil spazzed out when we played Mario Kart and he damaged it even further." I explain and Y/N laughs loudly, holding her knees.

"What?" I ask with a little chuckle and she stands up with a big smile.

"Sorry, just- Phil-" She begins to laugh again.

"I can't even speak, don't worry about it but you poor cripple." She mocks me and the elevator doors open.

"Don't call me a cripple, that's just rude." I enter the elevator and Y/N follows.

"Danny the cripple." She mutters. I give her a death glare and she innocently grins.

"Oh god, this is really happening." I put my face in my hand and sigh.

"What did you say Danny? I can't hear you over how crippled you are." She mocks again.

"I will throw you through a church window." I threaten jokingly.

"What do you mean? I'm a proud follower of the beloved devil." She prods sarcastically and crosses her arms, laying her back against the metal wall.

"Sure you are, angel." I mumble loud enough for her to hear. She lightly laughs and hides her red cheeks.

"I'm no angel."

"No matter how many fics you might've read or how much you might hate people, you're an angel to me."

Such a slow update sorry! I just needed to plot this story a bit more and it's going to be really good, I can't wait :D

SPEAKING OF REALLY GOOD THINGS- wait I mean AMAZING THINGS, there is a awesome human being and writer that you should check out.

TheKillersphan28, go read her two Dan books 'Millions of Moments' and 'Detention'. Trust me, you'll really like her stuff :)

Hopefully I'll post a new chapter tomorrow, see ya!