companions through life

part one, part three

Links Last Checked: June 2nd, 2025

19 October (My Heartbeat Matches Yours) - secretlywritingstories

Summary: First touches and moments. It’s the same ten years later. Well, almost.

And miles to go (ao3) - jestbee

Summary: Phil contemplates the keeping of promises on their second world tour.

Beard (ao3) - midnightskydan

Summary: Dan shaves Phil’s beard for him.

can i wake up with you? (ao3) - somerdaye

Summary: Phil isn’t bad at talking about his feelings, he just does it very differently than Dan does.

Current Downward Spiral, Eventual Upward Trajectory (ao3) - yikesola

Summary: Dan is not the only one to blame— or maybe he is, who even knows at this point? All he knows is he’s wrapped in his grey duvet as Phil edits a video for his channel beside him and he feels like absolute shit.

A fic about bad weeks and breakdowns.

Dan and Phil Versus the World (ao3) - midnightskydan

Summary: “I mean…we’re not in the closet. Not really,” Phil says.

“Phil, this is the closet.”

Darling, Will We Talk In The Morning? (ao3) - AnotherPhanficWriter

Summary: Fic where Dan’s grindr dates never work out.

Until it accidentally did?

Days Like These (ao3) - wekingsandprettythings

Summary: Phil woke up in a weird mood. He had a headache and he didn’t feel like himself. But Dan was okay, and he took pride in how well he could take care of someone other than himself.

Effort at Speech Between Two People (ao3) - palomeheart

Summary: Learning a new lover is like learning a whole nother language, Phil’s mother had told him once.

Forever Home (ao3) -Tarredion

Summary: Phil wakes up in their forever home and can’t help but think.

High on You (ao3) - letspartyrightnow

Summary: There was nothing else like it. Nothing like waking up to Dan, laughing with him, loving him. It was the easiest goddamned thing he had ever done.

Peach (ao3) - det395

Summary: I’ll try to make it all not as hard if you let me through

Phil stays at Dan’s home for the first time

Slouch (ao3) - yikesola

Summary: Phil slouched when he spent hours on the computer, he slouched on the bus or train, he slouched when talking to almost anyone because almost anyone was shorter than him. Until eventually slouching was more comfortable than not.

A fic about poor posture and changing insecurities.

smooth and smudge (ao3) - CapriciousCrab

Summary: Phil posts a selfie.

some killer queen you are (ao3) - possumdnp

Summary: Dan’s enjoyed taking a break from YouTube, but for some reason, he still feels like something is missing. Determined to fill the creative void in his life, he decides to try out something new: drag.

The Tides (ao3) - TortiTabby

Summary: Dan watches the waves while on vacation.

tumblr.com/liked/by/danielhowell (ao3) - counting2fifteen

Summary: Dan scrolls through tumblr, liking things. Oh, did I mention that he just got married?

What a great year to be a mum (ao3) - WhatsNew

baby i’m howell-in’ for you (ao3) - itsmyusualphannie (itsmyusualweeb)

Summary: slapping your past self as soon as you see them probably isn't the best first impression. does meeting yourself even count as a first impression, though?

“Jesus fuck,” Dan huffed.

“What?” demanded the younger Dan, scowling up at him. “As if it isn’t weird to see my own face staring at me? But like, older and wrinklier?”

Confident (ao3) - letspartyrightnow

Summary: 2009!Dan pops up and it's up to 2017!Dan to show him the ropes to success: Confidence. (Also Phil is there, too.)

Don't You Dare (ao3) - gerardopoly

Summary: On one seemingly ordinary afternoon, Dan is met with a knock at his shared apartment’s door to someone he was not expecting in the least. Certainly there must be a reason why his twenty-one year old self has suddenly appeared from three years ago. And boy, do the two have a lot to say to each other.

2012x2015 based on Phantheraglama's art on tumblr

Experience is key (ao3) - ottertrashpalace

Summary: On a fateful late-night walk, Dan happens across two oddly familiar young men in the park.

Fuck The Past (Dan vs Phil vs Daniel) (ao3) - phandomsub

Summary: Daniel and Phil decide to mess around with a book of spells for their new video. It’s all just a good laugh, until they somehow end up transporting 18-year-old Dan from 2009 into 2017. The only logical solution is: threesome.

i must admit, i can't explain (ao3) - itsmyusualphannie (itsmyusualweeb)

Summary: dan's past self returns. dan and phil do a pretty terrible job figuring out what's going on.

“Are you real?” asked Dan.

“Of course I am. You’re the ones that aren’t real.”

“I’m real!” said Phil, offended.

It Came To Me In A Dream (ao3) - serendipnpipity

Summary: Working at Asda has its perks. He may not be the happiest to help, no matter what the words cheerfully emblazoned across the badge affixed to his shirt insist. He is, however, happy to be a nosy little prick who uses his employee privileges to inch closer and closer to the arguing pair until maybe they notice and tell him to bugger off.

It’s 8:30 am. He could use a little drama.

***

Or: Dan of 2009 meets Dan of 2024.

Maybe It's The Year (ao3) - embarrassing_myself

Summary: Dan turned around for a second and suddenly 2009 Phil has replaced his own Phil. While Dan is worried about the Phil from his own timeline, 2009 Phil has other things in mind. Which isn't always a bad thing.

Not Quite Home (ao3) - omgdatphantho

Summary: 2009!Phil meets 2016!Dan.

sleep on the floor, dream about me (ao3) - noxhsw

Summary: it's 2009. the second day of dan and phil hanging out together irl.

phil refreshes his youtube, only to mysteriously see the 2024 dan and phil games channel on his screen.

they decide to look through their future channel, introspection ensues

Time is an Illusion (ao3) - orphan_account

Summary: What happens when 2012 Dan meets 2015 Phil?

(and vice versa~)

Time is on our side (ao3) - Mysticallykai

Summary: In 2010, AmazingPhil decided to make a video trying to time travel. He ends up meeting his boyfriend Dan in the year 2023 as well as himself, and he has a lot of questions.

We will be okay (ao3) - orphan_account

Summary: Dan and Phil just returned from their tour and want to relax. But then suddenly out of nowhere 2012!Dan pops up which leads to interesting conversations.

We'll Be Okay (ao3) - analester

Summary: the fic where 2012!phil is struggling with dealing with the way 2012!dan’s treating him, and 2017!dan comes and comforts him

you are the choice i'll keep making (ao3) - maybeformepersonally

part one, part two, part three

All the Ways to Phil Lester's Heart (ao3) - orphan_account

Summary: During Christmas Eve with his family, Phil reflects on all the ways to his heart, to the tune of "The Christmas Song" more commonly known as "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire" by Nat King Cole.

A million little suns (ao3) - jestbee

Summary: Dan is just trying to get as far away from his home town as possible at Christmas when he gets stuck in a snow storm. He's rescued by an enigmatic stranger who take him back to his cabin in the mountains. What Dan doesn't know is that his rescuer is prolific, best-selling writer of erotica, Ricky Blitz. Will Dan end up with a porn-worthy situation all of his own? (hint: yes)

Porn with feels and some Christmas magic.

at first blush this is fate (ao3) - alittlestarsick

Summary: 2009 Dan and Phil have a cute winter moment in the snow before Dan has to go back home from his visit to Phil

baby, it's cold outside (ao3) - pasteldanhowells

Summary: Dan is traveling to his parent’s house for Christmas. There’s a blizzard expected to hit just as Dan’s leaving, but Dan doesn’t think anything of it, not until his car breaks down and he’s stranded. Kind stranger Phil steps in and offers to help Dan.

Because of Reasons (ao3) - adorkablephil (kimberly_a)

Summary: There’s always a reason why … so they come up with compromises. Or, Dan and Phil go out for a fancy dinner to celebrate Phil’s birthday.

boyfriends (ao3) - antiadvil

Summary: defining the relationship (rossendale, england. december 2009).

First Snowfall (ao3) - yiffandquiff

Summary: Dan is a neko who has never seen snow before. The initial wetness and cold feeling of the snow leave him scared but Phil soon shows him how fun snow can actually be.

Heart Frozen in Time (ao3) - the_unwritten_ruler

Summary: When Dan and Phil are stranded in a mountain cave during a snowstorm, their relationship becomes as cold and fragile as the ice itself. Mystical images on the cave wall show a sad event in their future, and Phil only has a few hours at most to review the past, find where and how it went wrong, and set it right before he loses Dan forever.

i'll make this (feel like) home (ao3) - orphan_account

Summary: Dan's never had a safe space to relax and just be truly himself. Maybe the Lesters' little house in the north can be that place for him.

leave the light on anyway (ao3) - moonanonymous

Summary: Phil falls into a snowbank and dreams of the future.

love is forever (ao3) - angelmichelangelo

Summary: phil takes dan out in the snow

Snow Angel (ao3) - adorkablephil (kimberly_a)

Summary: Dan’s been watching YouTuber Phil Lester for years, but Phil doesn’t even know he exists. Of course, that’s because Dan is Phil’s invisible guardian angel.

Snowed In (ao3) - orphan_account

Summary: Dan and Phil get snowed in and neither is feeling quite right.

So Long, London (ao3) - solarpower21

Summary: This can’t be Phil’s life right now. He can’t be having a panic attack in the bathroom of an airport café after randomly bumping into his ex and being told his flight home has been cancelled.

or: Dan and Phil did the unthinkable and broke up in 2020. They meet again, four years later on Christmas Eve.

They fade to nothing when I look at him (ao3) - phasamtasie

Summary: Dan and Phil go sledging.

warm (ao3) - SylvesterLester

Summary: Phil likes Dan.

And Phil really, really likes Dan's hat.

What We Are to Each Other (ao3) - orphan_account

Summary: So maybe they both suck at communication. Maybe Dan needs to talk to Phil about what they are to each other. And maybe Phil needs to sit his parents down and tell them that big, slightly scary thing about himself. But maybe it'll all work itself out, one way or another.

When the Storm Ends (ao3) - letspartyrightnow

Summary: dan gets caught in a snow storm and has to knock on a stranger's door to take shelter

where we belong (ao3) - parentaladvisorybullshitcontent

Summary: In which Phil is snowed in with nobody but the mysterious dark haired author next door for company.

winter looks good on you (ao3) - orphan_account