#inprogresschaptered

part one, part two, part three, part four, part five, part six, part seven, part eight, part nine, part ten, part eleven, part twelve, part thirteen

In progress as of May 8th, 2026

being alive (ao3) - 1j9w8n8

Status: completed

Summary: Dan and Phil acted together in one school production, where Dan developed a one-sided crush. Years later, they come back together to plan a farewell concert for their mentor as she retires.

Case File: Us vs. Them (ao3) - vividaway

Summary: Dan Howell built his career on winning. So when he’s assigned to a lawsuit against Phil Lester, a creator accused of breaking contracts, it should be easy.

It isn’t.

Companions Through Life (ao3) - phriendlyghost

Status: Completed

Summary: What happens when you realise you need to come out but your feelings for your best friend and roommate of ten years get in the way.

Or, the process between writing "Basically I'm Gay" and releasing the video (plus some more).

From A Past Life (ao3) - homegrownlesbian

Summary: Dan and Phil broke up in 2017. Today, Phil is a (slutty) gay media personality with a string of unsuccessful relationships and Dan is a (closeted) standup comedian with virtually no friends. The two of them have history — a lot of it. Stalkers, birthdays, suicide attempts and radio shows. Laughter, tears, codepency, growth. Much time has passed since they decided to put an end to all that.

When Dan’s manager persuades him to go on Phil’s podcast in order to promote his new tour, the both of them reconnect, just as Dan is contemplating a public coming out. Meanwhile, having once again broken up with someone who wasn’t quite the one, Phil is starting to believe he might just not be made for relationships.

Does eight years really mean anything, in the face of chemistry?

growing pains (ao3) - electric_typewriter

Summary: Dan stalks a gorgeous butch emo girl on Twitter, and the rest is history. Some moments from their journey together, queer as hell and desperately in love.

Love songs for the genuinely cunning (ao3) - PhagONfire (girlboss128)

Summary: This story follows 19-year-old Dan Howell as he is institutionalized following a suicide attempt, and 23-year-old Phil Lester, who is a psychology student coming to Mendley Sanatorium to study a patient (Dan) as a part of his PHD dissertation. The two boys have an instant connection. Between lying, mental health, and professional scrutiny, the two boys have to navigate their connection and the effects it has on their work, both together and individually. Dan is a tortured soul with scars as deep as the ocean, and Phil is a gentle soul with a soft spot for poets.

Maybe you are heaven (ao3) - Loo987

Summary: A seminarian has his quiet life turned upside down by the arrival of a new, chaotic novice, but this is the most fun he ever had.

mystery of love (ao3) - joelle2038

Summary: Dan and Phil fall in love (hard and fast) in 2009.

Dan has a passion for producing music and Phil loves filmmaking. They meet online, Dan offering to make music for Phil's short films, and their relationship blossoms from there. Opportunities happen, life happens, and nothing is the same as it was. Fate has a tricky hand.

or, a story of two people who will always love each other, despite everything at all.

fate is weird.

studio 16 (ao3) - chronicallydnp

Summary: phyuri art school au! they're girls and they're artists and they're in love

(TW) The Knight of Wands (ao3) - ddphan

Status: Completed

Summary: Phil's POV of the events in heartbeat in my floor, in which his stalker is a really hot emo guy and Phil just wants to wind him up and watch him go.

Time Trouble (ao3) - Justpassingthrough999

Summary: 2009 Phil and 2026 Phil switch places, leaving 2026 Dan to deal with the fallout. Not only does he have to come to terms with the fact that his partner of 16 years is just gone, he also has to fend off 2009 Phil’s seduction attempts.

Frustrated, he turns to the internet for help, but he may end up biting off more than he can chew.

Under the rose (ao3) - Ren_Saxon

Summary: Dan chose the safety of a girlfriend over Phil, and now he meets Phil in real life for the first time at a YouTuber meetup. And for the first time. And for the first time. And for the- It's a time loop fic.

When the cherry blossoms bloom (ao3) - PaleGlobes23

Summary: The AU where Phil stopped posting Youtube videos in the summer of 2009, before he ever knew who Dan was. Phil's life heads into a different direction that leads to the stable life he has at 35 years old. Phil is stuck in an unfulfilling relationship with a busy lawyer. Everything changes when Phil unknowingly inserts himself into a rookie lawyer, Dan Howell's, life. The wheels of fate that stopped moving in the summer of 2009 are in motion again and Phil sees what his life should have been like for all of these years.

You and All Your Enemies (ao3) - phansauce97

Summary: As the youngest Prince of his kingdom, Phil Lester didn't have much power or authority over the Water Weavers. His people liked him well enough due to his kind heart and willingness to help fight in the war against the Fire Lords, but that was about all he could do. He often felt that utilizing his power of creating and manipulating the element of water with his own hands was not enough, even with hundreds of others doing the same. War had continued to rage on for as long as anyone could remember.

The Fire Lords are lead by a fierce, tall, and terrifying masked leader, known only as The Luminary. No one saw his face. No one heard his real voice. His anonymity and mystery made him that much more terrifying. There had been many Luminaries over the centuries, but the current one was the most ruthless and terrifying yet, even recruiting witches into his court. He seemed to be made only of evil and flames, and would certainly not surrender his power any time soon.

When Phil finally comes up with an idea to end the war, effectively sacrificing himself, he will discover that there is something - or someone - else behind the Luminary's mask, and the war between the kingdoms...becomes a war between themselves.

You're No Good For Me (But Baby, I Want You) (ao3) - rosett0x3

Summary: Dan meets a homeless Phil by chance, and after seeing him a few times offers to help him get back on his feet. He slowly trys to uncover the secrets Phil is keeping about his past, if only he knew just how big they were.

you've got stars (i've got scars) (ao3) - AllTheNightSky

Summary: Dan is a struggling university dropout with no money, no plans, and no future. He desperately needs a way to keep from losing his flat and his T, but he doesn't have the time or resources to find a better job. Not a real job, anyway.

Links last checked: May 7th, 2026

part one, part two, part three, part four, part five, part six, part seven, part eight, part nine, part ten

In progress as of: March 11, 2025

A Faith Forgotten Land (ao3) - that is phantastic (ast_roha)

Summary: "My pain fits in the palm of your freezing hand, taking mine, but it's been promised to another."

Phillis Lester has taken a job teaching English at a Catholic boarding school, where her husband also works. Sister Daniel leads the church choir and tutors music. They're both committed, whether it be to a marriage or to God, but their lives are thrown off balance once they find they have a connection neither can deny.

Gender Swap AU because lesbians in a Catholic setting is too relatable. Taking inspiration from Ivy by Taylor Swift

And here we are. Together yet so far (ao3) - xXspencerXx

Status: Completed

Summary: Daniel Howell, a once semi-famous ballerina living in London, experiences an accident n stage. He ends up with a spinal cord injury and looks for a new reason to live. One that he finds in uploading short videos to YouTube of his own original compositions for the piano.

Philip Lester, a post-graduate of Manchester university recently moved down to London and got himself a boring job that decently pays the bills while he creates videos on the side. He looks for more out of life. He manages to find it in one anonymous pianist on YouTube after stumbling across a video.

Especially You (ao3) - valentinednp

Summary: Daniel Howell has to move out of his current apartment. It is a mess and so he is. Wanting a lifestyle change, he goes out of his way to find a Facebook Marketplace ad and is about to move in with a bunch of strangers.

history has it's eyes on dip and pip (ao3) - sadbutlikescats

Summary: Daniel had grown up as poor as you could imagine. Growing up in a small town tends to do that to you. There just aren't the same opportunities for people there, as there are for those living in bigger, better places. Bigger and better countries.

A couple of months into his life in a brand new country, he meets a tall blonde man with the brightest blue eyes he has ever seen.

OR

Dan and Phil AU where they are Alexander Hamilton and John Laurens and things get sexy.

hold on tight and don't look back (ao3) - prophetz (xoph4nt)

Summary: Dan never knew what he wanted to do with his life, so when the time came to choose, he took the first suggestion that his parents gave him. Now he works as a deliberator for Steril HQ, spending his days ignoring his own morals just to make a decent living.

One day, Dan gets assigned a strange case. He's never seen anything like it. Philip Lester has been caught trying to recruit innocent citizens to… make a movie?

Lying Makes You Go to Hell (ao3) - skygremlin

Status: Completed

Summary: Dan and Phil accidentally summoned a demon while making a DanAndPhilCRAFTS video in 2017. Dealing with the pressure of moving apartments, touring the world, coming out, and a stressful lockdown, they were stuck living with a pizza-loving, goat-shaped roommate from the underworld for seven long years. Keeping it a secret and keeping a demon in check was nearly enough to make them snap. When they returned to crafting in 2024, they weren’t summoning a demon - they were finally banishing him back to hell.

not a star i see (it’s always you) (ao3) - dprkives

Summary: Phil Lester returned from the Great War with a box full of medals and haunting dreams, and he had no idea how to pick his life back up. Society wasn’t kind to those who gave their life for their country, and Phil was about to give up all and any hope when a handsome stranger entered his life.

Over and Over (ao3) - phovaries (lasagnaboxlesbian)

Summary: Phil Lester, long time Private Investigator and amateur film maker, accidentally finds himself stuck in a time loop. Dan Howell, writer and recent law school dropout, just wants to know why that one guy won’t stop harassing the poor baristas about their cat calendar again.

OR: Two perfect strangers trapped in the same time loop must work together to figure out how they’ll escape. It’s also a love story.

perfect cadences (ao3) - angelcyarika

Summary: It's safe to say 24-year-old Daniel Howell is lost in life. Having been rejected from every job he's applied to, he's about to leave the small Northern town he's been calling home for the last few years. That is, until he lands a job as a teaching assistant at the prestigious Elmsthorpe Day & Boarding School.

28-year-old Phil Lester never expected to find himself teaching Latin at the school he attended as a kid. Life's been good but stable - perhaps too stable - for the past few years. Maybe the cute new addition to the music department could change that.

stop the world (ao3) - purpurussy

Status: Completed

Summary: Dan resumes the call, and turns his camera on this time, glancing at himself in the thumbnail while he waits for Phil to re-join. He realizes just in time that the empty bottle is still in frame, and he shoves it to the side as Phil flickers into view.

“Hey, emo boy,” he grins, and for the first time, sending sparks down his spine, he can see Phil grinning right back at him.

An AU where they never met in 2009, and Dan became a 33-year-old depressed lawyer living a secret double life as his marriage and career fall apart.

That is, until Phil shows up...

True Beauty Lies Beneath the Skin (ao3) - phansauce97

Status: Completed

Summary: We're bringing back Punk AU's, folks, in which Phil Lester is lead guitar player in the popular British pop-punk band, Runaway Exorcist. The band continues to gain more fame day by day, and Phil couldn't be happier with his position in life, after recovering from an unimaginable tragedy and fighting many demons along the way. But even now, there are many gaps that Phil finds missing in his life, and his yearning to fill that gap only grows with each passing day that it remains empty...

Dan Howell is a tattoo artist and body piercer at Zombified Tattoos and Piercings, a popular shop in London. New to the tattoo scene, Dan proves himself to be extremely talented and quickly gains popularity. However, Dan has a bit of a secret. Well, it's not really a "secret" per-se, but it isn't something he tells just anyone either. When a post-tour Phil Lester walks into Zombified looking for some new ink, he and Dan...don't have the best first encounter.

When Dan discovers he and Phil can relate to each other on a more deeper and personal level though, and that Phil has many "secrets" too, they find both their gaps fading, realizing that letting someone in might not be so scary after all.

We'll Have To Make It On Our Own (ao3) - galacticneighbor, sleepyslag (galacticneighbor)

Summary: Dan is a country omega come to the Royal City to join a new school for unmated omegas alongside Princess Philip and the future Queen Cornelia. But as the two boys grow closer, Phil's parents are pressuring him into a political marriage with an alpha. Can the two omegas find their way together, or will they be forced apart?

You're not my type (ao3) - Frozenteddybear

Links last checked: May 7th, 2026

part one, part two, part three, part four, part five, part six, part seven, part eight

In progress as of October 14, 2024

A Semester Abroad (ao3) - EverythingIsAsItWas

Summary: Phil is walking home when he comes across a uni student, barely conscious, confused, sobbing on a bench. He tries to figure out where he's staying, or what happened to lead to his state, but with no avail. It's well past midnight in the freezing London winter, so he does the only thing he can think of, and brings him home. Dan isn't happy.

Fallen and Found (ao3) - Love_Anarchy

Summary: Dan, a demon tasked with the thankless job of observing Earth’s moral decay for nearly 250,000 years, has grown disillusioned and depressed. Each day, he witnesses the worst of humanity’s cruelty and selfishness, reinforcing his belief that there’s no hope left. But everything changes when he meets Phil, a seemingly carefree and oddly authentic angel who challenges Dan’s jaded perspective. As Phil invites Dan to see the world from a different vantage point, the demon must confront the possibility that, maybe, not everything is as hopeless as it seems.

haunted house (ao3) - vvuptic

Summary: this party’s just another haunted house. i can’t wait to lose all my friends tomorrow. this party’s just another haunted house. i can’t wait to carry it with me forever.

or, Dan and Phil were roommates in a frat house for three years before the breakup to end all breakups. Now they have to navigate living in the same house for one final semester before graduation. Surely it won’t end in flames.

Heart to heart (ao3) - amzingmati

Summary: In a world where you get assigned your soulmate at birth, there isn’t much surprise or anticipation about love, or at least that is what Phil thinks. He will be 20 years old in a week and that means that in a week he will find out who his soulmate is. But what happens when a boy enters the picture ?

It's all but fate (ao3) - achromatic__sky

Summary: In an alternate universe, Dan and Phil’s meeting in 2009 went horribly wrong.

Flash forward to 2021. Dan Howell is a depressed, closeted lawyer on the verge of a loveless proposal, and Phil Lester's successful career as a forensic linguist can’t mask the chaos of his love life.

When they lock eyes again in a courtroom twelve years later, they're forced to confront the past and consider the possibilities that taking a chance at the future might hold.

The lingering echoes of a bond that transcends the fabric of time.

All but fate.

Or is it ?

Keep Calm and Carry On (ao3) - That_cool_weirdo

Summary: Phil, an ordinary 15-year-old from Manchester, is being evacuated to some tiny place down south to avoid getting blown up by a German bomb.

Dan works on his dad’s farm down south and is not too happy that he is going to have to share his room with a northern evacuee. That's only until he meets the boy though.

Lights Out and Away We Go (ao3) - Melancholy_Mango

Summary: Dan Howell is a champion. A 7-time World Champion in Formula 1. Nothing would ever stand in his way. He's set to retire after record breaking success in his career just after he wins 1 more world champion. He assumes this year will be no different and the win will be as easy as it was last year.

Phil Lester is Redbull's top driver. He was the oldest debut in Formula 1 after starting his training later than most. His raw talent has gotten him to the second step on the podium, but can he find the discipline to knock out his top competitor or will he be left in the gravel?

What happens when their rivalry is used to capitalize the new age of Formula 1. Will it bring the two closer or rip them further apart?

Or, Dan and Phil enemies to lovers Formula 1 AU

Limerence (ao3) - cherryheartz

Status: Complete

Summary: Limerence [ li-mer-uhns] noun

1 the state of being obsessively infatuated with someone, usually accompanied by delusions of or a desire for an intense romantic relationship with that person…

Dan Howell likes Phil Lester's raven colored hair and ice blue eyes. But so does someone else…

not a star i see (it’s always you) (ao3) - dprkives

Summary: Phil Lester returned from the Great War with a box full of medals and haunting dreams, and he had no idea how to pick his life back up. Society wasn’t kind to those who gave their life for their country, and Phil was about to give up all and any hope when a handsome stranger entered his life.

nylon is for delicate work (ao3) - Anonymous

Summary: A forensic linguist meets a lawyer in Rawtenstall.

Say It In French (ao3) - steddieornot

Summary: After years of blood, sweat, and tears, Dan Howell was finally representing Great Britain at the Paris Olympics. It had been his dream for longer than he could remember and he had finally made it. Unfortunately, his rival Phil Lester - son of former Olympian, Kathryn Lester - had also qualified and was to be his teammate... and roommate. It was going to be hell, but Dan refused to let this nepotism brat ruin his dream. But Phil doesn't seem to be the douchebag that Dan remembers meeting all of those years ago.

AKA the olympian showjumping rivals to lovers au no one asked for

Sickness and Health, Work and Holiday (ao3) - incrediblytired

Summary: What's worse than having an unexpected GI bleed? Having an unexpected GI bleed on a derailed holiday in America.

Silver Arrows To The Heart (ao3) - evermorepeyton

Summary: Phil loves his life, he loves being a Mercedes Formula 1 driver and he loves being PJ’s teammate, friend and neighbor. He loves the routine he has going on. He lives in a perfect bubble.

But now that bubble is about to burst when the news that PJ is leaving Mercedes hit the tabloids. And worst of all, his replacement is Red Bull’s two-time world champion Daniel Howell, who has a reputation for having a little bit of an ego.

Phil isn’t exactly happy about this.

To put it lightly, he fucking hates it here.

take a picture, it'll last longer. (ao3) - eftychja

Summary: when new opportunities arise, you take them. no matter the cost, no matter the "what ifs". but when met with an attractive and obnoxious asshole, are you supposed to say no?

OR

dan howell is a photographer for a luxury fashion brand + magazine, phil lester is their star and most prized model. however, he's sassy and not at all compatible to work with. when they start working together, what will come of it?

The Brackenwood Murders (ao3) - Mysticallykai

Summary: After nine murders of gay men in Brackenwood, detective Phil Lester is called in at last to help them catch the killer. Dan Howell is always eager to get a scoop for his blog, so he is often in Phil's way. What has the potential to be an easy enough case proves to be much more in depth than Phil expects, especially when feelings come into the equation.

The Death of Our Star (ao3) - queerbonafide

Status: Complete

Summary: Dan Howell has always wanted to be an astronaut. As soon as he graduated, the strange message from the deep space has arrived. As one of the most talented pilots of his generations, he's been chosen to this two-people mission with the purpose of finding out who exactly tried to communicate with them. The second person was Phil Lester, an incredible scientist with PhD in theoretical physics and amazing specialist in black holes.

The Rise of Susan (ao3) - ablonimous

Summary: An AU in which psychic Phil and his helper Dan find different versions of Susan to save the world.

Two birds on a wire (ao3) - EverythingIsAsItWas, solarpower21

Summary: Ever since they met as small children, Dan and Phil have been inseparable. But as they graduate secondary school, life moves them in opposite directions and feelings run high, threatening their relationship. Through the years, Dan and Phil orbit each other, never quite colliding, but getting ever so closer, and closer, and closer…

wait, is this fucking book about us? (ao3) - noxhsw

Status: Completed

Summary: dan is a depressed lawyer, phil is a sad romance author. they meet when they're stranded at an airport, thinking they'll never see each other again. but when phil writes a book about their encounter, dan wants to meet him once more.

We don't talk about it (ao3) - Secret_rendezvous

Summary: There is sharing dick pics with your best friend then there is sending a picture of your own dick to said best friend.

Dan thought the implicit rule of not making it personal was obvious, but it seems Phil didn’t get the memo.

Or the one in which they’re obliviously more than best friends (but they don’t talk about it).

you (and all of us in this town) (ao3) - buskingalbatross

Summary: A traveler hears tales of a town's local legends

Your Mess is Mine (ao3) - castrotophic

Status: Completed

Summary: Looking to get bred ?

Dan stared down at the message from where he stood in the middle of his kitchen, waiting for the coffee he was making to finish. The man was hot, Dan would give him that much, but that wasn't the part of the image that had caught his attention. He shook his head and messaged the guy back:

Links last checked: May 7th, 2026

part one, part two, part three, part four, part five, part six, part seven, part eight, part nine

In progress as of December 17, 2024

Ad Infinitum (ao3) - vanillascentedblood

Summary: Dan loves law, but he hates it too - probably a little more than the others. Struggling through an Oxford Law degree, he meets Phil, an English student dipping his toe into the whirlwind world of corporate law.

Dan’s in over his head, and Phil’s out of his depth. Dan’s running out of time, while Phil’s just starting his journey. Dan’s too scared to make a friend he might lose, and Phil’s desperate to unravel the enigma of the boy he met at a glittering soirée.

It’s competitive, it’s brutal, and the pressure is relentless. But Phil’s optimism might be the support Dan needs as he feels his future slipping through his fingers - until Dan starts to wonder if keeping Phil close is too dangerous in a world where even friends are competitors.

Amidst stolen glances at formal dinners and late-night talks in the library, the boys can feel the spark. Between the cutthroat competition for success and the feelings neither of them can ignore, Dan and Phil must decide what they’re willing to risk: their futures or each other. Maybe they’ll make it out together - or maybe their story will stay on Oxford’s hallowed streets, ad infinitum…

and a tiny horse in a christmas tree (ao3) - phegetarian

Summary: Daniel Howell is living a work-centric life in the city. What happens when he reluctantly agrees to go back to his hometown for Christmas and meets a new resident?

Between Ballads and Bouquets (ao3) - proudsnackeezowner

Status: Completed

Summary: When all the guests had arrived and the doors closed, Phil scanned the room again, until finally his eyes found it. The piano rolled out to the right of the altar, and in front of it sat Daniel Howell, flipping through his sheet music.

or

They work for weddings, Dan as a pianist and Phil as a florist.

But I’m a Christian Puppet Troope Leader (ao3) - MostfunIveeverhad

Summary: Dan and Phil, from different cities in England, get sent by their concerned families to a very interesting gay conversion camp… Plus: they clearly don’t belong there. Right?

Coffee Break (ao3) - Scuddleduck

Summary: "I didn’t catch your name.”

“Phil. I’m over in graphic design,” Phil points over his shoulder to the other side of the complex office corridors.

Dan extends his empty hand. “Nice to meet you, Phil in graphic design.” Phil’s hand is soft and warm and slots into Dan’s in a way that makes the hair on the back of his neck stand on end.

“You, too, Dan in legal.”

***

a BBC co-workers to lovers that is just an excuse for me to write Phil with tattoos and blushy, smitten Dan. Enjoy!

lie now, apologize later (ao3) - regalwhore

Summary: What happens when Dan, a holiday loner, and Phil, an eternal optimist with a meddling family, agree to fake-date their way through a year’s worth of holiday events?

What happens when Dan’s sarcastic quips and Phil’s awkward charm make them the accidental hit of every party, from Valentine’s Day to Guy Fawkes Night?

What happens when pretending to hold hands starts feeling suspiciously natural, and family outings spark comments like: “When is the wedding?”

What happens when their ”no romance" clause becomes as flimsy as Dan's excuse for avoiding a haunted house, and "no expectations" morphs into secretly wondering if Phil’s laugh is Dan’s favorite sound?

What happens when they realize this convenient arrangement might just be the best thing that’s ever happened to them—and maybe, just maybe, they’re not faking it anymore?

Because when Dan and Phil step into this holiday deal, there’s only one guarantee: every holiday is about to get way more complicated… and a lot more fun.

OR!!! The "Holidate" fan fic no one asked for.

making out while the world collapses! (ao3) - alittlestarsick

Summary: Cheers errupted through the crowd as the clack of heels sounded through the aisle between seats to the beat of the song. Phil was too nervous to turn around. soon enough the clack of the heels was right next to him and suddenly he felt long nails trailing over his shoulders and through his hair, he turned to the side and made eye contact with the drag queen, their faces mere inches away from each other. It was her. The same drag queen from those five years ago.

Sister Daniel.

or....the one where closeted famous pop star Phil Lester has a run in with drag queen Sister Daniel and they have a much deeper connection than expected, and see just how long they can keep their newfound affair a secret.

Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree (ao3) - sleepyslag (galacticneighbor)

Status: Complete

Summary: Five years ago, Dan Howell broke his best friend's heart to pursue a music career.

Five years ago, Phil Lester left Manchester to start over in the US.

Now, weeks before Christmas and in the middle of Dan's latest tour, the two of them meet again when Dan winds up stranded in a small town in Pennsylvania. With Dan's tour postponed until after the holidays and Phil's community center at risk of shutting down, can the two exes come together to save it, or will the demands of Dan's career tear them apart again?

the past ain’t through with you (ao3) - citylights10

Summary: ‘Phil Lester did not expect a knock on his door at 1am on a Thursday in the middle of November, and he certainly did not expect it to be his ex-boyfriend, Dan Howell.’

OR

Dan and Phil split up a long time ago. Phil is very surprised when one evening, Dan shows up on his doorstep uninvited.

Undercover (ao3) - phansauce97

Status: Completed

Summary: After recovering from tragedy, Phil does his best to get back on his feet. He still had his mom, his brother, his friends, and a good future to look forward to. So, continuing to put one foot in front of the other, he pushes on.

Things turn upside down though when a new student arrives at school one day; tall, mysterious, and wearing all black.

"Dan Howell," or Agent Ten, as he's known, is a master assassin and secret agent. His mission? Go undercover to befriend, study, and ultimately - kill Phil Lester.

Yet despite his best efforts, this mission ends up being much more challenging than Dan would have previously expected, especially when he begins to fall hopelessly in love with his target.

you’re poison to me (ao3) - danniepanic

Links last checked: October 24th, 2025

part one, part two, part three, part four, part five, part six, part eight

In Progress as of 09/04/2020

and you’re semi-sweet (ao3) - lestered

Summary: Dan Howell didn’t have a best friend for the first eighteen years of his life. It’s not until he goes to university and meets the boy across the hall, Phil, that he begins to understand what it feels like to matter to someone.

That’s great and all, but when he finds out that Phil’s gay, he starts to understand something else about himself; something he’s been trying to ignore for a very long time.

baby, if you wanna try (ao3) - sunflowerwitches

Status: completed

Summary: wearing jewellery doesn't work in phil's favour when he sees friends that he hasn't seen in a while and they automatically assume he's engaged. engaged to dan

Bittersweet Reign (ao3) - SyzygyBear

Summary: When Philip Lester, the son of the king's most honoured nobleman, goes against his disciplines and ventures into the dark forest at the very bottom of his kingdom, the last thing he could ever expect to find would be a strange young boy living in a cabin within it's depths.

Under tense circumstances, he ends up taking the boy under his wing and has just one week to figure out a plan for him, but before he's given the chance, a haunting event occurs. One that makes Phil see the world in a different light. If he could find any light in it at all.

But almost a decade after the events of that fateful night, Phil finds himself at the centre of trouble once again after the appearance of Exile, an unruly young man with dangerous intentions, seeking revenge, the king's downfall, and most greatly, Phil's heart.

Butterfly (ao3) - A_Million_Regrets

Status: completed

Summary: Phil Lester, a lonely writer, finds a dying boy with beautiful black wings on a cold, rainy night in a dingy alleyway. He recognizes the boy as one of the winged men hated by human society. They are considered to be wild, ferocious beasts, but Phil's sympathy forces him to help the boy.

What happens when the boy, considered to be a wild beast, gets too attached and follows him home with an innocent, dimpled smile?

can we try again? (ao3) - Fictropes

Status: completed

Summary: “Yeah, Phil. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Dan answers, softer than he’d wanted because he already knows what he’s about to do next.

(or Dan doesn't turn up in 2009 and bumps into Phil 11 years later at a youtube convention)

chaos in bloom (ao3) - vvelna

Status: completed

Summary: The adventures of Dan and Phyl, ghost removal experts.

Get Out Your Damn Umbrellas (ao3) - llamalamp

Status: completed

Summary: This fic is based on a brilliant work by wordsongs called When It Rains It Pours (which unfortunately has been deleted). There will be several plot deviations, and the text and dialogue will be quite different, but I can’t take any credit for the storyline.

"Phil's only gone for one weekend. Apparently that's all the time it takes for everything to fall apart."

hold me in your arms, take the pain away (ao3) - Secretstanner

Summary: Phil Lester is stuck working for this father’s newspaper, when given an assignment; he must write an article about the first circus to return to Manchester in over 10 years.

He arrives at the circus expecting to being reminded of childhood memories, which turns out to be so much more than that when he meets Dan Howell.

linger on (ao3) - dizzy, waveydnp

Status: completed

Summary: A recent loss has ground Phil's life to a halt. At 33, he's static in his grief and living in the house he grew up in - until his mother kicks him out.

In a fit of indignation and with nothing to lose, he answers the first listing he finds for a room to rent in London... a listing posted by a guy named Dan.

Loving You Is A Cliche (ao3) - Junebug1312

Summary: Dan had never looked at someone the way he looked at Phil. It was that type of teenage infatuation that only ever happened in the movies.

meant for me (ao3) - graydar

Status: completed

Summary: Dan doesn’t believe in soulmates. Phil believes in everything. Dan is scared of everything. Phil is scared of Dan.

Mind Reader (ao3) - pastahairwrites

Status: completed

Summary: Dan's head was always filled with noise. He'd been blessed/cursed with the power to read minds, but not the power to control it. He heard the thoughts of everyone near him, and the constant voices in his head were close to driving him mad. That is, of course, until he met Phil Lester, the only one who could make his mind go silent.

Strictly Come Dancing but make it GAY (ao3) - natigail

Status: completed

Summary: @danielhowell: maybe i’d actually consider doing @bbcstrictly if they allowed same-sex couples. who wouldn’t want a sexy man spinning you around? it’s not just a girl’s dream. c'mon people let's see some pretty and fierce girls pair up and handsome and strong boys get it on. i dare you.

Dan Howell calls Strictly out on Twitter for not allowing any same-sex couples and accidentally volunteers himself to be one of the contestants if they were to change that. It was a joke. It had so clearly been a joke. Why did they take him up on it?! He’s sure he’ll trip over his own feet and hate every second, but then he meets his partner, the endearingly clumsy dancer Phil Lester.

The Birdcage (ao3) - sadlybunny

Summary: Phil Lester is the owner of the popular drag club, The Birdcage. Dan Howell, his long term partner, is the headlining queen “Amethyst Star”. But when Phil’s son comes to them with important news, their relationship is threatened by the promise of new in-laws who might not know that Phil is gay.

too far to walk alone (ao3) - chickenfree

Status: completed

Summary: “The hazelnut stracciatella,” he says, as always. They might or might not have a bet in the shop about whether he’ll ever vary.

What Life Could Be (ao3) - Nocturnella

Summary: Dan’s life has not gone as planned. He’s trapped in a dead-end job with no formal education and no real life outside of losing himself in video games. Enter disaster in the form of Phil.

Links Last Checked: January 23rd, 2024

part one, part two, part three, part four, part five, part seven, part eight

In Progress as of 01/29/20

Baby, I’m a Star (ao3) - cactusgal

Status: completed

Summary: Phil is a lighting designer. Bored with the community concert gigs he has had for a few years, he applies at a touring company. He gets assigned to a popular band, the dreamx, to cover a world tour. Getting paid to work on nearly every continent; how rad is that? Phil's really excited until he the first day of rehearsal when he learns something vital: the lead singer is a complete twat. Will Phil quit his job? Will Daniel, the lead singer, realize how much of a dick he's being? Will they eventually forget their differences and become friends? Who knows. Only time will tell.Loosely based on the song "Baby, I'm a Star" by Prince and has aspects of the film "Lost In Translation".

Candle in the Window - starboydjh

Summary: Veritas (noun): Verity or truth. Harvard University’s motto since 1836.

Taking a job across the ocean away from his family, Phil Lester, a quirky literature professor, never really felt at home in the storied halls of Harvard University or the historic streets of Cambridge, Massachusetts. He meets another out of place professor of Philosophy at Harvard named Daniel Howell on a blind date set up by their coworker, and takes a newfound interest in Doctor Howell’s courses after their date.

Class of 1953 (ao3) - shutup_turd

Status: completed

Summary: It's the year 1950, and Phil is making a fresh start during his first term at Oxford University. He's found genuine friends, he's doing well in his studies, and he can finally be his authentic self. However, there's still one last thing missing.One night he stumbles upon a group of actors rehearsing Shakespeare in a candlelit chapel, but it's not the scenary catching Phil's eye. Instead, it's a charming man with curly hair whose eyes seem to burn even brighter than the candles.Expect pretentious flirting, homoerotic yearning, twilight hallways and cuddling in dorm rooms. Oh, and also plenty of references to The Smiths!

Dancing on the blades (you set my heart on fire) (ao3) - kishere

Status: completed

Summary: Dan Howell is an ice skater in England, a non power player in the world of competitive ice skating. Phil Lester is the greatest ice skater to come out of England in the past decade, part of a family legacy. When Dan is offered a spot at Phil's family gym, he learns what he was missing the most to be the best ice skater he could be.

Or: the yuri on ice inspired au

fire on fire (ao3) - flymetomanchester

Summary: Phil never thought he would have to marry someone he didn't want to. But his parents have other plans for his life.

Heavy is the Head (That Wears the Crown) (ao3) - thrivinghowell

Status: completed

Summary: The Dan and Phil, drag queen, enemies to lovers fic that no one asked for.

Dan (also known as Lady Helena) is an up and coming drag performer and Phil (also known as Fi-Fi Aqwa) is a famous drag queen who's not happy about Dan's presence in his club.

Ignorance is (definitely not) bliss (ao3) - RachelxAnnex

Status: completed

Summary: After Dan surprises Phil by agreeing to his stupid fake relationship plan to impress the bosses at his company we spend the week with them in New York. Where Phil tries desperately to think of everything but Dan, and Dan tries everything he can to make sure that doesn’t happen.

Impractical Magic (ao3) - sierraadeux

Summary: When restlessness and a rainstorm bring Dan to Witch’s Brew, a hidden gem amongst the corporate coffee chains of London, everything is not what it seems. Or maybe they are, exactly how they seem.

Moon under water (ao3) - sunflowerwitches (orphan_account)

Status: completed

Summary: that “i'm pretending to be your boyfriend because you look very uncomfortable with that person hitting on you” AU no one asked for but i want to write

Rose-Colored Boy (ao3) - coffeeandcatwhiskers

Summary: "but hearts are breaking. the wars are raging on, and i have taken my glasses off."

in which phil thinks dan could use a dash of sunshine and dan thinks phil could shove it, but frankly, dan appreciates phil’s adorable reckless optimism.

also, they work together in a bookstore.

also, dan has the largest crush in the world on phil, but his deteriorating pessimism gets the best of him on the daily and he acts super rude to try and put the idea of ever loving phil out of the question.

based on the song rose-colored boy by paramore.

Sail Away With Me - paradisobound

Status: completed

Summary: It was a fluke. Dan shouldn’t have ever gone with Sam to a party on a yacht. He shouldn’t have trusted her to go. But in a chance encounter, he ends up in bed with Phil Lester, a billionaire CEO of a luxury clothing company. When he thinks he’s screwed up enough, he realizes he’s in way too deep. Because Phil Lester has fallen in love with him. The catch: Dan gave Phil a fake name and all Phil has to remember Dan by is the tattoo on his hip and the necklace he left behind.

Some Killer Queen You Are (ao3) - possumdnp

Status: completed

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.

Through Glass (ao3) - spacemanlevi

Summary: In a technologically advanced future, Dan Howell finds himself desperate for attention of any kind. So, with the new Dating Simulator 4000, and meets the boy of his dreams. The one problem? He's not real.

World’s Greatest First Love: The Case of Daniel Howell - paradisobound

Status: completed

World’s Greatest First Love: The Case of Daniel Howell (ao3) - yiffandquiff

Summary: Dan Howell wanted a clean break from his father’s publishing company. It was why he applied for a different company in London: to stop the ridicule of his coworkers for riding on his ‘daddy’s coat tails’. But he wasn’t expecting to suddenly be going from a literature editor, to a graphic novel editor. And he certainly wasn’t expecting to come face first with his first love who broke his heart from when he was a teenager: who just happens to be his new editor-in-chief.

when you find you (come back to me) (ao3) - commonemergency

Summary: Dan didn’t know if there was a reason why some people jumped and others didn’t. He didn’t know if it was a generational thing and Dan was just the lucky or unlucky one that got this gift (if you can call it that). Maybe there was a reason behind it—Dan had always been content with the fact that there were just some things he would never know, but this was something that he wanted to understand because he couldn’t control it. Or, Dan is a time traveler and Phil waits for him. 

Or, Dan needs a friend and finds himself.