#obsessed 2026

Nikki: If we were in a horror movie, I’d save you.

Y/N: Really?

Nikki: Absolutely.

Y/N: That’s reassuring.

Nikki: Everyone else is on their own, though.

Most people thought it was..strange how fast Phil was to trust and meet Dan Howell, someone he had only been Skyping with for a couple of months. Someone he didn’t even know all that well.

Dan had been a…“fan” and reached out to 22 year old Phil when he was 18 looking for a job. Phil’s parents had been concerned when he told them he was going to meet him, yes- they’d been speaking for four months at that point and Phil had spoken nonstop about how cool he seemed to be to his parents and how much they had in common..but something felt…off.

Maybe it was because he was going to see a stranger. Maybe it was because Phil was four years older. Or maybe it was simply because Phil was a 22 year old boy..and not a girl.

But they watched as their son left the house in jeans that fit a little too tight and with hair that was a little too emo on October 19, 2009, as he set forwards for the Manchester Piccadilly railway station.

They had spent all day together- after Dan had been suspicious of Phil’s hair and Phil had second guessed wether Dan was even going to come or not.

They spent the morning in Starbucks- they went to the apple store because..why not? They went into forbidden planet and afterwards they went to Phil’s house and drew cat noses and whiskers on each over while they recorded it. They needed content! not long after being forced into looking like a kitty cat, he was pushed to the floor by Phil and kissed..with alot of tongue. And fuck- was he into it.

They snogged- rather sloppily for a solid ten minutes, the sharpie on their noses rubbed the slightest bit off. That was footage Phil would most definitely have to delete later. (And maybe save it for..other reasons.)

They even did a playful bit before Phil offered to walk Dan back to the train station- “How to befriend your favourite YouTuber stars.” With Phil tied up with tape over his mask and Dan holding a fake knife to him. They definitely had a very fun day.

Dan had laughed and nearly cried and leaned into Phil’s touch countless times through the day, it was the most…at him he had ever felt. Ever. The most seen, heard- liked.

Well, Phil thought Dan was cute, yeah- but by the end of the day he was a little exhausted and Dan lived all the way in Winnersh, was he prepared for the train journey there and back whenever he wanted to see him? Plus, he wasn’t even sure if he wanted to have a proper boyfriend yet, his channel is starting to become more popular- he wanted to focus on that! It could turn into something big.

So he did the logical thing.

“Dan..your fun. Really! And I like you- but I think we’d be better as friends.” He had said as they were walking back to the station where they had met that morning, the sun on the verge of setting. “I had a lot of fun

today but something like that isn’t really what I’m…looking for, I guess.”

Dans heart…dropped. No. Surely not. He had a whole plan- he likes everything Phil likes a he’d been borderline stalking Lesters socials for weeks before he turned 18 and gathered the courage to contact him. And now he’s just..giving up?

They had spent all day walking through town- chilling in Phil’s house, shopping! Snogging!

“Oh..uh- alright. I guess that makes sense.” Dan had said- awkward as ever. “I get it.” He nods slowly, lips pressed together. “We can still be friends though…right?” His eyes met Phil’s, those beautiful eyes stare right back into his.

“Sure!” He grinned and shrugged as he fixed his hair to the left.

That probably meant he’d block him the second he got home and forget all about him.

“Oh- look at that cool shop.” He says, walking quickly towards a smaller shop. There are crystals and special necklaces on display in the window out front, tarot cards- some witchy looking candles on a table. “Wanna go in?” He looks at Dan. “One last shop.” He smiles.

Dan can only nod, walking ahead and into it to open the door for Phil as he walks on through. The energy seemed to shift the second they stepped inside..darker- more mysterious. Goosebumps trail along Dans side as he takes in the spooky vibes. It’s bigger. Much, much bigger on the inside. He gets its Halloween soon- and he can’t wait of course..but its a little creepy. 

“Look at these!” Phil grins as he picks up a black crystal- then a blue one. “I’ve never noticed this place before- must be new.” He turns and walks left down one of the aisles to look at more stuff.

“Uh-huh.” He mumbles as he turns and walks the opposite way, eyebrows furrowing slightly. The building wasn’t this big when he saw it before, was it-?

His thoughts are cut off when he hears something fall to his right. He turns, eyes wide in panic, he hadn’t broken anything had he-?

But no. Down an aisle of costumes and Halloween decorations, not far from the wall at the end of them that must be the end of the shop- was a smaller white box. He hesitates. He looks up at the shelves in confusion, there’s no others there. He looks up to where the shelves touch the ceiling- and there’s nobody else here- how did it fall?

He walks slowly towards it, leaning down and picking it up. He turns it over- “one wish willow.” He mumbles, thumb rubbing over the words as he tilts his head slightly. He scans over it for a price- but it’s got nothing but a cute little design and words on it.

“Just make a wish and snap the willow.” He hums and looks around, eyes scanning the area to make sure there are no security cameras or people around before he shoves it into his bag, walking back towards where he and Phil separated.

Later that night Dan is back in Winnersh, in his messy room, blasting music as he digs through his bag. “There you are.” He pulls the white box out and sighs. “A wish..” He opens the triangular styled thick cardstock and pulls out a slightly longer piece of wood with some holes in it and two main holes either side. It’s light- and feels easy to snap.

He hesitates as he looks back to the packaging- only for it to give him the obvious rules that it is single-use, irreversible, and cannot grant wishes involving time manipulation, resurrection, immortality, or creating more willows..not that he believes its real anyway. Just a stupid..wish. Like when you blow out candles or find an eyelash.

He sighs and spins it between two fingers as he thinks. He could wish for money? Or more subscribers! Then Phil would really wanna-

He pauses, the wood stilling between his index and middle finger.

Phil Lester.

He looks to the box. To the wood- then looks towards his computer before he grabs it and opens it- immediately going onto YouTube and onto Phil’s channel. He plays one of the most recent videos- even though he’s already watched it four times…and sits up, cross legged, looking into Phil’s beautiful multi-coloured eyes as he does his intro and-

“I wish Phil Lester loved me and never wanted to leave my side ever again.”

He says it casually..almost sarcastically- with an irony he doesn’t quite understand yet before he snaps the wood with one smooth and quick- SNAP! The sound barely audible over the music- but for Dan something seemed to click.

Less than two seconds later- he gets a notification on his computer. Facebook. He puts down the two pieces of wood carelessly to the side and clicks onto messages, onto to pause…it’s Phil.

Phil Lester: “Hey Dan, I was doing some thinking and maybe we could meet up again? I had a lot of fun today.”

His breath hitches. What a..funny, silly coincidence. He thinks, denial kicking in automatically as he quickly types back-

Dan Howell: “I thought you said you wanted to be friends :)))”

Phil Lester: “I was only joking silly. You could come to my house again next week? We could films more videos and stick together all day. You can come stay at my place!”

Dan Howell: “yeah ok cool!!”