"Click on my face to subscribe and win a free space cookie while stocks last" Phil pulled a face and held it for a few seconds before dropping back into a smile. "I'll see you next week, bye guys!"
As he leaned forwards to turn the camera off, he heard sarcastic applause coming from the kitchen.
"See, you didn't need my help after all." Dan called over his shoulder as he poured the spaghetti into a colander.
Phil pulled a hoodie on over his bat print tshirt and sloped downstairs. "Yeah, but I like having you behind the camera, I need to see your reactions. What if it wasn't funny?"
"Don't worry so much, it was great. I was laughing in here on my own." Dan insisted, stretching to reach the wooden spoon on the counter. "Besides, I can't be in two places at once and you're the one who made the bet."
Phil giggled. "You know, I didn't really expect you to actually go through with this whole 'candlelit dinner for two' thing. You should have won really, that last marshmallow almost went in before you spat them all out."
"I don't mind, I want to do it." Dan smiled and gave Phil a peck on the cheek before turning around to plate up the spaghetti and sauce. "You can go through, it's almost ready."
He couldn't stop the smile that broke out when he heard Phil gasp, and as he followed him into the dining room with the plates, he had to stop dead as Phil was standing in the middle of the room.
"Dan, this is… Wow. Thank you." Phil's face was light by the candles all around the room, but his eyes had sparks of their own. Dan took another look round at his handiwork and knew that it was everything Phil had wanted. Ok, so maybe the rose petals scattered on the carpet around the table was a bit much, but the candles covering every available surface around the room were just right. And the smell they gave off reminded him of that first night in the new house, when the power cut left them without electricity for a few hours. It wasn't even that long without light, but Dan was afraid of the dark and Phil used his favourite candles to light up every room for him.
Seated at the table, they chinked their glasses of wine, and Phil's infectious grin left Dan breathless. It was so pleasant to take an evening off from planning, editing and filming videos. Sometimes their life of online fame could feel so overwhelming, but they had each other, and nights like this made the whole secret relationship thing worth it.
As Dan went to the kitchen to fetch the dessert, Phil heard Buffy barking excitedly at something.
"I'm guessing we're having chocolate mousse for dessert." Phil called out amusedly.
"Dammit Buffy, you're always ruining surprises!" Dan groaned, half serious, half playful. "I really don't get it, you're not even allowed to eat it. Why do you get so excited every time I make chocolate mousse?'
Buffy bounded into the room after him, jumping up at the bowls in Dan's hand and making him stumble as he walked.
"Phil, do something!" He exclaimed amidst Phil's laughter as Buffy threw her weight against his legs and almost sent him flying. Phil grabbed her for a cuddle and buried his face in her soft fur to calm her down. He spoke calmly to her, the same voice he used when Dan woke up from a nightmare. After a few moments she settled down, and when he returned to his seat, she lay her head on his lap.
They had adopted her as a puppy from a rescue centre a few years ago. Phil never said it out loud, but he knew that if he could get Dan to see how well they could look after a dog together, that there would be more hope for him accepting starting a family. While Dan often made jokes in his videos about how he can't even look after himself, let alone a child, Phil knew he'd be a great dad. They'd discussed it a few times in the last few years, and recently Phil had started to put a little more pressure on Dan. They were getting older all the time, and he didn't want to wait too much longer to start a family. He was sure about Dan, and that's all he needed to know. That's why he had convinced Dan that they needed to move out of the apartment and buy a small house on the outskirts of London.
Dan smiled warmly as he watched Phil absent-mindedly stroking Buffy's head while eating dessert. He was so happy these days, and Dan knew that tonight would be special. Tonight he was going to tell Phil that he was ready to start looking into adoption. He knew Phil was desperate to adopt a child, and he couldn't make him wait any longer. Dan was going to push his worries aside and focus on making Phil happy. And with a family of their own, surely Dan would be happy too. It wouldn't matter about his worries of raising a child wrong, if they could be a proper family together, two kids and a dog, just like in an American movie. Tonight. He would tell him tonight. That's why he'd gone to so much effort, it wasn't every weekly date night that he'd spend all afternoon in the kitchen cooking a meal from scratch. As their eyes met and the candlelight danced in Phil's eyes, Dan knew it was time.
The next Sunday, Dan found himself wrapped up in his thickest scarf, coat, and hat on his way to the park. Phil had hold of Buffy's lead, and they were all strolling along in the crisp morning air. Having moved to the suburbs of London, they were less likely to meet fans and be recognised, so they felt at liberty to enjoy each other's company. After passing the bald guy with a Chihuahua – who always seemed to be humming under his breath- they let Buffy off the leash and pulled out her favourite tennis ball. It was easy days like this, playing fetch in the park and stealing kisses when no one was looking, that Dan would long for later on. Before he did the awful, despicable thing, they were filled with such giddy happiness it felt like a helium balloon, rising up and up until his own pin brought it all down.