They say when you turn 24 the name of your lover appears somewhere on your body, you couldn't pick that place your body itself would chose it for you. A lot of people said if you wished hard enough for it to be in a certain place, it would appear there, but there was no proof as to if this was real or not. Most people anticipated the time when the name would appear; many held celebrations and 'hunts' the morning of their 24th to find their soul mates.
No-one really knew why they chose the 24th birthday as the special birthday, it just kind of happened. Most people embraced the day, when they found out their soul mates name they made it their mission to find the person, fall hopelessly in love with them, and live together happy. Some people tried to deny it, said the name was a lie and they would never love anyone of that name, those people either grew up and stayed alone, or ended up falling in love with the person who shared that name.
Seeing as it was a natural thing, not many people spoke about it in every day conversation so unless someone actually brought it up, it was never mentioned. Though today one person would be asking about it, one person was nearing the age and was growing more and more curious about the process, so they decided to go to the one person they knew and trusted, the one person who he knew had gone through it, his best friend and flat mate Phil Lester, or AmazingPhil for those who watched him on YouTube.
Phil was sat on the sofa typing away on his computer when the younger boy popped his head in through the door. "Hey Phil can I talk to you for a minute?"
"Sure Dan whats wrong?" He asked as he placed his laptop down on the side of the sofa and stood up, he had no idea why he stood up, surely Dan could join him on the sofa, but it was something he always did when Dan asked to 'talk for a minute'.
"You know my 24th birthday is this year right…"
Phil groaned, he knew what Dan was going to ask him and he had no idea how to answer. Honestly Phil had his 'soul mates' name 'tattoo' appear when he was 24, the minute the clock read the same time he was born on the 30th of January, the name appeared on him. Lucky for him he was able to keep his hidden, even though some people asked him about the name and what name appeared, he would either shrug it off or say it was private. Of course people dropped it when it came to Phil, Phil was pretty private when it came to relationships so they never wanted to push him.
"Well I was wondering if you could tell me what it feels like… I know you don't like talking about it, and I won't ask you what name appeared on yours… but what did it feel like, did it hurt?"
Phil sat back down and bit his lip, it never hurt, it tickled a little but it didn't hurt. "It doesn't hurt Dan, I am sure people would be talking about it if it hurt. When mine appeared it tickled slightly, but that may have been because of the positioning of mine." He subconsciously placed his hand on his left shoulder and stroked down to the collarbone before back up.
"Why don't you talk about yours? Are you really disappointed with the name that appeared?" looked down to the side, he knew he shouldn't really mention it to Phil; he knew Phil hated talking about it but he was really curious. Everyone else he knew was really happy when they found out theirs but Phil seemed to hate it.
"I don't know Dan, I guess I just try to push mine away you know? I'm happy with where I am right now I don't think it would be right for me to just run off and find get this guy to like me..." He placed his hand over his mouth; he was letting out a little more information than he should or wanted. Everyone had theories that Phil may have been paired with a man, but at the same time everyone was sure Phil was straight, he never really spoke about liking guys before so this was really new to hear.
"A guy…" Dan had always been curious if it was true that people did get the same sex names as he was always told the 'gay' community was traitors and they went against the soul mate name leaving the other person alone forever.
"You are really curious now aren't you? You can ask, I will answer to you, but please promise me you will not ask me for his name."
Dan nodded; he walked over and sat next to Phil. "So it is a guy… I was always worried guys names wouldn't appear on other guys."
"Well it appeared on me." Phil laughed lightly, he really did love how Dan seemingly new nothing about this.
"Were you disappointed? I mean you have never really told me which gender you prefer, I mean I kinda guessed you was maybe Bi-sexual but… did you want it to be a girl?"
Phil placed his hands over his face, he wasn't disappointed no… "No, I accepted it pretty easy, I mean I do prefer guys over girls so that wasn't really a surprise to me… I just guess it scared me a little, that this person was to be my soul mate, but at the same time I was scared I would confront the male named but the name on his body wouldn't be mine… and then I would have to search again and I don't think I could do that."
"Do you know the guy? The one on your body?" Dan asked softly, he was really curious if it was someone Phil knew.
"The name is very popular, I know a few people with the name. For some reason I'm different, for most people a full name appears, for example if you was to get… I don't know…Louise's name… despite the fact she's married… it would come up Louise Pentland. Mine didn't, mine just has a first name."
Dan rested his head on Phil's shoulder. "Maybe you know the person then? Maybe your body was just telling you that you already knew them and your heart will lead the way?"
Phil laughed lightly and ruffled Dan's hair. "That was corny, but maybe it is true, that was something I was also thinking to be honest."
"What if that guy is looking for you, I mean I am sure they would love to know 'Phil' is you, I mean come on anyone would be lucky to wake up and have Phil Lester written on them."
Phil shrugged, he knew for a fact the person wasn't looking for him, "I doubt it, I mean I am not that special."
Dan bit his lip, he was about to bring up something he wasn't sure if was acceptable or not. Louise had told him a few things before and he didn't want to upset Phil by asking him but he was really curious. "Louise said she saw it… you was covering it up with tattoo covering stuff… is that true?"
"Yes, she caught me, my tattoo is pretty hidden anyways but when I am filming I cover it up just encase." Phil mumbled.
"So it isn't covered now?" Dan asked again.
"No, it is just hidden the natural way."
Dan thought a bit longer, he wondered if he could get it out of Phil, he wondered if he could trick Phil into tell him. Phil always told Dan things, but for some reason he wouldn't tell Dan this. Phil had the name on his body for 3 years now, but he wouldn't tell anyone what it said.
"If I guessed where it was, could I see?"
Phil got up, there was no way he was showing Dan the tattoo. "Dan I don't think that is a good idea… I said you could ask question as long as you didn't ask me for a name."
"But why Phil? We are best friends… I wouldn't laugh or make fun of you."
"You have already found out enough about me today, you found out I was gay isn't that enough?"
Dan moved back slightly, he hated it when Phil was angry. "I… I… I'm sorry okay, I just …"
"One guess…" he knew Dan wouldn't judge him, but he also didn't know how Dan would react to something like this. "One guess, and if it is right… you can see it, if it is wrong we don't speak about this again."
Dan nodded and stood up, he had lived with Phil for so long, he has been there for the 2 years Phil has had the object, it really didn't take him too long to pick up on the little hand gestures, he was sure he knew where it was.
"Can I reach for it? I won't say it I will just show it? If I am right I get to see, if I am wrong well I won't look again?"
Phil nodded softly and stood still his eyes closed, he really couldn't look right now.
Dan's hand shaking he undone the top two buttons of Phil's shirt and slowly pulled it to the left, his own eyes closed tightly. He hoped he was right but at the same time he was scared Phil would hide from him. Phil didn't move back, he barely moved at all, Dan could feel the beating of his heart through his hands and then he slowly he opened his eyes.
Phil's was still closed but he knew Dan had found it. "This is why I couldn't tell… not because I was scared it was male, not because I was worried they wouldn't like me… because I knew they liked me." He then opened his eyes and looked straight into Dan's shocked eyes. "I was scared, because I didn't want to mess up the friendship, I was scared because I have seen him grow and develop into such an amazing person. I was scared because I was… and still am100% sure if this is the person I think it is… that he is straight, and he would never love me…" Tears started to fall from his eyes, he never normally cried, but right now he felt so exposed and Dan wasn't saying anything.
"Well he is not straight… but he is scared too…" Dan moved back and placed his hands back to his side.
"I'm just going to go to my room." He mumbled and turned to walk out of the door before the younger boy grabbed his hand and stopped him. " Dan please…"
"I'm not sure Phil… it's a month until my birthday and then it will be clear right? If mine says… well you know… then I guess what everyone says is true. I can't lie, I can't say I have never had feelings for you because I have… but I pushed them away for the sake of our friendship. If that really is me, then I will feel like the luckiest guy in the world… because not only do I get you as my best friend, but I get you as my soul mate."
"So we wait a month, and then we will see. But even if my name does appear on you somewhere… there is no saying you will actually love me Dan." 'Not the way I love you.'
It was so hard waiting a whole month to find out if the 'Dan' written in beautiful black cursive handwriting placed on Phil's collar bone was the Dan he had lived with for years, the Dan he had made videos with, the Dan he became best friends with. Finally the day, well night, was upon them, Dan was sat in his own bed, and he knew it wasn't long now. Phil on the other hand was hidden in his own blankets, worried that Dan would come in and tell him the name wasn't his.
Finally Dan got what he was waiting for, Phil was right it really did tickle so he knew for a fact the name was appearing on his waist, just over his hip bone. He had to admit it was rather funny for him to get one there considering he hardly wore his jeans in the correct place. He gulped and lifted his shirt, there it was in Black on pearly skin. "No…" he placed his hand over it. "This can't be true… please please let this be a mistake." Tears started to fall down his face as he turned to run towards his door.
He then stopped, should he really go to Phil, what would he say when he got there. His feet were betraying his mind and soon he was stood in Phil's room, his hair covering his eyes.
"It's not me is it…" Phil mumbled looking up at the boy.
Dan shook his head softly "No… I really wanted it to be you, after last month I was sure it was you…" he fell to his knees in Phil's door way, he didn't want it to be anyone other than Phil.
"Who is it?" Phil asked getting out of his bed and walking across to Dan, I guess that meant it wouldn't ruin their friendship… or it would because now they both knew they had crushes on one another, but neither could really truly have the other.
"P…. Pj…" He bit his lip and looked up into Phil's, he could see the hurt and confussion on Phil's face and he really didn't like it one bit.
"Pj? But his 24th was a while back and he said he had his girlfriend… what is going on."
Dan shrugged and rested his head on Phil's shoulder. "I don't know Phil, maybe he lied? Maybe he was disgusted to find out he had my name and refused to believe it?"
Phil shook his head, Pj wouldn't do that, and he would tell the truth. "May I see it?" he asked softly.
Dan nodded and lifted his shirt again to show the name boldly written on his body in red.
"That can't be right, a soul mates name is written in black cursive writing… It is impossible to be red… or that bold."
Dan groaned and placed his hands on his face, so not only did he have some other name on his body, but he was broken too. Of course his would be different to every other person in existence, he couldn't just be normal like others that would be too easy.
Phil grabbed his laptop and searched for the red tattoo, when it loaded he looked over at Dan. "Dan…do you love me?"
Dan stumbled slightly, why would Phil ask something like that, clearly they had just found out he was suppose to be with PJ so why would Phil torture him like this.
"It say's here a random name in red will appear on ones 24th birthday if he or she can not come to terms with the person they are meant to be with. This is common in people who are not 100% sure about their sexuality or if they try and push those feelings away for the sake of another relationship with that person, such as friendship."
He put the laptop down and walked towards Dan again, "It then says how normally the other name that appears will be that of a close friend, or someone in common of the same sex of that of their soul mate. That is to test the waters to see if they really are willing to commit to the soul mate chosen for them."
Dan was so confused, he was never told any of this before, so here he was stuck with Pj's name on his body until he came to terms with his relationship with Phil? Or come to terms and admit he liked guys? "I… i… I don't know Phil, what do I do? So clearly my soul mate is a guy, and it is likely to be you, but I don't know what I should do."
"Maybe try and admit your sexuality… have you ever told anyone you liked guys?" Dan shook his head no. "I told my parents when I was 16 that I liked guys and girls, when I was 22 I told them I was gay and I liked guys… maybe you need to come out?"
"But... I cant… my parents are asleep and I want to know who is on my body."
Phil passed Dan his phone, "Then if you are really feeling brave, tell them… tell Twitter."
Dan's fingers played with the keys for a moment or two, he could easily tell twitter then that was him telling a lot of people he was in-fact gay… maybe it would work. He typed the tweet and hit send throwing the phone on the bed scared of the replies.
Danisnotonfire: Hey guys, wow this is weird and hard to type so I will just say it. I am gay… oh and it is my birthday… 24 today... yay."
Phil got the message to his phone and looked over it. "It is your birthday isn't it…" he wrapped his arms around Dan's body and placed a small kiss on his lips. "Happy birthday Dan… even if the name changes and it still isn't mine, I will always love you."
Dan felt the familiar tingle happen once more, he lifted his top slightly, and there written in black ink on his soft skin was the name he hoped for, despite being scared, 'Phil'.