Because it's Boxing Day, I thought fluff is the only way to settle the crazy stuff in Canada :P Besides, we'll need fluff before the next chapter, where things are actually going to develop a little :P
Thank you for all the reviews - especially you, 'Willowleaf the Jedi'; you know why :)
Disclaimer: I don't own Dan or Phil. I also don't own any other YouTubers you may see in this story (such as KickThePj [PJ Liguori],crabstickz (Chris Kendall) sparkleofglitter [Louise Pentland], etc.), any real life references you may see, social media (Primarily YouTube, but also Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, etc.), music/song references, as well as artists/bands (such as Muse, MCR, etc.), and whatever you recognize (especially the game Curses! as it is a real game). I am not creative enough to own that stuff :P I do own my OC, Abigail Elizabeth Woods, who I think is creative...?
*to HighHedgehog: 1. Thank you for your review. 2. To clear any confusion: 2015 is present time, 2013-2014 is when Abi met Dan and Phil, along with any cute moments along with it, and anything before 2013 is memories of Abi's life. I promise this chapter will have less flashbacks for your convenience, though the flashbacks are a big part of the :P
**Chapter inspired by KickThePj's tweet that goes as followed: "boxing day tip - put marshmallows in your boxing gloves to protect your hands when fighting people for that crap you don't need in the sales". Thanks Pj.
***I don't exactly know when Boxing Day in London is (someone said December 27th, but my friend said December 26th), but as I don't know, you are going to have to deal with it :P I also making Boxing Day a lot more of a bloodsport than it actually is [lol] but it is mostly for comedy reasons. Well, except for the end I guess :P
Chapter 4: Curses - You Get Beaten Up By A Teenager
2015
"Okay, Abi, come on! I want a good spot! Life is brutal on boxing day, and you know that!" Phil yells from the bottom of the stairs, and Dan is leaning against the wall, in the middle of an intense game of Crossy Road. Dan takes a second and smirks at Phil, which is responded when Phil just shuts hip up with a joking smile, as if trying to be a little stern with the younger man.
"Coming, coming." Abi moans, coming into view. Dan looks up, and smiles, seeing his flatmate in a red hoodie and jeans.
"Nice hoodie," Dan remarks with a smirk. "It is actually a colour of the rainbow, and as an ambassador of darkness, I am very proud of you."
Abi actually giggles and runs down the stairs to punch Dan in the arm. "Shut up, it was a gift from my friend who works at Starbucks."
Dan smirks. "You have friends other than us?"
"She knows my order by heart now, so I guess it's appropriate to say she is my friend." Abi looks at him with a Cheshire cat grin. "And you can't say anything, Howell, because the only friends you have is me, Phil, and maybe Chris and Pj."
Dan blushes. "Shut up, Abi."
The two just laughed, walking ahead, and Phil looked at them with a star-struck awe, that just leaves him smirking - if they had the guts to leave him in the dust, he was pretty sure this proves that they were soulmates after all.
Phil jogged up to catch up to them, and they went towards the nearest Starbucks, grabbed some lattes, and then to the Underground.
Waiting for the tube was taking a while, so Phil retired all hopes of conversation to play on his phone, and Dan and Abi started a conversation.
"I see you're wearing the charms." Dan says, looking down at Abi's necklace, and she blushed, brushing the necklace to be buried underneath her shirt. Attempting to cover up her embarrassment, she smirks instead.
"Looking at my chest, are we, Mr. Howell?" she says, and it's Dan's turn to blush.
"I-I didn't mean -" Abi laughs, her head hanging back.
"It's alright, I was joking, Dan; you should know that by now."
Dan just chuckled nervously, and Abi just looks at her phone, groaning.
"Wow, this is taking a while," she complains, and Dan rolls his eyes, leaning forward to look at his friend.
"Phil," Phil looked up and nodded at Dan's direction, "remind me why we are at the Underground at seven a.m to catch a train to the department store on Boxing Day, when we have this thing called, oh, what's it called again, oh right; the internet."
Phil rolls his eyes, but Abi finds it quite amusing, as she stifles her laughs behind her phone.
"I just think you both need to get out a little bit more." Phil jokes, and both Dan and Abi look up from their phones with a roll of they eyes. Phil smiles, and pulls out his own phone, flashing the screen towards his friends.
"Also, Chris had this hilarious game called 'Curses!' and since it is boxing day, it should be pretty cheap."
"Oh Phil, as always, looking for the bargain." Dan laughs, and hunches his back like an old man. "Oi! What's cheap, dew droppers?"
Phil looks at Dan incredulously, while smiling. "What on earth is a dew dropper?"
"I'm pretty sure that is 1920's slang for a slacker." Abi says nonchalantly, not paying attention to her goofy friends and more attention to her phone game.
"Aye, now you're on a trolley!" Dan says with as much of an accent as possible, making Abi snicker, and sending her bird to death against green pipes.
"So what is 'Curses!', Phil?" Abi finally says, losing interest in Flappy Bird.
Phil smiles like a child. "It's this game where you get a card, and a situation, such as 'demonstrate a scene in which you are about to battle a rogue racoon', and you are supposed to reenact that scene. But," - Phil throws his index finger up - "there's a twist!"
"Exciting." Dan says in a monotone voice, and Phil just gives him a sarcastic look.
"There will be this 'curse' you'll have, like 'your fingers are chopped up, so your hands have to be in fists the whole time', so while trying to demonstrate a scene when you're fighting a raccoon, you have to keep your hands in a fist."
Dan's eyes widen. "I think I heard of this game. I saw a video on it, and one of the suggestions were to be Captain Hook, therefore saying things in a pirate accent, and that is the curse. Then the challenge is to do something while doing that, like trying to convince someone to buy something. If you slip up, then you ring a bell or something. Is that right, Phil?"
Phil beams. "Yeah! That's the one. They just get wackier and wackier, and I played it with Chris once, so we need that for our next party."
Abi smiles. "That actually sounds like fun, Lester."
Dan nods with a sarcastic grin. "Which is perfect, because we are going to have a party with a limited amount of people on New Year's Eve, so we can play that."
Abi snorts, to which she also adds, "Are you guys actually holding a New Year's Party?"
"We actually are! A bunch of YouTubers are coming." Phil pauses. "And by 'a bunch of YouTubers', I mean Louise, Chris, and Pj."
Abi nods. "A little more realistic."
"I guess that means we should probably buy some wine and beer, huh?" Dan adds, watching the train arrive as they stand up to wait for the doors to open. "I think we need to run and get some more. Can't have a New Year's party without some alcohol."
"Gonna get hammered, huh, Howell?" Abi says with a smirk, and Dan just whoops, catching glances, and he ducks his head, blushing.
"Don't get your head stuck -"
"Shut up, Phil."
Abi laughs, beating them both to a seat, forcing the two British giants to stand on the train.
"You guys are a bunch of doofuses." she ends up saying, leaving Dan and Phil to laugh along with her.
"I can't believe we actually got to the front of the line!" Dan exclaims with a smile, looking at the people gathering behind them.
"I told you!" Phil proclaims proudly. "I knew that waking up would be worth it."
Abi rolls her eyes, sipping her latte. "This isn't a very popular department store, Phil. Not that impressive"
Phil pouts, and Abi smiles, ruffling his black hair. Dan awkwardly digs his hands in his pockets as he watches an employee walk to the front of the line, a worried look written on his face. Dan feels a bit of pity for this guy - he has to deal with such a stampede of mad shoppers in a few minutes.
"Poor employee is going to get trampled." Abi says, as if reading Dan's mind. Dan gives her a look, but says nothing as Phil determinedly narrows his eyes.
"Okay, as soon as he opens those doors, we storm in and try to find the game section. We are getting this game, and letting nothing stop us - not even crazed shoppers. We are not to fail, do you guys understand?" Phil's voice intensifies, and Dan looks at him as if he was from another planet.
"Who are you and what happened to 'I-wouldn't-kill-a-moth-for-my-best-friend' Phil?" Dan sneers jokingly, and Phil shrugs.
"I really want this game." Phil replies, and Abi nods with a smile of diamonds.
"Okay, I'll go get the beer and alcohol since I have the best taste in beverages" - Phil and Abi exchange looks - "and you and Phil go and get that board game. I think it'll be easy, don't you think?"
Phil is the first to reject the idea. "I think you and Abi should go get the board game. I can get the beer."
"You always get girly drinks." Dan huffs, trying to steer away from going alone with Abi; his heart won't be able to handle that, and he definitely knows it.
"I won't, I swear." Phil puffs his chest proudly. "I am a man now."
Abi laughs. "I guess we can do that, huh, Danny?"
Dan blushes. "I guess."
"Try and get some other stuff for the party, 'kay?" Phil suddenly says, realizing this is a perfect way to start the two getting together as soon as possible. "I think we might need to freshen up our food sources and our entertainment stuff."
Abi is about to protest, but feeling a little braver, Dan smiles. "Maybe I can find some CDs for the party."
Abi looks like she is going to blush until her cheeks bust, but she smiles anyway. "There might be some mixtape with cool music and what not. I think that'd be perfect, right, Phil? Do you think that'll be good?"
Phil knows Abi - when she rambles like that, he knows she's embarrassed.
Instead of calling her out for it, he smiles. "That'd be awesome."
"Alright people," The frightened employee stammers loud enough to catch the crowd's attention. "I would like to say to come in an orderly fashion. We open in 3,"
People had determined faces, and Abi was shell shocked at how competitive people were on boxing day. She was actually quite frightened herself - she hated crowds from when she was a child, so when Dan sees the flicker of fear in her eyes, he squeezes her hand.
"Don't let go." Abi blushes, and Dan blushes when the words come out of his mouth.
"I-I mean so you don't get lost."
"Yeah, of course, I knew that."
Phil just snickers as the employee shakily calls out that the store was opened, and people were welcome to go in.
People didn't even wait to hear the specials from the poor guy. In a hurry, shoppers dash into the school, and the poor employee threw himself to the side.
Phil quickly told them to meet him in the front when they were done, and they were separated by crowds as soon as possible.
Dan and Abi made their way to the games section, not letting go of each other. Dan was surprisingly fast for a guy who claims he hates running, and Abi is dragged along the aisles of busy people. She gulped at the people literally fighting and getting torn apart before they could start a fight on who gets the laptop - people take boxing day seriously.
"I think I see it!" Dan says, and Abi squints and sees a yellow box with 'Curses!' sprawled across the box in blue font.
Abi also sees some girl go towards it as well, and that was when she realizes that it was the last box there.
"Dan, I think someone is going to get it if we don't hurry." Abi says quickly, and Dan narrows his eyes, letting out a battle roar that makes Abi scream in laughter. He bolts towards it, and triumphantly grabs the box before the teenage girl could grab it.
"Yes!" Dan yells in victory. He doubles over to take a fake breath, and Abi laughs, grabbing the board game and tucking it under her arm.
"Okay, let's go because things get dirty -"
"Hey, assholes!" The teenager suddenly screams.
Dan and Abi are astonished at the language, and turn around to take a closer look at this girl. The girl had snakebites on her lips, and her hair was jet black with an electrifying green streak in her hair. She wore neon clothes, and she narrowed her almond like eyes.
"I need that game, so I suggest giving it up." she growls, and Abi is astonished on how much of an action movie and boxing day are so similar.
"We got this game first, so please don't mind us - we don't want things to get dirty." Abi squeaks, oddly afraid, and Dan starts to feel a bit defensive. A bravery blossoms in him, and he looks at the girl sternly.
"Just scram, girl. We got in fair and square" he hisses. The girl seems to be taken back, and so does Abi; since when did
"Dan, let's go." Abi mutters, and Dan just nods.
As soon as they turn their backs, Dan feels a hand at his shoulders.
"Wha -" Dan murmurs, and both of them turn around before the unexpected happens.
The teenage girl socks Dan in the eye, and he exclaims in pain before collapsing on the ground.
"Dan!" Abi screams, and the girl growls as she goes on her knees, right above Dan, and continuously punches Dan in the face. A cut is formed on his lip, and his eye is starting to form a bruise. The girl smiles evilly, punching him one last time, and with a pained grunt, Dan Howell was knocked unconscious.
"Oh my god." Abi mumbles, and nearly drops the game. Before the girl could lunge at Abigail to get the game, security grabs the teenager away, who was thrashing and screaming like a maniac.
Conveniently, Phil comes with bottles of wine and packs of beer, and he gasps at the blood on the floor.
As paramedics surrounded the brown-headed Brit, Abigail managed to sneak a tear, thinking Phil didn't see.
But he did, so he wrapped his arms around her securely, and they were all escorted out.
Dan blinks, and he finds himself lying on the lounge couch. He groans - he doesn't remember much from what happened, other than some psychopath that they ran into at the department store.
He looks over, and sees Abi watching TV, cross-legged on the carpet.
"A-Ab-" he croaks, then realizes how bad his voice sounded. Abi turns around, and her eyes widen, but she tries not to look like she is about to vomit at his condition, or cry at the fact he is actually speaking to her.
"A cut lip, sore throat from punches to the neck, and a bruised eye." Abi says shakily, looking over her shoulder to see Dan awake. "Dan Howell, I am astonished."
Abi smirks - though she is sincerely worried - as she sits beside Dan on the lounge couch. She offers him an ice pack, and he moaning at the cool touch of the ice that as on his head. Phil rushes into the lounge at the sound of Dan's voice, holding a mug of coffee.
"I didn't know you were awake." Phil remarks, and he grins at Dan.
"We got the stuff free because of you, so thanks for that, bud."
Abi punches Phil in the arm jokingly, biting her lip at Dan's strained smile. "Shut up, you spork."
Phil sighs as he looks at Dan. "Are you actually good?"
"Yeah, of course." Dan says, slowly sitting up. "Wanna watch some Netflix?"
Abi and Phil exchange looks before the brown haired girl speaks up. "Dan, you seem to be taking this a lot better than it is. You just got beat up by a teenage girl for a board game, and you are taking it as you got a paper cut."
Dan closes his eyes, trying to fight off recurring memories and the headache.
"I'm fine." he hisses, and Phil is slightly taken back at the intensity in his voice. Abi is just confused.
Dan sighs, mutters an apology, and Abi and Phil are astonished when Dan stands, ice pack still to his head. He heads for his room without muttering a single word.
"Is something wrong?" Abi asks.
Phil frowns. "I don't exactly know."
Dan is in his room, and he is shivering. Night dawned, and he could hear Phil and Abi watching Game Of Thrones on the television. He wants to watch, but looking at himself in the mirror - with his bruises and swollen lip - makes him want to throw up.
'It wasn't him,' Dan reassures himself. 'It was some nasty teen girl, and it wasn't him who beat you up.'
Dan looks at himself in the mirror, pulling up his shirt to reveal a dark scar that was still lining his stomach. He looks at it with some sort of wonder and star-struck gaze, but sighs before closing the lights of his room and falling on his bed. Sleep.
...
Abi listens from the other side of the door. She heard pacing and sighing, but when she saw those lights flicker off and a thump on Dan's bed, she opened the door slightly to see Dan had already fallen asleep.
She fights the urge, but she sits beside him, and before she knows it, she's fallen asleep, and Phil is smiling at the door; thinking of how much he'd want to get them together as much as the phan shippers wanted Dan and Phil to make out in the recording room.
This is the longest chapter in this story so far - I hope you like it.
Reviews are the best *hand heart*