Chapter thirty six

Before I left the boys apartment on that Tuesday I checked Dan's computer. The video had gotten almost 500 000 views. He didn't even have that many subscribers on his second channel. He had only recently hit 500 000 subscribers on his main channel. Where in the world were all these people coming from? The better question was why were they all so interested in our relationship?

"I expect you know what happened" was the courteous way I greeted my friend when I spotted her walking into work that morning.

"Of course I do. How the fuck did that happen?" Ally asked.

"Do you think I have any clue?" I asked in return "I think we were all quite taken aback. I mean we were so careful, you know that. I can't say I'm surprised though, their fans can be a little intense some times. I'm not even upset that they've found out, just that it came out like it did really. Have you seen the video?"

"Yeah, your part is cute" she teased.

"That's what Dan said too"

"No, but I get why you don't want to show yourself quite yet. They'd hunt you down"

"I hope not. But the response has been mixed. There are so many views, why does everyone care? I've got the normal amount of 'I'm going to kill her' type of comments, but also a lot of nice ones luckily"

"That's good. I really don't know what more to say, there isn't much more you can do I guess, just hope they won't hate you" Ally says exactly what I've been thinking.

"Yeah, I guess. So, to change the subject how are you doing on Christmas gifts? It's only two weeks away now"

"Not too amazing actually, I've gotten like two. At least I've started. What about you?" she replied.

"I've done pretty well; I've gotten half of them. Yours included" I added giving her a cheeky wink.

"Yay" she exclaimed excitedly "I imagine you're a really good gift giver, you're the thoughtful type that always gets the really perfect and meaningful gifts"

"I try" I took her compliment arrogantly and we both laughed.

"I've got to start thinking about what to get for Phil" Ally remarked looking behind me as if she was thinking.

"I haven't gotten Dan's gift yet either, maybe we could help each other, but I'm sure you're better at getting that type of gift. I mean you have a ton more experience than I do"

"Sure, we should go out shopping together, maybe tomorrow?"

"Sure" I agreed.

"It's a date" she announced just as we were pulled apart by people in the shop wanting us to come in different directions. We could talk more later. We did talk more later, when we had our lunch break, like usual. Leah also joined our conversation; I'd never really talked to the both of them together before. Apparently they had always gotten along. Leah had worked at the shop about a half a year longer than I had and they always talked. I guess I just hadn't really noticed.

My group of friends in London was coming together nicely I felt. Even though I was one of the shyest people ever everywhere I went I always seemed to find people I got along with. When I was younger, every time I'd start a new activity or take a class where I didn't already know anybody I'd always find that one person who I got to know and kind of buddied up with. I'd always seek out the weird kids, cause they were always the nicest and the one's who'd best understand me.

I walked home after work in the bitter cold, and after a short stop at my local Tesco's I finally reached my apartment building. I had dinner and watched TV and checked my social media. The video now had 600 000 views. What?!

Watching the video again made me crave Dan. I craved having him next to me, seeing his face, smiling at his smile and seeing his eyes twinkle when his smile reached them.

I sent him a text "Craving my cuddle buddy, please come over, I don't want to sleep aloneL"

A few seconds later I received a reply "I'll be there as soon as I can"

This whole situation with the fans finding out about us and the uncertainty about it all was making me want to have Dan with me all the time. I just liked having him there to hold me and tell me that we could do this, that we could win that battle of being in a public relationship.

About twenty minutes later I buzzed Dan inn the front door of my building. He must have left almost right away after I texted him.

"Hey" he exclaimed as I opened my front door for him and he gathered me in his arms for a tight hug.

"Hey" I greeted back, my words very muffled as I had my face smushed into his chest.

He finally let me go and started taking off his jacket and shoes. "I like this seeing you ever day thing we've started. I know it's mostly because of this 'scandal', but still. I usually miss you during the week. I'm never really busy, but I always have something to do you know"

"Yeah, I know, but you're here now. I mean I miss you too, but I know how it is. We're just both really lazy people"

We headed to the living room and continued talking for a little while. We talked about the video. Dan had been reading almost all of the comments; obviously he couldn't read them all because there were so many. In general people were being really nice about it, which was a relief. Gradually we went over to watching TV and shifted so I was basically laying on top of him between his legs, resting the back of my head on his chest. Of course his arms were wrapped tightly around my torso.

After watching the end of an episode of Friends that happened to be on I switched between the channels only to discover that there was nothing on. The clock on the wall announced that it was 23:12, a suitable time to start getting to bed.

"Dan" I spoke up.

No reply.

"Dan" I said again taking his hands which were holding around me in my own.

Still no reply. He was asleep. Ok, how was I supposed to do this? I had a sleeping boy holding around me from behind, there was basically no escape.

"Dan" I whined "Wake up"

He didn't, of course. What else was there to do but start wriggling? Noting, so that's what I did. I tired prying his hands from each other so they wouldn't be holding around me, but that didn't work. I tried moving his arms over my head, that didn't work. I tried sliding down through his arms, but that was a firkin nightmare. Finally I managed to flip myself over so I was on my stomach. After another sufficient amount of wriggling I managed to get myself into a sitting position. You would have imagined that with all the movement that was going on on top of him Dan might have woken up, but he still hadn't.

"Dan" I now coaxed nudging his shoulder slightly. After a few more seconds of that he finally stirred. When his eyes finally pride themselves open he yawned and stretched out beneath me.

"Good morning" he greeted sleepily.

"It's not morning, it's about eleven thirty in the evening and I want to go to bed"

"Why did you wake me?" Dan grumbled.

"Because you were holding around me so I couldn't get up and I want you to come to bed with me" I rolled my eyes and added under my breath "Idiot"

"Ugh, fine"

"Come on" I got off him and stood up, offering my hand to help him up as well. He grabbed onto it, but instead of letting me help him up he pulled me back down on top of him. I let out a small shriek as I was pulled down.

As Dan pulled me on top of him again and locked his arms around me I whined "Let me go"

"Nope, we're staying here"

"Ugh" I groaned, I tried wriggling out of his grip, but it was useless "Dan, please"

"No, but stop wriggling"

"Why?" I asked.

"Because"

"That's not a good enough reason. Tell me why" I demanded not understanding. It wasn't hurting him; his tone of voice was too relaxed, so why was he insisting that I stop?

"Just because, ok?" he groaned, sounding slightly irritated. He didn't have a reason to be irritated; he was the one telling me what to do without having a good reason for it. I should be the one who was getting irritated.

"No" I countered and kept wriggling, even more now. To my surprise next Dan let out a soft moan, a moan that sent shivers down my spine and made me take a sharp intake of air. Dan's hands quickly grabbed onto my hips to make me stop moving. An embarrassed look washed over his face and he looked away when I tried to meet his eyes.

"Aha, now it makes sense" I teased.

"Just leave it alone" Dan grumbled still avoiding eye contact.

I sat up slightly propping myself up with my hands on his chest "You should have just said that to begin with" I bit my lip and made another swift movement with my hips even though Dan was trying to hold them in place.

Dan's snapped back to look down at me. A sly grin spread across his face which I matched. I felt his grip on my hips slightly loosen and I continued my movements. Dan bit his lip and bent his head back slightly. I was getting too good at this.

I leaned in and connected our lips, needing the contact. After making out on the couch for about ten more minutes I pride myself away from his pulsating body and was playfully chased into the bedroom. I'm sure you can guess what happened from there on.