AUTHOR'S NOTE: While this fic draws on many actual events, it is obviously not intended to reflect anything that is actually going on in Dan and Phil's lives. I don't know them, and I am merely writing a completely fictional story loosely inspired by some of the interesting aspects of their lives and relationship as seen in their videos.

Chapter 3
Spooky Week and PINOF

Spooky Week was a little weird. Phil decorated the office by himself, something he and Dan had always done together previously, and Dan just came over for a couple hours each day to play the five games he'd chosen for the year. They were a bit stiff and formal with each other, but tried to act as natural as possible on camera. They just didn't talk much about anything but the games themselves, and there was maybe less banter than in previous years. Phil hoped the viewers wouldn't notice and start asking questions. He wasn't ready for that yet. He also hoped he wasn't looking at Dan too often or too obviously, but he'd missed him so much that it was difficult.

"I can do the editing," Phil offered after they'd filmed the first video of the series, but Dan had scoffed at him.

"You suck at editing the gaming videos." He'd said the same thing before, but it stung a little more now than it had in the past.

Phil hesitated before asking, "So … did you want to edit them here? I can just … uh … stay out of your way."

Dan grimaced, then admitted, "That would probably be easiest. I don't really want to try to do it at PJ's." The mention of where he was living temporarily cranked the awkwardness up a notch.

"Sure, sure," Phil replied quickly. "I'll just … go downstairs. Uh … there's Ribena in the kitchen if you get thirsty." It felt incredibly strange to be offering Dan a beverage in what had so recently been his own home. Dan clearly felt the same, because he just shook his head with a weak smile and sat down at the computer in the office to start on the editing. Phil beat a hasty retreat, feeling unwelcome and sad.

And that's how the next five days went. Awkward and formal and trying to stay out of each other's way as much as possible except when they were in front of the camera trying to act like everything was normal.

Phil was miserable.

When he heard Dan getting ready to leave after editing the final Spooky Week video, Phil awkwardly lurked in the lounge until Dan appeared, then said hesitantly, "Um … everybody's expecting a new PINOF next month. We sort of promised one would be coming out."

Dan ran his hand through his hair and looked at the floor. "Yeah, we should probably do that." He glanced up and met Phil's eyes. "But it's going to be kind of weird, not talking about what's going on."

Phil smiled gently, seeing how much this was bothering Dan, and suggested, "We'll just pick the least personal questions, okay? Just silly stuff. We can still manage to be silly together, at least one last time, right?" He watched Dan's face, feeling the pathetically hopeful expression that was clearly on his own but unable to pretend he didn't care.

Dan smiled, and his dimples showed, and Phil felt such relief that he reached out a hand to grip the arm of the sofa to make sure he didn't swoon or something embarrassing like that. Dan met his gaze steadily and said, "We've always been good at the silly stuff. Just because things are complicated right now and I'm wanting to go in a different direction … that doesn't mean everything else has been erased. So we'll do it for the subscribers, and we'll do it to sort of wrap up that part of our history. It was a good part."

They smiled at each other for a long moment, and it was the most connected Phil had felt since that terrible argument here in the lounge more than a week ago. They hadn't really spoken much since then outside of filming, and this brief moment of warmth between them was like a balm to his wounded heart. But then Dan looked away again, toward the door, and said, "I should really go. The last Spooky Week video is on the computer, ready to post tomorrow."

Phil nodded, all business again. Clearly their little personal moment was over. "I'll upload it," he promised, then hesitated. "When do you want to come by to film the PINOF?"

Dan was looking uncomfortable again, scuffing his toe against the carpet. He looked around at the lounge, not making eye contact. "Uh … maybe next week? How's Tuesday for you?"

Nodding again, Phil said, "That should work." They agreed on a time, and Phil found himself looking forward to it more than he probably should.

When Dan arrived for the PINOF filming, Phil could tell he was feeling apprehensive. They didn't really greet each other beyond polite nods and noncommittal noises, and it was weird to be walking together into Phil's bedroom with such emotional distance between them. Phil set up the camera and equipment while Dan hovered uncomfortably near the door.

"Come here a minute," Phil said, sitting on the bed and patting the space beside him. Dan perched on the edge of the mattress, looking ready to bolt. "We've been friends for a long time now, right? And there have been lots of good times. Lots of times we laughed so hard we fell off the furniture. So let's just take a minute and remember that, okay? Think about all the good times. Just breathe, and think about the good times for a minute, and we can do this."

Dan nodded slightly, closing his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath, and then smiling weakly at Phil. "I'm sorry I'm making this so difficult."

Phil smiled a little and shrugged. "I can tell it isn't easy for you, either. But we can do this. Just … try to have fun, okay?"

Dan nodded more firmly this time. "Okay. I'm ready."

It wasn't the best PINOF they'd ever done, and some subscribers noticed and commented that they seemed less into it than usual, that they seemed to sit further apart and didn't interact as much, but Dan and Phil both just let the criticisms and questions go unanswered, tweeting exclusively about the upcoming TATINOF dates, pretending an excitement that neither truly felt.

Touring together right now was going to be hell. At least it wasn't going to be as long as the U.S. tour. At least they wouldn't be stuck on a tour bus together, as they'd be flying between the different locations. 21 November to 6 December … they could survive two and a half weeks, right?

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Next chapter will be all about their final TATINOF dates and therefore full of spoilers for the stage show, so if you haven't seen the TATINOF film (or, lucky you, the live show) and don't want to be spoiled (and possibly a bit lost/confused), maybe you can skip that chapter. I'll try to make it skippable & maybe summarize the important relationshippy bits at the beginning of the following chapter.