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. I am not creative enough to own that stuff :P I do own my OC, Abigail Elizabeth Woods, who I think is creative...?

Yeah, I did sneak in a High School Musical reference in the title. You're very welcome ;)

(there are so many time skips oh my god...)

(and it's so domestic in the next few chapters, jfc)

Chapter 16: It's Out With The Old, And In With The New

A few weeks later, Abi's cast is removed, and they begin hauling boxes into moving trucks. This time, they got to keep all the furniture they love, so they took advantage of that; they brought the sofa - with the infamous sofa crease - they brought their paintings, their pictures, the TV they had bought, and even the wardrobe. Even if they still had to buy a bit more furniture, they were content with what they have.

As Abi carried yet another box down the long flight of stairs, she felt a nudge from behind her. She turned around, and - surprise, surprise - it was Dan.

"Stop it, you spork." Abi says, looking at him over his shoulder, adjusting her messy bun. "You keep that up, you might lose me, and then there will be one person less to pay the rent for our next place."

"Oh shut up." Dan snickers. "We make so much money, we are basically bathing in it."

"But your social skills?" Abi retorts.

"Oi!"

Abi laughs, and Dan cuts through her, dashing in front of her.

"Last one down is a rotten egg!"

"Alright, two year old! You're on!" Abi grins, running down the stairs. Dan is on the second platform before another set of stairs, and Abi is running down with the box covering her view. This is how she forgets there's another step, and begins to lose balance.

"Shit!" Abi exclaimed, attempting to grab onto the railing, twisting her body to grab it. Unfortunately, she fails, and the box of clothes falls on her. She falls back, and Dan turns around to see everything occur. Eyes wide, he extends his arms out and catches Abi in his arms.

"You good?" Dan asks, suddenly worried. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have made your run down stairs, especially since you were carrying a box of clothes. That was stupid. I am stupid. But are you okay? No broken arms -"

"Daniel James Howell, I'm fine." Abi says, looking up at him. She realized that he was carrying her bridal style, and the box of clothes were right beside them. "It was my fault, anyway; I should've been more aware. And maybe should've lost the competitive streak."

Dan hesitates, nodding, before adding with a smirk, "Well, I forgot you couldn't see over the box, since you are, like, an elf."

"At least I am not a towering giant!" Abi smirks, and Dan just laughs. Abi wiggles in Dan's arms. "Put me down, you oaf."

"Never!" Dan growls jokingly, spinning Abi around. She squeals.

"Careful! You might drop all of us!" Abi said between giggles, and Dan just grinned.

It feels like an eternity, staring at each other in the eye. They still have goofy smiles on their face, and Abi's hair is brushing against Dan's arm. They look at each other, not saying a word, and standing still for a very long time before -

Click.

Dan and Abi's eyes go wide, both of them breaking eye contact and looking at the top of the staircase. It's Phil, holding his phone in his hand, Striker right at his feet. They both look at Phil, smiling embarrassingly.

"Did you just take a picture of us?" Abi squeaks, a bit more nervously than she intended.

Phil grins as he sends the photo to both Dan and Abi. "Well, you guys were staring at it each other for so long; a picture would last you guys longer."

Dan and Abi blush as Dan gently drops Abi to her feet.

"Surprise you carried me for that long," Abi mutters quietly.

"Shut up." Dan replies.

Phil laughs, and he carries cans of paint down with them. Abi grabs the box again, and Dan picks up the lamp he was carrying as he goes down more flights of stairs.

"This is getting scarily close to exercise." Dan groans when they get to the bottom of the stairs, letting the moving guys carry them over to the moving trucks.

"Lazy ass." Abi smiles, and they know things are no longer awkward, because they share a very real and non-embarrassed laugh as they go back up with Striker.

When they go upstairs, they stop at the front of the lounge, sucking breaths as they take in the atmosphere.

It's surprisingly tidy and plain. The once colourful space was taken up with bare walls and scratched floors. There was almost nothing in the room, and it looked slightly more emptier than it once was. When they got the place, they saw potential. Now, when they left it, they saw memories they have to give away.

"I just realized," Phil murmurs, breaking the silence. "Those boxes were the last of them."

They stay silent, as if mourning a loss. Dan bites his lip and Abi looks at where the couch used to be. She remembers falling asleep on the shoulder of the two British boys, and finding cereal bits and Striker's kibble in between cushions. She remembered the lounge as her first hope of a family, when playing twenty questions with Dan and Phil. Now, in the space that was once that couch, was an empty wall with the faint outline of one.

"So that's it, huh." Dan says quietly. "We're leaving."

"Not for a while." Abi says. "The landlord said he's coming at five. We have thirty minutes."

Phil smiles. "Thank god. I need to sit down."

"There's no couch, Phil." Dan points out.

"There's a floor." Phil grins. "Not good enough?"

"Well, Daniel here needs a nest for his bird ass." Abi smirks, and Dan just rolls his eyes at the two, getting to where the couch used to be and sat down, leaning on the bare wall. Striker trotted beside him, spinning in a circle before curling up in a ball. Phil smiles, and sits right beside Dan. Abi does the same, and it isn't until then that they realize they've been in this position before.

"Deja vu much?" Abi whispers, barely audible.

Phil grins. "Yeah. I remember this."

"December 11th, I think. 2013." Dan continues. "It was the day that I brought a 5'8" hobo into our house with messy hair and a golden necklace. It was the day where I saw Phil be responsible and me be reckless."

Phil laughs, his head leaning back on the bare walls. "It's kind of like you bought a dog without me knowing. Complete opposite of what the subscribers would think. Usually, it'd be me stuffing the pets in my closet."

"I'm right here you know!" Abi says, giggling. "The closet you stuffed me in was a spare room."

"True." Dan responds. "I think that was the best metaphor ever."

They all share a laugh, and as Dan pets Striker on the head, watching his ears flop back. Dan smiles.

"We went from being two dorks in front of a camera in 2009, to being roommates, proper YouTubers with over ten million subscribers to each channel we have, and a best girl who is a friend. We go outside, we have a dog, and we are going on a US tour in a month."

"Dan, stop it, or you'll make everybody cry, including me." Phil says shakily, his voice cracking as a tear rolled down his cheek. He wipes it before it can dribble down, but Abi leans on Phil's shoulder when she sees it.

"It has been a crazy three years or so." Abi says, looking at the room. "I can't believe I'm lucky enough to have spend it with you, dorks."

"You too, nerd." Dan says, poking Abi's arm. She smiles.

They continue to reminisce about memories; when they announced their book, when they went on the UK tour, when they lost a bunch of Brit Award speeches, and where they filmed the most important videos they ever made in their lives. It was where they reached their one million subscribers, and achieved even more. They laughed, remembering the first day Abi came into their lives, and when they made DanAndPhilCRAFTS, and DanAndPhilGAMES. It was where they met most of their friends, and hanged out with some more. They recounted the times they got Striker, and when they made pancakes that almost burnt down the house. They even remembered the best and worst times in their friendship.

"It's a new beginning." Abi whispers. "A brand new beginning."

"I know, but personally, I just hope our new house brings more achievements." Phil dreamily sighs.

"DanAndPhilCRAFTS hits 1 000 000 subscribers?" Dan asks, and Abi laughs.

"The Vegas video will finally be released." she adds.

"Maybe it'll be the place where we pack for our The Amazing Tour Is Not On Fire in space." Phil laughs.

"Let's aim for Europe first, Phil; I don't think I am ready for that much exercise."

They laugh, and when they remain silent for five minutes, quietly taking in the atmosphere, Abi looks at the two boys.

"This place was always so colourful." she says quietly. "Now it's a white and brown void."

"Just like I want it to be." Dan smirks.

"Can we paint our house?" Phil asks. "I bought paint cans not only for a video challenge, but for an actual paint-down of the house. I can buy more, but I feel like this house is where we'll stay for a few years, or maybe forever."

"I'd like to paint my room green." Abi muses. "I know I have a velvet red going on in my room, but mint green sounds nice."

"I'd say black because it'd match my aesthetic, but I would want mine black so I can paint stars or something. I want to see a night sky, since I don't go outside much, and it is my favorite kind of time."

"I want to paint my room blue." Phil shrugs. "Just 'cause."

Abi smiles. "We can do that."

A knock comes from the door, and they all exchange looks; it's time.

Phil carries Striker, and the three stand up and go to the top of the staircase. They look back at the lounge one last time, and walk down, one after the other. They look at the empty bathroom door with no One Direction poster, and they smile to themselves all the way down.

The landlord stands there, his hand extended. Phil fishes through his pocket and pulls out the keys. With a sad smile, Dan and Abi watch as Phil single handedly places the key in the landlord's hand.

"Thanks for everything." Abi gushes. "We really appreciate it."

"Good luck in your new home." The landlord says in a monotone voice with very little sincerity, but enough for them.

"Please make sure the person who comes into our apartment next will treat this place with care." Dan says. "And let them know that there aren't too many damages; just don't move the houseplants."

The landlord raises an eyebrow, and Abi elbows Dan. He winces, and rolls his eyes.

"Seeya." Phil says quickly, exchanging a small smile, and walked out the door. Dan and Abi follow.

Abi sobs a bit as they climb into a taxi.

"It's out with the old and in with the new." Abi whispers quietly as they made the car ride home.

"Fabulous." Dan replies just as quietly, and Phil grins, holding Striker in his hands and looking outside the window.

Abi does as well, watching cars and building zooming past her sight.

Dan looks behind him as the apartment building gets smaller and smaller, until it's no longer in view anymore.

After thirty minutes, they reach the new house. Dan fishes for the new keys, and unlocks the door to their new house.

When they step into a new atmosphere, with wooden floors and windows and yet more stairs, they all smile.

"Welcome home." Abi murmurs with a smile.

I hope I can update next week, since the week after is when I am going to Ottawa for a week, but no promises. This chapter was a tad short, and so will the next one probs, so maybe I can. Who knows ;) If I can't update before next week, sorry this is so short :P

Anyway, reviews are always welcome *hand heart*