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...?
Now I know my fellow Toronto readers know that the CNE is actually in August and wouldn't be around the same time Dan and Phil went to Toronto in May, but for the sake of plot, looks like the CNE is coming to town early :P As well as I don't think this story will have an Australian TATINOF, but if it does, it will probably be briefly mentioned. Sorry, Australians; too much plot for me to handle :P It's an AU now for a reason, folks :P
Enjoy and ignore how insanely inaccurate this timeline now is :)
Side note to all my England readers: Do they have Tim Hortons in the UK? You should all have Tim Hortons. I mean, it's like a Canadian Starbucks, but still.
Chapter 20: Cotton Candy Fluff
Their tour went state to state after that, but Abi also remembers that the boys were making a pit stop in Toronto - "Add a little diversity!" Phil says when Abi asks why they decide to go everywhere in the US and Toronto. "We'll have a Canadian tour eventually, but Toronto is closeby anyway."
When they cross the border and got to Canada, the first thing Dan did was search up what kind of events were happening around the places they'd be, especially Toronto. Abi was on Tumblr as usual, when Dan spoke up.
"We should go to Niagara Falls. It's a good hour and a half from Toronto anyway, and we can get wet."
Abi raises an eyebrow. Dan smirks. "On the boat the goes into the falls, Abi. Jesus Christ."
"Whatever, the innuendo you were going for was obviously implied," Abi replies, not looking up, and Phil just chuckles.
"I don't even know how you guys manage staying in a room together," Phil says. "It was hard enough to live with Dan for all these years, but now that you have come along, Abi, it feels like there are two Dan's and I can't handle it."
"That's a weird thing to say, Phil," Abi giggles.
Dan grins. "What else is new?"
They continue their small talk for another few minutes. Martyn takes over the driving for the next stretch of their journey, and Cornelia walks over into the little lounge area and sits besides Abi with a smile.
"Hello, Mrs. Lester," Phil smirks. Cornelia rolls her eyes.
"Shut up, Phil, your brother hasn't proposed yet," Cornelia says, "and saying my name like that makes me sound like an English teacher."
"What are you here for?" Phil continues to tease. "Here to see that you chose the wrong Lester?"
Martyn laughs from the driver's seat, and so does Dan.
"I don't think we can be Dan and Martyn as a brand, Phil," Dan says. "No offence, Martyn."
"AmazingMartyn," Phil laughs. "Maybe you should replace me, bro."
"Phil, we don't call each other bro," Martyn says from the driver's seat. "There is no way that you can convince me to start calling you 'bro'; not even if you have me a million pounds."
"Really?" Abi asks. "For one million pounds, I would call Phil 'bro'. I'll even throw in a 'D-Slice' if I can get five hundred thousand pounds extra."
"No way in hell are we bringing back 'D-Slice'," Cornelia giggles. "I was scrolling through my Twitter and someone asked me, 'Cornelia, what do you think about your brother dating a guy called D-Slice?' and Martyn had to help me get off the ground."
"I really hope you were ironically writing that fanfiction, Phil," Dan laughs. "I mean, you have an English degree for goodness sake."
"Hey!" Phil says, mock-offended. "I'll have you know that The Hand is basically what inspired the fanfiction community to write weird and oddly amazing stories. I am the fanfiction overlord."
"I dunno, I liked Dan's better," Martyn says.
"Shut up, Martyn!" Phil yells back, and Abi rolls her eyes.
"Oh my god, I can't take it. If anyone else starts this debate on fanfiction and D-Slice, I am throwing myself off the bus and living on the streets. Again."
Dan laughs. "I bet that's your master plan. Get yourself on the channel and be introduced to our audience, and using your connections with us to live a rich and powerful life. I bet that was the reason behind the roommate tag video. Forget danisnotonfire and AmazingPhil; it's RoomieAbi, who will make a YouTube channel heavily based off spilling our secrets and stealing our subscribers."
"She's secretly an evil mastermind!" Phil cries, and everyone bursts into laughter, including Abi.
"I don't even know how we got to this point of a conversation," Cornelia giggles.
"I live with those two; every conversation we have is turned into some sort of giggle-fest," Abi replies.
When the laughter dies down, they realize that in the time they spent so much time talking and laughing, Martyn was already parking the car in a parking lot in Niagara Falls. They get off the tour bus and Abi stretches her arms.
"Man, that tour bus certainly takes the life out of someone's muscles," she huffs.
"Mmmm," Phil says, standing on his tippy-toes. "I can't believe we're in Canada. I can already smell the maple syrups. And I think I just saw a herd of meese riding the Niagara Falls on bags of milk."
"For the last time, Phil; 'meese' is not the plural form of moose." Dan says, throwing on his sunglasses.
"Then what is?"
"I don't know; ask a Canadian!" he replies. Phil shakes his head with a smile.
As Cornelia and Martyn pay for tickets on the boat across Niagara Falls for the five of them, Abi looks at Dan/
"Can we get Beaver Tails?" Abi asks. Dan nods.
"Sure. I'll pay. But this is only if I can take a picture with Phil near the Niagara Falls and use the caption 'getting incredibly moist with AmazingPhil' just to see if the phandom will go totally insane and if I can have a 'break the internet Kim Kardashian moment'."
"I'm going to unfollow if I see that," Abi says with a roll of her eyes, and when Martyn and Cornelia hand everyone their rain jackets and tickets, Abi is forced to take the picture that will drive the internet insane once again.
"Hey, the CNE is in town," Martyn points out as he brings everyone their drinks from Tim Hortons. Phil ignores the comment and eagerly grabs his cup. He takes a sip from the drink, and smiling at the taste.
"I can't believe you got a maple-flavoured iced capp," Abi chuckles.
"I can't believe you didn't get a maple-flavoured iced capp and stuck to the regular one," Phil counter-attacks. "I mean, we are in Canada, Abi. A maple-flavoured iced capp is literally the only drink a foreigner like us should have when crossing over to the country that are friends with the Queen."
"Speaking of the Queen, why doesn't she get a Tim Hortons in England?" Dan asks, taking more sips of his own maple-flavoured drink. "I mean, she is basically besties with Canada; I don't think I can live without this kind of maple syrup fix."
"Stop getting high off maple syrup," Abi says.
"You wish you were high off maple syrup," Dan retorts. "We should get as many bottles of maple syrup from the duty free shop before we leave."
"What about the CNE?" Abi says, ignoring the rest of Dan's dying argument. Dan and Phil face Martyn, and the older Lester shrugs.
"It's the Canadian National Exhibition," Martyn explains, "or best known as the CNE, or 'The Ex'."
"Wow, the Ex sounds like a superhero hideout," Phil remarks. Cornelia giggles, and Dan is already on his phone, searching up the event.
"Apparently it has been running for 137 years," he says, clearly intrigued. "We must go to this weird Canadian ritual."
"I don't think it's a ritual, Dan," Abi says. Dan ignores her.
"Well, our last Toronto show is on May 8th, which is Sunday. We can't go after that show, so do you want to go after our first Toronto show?" Martyn asks. "I have to buy tickets now, so we don't forget later."
"After the first Toronto show is fine with me," Phil says. Everyone else nods in agreement, and Martyn books the tickets.
They leave the Tim Hortons, and by the time they exit, it's already dark. Everyone says goodnight, and they get their rest before the first show in Toronto.
"Great show, guys!" Abi says, patting her friends' back as they enter backstage, handing them bottles of water. "Got to say, your facts about Toronto were questionable, Phil, but I could really feel your stage presence improving out there. You're driving Canadian fans nuts. Good bit about the bags of milk by the way, Dan; you slipped that one in perfectly."
"Thanks for the review, Mrs. Woods," Dan says sarcastically, taking the bottle and sipping it. "Is there anything else we need to improve? Our posture? Our jokes?"
"Your jokes always need improvement."
"Obviously, we're doing it right. We have a frickin' show for god's sake," Dan retorts, and Phil chuckles. Abi looks at Phil as he drank the water, and fished in her pocket to pull what seemed to be a piece of paper up to view. She waves it in front of Phil's face.
"By the way, Phil, I found this while taking out the trash," Abi says, "care to explain?"
Phil grabs the paper and stares at it, before blushing madly, crumpling it in his hands.
"You took Dan out?" he squeaks, trying to cover his embarrassment with a joke. Dan points a finger accusingly at him, sneaking a glance at the piece of paper in Phil's hand.
"Don't try to change the subject, Philly-boy," Dan singsongs. "Did you throw away the girl's number?"
Phil sighs. "Yeah."
"Why?" Abi asks, going a bit serious for a minute. "I mean, no offence, but this is one of the first phone numbers you got from a girl who is interested in you, and she is not under the age of twelve."
Phil rolls his eyes. Dan pats his back.
"No pressure, dude, but I really think you should take a shot at it. You deserve this."
Phil shrugs quietly. "I don't think I will call her. I mean, she is the exact opposite of me, and she has a cousin who watches my videos. For all I know, she could be playing me for her sake. Plus, I don't know if I have time for a relationship that everyone will probably know about. The phangirls might go nuts if they find out I'm dating someone. Not gonna lie, but I am kind of on a lot of people's love radar."
Abi rolls her eyes. "Don't be so full of yourself, Lester. I haven't fallen for you yet."
Phil pops his collar anyway, and Dan looks at Phil.
"Call her," he says, "right now."
"Now?" Phil squeaks. "Are you sure? I mean, we're on tour. Our date won't happen until late July."
"Just do it," Abi says. "No harm in planning ahead. Plus, we'll be here the whole time."
Phil opens his clenched fist and slowly unfolds the piece of paper. He sighs, giving in, and pulls out his phone. Abi and Dan squeal a bit, hi-fiving each other in victory. Phil does his best to ignore them and focus on not screwing up.
He dials, Abi and Dan intensely watching, and before he could hang up, she finally picks up the phone on the last ring.
"Hello, you reached Rosa Sals. Whatcha need?" she answers, and Phil imagines her red hair and the popping of bubblegum. Abi could hear the voice quietly, and Phil is stuttering already. Dan reassuringly gives him a thumbs up, and he closes his eyes.
"Rosa? Hi. It's me. Phil. You know, from the pizza place?" he stammers. Abi nearly face-palms, but acts supportive anyway.
It was if Phil could hear her smile. "Phil! Glad ya called. Hopefully you callin' for a date?"
Phil decides she has a Texan accent. He hasn't actually met a person from Texas before, so he doesn't know if he could really determine that, but for now, it lets his curiosity subside.
He snaps out of his small daze, realizing he has been quiet for at least thirty seconds. He coughs awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck.
"I am," - Abi and Dan exchange grins - "but I should tell you I am out of England completely."
"Toronto, right?"
Phil frowns. "Yeah. How did you know?"
"My cousin practically screamed at me over the phone saying that you and Dan were getting 'incredibly moist'. You probably caused her a heart attack, you know that? The photo of you two at Niagara Falls was probably the end of her life."
Phil laughs. "Well, you can blame Dan for that one."
"Hey!" Dan protests. Abi puts a hand on his mouth to shut his muffled words out.
"You know, it's your lucky day, Lester," She says Lester like it was 'Lest-a' and it made Phil smile softly. "I so happen to be in Toronto to see my uncle. Crazy bitch, that one is, but I have to love him. Though I can ditch giving his heart medicine for tonight and meet you at the CNE?"
Phil's eyes widen. "What?!"
Rosa's laugh rings in his ears. "I hope to see you there, Lester."
Phil barely manages a "yes" and Rosa hangs up. He faces Dan and Abi with a dazed grin, and he can't tell if he is excited, nervous, or ready to explode.
"So?" Abi asks. "You got a date?"
Phil avoids the question. "She never did say whether she was joking about her uncle or not."
Apparently she wasn't.
Or maybe she was, Phil thinks, and her uncle's heart problems was actually just another twisted joke she liked to pull. But nonetheless, she was here, at the entrance of the carnival, with her red hair in a pixie cut - she must've cut it since the last time he's seen her - and, of course, she's chewing another stick of gum.
"Hiya, Phil," Rosa says, kissing his cheek as he got close enough to greet her. Phil blushes, and Dan and Abi smirk.
"H-Hi, Rosa," he stutters, "these are my friends, Dan and Abi. There is my brother, Martyn, and his girlfriend, Cornelia. Guys? Rosalina Sals. But you can call her Rosa, as she told me the first day I met her."
Dan is the first to extend a hand.
"Hey, Rosa," he says slyly. "I see you charmed my friend Phil. Congratulations; you have achieved the dreams of every twelve year old across the world."
Phil playfully punches Dan on the shoulder. "Dan, actually shut up."
Rosa giggles, twirling her red necklace, the charm in a shape of a circle, with three blooming flowers inside of it.
"Your chemistry is the same as it is onstage," Rosa says. "You guys are just adorable."
"How do you know what we are like onstage?" Phil asks, slightly confused.
Rosa's eyes twinkle. "I went to your show earlier."
"Really?" Phil asks. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"You didn't ask until now," she says as if it were obvious. Phil seems astonished. Abi smirks at his reaction, and she looks at Rosa with an ernest smile.
"I suppose you know who I am, then," Abi says.
Rosa looks at Abi up and down and smiles a bit too widely for her taste.
"Ah, yes. Roomie, is it? Nice to meet you," she says, briefly shaking her hand, before facing Phil once more and grabbing his hand. Phil visibly stiffens, but Abi flashes a thumbs up behind Rosa's back, and he calms down.
"Well come on, pumpkin," Rosa says, "let's get started!"
She drags Phil into the crowd, and the only thing Martyn says is, "Turn on your cellphone, bro; see you in three hours."
"I haven't seen much of Phil this whole time," Abi says, picking up their cotton candy from the man. Dan hands the guy money, and shrug, tearing a piece of fluff and sticking it in Abi's mouth by surprise. She yelps, but chews it anyway.
"What the hell was that for?" Abi squeaks. Dan shrugs.
"I dunno, I just couldn't stand the fact that you were talking about Phil again as if he was a five year old. He's on a date; he's probably really focused on being cute and adorable than worrying where his roommate is."
"That boy is embarrassed of us," Abi giggles. "It's kind of like we're embarrassing parents who humiliate Phil in front of his girlfriend."
"Besides," Dan says, tearing his own piece of cotton candy. "we are on our own date."
Abi nearly chokes on her cotton candy. Dan's eyes widen.
"I-I mean, hypothetically. Like, it's kind of like we are on our own date. We're not really on our own date, as we are not dating." Dan stammers, but Abi shuts him up by stuffing cotton candy in his mouth. Dan catches a glimpse of the charm bracelet he gave her dangling in front of his face before she lowered her arm.
"Do you want to be on a date?"
Dan seems lost for words. "I-I thought you weren't ready yet."
Abi shrugs. "I had a lot of time to think about it."
"So...do you want to go on a date, Abigail Woods?" Dan asks shyly, feeling a bit awkward, which leads him to raise his cotton candy up to her as if it was a rose. Abi giggles, and takes a piece of his cotton candy, as if it was to make a final decision.
"Sure," she says quietly. "I mean, if you don't mind, I would want to start slow. I feel like dating is a good start. A couple of dates."
"You're rambling, Abi," Dan says. "Of course we'll go slowly. We don't have to be official yet. We can still be friends."
Abi looks down. "Well, if you are my friend, can you buy us tickets to the Sky Ride? It looks pretty at night."
Dan laughs. "Of course."
And that's where they end up. They end up on the Sky Ride at the closing hours of the festival, watching the carnival slowly move under their feet. Dan finishes his cotton candy, and Abi isn't finished hers yet, so he is nibbling off hers despite her protests.
"Dan, you should've not finished yours so fast! I was saving mine." Abi pulls her stick away. Dan grins.
"Hey, sharing is caring," Dan retorts.
Abi gives up, handing him the cotton candy, and Dan grins, mumbling his gratitude as he stuffed his face with the fluffs of candy. Abi looks at the stars.
"I was totally right; it is so nice at this kind of time," Abi says quietly.
Dan nods. "All the lights are so pretty."
He faces Abi, and realizes that the lights are illuminating onto her, and he can see all the details of her face; every strand of hair pulled back into a ponytail, her dimple when she smiled, her eyes; Dan can get lost in those eyes.
Abi then does what Dan really wanted to do, but had no courage to try; she kisses him.
It catches him by surprise, but he moves into the kiss, cupping her cheek and pulling her closer. She tastes like candy floss, and the taste explodes in his mouth like a bomb. Her lips curve into a smile when they pull back.
"How long has it been since you kissed someone like that?" Dan whispers, his lips barely grazing hers.
"It's been a while since I ever kissed someone, but -"
"I mean, when you really wanted to."
Abi's eyes glisten. "In that case, this is my first."
"How was your date with Rosa?" Dan asks as they walk back into the tour bus. Phil smiles.
"She's really nice," Phil gushes. "I mean, we are polar opposites, but I think we click. She is such a confident person; she basically dominated the ball toss and won me the biggest bear in the whole fair."
He points to the stuffed toy in the corner. Abi grins.
"Aren't you supposed to be the one who wins her the gifts?" she asks, sitting on the couch as the bus starts driving out of the carnival parking lot and into the streets.
"Besides the point," Phil says with a roll of his eyes, "I had a great time. We might go on another date when we get back. She said she was willing to wait that long, and I told her it would be as soon as I come back."
"You really like this girl, huh?" Dan says with a degree of confidence. "Did you kiss?"
Abi blushes as the word, and Phil's cheeks go red as well.
"M-Maybe," Phil says, and then calls it a night, speeding off to his room. Abi grins.
"You got him totally flustered," Abi giggles. Dan smirks.
"I got you flustered too. I saw the way you blushed."
Abi's cheeks flash red again. Dan smiles.
"Had a great night, Abi," Dan says, and stands up to go to their room. "I'll see you tomorrow. Go in quietly if you decide to go late."
When Dan leaves, Abi finds herself speechless, and she goes into the room after hours of thinking, and slips into bed beside a smiling Dan, who, in his slumber, somehow puts his arm around Abi's waist.
She doesn't fight off her smile.
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