#but it’s almost 10am and since I was starved and got tired of eating cereal and off snacks over the last couple of days I just made dinner

[tariah23]

I didn’t even go to sleep… emo…

[phanfictrashnumber1]

Past, Present and Future

When Dan gets mad at Phil close to Christmas, he learns his actions have consequences when he finds out what happens to their relationship after that fateful day.

Or the A Christmas Carol AU no one asked for.

Words: 1.8k

It was a week before Christmas. The tree was holding up as they had been taking turns watering it each day. Their final gaming videos were filmed, the last of the presents had been wrapped and “All I Want For Christmas Is You” was playing through their flat for the billionth time that month.

It was 10am and Dan rolled out of bed. It’d been a late night of filming and editing in attempt to get their Gamingmas videos done and ready to go before they left for their Christmas holiday. He was still tired and a bit grumpy and all he wanted right now was a bowl of cereal for a late breakfast, the latest episode of the anime they were currently obsessed with and a cuddly Phil to watch it with. He knew Phil had been up before him, getting a head start on editing the remaining videos. 

Dan rubbed his sleepy eyes as he made his way to the kitchen and that's when he saw it.

He couldn't believe his eyes. He couldn't believe it was happening again. He couldn't believe Phil had done it again.

“Phil!” Dan exclaimed as he stomped his way into the lounge where Phil sat, a laptop in his lap and festive music playing as background noise.

“Yeah?” Phil answered, not looking away from his laptop.

“Oh, sorry to bother you, it’s not like I need to eat breakfast or anything!” Dan spat.

“What are you-” Phil stopped when he finally looked up at Dan, noticing the anger in his eyes and the empty cereal box in his hand. “Oh.”

“Oh? All you have to say is ‘oh?’” Dan asked.

“I'm sorry, I got hungry!” Phil said with a cringe. 

It’d become a routine by now. The two of them would always buy their own, separate cereals, yet Phil had decided long ago that it was okay to sneak a handful of Dan’s every once in a while until the box was inevitably empty, leaving Dan with no breakfast. Dan secretly found Phil’s lack of self control endearing, but not today.

“You have your own cereal!” Dan exclaimed. “You always fucking do this to me!”

“I'm sorry.” Phil apologized again. “I’ll go run to the shop and get you some more.”

“No, don't brother! I don't even fucking want it!” Dan let out. “I’m going back to bed.” he muttered before stomping off.

“Okay, Scrooge." Phil snapped, sighing sadly before turning back to his editing.

Dan slammed the bedroom door shut before falling back into bed. He focused on his breathing, trying to calm down and not be so angry at his boyfriend. Deep down, he knew he was being silly, but his anger was stronger than his rationale at the moment and all he wanted to do was start the morning over. Or better yet, go back to simpler times when their relationship was new and fresh and they weren’t so predictable. Or, even better, skip to the future when this petty argument was long over and they were celebrating Christmas in their forever home with their Shiba Corgu. He buried his face in his pillow and closed his eyes.

"Dan?" Dan heard and blinked his eyes open.

"Phil?" he let out as he looked at Phil who was stood before him. "What are you doing?"

"I’m here to warn you. I’m here to tell you that you still have a chance." Phil told him. "You will be visited by three spirits."

“What the f-”

"Remember that there is still hope, Dan." Phil told him before gesturing for Dan to follow him out into the hall.

Dan’s face held confusion and slight annoyance as he got out of bed. What kind of bullshit was Phil up to now?

He followed Phil out into the hall. His eyes widened as he look around, remembering the small corridor he was currently stood in.

“I-Is this?” Dan let out.

“I am the Phil of Christmas past.” Phil said as he turned around, long, shaggy fringe hanging over a younger face.

Dan stared at the boy in front of him before looking around the hall. “This is your old flat.” he said. “This is...”

“Where we celebrated our first Christmas as boyfriends?” Phil finished Dan’s sentence as he led them down the hall. “Where we put up the rave tree together for the first time?” he said, gesturing to the flashback that appeared in front of them. The year was 2010, Phil and a long-haired Dan were hanging the rave lights on the tree.

Dan couldn't help but smile as he watched his younger self dancing around the room, singing some random song he'd made up about having a rave while Phil watched on, laughing.

“Why are you showing me this?” Dan asked.

“So you never forget our past Christmases, and how they were some of the best Christmases we ever had.” Phil told him.

Dan could feel the beginnings of tears brimming in his eyes. “Ok, I get it, I won't forget. Can I go back to 2017 now?”

“Certainly.” Phil said and with a snap of his fingers, Dan was back in the lounge of their new flat.

It was silent. The tree had begun to whittle and darken, looking like it hadn't been watered in days. There were no gifts beneath the tree and not the slightest sound of “All I Want For Christmas Is You” could be heard.

“Phil?” Dan called.

“Yes?” Phil responded as he appeared beside him.

Phil’s fringe was short with shaved sides and a more chiseled face.

“Hey, uh, what happened to the tree? And where are all the gifts?” Dan asked.

“I’m the Phil of Christmas present.” Phil told him. “The gifts are gone, along with me.”

“What are you talking about?” Dan asked.

“Well, after we got into that fight about your cereal, you were still really mad and I got so sad that I headed up North early.” Phil began. “You, on the other hand,” he said as he gestured toward the formless blob that was wrapped in a blanket on the couch and staring at a laptop.

“I'm in my browsing position.” Dan said.

“You haven’t moved from that spot since I left. You didn't even go to your family's for Christmas, and you definitely didn't join mine like we were planning.” Phil told him.

“I look like hell.” Dan said as he looked on at the version of himself that lay on the couch, messy hair and dark, tired eyes.

“I'm not doing much better up North, trust me.” Phil said.

“Is this really what happens?” Dan asked.

“You don't even know the half of it.” Phil said before snapping his fingers.

Dan was stood alone. It was dark and a shiver ran down his spine, due to both the chill in the air and the realization of where he was.

“W-Where am I?” Dan asked.

“I think you know where you are.” Phil’s voice was heard from beside him.

Dan slowly looked down at the gravestone he was stood in front of and read the name.

Philip Michael Lester

“Wait... you?” Dan questioned.

“I’m Phil of Christmas future.” Phil said.

Dan turned his wide eyes to look at Phil, his face withered and gray, sickly eyes and more translucent than usual. Dan felt his knees buckle at the sight and his breath catch in his throat. He turned back to look at the gravestone in front of him.

“Lester?” Dan let out, confusion and shock apparent in his trembling voice. “I thought you said you wanted to take my last name when we got married.”

“We never got married, Dan.” Phil told him. “After that Christmas in 2017, I never came back home. We broke up and we went our separate ways. We gave up on the gaming channel, cancelled our tour and we never spoke again.”

Dan shook his head. “No, that’s not true. That can’t be what happens.” he let out, but Phil remained silent. “Please! How do I fix this? How do I stop this from happening?” he asked. “This isn’t my future! This isn’t our future! Please! Please!”

“Please!” Dan let out as he shot up in bed. His breathing was rapid and his eyes were damp with tears as he looked around. He was in their bedroom, in their new flat. “Phil!” he called as he hopped out of bed and headed to the lounge. “Phil?” he said again, but there was no sight of his boyfriend anywhere. “No! No, Phil!” he cried. “What have I done?” he asked out loud.

Suddenly, he heard the front door opening and hurried over to see Phil walking inside.

“Phil!” Dan let out in a joyous exclaim as he ran up to his boyfriend and grabbed him in a hug, practically knocking him over.

Phil caught his balance before instinctively hugging back, a bit confused by this sudden embrace.

“Phil, I’m so happy you’re back!” Dan said as he pulled away.

"I only went to the shop. I couldn’t have been gone more than 20 minutes.” Phil told him with a giggle before handing Dan a shopping bag. “I felt really bad about what happened, so I went and got you some more cereal.” he said. “There may even be some apology Haribo in there as well.”

Dan looked from the bag to Phil. “So, we didn’t break up?” he asked.

“What? Where would you get a ridiculous idea like that?” Phil asked.

Dan was quiet for a moment, shaking his head. “Must have just been a bad dream.” he said quietly.

“Sounds like a nightmare.” Phil said.

“Yeah” Dan let out as he looked at his boyfriend. “Phil, I’m so sorry for getting mad earlier. I shouldn’t have, especially now. It’s Christmas.” he said. “After seeing what Christmas without you is like, I don’t want that to ever happen.”

“What are you talking about?” Phil asked.

Dan just smiled. “Nothing.” he said. “Because you’re here and it’s almost Christmas and that’s all that matters.” he said as he grabbed Phil in another hug.

Phil decided not to question his silly and sometimes over-dramatic boyfriend and wrapped his arms around him once again.

Dan’s chin was resting on Phil’s shoulder as they shared the embrace. He noticed out the glass windows on their front door was a ghostly Phil who shot him a wink before disappearing. Dan just smiled and hugged his Phil tighter.

“Are you okay, Dan?” Phil finally asked when the hug didn’t end.

“I’m better than okay.” Dan told him as he pulled away. “But I am starving.” he then said. “Let’s go have some cereal.”