#but like dnp are just some guys at the end of the day

[blossoms-phan]

they’ve truly lived soooooooo many lives. like I watch this and think wow that’s kinda crazy that they did that! look at how much dan is literally dripping with sweat and how much effort it takes mentally and physically to put your all into a show like that. but then when you think about doing that NIGHT after NIGHT for like 100 shows for months on end like wow. things they did: that

[ilovepinof]

HI! I’m currently making a Dnp Youtube playlist so I can fully introduce them to my mother (since shes going to TIT with me). Do you have any favorites/recommendations??

I’m adding more post hiatus vids since thats the energy we’re mostly getting on tour, but i’ll take anything :]

A silly bonus: The other day I gave her a short rundown of the timeline, and she pauses me and goes “Oh they live together?”, and I said yes expecting her to inquire further but she just went “Very nice.” 😭😭😭 so either shes completely clueless on the dynamic or understood it immediately, but I found that funny.

(I literally saw a big post about this yesterday I wish I could find it but alas I will try to give my best suggestions)

This post can be useful for anyone who has friends/family going to TIT with them that may not know much about Dan and Phil!

This post could also be useful to share with any friends who want to get into Dan and Phil

Feel free to pick and choose, you obviously don't have to watch every single one of these with your TIT buddy.

Category 1: Dan and Phil Lore - There are a few current videos that can give insight into past&present Dan and Phil lore without having to go super duper in-depth with her about everything.

Dan and Phil React to Every Phil is not on fire! #1 - I feel like anyone whos seeing TIT should be aware of Pinof lore but maybe thats just me because...I mean look at my username. I think watching PINOF react #1 is good enough because its the core trilogy and explains their origins well

Are Dan and Phil Connected? - I'd describe this video as taking a ton of shots of Dan and Phil lore rapidly at once, though she wouldn't understand everything she could at least begin to know stuff!

Both Pizza Mukbangs!! Here is mukbang 1 & here is mukbang 2. I feel like these two videos really encompass a lot of what Dan and Phil have gone through in the last few years and lay a good foundation of the tour.

Halloween Baking - SLIME AND SADDNESS CINNAMON ROLLS - Dan and Phil baking is a core part of Dan and Phil content and cannot be missed. This one doubles as a fun activity! You can bake and watch Dan and Phil together! Me and my (non phannie) partner did this and it was so much fun.

Any WDAPTEO - Heres a link to the most recent one

One final option in this category would be either of the dnp react to phan twt videos because it would explain the fans more but I don't feel as if this is necessary.

Category 2: Dan vs Phil - I feel like Dan vs Phil really shows a lot about their individual characters and dynamics. I'd start her off with these videos to get her into the world of Dan and Phil a little. Here are the ones I suggest.

Dan vs Phil IS BACK! Switch Sports

Is Dan smarter than Phil?

Dan vs Phil - FALL GUYS!

PARTIAL KITCHEN REVEAL SHUFFLEBOARD SHOWDOWN!

Category 3: Misc - Videos that I could not fill a full category for but I think would still be good.

This game ended our friendship - Bread and Fred - In a similar way that I feel like Dan vs Phil shows their dynamics well, I think it's important to also show the chaos of their team work. This one was one of my favs I rewatched it so much.

Who is the liar? Dan Phil or Pj - Whats a better way to get to know someone than Dan and Phil with one of their good friends? I highly suggest any Dan Phil Pj Soph video!!

GOLF WITH SLITS - Dan and Phil Play: Golf with Friends #9 - An iconic channel series.

Category 4: (some of) ILOVEPINOF's fav comeback videos - These videos were just my personal favorites. Think of this list as kind of "extra things you could watch" because they're all reallly good videos in my opinion.

Dan and Phil's raging Trombones

Trunk Dexting with Pan and Dhil

Dan and Phil Dress Each Other

Forcing Dan to Watch MORE Tiktok Likes

THE BACHELOR PARTY - Dan and Phil play The Sims 4: Season 2 #5

[simplydnp]

genuinely wondering why phil was considered the "ugly one" out of dan and phil. he's so hot? like there was a time where by some fans phil was literally seen as second best always... has that changed completely? i see more phillies than dannies these days which used to be absolutely the other way round if i remember correctly... like maybe it's just due to the fact that the fans grew up and delevoped some brain cells and/or phil having a glow up. what do you think abt this?

caveat: attraction is subjective and this is not a definitive guide as to what counts as hotness, nor is hotness the epitome of existence or something that people 'need' in order to exist, but instead this serves as an exploration into the culture surrounding perception of appearance as it relates to dan and phil, with care to note that 'conventional' beauty standards are highly correlated with white features and are problematic for many reasons but especially the racist aspect. i do not endorse the 'conventional' standard as the only acceptable one, but it would be remiss to ignore the fact that it plays a role in this conversation, especially in 2010s culture.

this is an interesting question for me because i don't Get all the layers of attraction just in general. so much of it makes very little sense, despite how hard i've tried to understand it. and what i've found out is that it's not supposed to make sense, it's something that just is and. well. my brain doesn't like that 😂 i've 'learned' what 'conventional' beauty standards are and thus can somewhat identify 'objectively' attractive people/qualities, but i'm absolutely just three possums in a trenchcoat on good days 🤣 so my best approximation is as follows:

- phil *pulled* back in the day online

- he stopped playing into it as much and because he wasn't exuding it as much, people stopped seeing it

- combine this with the less traditionally masculine energy he conveyed, alongside moving moreso away from the fully 'emo' look

- i think his fashion sense/choices played into this as well, came across very much like 'guy in tshirt' --which is fine, but unless your features really meet societal beauty standards at the time, it's not 'selling' you in the 'hot' department

- as well, contrasted with dan who had more of the 'societal beauty standard' look, people were less likely to see him in that role, especially because he seemed quite happy not being there (i'd argue some of it was a confidence thing too, especially on a day to day--the outfits video in gamingmas kind of confirmed that for me. he Knew he rocked that plaid suit, cause he did, but i don't think he felt that about his every day attire)

- people love to sort people into boxes and did as much with dnp, especially in making dnp 'opposites' (despite this not actually being true)

- truly think the fringe staying as long as it did didn't help, especially when, self-admittedly, it got a little blocky near the end.

- i think quiff really unlocked something in him. it really suited him, and he felt quite confident about it, as he had every right to. this, combined with a fashion upgrade in him paying a little more attention to it and developing his own personal style, people started to notice. (also dan hyping him up publicly about it made us talk about it more too)

- further style enhancements, more quiff experience led to him experimenting a little more, which let him find things he really liked

- i also think he's learned how to pose better/isnt 'being intentionally awkward' in pictures as much

- his ykw i want a change and idc what you all think attitude in going back to brown, and then into messy--he really Knows he's attractive now and how to dress himself to bring that out (even if he doesnt feel like it all the time)

there has definitely been a shift--i think the fandom has gotten smaller, and a lot of their 'mainstream' audience were dannies back in the heyday bc of the 'societal beauty standards'. so combine many of those people leaving, at a similar timeline to phil figuring his 'look' out, his audience getting older (and the lesbians being Very fond of him), and his consistency in uploading the last few years, i think it all swirls into this current existence where there's a lot of phillies out there and they're loud and proud about it (as they should be), especially cause a lot of them have Always Known but it wasn't the 'popular' take at the time.

i am but a hapless dannie and any phillies who would like to share their two cents/drag me for being wrong pls do so

[possumdnp]

Let’s get some spoiler free posts on the dash! What do you love about dnp? (Be sure to tag #phan #dan and phil for the fandometrics <3)

First, the whole story of how they met. I still can't get over how much like a romantic comedy their whole relationship is. Like, how did these two guys who are so perfect for each (as best friends, husbands, partners, arch-enemies, 4000 year old tortoises, etc.) other manage to find each other?!

I love how sentimental they both are, all of their little traditions together (Fryday!), how they still have that Tonberry plush sitting in the gaming room, how they printed out and framed a photo of their Final Fantasy characters.

I love how they've always made up silly little songs together. I love that even after 15 years, they're best friends who love to have fun and be silly together.

As someone who loves animals, I love that they're so good with animals. That to me has always said so much about them as people. Watching DnP interact with the dogs and cats on their calendar shoots (remember how that pomeranian just fell asleep on Dan because he was so warm?) Dan's little "he-llo there!" that he always does when there's a cute animal in his presence. And just the whole "rescuing Steve the pigeon" video. What other YouTubers do you know who would call around to four different vets during a pandemic then train a wild pigeon to enter a pet carrier just because he had some string wrapped around his foot? (Also from that video, Phil thinking the vet was asking for the pigeon's name, not his, makes me feel so much love for him.)

For me personally, I love that they are comfort at the end of a long day. I know that even if I have a rough day, I can always turn on The Final Google Feud or Incohearant or Trombone Champs and they will instantly make me feel a little bit better. They are such genuinely funny, kind, creative, humble people, and I'm glad they can bring joy to so many people around the world.

I could probably come up with a hundred more things, but I think I'll leave it there! Thanks for asking, anon <3

[yonpote]

no that’s the thing you’re so right ab rpf because like it’s not that people don’t find it weird but it has also a) existed for SO long and b) is actually sometimes socially acceptable depending on who is doing it and about whom. like many old wives tales or stories based on kings of past were all written by people who were far removed from the subjects of their story they just wrote what they believed to be true or interesting ab those people - it wasn’t like hard hitting fact reporting. they’re “stories” for a reason yknow? and i totally get that in the modern age the fact that people can be confronted by rpf is what actually makes people so upset about it - because the degrees of separation are far lesser - but the act itself isn’t more or less strange than it ever was. it’s totally based on like how close the shipping is to the people being shipped. like the question is can their relationship actually be affected by it? even i went through this on a small scale when i was 11 and my best friend’s new guy friends started teasing him about how much time he always spent with me and saying we liked each other and it made us super uncomfortable to the point that we kinda stopped being friends! which sucked! or like when moms want their kids to end up together so they constantly talk about how they’re going to be sisters in law one day when their kids get together and put on that pressure. those circumstances are not okay bc it’s like crossing clear boundaries by trying to tell people directly what their relationship to each other should be. but when it’s like a niche little community that’s (hopefully) minding their business removed from the person they’re making rpf about it’s like entirely a non-issue in my opinion. like the very existence of rps and rpf are kinda natural human inclinations i think. okay rant over lmao sorry i rambled

youre absolutely right! like personally i can't really get into any other rpf because like, it HAS hurt online creators / modern celebs in and it would be foolish to act like it doesn't have that power ykwim? but bc dnp have stated that they're fine with it and have even embraced it on some level, and especially because we all have much better established boundaries (as in both dnp AND we as an audience have set boundaries wrt fan content), and because dnp are actually queer, i do feel a lot better about rpfing them lol. but that's not to say rpfers that don't have explicit consent from creators are evil like dont worry yall i still believe in "rpf is fine!" i think it really is about having the understanding that rpf is meant to be separate from the real people being written about. i mean if you really think about it, it's not like it was all fic writers themselves tweeting at dnp to read their smut. it was people who saw this insane crack fic about dnp having gory bloody sex involving a hamster, and being like "omg this shit is so weird and gross and horrible dan and phil have to see it and react to it." (but that fic is maybe a bad example because it was MEANT to be shocking and horrible and not like. an earnest exploration of a taboo sexual experience or some shit.)

like, rpf's modern reputation is BECAUSE the primary fics that have garnered any attention are the ones that are meant to be shocking and weird and freak people out. and there's exceptions to everything i say and i wasn't involved in 2012-2016 phandom culture so i'm sure there were plenty of people being like hey dnp read my relatively wholesome 20k fluff smut fic that makes references to that video that you want everyone to pretend doesnt exist, but just based on being friends with a lot of people who were involved in the phandom at that time, that definitely was not the case with every or even most fic authora or fanartists.

i mean, one of the reasons dnp became the tag and acronym people used was to separate the community from the phan tag because people knew that dnp were well aware of that tag. and now they know about dnp so it's kind of a moot point, but i think it's important to establish that, while we are better at respecting their boundaries nowadays, THEY also respect OUR boundaries. they don't go diving into tags intentionally unless they are making content about it, and even then it is an opt-in process where WE can send them stuff that we do want them to see! and that's an extremely important part of this audience-creator relationship that we do have this mutual respect of each other, and mutual understanding of bants toward each other (they can mock us for being giddy about them touching, but we can also be like "damn yall are really obsessed with touching each other thats crazy...." and there's, for the most part, an understanding that we're just teasing and being silly like it's cute that they touch and they like being close but we can joke about it)

[antiadvil]

as far as your question in the notes about spn breaking tumblr containment I’d say it’s like pretty average. When I talk about the show people will be like oh yeah I’ve heard of that but people won’t know the actors names or obviously all the shit that we know on here. if anything they will say isn’t that guy from the boys on it. But when I mention I went to see Dan and Phil no one knows what im talking about. I feel like it’s a generational thing tho where spn might have a bigger overlap between online and irl but both still actively do stuff like the dnp tour and spn conventions so the fandom is still alive for both, online and irl. It’s been so weird seeing them interact and it’s nice seeing the destiel phan love lol cause those are my guys and the place i like to be in each community. Its just sad knowing there’s a voice for the bad people, we’re not all like that

see i'm on the other end of media exposure, i had no idea any of the guys from spn were on the boys LMAO

that makes a lot of sense though! like, spn was on a tv network, dan and phil are really just on the internet. sometimes i have to remind myself that i'm the weird one for only going on the internet and literally never even looking at or thinking about tvs. i didn't know that spn is still doing conventions, i think they trend sometimes because of shit misha collins says though so that makes sense. i guess i thought he was just like... saying stuff at other conventions idk.

it really does feel like this poll is some kind of crossover episode, it's already been hectic and it's only been up for a day or so. it'll be... interesting? to see how it all plays out

[phanfictioncatalogue]

Christmas with The Family Masterlist

Blue Eyes and Fairy Lights (ao3) - PoisonWrites

Summary: Dan needs a date to his parents’ Christmas party, and quickly. Who better to accompany him than his introverted, coffee-addled university roommate, Phil Lester? Well, probably anyone, but Dan kind of has no choice.

Christmas at the Lester's (ao3) - troyiesivanie

Summary: Kath finally convinces Phil he should bring Dan up for Christmas, and it ends up being the best Christmas of his life.

Christmas Coming Out (ao3) - FandomFeels17

Summary: He didn't intend to come out to his mum in his future mother in law's kitchen at Christmas... But here he was, doing exactly that.

Christmas with You (ao3) - plinth_of_life

Summary: prompt: Dan and Phil celebrating their first holiday season together.

Dan and Phil spend their first Christmas together as a couple, joining the Howell family for Christmas Eve in Wokingham.

december 14th: bundle up, baby (ao3) - angelmichelangelo

Summary: prompt: dnp taking their little kid for the first time to the iom for christmas

there's nothing more exciting than a child's first christmas

home for christmas (ao3) - danhoweiis

Summary: kath and dan have a chat on christmas day

home for the holidays (ao3) - possumdnp

Summary: Dan and Phil take a moment to themselves while hosting Dan’s family for Christmas.

homecoming (ao3) - moonanonymous

Summary: Dan and Phil are invited to Wokingham for Christmas.

Home is Where the Wifi Connects Automatically - oqua12

Summary: The wifi at Dan's parents' house is utter crap, which is definitely why he's always so miserable when he visits his family for Christmas. Because of the wifi. (Or at least, that's what he chooses to tell himself.)

if you want to be happy (in a million ways) (ao3) - happy_endings15

Summary: “You’re leaving me for an entire week, Phil? What am I supposed to do, just sit around and watch my socks dry?”

“Yes, Dan, you can come too.”

Or, Dan and Phil's first (real) Lester family Christmas.

i'll make this (feel like) home (ao3) - orphan_account

Summary: Dan's never had a safe space to relax and just be truly himself. Maybe the Lesters' little house in the north can be that place for him.

kitchen counter (ao3) - ordanary

Summary: Phil asks Dan to come up north with him for Christmas, some realizations are made in the kitchen, and now Nigel owes Kath twenty pounds.

mama's boy (ao3) - angelmichelangelo

Summary: when phil said kath had put up that shout poster in his bedroom when he came home for christmas :3

no matter how old phil gets, he's still babied by his mum

maybe they're seeing something we don't, darling (ao3) - phantasizeit

Summary: When Phil invites Dan to the Lester family Christmas, Kath can only assume that they’ve have finally gotten together. Dan and Phil don’t realize Kath’s misunderstanding until it’s a little too late. But, how hard can it be to fake a relationship between them? (AKA: The fic where Dan and Phil are already dating, but have to be put in a fake relationship situation to realize it. Also, they do fluffy Christmas things with the Lesters.)

Merry and Bright (ao3) - ahappyphil

Summary: Dan and Phil host their first Christmas

Santa Buddy (ao3) - philsbignaturals

Summary: In which the boys host joint family Christmas in their forever home

Based on the Michael Bublé Santa Baby cover

through the years, we all will be together (ao3) - possumdnp

Summary: Martyn comes home for Christmas in 2009 and finally meets Dan, that guy his brother won’t shut up about. Ten years later, and it’s like Dan’s always been a part of the family.

Two of Martyn’s family Christmas celebrations, a decade apart.

What We Are to Each Other (ao3) - orphan_account

Summary: So maybe they both suck at communication. Maybe Dan needs to talk to Phil about what they are to each other. And maybe Phil needs to sit his parents down and tell them that big, slightly scary thing about himself. But maybe it'll all work itself out, one way or another.

[acefruit]

You are Not Sleeping on The Goddamn Floor 1/2

Rating: Mature

Archive Warning: tw mild smut (no sex)

Relationships: Dan Howell/Phil Lester

word count: 4,156

part two

AO3 link

tags below

Summary:

Dan and Phil's 2009 meeting reimagined. Dan is curious, they talk sexuality. Mild smut ensues.

Notes:

Okay. This is fucking embarrassing. Instead of studying for my state exam, I've made this. First fanfic I have written since my 1D times. Because it's dnp and mild smut, I feel like I'm committing a crime lol :(. If this finds some readers, I can write a second part. I'm gross. Enjoy -- (Beaware, English is not my first language)

Tags: 2009 Dan Howell, 2009 Phil Lester, First Kiss, Mild Smut, Kissing, Coming In Pants, Coming Out, Grinding, Awkward First Times, Virgin Dan Howell, Virgin Phil Lester, Virginity, Dan has a crush on Phil

---

Phil Lester / @AmazingPhil

:D @danisnotonfire gets here tomorrow 3:25 PM / 18 Oct 09

---

Dan would be lying if he tried to argue that he hadn’t imagined this exact moment playing out in his head over and over again since he and Phil started talking just a few months ago. A proper opportunity hadn’t presented itself until now; countless Skype conversations late into the night and thousands of exchanged Twitter messages later, Phil’s family had gone somewhere up North for a vacation and Dan was taking a gap year before starting his first semester in Manchester. With a free house for three whole days, the stars lined out for them just perfectly, presenting a chance to meet for the very first time.

He couldn’t help but feel his own heart fluttering when he disembarked the train in Manchester, looking for a lanky man with a similar build and a haircut to his own. Confused in a large city he had never been to before, Dan gave the appearance of a tourist with his large backpack and a tired expression only a person who had spent the last four hours on a train would have. For a moment he contemplated attempting to dig his phone out of the depths of his backpack and text Phil since he had hastily thrown it inside when he realised that it was his time to disembark.

Although he had planned out this moment to a tee, in the end, the two of them were tall, socially anxious guys who spent more time on the internet than they would likely admit, and neither knew how to handle these situations. On his way to Manchester, Dan carefully tailored a plan on how to approach Phil when meeting him for the first time, as if he were approaching a delicate creature, that could escape with one wrong move.

Nonetheless, he changed this plan at least three times on his way: first, he settled on shaking Phil’s hand, since hugging him could be seen as too much, and he didn’t exactly know the current state of Phil’s physical boundaries. For sure, not everybody is okay with hugs, especially on the first meeting. However, the more he reflected on this plan the less he seemed to like it; Why do people of similar age shake their hands anyway? Although Phil was four years older, this could make things more awkward, for sure. Dan reflected on one of the many long nights that they had spent talking on Skype well until dawn, with Phil already tucked in the bed with his laptop on the side, rubbing his tired eyes. “I am a cuddly person,” said he, but Dan couldn’t exactly recall the context of that conversation. Although this could have been the result of Phil’s tiredness or some sleepy delirious state that he had entered, at that moment, Dan’s eyes still twinkled with hope and excitement.

Okay, when he finds him, he will go for a hug. But maybe not a full hug, he will give him one of those half-hearted bro hugs with one of his arms just to play it safe, and…

His mind started racing. That was, until he felt a light tap on his shoulder, and he turned around.

“Hi, Dan,” smiled Phil. “Hey, our shirts are matching!”

Dan knew, that in this exact moment, his plans flew out of the window. Phil’s presence was radiant, and Dan couldn’t believe his eyes that he was actually there, right here, right now. Now, what was the plan? His mind was foggy; he wasn’t sure if it was the overstimulation from all the noises and crowdedness of a busy train station, Phil’s presence, his blue eyes, or a mixture of everything. Before Dan could decide on what his next move would be in this bewildered state, Phil had already opened his arms for Dan to step in and he found himself doing exactly that. When he felt Phil's arms wrap tightly around him, he immediately relaxed, resting his chin on Phil’s shoulder, reciprocating this short, but firm bear hug. For the first time in his life, since he was a small child, Dan felt safe.

“Hi,” he said softly, feeling a smile that began to form on his lips.

---

The two of them spent that October afternoon in Manchester in each other’s presence, and Dan couldn’t help but wonder how it all felt so natural. Although this was the first time that they saw each other face-to-face, the two young men carried on as if they had known each other for ages. They got drinks at a local Starbucks and visited the Manchester Ferris wheel in Piccadilly Gardens, took selfies in a nearby Apple Store, and ended their day at the top of Cloud 23 Hilton sky bar.

“I’ve planned out so much more,” said Phil in excitement on their bus ride home to his hometown, which was not far away from Manchester. The sun had begun to set, and the two sat next to each other in a comfortable silence, watching the countryside as they passed by.

---

After Phil gave Dan a house tour, they crashed at his bedroom, which Dan knew only from his computer so far. Although a little bit messy, it still resembled Phil. However, there was something new that he didn’t recognize. There, on the floor, laid a worn-down mattress with an extra duvet.

“Oh. Brought a mattress?” Dan said, pointing at it.

“Yup,” Phil nodded, putting Dan’s backpack on the ground, which he had carried up the stairs for him. “Don’t worry, you will get the bed.”

“Phil,” Dan said. “That looks like a piece of cardboard. You can’t be serious.”

“Oh c’mon.” He waved his hand. “It’s perfectly fine. Besides, I prefer harder surfaces anyway.”

“It’s literally a piece of cardboard.”

“Hey,” Phil said, maybe a little bit offended. “Let’s watch a movie. Shall we?”

He couldn’t help but roll his eyes. After both proceeded to change into comfier clothes, Dan hopped on the bed and rolled on his stomach, while Phil sat behind his desk and turned on his laptop.

“Besides,” Phil murmured after a while, typing into the keyboard. “I changed the bedsheets if that’s what’s worrying you. So, it’s safe for you to sleep in it.” He gave him a cheeky wink.

Dan ever so slightly turned his head to the side, in an attempt to inconspicuously inhale the scent of freshly washed sheets. For some strange reason, Dan’s heart sank just a tiny bit, when he found no trace of Phil’s smell. Instead, there was nothing but the perfumed aroma of a fabric softener. Not like he could point a finger at how Phil smelled anyway; he was pretty sure that the closest thing to a fragrance that Phil ever used was a shampoo and a body spray. But to Dan, it was more than that, and it was oddly comforting. They hadn’t even spent a whole day together and yet; Dan felt like he was already obsessed with Phil’s scent. It felt like home.

“You know what,” Dan said instead, supporting his chin with one hand. His fingers traced the fabric. “At least I can tell everyone that I slept in Phil Lester’s bed.”

“Very funny,” Phil gave him a look, then turned back on his chair. “Hey, what about Kill Bill?”

“Hmm, no, this is more fun,” Dan murmured, his lips forming a tight smile. “I bet that you washed them so I couldn’t find any evidence of some unholy activities that took place in this bed.”

Dan could feel Phil’s penetrating stare.

“Unholy?” he asked in surprise. Dan couldn’t help but laugh.

He grew nervous at his sudden boldness. However, at the same time, he was so intrigued that he just had to pursue further. “That’s right. I bet you bring all sorts of dates in here.” Phil gave this sentiment a minute to think. Then he stood up and laid next to Dan, putting his laptop aside.

“Hmm… No, not to this bed, at least.”

“Oh.” His eyes grew wide, a strange feeling pooling at the bottom of his stomach. Is he taken? Phil didn’t appear to be particularly uncomfortable with this conversation, just lost in his thoughts. In the end, over Skype, they used to discuss all sorts of topics, but Phil always omitted his relationships, if he even had any.

“So… you hooked up with people before?” Dan raised an eyebrow, curiosity taking the best of him. This is okay, right? Guys always discuss their sexapades with other guys. Well, Dan had no idea, since the number of guy friends he had ever had just recently increased from zero to one, and that guy friend was lying next to him right now, in this bed. Now, Dan had his reasons why he decided not to address any of Phil’s potential partners by their gender.

He seemed to be thinking again, but his gaze shifted to the side as if already done with this conversation. “A few times.”

“A few times? Phil, you animal,” he teased.

“Dan.” Phil seemed embarrassed. So, so embarrassed, and Dan found it cute. He grabbed a pillow and buried his face in it, turning to his side. In this motion, he unintentionally cuddled up to Dan, as he bumped into his shoulder with his forehead. Dan felt shivers run down his spine.

Still in this state of shyness, Phil babbled into the pillow: “Enough about me. How is your girlfriend?”

Oh. Well, Dan for sure didn’t want the conversation to head in this direction. He turned around, now staring at the ceiling.

“To tell you the truth,” Dan scratched his head, “she dumped me over a text. Dunno why. It was out of the blue. Said it was ‘a her problem’, not me.”

Now, that was not exactly the truth – he knew damn well why. But he was not ready to discuss this with Phil, not yet at least. As he slowly put the pillow away, he met with Phil’s piercing gaze. His expression could be described only as being in a state of surprise. Phil pushed himself up on his elbow, looking directly at him, voice serious.

“Dan, I had no idea,” he said, sensing genuine hurt in his tone. Dan’s heart quivered. “I’m really sorry. Are you okay?”

Oh, fuck, Dan thought in his head. Phil appeared to be more upset than he was. He immediately turned to face him in the bed.

“Oh, no, no,” he said, apologetically, waving his hand. He gave Phil a reassuring smile. “I wasn’t in love, Phil. It’s okay.” It was hardly a relationship, he thought. If awkward teeth bumping in the back of her car on two or three different occasions even counts as a relationship.

“When did it happen?” Phil appeared to be still concerned, but partly relieved, his head falling back.

“Er.” Dan didn’t really feel like discussing his not-really-breakup with a girl who was not-really-his-girlfriend in the first place. Not because it made him upset or anything. Yes, it bummed him when he first received the text, but the reasoning was different; she was quite cool and with a great taste in music too, and Dan enjoyed talking to her sometimes. Not making out though. Or dating. Besides, except for Phil, he had nobody else to talk to. He caught himself gaping at Phil’s lips, causing him to lose himself in his thoughts.

“A week ago?” he gave a rough guess.

“Damn,” was what he said. “Bummer.”

Then, complete silence surrounded them, and for a moment, Dan forgot how to breathe, partly relieved that the girlfriend talk was over. This was different from those comfortable silences that they had experienced before since he felt out of place by having Phil so close to his body. I need to ask; I need to ask. But how do I ask him such a question without being weird?

Dan’s own heart sped up when he gathered enough courage. Now Phil’s eyes were closed, but he didn’t appear to be sleeping, either. Their foreheads were nearly touching.

“Um. Can I ask you something?” he said softly, just to be extra sure that he hadn’t fallen asleep. They were surrounded by complete darkness, the only light source coming from Phil’s laptop. He tightly grabbed the blanket spread out between them, taking a deep breath. By the way, do you happen to be gay? Hey, Phillip! By any chance, do you fancy guys? If yes, fine with me. If not, no worries, just asking. Forget it.

“Hm?” Phil hummed, keeping his eyes closed. He chuckled but it didn’t sound genuine at all. “Wanna ask me if I’m gay or something?”

Dan froze, not moving an inch. He felt his cheeks starting to burn. Maybe his heart skipped a beat, too.

After some silence, Phil sighed, and nearly whispered, his voice broken: “Dan…”

He started to panic.

“Phil. Please look at me,” he pleaded, shuffling closer.

Phil hesitantly did so.

“I don’t mind if you are. I also don’t mind if you are not. You are the only best friend I’ve ever had.”

“I was so scared, Dan,” he whispered into the pillow. “I was scared that you wouldn’t talk to me anymore if you knew…”

He is, the realization hit him.

“Oh, Phil,” Dan sighed. “Why would you think that?”

Phil hesitated again. “Not a lot of straight guys would want to hang out with a gay guy.”

His heart immediately sank. He pressed their foreheads together and closed his eyes.

“Nothing would make me stop talking to you. Ever.”

Phil seemed to relax after this. He smiled softly.

“I’m so glad,” he whispered.

But something still bothered Dan. He was glad that they were covered mostly by darkness.

“Sometimes, I just wonder…,” he swallowed, not sure if he should continue. “How it… feels like.”

“What do you mean, exactly?” Phil whispered.

Dan didn’t respond and bit his lip. Silence surrounded them yet again, interrupted only by their heavy breathing. Without thinking, Dan slowly raised his shaking hands to Phil’s cheeks and cupped them. They were burning just like his.

He might as well go insane. When he felt Phil’s hot breath on his lips, he slowly parted them, finally whispering the question.

“Can I…just…?” Dan asked with a quivering voice.

Phil swallowed heavily and nodded.

Dan didn’t hesitate. Still holding Phil’s burning cheeks, he closed the small distance that separated them.

When Dan connected their lips for the first time, Phil didn’t move an inch, keeping his eyes open in a complete state of shock, like a deer caught in the headlights. Hell, he might have stopped breathing at this point. Dan played with his slack, slightly parted lips, as Phil laid there completely still, placing a butterfly kiss on his top lip first, then the bottom. As his lips explored and toyed with something that he had never experienced before, Dan’s fingers traced Phil’s cheekbone until he reached a loose strand of his black hair, gently tucking it behind his ear. Grabbing the back of his head, Dan pressed their lips together into one, firm kiss. He felt Phil sigh in relief, eyes closing as he slowly melted into the touch. For a minute, they stayed like this, trapped in their own little world, here, on Phil’s bed. Dan felt dizzy, his head spinning. I’m in a dream, he thought. This was so much different from any sort of kiss that he had experienced with his not-so-girlfriend. She tasted like cherry lip gloss, but Phil, Phil. Phil was so delicate and tasted like heaven.

Noticing Phil’s still apparent stiffness as he only reciprocated the soft kisses he had been given, Dan separated their lips with a wet sound.

“Phil,” he whispered, stroking his cheek with a thumb. Phil looked at him with glossy eyes, both arms tucked by his side, bewildered, not knowing what to do. “You can touch me, too.”

But Phil still didn’t move, as if afraid that Dan might somehow fall apart if he touched him just ever so slightly. Dan figured that the best thing he could do at this moment was to guide him, so he slowly reached for his wrist, gently placing it on the small of his back. He felt Phil’s fingers digging into the fabric of his t-shirt as if gathering the courage that he needed. When Dan least expected it, Phil snuck his entire arm around Dan, pulling him as close as one could be in one, swift move, not leaving an inch of space between their burning bodies. This time, Phil brought his lips to Dan’s. The kiss deepened. Dan pulled on Phil’s bottom lip as if to ask for permission. His lips parted in response, sticking the tip of his tongue out, and Dan eagerly licked into his hot mouth, sighing in bliss. Feeling Phil’s arms wrapping tightly around him on each side, he flipped Dan on top of his body, separating the kiss only for a second. In complete surprise, Dan kicked Phil’s laptop off the bed.

“Shit!” Dan swore, breaking the embrace. Phil’s laptop landed on the mattress.

“Fuck, Dan,” Phil moaned, not caring one bit. “You are so good at this.”

Dan didn’t answer, and knowing that Phil’s laptop was likely fine, he eagerly connected their lips once again. Now having Dan on top, Phil’s grip on him only strengthened. Ensured that Dan was enjoying this as much as he was, his hands slowly slid down his back and cupped his bum with both hands. He squeezed, hard.

Dan couldn’t help but grunt into the kiss, and it was the sweetest sound that Phil had ever heard. He would do anything just to make him moan more. He firmly squeezed his bum again, grinding into him. Instead, Dan separated the kiss and pressed his head in the crook of Phil’s neck. Dan’s breathing got hot and heavy, and his body suddenly went limp in Phil’s arms. He was seeing stars.

“Phil,” he moaned again, his name never sounding more beautiful. He pressed their foreheads together. “Phil.”

“Dan,” he said, as to reassure him that he was still there with him. He grabbed his cheeks, feeling the sticky cold sweat that began to form on his skin. After a few seconds of being fixed in this position, Dan seemed to calm down.

“I need to,” he said, as if still trying to catch his breath, “I need to take a shower.”

“Okay, okay,” Phil babbled. “Let’s get you there.”

Dan got off him, ignoring the wobbliness of his legs, and helped him stand up by grabbing his hand. Never letting go, Phil first blindly searched for any source of light, preferably a lamp, knocking some books from his bedside table in the process. When he successfully turned the light on, he followed his lead, until Dan made a sharp turn in the hallway.

“Wha-?”

Phil felt the sudden coldness of a wall that he found himself pinned at, interrupted by yet another passionate kiss and a hot body flushed against his. When Dan let go, he looked him in the eyes.

“Phil, I think I’m going mad,” Dan panted. It was true; now that he knew what he tasted like, he couldn’t stop. Phil released the most beautiful heartwarming laugh ever and brought Dan’s lips to his once again. They found themselves to be gradually sliding down the wall where Phil was pressed, until he couldn’t stand it anymore and ended up pinning Dan down to the floor, kissing him right there and there. They couldn’t even make it to the next room.

“Dan!” Phil gasped as if he had just remembered something important, forming a string of saliva between them. “I need to tell you something.”

“What is it?” he looked up at him with glossy eyes.

“I was lying when I told you I hooked up with people before. I haven’t hooked up with anyone. I made out with a guy once at a party because it was a bet, and then immediately after that he brushed his teeth and made me brush mine too.”

A bubbly laugh escaped his lips, raising an eyebrow. “Is that so?”

He nodded softly. Dan reached for his hand and intertwined their fingers together. He put their hands on top of his chest.

“If that is the case,” he said, stroking his hand with a thumb. “I haven’t done anything with my ex-girlfriend either. Hell, she was not even a real girlfriend in the first place. Tried to pat me through the jeans once. Didn’t work out. If you know what I mean…”

“Yeah,” Phil smiled, bringing his lips close to Dan’s ear. “Now, where were we?”

Locking Dan’s hips by his knees, he made a trail of kisses down his neck.

“Phil,” he moaned again in desperation.

Phil’s lips lingered softly over Dan’s parted lips. “God, you are so hot.”

Then, he lowered himself down to suck at Dan’s collarbone. By the time he figured that he had decorated Dan’s skin with a pretty bruise, he felt a firm grasp on both of his shoulders. Dan gasped, and when he looked down at him again, his gaze was hazy.

“Phil,” he purred. “The shower…”

Somehow, just now it clicked in Phil’s head.

“Dan… Did you come?” he teased.

Dan, totally defeated at this point, covered his face, growing red as a tomato.

“Twice…now,” he moaned in despair. Death would be more merciful than this.

Phil giggled at Dan’s embarrassment. Then, he offered him his helping hand to get him back on his legs. He led him to the bathroom and gave him a fresh towel to use. Now leaning onto the doorway, he watched as Dan took off his sweaty t-shirt and threw it on the ground. When he noticed Phil’s hungry eyes, he giggled and walked towards him. Dan placed a kiss on his jawline first, and when Phil closed his eyes and yet again leaned in to capture Dan’s lips in his own, he stopped him by putting his hands on his chest, showing him back in the hallway. Then, he closed the door in Phil’s face, laughing.

What a tease.

“Unfair,” complained Phil behind the door, to his amusement.

Dan stepped out of his messy boxers and turned the shower on. For good fifteen minutes or so, he stood there under hot water with his forehead resting on the wall, contemplating whether he should rub one out or not. In the end, he decided not to and turned the temperature from boiling to freezing.

When he was done, he put his pyjama pants back on and joined Phil in the bedroom. He was sitting on the bed, also shirtless, listening to music on his phone. When he noticed Dan’s presence, he pulled his headphones out and smiled.

Dan’s cheeks warmed up, pointing to the wet curls that begun to form around his face. “My hair does that. I need to straighten it in the morning.”

“I like it,” Phil said. “It suits you.”

Still red, he stood there, not really knowing what to do next. He made a step towards his backpack and disposed of his dirty underwear somewhere. Phil’s gaze on him was undeniable, as he shuffled in his direction on the bed. Dan made another hesitant step forward.

Phil reached out his hand, opening his palm.

“Dan,” he whispered. “Come here.”

So, he did. He immediately climbed on Phil’s lap and embraced him, hard.

“You smell amazing,” Dan said to the crook of Phil’s neck, growing hot and bothered. The cold shower was completely useless, as Dan felt himself growing hard again.

“Is that so?” he asked softly, stroking his messy wet curls.

“Mmm,” he purred into his naked skin. “Phil. I need to get off of you unless you want me to dry hump you the whole night.”

Phil giggled in response. “Yeah? What if I do?”

Dan pressed his lips to Phil’s cheek, as his heartbeat sped up rapidly. He fought with every ounce in his body to not pin Phil to the bed again.

Phil leaned into the touch, closing his eyes. His hands began wandering, sliding down his back and eventually cupping Dan’s bum again.

Alarm bells started ringing in Dan’s ears.

“I’m sleepy,” he babbled, panicking. He was, in fact, not sleepy. “Let’s go to sleep.”

And just like that, he was gone from Phil’s lap. Dan slipped under the duvet on that godforsaken mattress. It was as comfortable as a pile of rocks.

“Dan!” Phil looked at him from the bed. “Come up here. I’m not letting you sleep on the floor.”

“I’m a guest in this house and it is my wish to sleep here,” he said stubbornly, his entire head covered by the duvet. “Goodnight, Phil.”

Phil smirked, reaching out to turn the light off. “Goodnight, Dan. Sleep well.”

[lesbianphan]

i’m so sorry this always happens to you guys :// i live in a place they always come to (although i’ve never been to a tour) but i can’t imagine how much it hurts to really want to go and not be able to at all! i love this community and obviously dnp do a lot of good but it’s really times like this when we have to reckon with the fact that they are ultimately a business and the true goal of these tours isn’t just to have fun and see fans but to make money :// it’s so clear that doing anything that hasn’t been previously established is considered too much of a “hassle” to even attempt to figure out financially. i’ve seen people trying to say this is just because they’ve always had bad management and don’t get me wrong they do have bad management but at the end of the day dnp are big enough deals that if they made a fuss about wanting to get to other places it could probably happen. just know more of us care about this than you think ♥️

yeah, it sucks that we all know that they COULD, but prefer not to. I guess we're no worth the effort. Very sad honestly, but even sadder is the reaction from the community, time and time again acting like we're entitled for wanting basically the same everyone else gets or at least an explanation. While everyone else is happy and having fun, we're all feeling like shit.

Thank you for caring <3 I do know some people do, idk if it's the majority. But some people do care!

[quite-right-too]

Fic Update (PLEASE READ)

Hey guys, this is going to be kinda long and rambled so I'll put it under a cut. I would really like if you read through it for a bit of a life update. Also you can meet one of my dogs.

I am still working on Dona Nobis Pacem, I promise you that. However, some things have been progressing in my life that has DNP on the back burner.

I have a pack of dogs, as I am a working dog handler/hobby dog trainer and have worked in the veterinary industry a bit due to this. One of my personal dogs, Brekker, has developed a leg issue. This is going to kind of go deep into it and the veterinary issues if anyone is interest. If not, feel free to skip over it.

In early September, Brekker landing weird during disc comp practice and injured his back right leg. He wouldn't put any weight on it, but being a Belgian Malinois, he doesn't really show pain so it was hard to gauge the severity of it. I ended and brought him home, making sure to give him some carprofen and watched any further issues.

After about three days, I made a vet appointment. Physical exam came back inconclusive so we continued to monitor and planned to take x-rays after the weekend if it still didn't get better. Our fear was a possible ACL/CCL tear due to him landing, or an issue with his hip. We ended up running the x-rays (since we had planned on getting them done anyways) and found nothing abnormal in the hips/knees.

I made a follow up appointment when his hock joint began swelling and becoming more tender. That's when we found a bone lesion in his hock joint. Every dog owner's worst fear came to light: cancer. Not just any cancer, but an extremely aggressive, usually fatal cancer called osteosarcoma. However, this was odd placement and we wanted to keep running tests.

The problem with osteosarcoma is it's very aggressive. Once you find it, you usually have about six months left without treatment. It metastasizes very quickly in the lungs and there's nothing that can be done. There are currently vaccine trials being conducted alongside chemotherapy patients that are showing some good results, so I immediately reached out to them.

From there, we did a bone biopsy to rule out tumorous tissue because we still had another option. A rare fungal or bacterial infection called osteomyelitis, caused when a bone fractures and gets infected. This usually leads to septic joints and bone lesions that look like osteosarcomas, but are in a different location. While the biopsy came back negative on tumor cells, it was still inconclusive with the infectious results. We also did a bone tap with was inconclusive due to contamination with a blood vessel.

Now that I am $7k in the hole with him, I'm moving to an orthopedic and surgical specialist team that will be rerunning all these tests (and I will have to continue paying for) to see if we can get a positive for the infection. Then we treat with steroids and antibiotics/antifungals.

We still have more tests top run (like a blasto urine EIA to overrule the blood fungal panel) and more meds to add on so we're a bit stressed over here.

Anyways, thank you for reading through the ramble. I am working bit by bit to get chapter six out for you guys. Here is a picture of Mr. Brekker so you can see the baby we are working hard to treat.

[the-gayest-tree-you-ever-did-see]

yesss the fact that it's a YouTube production and not dinof lowers my expectations by loads

mhm exactly, again, as someone who knows jack shit about it, im not one to talk, but based on what i do know, my levels of disappointment and expectation are exactly equal, so im gonna be going into it with completely open and empty mind, and maybe we'll get some dinofs afterwards

[whiskered]

.

[feelingofcontent]

DNP Rewatch: Coming Out To You

Date video was published: 06/30/2019 (X)

DNP Main Channel Rewatch: 398

And Phil! Dropping this on the very last day of pride month with no warning. It was such a surprise at the time for Phil to make this video; the general thought was that the most Phil would likely ever talk about his sexuality would be this tweet in response to Dan’s video. And now he’s so open about it!

0:01 - starting off with the running vase gag and “low-key,” just like he said he would in that tweet

0:08 - I love this opening so much. also if you didn’t know Phil dyed his hair by this point...how

0:18 - dropping that more casually than the dyed hair thing, which I’m sure was the point

0:22 - and the fireworks effect too. he’s incorporating all his usual things

0:29 - god I love Phil so much. I wonder when he thought of this bit. King of comedy. (And I wonder when he decided he was going to make a coming out video in general...if he had planned it earlier while Dan was also planning his, or if he just decided to after Dan posted his video.)

0:49 - the “just feel like you’re not alone” point...he cares about his audience so much

0:58 - Phil laughing at himself a bit in the intro to this

1:13 - the record scratch noise is perfect there! also, the contrast of this to Dan’s story about realizing he liked a guy for the first time...Phil is a very visual person

1:22 - oh Phil

1:29 - and air-quotes! they are never the same twice

1:33 - the “spoiler alert...I did not” is great

1:41 - this is so unscripted and so Phil’s usual style, which I’m so glad he chose to stick with even for this

1:54 - whoever commented that Phil has Captain Holt energy...yes

2:21 - the feeling of missing out and not being able to tell anyone at the same time

2:31 - which he had used as brief stories for videos in the past...without this context of course

2:58 - the editing sound effects throughout this video are great 😂

3:29 - being able to get away from your hometown can definitely be so important

3:54 - I’m so glad that Phil had that safe space

4:04 - lol I’m pretty sure that didn’t even exist at the time. but also aww at that for Phil...not lame just nice 🥺

4:20 - I can’t imagine the dread of realizing what had just happened in that situation

4:49 - Phil picks good friends it seems

4:56 - the *cough* there. 😳 I think I don’t want to know what Phil’s parents might have walked in on

5:08 - I remember being surprised during the first watch of this that Phil had come out to so many people over the years

5:23 - kind of goes along with Dan’s “time changes everything” point

5:55 - more important points from Phil

6:05 - I kind of want more stories from Phil about ways he has had to slide that into various conversations over the years

6:39 - and there’s a bit of boundary drawing from Phil, though he did start talking about some more personal topics in the lead up to and after coming out

7:01 - “I’m gay, it’s great, I’m happy” is probably my favorite bit of this video

7:27 - and the “I think the future is bright" and this whole positive encouraging ending

I love Phil so much. This video is so casual and so very him, but so important. Also the thumbnail with the arrow pointing at him that just says “GAY” is perfect. And the public support from Dan, just like Phil supported Dan’s video. Also the photo he shared the next day is beautiful and still one of my favorite photos of him.

[lispectore]

well shit I was going to keep some thoughts to myself but anon fully reactivated my fight or flight with the larry mention I was an old 1d fan and I was really fond of their dynamic and whatever it was or wasn't back then doesn't matter at the end of the day but the extent fans went to analyze every last thing they can find or hear on a screen, comb through private information, being too emotionally attached to the thought of them being together /srs to the point it wasn't healthy and just make them uncomfortable in public eye by going too far was one of the things that drove me away from being in the fandom itself

praying now that dnf dating enthusiasts are more active and honest about their thoughts that the worst thing that will happen is that dnf tshirt gal because I would be lying if where I've came from has me spooked because there is having eyes and whatever the hell that was

fun zee lore fact for u guys i used to have a very famous solo zayn tumblr blog back in 2013

anyways i'm a larry hater gen srs

but i think the situations are completely different even when we compare dnf to dnp or other famous ships that were popular back in 2013-2016 because we're living in another "era", so those things, although some people may be weird, they're going to be instantly shun from the fandom. thats why i think privtwt is so famous because people know that there are boundaries and if u break them people are not going to give u likes like how it happens on tiktok with larry weirdos, you're 100% getting called an idiot or a freak.

[deadandphilgames]

Cani scream at u a sec? Imma scream bout my dnp dream, so they were doin another tour and Dan asked for questions and there was this awkward ducking silence was only one person wanted to ask a question so I meant forward and said ‘frogs’ + he was like ‘frogs. That’s all u have to say. Frogs,. + I was like ‘yes sir. frogs.’ + he was like well no one wants to talk to me but that’s fine cause philanazings here! Phil save me, save me, sAVE ME IDIOT and Phil was trying but like the back of the stage wouldn’t raise to come up then finally he got it up and it skipped to the interval and dnp were just killing and some peeps were chatting to them )even my friends who don’t like dnp??! And I saw then n was like ‘imma dip, that’s terrifying’ n everyone was like no go talk to them you’ll regret it forever if u don’t which, TRUE but I got scared n his in the toilets cause I saw my friend going to bring them to me and I heard them come in just as interval ending to say hi and my friend was like she’s not,,, ready? N they were like ok that’s fine I’ll wait which like???? I guess now I have something to say to u I can apologise for holding up the WHOLE DAME SHOW I GUESS but my brain cut out the meeting, guess it knows I’m Too Anxious for that n it was the second half and they came on whil lil has x? Or some rapper who looks like lil nas x? N he was like yay Dan vs Phil and someone in a hat was like screaming next to me like omg I love u!!! N lil nas was like ‘ooh who will win?’ N hat guy was like ‘u baby ur better than both of them!!!!’ N then I woke up breathing v heavily from nearly having my first ever panic attack in a dream from meeting the two nicest people on earth?? Asfdhjkl anyways just wanted to scream sorry this is so long I woke up at half 4 and sent this thank his for autocorrect I guess also o hope it was u who was talking about dnp dreams the other day and not some other nerd oh well guess we’ll find out

god i can really tell you wrote this at 4:30am while half asleep ajshkdkjdshaa. sounds like a chaotic dream, sorry about your almost panic attack

[dreamhot]

DNF needs more of the Mavin treatment LMAO like everyone laughs about it and loves their friendship and jokes about the shipping, but no one ACTUALLY thinks they are together.

...Though I do recall very early AH there was slightly more "what ifs" but they quickly went away. Granted, them having significant others probably helped end uhh I guess "mavin truthers" (that's so weird to say) but still, in general it was mostly kept to their character persona's in au's.

I just can't for the life of me remember any sort of in depth deep analysis posts about their maybe secret relationship lmao I feel like of all the RP fandoms I've seen, RTAH had some of the most respectful rpf shippers, ones that really listened and followed RTAH's boundaries when it came to that sort of stuff

okay this is an interesting comparison to draw, actually, largely because 1) i wasn't part of the dnp phenomenon so i can't speak to how that played out in the fandom & this is a much more familiar example to me, and 2) it was another situation where the creators were very aware of what the fandom was doing

by the time i was made aware of ragehappy (throwback to THAT catchall term), people were def v good about respecting boundaries. i recall there being lists dedicated to outlining who was comfortable with what & reiterating specific rules of common sense (like leaving millie out of fic). i don't think i ever saw people being invasive... aside from like. your occasional weirdos on twt or whatever. but for the most part people were respectful

maybe part of it came from michael being in an established relationship from day 1? like lindsay was clearly never a secret so there was a much lower chance of folks being like 'omg two single guys ... could they be dating ...' obv actual relationships don't stop ALL ship content or truthing (looking @ u mcu fandom), but it'll def put a damper on some people

also, iconic moment when michael found the blog that catalogued mavin moments from videos & sent them an ask pointing out something they had missed LMAOOOOO