Dream a Little Dream // Daniel Howell x Reader

Chapter 3

You were still having trouble comprehending what was happening as you followed the tall man in front of you. Dan? Yeah, that's what his name was. You followed behind Dan as he directed you towards the tables of food, your muscles slightly tensed as you felt the sudden nervousness radiate off of him. His eyes kept darting back and forth as he looked around at the people in the room, seemily thankful that no one was looking his way. You decided to address him on this, "Hey Dan? Why do you look so troubled?" He inhaled sharply, jumping slightly. He soon relaxed when he realized it was you who had spoken to him.

"Oh, uhh... nothing is wrong really. It's just that-" He brought a hand behind his head, anxiously scratching as he gave a less than confident smile. "-well, I don't know if I'll get in trouble for this. You know, bringing in a random fan to a private after party and all."

Your eyes bulged at his words as you ran closer to him, attempting to hide behind his  towering frame. No, you weren't suddenly acting bashful and shy, you were smart enough to know how much trouble you could get in because of this. Even being with someone who had clearance didn't seem to be enough according to Dan. You rolled your eyes and hissed in annoyance, your words dripping with venomous sarcasm. "Wow, Dan. You sure are great at reassuring people. You should give up that whole Youtube thing and pursue a career as a professional bullshitter..."

He looked down at you, narrowing his eyes, a grin scarcely visible across his lips. "Hmph, that's already my job; Bullshitter Extraordinaire. That, and the living embodiment of a meme. Proud title to own if I do say so myself." He lifted his head high in a confident gesture, his gait becoming quicker. You urged your legs to move faster as you tried to match his speed, eventually coming up beside him; your chin just barely passed his shoulders when you stood side by side.

Eventually the two of you reached one of the tables. Obviously noticing how hesitant you were to take food that was not yours, he gave a sigh as he rolled his eyes playfully. "Go on, take some of the food. No one's even looking" You pursed your lips, slowly grabbing a clean plate from the table. You held it close to your chest as you surveyed the table for the best option to satisfy your hunger. Your eyes lazily drifted from each edible until you locked onto the mini sandwiches a few feet away, all of them cut and displayed with perfect culinary precision. You could feel your mouth beginning to water as you rapidly grabbed a few, keeping the food close as if you were a dragon hoarding gold. You couldn't help but take an experimental nibble, relishing in the delicious flavors that invaded your mouth. So much better than the expensive ass fries.

You could hear someone behind let out a small cough. You whipped around, wide eyed and mouth full of food. Dan stared at you and let out an outrageous laugh, his giggles turning into howls. Was this why his last name was Howell? He couldn't contain his goddamn contagious laughter. You quickly forced the food down your throat, throwing Dan a hostile glare in efforts to mask how embarrassed you were. "Shut up! I told you I haven't eaten anything all day except for those god awful fries! Cut me some slack!" Despite your harsh words, he continued to cackle as he brought a hand down to the table to steady himself. You could feel your face flushing deeper in embarrassment with every breath he took, another chorus of snickers spilling from him.

He waved a hand in front of his face. "S-sorry, sorry! It's just that I can tell you're not one of the typical fans. You're actually acting normal around me." He gave a shaky sigh, taming his fit of giggles before he continued. "How did you wonder in here? I find it hard to believe someone just 'happened' to stumble in the room full of Youtubers. So tell me, how did you manage that?" Even behind his wide smile, you could detect the hint of skepticism coming from him. What, did he think you did this on purpose?

You felt your eyes drop into an unintentional glare at his assumption, your words laced with sudden bitterness. "First of all, I'm not a fan. I don't even know the first thing about the whole Youtube thing. And second-" You took a bite of a sandwich, quickly swallowing it before you continued. "- The only reason I'm here was for my friend Hailey, this was supposed to be her big present before I move away." You felt your chest swell with guilt as you thought about your friend, wondering how long you had been gone for and how she was managing on her own. Another sharp reminder at how you failed at keeping your phone's battery alive long enough to keep in contact.