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It was kind of an open secret that Dan was a bit… well… bitey.
Phil first noticed it when they slept together for the first time. Dan was nervous throughout the whole thing, determined to do a good job but terrified he was going to hurt him. Then afterwards, as they were lying together in the afterglow, he leaned over and bit Phil on the neck.
Phil yelped. He wasn’t expecting it, and it hurt, a bright point of pain that stung and made him cover up the spot with his hand.
“Sorry!” Dan said, looking utterly mortified. “God, sorry! I don’t know why I did that.”
“It’s alright,” Phil said, smiling at him tentatively. “I don’t mind.”
Dan buried his face in the pillow, making an unintelligible noise. His ears were going red.
“It’s okay, really Dan,” Phil said, putting his hand on his back. “It was kind of cute.”
Dan looked up at him with brown boba eyes, looking hopeful. “Really?”
Phil nodded. “Really really. But maybe warn me next time?”
Dan nodded slowly. “Okay.”
Phil forgot about it after a while. He assumed it had just happened in the heat of the moment- that was Dan’s first experience having sex with a person he was in love with, and his first foray into anal sex besides- of course he was going to get a little overwhelmed.
But it kept happening. One day, they were playing video games on the couch, and Phil won. He threw his hands in the air, making happy noises, and Dan leaned over and bit his shoulder.
“Ow!” Phil said, flinching away from him.
Dan curled up into himself, looking like a dog who had just been kicked for peeing on the carpet.
“Sorry,” he whispered, and Phil was so used to him being loud and annoying that it was almost surreal.
“Hey, it’s okay,” he said, with a lopsided smile. “I said it was alright, didn’t I?”
“But I didn’t warn you,” Dan said, playing with a loose thread on the couch. “I’m sorry.”
Phil shrugged. “Well, maybe it happened too quickly for you to warn me.”
Dan nodded slowly, accepting this explanation. He kept glancing at him though, with a look that was half yearning and half embarrassed.
The third time it happened, they were at a party. Lots of YouTubers were there, and it wasn’t really their scene, but it was a good opportunity to network. Dan had drunk too much alcohol, so Phil had taken his glass away, because he knew what happened when Dan got too drunk and it wasn’t suitable for polite company.
A YouTuber approached them as they were arguing about what the best Pokémon was. Phil recognised him from another party he’d been to- where they’d shared an ill-advised kiss under the stairwell. It hadn’t been one of his smarter decisions.
“Hey,” the guy said, all smiles. “Phil right? We’ve met before.”
Dan swayed on his feet, narrowing his eyes at him. He got jealous easily, and it was possibly even worse when he was drunk.
“And who the fuck are you then?” He said, slurring his words.
Phil put a placating hand on his shoulder. “Sorry, let me introduce you. This is Mike- we met at a YouTuber party last year. Mike, this is Dan- my best friend.”
The word “boyfriend” went unspoken, but Phil knew Mike could tell. He wasn’t a bad guy, but from the few hours he’d spent in his company, Phil knew he liked to rile people up.
“Nice to meet you, Dan,” Mike said, still smiling. Then he turned back to Phil, affecting a look of wistful sadness.
“I have to admit, I came here hoping for a repeat of last time,” he said, dragging his eyes from the tips of Phil’s shoes to the crown of his head, “but it seems I’m already too late.”
Dan spluttered, going red. “What the hell do you mean by that-“
“Call me if you change your mind,” Mike said, giving Phil a wink. “I’m always available.”
Then he turned and walked away, sticking his hands in his pockets. Phil face-palmed, because now he was going to have to deal with the fallout.
“That asshole,” Dan said, seething. “How dare he insinuate that-“
But Phil just bumped shoulders with him.
“Let’s get out of here,” he said, with a meaningful look. “I think it’s best to have this conversation at home.”
“Home” was his apartment, but Dan spent so much time there he practically lived there. They took a cab, and Dan kept glancing at him, his eyes full of something deep and dark and dangerous.
When they arrived at his apartment, Phil let Dan in, hanging his coat up on the door. He took his hand, dragging him over to the couch, and made him sit.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Phil said, and he was shit at confrontation usually, but this was his boyfriend. He really really liked him, and he didn’t want this to ruin what they had.
Dan pouted, looking away from him. He was like a sulky dog, and Phil felt so soft towards him suddenly. His Dan.
“He looked at you like you were a piece of meat,” Dan said eventually, his hands clenching in his lap. “And you… you didn’t tell him to fuck off. I thought you might leave me for him.”
Phil laughed, because it was such a ridiculous thought. Dan looked horribly offended though, because he was nineteen and still had the big emotions and overdramatics of a teenager.
“Dan,” Phil said, taking his hand. “Mike and I kissed once. He wasn’t even that good.”
Dan’s face lit up. “Really?”
Phil nodded. “Really really.”
“Am I better then?” Dan said, angling for a compliment. He was so transparent.
“Of course you are,” Phil said brightly. “I trained you, didn’t I?”
Most people would get offended by this, but not Dan. He looked proud, and Phil was glad he let his guard down around him, at least. Home Dan was so different than public Dan, or YouTube Dan- he was like a little puppy, eager to please and all Phil’s.
“Can I bite you?” Dan said, his eyes trained on his neck.
Phil nodded, pulling his collar to the side. It was probably a bad idea, but he could just wear a turtleneck. Besides, he didn’t need to film a video for a couple of days.
Dan fitted his teeth against his neck, as though looking for the best spot. Phil felt his hair tickling his nose, straightened to within an inch of its life. He would never tell Dan, but he preferred his hobbit hair, curly and wild and just for him.
Dan bit down. Phil hissed, because it did hurt- but he also liked it. He was becoming addicted to being Dan’s, and he had to admit that the jealousy thing got him more than a little riled up.
Dan licked the wound afterwards, as if in apology. His fingers curled in Phil’s shirt, like a child seeking comfort. He’d admitted to him before, in the quiet of the bedroom, the lights off, that Phil was his safe space- the first person in a long time who’d looked at him and truly seen him. Maybe these child-like behaviours were because of that- because this was the first time he’d been able to express them with someone safe.
“You okay?” Dan said afterwards, peering up at Phil as if to check he was alright.
Phil nodded. He tightened his arms around Dan, feeling warm and protective.
“I’m okay,” he said, breathing out slowly. “It doesn’t really hurt that much.”
Dan buried his face in his neck, nuzzling gently. It was cute.
“Can I fuck you?” He said, sounding whiny and pathetic, and there it was.
“You’re way too drunk for that,” Phil said, poking him in the side.
Dan grumbled about it, then sighed, because he could listen to reason.
Phil took him to bed and tucked him in, smoothing the blanket across his chest. He reached out, about to turn off the light, but Dan said something that made him pause.
“Can you stay with me?” He said, looking hopeful.
Phil thought about it. It was a bad idea, because Dan was a horny drunk, but Phil was also weak-willed at the best of times.
“I’m not sure that’s the best idea,” he said reluctantly, but Dan held up his hands.
“I’ll be good,” he said, his eyes pleading. “I’ll keep my hands to myself, I promise.”
Phil sighed. Then he lifted up the edge of the blanket, sliding inside.
Dan glomped onto him immediately, tucking his face against his neck. Phil wondered what their subscribers would think, if they knew how cuddly Dan was at home.
“Night,” Dan said, around a yawn, and it seemed he really was going to be good.
“Night,” Phil said, switching off the light.
Years passed. Dan got older- they both did- and he became less bitey overall. Phil wondered if he’d grown out of it, but then he started getting burned out and depressed and he started doing it more and more.
“Why do you like this?” Phil said one day, as they were cuddling on the couch, Dan curled up in his lap. He rarely let himself be so childish these days, but things had changed in the last few months.
Dan unhooked his teeth from his neck, where he’d been creating a nice pattern of bruises. Phil was definitely going to have to wear a turtleneck.
“I dunno,” Dan said, shifting in his lap. “I’ve never really thought about it.”
Phil waited for him to continue, because he could be patient. He’d been spoiled and loved on for the past eight years, and he’d become a horrible, horrible brat, but Dan was feeling vulnerable these days. Phil could wait five seconds.
“I think sometimes it’s because you’re being silly,” Dan said thoughtfully. “I get this… horribly aggressive feeling, like I want to do something violent to you. I don’t actually want to hurt you, but- sometimes I can’t help myself.”
Phil grinned, pleased.
“You’re like someone getting overwhelmed when they see a cute cat,” he said, gloating. “Which means you think I’m cute.”
Dan gave him a painfully deadpan look.
“Wow, what a shocker,” he said, his voice completely flat. “I, a gay man, think my boyfriend of eight years is cute. They should write an article on this.”
Phil poked him in the side in retaliation, then paused, thoughtful.
“So what’s the other reason?” He said, curious. “You said you sometimes bite me because I’m being silly, but what about the other times?”
Dan rolled his eyes, but he went a little pink. Phil didn’t know why- they’d been together so long that there was surely nothing left to be embarrassed about.
“It’s the possessiveness thing again,” Dan mumbled, and they’d talked about this. “I just want you to be mine and no-one else’s, and I want to put marks on you so other people back the fuck off.”
Phil beamed. It might make him slightly unhinged, but he loved Dan’s possessiveness thing. It made him feel all shivery inside.
“Yeah?” He said, squeezing him a little tighter. “You like me that much, huh?”
Dan bit him again, vindictive and a little sulky. Phil liked him best like this, when he was being unabashedly needy and ridiculous.
“Stop fishing for a compliment,” Dan mumbled, but his ears were going red.
More years passed. Dan went on hiatus, because he’d finally become so burned out and disillusioned that he couldn’t stand it. Phil let him, because he knew he needed room to grow on his own.
But Dan still held him just as tightly at night, and he still bit him, where no-one else could see.
Then they decided to revamp the gaming channel. Dan had gotten over his burnout, and he’d also started to trust the phandom again, in bits and pieces. They tested out little soft launches, a touch here or a look there, always pulling back when they felt too exposed.
And people were respectful. They didn’t respond with Phan proof compilations or try to stalk them, they just let them be- whoever they were to each other.
So Dan started showing his true colours on camera more- and part of that meant biting Phil.
“I wanted you to shake my finger, not bite it,” Phil giggled, when Dan just went for it in one of their gaming videos.
Dan just grinned at him, totally unrepentant.
People didn’t even pick up on it. They seemed to assume it was just Dan being his weird self again, and they went about their business as usual. So, after a few years of consistently respectful behaviour, they decided to hard launch.
People went mental, of course- but not as mental as they would have gone in 2012, or 2015, or 2018- so Phil counted his lucky stars that they’d raised a mature enough audience to respect their wish to live in peace.
It was great, for a while. Then people started noticing the biting thing.
“Are you okay with this?” Phil said one evening, showing Dan a compilation called Dan’s Cuteness Aggression. Dan paused what he was doing, frowning thoughtfully.
“Yeah,” he said, shrugging noncommittally. “I mean they’re not wrong, are they?”
Phil thought about it, and realised they weren’t. And maybe that was okay- maybe Dan was allowed to be unhinged on camera now, and show his affection in ways that felt authentic for him.
This all came to a head one day when they were out at a restaurant. It was a nice one, with little secluded booths and chandeliers. Phil almost felt too plebeian for it, but they were celebrating Dan’s birthday, so he supposed it was fine.
Their waiter was handsome, and definitely, definitely gay- so Phil did what he always did, and flirted with him.
Dan, predictably, lost his shit. Normally, he’d at least make some attempt to rein it in- he might smile like he was being held at gunpoint and endure the rest of the meal with a white-knuckled grip on his silverware, then take Phil home and fuck him so hard he couldn’t walk the next day, but he generally managed to be a respectable member of society and follow social etiquette rules.
Not today though. Today, the flirting seemed to be too much for him. So when the waiter came to bring them their starters, Dan leaned over and bit Phil on the neck, right in front of his face.
“Mine,” he said, his eyes glittering evilly.
Then he grabbed Phil by the hand, dragging him out of the restaurant.
People stared. It was unhinged behaviour, and while the booth had stopped anyone but the waiter from seeing the biting thing, Dan still got looks that seemed to imply that he was a danger to society. Phil didn’t care though, because this was all going according to plan.
“I hate you,” Dan muttered, as they were waiting for the Uber, but Phil just smiled, lacing their fingers together.
They got home, and then it was business as usual. It was almost routine at this point, but Phil would never get bored of this- because it made him feel special, when Dan pushed him up against the door and bit bruises into his neck.
“You done yet?” He said, because it had been ten minutes already. His neck was starting to get stiff.
Dan looked up at him, and Phil suddenly saw him at eighteen, peering up at him from the pillow.
“No,” he grumbled, biting him again for emphasis. “Now shut up and let me do my thing.”
Phil sighed, his head falling back against the door. He let Dan keep biting, wincing at the fact that he was going to have to wear another turtleneck. This was the third time, and people on Twitter had started to get a bit suspicious.
Finally, Dan drew back, licking his lips. There was blood on the corner of his mouth, and Phil realised he’d broken the skin. That shouldn’t be as hot as it was.
“On the bed,” Dan said, and he only really got commanding when he was jealous. “Face down.”
“Aye aye, Captain,” Phil said, with a lazy salute. Dan burst out laughing, shaking his head. Phil felt pleased, because even when Dan was being all Serious McSerious Face, he could still make him laugh.
He shucked off his clothes, lying face down on the bed. They rarely ever did it this way, because Dan was, despite his protests, a hopeless romantic- but something about jealousy play seemed to unlock his inner beast.
“You’re so predictable,” Dan said, kissing a trail down Phil’s back. “You know one of these days, I’m not even going to react. Then what are you going to do?”
Phil just giggled, because as if that was ever going to happen.
“Sure Dan,” he said kindly. “Whatever helps you sleep at night.”
Dan bit his ass, and it made him yelp, because that was a sensitive area. He wondered if he was going to have to sit on a cushion when they filmed videos tomorrow.
Then his attention was diverted, because Dan licked a stripe from his balls to his tailbone.
Phil gasped. They hadn’t done rimming in a while, and he’d missed it. He could feel his dick filling out, and it wasn’t going to take long until he was fully hard.
“You,” Dan said, between little nips and long, indulgent licks. “Are a horrible, horrible person, Philip Michael Lester. How could you flirt with someone else on my birthday?”
Phil panted, trying to catch his breath. He wasn’t even expending any energy, but he felt like he’d just run a mile.
“Oh, I don’t know,” he said, deciding to be as annoying as possible. “I thought you liked this- so I was really doing all of this for you, if you think about it.”
Dan bit him again. Phil whined, closing his eyes. His face was hot, and he really wanted to be fucked, foreplay be dammed.
Luckily, Dan seemed to have the same thought. He drew away from him, and Phil heard the sound of him rummaging in the drawer for the lube. He lifted himself up on his elbows, turning to look at him.
“Hurry up,” he said, sulking. “You’re taking too long.”
“Oh my God,” Dan said, rolling his eyes so hard they almost disappeared into his head. “You are such a little shit.”
Phil just smirked, totally unrepentant.
“Who was the one who spoiled me, hmmm?” He said, gloating a little. “Who gave me everything I wanted and more, and then when I asked, gave me even more?”
Dan was silent at that, because he couldn’t even defend himself. Phil gloated some more.
Finally, Dan located the lube, climbing onto the bed and biting his shoulder. Phil was going to have a lovely collection of bruises tomorrow, and he hoped he didn’t have a doctor’s appointment he’d forgotten about. That had been embarrassing last time.
Dan just went straight in with two fingers, no preamble, no nothing. He’d fucked him this morning, just after he’d brought him his coffee, because the sight of Phil with two days’ worth of stubble and glasses had been too much for him to bear.
“This what you wanted?” Dan said, nuzzling against his neck, and Phil gasped, pushing back into it.
“Mm-hm,” he said, closing his eyes. “Perfect.”
He couldn’t see Dan, but he knew he was blushing. Dan liked being told he was doing a good job, and Phil used that to his advantage, completely shameless.
Dan found his prostate immediately, because that was the advantage of sleeping with the same person for sixteen years- they knew each other’s bodies intimately, and Dan could probably finger him with his eyes closed and still have pinpoint accuracy.
“Alright, alright, that’s enough,” Phil whimpered. “Come on, I’ve been waiting ages.”
He had not, in fact, been waiting ages, but he liked to exaggerate for dramatic effect. He and Dan had that in common.
Dan pulled his fingers out, sighing in exasperation.
“You’re so high maintenance,” he grumbled, but he sounded awfully, awfully fond.
“You like me like that,” Phil said, with utter certainty. “You wouldn’t want me if I wasn’t at least a little useless.”
But Dan bit him right on the small of his back, where he was very sensitive. He yelped, unsure whether to be turned on or in pain.
“That’s where you’re wrong,” Dan said, and he sounded covetous. “I’d want you even if you were the most competent person in the world. I don’t care about any of the bells and whistles- I just want you.”
Phil practically melted at that. Dan unintentionally said some of the most romantic things, usually when he was in the throes of passion.
“Prove it,” he said, egging him on. “Show me how much you want me.”
Dan huffed a laugh. Phil knew he was probably shaking his head, a fond smile on his face. He knew his Dan better than anyone.
He felt hands on his hips, pulling him up. He went, even though he kind of wanted to be lazy and make Dan do all the work. This felt better though, so he was willing to participate just this once.
“How do you want it?” Dan said, because he couldn’t help being a service top even when he was trying to act annoyed at him.
“Fast and hard,” Phil said, pillowing his head on his arms. “I didn’t get you jealous for nothing- I want to feel it tomorrow.”
Dan hummed, confirmation that he’d heard him loud and clear. Then he slapped his dick against his hole, and Phil turned to glare at him.
“What’s your problem?” He bitched, but Dan just beamed, his dimples popping.
“Sorry,” he said, but he didn’t look sorry at all. “Just testing it out, you know- try before you buy.”
Phil was going to chew him out, but he didn’t get a chance- because Dan was pushing inside him.
He’d always loved this, the initial stretch. There was always a bit of pain, but he didn’t mind- he liked it. It felt like being broken in, every time.
“Okay?” Dan said, flush against his ass, and it wasn’t like he even had to ask.
“Mm-hm,” Phil said, his patience hanging on by a thread. “Move please.”
Dan pulled out, because he could obey instructions when he wasn’t being annoying- then he pushed back inside him, not as hard as Phil would like but hard enough.
He shouldn’t have complained though, because pretty soon Dan had started to build up to a pace that could only be described as breakneck. Phil found himself being shoved up the bed, so he braced himself against the headboard, not wanting to sustain a head injury.
“Yeah, yeah, come on, faster,” he said, drooling slightly. He wanted to touch his dick, but he was pretty sure he’d come immediately if he did that.
“I’m pretty sure this is as fast as it’s physically possible for someone to go,” Dan said, panting harshly, but he did it anyway.
Phil whined, and his arm slipped, and he would be in danger of actually giving himself a brain injury if Dan hadn’t thought fast and gotten an arm around his waist, lifting him up until Phil’s back was practically fused to his chest.
“Oh God,” Phil whimpered, because the angle had changed and this was possibly even better. “I’m going to come.”
He reached between his legs, but Dan growled at him, biting his neck.
“Don’t you fucking dare,” he said, and his voice had gone all low and dangerous.
Phil could disobey him. Dan wasn’t the boss of him, and besides, he only had to cry and whine about it for him to change his mind- but he didn’t want to. He liked this, when Dan’s control completely snapped and he let himself go full beast mode.
“Okay,” Phil said in a small voice. “I won’t.”
Dan licked the bite mark in acknowledgment, then set about absolutely destroying him.
Their lips found each other eventually, and Phil kissed him like he’d been wandering the desert and Dan was the only source of water. It was violent- that was the only way to describe it. Dan’s teeth scraped against his lips, and he smoothed his hand up Phil’s chest, encircling his throat and applying just the barest amount of pressure.
It was that more than anything else that did Phil in. Dan would never actually choke him, because the risk was not one that either of them were willing to take, but he could simulate it. Phil’s breath hitched, and he let go, his brain whiting out as he came harder than he ever had in his life.
When he was aware of his surroundings again, Dan was pulling out of him, making a tired grunting noise. Phil made a muzzy noise, turning his head towards the sound of it, but Dan just shushed him.
“Stay there, princess,” he said, all warm and affectionate now that it was over. “I’m going to get a swab for your wounds.”
Phil hummed in acknowledgment, snuggling down further into the sheets. He felt warm and floaty, and he just wanted to be loved and cuddled.
Dan returned a few moments later, cleaning up his ass first. Phil was probably going to be leaking come all evening if he didn’t do a more thorough job, but this was fine for now.
“I’m sorry if this stings,” Dan said, before Phil heard the sound of a packet being ripped open. He hissed when he felt an antiseptic wipe being placed against his neck, moving gently back and forth.
“I know,” Dan said, pressing a kiss to the crown of his head. “Bear with it for a second, bub.”
Phil grumbled, but he let him do it. He had a lot of bite marks, and Dan applied antiseptic cream to each one, but not before swabbing them gently first.
“Turn over,” he said, patting his hip.
Phil sighed, turning over as requested. He was beginning to come back to himself, and everything fucking hurt.
“Ow,” he said, pouting up at Dan. Dan just shook his head at him, and he could be really mean about this if he wanted to, but he just teased Phil gently.
“You wanted this,” Dan reminded him, and he looked so pretty. Phil had missed his dumb face, with its stupid dimples and its annoyingly symmetrical eyebrows. He hated doggy style too, because it meant he couldn’t look at Dan’s pretty face.
“I’ve been in the wars,” Phil said petulantly. “I deserve sympathy.”
Dan rolled his eyes at him, but he was gentle as he cleaned up the bite marks on Phil’s throat and collarbones.
Finally, he tossed the last of the wipes aside, helping Phil sit up. Phil really did feel like he’d been in some sort of armed conflict, although he was starting to feel a little better now. He buried his face in Dan’s neck, breathing him in.
“Sorry I ruined your birthday dinner,” he said, a little regretful.
Dan just laughed. His hand drifted up, coming to rest on the back of Phil’s head, stroking gently.
“That was the best birthday present you’ve given me in a while, actually,” he admitted. “I’m pretty sure I came harder than I ever have in my life.”
Phil smiled, feeling pleased with himself. He was glad to be of service.
“You owe me dinner though,” Dan pointed out. “And I don‘t want to hear any bitching and moaning about what I choose, because I get one day to celebrate my birthday and you get a month.”
Phil pretended to throw a strop about it, but they both knew he was joking. He didn’t mind.
As they ate their dinner in front of the TV (Dan had picked the show, because Phil had conceded that he deserved to choose what they watched), Phil traced the edges of one of the plasters Dan had put on the worst of the bite marks. He should probably get his head examined by a medical professional, because the thought of it scarring was actually kind of thrilling.
He felt eyes on him and looked up. Dan was watching him as he fiddled with the plaster, and he looked horny all over again.
Phil smirked at him. He really wasn’t capable of going another round (nor was it medically advisable) but he could tease him a little.
“I think this one might scar,” he said casually. “Do you think that’ll give the phannies more fodder for their cuteness aggression compilations?”
Dan went white as a sheet. Then Phil started giggling, because it was so rare that he managed to pull the wool over Dan’s eyes.
“You… twat,” Dan muttered, throwing a chip at him. “I thought you were serious for a second there.”
Phil tried to catch it, but failed, predictably. He picked it up off the floor, wincing as the action pulled at one of his wounds.
“I wouldn’t mind,” he confessed, “if you actually did manage to scar me permanently.”
“You’re sick in the head,” Dan muttered, but he was blushing.
Phil reached for his hand, kissing it. He felt soft with love for him, because he knew what the biting actually meant- it meant Dan loved him, even if it burst out of him in violent ways sometimes.
“Yeah,” Phil said, smiling at him happily. “But you like me anyway, don’t you?”
Dan stared at him for a long time. Then he leaned in a little, kissing him gently on the lips.
“You know what?” he said, the corner of his mouth lifting up in a fond smile. “I really, really do.”