I’ve seen a few people in recent times being all like “don’t assume dnp to be anything but best friends unless they say it outright they’re a couple you’re making them uncomfortable” or whatever and I can’t help but think… switch out one of them for a girl. If this were a het pair we were looking at I bet these people wouldn’t hesitate to think differently.

Take all the 2009 tweets/dailybooths, the vday vid, the living together for years, going on vacations together, having all the traditions & jokes they have. All the times Dan goes to see Phil’s family. The fact they’ve never been around another human enough for anyone to assume they have a different partner (who they’d never have time for anyway when dnp literally make a big deal of how much time they spend together) Dan literally confirming their relationship was more than romantic (at least at some point) in his coming out video. The double dates they go on with other confirmed couples. How casually they’re talked about as a pair by other people/YouTubers. Slip ups confirming ‘the bed’ ‘the bedroom’ ‘don’t worry guys only I saw Phil’s butt in the mirror not the people on my zoom call” it being known they stayed in a place with 2 bedrooms with another couple in Australia. Posing for naked photos together. One being a literal biological uncle and the other one literally being referred to as a uncle too by the baby’s mother.

The genuine love and affection they have for each other. The way they can’t shut up about the other. Being each others biggest fans. The way they have talked hypothetically about getting a pet together (and had a bloody fish) and the main kicker…. Literally been thinking and designing a FOREVER HOME together since 2017 and now live in it. Together. 😱

If this was a girl & boy no one would think different but bc it’s 2 men people be like… we’ll actually they never said it explicitly so blah blah blah. What a weird heteronormative world some still live in

genuinely yeah. a huge part of it is just straight up homophobia, but i think the average person who doesn't really pay attention to them/is completely unfamiliar with them DOES actually look at all that and take away the idea that they're a couple at this point in time.

i think an aspect of it with people who are the most vehemently "they're just friends" is like. a lot of the time that's coming from people who did follow them at some point in time, who were involved with the fandom—and who now are acting from a place of shame and unfettered cringe over their past actions & making that everyone else's problem.

sometimes it is really funny to me when people Just Don't Get It though like... dan and phil aren't FOR them. it's not about people who don't get it and that's not the audience dan and phil are prioritizing. and i'm utterly fucking delighted for them that they've pulled off this level of ambiguity for so long even after coming out.