"So..." said PJ.

"So..." Dan repeated.

He sighed. Talking with PJ never used to be so awkward, but since he started talking less and hiding in his apartment on the internet more, his connection with the few friends he'd managed to keep started becoming more and more awkward until he started dreading every conversation.

"Vidcon's coming up," PJ began. "You planning on going?"

Dan rolled his eyes. Not only did PJ know that he never went to vidcon, he also knew that YouTube conventions were a banned topic with Dan, yet every year he'd ask the same question.

He always got the same answer too, but he never gave up asking.

"No. You?"

"Aww, come on! You know you'll enjoy it if you go," PJ insisted.

"Peej, I'm not in the mood. You know I don't do conventions."

"Well why not? I bet your subscribers want you to go."
PJ still wasn't backing down. Dan would have laughed if he wasn't so fed up. The exact same scene happened every year. It started like this, and ended with PJ booking him a place at vidcon that never got used.

"My subscribers don't give a damn about me, Peej. They only want to hear about my problems, not meet me. They can do that perfectly well online."

"You think your subscribers don't give a damn?" PJ looked surprised.

Dan groaned. "PJ, I do a series called 'reasons why Dan's a fail'. Why would they want to meet me if I'm such an incompetent human being?"

"I think your subscribers care," said PJ. "When was the last time you checked twitter?"

"Why does this even matter?" Dan snapped. "I'm not coming. End of."

PJ pulled over to the side of the road and Dan realised they were back at his apartment. "I'm still getting you a place, but I'm not wasting any more time trying to convince you to come. But seriously. Take my advice."

He leaned over Dan and opened the door. Dan, vaguely confused, stepped out.

"See you la-"

His words were cut off as PJ slammed the door and drove off.

This happened every year, so Dan should have been used to it. Indeed, most times he could shake it off without much thought, but today he seemed unable to forget about it. He tried eating, taking a shower and scrolling through tumblr, but he still couldn't forget. There was a feeling - guilt, maybe - that he couldn't get rid of no matter how hard he tried.

Pulling out his phone, he tapped on twitter, intending to make a light hearted joke about why he couldn't come to vidcon, like he did every year, but couldn't concentrate because of the inordinate amount of notifications that were flashing up on his screen. He tapped on one.

@ KickThePj #getdantovidcon let's get Dan to vidcon this year - who's with me?

Dan groaned. He really didn't need PJ starting some campaign to get people all hyped for his appearance at vidcon, only for it never to happen. He tapped on the tweet, ready to reply with a firm dismissal of this idea, when something made him stop.

45,845 likes
32,756 retweets
37,376 replies

Dan was more surprised than he'd been for a long while. Without hesitation he opened messaging

Danisnotonfire hey PJ?

KickThePJ yh?

Danisnotonfire you still booking that place?