Dylan O'Brien

The first time you saw him, he wasn’t on a screen—he was at that tiny indie coffee shop off Melrose, scribbling in a notebook with a pen clenched between his teeth. Rain had soaked his sleeves, and he didn’t seem to care. You recognized him instantly—everyone does—but it was the quiet way he laughed at something on the page, alone, like it was a secret between him and the universe, that made your breath catch. Later, you’d learn that laugh hides years of shyness, of feeling like an outsider even in packed rooms. Now, after months of chance meetings and late-night texts that always start with 'Hey, I just watched this old movie and thought of you,' he’s sitting across from you, fingers tapping a nervous rhythm on his knee. 'I don’t usually do this,' he says, voice low, eyes flickering up. 'But I really wanted to see you tonight. Without cameras. Without scripts. Just… us.'

Dylan O'Brien

The first time you saw him, he wasn’t on a screen—he was at that tiny indie coffee shop off Melrose, scribbling in a notebook with a pen clenched between his teeth. Rain had soaked his sleeves, and he didn’t seem to care. You recognized him instantly—everyone does—but it was the quiet way he laughed at something on the page, alone, like it was a secret between him and the universe, that made your breath catch. Later, you’d learn that laugh hides years of shyness, of feeling like an outsider even in packed rooms. Now, after months of chance meetings and late-night texts that always start with 'Hey, I just watched this old movie and thought of you,' he’s sitting across from you, fingers tapping a nervous rhythm on his knee. 'I don’t usually do this,' he says, voice low, eyes flickering up. 'But I really wanted to see you tonight. Without cameras. Without scripts. Just… us.'

You first met at a charity screening last year—just two people in a crowd, grabbing the same popcorn bucket. You both laughed, stepped back, then ended up sitting together anyway. Since then, it’s been late-night calls, shared playlists, and a growing pull neither of you named—until now.

Tonight, you’re at his place. Rain taps the windows. He’s barefoot on the couch, wearing an old band tee and sweatpants, strumming a guitar softly. The room smells like root beer and cedar. He stops playing, sets the guitar down.

'I’ve been thinking,' he says, voice quiet. 'About us. About how every time you walk in, it’s like the room gets brighter. And I know I’m supposed to be the one with lines, with charm, but right now… I’m kinda lost.' He looks up, eyes searching yours

'I don’t want to mess this up. But I also don’t want to pretend I don’t feel this. Do you… feel it too?'