the day on set for me continues nearly as usual. 

after i catch myself thinking that the way dan's eyes light up in excitement each time edward or one of the other crew members or actors talks to him is cute, i have to go back onto my position for a scene i dreaded ever since getting the script as it contains a monologue. 

i get into character and try my best, all of a sudden feeling my palms getting sweaty due to nervousness, which is quite an unusual thing to happen to me. 

somehow i miraculously manage to satisfy everyone with my performance, actually being proud of how i delivered the script and how i brought alive the instructions and get showered in compliments and pats on the back. 

"good one, mate." luna cheers, patting my shoulder. 

"what happened to 'pickle-head', mate?" i ask, using my hands as air quotations on the repition of mate to underline my point. 

luna laughs at me and i hear dan chuckling. "Why do you use your entire hands for air quotations, phil?" 

i shrug and smile. 

"so i am finished for today!" i announce. 

"so i heard." dan says, nudging my side with his elbow.

luna excuses herself, saying that she has some manager business to do, disappearing to discuss something with one of the other actors and monrough.

"so.. you have any plans?" i ask dan and he shakes his head, "well.. i do but they can't really be considered plans so no, no not really."

i raise one of my eyebrows in question.

"no, I don't have plans today. why are you asking?"

"do you want to come over and maybe hang out?"

"of course!" dan responds immediately and i smile, leading the way to the car. 

******

opening the door to my house, i let dan get in first and close the door behind us.

"are you hungry?" i question and he meets my eye, "actually i am really thirsty but always up for something to eat as well."

"nice. what do you want to drink?"

"just water is fine." he says and i nod, getting a glass out for him so that he can help himself to some water. 

"should we cook something together?"

"sure." dan shrugs, taking a sip of his water. 

"pasta?" i ask and he places his glass on the counter, nodding. 

"pasta sounds very nice." 

we talk about cooking and dan tells me that he once burned pasta, leaving me in stitches. 

i joke on making up my mind, telling him i decided he should just watch me cook instead and he says he is fine with that, too, sharing other cooking stories of his that have me chuckling whilst i boil the water and cut up some vegetables for the sauce. 

by the time the food is finished, dan has downed four glasses of water and we got to know each other better. 

we continue conversing over food and when we are finished i challenge dan to various video games, provoking him with the notion of someone breaking my high score, which has never happened before.

before we begin playing, we joke around and playfully insult each other. 

"of course i am going to beat your ass in this game," dan says, "i mean who is the one wearing matching socks?"

"hey!" i say, "it's for good luck! you'll see when you loose and get the lowest score taht was ever scored on this console."

****

round after round passes and after what feels like fifty rematches, we call it a tie. 

the previously played game made way for an old show running on the TV screen, which serves mostly as background noise as dan and i discuss his writing processes and my acting and the roots of it all. 

"i would love to write you a script to act out one day. i think after today i am an even bigger fan, if that is even possible." dan admits, looking down at his feet after he realises what he just said. then he mumbles, barely audible for me, "luna will rip my head off."

"ah, no, don't worry dear, i stalked you with luna's help the other day and i really admire your work." 

"no way!" dan says, looking up again, a hand on his chest. 

he looks down at his hand, checking his watch. 

"i am afraid i have to head home now, phil. it got late so quickly!"

"don't you want to stay a bit longer?" i ask.

"i have to get out early tomorrow, i am filming another short. man, time really does fly when you're having fun. thank you so much for everything!"

"no need to thank me! thank you for coming."

"bye phil."

"see you, dan."