benny from the block

BENITO "BENNY" HERRARA Owner @ The Whiskey Barrel Out along the edge is always where I burn to be: the further on the edge, the hotter the intensity.

[benitoxherrera]

「 mr. benito herrera 」

Full Name: Benito Tomas Herrera

Nickname/s: Benny, Ben, Bossman, B-Man, Uncle Benny

Faceclaim:  Pedro Pascal

Gender // Pronouns: male // he/him

Age // Date of Birth: 42 // November 13, 1983

Hometown: Joliet, Illinois

Occupation: Owner of The Whiskey Barrel

Neighborhood: Downtown

Time in Blackstone Ridge: 20 years

「 quick links 」

blackstone ridge | full bio | tags | playlist | the whiskey barrel

「 the introduction 」

Benny's was born and raised (if you can call it that lol) by his mom in a suburb of Chicago called Joliet. He played baseball in the park a lot as a kid (think The Sandlot vibes) and is a big fan of the Chicago Cubs. He also played baseball in high school, but it was never a full on passion.

Benny's mom has always adored his little sister, but she can't really stand Benny too much and has never really been too nice to him due to how much he reminds her of his father. Their relationship has always been strained, but the one thing they always see eye-to-eye on is his little sister.

When he was 22 years old, he met a girl while working at a bar in Chicago and fell hard. In no time at all, she was convincing him to move to Texas with her, and they landed in Blackstone Ridge. Benny got a job bartending at a couple different bars, while his girlfriend worked for a bank.

About six and a half years into their relationship, Benny came home from a shift early to surprise his girlfriend—instead, she surprised him by being in bed with her boss... In their apartment... Needless to say, things ended then and there.

He'd been saving up to buy an engagement ring, so instead, Benny did the only thing that he could think might make things right: he bought The Whiskey Barrel. He'd had a great relationship with his boss and the older man had been considering selling it anyway, so it worked out in everyone's favor. Well, except his ex-girlfriend, who fully expected Benny to take off running back home to Chicago. Instead, she ended up moving to DFW about a month after the breakup, unable to stand running into Benny regularly.

Benny lives downtown and works downtown, but he still has one hell of a nice car (a blue Convertible 1968 Pontiac GTO he named "Penelope") that he loves to drive around town when the weather is nice.

「 the man in the mirror 」

Bisexual? Pansexual? Sure, whatever. All that matters is that Benny is very much a heaux and has no qualms about it. Sex positivity is all the rage, and Benny's pretty positive he likes sex. Lots and lots of sex, with absolutely no strings attached.

Can sometimes have a reputation for being a bit of a grump, but let it be known that he's not an asshole for no good reason. He just has a low tolerance for bullshit and no issue letting people know when they've crossed a line.

Benny is extremely loyal and his staff at the bar are his family. He might give them shit sometimes but he would do just about anything for them. He has certain regulars he has taken a liking to, as well, but he won't admit it.

Benny wants it to be known that he absolutely hates country music and yes, he sees the irony in owning a country bar that plays exclusively country music. He's committed to not changing a thing about The Whiskey Barrel because it was such a special place to him when he was younger, and the vibes? Immaculate.

Despite what he may say, Benny was a rockstar when it came to line dancing back in his day. He never made it through a shift without hopping in on a dance, and he was pretty frequently requested as a two-step partner, too. The only reason he hates country music is because his ex-girlfriend loved it so damn much.

[callamegmaybe]

Meg felt a little flip in her chest when Benny spoke. Though she was determined to play it cool, she leaned in a bit more. Her eyes sparkled when she spoke next. "I'm a quick study." She murmured, taking a deliberately slow sip of her fruity bellini. "And god, no. It's much more fun to make things happen. Waiting around's never really been my style." She set her glass down with a soft clink, her lips curving upward. "But you..." He trailed off, gaze flicking down to his lips before returning to his eyes. "Sounds to me like you've thought about this kinda favor before. There's gotta be at least a few ideas you have tucked away, no?" The brunette tilted her head, dropping her voice just a touch. "So when you say worth our time, how big are we talkin'?"

[benitoxherrera]

Benny had always understood the power of word play when it came to flirting, and he'd pretty much perfected the art of flirting without saying too much. Some women wanted to pull all sorts of promises out of him, and he'd been very careful to avoid giving anyone the wrong impression. Watching Meg sip her drink, Benny let his eyes roam over her before flicking them back up to meet hers. "Oh, I've got plenty of things stored away up here when it comes to what I'd like to do to you, Meg Callahan," he said, tapping at his temple twice. "Don't worry so much about size, honey, I ain't had any complaints yet in that department. Besides, I'm not a one trick pony, there's plenty I can do to make good on what we're working with."

[charlottexmiller]

attending the monster mash bash together with corey in a couple's costume was going to change everything for her. it was about the hardest public launch she could find herself feeling comfortable with and she was still extremely nervous. people spoke, people liked attention, to feel important and for the right price would give tabloids whatever they wanted. she couldn't let those things consume her — she deserved to be happy and free to love loudly.

it was hard to imagine the whiskey barrel being as full as it and for the sake of blending in, she was glad. hearing her name, charlie's head whipped around to find benny, offering the man a warm smile, "we wouldn't have missed it, these kinds of parties are always fun." at the mention of her partner, her eyes darted to corey conversing with their friends and she nodded, "absolutely, you've really outdone yourself. oh — lady and the tramp. it's an old disney movie. corey thought it was fitting for us and it took one look at that cheeky smirk and i was agreeing."

[benitoxherrera]

"Well, we sure appreciate you comin' out," he said back, giving her a genuine nod of gratitude. "Thank goodness, because I'd be so damn miserable if it wasn't fun. Don't go tellin' anyone, but it's my favorite holiday tradition." When he said it, he'd leaned forward and whispered as though it was a secret, despite it being one of the town's most talked-about surprises every year. Benny Herrera loved throwing his party, and everyone in Blackstone Ridge knew that.

"Ahhh, that's right, the dogs and the spaghetti!" Benny had seen a clip of it somewhere, he thought, but he knew he hadn't watched the movie itself. "'Fraid I didn't grow up in a Disney house. But you two look great." He flicked his gaze past Charlie in the direction he'd last seen Corey, offering a sincere smile. "Between you and me? I'm glad to see you're not lettin' that bastard of a husband win. Stick it to him, you deserve to be happy as hell." He hadn't followed Charlie's divorce at all, but Nina and Sandy had filled him in on what they'd learned from social media and the town's rumor mill. As far as Benny was concerned, Charlie was better off without that sorry sack of shit.

[anaramoss]

Ana grinned when Benny grabbed her hand and she gently guided him to a more clear area to dance. "I genuinely don't know how to two step." Ana confessed, she grew up in Mexico and then Seattle, after all. It's not like she had some rodeo-like upbringing. "Why don't you show me first? And then we're on." She teased, with a slight smirk on her face.

[benitoxherrera]

"Don't know how to two step?" Benny tsk-tsked playfully as though that were a downright shame. "Reckon it's my duty to teach you, then," he said once she mentioned being shown, because he was more than happy to help someone learn the basics. He stood so they were facing one another, holding her hand up with his own before placing her other hand on his shoulder. "Now, the gentleman always leads, but there's still plenty for a lady to do, so don't go slackin' or nothin'." Benny put his free hand on her waist and slowly showed her the steps, counting as he went. "It's basically those same three steps—two this way, one back— all the way 'round the dance floor. Some people go crazy addin' spins and whatnot, but this is about all you need to know to get the hang of it. Think you got it down enough for us to take a lap?"

[spencerdolans-deactivated202601]

It'd been a hot minute since Spencer went to the bar to watch a game since most of his time was occupied by Tae or Jin, or both. He would've watched the game at home, but he figured he'd check on Benny if the score he'd been seeing online was accurate. Besides, he was excited to share the good news about him and Tae with the older man. The remark made Spence let out a laugh as he sat in his usual stool. "I'd say the same thing about you if I saw you smiling," he teased back. "Alright, how about..." He paused for dramatic effect. "I'm getting married." Smiling wide, he raised his hand up to show off the wedding band--the same one he'd kept all these years. "My ex-husband and I are trying again."

[benitoxherrera]

Benny had to admit, Spencer made an excellent point with his jab. He caught himself chuckle softly at the remark, nodding as he conceded the facts of the matter. When he paused, Benny lifted a brow as though he was waiting patiently, but Spencer's words were much more surprising than anything he'd been anticipating. "Shit, no way?" Benny saw the wedding band on the finger and tilted his head to the side, giving Spencer a genuine smile. "Congratulations, Spence, I know you gotta be happy as hell about that. Your smile's a damn near mile wide."

[siwiwiwi]

If Siwan had been a few more drinks into the evening, his breath would have caught slightly when Benny’s fingers traced along his jaw. The touch was unexpected, and definitely sent a jolt through him that had nothing to do with the whiskey. It was suddenly very clear to him how close they were, and how Benny was looking at him with that easy confidence he had just admitted to finding attractive. Siwan cleared his throat. He wasn’t usually thrown off, but Benny’s directness was disarming. “Both. You fit the stereotype, but also happen to actually be handsome. Those things aren’t mutually exclusive.” He pointed out, giving Benny a crooked smile. 

Finally finding his footing again, he looked up at the other man. “Are you flirting with me, Benny? You could at least buy me dinner first.” He joked and winked at him. 

[benitoxherrera]

Benny had to admit, Siwan was playing it much cooler than he'd expected the man to. Not that he thought he'd fumble around like some fool, but he definitely didn't see Siwan as the type to flirt shamelessly so easily when cornered like this. It made him even more interested, truthfully, and he liked that Siwan wasn't scared off by it. "Guess you have a good point," Benny said, conceding the compliment could in fact mean two different things. He smirked at Siwan's question, letting his eyes fall down the man's body after the green light that was a wink. "Never been much for dinner dates," Benny said, his voice low, "but yeah, I'm flirting with you. That gonna be a problem, or should I keep at it?"

[colinpersaud]

"It's about this nymph Princess who falls in love with a mortal man while being promised to a Prince from her world." He explained, when Benny asked what his book is about. "Because of their love, the King casts a spell on the mortal man that freezes him, so the Princess goes on a quest to break the spell and save him."

[benitoxherrera]

Benny listened carefully to Colin's explanation, trying to follow it as best he could. He'd grown up with superheroes and goblins and ghouls and all kinds of fantasy things in media, so it wasn't like he was a stranger to the idea. "Huh," he said, clearly impressed. "That's actually badass, the Princess doin' the savin' and all that. You'll have to let me know when it's published, I'll get a copy and read it. Might even make you sign it for me." Benny saw a group of three women approach the bar, giving Colin an apologetic look. "I've got a feelin' they're the type who want some attention," he explained as he wiped his hands together, "seein' as they always come in and talk my ear off for hours at a time. If you need anything, just flag me down, alright? Otherwise, consider your drink on the house tonight. I'll see you around, yeah?"

[recklessreyes]

"What is it with you and Beck calling me kiddo, or kid? I'm so close to turning twenty five." Adriana snorted, tucking her hair behind her ear. Not that she minded, of course--she did have a young face. Which she supposed was good, considering she'd had to grow up pretty quick so she'd basically done a speedrun in emotional maturity. "Throwing papers." She repeated thoughtfully, thinking for a moment. "Mm, gotta do what you gotta do, I guess. But for the record...you're not that old. Like, I don't feel the need to throw out an 'okay, boomer'--because that's just not fair. Borderline cruel, even." She reached for another glass, working at a smudge she'd noticed. She liked Benny--and she'd never felt like pity hire just because of the situation with her mom. Adriana had forgotten how nice it felt to be protected by someone else because she'd spent so long doing it on her own. Suddenly, her phone buzzed, and she looked down at it. A soft smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "My mom." She explained to Benny, knowing she wouldn't need to go too in detail. "She said she hopes we're not working too hard, She's probably up late watching a Red Sox game. Can take the girl outta Boston, but she'll still bleed for them no matter how good or bad they're doing." Firing off a quick reply, she pocketed her phone. "Can I sweep or something?" Her eyes flickered toward the entrance briefly, almost like she was hoping for a glimpse of Javi. Almost instantly, she looked back at Benny. "Just trying to be useful, I guess."

[benitoxherrera]

"Beck Tatum calls you 'kiddo'? He's just a damn kid himself," Benny teased with a laugh. He gave Beck hell all the time for being a youngin', just like he did to Adriana and just about anyone under the age of 35, really. "Technically speakin', I'm a millennial. Granted, I think I fit in more with the Gen X-ers out there, but you'd be barkin' up the wrong tree callin' me a boomer." He'd been brought up by the Boomer generation, and he'd always been damned sure he wasn't going to become one of them—even when he was just a teenage boy with his music too loud and his attitude too big. Not that much had changed in that aspect, really. Watching Adri check her phone, Benny simply nodded at the explanation. "Can't say I don't know how that goes," he said with a shrug, knowing full well exactly what it meant to love a team through the good and the bad days simply based on your childhood loyalty. "Yeah, sure. I've got the bar covered, you go sweep. I'll holler if I need help with anything, but I figure we're goin' to stay pretty slow tonight. Might end up sendin' you home early, actually, unless you need the money, but we'll figure that out in an hour or so."

[javier-rojas]

A small smile curved at the corner of Javi’s mouth as Benny continued. Was he somehow getting through to him, perhaps opening his mind up to the possibility that Mickey was more than what he’d originally thought? He hoped so. “Secret’s safe with me,” he chuckled before adding, “And thank you for that…for giving her another shot. I wouldn’t be here without her, for what it’s worth.” Javi liked to think he actually knew Mickey, which was something that not many people could say. She had a big heart and he’d go to bat in her defense any chance he got.

“I dunno about that,” about having to beat ladies away. His confidence in that department had fallen abysmally low over the last few years and he didn’t see it improving any time soon. “Don’t worry– I can hold my own pretty good,” Javi assured Benny. Despite his size, he’d always stood his ground well enough. Another soft smile crept onto his lips, “Thanks, Benny– that means a lot, truly.” He knew he’d likely never take him up on that, if only because Javi hated feeling like a burden or asking for help, but the fact that the offer was on the table meant a lot to him. “Ready as I’ll ever be,” he chuckled, ready to face the inevitable baptism by fire that waited for him.

[benitoxherrera]

"Believe it or not, kid, I had my fair share of people give me more shots than I deserved," Benny confessed without looking at Javi, his lip tugging upward at one end as he remembered when he'd first started bartending—and when he'd ended up working at the Whiskey Barrel. There was a reason the bar staff became his family, and Benny never quite let go of that. He didn't really anticipate Javi fumbling much when it came to the job, and a guy who was that easy on the eyes would earn plenty of grace from most of their customers. "Good news is, we don't really ever get too much of a rush," he admitted, winking at Javi to let him know he'd only been kidding. "C'mon, let's go unlock the door and see what bullshit life's goin' to throw at us today, shall we?"

[elio-torres]

"Hey, how young d'you think I am? Is my expensive face cream working that well?" Elio teased, lightly tapping his cheeks and pursing his lips in exaggerated cuteness. His dermatologist had to work overtime with all the sand and salt water he exposed his skin to. "I'll take it as a compliment. You don't look a day over thirty-five yourself, handsome." His words were punctuated by a gentle elbow in Benny's arm.

"Was the bar more expensive than a ring? You musta been looking at one hell of a rock for that girl. Didn't know you had that much romantic in ya." Elio had the money to dish on whatever kind of ring a future partner might want, but it was still a little funny to think about how such a simple thing could be priced so extravagantly that you could use the money you'd been saving for one towards an actual brick and mortar building and business. Not something Elio ever needed to worry about considering he didn't want to follow his family into their investment business, but definitely interesting.

"Yeah, sure, that sounds right. Tatum Ice Cream or something?" he repeated, words slurred with happy drunkenness. "Is that the little lesbian? Something about breaking her heart, being an asshole, running away and leaving a note. Sounds like a whole buncha drama. You know that kid?"

[benitoxherrera]

"Young enough," Benny said with a shrug, smirking at Elio's compliment. He knew better than to argue his appearance with this kid, especially because Elio probably didn't spend time around jaded bartenders that much outside of Benny's own bar. "It was more of a downpayment thing, but savin' it up for a ring turned out to be dumb as hell." She'd been the only one Benny let in, and he sure as hell wasn't going to make that mistake twice. He was glad, though, that his boss had worked with him in the end to make buying the bar a smooth process for everyone involved. If he hadn't bought the Whiskey Barrel, there was no telling where Benny would've ended up.

Benny could feel it, the familiar churning of his stomach that came up when people talked about relationship drama around him. "Huh," he said, scanning the room for any good excuse to get the hell out of dodge. After all, the last thing he wanted was to know more about Beck Tatum's love life. "Oh, I gotta go talk to a guy over there, he's supposed to help me refinish my pool tables," he said after a moment, flashing Elio a friendly grin. "Enjoy your night, and make sure you get a ride home, yeah?"

[chasingxclouds-deactivated20251]

WHO: @benitoxherrera

WHERE: Monster Mash Bash, The Whiskey Barrel

'Be social. Have fun. You're still young and have life in you.' It was the words her mother said to her this afternoon as she shoved Isla out of her childhood home. Isla figured she would help with candy at her parents' place, as she personally didn't care for sticky little tykes on her property. Flipping through her wardrobe, she quickly got irritated and decided to go with the easiest option available to her.

Isla set herself up for two hours, then she would depart back home and plop on her couch with her unopened bottle of wine. Despite being thoroughly impressed by some of the costumes tonight and masterfully remaining in character, Isla excused herself to get some fresh air outside. Placing her bed sheet to the side, she helped herself to a cigarette from her belt bag. It was a habit she was going to kick, she kept telling herself. Only something she started post-divorce. "Oh shit, sorry. Am I not allowed to smoke back here?" she asked the man who appeared from the side door of the bar.

[benitoxherrera]

Benny loved being the man of the hour when it came to the Monster Mash Bash. He'd grown to actually look forward to the event, despite all the work and hubbub that went into planning and putting it on. Thankfully, he also had a solid staff this year, so he was able to really enjoy it without being too worried about the bar. If they started to get backed up, he'd hop in to help when needed, but he'd seen everything running smoothly when he checked only moments ago. Slipping out the back door, Benny pulled his pack of cigarettes from his pack pocket and glanced up at the sound of a woman's voice. "Huh? Oh, no, you're definitely allowed. Watch out for the cat, though, he'll sneak up and make himself at home on your costume. He doesn't have rabies or anything, I had the vet come by and check him out, but feral cats can be stubborn assholes." He made his way over to lean against the brick wall, pausing with the cigarette nearly between his lips. "You enjoying yourself tonight?" he asked before lighting it. "It's a goddamn madhouse in there."

[benitoxherrera]

🎃 closed starter  / laurel deveaux @thornlau 🎃 location: haunted harvest @ the winery 🎃 date: october 26, 2025

Benny didn't do babies, at least not most peoples' babies. The Deveauxs were different, of course, and somehow they'd finagled him into making just enough room in his heart for one more. He was seated at a picnic table, facing Laurel as he held the little guy in his arms and looked at him in awe for a beat. "Still can't believe you went and gave him such a good middle name," he said softly, throwing a glance her way. "I know you're just tryin' to turn me into a big softie."

[benitoxherrera]

🎃 closed starter  / charlie miller @charlottexmiller 🎃 location: monster mash bash @ the whiskey barrel 🎃 date: october 25, 2025

"Miller, hey," Benny said as he crossed paths with Charlie in the bar. It was crowded, probably the most crowded it ever got in The Whiskey Barrel, but Benny didn't mind. This event had become a special one for him, and he loved it more than he could truly even admit to anyone. "I'm glad you guys made it out tonight." He knew Charlie owning her own bar made showing up to any event at other bars that much more of a decision, even if it wasn't one that she weighed over much. "You and your partner enjoying it so far? What's your costume, again? I think Nina told me what you're supposed to be but I can't remember, it was some movie, right?"

[benitoxherrera]

🎃 closed starter  / aslan demirci @aslandemirci 🎃 location: monster mash bash @ the whiskey barrel 🎃 date: october 25, 2025

Benny couldn't help but see that things between Aslan and Mickey were going well. He had been in full event-planning mode lately, so he hadn't had as much time to catch up with his friend—and it felt a little awkward between them, at least on Benny's part, since their conversation. He'd only meant to warn Aslan, not plant any seeds of doubt, but he was afraid if he said too much, he'd upset the man. Instead, he let Aslan have some space, and it looked like he and Mickey had found a good rhythm. More than anything, he'd caught wind that they were officially dating now, which was a major deal as far as Benny was concerned. He didn't see that coming, not for either of them, so it was clear that they were committed to seeing this through.

He'd been keeping tabs on the comings and goings of most of his favorites all night, so when Aslan began his approach toward the bar, Benny slipped back there and made his drinks, hoping he'd still want what he ordered last time he was up here. "I got you," he said as soon as Aslan got to the front of the line, sliding the drinks toward him. "You got a minute?" Jerking his head toward the open end of the bar, Benny made his way over to join Aslan on the patron side. "For starters," he said as he wet his lips with his tongue, "I'm not sure which one of you is hotter, you or Mickey, but if you two ever want to duel it out, you know where to find me. I'm an unbiased third party, obviously." He chuckled, reaching up to pull his top hat off his head so he could rake his fingers through his hair. "Seriously, though, you two look good together. Not just physically, either. I'm happy for you, Aslan, I mean that."

[benitoxherrera]

「 task 2: let's give them pumpkin to talk about 」

「 ladies and gents, this is the moment you've waited for 」

The bar staff doesn't get much of a choice. They're required to participate in whatever theme Benny settles on, and it's usually a blast for all involved. This year, Benny's fully leaning into the ringmaster vibe, and he's given his staff free reign of any circus costume they want to run with.

While the bar is packed more than any other night and his bartenders are all working, Benny finds himself actually enjoying the crowd. He becomes something of a ringmaster himself, entertaining attendees and fully anticipating all eyes to be on him more often than not — not because of his ego, but because it's his show, after all. It's the one time of year Benny leans into it and really lets himself feel free to put on a show and not worry about playing it too cool

[benitoxherrera]

[benitoxherrera]

↦ closed starter  / spencer dolan (@spencerdolans) ↦ location: the whiskey barrel

Postseason baseball was the sort of thing that could break a guy's heart, and Benny knew that personally. He'd seen a few good seasons since 2016, but that didn't change the fact of the matter: baseball would disappoint you, if you let it. And boy, did Benny Herrera let it do just that. He was seated at the bar watching the game, grateful for a slow Monday night so he didn't miss anything important. As the score continued to lean in the favor of the opposing team, he got more and more agitated. Thankfully, he recognized a familiar face approach the bar, and he was suddenly very grateful for the distraction. "If you didn't always look a little too chipper, I'd wonder what the hell was up with you," Benny said when he caught Spencer's eye. Tipping the beer in his hand toward Spencer, Benny leaned it back and finished it off with a couple long, slow gulps. "Hey, tell me somethin' good... I need a reason not to drown my sorrows since apparently my baseball team is goin' to give it up early this year."