[dean-walker]

36.cis male.he/him.wilson bethel.

Dean Walker was born in Brunswick, Georgia. he works as farmhand at Davis Farm and as an animal caretaker at Equestrian Estate. They have been in kismet harbor since 2016. written by dix.

[TW: Death, Alcoholism]

Dean was born in Brunswick, Georgia, as the middle child in his family, with an older brother, Shane, and a younger sister. Growing up, everyone considered him a jack of all trades. He was very talented at all of the sports he tried, especially football, and has an affinity for blue collar work. He worked many jobs as a teenager, mainly because everyone in the town knew that he was capable and that they could pay him less than a professional because of his age. He ended up doing odd jobs in construction, carpentry, plumbing, and electrical work around town while still maintaining his family’s farm.

Because he was so gifted at physical occupations, he didn’t care much about school or his grades. His achievements were often overlooked by his parents because his other siblings were more academically inclined. Dean didn’t react well to this and began acting out- staying out all night, drinking, smoking, etc with his friends.

One night, when Dean was 18 he was out drinking with his friends until 3am. His brother was adamant that Dean couldn’t drive home after how much he’d drank, and insisted on coming to pick him up. As they were driving home, Dean got sick and leaned over in his seat to throw up. Shane took his attention off of the road for only a moment to check on him and make sure he was okay, but lost control of the car and caused an accident. The accident unfortunately took Shane’s life and left Dean injured. 

Dean’s family (primarily his mother) and most of the town blamed him for Shane’s death, and if he was honest- he blamed himself too. The loss in the family was too much for his mom to handle, and she turned to alcohol to cope. Her alcohol problem spiraled for years, and despite everyone in the family's best efforts, she never recovered. 10 years after Shane’s death, their mother died of liver failure.

Shortly after her funeral, Dean moved to Kismet Harbor because he couldn’t face the rest of his family and the guilt that he feels for both his mother and brother’s deaths. Now in Kismet Harbor, he has settled in nicely and does all that he can to remove himself from his previous life. He hasn’t told anyone he’s met about his family or his life in Georgia, not even his best friends. Dean continues to sabotage his own future, drinking in excess and engaging in one night stands instead of forming real relationships, because he doesn’t feel like he deserves a better life than what he has. 

[dean-walker]

“I don’t know how much I’d like him being a ventriloquist, but he definitely has the talent for it” Dean joked with a quick laugh. “I cant imagine him making any money off of ventriloquism, how is he going to take care of me when I’m old off of that salary?” Of course, Dean didn’t actually care about whatever future career his son was going to have, infact he had never even thought of it. Maybe he would grow up to be a farmhand, just like him, or maybe he would’ve gone into something completely different. “I do love every time someone compliments his face, he does have my face after all” he said. He, of course, looked like his mom too but you couldn’t deny how similar Shane looked to Dean. Honestly, before the hug Dean had not noticed the small bump growing on Aurora’s stomach. “Exciting as in…?” He asked, figuring he knew the answer but he wasn’t about to ask her if she was pregnant and be wrong. “If you count dirty diapers and mushy food as exciting then yeah, it’s been a pretty exciting year for me too” he joked, smiling brightly back at her. @auroraxjackson

[auroraxblake]

Rory snorted as she laughed, louder than she had anticipated which she then winced at. “Hey you never know and plus if he makes it big, I bet you'd be the first one bragging about how he’s the best ventriloquist in the whole world.” Her grin widened, eyes sparkling as she looked at the toddler and then at Dean. “Though I can't argue with that. Let's just hope he makes it big. That way he can put you in a good retirement home. And one with more games than just BINGO." At his comment about Shane's face, she studied it momentarily, "hmm, he does seem to have your goofy grin, otherwise he must look like his mom. Because he's a cute kid. Must have gotten it all from her." She gave him a wink and a playful and light nudge with her elbow. When he alluded to her own excitement, her smile softened, and she glanced down at the small bump under her own shirt, then back at him, nodding. "Exciting as in… yeah.” She placed her hand lightly over her bump again. “Looks like you weren’t the only one having a busy year.” Her tone playful and her eyes searched his face for a reaction, "dirty diapers will be my near future too, ventriloquist toddlers however won't be." @dean-walker

[dean-walker]

Dean laughed along with her, “I’ll tell you what, when he makes it big in ventriloquism, I’ll get you front row tickets to his show and you can give me a big ‘I told you so’, how does that sound?” Then, in a serious tone though he was clearly kidding, he said “Well I would never settle for a retirement home that didn’t at least have shuffleboard, obviously.” Truthfully he had never really considered the reality of reaching an age that he would need to be moved to a retirement home. He had lived his whole life going out and doing whatever he wanted, he couldn’t imagine being under supervision to that degree. “Goofy? I’ll have you know, this is a very likable grin. I get many compliments on it” he feigned offense, though he knew she was kidding. “Watch what you say about me, I might get my kid to beat up your kid on the playground in retaliation” he joked again, obviously he would never encourage that from Shane. “Well holy shit, congratulations!” He told her, hearing the news that she was expecting. Most people actually wanted to have the children they were having, unless Dean who had been blindsided by parenthood so soon before his son was born. Now he wouldn’t change it for anything in the world, but at the time he hadn’t been pleased. “Do you know if you’re having a boy or a girl?” He asked, curious. “I mean who knows, maybe your baby will have a passion for ventriloquism too, you never know” @auroraxjackson

[dean-walker]

Dean hadn’t always been a big coffee drinker, but more recently he had needed the boost to make it through the day. With long physically demanding hours at work, and him having his son in his care for half of the week- it was adding up to be a lot. Amerie was going to be dropping off Shane later that night, and he needed a good coffee so he would be awake enough to spend time with him before bed. “Right? I was expecting some people but this is a lot. I guess I’m not the only person with a broken coffee machine at home” he said, shaking his head a little as he looked back at Dana. “Daylights saving has been rough, it’s dark by like 5pm it’s ridiculous. I already can’t wait for Spring and Winter hasn’t even started yet” he complained a little. Dean was very outdoorsy, and honestly there just wasn’t as much he could do outside when it got too cold out so he wasn’t a fan of that time of the year. @danaxallenlopez

[danaxallenlopez]

"Yeah, must be the case." She twisted her lips as she looked around. Not that she was complaining, considering she liked seeing the local businesses boom with business. "I'm with you there. It's been absolutely dreadful," she groaned with the thought. "I travel a lot for work and the jet lag is never as bad as the dragging feeling I get from daylight savings." Dana admitted to the other. Above her, the lights flickered, once, then twice. And then the whole building's power shut down. "No,' she felt herself gasp, "do you think this means we aren't getting our coffee?" @dean-walker

[dean-walker]

“I don’t know how you can travel so much for work, that would kill me” Dean admitted. There were some people who loved the opportunity to travel and see the world, but he had always preferred the comfort of consistency. He liked going to the same place every day, seeing the same people, and taking care of the same animals. “What’s your favorite place you’ve travelled for work, if you had to pick one?” He asked, curious, since he himself couldn’t even think of anywhere in the world he would’ve wanted to travel to. Then it happened, the lights started flickering before shutting out completely. “Ah, shit” he said quickly, looking around the room to try and see if everyone was alright, though the visibility wasn’t great. “Yeah I don’t think it’s such a good idea to operate a coffee machine when you can’t see anything” he agreed, his eyes slowly adjusting to the situation- though that hadn’t helped much, he still couldn’t see very much of anything. Damn daylights savings making it dark out so early. “I really don’t want to have to use the instant coffee sitting in the back of my cabinet at home” @danaxallenlopez

[darrenanttila]

The only person in town that Darren knew was Sebastian and he needed to get out there and make more friends. It was something that he had learned in therapy that he needed to stop blocking people out and let them in to see who he truly was. "I don't normally gamble, no. But there's honestly a good reason to start. I like the odds of that so I am going to take you up on it." He replied as he pulled a ten dollar bill out of his wallet and placed it on the bar top in between them. For all he knew, this guy could know this woman and know exactly what she would do but this was fun banter and he was excited to give it a go. "Yeah. I'm not from around here, I just got in a few days ago. How long have you been living here?" Darren asked Dean. "Oh... Also, I'm Darren. It's rude of me not to introduce myself when we are placing a bet here." @dean-walker

[dean-walker]

Dean had a talent of being able to talk to anyone and everyone that he met, whether he knew them already or not. He hadn’t considered it a talent, he just thought it was normal- but he had never truly considered how difficult other people had found that sometimes. “There we go, I love to get a good bet going” he said, smiling when Darren agreed to his small wager. “I don’t gamble much but it’s fun sometimes, just as long as I’m not putting up my whole paycheck or anything” he laughed. Glancing back over at the date they had just bet on, he watched the girl force a smile and what was probably a very bad joke or attempted compliment. “I’m liking my odds right now, we’ll see” he said before turning his attention back to the other man. “A couple days ago, very new. Welcome to town” he told him before asking, “What brings you here?” Dean couldn’t help it, he was a curious man by nature. “I’ve lived here about uh…. 8 or 9 years now, I think. And I’m Dean, it’s good to meet you” he said, reaching out to shake his hand. @darrenanttila

[omarxmorrison]

"Yup, that's exactly what I'm telling you." Omar chuckled in response to Dean's teasing. "Knew I could count on you." The man said with a nod of his head. "If I'm even any good at this, I'll make sure to get some of my own gear but didn't want to invest in somethin' and then have it sittin' around my apartment and going to waste." His apartment was spacious, considering it was just him but he knew at some point that would not be the case. "What'd you get kicked out of Boy Scouts for?" Omar laughed once more, brow raising. "Damn, I knew becomin' friends with you was a good idea." He walked up to the man, joining him. "I'll rarely turn down a good cup of coffee." @dean-walker

[dean-walker]

“You’re lucky I like you, cause I wouldn’t share with just anybody” Dean joked, fully aware of the fact that he likely would have shared equipment with anyone who had asked. He loved his hobbies, and even more he loved the opportunity to show them to new people and get them interested in pursuing it themselves. Truly, any chance to be around others was good enough for him. “That’s probably your best move, this stuff is not cheap. I think I’ve spend an arm and a leg on just my fishing rods alone” he pointed out, though he was well aware that Omar would’ve been able to afford it himself just fine. Dean wasn’t struggling with money, but it certainly wasn’t abundant in his life. With his expensive hobbies and a child, sometimes he had less cash left over than he wanted. “I’ve never really been a fan of following all of those ridiculous rules” he said with a shrug, knowing that his departure from the organization was not from one instance but from several repeated instances of him breaking the rules. “I think the final straw before I got kicked out was sneaking away with one of the Girl Scouts on an overnight trip” he recalled with a laugh. “I didn’t care about being kicked out, I had to work on my family’s farm anyway so it just gave me more time for that” he said, clearly the consequences of his choices hadn’t taught him anything. “Don’t get your hopes up, I said I had coffee, I didn’t say I had good coffee” he corrected, kidding of course. “I made this at home so keep those expectations low” he laughed, pouring two cups of coffee into cups before holding my one out for Omar to take. “Have you ever gone fishing before or is this your first time?” He asked, knowing he didn’t have much experience but maybe he had tried once or twice before. @omarxmorrison

[danaxallenlopez]

starter for @dean-walker / draw of luck

location: cobblestone cafe

Dana was a regular guest at Cobblestone Cafe for many reasons. The main one being that she was obsessed with staying caffeinated and there was something about the coffee at Stevie's business that kept her coming back. The cafe was crowded, to no surprise. There were plenty of people that enjoyed the comforts and delights that Cobblestone Cafe had to offer no matter the time of day. The sun had long set, the streetlights illuminating the way outside the coffee shop, but it wasn't stopping her from a caffeine boost. She knew she had a long night ahead of her. It seemed so did everyone in town as she stood next to someone just to the left the check out so she could wait for her coffee. "I can't say I expected it to be this busy this late, but then again," she glanced at her watch, "that's just daylight savings ruining my life." Dana said with an exaggerated roll of her eyes.

[dean-walker]

Dean hadn’t always been a big coffee drinker, but more recently he had needed the boost to make it through the day. With long physically demanding hours at work, and him having his son in his care for half of the week- it was adding up to be a lot. Amerie was going to be dropping off Shane later that night, and he needed a good coffee so he would be awake enough to spend time with him before bed. “Right? I was expecting some people but this is a lot. I guess I’m not the only person with a broken coffee machine at home” he said, shaking his head a little as he looked back at Dana. “Daylights saving has been rough, it’s dark by like 5pm it’s ridiculous. I already can’t wait for Spring and Winter hasn’t even started yet” he complained a little. Dean was very outdoorsy, and honestly there just wasn’t as much he could do outside when it got too cold out so he wasn’t a fan of that time of the year. @danaxallenlopez

[calxwallace]

"Not looking or not managing to get one?" She mused, nudging her elbow to his side. When he brought up her streak of insulting him she chuckled, throwing her hands up in mere innocence. "Hey, you and I both know that you perform better when someone insults your ego. It makes you want to prove them wrong." She mused, her mood turning giddy when he mentioned Shane deciding the guest lists, clapping her hands together. "Perfect! I'll wear my best dress. Oh! My second best dress. Wouldn't want to outshine the birthday boy or his mother." Not that that was easy to do, as Amerie was stunning. @dean-walker

[dean-walker]

“Not looking, definitely not looking” Dean said, doubling down on his previous statement. He had tried a relationship once, clearly that wasn’t something he was ready for before. Now he had a kid to worry about along with everything else in his life, so he definitely didn’t think getting into a new relationship was a good idea. Besides, he was content with the way he was before trying to date. “Offer is open if you ever want me to come over and prove you wrong on that, just give me a call” he said with a quick wink. The comment was mainly a joke, but let’s be honest, if she had called him he wouldn’t have hesitated. “First of all, no one can outshine the birthday boy, he’s the handsomest boy in the world- he’s a Walker, after all” he said with a grin, “And as we all know, the Walker boys are the best” he joked. @calxwallace

[dean-walker]

Hearing the voice, Dean had immediately recognized who it was. Hooking up with her had been something he realized he shouldn’t have done, but that hadn’t meant that he disliked being around her. He had always thought Rory was a cool person to hang out with, and maybe had he made better choices they could’ve been good friends at this point. “Woah, Shane, what happened to your voice? You kind of sound like a girl” he joked, obviously knowing that he hadn’t been his toddler son that answered him. Turning his head in her direction, Dean offered Rory a small smile, “You can join us for chicken and pasta if you want. I’ll even cut your pieces up real small like I do for him” he continued to joke, holding his arm out and motioning for her to come in for a hug. “I haven’t seen you in a long time, how’ve you been?” He asked, very genuinely. @auroraxjackson

[auroraxblake]

The past was the past and Rory didn't regret her past hook ups. At least not the ones here in town, and so far none had come back to haunt her. Plus she was happily with Brody and now carrying his child and knew Dean had his own. For the two of them, she figured they could at least be friends. Hearing Dean say what he said to his son sent a loud laugh eminating from Rory as she wasn't so far behind them. "Kid might have a future career as a ventriloquist," she lifted a shoulder in a shrug as she caught up to the pair. "Now how can I say no to chicken and pasta and a face like that?" Asking as she pointed to the small toddler, her own heartbeat racing at the thought of her own child in the not too distant future. As Dean held out his arms for a hug, she happily obliged and hugged him back, smiling at him and the little boy. "It has been a while, and things have been rather," she looked down at her small bump, "exciting to say the least. How about you?" @dean-walker

[dean-walker]

“I don’t know how much I’d like him being a ventriloquist, but he definitely has the talent for it” Dean joked with a quick laugh. “I cant imagine him making any money off of ventriloquism, how is he going to take care of me when I’m old off of that salary?” Of course, Dean didn’t actually care about whatever future career his son was going to have, infact he had never even thought of it. Maybe he would grow up to be a farmhand, just like him, or maybe he would’ve gone into something completely different. “I do love every time someone compliments his face, he does have my face after all” he said. He, of course, looked like his mom too but you couldn’t deny how similar Shane looked to Dean. Honestly, before the hug Dean had not noticed the small bump growing on Aurora’s stomach. “Exciting as in…?” He asked, figuring he knew the answer but he wasn’t about to ask her if she was pregnant and be wrong. “If you count dirty diapers and mushy food as exciting then yeah, it’s been a pretty exciting year for me too” he joked, smiling brightly back at her. @auroraxjackson

[dean-walker]

Dean laughed before giving her hand a light smack as she reached for his fries. He had bought them knowing she was going to steal some, and he didn’t mind, but it was more fun to tease her about it. “Eh, maybe 10% of your jokes are funny but that’s as high as I’ll go. Anything higher than that would be a lie and I’m a very honest person” he joked, but there was some truth to it. Dean messed up a lot, but to his credit he was fairly honest about his wrongdoings. “I won’t make any jokes about you being a bridezilla don’t worry…. I will however definitely make a joke about me and you hooking up” he said with a grin, knowing that joke would’ve bothered her. Obviously that wasn’t something he would ever bring up at her wedding, but he would still use it to annoy her from time to time. His smile grew brighter with her next comment, choosing to completely ignore her saying he was a cautionary tale, “So you think I have a charming smile?” Of all the compliments he received, that was probably one he’d heard most often- but he was flattered every time. “I got pockets, I can carry stuff” he offered- figuring he was likely going to be holding some of her stuff for the wedding anyway. “I would totally be in your wedding party. We can get ready together in the bridal suite, that might even be your favorite and most memorable part of the day” he said, always needing to add a small joke at the end of something genuine. @islaricci

[islaricci]

Isla let out an exaggerated groan, covering her face with her hand for a second like the mere idea of Dean in the bridal suite was too much to handle. "You are so deeply unserious," she said, peeking at him between her fingers before dropping her hand and grinning. "There is no way I’m letting you anywhere near the bridal suite. I actually like my sanity, thank you." She picked up one of his fries without asking this time, casually popping it into her mouth. "And please, if you even joke about us hooking up in front of my family and especially Elian, I will personally have you escorted off the premises, probably by my very large, very judgy cousins." Her tone was all mock-threat, but her eyes were warm. "But yes, obviously I think you have a charming smile. It’s the only reason people tolerate you half the time." She smirked, then nudged his shoulder. "You can be in the wedding party. But only because you’ve got pockets and I trust you not to lose my lip gloss." @dean-walker

[dean-walker]

Dean laughed as she called him unserious, both of them knowing how true it was. He had his moments of seriousness and sincerity, but he didn’t particularly LIKE showing it. He preferred to joke around and pretend like nothing mattered to him. “I still think you’re making a huge mistake banning me from the bridal suite, that’s your loss” He joked back. As much as he loved messing with her, he wouldn’t do anything to ruin her wedding or marriage. “Fine, fine, I won’t. I’ll write those jokes on a different note for just you to read and I’ll just use the rest of my good jokes for my speech” he continued to jest, knowing full well that he wasn’t getting a speech- and for good reason. He liked public speaking and being the center of attention, so when the day came that he would be someone’s best man he would revel in the opportunity to give the speech. “So you’re admitting that everyone thinks I have a charming smile? You’re really stroking my ego today, wow, I’m flattered” He spoke with a bright laugh. “I’ll carry your lip gloss but I won’t promise that I won’t wear your lip gloss too. It’ll be fun, we will match” he winked, obviously not being serious. @islaricci

[dean-walker]

Dean nodded along as she confirmed the same details he had been noticing about the date. Not that he was some kind of dating expert, but he did go on a lot of dates and he was pretty good at reading people. “You’re right, some people won’t leave a date when it’s going poorly. They feel too bad” he agreed, before shrugging, “Me? I would’ve snuck away to the bathroom and crawled out a window if I had to, I can’t fake conversation like that for too long” he admitted with a small laugh. Most of the dates he had been on had actually gone quite well, so luckily that wasn’t an issue he ran into often. “Catfished! Yes, that might be it. I don’t know why anyone has ever done that, it has never worked” he shook his head before elaborating, “The second they actually get to the date they’re going to know you’re a liar and you have no shot, it makes no sense.” Dean hadn’t understood the logic behind it at all, but of course he had never struggled to get women to go on dates with him, so it wasn’t something he could honestly comprehend. “Have you ever been catfished?” He asked her, now curious. @emmajlin

[emmajlin]

"I can't say I blame them. I am some people." she admitted, eyes focusing on the table in discussion for a moment and then back at the blonde. "I feel too bad to leave that most of the time I just stick it out and then tell them later when I've gained the courage that I don't want to see them again. Never over the phone, though, always in person. She listened as the other stated he'd sneak out the window of the bathroom if he had to, making her laugh a little. "Okay, you seem like that kind of person though." she admitted out loud, and while it seemed like a harsh statement she didn't necessarily mean it. He just happened to look like the kind of person that would do that. It was just honesty. "I don't know why people catfish. It's right up there with people that cheat." she admitted. "I don't understand the point of either, but yet people still do it." A shake of her head at his question. "Shockingly no." she admitted. "Have you ever been catfished?" @dean-walker

[dean-walker]

“Are you really?” Dean asked, listening with a small smile as she explained how gently she would generally turn somebody down after a bad date. She was far more patient than he was, he didn’t have it in him to stay on a date that was going that poorly. “Bless your heart, that all sounds like too much for me” he told her with a shake of his head. With her next comment, Dean feigned offense, “I seem like that kind of person? Now how can you tell that from only knowing me for a minute?” He wasn’t offended, after all he was that kind of person, but he was curious what it was about him that made her know that right off the bat. At her comment about cheating, Dean truly didn’t have anything to say. He knew he had cheated before, he didn’t have a good excuse for it and he knew he was wrong, but he didn’t plan on admitting to it or lying about having done it. “They are both shitty things for people to do, I agree” he said, which was honest even if it was omitting the fact that he was not innocent. “I haven’t been catfished, no” he shook his head again before taking a sip of his drink. “I don’t really do dating apps though, I prefer meeting people organically. Almost every date I’ve ever been on has been someone I met in person somewhere and asked them out” @emmajlin

[omarxmorrison]

starter for @dean-walker

location: lake legion meet up

Fishing wasn't something that Omar had taken part in much but when Dean extended the invite, he said yes. He had the day off and Sawyer didn't, so he was going to want to stay busy until his girlfriend got off work. What he hadn't realized was how early that the fishermen of Lake Legion met. He was assured that it wasn't always this early, he just got the short end of the stick. However, Omar didn't back out and lugged himself down to the dock where the rest of the people were meeting. "Okay," he spotted Dean, waving him down with a smile. "I hope you had extra fishin' supplies like you said. Turns out I didn't have any in storage from my family."

[dean-walker]

Dean was an avid fisherman. That wasn’t all, he was pretty much a fan of any outdoor activity he could find. Hunting, fishing, hiking- you name it, Dean did it. But his favorite part of all of these activities wasn’t the activity itself, but the time he got to spend with his friends doing them. So when there was a planned meet up, he didn’t hesitate to invite a couple of friends he knew. “You’re telling me you came fishing with no fishing gear?” Dean had to tease him a little bit, “Don’t worry, I brought extras of everything so we’ll be good” he assured him. “Despite getting kicked out of the Boy Scouts, I did retain the lesson of ‘always be prepared’” he said with a laugh, motioning for Omar to come join him with all of his gear. “I got some coffee too, we’re gonna need it when we’re getting up this early” @omarxmorrison

[dean-walker]

As quickly as Deans attention had been caught by the sour first date that was currently unfolding, his attention shifted over to Tyler simply from the tone of his voice. Now he was no expert, but Dean was pretty certain he could tell when someone wasn’t feeling their best, and Tyler seemed far from his best. “Tell me if I’m wrong about this but you seem pretty upset, man” he pointed out, taking a sip of his drink as he tried to think of reasons why it could be. “Did you used to date her or something?” He asked, referring to the girl on the date. Seeing someone you used to date move on could be hard, maybe that would’ve been the reason he was so down. Or he was just having a bad day and letting it show. “Used to date him, maybe?” He added at the end, unaware of the other man’s sexuality and not wanting to assume. @tylerxday

[tylerxday]

He just hadn't been feeling great lately, his emotions getting the better of him. His mental health had always been a battle; he had so many ups and downs over the years. He smirked lightly as he took a sip of his drink. "It's not really about them, I don't know them," he said, watching them for a moment. "I've been there so into someone and to have the other not... or try and see them fall in love with someone else," he sighed as he set down his cup. "So just as much as I can see it going bad for them, it sucks to be on the other chair, you know," he nodded. He had dated girls and guys over the years, but really did tend to stick to himself as he always had feelings for one of his exes and felt like he always would, even though that chance was long gone for him. "But what about you? Why are you watching them..." watching date fail over out and having a good time. @dean-walker.

[dean-walker]

The more that the other man talked, the worse Dean had felt for him. He was the type of man who moved through life with an overwhelming amount of confidence, so hearing Tyler speaking the way he was now wasn’t a way that Dean could imagine himself feeling. “Brother, you are sounding kind of depressing, I’m not gonna lie” he pointed out, “You’re not a bad looking guy, come on, a little confidence. I’m sure you could get a really good date if you wanted to, don’t dwell on the negatives of the past” he tried to cheer him up a little bit. “How about a drink? I’ll buy us a round” he offered, knowing that was how he dealt with bad feelings so he figured it might help the other man. At the question for why he was watching them, Dean just shrugged. “I don’t know, the game isn’t super entertaining so I’m just looking for anything entertaining. People watching can be pretty fun” he said, pointing up at the football game on the tvs. Dean couldn’t sit still without something entertaining for too long, it made him antsy, so focusing on the outcome of some random date was more just to keep him occupied. @tylerxday

[dean-walker]

Dean smiled a little when she responded agreeing with his initial thoughts, glad that someone else had been up for a little bit of people watching. “Has it really?” He said, sounding almost shocked at her admitting that she hadn’t been on a first date in a long time. “Is that because you’re married to a long term partner or because you’re just not dating?” He asked, curiously. Dean couldn’t imagine either option for himself, really. He had never dated anyone for more than a couple of months, and he was going on dates with new people all the time. “Unfortunately nothing on the tv that’s catching my eye right now. I do watch football, but my team is only doing okay so far this year so it’s not that exciting to watch yet” he said playfully, though most of what he had said was completely true. “Do you watch?” He asked her, nodding up at the screen playing the current game. @natalie-makan

[natalie-makan]

Natalie shook her head with a small smile. "Neither, actually. Though more in column A than column B I suppose." She offered in explanation. "Not married or engaged, but we've been together a long time. Going on 8 years or so." Although the raven-haired woman was inclined to keep the more intimate details of their relationship private, she was happy to talk about Leo with anyone who wanted to listen. After all, he was a massive part of her life and arguably the most positive. Turning attention back to the screen, the attorney shrugged slightly. "I usually take part in a small fantasy league or something. But I'm not sure football will ever be the same. I'm still salty about the Raiders leaving Oakland. I know that's probably not fair, but having your childhood team leave your childhood city sucks."

[dean-walker]

Dean’s eyebrows raised as she spoke of her relationship, “8 years, Jesus” he said, shaking his head. He could never imagine being with one person for that long, it wasn’t something he wanted for himself. “Don’t mind my prying but if you’ve been together that long- why no ring?” He asked, always quite a nosy person. For someone who didn’t like when people were in his business, he was always asking for details about everyone else’s. “A fantasy league? I’m usually in one too with some friends but I didn’t do it this year, I was too busy. Maybe next year if I rejoin I can let you know in case you want to join” he told her, raising his son had taken up most of his time and some of his extracurriculars had suffered for it. Letting out an audible ‘oof’ at her explanation for her favorite team, Dean nodded, “I can’t blame you for that, I’m still pretty attached to the Falcons even after living here for the better half of a decade” @natalie-makan

[dean-walker]

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A large plate with a burger and fries sat in front of Dean at the bar top. He hadn't come to drink or mingle at all, really he was just hungry and didn't have anything to cook with at home. But even though he hadn't planned on mingling, everyone knew Dean couldn't go a full 5 minutes without saying something to someone. Getting the attention of the person who was seated near him at the bar, he nodded over to a table where two people were very clearly on a first date. "I have to be honest, she doesn't look like she likes him very much" he pointed out, taking a sip of his drink. "I would bet money that she leaves that date before I finish my food. What do you think?" he asked, curious. He was usually pretty good at getting a read on the situations in front of him, but he wanted to know if the other person had noticed or disagreed.

[emmajlin]

Emma had arrived at the bar for the exact same reason Dean had; for food. She'd tried the pretzel sliders the week before and it was all she'd been thinking about since she'd had them, which was why she was plastered at the bar, lemon water in front of her as she waited on her order. She'd barely even noticed she'd been joined until the other spoke, and Emma turned, glancing at them before offering the other a smile. "Yeah I agree." she nodded, giving them another quick glance, trying not to make it obvious she was staring. "I don't know if she'll leave but she definitely doesn't look like she likes him." she admitted. "Do you think she was catfished? Do people still do that?" @dean-walker

[dean-walker]

Dean nodded along as she confirmed the same details he had been noticing about the date. Not that he was some kind of dating expert, but he did go on a lot of dates and he was pretty good at reading people. “You’re right, some people won’t leave a date when it’s going poorly. They feel too bad” he agreed, before shrugging, “Me? I would’ve snuck away to the bathroom and crawled out a window if I had to, I can’t fake conversation like that for too long” he admitted with a small laugh. Most of the dates he had been on had actually gone quite well, so luckily that wasn’t an issue he ran into often. “Catfished! Yes, that might be it. I don’t know why anyone has ever done that, it has never worked” he shook his head before elaborating, “The second they actually get to the date they’re going to know you’re a liar and you have no shot, it makes no sense.” Dean hadn’t understood the logic behind it at all, but of course he had never struggled to get women to go on dates with him, so it wasn’t something he could honestly comprehend. “Have you ever been catfished?” He asked her, now curious. @emmajlin

[dean-walker]

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A large plate with a burger and fries sat in front of Dean at the bar top. He hadn't come to drink or mingle at all, really he was just hungry and didn't have anything to cook with at home. But even though he hadn't planned on mingling, everyone knew Dean couldn't go a full 5 minutes without saying something to someone. Getting the attention of the person who was seated near him at the bar, he nodded over to a table where two people were very clearly on a first date. "I have to be honest, she doesn't look like she likes him very much" he pointed out, taking a sip of his drink. "I would bet money that she leaves that date before I finish my food. What do you think?" he asked, curious. He was usually pretty good at getting a read on the situations in front of him, but he wanted to know if the other person had noticed or disagreed.

[darrenanttila]

Food was all Darren could think about and he came to the first local spot that he saw. He had only been in town for a few days and so he was willing to try anything so that he could get some food in his system. He was sat at the bar top and had a water in front of him and he looked over at the person towards him who was going on about the people that were out together. Darren turned around in his seat and then he aaw what Dean was talking about. He couldn't help but laugh a bit as he looked at them some more and then over at the guy who had caught his attention. "I mean.. I don't know.. I feel like there is a reason that she is here with him." He said to Dean. "I think she's going to keep trying a bit more to see if he will take the bait before she pulls out." @dean-walker

[dean-walker]

Dean was glad the person beside him had taken the bait to join him in a conversation. Honestly, as much as he claimed to enjoy time alone, Dean pretty much always needed someone to talk to. He was too social for his own good, even when he was home alone he would talk out loud to himself sometimes. “Maybe, that could be true” he agreed, taking a sip of his drink, “Are you a gambling man?” He asked, with a mischievous smile, “Because I will bet you right now, $10 says she leaves that date in the next….. 10 minutes” he posed the idea, a very low stakes type of bet that was purely for entertainment. Unfortunately Dean’s attention could only be captured by one topic for so long, so as he looked at the other man he couldn’t hold back from pointing out. “I don’t think I’ve seen you before.” Normally that fact would’ve been pretty standard, there was no way to know everyone in town, but Dean was out a lot and he was pretty good with faces. “Are you from around here?” He asked, simply out of curiosity. @darrenanttila

[islaricci]

Isla narrowed her eyes at him, fighting the amused smile already tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Five percent? Please. You laugh at at least ten percent of my jokes, and the other ninety you steal and use later like they’re your own," she shot back, reaching for another fry like she was making a point. "And that speech better be good, because if I hear one joke about cold feet or bridezillas, I will revoke your invitation and have you replaced by someone who's actually funny." Her eyes sparkled with mischief, but there was affection behind the teasing. "And you’re not catnip, Dean. You’re like… a cautionary tale wrapped in a charming smile. Honestly, I should warn my guests ahead of time: Do not make eye contact for too long, or he’ll assume you’re in love with him." She grinned, then added, just a little softer, "But fine, you can come. Someone has to carry my emergency lipstick and make sure I don’t trip walking down the aisle." She added, "Might as well make you a part of the bridal party while I am at it." @dean-walker

[dean-walker]

Dean laughed before giving her hand a light smack as she reached for his fries. He had bought them knowing she was going to steal some, and he didn’t mind, but it was more fun to tease her about it. “Eh, maybe 10% of your jokes are funny but that’s as high as I’ll go. Anything higher than that would be a lie and I’m a very honest person” he joked, but there was some truth to it. Dean messed up a lot, but to his credit he was fairly honest about his wrongdoings. “I won’t make any jokes about you being a bridezilla don’t worry…. I will however definitely make a joke about me and you hooking up” he said with a grin, knowing that joke would’ve bothered her. Obviously that wasn’t something he would ever bring up at her wedding, but he would still use it to annoy her from time to time. His smile grew brighter with her next comment, choosing to completely ignore her saying he was a cautionary tale, “So you think I have a charming smile?” Of all the compliments he received, that was probably one he’d heard most often- but he was flattered every time. “I got pockets, I can carry stuff” he offered- figuring he was likely going to be holding some of her stuff for the wedding anyway. “I would totally be in your wedding party. We can get ready together in the bridal suite, that might even be your favorite and most memorable part of the day” he said, always needing to add a small joke at the end of something genuine. @islaricci

[calxwallace]

"Right. Next time I need a weather forecast I'll just call you and ask how your knees are shaking. Must be hard being a man. Our knees shake for entirely different reasons." A pause. "If we're lucky anyway. You've never made mine shake." A little jab, but she was certain he would survive. "And yet again, you skip the opportunity of being a gentleman." Calliope said with a slight shake of the head. "Please tell me you're throwing him a birthday party. Am I invited? I'll get him the cutest plushy ever." @dean-walker

[dean-walker]

“They are very reliable for that, ready- wait” Dean said, placing his hand on his knee and making a dramatic thinking face, “It’s definitely going to rain this Saturday” he declared, lifting his hand off his leg and looking back at her. “I think we already know I’m not a gentleman” he continued to joke, though that statement had more truth to it than anything else he had said. “I’ll be a gentleman to a girlfriend if I have one, but that’s all, and I’m not looking for a girlfriend” he insisted. As untrue as the statement sounded, Dean actually had been more of a gentleman to Amerie when they were together. Holding doors, giving her his jacket, planning dates and surprises- he was a good boyfriend… until he wasn’t. “You insult me twice and then you ask if you’re invited to the party I’m throwing?” He teased her before smiling, “Luckily for you, Shane gets to choose the guest list so I’m pretty confident you’re getting an invite” @calxwallace