FULL NAME: DEAN HOLLIS
PRONUNCIATION: DEEN HAHL-IS
MEANING: VALLEY
REASONING: HIS MOM WAS A BIG FAN OF JAMES DEAN
NICKNAME(S): D, HOLLIS, GOLDEN BOY
PREFERRED NAME(S): DEAN
BIRTH DATE: OCTOBER 26TH 1957
AGE: 25
ZODIAC: SCORPIO
GENDER: MALE
PRONOUNS: HE/HIM
ROMANTIC ORIENTATION: HETERO-ROMANTIC
SEXUAL ORIENTATION: HETEROSEXUAL
BACKGROUND
BIRTH PLACE: MICHIGAN
HOMETOWN: LETUM FALLS
SOCIAL CLASS: MIDDLE
SPECIES: HUMAN
FATHER: DENNIS
MOTHER: BARBARA
SIBLING(S): SUSANNA, CANDACE, ANNMARIE
BIRTH ORDER: OLDEST
PET(S): HIS FAMILY HAS 2 DOGS
OTHER IMPORTANT RELATIVES: N/A
PREVIOUS RELATIONSHIPS: SEVERAL
CURRENT RELATIONSHIP: TECHNICALLY LEE
ARRESTS?: NONE
PRISON TIME?: NONE
OCCUPATION & INCOME
SOURCE OF INCOME: PRO FOOTBALL PLAYER
CONTENT WITH THEIR JOB (OR LACK THERE OF)?: YES
MOST VALUABLE POSSESSION: HIS TRUCK
SKILLS & ABILITIES
TALENTS: SPORTS
DRIVE?: YES
JUMP-STAR A CAR?: YES
CHANGE A FLAT TIRE?: YES
RIDE A BICYCLE?: CAN, DOESN’T
SWIM?: YES
PLAY AN INSTRUMENT?: HE CAN PLAY BASIC GUITAR CHORDS
PLAY CHESS?: NO
BRAID HAIR?: YES
TIE A TIE?: YES
PICK A LOCK?: YES
PHYSICAL APPEARANCE & CHARACTERISTICS
FACE CLAIM: AARON JOHNSON
EYE COLOR: GREY
HAIR COLOR: BROWN
HAIR TYPE/STYLE: CURLY-ISH
GLASSES/CONTACTS?: NO
DOMINANT HAND: RIGHT
HEIGHT: 6′
WEIGHT: 180 LB
BUILD: ATHLETIC / MUSCLE
TATTOOS: NONE
PEIRCINGS: NONE
MARKS/SCARS: A BUNCH FROM A LIFETIME OF SPORTS AND ROUGH HOUSING
NOTABLE FEATURES: HE’S FUCKING BEAUTIFUL
USUAL EXPRESSION: AMUSED
ALLERGIES: NONE
DIETARY RESTRICTIONS: NEEDS TO MAINTAIN HIS PHYSIQUE
PHYSICAL AILMENTS: NONE AT THE MOMENT
PSYCHOLOGY
MORAL ALIGNMENT: NEUTRAL GOOD
ELEMENT: FIRE
MENTAL CONDITIONS/DISORDERS: ONE OF HIS TEACHERS THOUGHT HE SHOWED SIGNS OF HAVING ADHD BUT HE WAS NEVER TESTED AND SEEMS TO HAVE GROWN OUT OF IT
ADDICTION(S): NONE
DRUG USE: NOT ALLOWED ANYMORE BUT HE USED TO SMOKE WEED
ALCOHOL USE: MODERATE
PRONE TO VIOLENCE?: OUTSIDE OF FOOTBALL, NOT USUALLY. BUT IF HIS WORDS DON’T WORK SOMETIMES HIS FISTS DO
MANNERISMS
HOBBIES: SPORTS
NERVOUS TICKS / HABITS: DEAN HOLLIS DOESN’T GET NERVOUS
FEARS: DOESN’T LIKE LARGE BODIES OF WATER
POSITIVE TRAITS: CHARISMATIC, CARING, PERCEPTIVE
NEGATIVE TRAITS: CAN BE TACTLESS, PHLEGMATIC
CURSING?: SOMETIMES
FAVORITES
ACTIVITY: SPORTS
ANIMAL: HORSE
BEVERAGE: BEER
BOOK: THE CLOSEST HE GOT TO READING OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL WAS COMICS AND CHILDREN’S BOOKS TO HIS SISTERS
COLOR: BLUE
FOOD: BBQ
FLOWER: HE DOESN’T PAY ATTENTION TO FLOWERS BUT HIS MOM LIKES MARIGOLDS
GEM: “WHAT THE FUCK IS A GEM?”
HOLIDAY: FOURTH OF JULY
MODE OF TRANSPORTATION: HIS TRUCK
QUOTE/SAYING: IF YOU’RE NOT ANGRY, YOU’RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION
SCENERY: FOOTBALL FIELD
GENERAL SCENT: FRESH CUT GRASS
PERSONAL SCENT: MOSTLY DEODORANT AND COLOGNE
SPORT: FOOTBALL DUH
WEATHER: FOOTBALL WEATHER
ATTITUDES
GREATEST DREAM: HE’S ALREADY GOT IT
GREATEST FEAR: LOSING PEOPLE HE LOVES
MOST AT EASE WHEN: PLAYING / WATCHING / TALKING FOOTBALL
LEAST AT EASE WHEN: NOT IN CONTROL OF A SITUATION
BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT: BEING ASKED TO PLAY PRO-FOOTBALL
BIGGEST REGRET: WAITING TO TELL LEE HE LOVED HER RIGHT BEFORE LEAVING
MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT: HIS FIRST TIME HANGING OUT WITH REAL PROS HE MADE A DICK OF HIMSELF
BIGGEST SECRET: HE DOESN’T HAVE ONE RN
TOP PRIORITIES: HIS FAMILY, LEE & BEZ, THE TOWN.... KIND OF
seeing the confusion, quincy just smiled and launched into an explanation. even if it was pointless and the guy knew what lore was, he figured it’d help if he didn’t want to outright ask him. “lore is like… information. stories, tales, any sort of stuff they have gathered about a thing. so uh. this first book?” he flipped open the cover to read the contents page. “page four is vampires. there it’ll have all the information the writer had on vampires, all gathered in one place.” he shut the cover and looked up at him. “some are all in one. other are more specific. so uh… this one?” he pulled out a smaller book from his stack. “this is just about.. fae and fairies? so it won’t have anything else. but the bigger ones have a lot more in.”
dean pondered what would be the best route. he didn’t really know what he was looking for. there were plenty of possible reasons as to what bez could be having come back from the dead. as far as dean knew, none of them were supposed to be possible. but then again, there were plenty of things in this town recently that didn’t seem to be possible. “i think i’ll take one of those all in one books and then uh... got anythin’ on uh- ones that come back from the dead?”
almost as soon as his body language changed, julia realized maybe she should’ve been gentler about asking. what had happened was so bizarre and tragic, and there were still so many unknown factors. frankly, she was still coping with the fact that she very well could’ve been left for dead. “i’m sure there are other reporters who’re more desperate for the credit. I just…am hoping to get a few opinions, set the record straight. because it’s a scary time for all of us.” she worked hard to keep her voice even, setting her pencil down and wringing her hands nervously. “if you’d rather we talk about something else, if you’re not comfortable…it’s fine with me.”
"well really, i should be the one asking the questions. i haven’t been here for more than a week in five years. has this kind of stuff been going on while i was gone? i don’t remember anything like this happening before i left so what changed? what are the cops saying? the mayor?” he was rambling and part of him assumed it was because he was trying to avoid the question but at the same time he did want answers.
teejay squeezes his eyes shut when dean musses up his hair. he’s probably the only person who’s got hair privileges, besides his ma ‘n georgia. and honestly ? it’s a mess half the time, so he doesn’t really mind.
“ what you did to her… ” teejay’s no stranger to dean’s love for his vehicle, so that phrasing gets him worried. he’s half ready to ask, but dean’s already walkin’ toward the truck and he assumes it’s only a matter of showin’. so he trails just a few steps behind, tuckin’ the rag back into his pocket. he’s caught off guard by dean’s question –– it takes a few breaths to come up with a viable answer.
it doesn’t take him back to the woods. it doesn’t make him think of the slick, warm goop coilin’ down his fingers. drippin’ from his lips. still fresh on his tongue.
“ fine, ” he manages to say, addin’ a light shrug. teejay nods the go-ahead; wait too long and he’ll think too much. “ let’s see it. ”
dean took a deep breath and opened the door. he didn’t bother looking at it, he already knew what it looked like; it was forever imprinted in his brain, along with bez’s body. if he didn’t know any better, he’d think the death had taken place in his truck. he stepped out of the way so teejay could see.
“whatdya think? any way to make it look like i didn’t murder her back seat or should i just get the whole thing re-upholstered?”
“oh!” julia blinked in surprised, propping her chin in her hand. the way dean so easily suggested doin’ breakfast again made her heart leap, which she wasn’t sure she liked or hated at this point. no, julia, you gotta stay cool. “that sounds nice. i mean, free food whenever you want. i definitely wouldn’t get tired of that.” she ran her tongue across her lower lip, cheeks flushing as she made eye contact with dean. “y’don’t need me to tell you you’re handsome, though I’m certain it’s nice to hear. much as I wish we were doing a full profile on you, I’d like to get your take on what happened the night of the fair, if that’s okay?”
his back tensed slightly. the fair. what happened at the fair? he’d really like an answer to that himself. “like uh- what i saw or... ” what was he supposed to say? that he watched bez die and carried his body into his truck and then into his house only for the kid to end up... whatever the hell he was now? that this was not the first weird shit dean had seen in this town? no, none of that was going to go over well.
brooks snorts. he feels dean’s words deep in his bones, not that he could ever say it. but another swig and his mouth’s already movin’.
“ ha. you’re tellin’ me. ” his cover’s a few seconds delayed –– like he’s forgotten he’ll never lose the veil here. “ reckon that’s what my dad felt. ” this whole town’s got eyes like hawks; they’ve got multiple marks on ferris feller’s son, like his pockets might be full of answers.
“ guess all them free drinks ain’t cuttin’ it any longer. ” brooks doesn’t watch football, never did. but he knows enough ‘bout what it’s like to be on the other side, to never be able to fully step off the field. “ ever miss it ? ” a beat. “ havin’ the rights to your own name ? ”
if dean weren’t drunk, and perhaps a bit smarter, he would’ve noticed that when brooks spoke, he was accidentally revealing himself. but he was, therefore it all went right over his head.
“dunno, haven’t had that since long before i went pro.” he called out for another beer and looked at his empty one. “the one good thing this town prepared me for was bein’ a celebrity. but the pay is way better out there.” he pointed his bottle toward the door.
“it’s all in the same sort of area but it can be kind of hard to find. some of it might branch into other genres so.. can mean it’s in a little bit of a weird place, that’s all.” quin rambled a little as he gestured to the shelves. he knew where everything was but it could be hard to explain to someone else.
he stood and blinked at the other for a moment as he looked at the shelves. looked like whatever he was searching for wasn’t there. then he elaborated. “supernatural mythology? oh! i think… we have a couple but most of the stuff here is uh.. greek gods and whatnot. greek mythology. lot of it’s in latin. but uh…” he crouched, pulling out a few books with dark covers. “supernatural lore. this sort of thing?”
dean nodded, though he really had no idea what this guy was talking about. but it probably didn’t help that dean didn’t really know exactly what he was looking for. when he mentioned supernatural lore, dean’s eyes snapped down to where he was crouched.
“yeah, lore, that might be it.” he assumed this type of lore was the same as the kind of lore in folklore. “is it all in one or do they have different books?”
lee was doin’ oil paintin’ today. kind of a therapy—they were one of the first things she learned. or, rather, taught herself. long before school. her daddy bought them for her when she was ten years old. she thought her heart might burst she was so excited.
she’s full to burstin’ today, too, except it’s all ‘cause of dean. she’s happy for him, excited, but the thought of seein’ him off into a new life, the kind she dreams of every night... it’s a lot to handle. and obviously she left every rational thought behind in bed when she woke up this morning. now she’s got the wanton feelings she’s been pressin’ down ever since he told her he got signed.
she’s proud of him. more jealous than she wants to admit. and filled with a weird little happiness, all tangled up in the back of her spine, that she can’t get rid of.
she s’poses it ain’t the worst feelin’ she could have about all this. and she breaks into a giant grin when she sees him walkin’ down the sidewalk towards her. she hops off the porch and runs over, barefoot in the street, and wraps her arms around him. who cares if she’s covered in paint? “hey, how excited are you!! big city kid now, all fancy,” she beams up at him, the happy feelin’ expanding. “I’m gonna see you on tv real soon, aint I?”
dean hollis doesn't get nervous, it's never been his style. and no one could prove otherwise, because even if he did get nervous, no one would ever be able to tell. and on the off chance that he might've been slightly nervous walking up the holmes' driveway, even a vampire who could hear his heart in his chest wouldn't notice anything off about his heartbeat. until, of course, he looks up and catches lee as she flings herself at him.
she's grinning and it's terribly hard not to grin back, though it does sink his heart a bit. he's leaving and no one has any idea for how long, so why is she smiling? why is he smiling?
"yeah, alright," he laughs, wrapping one of his arms around her head, smothering her face into his shirt before releasing her. "so you're gonna watch me on tv then?" he teases, wiggling his eyebrows at her. "is it for the football or 'cause i'm a babe?"
lee’s known him long enough to know that look on his face. when he puts on a little extra dean hollis brand charm and confidence. it means he’s been thinkin’ too hard ‘bout how big a change this whole thing is.
but it’ll be good for him. she knows it. maybe... she could come visit. might make her jealousy even worse, though, and she doesn’t ever wanna ruin this friendship. nobody knows her like dean.
she rolls her eyes, blowin’ lose hair off her forehead. her ponytail never stays when she’s paintin’ especially not on her porch. “‘course I am!” she scoffs and playfully pushes his chest. she knows full well he won’t even budge. “the football, dummy. it’s common knowledge you’re a babe.”
dean flashed his award winning smile that no one in letum falls could understand how he still had after so many years of football. "so both, got it."
"by the way," he pulled his varsity jacket out from behind his back. "i wanted to offer this to you. my dad made me offer it to susanna first, but she looked at me like i just asked her if she wanted to wrestle a pig in the mud so-"
“obviously, both,” she said, leanin’ back against the rickety wood at the end of the stairs. she slid her hands into the big pockets of her paintin’ overalls and stared up at him with a softer smile. she was gonna miss him.
he suddenly sprung his varsity jacket on her and her mouth dropped open. “you can’t give this to me!” she protested, but she was already taking it out of his hand. “are you sure you don’t wanna take it with you? i mean, i know you’re finally gettin’ outta here, but... this is special.”
"yeah i can," he chuckled as she took it. "nah, i don't wanna lose it and they're probably gonna give me a new one anyway. i mean if you don't want it i can give it to candace or annmarie, but they'll most definitely destroy it..."
“no!” she said, a little too quickly, coverin’ with a big smile and holdin’ the big jacket into her chest. “can’t have this gettin’ used and discarded, can we? i’ll take care of it for ya.”
besides... she wanted it. a little piece of him to remember every day when she saw it hangin’ on the back of her door. or when she could wear and pretend they were hangin’ out like old times. “i’m really proud of you, dean. no punchline. i’m gonna miss you, and i’m jealous as hell, but i’m so happy you’re gettin’ outta here.”
"good, i 'ppreciate it." his grin softened slightly as she spoke. he put an arm out on either side of her, leaning his against the railing. "don't you worry your pretty little head, i'll be back... and my offer to join me still stands," he hummed, knowing full well that she wouldn't leave bez, not anymore. he'd take them both if he could
“‘course,” she said, genuine. it wasn’t often somebody could get a response outta lee that wasn’t sarcastic or plain rude... but dean was different. they know each other better’n that.
“oh, please. worry ‘bout you? you can handle yourself, QB,” she teased. but she had to just shrug and pretend she didn’t think about going every day, every second she was with him. “nah, i’m happy here. what more could a girl need?”
"wow, that was almost a convincing lie," he snorted. he was supposed to be on the road in twenty minutes but he couldn't leave with this unresolved issue hanging over his head. his eyes bounced back and forth between hers. this was proving to be much harder than he'd anticipated.
"you know, i don't hafta go if you want- need me to stay..."
she sighed, shakin’ her head. “the more i say it, the more true it’ll be, right?” she tried for a bright-side outlook. didn’t usually work. but she smiled despite herself when he offered to stay.
“you can’t stay for me. or anybody. you’re not givin’ this up.”
dean shrugged, knowing no matter how many times she tried to convince herself she was happy, it would never happen here. but he didn't have the heart to confirm that. he lowered his head so his eyes were level with hers.
"you're not anybody. i'll stay if you want me too."
she shook her head, only lookin’ at him for a second before castin’ her eyes down. she had her chance. it wasn’t meant to be. she was stuck here for now.
she pursed her lips and met his gaze defiantly. “you’re goin’. don’t make me run you outta town myself.”
he was wasting time. he knew he had to get moving. “so there’s no reason you’d maybe want me to stay then? like i don’t know... feelings or something?”
she raised a brow, startin' to feel like he was lookin' for a reason not to go. wasn't like dean to be scared. couldn't be, this was a huge opportunity. a dream. feelings? "i-" she closed her mouth again, suddenly gettin' serious. "say what you're tryin' to say, dean."
he knew that he wasn't going to be able to dance around it, that she'd see right through him. and she did.
"straight to the point. right."
his mouth opened and his watch started to beep. he groaned, looking down at the ground before pressing the button to get it to stop. if he was going, he had to go now.
"hard as it is to believe hadley, there's something more important to me than football and i'll ditch all that-" he shook his hand in the direction of his car, "for it."
her lips twisted as her mind raced, more with every word. his watch went off and she only felt more rushed, more like somethin’ was... ‘bout to happen. ‘bout to go wrong. “and... what’s it?”
he leaned a bit closer to her. "i think you already know the answer to that." he didn't have time for his own shit. he didn't need to be smooth, he needed to spit it out.
lee started to harden, jaw tightened. she was mad at him. why was he tryin’ so hard to stay? why now? “I told you to be straight with me, so get it over with. what’s so important you’d throw away everythin’ and stay in this godforsaken town, huh?”
she was afraid of the answer. it was conceited to think it might be you, wasn’t it?
why was she getting mad? he was the one who would be throwing his career away. but he kept his cool, like always. "well let's see, i'm asking you about your feelings and if you need me to stay so i think it's safe to assume it's you. jeez, why did they give you the last name holmes when you're clearly not a very good detective."
lee started to work her jaw. she shouldn’t be offended by what is basically a confession of love. is that what this is? he loves her? she raised a hand and put it back, not quite sure what to do with herself.
“well, that’s-“ she pushed his arm away and stalked off a few steps. what was she s’posed to say? “that’s not fair. it can’t be my fault you stay. you’re bein’ stupid! you’re just lookin’ for a reason to stay here ‘cause... I dunno! are you scared? what is it really?”
this was going almost as badly as dean had thought it would. "jesus lee, why can't it be that? what is so hard to believe?" he was raising his voice and he hated doing it, especially negatively. he took a breath and lowered his voice.
"i'm not lookin' for excuses to stay, i have plenty of those that would have been much easier than this-" he gestured at her. "but those aren't worth it." he ran a hand threw his hair. "you're really gonna make me fuckin' say it aren't you? i love you, okay? i love you and i'll stay here with absolutely no remorse if you want me to."
she stared at him incredulously, shakin' her head. why was he doin' this now? no matter how he was feelin' in the moment or whatever bullshit he was tellin' himself, this wasn't fair. how'd he expect her to respond? "it's hard to believe 'cause you're my best friend and i can't understand why the hell you'd throw everything away for- for me! whadda i got that you can't find anywhere in the world?"
"don't say it- hey! stop sayin' it!" she wanted to curse herself out or maybe even cry, but she swallowed it all down and steeled herself. tell him to go, lee. right thing to do. tell him to go. "you can't make me do that. that is not fair, dean. just... get in the goddamn car and go make somethin' of yourself." if he still thinks he loves after seein' all the world has to offer, then... he'll be crazy, but... he can come find her then. after he's had a chance to get outta dodge.
"i'm not makin' you do anything!" he rubbed his forehead, his frustration growing by the second. "do you understand what happens if i go?! do ya?! if i go, i'm goin'. i don't know when i'll be back- if i'll be back, how long they're going to sign me for! it could be years, lee. if you're okay with that then-" he shook his head and held his arms out in surrender, "then i'll go."
lee clenched her jaw tight and let him get it all out. this was not how she’d expected this goodbye to go. she’d wanted to give him a big ole hug and wave him down the street. but this...? was mean.
she felt betrayed. how could she put it on her whether he turned his life around or not? but she kept her voice level. “i get it, dean. it’s like startin’ a new life. and you deserve it, ‘cause you’re good, and not just at football, and you worked hard for this so, yeah... i’m okay with you goin’.”
dean wasn’t sure what he expected. but even though he assumed she’d tell him to go, he’d thought the confession of love might at least be mutual. his watch started beeping again. he pressed it again, this time turning the alarm off permanently. “so that’s it? fine. whatever you want lee.”
he wasn’t sure what to do at this point. she didn’t seem to see him as more than a friend so he definitely wouldn’t be kissing her. was he supposed to hug her even after this conversation? he lingered a few seconds to make sure she had nothing else to say or do before he spoke. “guess i’m leavin’ then.”
lee was gripping her hands like an old lady, channeling all the stress of this moment into her fingers. she shook her head, trying not to scoff. this wasn’t what she wanted. why’d he have to do this now, when he was leavin’? lee’d gone all these years thinkin’ he was her best friend, but he was in love with her? and he waited to tell her ‘til he was gonna leave for who knows how long? it wasn’t about her. it wasn’t her choice. if it was, she’d be boltin’ no matter how she felt.
this was too big of a chance to waste. even if she loved him too. but she couldn’t tell in five minutes when he sprung it on her like that! so she didn’t have a choice. and now he’d prob’ly never talk to her again.
“good luck,” she said after a moment. “you’re gonna be great.”
she didn't move and he took that as a cue to leave. "yeah.... that's what they keep telling me so i guess it's gotta be true," he mumbled as he backed toward the car. he opened the door to his car and got in. he looked at her one more time as he closed the door. the engine had been running this whole time and he'd forgotten. "bye."
ms. kline brings in her late husband’s ‘75 jag xjs every few months, like clockwork, ‘cause she refuses to repave her driveway or admit she’s got a knack for drivin’ over curbs. the axel-and-tire work’s never too taxin’, but it does nab at teejay’s heart, seein’ such a beaut go so blatantly unappreciated.
he’s workin’ on its underbody when a customer comes. he recognizes the familiar purr of that engine before they even start speakin’. teejay sets his tools aside and guides the creeper out from beneath the maltreated vehicle, lips already upturnin’ in an amused smile.
“ haw haw. i’ll take the liberty of tellin’ her you say hi, ” he retorts with a fond roll of his eyes. as he brushes russet locks from his eyes, he deposits a lil dirt on his forehead. “ not that it ain’t good t’see you, hollis, but i was hopin’ i wouldn’t have t’see you… ” he’s worked on dean’s truck enough to know she’s got good bones, despite her senior fickleness. the mechanic rises to his feet and tips his chin toward ole reliable, wipin’ his hands on a rag he pulls from his back pocket.
“ any idea what’s troublin’ her ? ”
"i could tell her myself but then she’d leave your ass and i don’t know that i want to be responsible for that. i mean if you were any other guy, maybe. so basically what i guess i’m saying is, you’re welcome.” he grins, tousling teejay’s hair.
“mmm luckily it’s nothin’ wrong with her...” he turns his attention and body to his truck. “it’s uh-” he rubs the back of his neck, “what i did to her...”
he headed toward the truck figuring out how he could put this delicately; the fact that he’d gotten blood all over the inside of his truck and that nothing he tried seemed to be getting rid of the stain. and that every time lee looked at it she looked like she was gonna be sick...
he stopped before opening the door. “how’re you with uh- blood?”
they both ain’t strangers to the ins ‘n outs of athletic fame. maybe that’s what keeps brooks from hoppin’ one seat over when the bartop gains another patron. calloused fingers tap against their current prize –– the closest thing to ballantine this dive’s got to offer. he feels it squirmin’ in his center, the compulsion to relate. but here, in ‘82 ? he ain’t ferris feller no more.
“ must be shit, ” he deadpans instead, glancin’ over at his unwitting parallel. cue a pensive sip. on round four, even the man of fewest words becomes an amateur conversationalist.
“ just when y’get back the town flips its fuckin’ wig. some welcome fanfare, eh ? ”
dean tried to fight the snort but it came out anyway. he’d been drinking for awhile but had run out at home and this place was closer than the supermarket.
“at least i don’t hafta call it borin’ anymore.” the joke was dry. after the whole thanksgiving ordeal, he wanted desperately for it to go back to being boring so he could go back to his life and not feel guilty about leaving.
“maybe it’s my fault. what i get for leavin’-” he took a swig of beer and then tilted the bottle at brooks. “or maybe for comin’ back. you’d think it’d be nicer to me y’know, after all i fuckin’ did for it.”
it had been a quiet day so far. mind you, most days were quiet in letum read. quincy liked the quiet though, usually taking full advantage of it to organise the books properly, put up displays, file some paperwork. at the moment though, he was perched on the stool behind the counter, a pencil in hand and sketching on the back of some receipt paper.
“hey!” he looked up, smiling warmly. “yeah, course.” quin nodded, setting down his pencil and swinging round his legs to stand up. “just general or is there a specific aspect of mythology you want?” he asked as he gestured for him to follow, moving between the shelves till he got to the section, patting the shelf with his fingertips.
“oh uh- does it matte?r or is it all in the same general area?” dean didn’t really want to say what he was looking for if he didn’t have to. he followed him, looking around as if he were somewhere he didn’t belong and might get caught.
he scanned the place where quincy had pointed, not seeing what he was looking for. to be fair, he wasn’t sure exactly what he was looking for.
“hi! thanks for meeting me here.” julia smiled politely up at dean. she had to remind herself for the millionth time to be freakin’ professional –her boss was counting on her, so it didn’t matter how handsome dean hollis was. she had to stick to the facts. fact one: their meeting place was at the falls diner, where…inevitably, someone would come up to them and fawn all over dean (much like she was internally at the moment, but that was irrelevant). “i’ll try not to take up too much of your time, and if I do, then your next breakfast is on me. deal?”
“an interview that lets me to eat at the same time is already doin’ better than usual,” he grinned, eating some of his bacon. “don’t worry, i have plenty of time. but we can still do breakfast again. and don’t worry about payin’-” he leaned in closer toward her. “they don’t let me pay for anythin’. i think the mayor set up a runnin’ tab for me throughout the whole town. that or i’m just extremely attractive.” he leaned back again. “maybe both, i dunno,” he winked.
dean had lived in letum falls for nineteen years and it had taken him five years of being away to ever go into letum read. he didn’t do much reading growing up unless it was for school, and even then he didn’t really. he looked around the bookstore like he’d just stepped onto another planet. luckily, he recognized the person behind the counter.
"hey, maybe you could help me out with something,” he rubbed the back of his neck, unsure of proper bookstore etiquette. “i’m looking for a book on mythology?”
dean had been home for over a month and nearly everything was a reminder of why he didn’t come back here. people stopping him on the street to tell him things about himself like he didn’t know. god, that was probably why susanna couldn’t stand him anymore and he didn’t blame her. and the shit that seemed to be going on in this town, he didn’t trust that it wouldn’t happen again. and if he wasn’t here the first time? he didn’t want to think about that.
he shook it out of his head as he drove his truck up to the only place he trusted with it. he’d bought a new one when he left and his dad had brought this one back for him for safe keeping. he got out and walked over to the pair of legs hanging out from the bottom of a car, leaning himself against the nearest wall.
“that’s a good look for you vanetten, but does georgia know you’re cheatin’ on her with a cadillac?”
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