but oh what a year

[patrols]

Comments

[camber]

( Dickerson leans against the open wardrobe front. )

Gave you some advice with the - uh, Christmas follow up?

[acdc_rules]

Yeah. And how to try to broach it in a way that like ... won't get him on the defensive like he did something wrong.

[He shrugs.]

I mean, I'm probably still going to fuck it up, but I want to try.

[camber]

You're not going to fuck it up. You're both in this. You come in with the approach. He'll bob, weave, or take it on the chin.

( And Ben can't... anticipate. Only come in as himself. )

And, hey, I'll be here after. However it goes. But, I want it to go well. For you.

[acdc_rules]

[The problem is, Ben doesn't want Dean to do any of those things. Because for once this isn't about criticism or telling him what he's done wrong. He just wants Dean to listen and not brush it off.

He wants him to talk to him. And he knows for Dean that's hard.]

Me too.

[And because he knows his friend.]

I don't care if you pick Sam's brain. Or if you talk to him, or whatever. We're going to be at a party. You're allowed to talk to people.

[camber]

Uh... ( He's caught off guard with how well Ben knows him, sometimes. ) I won't make it weird? He's your uncle, not mine.

[acdc_rules]

Yeah, but if he's going to be around and you're going to be around, it would be weird if you just avoided him for the rest of our lives.

[And he knows you're curious about hunting. He's not stupid. Ben may not want to do it - Ben never wants to know the feel of a shotgun in his hands again. But he can't stop Dickerson from doing what he does best and trying to investigate this new factor of their lives.]

[camber]

I wasn't going to - avoid the guy. But, it's your family, not mine. I'm here for you.

( Now he's just bullshitting them both, considering his immediate family is Dickerson's. And that he has the ulterior motive they both see. )

[acdc_rules]

Dude.

[Yeah, he's going to call him on that. Not harshly, but just the kind of gentle reproach with someone who knows he's being lied to.]

I don't know who's feelings you're trying to spare here, but it's not working.

[camber]

I'm not just here for you. Or, Sam Winchester or what your uncle and your dad do, but yeah, I have questions.

( A ton of damn questions. )

My own questions, not. I'm not playing the protective best friend here. Just - being the best friend. If that's still cool.

[acdc_rules]

It's fine. And Sam's a good person to ask.

[He knows a lot and he also trusts Sam not to let Dickerson get in over his head and get himself killed. Granted, this all hinges on Dickerson actually talking to Sam when the time for actual danger comes, but for now, in the beginning, it'll work out.]

He knows a lot.

[camber]

Yeah, okay. I'll chew the fat with him at the party. If I get the chance. We got time beforehand, though, right?

( He needs to get some solid nap time in. )

[acdc_rules]

Yeah, we got time. Probably shouldn't show up early anyway.

[Better to mix in when most of the people have shown versus being the weirdos who show up early.]

[camber]

K, then. Move over, beanpole.

( He's got to get some temporary shut-eye. He's gotta look his best as his shoulder support. And maybe to Q & A properly. )

[acdc_rules]

[Ben snorts, but does as asked, shifting over so that Dickerson has space to fit next to him. Once the other man is settled, he drops down next to him and stares up at the ceiling.]

It seems like there's going to be a lot of fucking people.

[And part of him is a little nervous about that. About the connections to his father that he may not understand, like Cordelia.]

[camber]

( He covers his face with his arm, but listens to Ben's fretting. )

Big guest list. You can stay close so it's only half as awkward. Anybody you're worried about in particular? You already got grandma time in.

[acdc_rules]

[He considers, because it's not really Dean's people he's concerned with. He knows what to expect there. What does worry him though is:]

Elena's people seem a little ... upscale.

[camber]

Because one of her people is named after the entire property? Pretty sure everyone's still small town.

( But, they are both a bit rough around the edges. )

[acdc_rules]

Yeah, but swanky small town is different than other small towns.

[Ben shakes his head.]

Elena's cool, so I'm sure it will be fine. I'm just ... nervous.

[It's also a big step that Dean is letting him in this way, instead of keeping him out on the outskirts. It is a big step, even if it may not feel like it to other people.]

[camber]

( He moves his arm off his head and turns his entire body, laying on his side, one hand slipping under the pillow. )

Only natural to be nervous. You don't always do great at parties. Or, go to parties.

[acdc_rules]

I do fine in parties.

[He pauses, because how to explain this.]

He never really introduced us to his people before. He always kept us separate.

[camber]

You do you at parties, but you don't do parties. You do, gatherings. Groups. Hangs. And, hey, you're a great hang.

( He nods at that, sighing. )

What I hear is good. You wouldn't be nervous if it weren't. Or, you'd be nervous for the wrong reason.

( He lays there, a lopsided smile on his face. This is probably the first time in a long time he's felt this flutter in his heart, the soul in Ben's eyes, and the reminder that Ben looks like Ben. But, he doesn't know what to do with it, because Ben just knows him, but he's not going to bullshit.

He's just - fuck - yeah, fine, he basks a bit. )

You wanna c'mere?

[acdc_rules]

[Ben turns to face him at the question, and for a moment he just studies him, trying to read between the lines and see what he's actually asking. Because there's what he thinks it is, and Ben willfully misreading it because of something that he wants and won't put words to.

Instead, all he can manage is:]

What?

[camber]

( He can't hide the audible sigh. )

Get closer. ( He waits for the subsequent amount of acceptable seconds before he stamps his addition. ) Move closer to. Shift. ( A soft, whispered, ) Damn it, Braeden, ( slips out before he does it for him and collides with his best friend, trying his lips on for size. if he were lying to himself, he wouldn't say this almost happened once or ten times, but honest or dishonest, he's also been one for the moment. maybe part of him wants to help release all this tension, but, really, he's just ready to let it all go. )

[acdc_rules]

[For a moment, Ben responds like Dickerson may want him to. He kisses him back, because he isn't unfeeling, isn't saying that he hasn't had similar thoughts. But it lasts not even a minute before reality catches up, and his response turns into a hand on Dickerson's chest, pushing him back and trying to shove down the anger that is threatening to bubble up.]

What are you doing?

[camber]

I'm - isn't it obvious, Braeden.

( They're laying here in this bed. Close. He's tense. He's got all this tension and nervousness. He's trying to be there for him. )

I've wanted to do it for a while now.