20: [Video/Action] Open Arms

[dashboardlite]

Dean is slumped in one of the easy chairs in his room, seemingly completely oblivious to the camera he's left on the bedside table.  It's at enough of an angle that half his face is obscured by the shadows in the dimly-lit room, and the only sources of illumination are the floor lamp off in the far corner, and the soft electric glow of the radio's face.

The only thing it's been playing today are Journey's greatest hits, but it's been stuck on a loop of Faithfully and Open Arms, which made Dean think, and thinking is always a bad idea when he's convinced that he's fucked up almost every close friendship - or relationship - he's had with anyone since coming here.

Dean is starting to see a pattern, and if the expression of grim pain on his face isn't enough of a giveaway that something is wrong, then the beer bottle dangling from his fingertips over the left arm of the chair ought to be.  Reaching down, he tugs off one of his heavy biker boots and chucks it at the radio, which clatters to the floor and fizzles out of whatever reception it was getting.

He knows he should be happier.  His brother is here.  Sam, Sasquatch that he is, is here - albeit older - the the guilt he feels over moping when he should be catching up with Sam is...really awful, actually.

But everyone has those days, right?

Right?

Comments

[video]

[sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com]

[ It's true that Philip was never the god of socialites, but he got by just fine, at least before Greenland. In practice he may seem a little unrefined from time to time, especially now, but at least in theory he's equipped with all the social skills of a perfectly average guy.

And every once in a while he can even pull a surprisingly helpful piece of trivia out of his sleeve. ]

No. It wouldn't.

[ At least that much Philip can say with perfect confidence and certainty.

Initial surprise aside he is indeed as unphased as he appears. One might even say that this is the first announcement in a long time that does not phase him at all. ]

So... anyone I know?

[ Nope, there is certainly nothing phasing about this whatsoever. ]

[video]

[dashboardlite.livejournal.com]

[The absolute wave of relief that washes over Dean at Phil's answer is almost indescribably wonderful. In all honesty, Dean's never had a problem with homosexuality. He laughs whenever he and Sam are mistaken for a gay couple, and he'd never begrudge someone the opportunity to be with whoever they loved, no matter the gender.

He's just never experienced this firsthand.

Relaxing a little, feeling far less tense than he had before, Dean feels a sharp spike of worry shudder through him at the question. He knew this question was coming. He should have prepared for it better.]

Uh.

[Think fast, Dean.]

...yeah, you could say that. Might've...come up in conversation. I think.

[He swallows nervously. How convincing.]

[video]

[sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com]

Well...?

[ Philip smiles. This is normally where you give a name, you know. ]

If you're dating the Operator then I might have to take back what I just said.

[video]

[dashboardlite.livejournal.com]

Ha ha, you're hilarious.

[Dean rolls his eyes, but appreciates the levity since things are probably going to turn into a shitstorm in the next few minutes. He pauses again, but it's not for dramatic effect.]

...listen, you...you have to promise not to freak out, dude.

[video]

[sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com]

[ Philip laughs briefly, but there's a nervous edge to it. ]

Uhm... okay?

[video]

[dashboardlite.livejournal.com]

It's, ah... [He's tempted to just mumble into the table again, really he is.] ...it's Castiel.

[And he preemptively springs into action, hands up, defending himself and hoping to the God that might not exist that Phil won't disown him.] Don't- Don't freak out, dude, please.

[video]

[sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com]

[ Nervous grin frozen in place.

Ahahahaha, that's hilarious, for a second there it almost sounded like the guy Dean was in love with was--

...

...

...

Brainstroke.

Silence. ]

[video]

[dashboardlite.livejournal.com]

[Dear God, he's snapped the man's mind in two, hasn't he?

Dean swallows his panic and tries to assess exactly how he said things. It...It wasn't that bad, right? It wasn't...like...well, the presentation was awkward, but that's expected, and he's pretty sure that Philip doesn't actually know Cas yet.

Though by the look on his face, Dean might be wrong.]

.....Phil?

[Dean waves his hand a little, feeling his stomach writhe.]

[video]

[sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com]

You're in love with... with Cas- Cast--

With your... with the-- Castiel. The... the angel Castiel.

[ Philip is staring at Dean almost pleadingly, wishing beyond anything else that the next response will be laughter and an apology for the confusion, because of course he would not fall in love with that winged rat, he's talking about some human who just happens to be named Castiel as well and oh my, what an awkward misunderstanding ahahahaha. ]

[video]

[dashboardlite.livejournal.com]

[Gee, this is turning out to be the best idea he ever had. Dean knows that Philip's brain is short-circuiting, but it really isn't a difficult concept to grasp, and for some reason it sounds even weirder coming out of someone else's mouth. He's in love, yes, and the other person is Castiel, but putting all those words into one sentence even makes Dean uncomfortable.

Clearing his throat, Dean fiddling with the ring on his finger for a nother few awkward moments before making eye contact again. Phil is looking at him like he's got lobsters crawling out of his ears.]

Yes. [Jesus, how many more times does he have to say it? His cheeks are heating up in embarrassment.]

Yes, Castiel. The angel. The one you got beef with, and I know it ain't exactly kosher for me to spring this on you, but you asked and I'm kinda sick of lying to people about it, and I'd really appreciate if you could pull yourself together for one friggin' minute because you're not the one who should be panicking here, it's me.

[Give him a break, huh? It's not like people intend to fall in love.

Particularly not Dean.]

[video]

[sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com]

[ Dead quiet.

Wow. Talk about a punch in the stomach.

Not too long ago Philip could have agreed with Dean now, could have rationalised it all somehow. Told himself that he was overreacting to somebody he's never even met.

But then he did meet Castiel. And the mind-invading didn't exactly leave a favourable impression. And now, well...

It's hard to describe how Philip feels right now. To understand it you'd... hell, you'd probably have to watch the person you care about the most shove you aside for some demon chick to even get the idea. ]

Right.

I shouldn't have said anything.

I'm sorry.

[ For all the passion and sincere remorse in those lines (read: nada) he might as well have been reading them off a script. ]

[video]

[dashboardlite.livejournal.com]

No, dude, just-

[Dean groans, frustrated, and cradles his head in his hands for a moment. He remembers all too well how upset Philip had gotten the first time he'd mentioned Castiel, but hadn't taken it into account because...well. In Dean's defense, he didn't know about Clarence back then.

It's not really fair on anyone. It's not fair for Castiel, because Dean ran away like a little girl, and it's not fair on Phil, because he's got a thing in his head that calls itself an angel, and if Dean had had experience with one of those, then he'd be just as turned off by the thought.

It wasn't something he could have helped, though. It was this horribly inexorable pull that Dean almost wishes he could regret, but he doesn't. He can't. He won't.]

Phil, look, if it were anyone else, you'd probably be happy for me. God knows I'm not jumpin' for joy over here, but...

[Christ, it's a chick flick moment.]

...dude, you're the only one I've told. I trust you, and, Hell - I haven't even told my own brother. But you're starin' at me like I've got three heads, and I thought you of all people might look at this...I dunno, objectively?

[Dean has the habit of wearing his emotions on his sleeve when he feels threatened. Now is certainly one of those occasions. Worry - and hurt - being the most prominent. When he speaks again, it's quieter.]

...I don't...have many friends here, Phil. Not ones that I'd tell this sorta stuff to.

[video] 1/3

[sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com]

.....

[video] 2/3

[sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com]

[ Dean is right about one thing: If this was anybody else Philip would be happy for him. Heck, he already was happy for him before he heard that damned name.

But Dean is very wrong about something else: Philip does not look at things objectively. Oh, far from it. Maybe he tries, maybe he thinks he does, but in the end he applies two very different scales of judgement to people he likes and people he dislikes.

So being told to pull himself together by the former when he's justifiably yet wrongly wary about the latter? That hurt.

But when he thinks about it... when he thinks about it more than he really wants to, then Dean is ri--

Then Dean still isn't right, because he hates that bloody angel, oh god, does he ever hate him, but...

But Dean is his friend and it really doesn't matter whether he's right or wrong, because Philip will just have to...

Philip will just have to pull himself together. ]

[video] 3/3

[sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com]

I've... met Castiel. And I... I don't trust him. I can't help it.

[ Philip takes a deep breath. ]

But you do. And he's... obviously important to you. [ GOD KNOWS WHY. ] And this is hard enough for you as it is and I...

[ahahahafooledyou!] 4/3

[sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry.

[ Ah, now there is some sincerity. ]

I'm... glad you found someone.

[ With much effort and strain he manages to keep the 'I just wish it was someone else' out of his voice. ]

[video YOU FIEND]

[dashboardlite.livejournal.com]

[Dean is genuinely surprised to hear that Philip and Castiel have met. In a mansion with god-knows-how-many residents, the likelihood of their encounter was slim to none, so he hadn't worried about them running into each there. It seems as though Dean was mistaken, however, and that the introductions had not gone swimmingly.

Even if Philip doesn't really mean what he's saying, it's still nice to hear it and have some sort of verbal reassurance that no, Dean is not about to be disowned as a friend, romantic interests or not.

...thanks. [And he means it.] I don't blame you for not trusting him after...everything. And he comes off awkward.

[Maybe they shouldn't be talking about Castiel. Philip looks uncomfortable. All right? All right.]

But thanks. "Love"- [He fingerquotes.] -in general ain't exactly my thing, so...it's weird. I mean, do I look like the kinda guy who goes on dates?

[VIDEO MUAHAHAHAHAHA!]

[sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com]

[Awkward was not the word he would have chosen for the angel, but okay. We are changing the subject to 'Dean is a bar-raiding mawhore' which is perfectly fine with Philip. ]

Define date.

[VIDEO]

[dashboardlite.livejournal.com]

...dinner and sex?

[He suggests tentatively, because admittedly, his bar-raiding manwhore habits aren't received well by the general public.

Unless the general public is a loose woman with long legs and a great pair of-]

Y'know, how 'bout you define "date" and I'll tell you if it applies.

[VIDEO]

[sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com]

[ Pft. Figures.

Philip decides to ignore the request for his own definition. It approximately matches Dean's, though personally he'd consider the sex optional. His guess is that Dean would say the same about dinner. ]

Well, if it helps, you do look like the kind of person who has dinner and sex.

[ Philip would take this part more seriously, but he still thinks it's too funny that Dean can fight all known and unknown monsters in existence and still seem so nervous about a little basic social interaction. ]

[VIDEO]

[dashboardlite.livejournal.com]

Your sincerity is touching.

[Dean retorts snarkily, rumpling his hair. It's not that he's scared of having feelings for someone, it's just that he's never had the opportunit- Okay he's scared.

Shut up.]

I never had time, okay? We barely visit the same town more than once, and-

[He stops. His father. His father had rules. Rules against emotional attachment. Dean screws up his face in thought.]

...I think I had three girlfriends in high school one time.

[Yeah, that sounds about right.]

[VIDEO]

[sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com]

[ S'okay, s'okay. It's a little more fun to ignore that aspect, but Philip actually understands how Dean's way of life wouldn't exactly have been an ideal breeding ground for your average long(ish)-term relationship.

Give him a moment to raise an eyebrow at Dean's foursome before attempting more serious commentary again for a change. ]

Well. You've got time now. [ Whether he likes it or not. ] Make the best of it.

[VIDEO]

[dashboardlite.livejournal.com]

[The narration would like to point out that it wasn't a foursome, you silly goose, as high school girls were a little wholesome back then. It was more along the lines of Dean dating three separate women who had no idea what he was doing until one of them found him in the janitor's closet with one of the others.

Real smooth.]

Don't gimme that look, I know I'm a whore. But...with guys... [Dean flounders a little. He knows the mechanics. Likely he saw some porn of it once and laughed, and now he wishes he'd paid more attention.]

...I'm gonna suck at this. Phil, I've never had a relationship that lasted longer than a month.

[VIDEO]

[sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com]

[ This narration does not get too hung up over such mere technicalities; it maintains that Dean should be thoroughly ashamed of his manwhoreish lifestyle.

Philip apparently seems more lenient in his judgement... or at least he has no intention of dwelling on it right now. ]

That's not... exactly what I meant. Look...

[ If you're going to suck something, then you're already on the right way.

...

No. Wait. Wrong Philip.

]

Look, just... [ Occasional insight aside Philip still isn't exactly a relationship expert.

Practical guesses and generic phrases. It's probably not going to get much better than that, but it's a start... ]

Just take it one month at a time then.

You said you walked away from him. [ Cue very deliberately not dwelling on who 'he' is for too long. ] Walk back. Tell him you're sorry and that you want to give this a try. See where it goes from there.

[VIDEO]

[dashboardlite.livejournal.com]

[COMMITMENT. IT TERRIFIES HIM.

Dean swallows nervously, nodding. He doesn't recognize the advice as generic, fortunately, because Dean doesn't exactly read Cosmopolitan - nor did he ever receive such suggestions from his father - so everything Philip is saying, generalized or not, sounds great.

"Walking back" is easier said than done, though.]

Right. Okay. [For an instant, Dean wears an expression similar to one of his brother's: lost, and forlorn-like. Then it smoothes over with determination and he rubs his hand over his face. Chuckling weakly to himself, Dean looks back at Philip.]

You're not so bad at this advice thing, y'know? Were you a ladies' man back home?

[You can tell he's in better spirits when he goes back to humor.]

Woo them with your talk of gravity?