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]

[usskickass.livejournal.com]

Is there somethin' in the water? 'cause damn, everybody's gotten mopey lately.

And the Journey, really? It's a decent enough band but I'm beginning to wonder if this band ain't just the magical key to men that I've somehow been missin' all this time.

[Sigh.]

Anyway, what's got your goat? You need to talk any?

[video]

[dashboardlite.livejournal.com]

[Dean has absolutely no idea who this woman is, where she's from, or how she even decided that talking to him in the first place was a good idea, but he's actually grateful for the voice breaking the echoing monotony of Steve Perry's tender, heart-tugging tenor tones in his head. Now that he's been listening to it for two hours, it's hard to get rid of.

Dean chuckles a little.]

If I coulda changed the channel, I would've. [He shifts a little in his chair, turning to look at the communicator and furrowing his brow a little.]

Who else's been mopey?

[usskickass.livejournal.com]

[It's only at this point that she realizes she never asked that guy his name.] Uh-- some guy about your age. I didn't talk to him much, though.

[And now she's going to ask his name before she forgets or gets brushed off.] I'm Shannon Beiste. What's your name?

[dashboardlite.livejournal.com]

Dean. [He takes another swig of his drink.] Dean Winchester.

[Guy around his age, huh? Staring dejectedly at his empty bottle for a moment, his expression of slight contentment faltering, Dean addresses her again.]

...Was he dressed like some kinda tax accountant?

[Video]

[tadanokusuriuri.livejournal.com]

[The Medicine Seller is still out hunting enjoying a pleasant stroll through the woods, but he's got time to take a break and make unimpressed faces at the camera. Just for you, baby.]

[Video]

[dashboardlite.livejournal.com]

[Please excuse Dean, then, as he stares right back in a "Well screw you too, buddy" sort of way, because he could clearly use a little company right now but it isn't masculine by any means to seek it out.]

[Video]

[tadanokusuriuri.livejournal.com]

...It was you... advising me to be cautious.

Was it not?

[Video]

[thisisherson.livejournal.com]

Journey? Really You couldn't pick something better to sync your drunken stupor to?

[]

So, why are you attempting to give yourself alcohol poisoning this time, Dean?

[Video] 1/2

[dashboardlite.livejournal.com]

[He grunts, straightening up in his chair.]

Yeah, so? What's that got to do with anything?

[Video] 2/2

[dashboardlite.livejournal.com]

[He hangs his head.]

...I'm sorry, man, I'm just...personal problems.

[Video]

[tadanokusuriuri.livejournal.com]

...I see.

[Actually, I don't think he's ever had personal problems; that entails having and/or wanting personal connections. But he's, uh, familiar with the concept?]

[Video] 1/?

[dashboardlite.livejournal.com]

[Wow. Kurt is the last person Dean wants criticizing him when he's in this situation. Getting a big, fat "I told you so" is not on his to-do list. So yeah, he sounds a little bitter.]

You'll have to excuse me, Princess, for not being able to change the channel on the damn magic radio.

[Video] 2/?

[dashboardlite.livejournal.com]

[...]

[Video] 3/3

[dashboardlite.livejournal.com]

[He sets the bottle aside and cradles his head in his hands.]

...I'm sorry. I'm...I'm just a little...confused...right now, is all.

[Dean sounds somewhat broken.]

[Video]

[thisisherson.livejournal.com]

Oh? I can't imagine why.

[]

After all, you've always been so sure of yourself. ...Well, except when you're like this.

[]

[Video]

[dashboardlite.livejournal.com]

[The certain someone in question is uncomfortable, thank you very much.]

Thank you, Captain Obvious. You just here to point out all my great qualities, or are you gettin' your kicks on seeing me piss-drunk?

[By now, there's really no animosity in his tone. He's just miserable.]

[Video]

[dashboardlite.livejournal.com]

I screwed up, is all.

[Video]

[thisisherson.livejournal.com]

When you get that wasted, you lose your right to complain about people commenting on it. Besides, there are only so many ways to say "Dean, drinking yourself into a stupor won't help".

[]

[Video]

[dashboardlite.livejournal.com]

If I were wasted, I wouldn't have my pants on. [Dean points out in a remarkably lucid manner, raising his eyebrow at the camera lens. He does, however, push the beer bottle away from himself in a somewhat guilty, almost-chastised manner. When he speaks again, he feels very small.]

...what's s'posed to help?

[Video]

[scary-enough.livejournal.com]

[Spencer can't ignore this. Not when Dean was one of the ones to help explain this place]

What's wrong? Or is sitting in near-dark in some sort of morose stupor just something you do?

[Video]

[dashboardlite.livejournal.com]

[Spencer has a point. Occasions like these have grown more and more frequent as of late. On the upside, she doesn't really know Castiel, and she doesn't have any warped notions about who he is already. Unlike the singing kids from Ohio. Maybe she'll bring some fresh eyes to the problem.

...You ever like someone you know you're not s'pposed to? And I don't mean platonically.

[Video]

[demon-bitch.livejournal.com]

[After spending a few hours trying to figure the cameras out, Sam finally manages to hit the right channel.]

Dean? You there?

[Video]

[dashboardlite.livejournal.com]

[Dean shifts a little, turning to look back at the camera. Oh. Oh. Shit. He wobbles for a moment, rolling off the chair and scrambling over to the communicator. Pulling up the desk chair and settling on it, he stares (somewhat blearily) at the screen.]

...Sam? Yeah, Sammy, 'm here. What's up?

[Video]

[demon-bitch.livejournal.com]

Uh...nothing really. I just- [Pause.] Are you...ok?




[[ooc: Sorry I haven't been on the past day. Being sick sucks.]]

[Video]

[scary-enough.livejournal.com]

[There's a reluctant pause before Spencer answers]

...Maybe?