Post by Dean Harper on Jan 29, 2024 0:44:56 GMT
The camera comes on to Dean sitting on the throne holding the battle tested and worn baseball bat with the words GOOD TIMES carved into it.
“I have missed hardcore matches. I remember the Man of steel championship belt though it was later retitled to the Strong style belt. To hold that title, and retain it you had to be the last man standing. You had to take the kind of beating that the other belts didn’t get. Submissions and hardcore were its bread and butter. I admittedly was behind Spike Kane and Bob Pooler in defenses on the record. But let’s not pretend I didn’t have some of the best matches while handling it.”
“The things I did to carry that belt solidified my reputation. But those things were high school compared to the level of untapped rage I have now. I have no problem unloading on either of you. A mixed hardcore match seems a little unfair, don’t you think? No shade to Jennie but hardcore matches aren’t her bread and butter like they are to Stephen.” Dean winks.
“Hope you got all your photoshoots for metamorphosis done before the match starts. Hate to have either of the pretty damaged because someone in the big office got bored. Me? I always look prettier covered in blood.”
Dean sat in the car that had been Maxine’s, the only car he drove. The engagement ring that matches the one Dean wore around his neck at all times and one Warren likely had thrown away ages ago. He was sitting in the driveway of the house that had been theirs before all these issues started waiting for their son to come out and come home.
He’d sent a text to Warren letting him know that he was ready for the pickup. It felt too weird to ring the doorbell like a guest at a house he’d lived in as a husband. He leaned back in the driver’s seat, turning up the radio as he waited.
I sit and watch you readin' with your head low
I wake and watch you breathin' with your eyes closed
I sit and watch you
I notice everything you do or don't do
You're so much older and wiser, and I
Warren walked Damien and bluey outside, “You haven’t forgotten anything, have you Damien,” Warren asked softly as they walked.
"Nope, I got everything!" Damien smiled at Warren.
“Good boy, I’m gonna miss you,” Warren smiled.
"Miss you too." Damien smiled. "Maybe we can move home again soon?"
“That depends on Daddy,” Warren said.
"Are you two gonna talk?" Damien glanced at the car where Dean was tapping his thumb against the steering wheel clearly waiting.
They had been civil but had not had a real conversation in weeks...
“If he wants to, I can try,” Warren tapped Dean’s window.
Dean rolled down the window, flicking the sound of the radio down, "Warren."
“Damien was wondering if you wanted to talk. I mean really talk, not just you know… If you don’t, it’s okay,” Warren was clearly trying for Damien.
"We can try." Dean turned the car off, "Do you want to talk here or somewhere else?"
“Wherever you feel comfortable, this used to be our home.” which only made it hurt but Dean didn’t give anything away.
"Sure... We can try talking inside." Dean got out of the car., pressing the locking feature. "Kitchen?"
“Sure,” Warren smiled, turning to Damien. “You want to come back inside son, or wait in the car?”
"Can Bluey and I play in the backyard?" Damien asked.
“Yes.”
Dean watched Damien rush off before following Warren into the house, glancing and making note of any of the differences since when he had lived here. Not much had changed, clearly Warren was used to being alone. It was like slipping back into how life used to be, simpler.
I wait by the door like I'm just a kid
Use my best colors for your portrait
Lay the table with the fancy shit
“Anything to drink?”, Warren offered.
"Water is fine. I quit drinking and gave up soda." Dean shrugged.
Warren handed him a bottle of fruit flavored water from the fridge, took another for himself “So, open forum, we can start wherever you would like.”
And watch you tolerate it
If it's all in my head, tell me now
Tell me I've got it wrong somehow
I know my love should be celebrated
But you tolerate it
Dean took a sip of the water, “I’m doing more therapy. Group. Regular. And some new age shit with meditation.”
“I’ve recently been trying meditation myself,” Warren said. “Shea’s suggestion. It seems to be helping honestly, like I’m starting to recall things more clearly." He unscrewed the cap on his water bottle and took a considered drink.
“Like what?”
I greet you with a battle hero's welcome
I take your indiscretions all in good fun
I sit and listеn
I polish plates until they gleam and glistеn
You're so much older and wiser, and I
“Like you, me and Max. how we…got together in the end, apparently. Shortly before she died. I don’t recall how. I feel like shit for having forgotten that part of our relationship completely. I assume you had your reasons for not reminding me,” Warren shrugged, “Probably thought you were protecting me or some shit, right?”
"I...honestly thought you did remember but talking about her was too painful." Dean swallowed his hurt awkwardly. He was never good with her memory. "It's why seeing Damien bothered you so much. Because you didn't want to pass on the Kane heart defect."
I wait by the door like I'm just a kid
Use my best colors for your portrait
Lay the table with the fancy shit
And watch you tolerate it
If it's all in my head, tell me now
Tell me I've got it wrong somehow
I know my love should be celebrated
But you tolerate it
“Yeah…who knows how long I have left," Warren said, “Kane men don’t seem to live very long. Dawn got the lucky break.” Warren sighed, everyone seemed to catch breaks in life except him.
"They have heart doctors and specialists you know. You don't have to raw dog it like Spike did. You could get help. Sort of head it off at the pass. This isn't the UK where you have to wait for an appointment. Marrying me got you a front row seat to using the stupid amount of money you have to get medical care."
While you were out buildin' other worlds, where was I?
Where's that man who'd throw blankets over my barbed wire?
I made you my temple, my mural, my sky
Now I'm beggin' for footnotes in the story of your life
Drawin' hearts in the byline
Always takin' up too much space or time
You assume I'm fine, but what would you do if I
“That’s not why I married you, Sweetness. Besides, I’m just not sure they can do anything.”
"If you don't want to try looking into it for yourself or for me, try it for Damien. He loves you. I gave up drinking. Worried I'd become someone I didn't like and make his life worse. I feel like you should try making sure you can be there for his high school graduation too."
Break free and leave us in ruins?
Took this dagger in me and removed it
Gain the weight of you, then lose it
Believe me, I could do it
“Maybe.”
"Regardless of how long it takes us to figure out our issues. I want you in his life."
If it's all in my head, tell me now
Tell me I've got it wrong somehow
I know my love should be celebrated
But you tolerate it
Warren went unusually quiet again. It was a habit of his to withdraw when he couldn’t deal with something. Dean knew all too well that the ticking time bomb in Warren’s chest, the one he’d inherited from his bastard father, was one such thing.
I sit and watch you
"Not pressuring you for an answer. I know there isn't one."
“Stephen, we’ve done this at least once? Twice? I honestly can’t remember. It’s not important. I know you white knighted for Brooklyn before and that was adorable. Your faction is struggling with a member short but hey you still got that mouthpiece so that’s something.” Dean shrugs. “Can’t say it does wonders for your image though. I mean, sure having a mouthpiece is nice and all but I tend to find a man who can’t handle his talking to be a bore.”
“I’m meant to find you intimidating. I’m meant to find you frightening. I’m meant to see your weight and your height to be the Big Man. The Big Monster. And maybe it would be something to shake me in my boots if I wasn’t jaded. I’ve kicked bigger men than you out of a ring. I’ve handled tougher men. Not saying you can’t beat me, I’m not that overconfident in my skills. But you are the man who likes to handle everything in your own hands. You likely find tools and toys to be limiting, find it weakens your manhood or something right?”
“I love toys. I love this bat. I like the sound it makes when it connects with a skull. I like the feel as it swings through the air. I’m a man of simple tastes. And Big Men like you bleed just as easily as anyone. I look forward to witnessing it.”
Dean swings the bat slightly, “Then we got my…do I call you step-aunt? Aunt? I don’t have to guess in the grand scheme of things. I know you are the playful type. You got a little bit of the madness and you can go hard but for the most part, you seem to just enjoy Harley Quinn-ing about the place. I should be more worried about that. But to be honest? I find your violence more adorable than I find it intimidating.”
“Not because you are a woman. Rowan still features in a starring role in most of my nightmares. But you’re bubbles from that one Powerpuff episode insisting you can be hardcore. And maybe you can. But I think mostly you will be too busy thinking about tacos and colorful balloons to handle being in this match. But you could surprise me. I do like surprises.”
Dean laughs, “But no. I don’t think either of you is really going to be putting your all into this. You both have more serious matches down the pipeline, don’t you? Me? I have a title match but that isn’t going to stop me from going all out. I fight much better bruised and lightly broken. Besides, I’m eager for a chance to really just fuck someone up. Waiting until Metamorphosis is too long a wait for me.”
“I have missed hardcore matches. I remember the Man of steel championship belt though it was later retitled to the Strong style belt. To hold that title, and retain it you had to be the last man standing. You had to take the kind of beating that the other belts didn’t get. Submissions and hardcore were its bread and butter. I admittedly was behind Spike Kane and Bob Pooler in defenses on the record. But let’s not pretend I didn’t have some of the best matches while handling it.”
“The things I did to carry that belt solidified my reputation. But those things were high school compared to the level of untapped rage I have now. I have no problem unloading on either of you. A mixed hardcore match seems a little unfair, don’t you think? No shade to Jennie but hardcore matches aren’t her bread and butter like they are to Stephen.” Dean winks.
“Hope you got all your photoshoots for metamorphosis done before the match starts. Hate to have either of the pretty damaged because someone in the big office got bored. Me? I always look prettier covered in blood.”
Dean sat in the car that had been Maxine’s, the only car he drove. The engagement ring that matches the one Dean wore around his neck at all times and one Warren likely had thrown away ages ago. He was sitting in the driveway of the house that had been theirs before all these issues started waiting for their son to come out and come home.
He’d sent a text to Warren letting him know that he was ready for the pickup. It felt too weird to ring the doorbell like a guest at a house he’d lived in as a husband. He leaned back in the driver’s seat, turning up the radio as he waited.
I sit and watch you readin' with your head low
I wake and watch you breathin' with your eyes closed
I sit and watch you
I notice everything you do or don't do
You're so much older and wiser, and I
Warren walked Damien and bluey outside, “You haven’t forgotten anything, have you Damien,” Warren asked softly as they walked.
"Nope, I got everything!" Damien smiled at Warren.
“Good boy, I’m gonna miss you,” Warren smiled.
"Miss you too." Damien smiled. "Maybe we can move home again soon?"
“That depends on Daddy,” Warren said.
"Are you two gonna talk?" Damien glanced at the car where Dean was tapping his thumb against the steering wheel clearly waiting.
They had been civil but had not had a real conversation in weeks...
“If he wants to, I can try,” Warren tapped Dean’s window.
Dean rolled down the window, flicking the sound of the radio down, "Warren."
“Damien was wondering if you wanted to talk. I mean really talk, not just you know… If you don’t, it’s okay,” Warren was clearly trying for Damien.
"We can try." Dean turned the car off, "Do you want to talk here or somewhere else?"
“Wherever you feel comfortable, this used to be our home.” which only made it hurt but Dean didn’t give anything away.
"Sure... We can try talking inside." Dean got out of the car., pressing the locking feature. "Kitchen?"
“Sure,” Warren smiled, turning to Damien. “You want to come back inside son, or wait in the car?”
"Can Bluey and I play in the backyard?" Damien asked.
“Yes.”
Dean watched Damien rush off before following Warren into the house, glancing and making note of any of the differences since when he had lived here. Not much had changed, clearly Warren was used to being alone. It was like slipping back into how life used to be, simpler.
I wait by the door like I'm just a kid
Use my best colors for your portrait
Lay the table with the fancy shit
“Anything to drink?”, Warren offered.
"Water is fine. I quit drinking and gave up soda." Dean shrugged.
Warren handed him a bottle of fruit flavored water from the fridge, took another for himself “So, open forum, we can start wherever you would like.”
And watch you tolerate it
If it's all in my head, tell me now
Tell me I've got it wrong somehow
I know my love should be celebrated
But you tolerate it
Dean took a sip of the water, “I’m doing more therapy. Group. Regular. And some new age shit with meditation.”
“I’ve recently been trying meditation myself,” Warren said. “Shea’s suggestion. It seems to be helping honestly, like I’m starting to recall things more clearly." He unscrewed the cap on his water bottle and took a considered drink.
“Like what?”
I greet you with a battle hero's welcome
I take your indiscretions all in good fun
I sit and listеn
I polish plates until they gleam and glistеn
You're so much older and wiser, and I
“Like you, me and Max. how we…got together in the end, apparently. Shortly before she died. I don’t recall how. I feel like shit for having forgotten that part of our relationship completely. I assume you had your reasons for not reminding me,” Warren shrugged, “Probably thought you were protecting me or some shit, right?”
"I...honestly thought you did remember but talking about her was too painful." Dean swallowed his hurt awkwardly. He was never good with her memory. "It's why seeing Damien bothered you so much. Because you didn't want to pass on the Kane heart defect."
I wait by the door like I'm just a kid
Use my best colors for your portrait
Lay the table with the fancy shit
And watch you tolerate it
If it's all in my head, tell me now
Tell me I've got it wrong somehow
I know my love should be celebrated
But you tolerate it
“Yeah…who knows how long I have left," Warren said, “Kane men don’t seem to live very long. Dawn got the lucky break.” Warren sighed, everyone seemed to catch breaks in life except him.
"They have heart doctors and specialists you know. You don't have to raw dog it like Spike did. You could get help. Sort of head it off at the pass. This isn't the UK where you have to wait for an appointment. Marrying me got you a front row seat to using the stupid amount of money you have to get medical care."
While you were out buildin' other worlds, where was I?
Where's that man who'd throw blankets over my barbed wire?
I made you my temple, my mural, my sky
Now I'm beggin' for footnotes in the story of your life
Drawin' hearts in the byline
Always takin' up too much space or time
You assume I'm fine, but what would you do if I
“That’s not why I married you, Sweetness. Besides, I’m just not sure they can do anything.”
"If you don't want to try looking into it for yourself or for me, try it for Damien. He loves you. I gave up drinking. Worried I'd become someone I didn't like and make his life worse. I feel like you should try making sure you can be there for his high school graduation too."
Break free and leave us in ruins?
Took this dagger in me and removed it
Gain the weight of you, then lose it
Believe me, I could do it
“Maybe.”
"Regardless of how long it takes us to figure out our issues. I want you in his life."
If it's all in my head, tell me now
Tell me I've got it wrong somehow
I know my love should be celebrated
But you tolerate it
Warren went unusually quiet again. It was a habit of his to withdraw when he couldn’t deal with something. Dean knew all too well that the ticking time bomb in Warren’s chest, the one he’d inherited from his bastard father, was one such thing.
I sit and watch you
"Not pressuring you for an answer. I know there isn't one."
“Stephen, we’ve done this at least once? Twice? I honestly can’t remember. It’s not important. I know you white knighted for Brooklyn before and that was adorable. Your faction is struggling with a member short but hey you still got that mouthpiece so that’s something.” Dean shrugs. “Can’t say it does wonders for your image though. I mean, sure having a mouthpiece is nice and all but I tend to find a man who can’t handle his talking to be a bore.”
“I’m meant to find you intimidating. I’m meant to find you frightening. I’m meant to see your weight and your height to be the Big Man. The Big Monster. And maybe it would be something to shake me in my boots if I wasn’t jaded. I’ve kicked bigger men than you out of a ring. I’ve handled tougher men. Not saying you can’t beat me, I’m not that overconfident in my skills. But you are the man who likes to handle everything in your own hands. You likely find tools and toys to be limiting, find it weakens your manhood or something right?”
“I love toys. I love this bat. I like the sound it makes when it connects with a skull. I like the feel as it swings through the air. I’m a man of simple tastes. And Big Men like you bleed just as easily as anyone. I look forward to witnessing it.”
Dean swings the bat slightly, “Then we got my…do I call you step-aunt? Aunt? I don’t have to guess in the grand scheme of things. I know you are the playful type. You got a little bit of the madness and you can go hard but for the most part, you seem to just enjoy Harley Quinn-ing about the place. I should be more worried about that. But to be honest? I find your violence more adorable than I find it intimidating.”
“Not because you are a woman. Rowan still features in a starring role in most of my nightmares. But you’re bubbles from that one Powerpuff episode insisting you can be hardcore. And maybe you can. But I think mostly you will be too busy thinking about tacos and colorful balloons to handle being in this match. But you could surprise me. I do like surprises.”
Dean laughs, “But no. I don’t think either of you is really going to be putting your all into this. You both have more serious matches down the pipeline, don’t you? Me? I have a title match but that isn’t going to stop me from going all out. I fight much better bruised and lightly broken. Besides, I’m eager for a chance to really just fuck someone up. Waiting until Metamorphosis is too long a wait for me.”
Well howdy there pardner.