[h3] Dean and Duke [/h3]

Dean listened intently, half expecting that Duke might have lashed out at Esme. But it seemed that he was relatively calm, even if his internal emotions were a mess around her. When she said that she could feel Duke lying about not leaving ‘because’ of her, Dean frowned, and he glanced away from her face for a few seconds as she turned her gaze up to the ceiling. Duke was quick to try and not impose himself on people, or to let THEM get attached to HIM, but Duke normally didn’t just run because he had a nice moment with someone. He didn’t seem particularly upset when Dean had walked away from him the night that he left. He seemed chill…almost too calm.

As she continued, Dean turned his eyes back to her face. He could see how upset she seemed about the whole situation. Duke wasn’t the lying type, unless he was trying to protect someone. He was actually pretty brutally honest most of the time. He could hurt your feelings with a smile, and mean every word of it, only to apologize later. He and Dean were alike in that fact.

Her eyes coming back to his as she said she didn’t want to think about it anymore caused Dean to smile softly, softening his expression to watch her eyes, “Alright. Well…” 

Dean paused, as Esme, like always, turned her worry to his mental state. He scoffed, and relaxed his arm, just letting her kiss his hand. He sighed, keeping the smile on his lips, “Alright. I won’t worry about how pale you look if you don’t worry about any of this stuff. Duke runs off. He does it for a million different reasons and I’m pretty sure that even if it has a tiny…little bit to do with you, it’s not all because of you. Something got into his head.”

He paused, and pressed his lips tightly together, before leaning down and kissing Esme’s forehead. He had an idea, “How about this…You catch your breath, and you get comfortable. I’ll go get you some of that chocolate you like so much, and after a little rest, I’ll take you out tonight. How does that sound?”

[b][I] A little bit later [/I][/b]

Dean stepped into the kitchen, bag of goods in hand, and Duke was sitting at the kitchen table. Dean raised his eyebrow as Duke toyed with the top of a beer bottle, and seemed a little spaced out.

“You good Bub?” Dean asked, not an ounce of frustration in his voice. He was just checking on his baby brother’s mental state. Duke didn’t speak for a moment, and then he turned and gave Dean the fakest smile he had ever seen.

“Yeah, I’m good.”

“You sure? I mean, you’ve been pouting since you got back, and after talking to Esme, I’m still confused, man.” Dean checked on him further, while unpacking the grocery bag. Duke glanced up and held out a hand, as if Dean should have been able to read his mind.

“How am I supposed to be around you guys, if she doesn’t want to be my friend?” Duke asked, and it was then that Dean could tell Duke was a little tipsy…in the afternoon. It was odd and a little extreme that Duke would be so upset about all of this. Esme being a little agitated and not wanting to open herself up to Duke because he lied was something that would blow over eventually. Even Dean knew that. “And I can’t talk to her about it…she doesn’t even want to talk to me.”

“That’s not true. You just hurt her feelings, is all. Man, I can’t make her talk to you. I wouldn’t, even if I could. Whatever reason you had for leaving…she can read you like a book. You left because of her.” Dean told him plainly, and Duke raised his eyes up, slightly drunk blue eyes searching Dean’s face for clarification. So, Dean continued, “You need to tell her the truth.”

“No no no. The truth is a world of trouble. You wouldn’t understand.”

“You like her a lot.” Dean admitted, and Duke scoffed, but Dean continued. “You got attached to her pretty quick, because you guys talked and it scared you. God forbid you let yourself feel anything, man. If you tell her, she’ll get it. Esme’s good like that. She’ll get it.”

“And if it’s more complicated than that?” Duke asked, tapping his beer bottle on the table.

“Then uncomplicate it, and talk to her.”