"Well, I'll start with a not so bloody story," Seth began his part.
"But you'll say the other one as well, right?" Dean asked, somehow knowing he would. Ooh, this was gonna be an awesome night, he thought to himself.
"I'll see. So, anyhow, when this happened – and yes, it really happened – I was at home because I had a few days off. Of course that my girlfriend used that rare opportunity to get me to go shopping with her. Great fun by that way. As always." He sighed with a smile on his face. "We were at the shoes section when I noticed some guy looking at my girlfriend. He either sucked at hiding it or didn't care if I saw it. He stared our way so I started watching him. Well, I had to. And I waited for the moment he would realize what he was doing was inappropriate. Looking at somebody's girlfriend? No. You check her out once, I can live with that. But if you don't look away if I notice what you're doing . . . I knew he knew I saw him; he had to see the I-know-about-you-so-you-better-stop-before-something-happens face I was giving him, but it didn't do anything to him. He even smiled."
"Confidence," Dean summed up what according to him gave the stranger courage to continue.
"And it wasn't like he'd even stand a chance. He was shorter than me, weaker than me, and less handsome, of course. Anyhow, she wanted to go to look at dresses so I let go off him for a moment. But then, three minutes later, it happened again. Or, it continued. He was few feet away from us, pretending to be looking at some polo shirts. Like I wouldn't notice he had eyes for my beautiful girl only. But when she went try the dress on, I went over to him, to let him nicely know that I didn't want him to continue staring at my property."
"Use that word in front of her and she no longer will be your property," said Roman jokingly, and laughed.
Dean wanted to know what happened next. "Did you tell him the good old way, you know, with some action?"
"I didn't beat him up in a shopping center, if that's what you're asking. No. I just said to him that he should mind his own business."
"Really? That's all you said?" Roman doubted the statement. Or he thought it was the short version.
"Maybe I mentioned that if I catch him staring at my girlfriend one more time, it'll be the last thing he'll ever see." Seth reflected. "That'll be a marvelous view, he said." He chuckled.
"Then you hit him, no?" Dean still hoped for some action.
Seth shook his head. "No. Because then he said, 'I'll give anything to see your beautiful eyes right before I die.'"
Roman laughed when he realized the truth. "He was looking at you." He continued with euphoria. "Oh, isn't it cute."
"He was gay," Dean only seemed to have realized now.
"Yep. He was in fact interested in me, not in my girlfriend."
"What did you do? Did you ask him out?"
"Yeah, right, 'cause that makes perfect sense. That's what every sane man in that situation would do," he said sarcastically. First, I'm in a relationship, and second, I'm straight."
Dean countered, "Like that ever mattered."
Strange, confused look appeared on the storyteller's face. "I don't know about you," he said, unsure about Dean's way of thinking, and actions he had possibly undertaken in the past, "but to me at least it matters. Seriously, though, have you ever had that experience?"
"Like I'd remember," he replied, and he didn't really make it totally clear if it was meant to be a sarcastic comment or not. "So what happened?" he somewhat changed the topic.
"Nothing."
"That means hand-stuff," Dean said.
"No! I said I was not interested."
"Sure . . ."
"Seriously, Dean. That was it. Although I met him a couple of times afterwards."
"Right, met. Accidentally, no?"
"Oh, fuck! Why did I even tell you about this? Just take it a little bit seriously, please. You know I'd never –"
"Never say never," Dean interrupted to say.
Roman just uttered, "Now I feel uncomfortable sharing this tent with you two."
"Uncomfortable," Dean said sarcastically. A wide grin on his face.
"Leave it, Dean. Or Seth and I will kick you out of here."
Appearing to be willing to agree on letting it go, Dean asked, "So you met him afterward. And?"
"We smiled at each other, said 'hey.' That's pretty much it."
"Said 'hey'," Dean repeated, but very seductively. He even winked at Seth.
"That's it. Out!" Roman said.
"You can't seriously kick me out of here."
But Dean saw in Roman's eyes that he was not joking. He looked at the door and decided to shut his mouth to avoid losing the privilege of being inside. He looked at Roman again, who opened the door and watched the sky for a brief moment, then put his head back inside the tent and meaningfully uttered, "I think it's gonna rain."
"You wouldn't actually make me leave, would you?" Dean asked.
"You can go ahead with this immature behavior and see, or you can shut up and be safe."
After some consideration, he nodded. "Okay, I understand. But nobody likes to hear the truth. And, you know, I will always love Seth, if you're gay or not."
"Out!" Roman shouted. And he had Seth's full support.
"Seriously, guys?" But that question came when half of Dean's body had been already pushed out.
After Roman zipped up the door of the tent again, he shouted at Dean, "You can listen from out there too."
"I'm lonely in here," Dean cried.
"Don't worry. I'm sure there are plenty of friendly animals out there that won't wait long to welcome you in the wild," Roman assured him, successfully scaring him.
"Let me back," Dean begged. "It's dark outside."
"Oh, I know it's dark and scary. But you're not afraid of the forest, are you?" Roman teased him from safe distance.
Seth joined the conversation, "Don't be such a pussy, Dean. Man up!"
Then Seth looked at Roman and asked him, "So you want to hear the other story?"
"Sure I do."
"Could you speak louder? I can't hear you over here," Dean shouted.
Seth smiled, although he knew Dean couldn't see him. Actually, he thought and took one of the flashlights in his hand. Then he placed it under his chin and looked the way where he knew Dean was. Now a shadow of a scary figure appeared on the wall of the tent. "Hey, Dean, this story is just for you. A nice, scary story that you'll really enjoy from out there."