Chapter Text
Small town, small minds. Seth always knew he was destined for bigger things. He craved excitement, thrills, a sense of purpose. It was something he didn’t see himself finding in Davenport, Iowa of all places. That is, until he met the boy in the worn denim jacket. The last thing Seth expected to find on his walk home from school was a stranger. He knew just about everyone in town, so when he saw a boy around his age on the side of the road, sticking his thumb out and promptly flipping off cars as they passed by, he was taken aback.
“Hey kid, you know any good places to eat around here?” He asked.
Seth wrinkled his nose in a sneer. Kid? They looked around the same age. He considered just ignoring him and continue walking, but something made him stop and answer.
“First of all, I’m not a kid. Secondly, there’s a diner downtown. Just your run of the mill food you’d find at most, but it isn’t bad.”
The boy smirked and huffed in amusement. “Mind showing me where it is? I’m new around here.”
“Sure, I guess,” Seth replied. “I’m Seth, by the way.”
“Dean,” he said as he shuffled next to Seth.
“So… where are you from? Since you’re new here and all.”
“Around,” was his answer.
Seth took a quick glance at Dean as they walked. He carried a backpack that had seen better days, the rest of his clothes matched his faded jacket and looked like they hadn’t been washed in a while. He didn’t say anything about them. The rest of the walk was met with silence.
“Alright, here we are,” Seth gestured to the restaurant.
“Thanks,” Dean replied, making his way to the door without so much as a second glance.
“See you around I guess?” Seth asked.
“Not likely.”
Seth huffed and shook his head, turning on his heel and making his way home. “What a jerk.”
A couple days had passed since Seth had met the aloof Dean, and Seth really wondered if he was just some sort of drifter wandering through his town. Not that he cared really, it was just curiosity. People like that didn’t typically pass through here. Just as he was contemplating where Dean might’ve headed, he saw him standing by the side of the road yet again, but this time it looked like he was waiting for something. They made eye contact and Dean motioned for Seth to come to him. Seth furrowed his brow, but walked across the street to meet him.
“I thought you said I wouldn’t be seeing you around.” Seth said, feeling the corners of his mouth curve into a snarky smile.
“Don’t you want to know why I stuck around to wait for you?” Dean replied.
“You stuck around for me?” Seth sounded surprised.
“Don’t make anything of it. I saw you and your buddies setting up a wrestling ring the other day.”
“Were you spying on me?” Seth admittedly, was more intrigued than weirded out.
“I was just taking a walk through the neighborhood and happened to see you guys that’s all,” Dean swung his backpack off his shoulder and set it on the ground.
He knelt down and unzipped it. Inside, among rumpled up clothes, were some tattered magazines. He pulled one out to reveal that it was a magazine on wrestling. Seth’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. He knelt down with Dean and brushed his fingers over the front cover.
“I’ve been watching wrestling since I was a kid. Started picking up tapes and mags on it not too long after that,” Dean mused as he thumbed through the pages.
“I’ve been into it since I was young too. I kind of just jumped right into practicing when my parents finally let me.”
“They just let you put on backyard shows like that?”
Seth nodded. “Once I turn eighteen I’m going to start training, I’ve made up my mind.”
“Yeah? Me too, man. How old are you now?”
“Sixteen. I’m counting down the days. What about you?” Seth sat down on the grass, Dean followed suit.
“I’m seventeen.”
“Lucky. You’re closer than I am,” Seth paused. “I don’t mean to pry, but where did you live before coming here?”
“Cincinnati,” Dean replied.
“Wow, that’s far. What brings you to Iowa?”
Dean’s expression darkened and he stayed silent. Seth chewed his lip nervously.
“I’m sorry, you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to,” He stuttered.
“Some other time maybe,” Dean said.
“So… there’s a park not too far from here. You wanna go there so we can look at your magazines?” Seth asked, hopeful and excited.
“Sounds like you really want to,” Dean teased. “Lead the way.”
They spent what felt like hours reading and talking about their favorite wrestlers, their favorite moves, and everything in between. They sat on the swings in that park until dusk settled over the town and the crickets started singing their songs. Seth shot up in a panic and checked his phone.
“Shit! My parents are gonna kill me if I’m late for dinner,” he exclaimed.
Dean looked disappointed. “Oh, yeah. I guess it is getting kind of late. Wanna do this again sometime?”
“Yeah definitely! How about Friday after school? I can stay out longer since it’s the weekend.”
“Sure, works for me,” Dean kept his seat on the swing. “See you then.”
“See you, Dean!” Seth cracked a smile and waved.
Dean sighed as the swing creaked under his weight. He pulled out a cigarette and lit it, letting the smoke wisp around him. He kicked at the dirt and ashes beneath his feet, hoping it didn’t get too cold tonight.