Derek Petras 45ish - he/himbo

[ DEREK PETRAS. 45. MALE. HE/HIM ] is here! They’ve lived in Silver Lake for [ 4 YEARS, (permanently these past 2) ] and are originally from [ BALTIMORE, MARYLAND ]. They are a [ CARPENTER/ELECTRICIAN ] and in their downtime love [ VIDEO GAMES ] and [ NERF GUN WARS ]. They look a lot like [ PEDRO PASCAL ] and live [ IN SILVERWOOD TERRACE ]. 

javi: how about we bbq with the league and not with the kid, alright?

javi: you serious though? you don't mind about the SD job?

javi: i'm always happy to help man, but don't go too crazy on the money if you got shit you wanna build or w.e

derek: :P just say ur embarassed of me javier im a big boy. league bbq it is.

derek: what i mind most about the SD job is what its gonna do to tigra. money aint ever been a thing bro it wasnt even when u people let me live in my van like nature intended.

derek: i promised you a job n it fell thru, im not gonna yank that check from you i know what thats like. so i'm gonna get you the money and u use it for the kid ok? if wherever he's living needs work just tell me n I'll take care of that too.

derek: we got spare video games n probably furniture we dont need, probably other shit too. let me help u with this bro u would help me if it was reversed

“Enjoying the sun, relaxing… life,” came Ade’s response, a gentle laugh slipping from his lips. He hadn’t known exactly what he meant when he said it, but it was something his mother had said all the while and so it had kind of stuck. “I don’t know really know, just one of those family things I picked up.” A shrug followed.

As the man explained exactly what he was up to today, he had to laugh, nodding his head a little. That had seemed to be all he needed to do to get in good books the last time he’d been in a relationship for more than a month or so. “It does usually seem to do the trick, yeah,” he answered. Although these days he needed to do pretty much everything to please the lady in his life, all part of the job.

When the subject turned to Goliath instead, his gaze shifted to the sleeping dog, and then back to the other man. “Sure, why not…?” he commented lightly. “Bite-sized thing?” A chuckle and he nodded knowingly. “Yeah, my boss has a couple of those, they’re usually the ones here with me, yapping at my heels. Rather bring my guy Goliath out with me instead.”

“Ade… dog and cat lover, errand sufferer,” he said, more laughter accompanying those words.

"I shouldn't say bite-sized.  She ain't here to hear me so it's not really a good tease I guess.  Our dog is smaller is all.  Always wanted a biggun."

Derek murmured as he was more focused on fussing with his camera settings, squinting against the sunlight for the while it took him to remember his sunglasses were nestled in his hair.  Snapping them down in place, he shifted on the bench and leaned forward some, trying to find the sweet spot between good picture angle and not intruding in on personal space to get to it.  Once he was able to snap a couple he deflated back against the bench chuckling, already getting a text message ready to send.

"Ade, m'man.  Death to errands."  He chuckled, distracted by his phone just the moments longer it took him to bring up his camera roll.  Already laughing to himself about himself, the grin that spread across his face as he angled his screen towards the other man was as close to a pure thing as Derek got.  Displayed there on the phone was a picture of a chunky orange cat, sleeping away without a care in the world on its condo.

bowie: well yeah but happy doesn't always cut it, this relationship business can be hard. worth it tho, when its the right person

bowie: i'm gonna have that name tag all minted and ready for u and merrick will be unleashed on the world

bowie: BROAD TRIP.

bowie: hell fucking yes it does

bowie: when are u free?? i can p much make whenever work, boss privilege and that

bowie: tho u gotta drive 🤣 long story

derek: can be hard for sure. not exactly a secret but this marriage shit isnt my field, wasnt ever really a thing in my mind so I'm learning new shit all the time I guess. def worth it.

derek: i know that we both joke a lot so i feel like i need to tell u that i am dedass serious and if u make me a nametag u will have an employee named Merrick.

derek: BROAD TRIP BROAD TRIP

Orla: whats so mysterious ab us?

Orla: yeah, wouldnt want you having to take ur socks off to get to ten, would we?

Orla: ✌🏼

Orla: appreciate it, my dads probs scarier than me tho, so idk if you wanna risk upsetting him by putting him out of being my workhorse 😂

Orla: no

Orla: you know echo, she doesnt worry ab that stuff w/ anybody

Derek: how ur both incredibly scary and incredibly fuckin cool at the same time? its supposed to be one or the other! why u 2 are with me n ziggy I will never understand, i just say my prayers. plenty of mystery!

Derek: that's why i like fliflops- easy access :B

Derek: no never! workhorse respect workhorse i would never. i just have ur back tho, say the word. just want u to know it, don't have to necessarily need it. thats all.

“I don’t even know if this is like, new slang either,” Olga admitted with a shrug. Admitting she didn’t know something in English was definitely on the easier side if you had the excuse of not being a native speaker. “That’s how fast that feels to me when something is not, you know, my mother tongue. But you really didn’t have middle school discos?” There was an expression of genuine disbelief on her face before she tented her fingers and started to explain: “It’s when you’re like twelve or thirteen, and they give you this big room in your school at like, five pm, and you get soda and snacks and they play music and have this light show if you’re lucky. Back then that felt like the best thing ever. Supposed to be like a grown-up disco, you know?” 

She smiled as she saw him repeat the lines in Russian, but it was a warm smile, seeing as Olga was well aware her own Russian was basically non-existent as well. So she also felt free to join in his laughter, adding in her own probably equally butchered version of the lines. 

The eighties had patently not been a great decade in Romania, but she wasn’t going to ruin the great atmosphere with depressing stories, particularly not when the prospect of vodka was lifting her spirits even further. So Olga just commented with a sheepish smile: “Wouldn’t know, wasn’t around that much, you know? You from here? What was it like here?” She shook her head vehemently. “Thank you, but more like shouted altogether. I need vodka to do karaoke, now. And a name.” She held out her hand. “Comrade Olga. Proletarii vsekh stran!”

After folding his arms over one another on the bartop, Derek lowered his head to rest in the bit of cushioning he'd made by doing so and listened as intently as he watched her once she started to explain.  The word 'disco' brought cartoonish and exaggerated images to mind and so the image she painted for him was much appreciated and as quickly as he had sunk down Derek popped back up in a bark of laughter with eyebrows raised in some kind of pseudo-shock, as if she had been intentionally misleading him.

"Oh, what, like a dance?  We had high school dances and stuff all the time!  They were always the worst, nine times out of ten I ended up ditching with my friends to go smoke cigarettes outside or go haunt the arcade.  Nobody ever gave us a light show, though...woulda stayed for a light show prob'ly."

He chuckled some more and turned to glimpse the approaching bartender, gesturing for Olga to place whatever order she wanted with a lazy sweep of his hand before putting in his own.  With a sniff and a nod of his head he focused his attention on his hand and his fingers as they idly turned his empty glass back and forth on its coaster.

Ben merely nodded at that, a smile crossing his features. He’d heard it so many times before, of course, words exchanged at meetings, in bars, with friends. So many people would praise him, but so few actually understood what he’d been through over the years. 

“That is definitely a question too complicated for me at this time of night,” he said with a chuckle. “I guess when it comes to drink type cocktails they usually are always alcoholic, so it does kind of make sense…” He shook his head a moment later. “But really, like you say, who really need an answer to all that anyway. Shit gets random names all the time, I’m done questioning it now.”

At the follow up question, he flashed a smile. “I am,” he responded. “That’d be really cool man. Always helpful.”

"Seems to be the way of it."  Derek snerked, nodding along to nothing much as he ran a set of fingers through his hair to get some of the shag out of his face.  "All the complicated shit you gotta put some thought to likes to come knockin' at the worst times.  I guess some people'd say there's no right time.  Other people'd say shut up and I'd probably listen to them 'cause I know my jaw's running tonight- sorry for it, buddy."

He lifted both arms lazily but celebratorily when Ben said he was local, both dropping to start the usual bout of random patting as he started to search for his measly stack of self-cut cards.  When he found them he pulled them out of his back pocket, along with a couple wrappers and some pocket lint he started to idly pick away before sliding two cards over to Ben.

"That’s how I like it.” Breanne lied, she didn’t actually have a preference. “That’s basically what 'core’ music is. Fast, loud, and heavy in some way shape or form. At least all the 'core’ stuff I’ve listened to.” She shrugged. “You’re gonna love it though. I’ll educate you.” She wasn’t even an expert in the genres she talked about. Her music came from Spotify suggestions whenever she felt adventurous which wasn’t really all that often. He was right though, Carousel wasn’t ready for them, and they were probably going to get kicked out. But as long as they didn’t get arrested she was fine. Breanne followed him over to the bar, if they didn’t have Don Julio she planned on picking something on the fly. “Shots are fun. We like shots in this house. Oh the green tea shots! Those are yummy.” She suggested.

"Always lookin' for new stuff.  End up listening to the same shit over an' over and they're calling it Dad Rock now an' I don't wanna think about it.  I wanna mosh."  He chuckled, bouncing on his sneakers some before realizing he was doing it and stilling only for it to start up again; excited.  "Green tea shot?  Flu shot, red shot, blue shot- let's do this!"  Derek leaned (probably too far) over the bar to put in the order for two of each, both tequila and the party shot and grinned wide when they were set before them.

"I'm no expert...well, I'm somethin' of one I guess, so I would say slam the Don first."  He glanced over as he started dragging shots closer towards her, picking up his own after and hefting each in their respective hand as he readied himself.  "Wham, bam, then we're slam-dancin'!"  Lifting shotglasses to salute and then to throw them back in quick succession, Der crushed an eye shut against the sting and mix of flavors before blowing out a breath at the floor.  He snorted, before starting to walk the perimeter of the space he'd cleared briskly.

bowie: 4 years goddamn man thats impressive to still be happy and shit. my longest relationship was 5 years but that didn't end well, which was on me not her

bowie: my general inclination is to assume echo is just about always ready to commit a murder but like its chill if she does want to just pass the buck and blame merrick, troublesome ready player 1 employee extraordinaire

bowie: appreciate it man, don't gotta tell me i'm a lucky dude i remember that every day i spend with her

bowie: [a few hours later like a spongebob title card]

bowie: i think i got a promising lead on what you were looking for, what u think?

bowie: [attaches picture of a Galaga machine in storage]

bowie: i know the dude who's selling it so if u're interested in this one we can swing by his storage unit and check it out

derek: impressive nothin- aint u supposed to be with someone that always makes u happy? 4 or 40yrs won't change what i think about echs.

derek: make me a name tag and ill hang around RP1 and convince people Merrick exists.

derek: dude yes!! i wanna get a look at it irl yeah ofc, does that mean...