#i'm a weenie even more awkward than pit

[mickimagnum]

Devin's Dude Ranch: Episode Four

*the episode opens with a shot of Echo Valley Ranch. the sun sits low in the graying sky and the trees cast their long shadows across the ground.*

Devin, in diary room: "Tonight is our first group date and I'm so excited to get to spend more quality to time with the guys! I mean, I've missed them! Is that weird?" *lets out an unintentional snort laugh* "I know I just saw them all yesterday for the nectar making contest, but it's not like we actually got a chance to talk or bond or anything. So, yeah. I'm looking forward to tonight."

*next shot shows the contestants lined up in front of Devin. They are standing in the backyard of the house.*

Devin: "Hi guys! I hope you're all excited as I am about tonight because it's our first group date!"

*the contestants whoop in reply which makes Devin grin and blush slightly*

Devin (continues): "I know it's a little chilly out, but I have just the thing to keep us warm..."

Devin: "A weenie roast!"

*enthusiastic murmuring spreads among the contestants*

Devin: "Alright, why don't we head over to the fire pit and get comfortable?"

*everyone chooses a seat around an already roaring fire and looks to Devin expectantly. there's a beat of uncomfortable silence that follows.*

Devin: "So...you'll all have to forgive me if I'm a bit awkward. This is my first time going on a date with five dudes at the same time."

*chuckles ripple throughout the group*

Devin (continues): "There are dinner kits next to everyone's chairs if you're hungry. Otherwise, I thought we could just talk. Get to know each other better. To get things going I thought we could go around and all share something fun about ourselves. How about what's the silliest thing you've ever searched on the internet?"

*the group laughs again*

Stan: "Only if you go first, missy."

*more laughter, with Devin joining in*

Devin: "Alright, fair enough."

*she pauses a moment to consider her answer while the group looks on*

Devin: *chokes on a laugh* "Oh my Watcher. I can't believe I'm about to admit this to you guys. Okay. So, my cousin, Lacey, got me an AirTag because, and you should all know this about me, I am infamous for losing my keys. Well, needless to say, I lost 'em. But for the life of me, I couldn't remember exactly how she said the AirTag worked, so I pulled out my phone and searched," *pauses, covers her mouth with her hand, and squeezes her eyes shut* "Find my keys."

*the group howls with laughter*

Devin: "I know! I know! It was so dumb! But cut me some slack, okay? I'm not the most technically savvy!"

*as the laughter subsides, she turns to Houston*

Devin: "Your turn, cowboy."

Houston: "Hmmm....," *settles back in his seat and thinks for a few beats*

Houston (continues): "Alright. This one seems silly now, in hindsight. But, it was really late at night and I hadn't had much sleep and I had been writing for almost ten hours straight. But, I searched," *pauses briefly and smiles to himself*, "Does grammatical phrasing and ending dictate the relationship between syntax and the poetic line?"

*the group is so quiet the only sound are the crickets singing in the background*

Milo: "I don't get it."

*Devin looks slightly confused*

Houston: "Well, you see..."

Stan: "Don't even try, man. We're all too dumb to understand."

*the group breaks out into laughter again*

Handra: "I'll go next."

Devin: "Awesome. Let's hear it!"

Handra: "I'm kinda ashamed to admit, but this is something I have searched for on more than one occasion," *surprised hissing emanates from the people around him* "Yeah, I know. But, I can never remember which one is the damn salad fork."

*Handra laughs nervously*

Albert: "Wait, didn't you also work in a restaurant?"

*Handra's head droops*

Handra: "Yes."

Devin: "Well, I don't think you'll have to worry about that around here. My philosophy is one fork for everything."

Houston: "Who has time for all those extra dishes, am I right?"

*Devin glances over and grins at Houston*

Devin: "Nail. Head."

*the two share a moment of eye contact before Stan clears his throat*

Stan: "Well, mine was an almost search. I started to type it in and thought it was too stupid and stopped myself."

Albert: "Oh, I gotta hear this."

*Devin looks to Albert*

Devin: "*Bleep*, me too."

*Stan grins and chuckles to himself*

Stan: "As I'm sure y'all have figured out by now, I'm very fond of my coffee. Well, one day I almost searched caffeine overdose. Isn't that ridiculous? Can you imagine?"

*Devin glances around the group with a worried expression*

Devin: "Umm...Stan. Caffeine overdose is a real thing. I mean, it's not super common, but it even kills people."

*Stan's face falls*

Stan: "What?"

*His eyes search the faces of the other contestants who are nodding to him in confirmation*

Stan: "Well, *bleep*."

*Houston reaches over and pats Stan on his shoulder*

Houston: "Sorry, buddy."

Milo: "I guess I'll go, " *he sighs and leans forward, resting his arm on his leg*, "I don't have the best memory. Probably because I've been hit in the head too many times. But, to make a long story short, I couldn't member my Mom's phone number so i had to search it after I got a new phone," *buries his face in his hand and laughs* "Which is really, really sad."

*the group laughs meekly, almost as if unsure if they should or just feel sorry for him*

Devin: "Awww! I'm not going to lie. I've been there. I mean, not with family. but with someone else I probably should have known their number."

Milo: "Thanks, Devin. At least I know I'm not alone."

*Devin winks across the fire at Milo*

Devin: "You're up, Albert."

Albert: "Can you milk cowplants?"

*the group sits in stunned silence for a moment, processing what Albert just said*

Albert (continues): "That was my search. And I already know what you ranchers are going to say," *holds up his hand to use a puppet and takes his voice up an octave* "Of course cowplants don't product milk, Albert. They're not actually cows. They're aliens," *his voice shifts back to normal* "Thank you, everyone. I found that out when I searched."

*Albert laughs and plants his face in the palm of his hand*

*the group bursts out into laughter, everyone except Stan*

*Stan has Albert locked in a steely stare, the hot dog he's been roasting now turning black in the open flame*

*indistinct conversation and laughter can be heard as a low buzz begins to fade in*

*conversations fade out as the buzz grows louder*

*Stan's glare begins shifting to each of the men around the fire*

Stan, in diary room: "I don't know what happened. I was just sitting there, and suddenly a wave of...intense jealousy came over me. Getting Devin's attention in this pack of wolves feels *bleep*ing impossible. This is going to be so much harder than I thought."

*the camera cuts back to the campfire. everyone is locked in their own conversations.*

Houston: "You know, I'm not exactly a fan of technology, either."

Devin: "Oh yeah?"

*Houston nods solemnly*

Houston: "Since the war."

*Devin's face softens*

Devin: "It's okay if you don't want to talk about it."

Houston: "No. It's okay. I want you to know."

*she nods and leans closer*

Houston: "It's just, that I've seen what we've made technology into. What it's capable of. The horrors it can inflict. I guess, it's made me not trust it."

Devin: "I don't think anyone can fault you for that. Least of all me."

*the two lock eyes and share a moment of comfortable silence*

*after an obvious time lapse, the next shot is focused on Devin*

Devin: "Guys, this has been a lot fun but unfortunately, it's time to call it a night. I hope you had as much fun as I did."

*everyone gets to their feet, hug Devin, and begin making their way into the house*

*Devin begins to head inside when Houston hurries behind her*

Houston: "Devin! Wait!"

*Devin glances over her shoulder before stopping in her tracks and turning to wait for Houston to catch up*

Houston: "This is probably against the rules or whatever, but I don't care."

*he reaches out, takes her hand, and pulls her gently against him.*

*Devin smiles in surprise*

Houston (continues): "I've been dying to do this and I couldn't wait any longer."

*Houston wraps his arm around Devin's waist and as she drapes hers across his shoulder. their faces are inches apart*

Devin: "So do it, already."

*she now cradles his face, her eyes burning into his*

*Houston smiles down at her*

*after a beat Houston leans forward, eagerly kissing Devin for the first time.*

*she meets his lips with a soft moan*

*Houston gently tightens his grip on her*

Houston, in diary room: "A gentleman doesn't kiss and tell. But, suffice to say, this is one of my most magical nights of my life."

Devin, in diary room: "He kissed me. He *bleep*ing kissed me." *swoons*

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Houston submitted by @invisiblequeen James "Stan" submitted by @natolesims Albert submitted by @bakersimmer Milo submitted by @belsasim Handra submitted by @bloomingkyras

[nofliight]

ooc;; Over the last couple of days I’ve done more talking to new people/people I don’t talk to A Lot than I have in months, probably years even if it’s mostly plotting it feels really good