thejabberwock:

I got an anon ask about tactile Dean in a particular scene, but I wanted to explore it a little more, what I mean when I refer to dean as tactile. It’s not just about touch though; that’s just one aspect of Dean and his relationship with his senses. He navigates through the world with his senses, explores through touch and smell and taste. It’s how he interacts with the world, both while on the job and in his happier moments. 

It comes in handy when he’s hunting (note how he uses his nails to scrape off the weird powder and the way he is paying particular attention to the texture against his fingers): 

Touch is just another tool for Dean when he hunts: 

His tactile/sensual nature isn’t just about hunting though. Dean is highly curious about the physical world around him. His curiosity is often sated through his senses: 

Beyond curiosity, Dean indulges in a lot of sensory pleasures, and sometimes they’re coping mechanisms:

Sex is another coping mechanism, a way to live in the moment instead of dwelling on all the drek. Of course we know he enjoys sex. But he likes kissing just for kissing’s sake too, when it’s not a lead-in to sex. He’s never gonna see this woman again. He just wants to feel good for a minute, forget the crappiness:

Even the gusto he displays when food is involved is part of his tactile nature (although only part but being hungry as a kid is a whole different post), his enjoyment of all the pleasures his senses have to offer:

He uses physical touch when he’s scared or upset:

He touches to reassure himself, like this scene when he comes back from the altered world Balthazar changed when he unsunk the titanic. Dean’s world is right again, he’s got his car and all is good:

He touches to give comfort to others:

Sometimes to reassure himself and to comfort someone he loves:

He’s tactile in a lot of little ways too, his oral fixation for one:

Of which, his tongue thing is a part:

And the way he’s always touching his face:

And gesturing:

Especially when he’s got adrenaline coursing through his veins:

Small movements when he’s agitated:

Or to self-soothe: 

His tactile nature has a lot to do with how much he enjoys working with his hands:

And the satisfaction he feels when he ganks a monster up close:

Dean lives in the moment, whether it’s because he’s doing whatever needs to be done to get through the crappy ones, or he’s living life to the fullest in the good ones. He has to be tactile to survive, to be aware with all his senses when he’s up against a monster. And when it’s the good times, one of the best ways to eke out every drop of pleasure is to experience them with every sense you have. This is what Dean does. That’s what I mean by tactile Dean.