( What you are does not define who you are. It sounds so simple, and so right. The kind of basic moral truth that stands strong beyond questioning, and yet, is still so in antithesis to everything John Winchester ever tried to teach him. It's a little comforting, but it doesn't fully pull out the splinter.

All the same, he offers Geralt a tight, appreciative smile. )

Well geeze, Gerry, don't go getting all sappy on me now. That's just embarrassing for you.

( What he means is: I'm glad we met. But that's a little too Hallmark for the moment, and they have dragon melons to deliver.

After a beat, he throws out a vaguely more sincere: )

Thanks. You'd think... after all these years, as long as he's been dead, I'd care a little bit less about what his ghost would think, but... I guess not.

( Especially what with him running around takin' nudes and blowin' dudes these days, John Winchester's opinion of him really would be blasted to freaking smithereens. Some things, Dean just can't seem to change about himself whether he wants to or not. )