#45 Pretending to hate each other AU

Who: Nathan and Peyton
Where: The Grand Pig restaurant
What: Pretending to hate each other


AN: Another prompt filled, this time during a particularly quiet Friday at work. Hope you like it (it's not very polished or profound but that's ok, I think) – reviews are appreciated :)

This one's for Lexie-Rae.


Nathan resisted the urge to glance at his watch again, but even without looking he was certain that no more than five minutes had passed since the last time he checked. It felt like time had slowly come to a full stop and he wondered if soon the world would start spinning backwards because of how this evening seemed to be dragging on forever. Just his luck, because that would mean he would have to relive the first hour and a half of this awful date again. He suppressed a sigh and vowed silently he would never use Tinder to find a date ever again and not for the first time since he and his date sat down at their table in this ridiculously expensive restaurant did he debate whether or not he should just up and leave.

His eyes travelled across the room before they settled on the woman who sat opposite to him. She had been talking non-stop ever since she introduced herself as Lauren 'but you can call me Lo' when he picked her up and after excessively covering her high school years she had now moved on to her time spent at Florida State University from which she graduated two years ago. Two years. He sent another silent curse at this ridiculous app for setting him up with a girl who was at least five years younger than him and wondered why he ever thought this was a good idea. Was he drunk when he had liked her profile and sent her a message? Probably.

He nodded out of habit when she fell silent for a second and she took this as a cue to continue her rant about the awful frat boys who had terrorized campus during her senior year. He took another good look at her and while he was sure a lot of men would find her attractive; her straightened hair dyed an unnatural blonde, her makeup heavy with her eyes lined black and her lips painted a bright pink, and her dress clinging to her curvaceous body in all the right places, she did nothing for him.

Taking another sip of his beer his mind drifted again and he wondered if their main course would arrive anytime soon. He was still pretty hungry after he ate the two mini crab cakes they dared to call an entrée at this place.

"Nathan?"

Her voice interrupted his thoughts and he shook his head, trying to focus on her and saw that she had gotten up out of her chair. His heart leapt because for a moment he thought she had decided to call of the rest of their date but this dream was quickly shattered when she opened her mouth.

"I'm just going to the bathroom real quick, ok?"

He nodded and watched her as she walked across the room. Once again, he fought the urge to leave so instead he took out his phone and texted: (10-16, The Grand Pig)


Received at (09:55:46PM) from (Nate) message (10-16, The Grand Pig)

10-16, police code for 'pick up prisoner'.

Peyton smiled a wicked smile as she looked at her phone again before she dropped it in her purse. She pushed her boobs up a little higher, and hoped that the pads she stuffed in her bra would do their job of keeping them up there. Pulling her top down a little further she exposed more of the gold glittery bra underneath and checked her reflection in one of the car windows, almost not recognizing herself under hastily applied layers of deliberately smudged eye makeup and red lipstick. Her curls were wild and even more unruly than normal after she had ran her hands through them a couple of times while she held her head upside down.

She was standing in the parking lot of The Grand Pig and had easily found Nathan's battered pick-up truck amongst the convertibles, roadsters, and expensive sports cars when the cab she took dropped her off about a minute earlier. She was still amazed that it had only taken her twenty minutes to get dressed and get here after she had received his text. This had to be some sort of record that definitely needed to be celebrated once this was all over and done with. Not that she expected she would be here long because usually it was over in a couple of minutes, but god did she enjoy it.

Taking a deep breath she made her way across the parking lot to the entrance of the restaurant, quickening her pace as she set foot on the red carpet that led to the double glass doors. How tacky. She fished a piece of gum out of her purse and put it in her mouth, making sure she was smacking her lips together as she chewed. The doorman was obviously hesitant to let her in, but all his inhibitions disappeared when she slipped him a twenty and gave him a wink, "Thanks, babe."

He nodded and opened the door for her and she could feel his eyes follow her across the hall to the bar so she put a little extra sway in her step. She quickly scanned the room from where she stood and saw Nathan sitting somewhere to the left, his back to her, a ditzy blonde talking enthusiastically although it was obvious even from here Nathan wasn't interested in whatever it was she had to say.

When the barman approached her to ask her if she wanted a drink she ordered a whiskey on the rocks which she downed in one go before she pushed her shoulders back and walked towards the table.

Showtime.


"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Nathan tried to suppress a smile when he heard the familiar voice coming from behind him and instead feigned surprise and shock, a look that Lauren 'but you can call me Lo' mirrored from across the table, her eyes darting from him to Peyton and back, her mouth open in shock.

He looked up at the blonde standing next to him and swallowed hard when his eyes travelled from the fuck-me heels, to the fishnet tights, to the black leather skirt that was so short it barely covered her ass, and up to the black shirt that she had pulled down so low it showed the gold bra she wore underneath. He had to give her credit for committing to the part.

Her eye makeup was like a black frame that made her green eyes look as though they were lit up from within and it stirred up feelings in him that he hadn't felt in a long time. As far as he was concerned he'd take her to the hotel across the street from here right now and do things to her that he hadn't done since high school. Fuck Lauren. But he knew it would only get better from here and so when his eyes locked with hers he gave Peyton a wink that he was sure Lauren wouldn't see to let her know she should continue.

"Who is she," Peyton demanded, arms crossed in front of her chest, eyebrows raised.

"She's just-" Nathan started, but Peyton interrupted him by smacking him across the head.

"Shut up, asshole," Peyton turned her attention the stunned girl, "Did he tell you he's married, huh?"

Lauren slowly shook her head, too shocked to say anything and obviously intimidated.

"Yeah, well he is," Peyton said. She took a step closer to Lauren and dropped her voice, "Can you believe this asshole," she indicated at Nathan, "I'm out working the streets for a nickel and a dime and he's taking you to some fancy restaurant while some random neighborhood kid is watching our kids because he probably told them Daddy had to work overtime." She turned back to Nathan and pointed her finger at him, "How are you even going to pay for this meal, huh? You don't even have a job, you fuck."

"I, I-" Nathan stammered, not sure how to reply because this was a new twist on the story she usually spun and he was curious to see where she'd go with this.

"I was lucky my girl Tina gave me a heads up when she saw you rolling through her street with someone who wasn't me earlier tonight," Peyton threw him a fake smile, "I just told her this afternoon you'd be staying at home with the kids to watch the Knicks game, like you're trying out for the Dad-of-the-Year-award and then she sees you with another chick. Ugh," she sighed, "How do you think that makes me look, huh? Asshole. I should just divorce you right here and now."

Peyton turned back to the girl, acting like she was unfazed by the stares she was getting from almost everyone in the room, "You know what, darling, you can have him. Take my two kids too, see if I care."

"I don't want-" Lauren started, but Peyton interrupted her.

"I don't care, babe, do what you want with him, or to him. Whatever." Peyton threw Nathan a kiss; "You can come pick up your stuff tomorrow, along with the divorce papers." As she walked past him towards the door she flicked his ear for good measure, which was as much for show as it was to let him know she would wait for him at home.

He didn't watch her as she excited the dining room, but instead pressed his lips together trying not to smile. She'd really outdone herself tonight and he knew he owed her big time for this.


"Sawyer?" Nathan closed the front door behind him and followed the hall to the kitchen, where he could hear her humming along to a RUN D.M.C. song that he recognized as one of his favorites. He leaned against the doorframe and watched her as she put away the last of the dishes before she grabbed two tumblers from one of the cabinets and filled them both with their favorite whiskey.

"Hi roomie," Peyton said as she handed him a glass, "Glad to see you back in one piece."

"Yeah," Nathan chuckled, "Thank god Lauren was too stunned to physically hurt me," he held up his glass to her as a toast before he took a drink, "You were amazing tonight."

Peyton shrugged, "It was definitely fun."

"Hmm," Nathan agreed, "So much fun that they banned me from The Grand Pig for life."

Peyton let out a cackle, "Like you'd ever go there again."

"Probably not," Nathan admitted with a grin, "Way too fancy for a jobless fuck like me."

"Sorry about that," Peyton set her glass down and leaned against the counter, "I got a little carried away."

"I loved it," he grinned, "You were on fire tonight, Sawyer."

She did a little bow and held up her glass as she waited for him to join her in a toast. "To Lauren," she said solemnly, "and to your crazy hooker wife."

"Cheers,"

Nathan finished his drink in one gulp as he moved in front of her. Using his thumb he wiped away some of her left over eye makeup, before he let his eyes travel down her body, not missing the fact that she was only wearing one of his old basketball jerseys, "I'm a little upset you changed out of those clothes though."

Peyton smacked his chest, but grinned, "I figured you would be, but I promise I'll wear them again next time."

"Who says there's going to be a next time?" Nathan countered, crossing his arms in front of his chest, one eyebrow raised, teasing, "Maybe I've learned my lesson."

"Hmmm," Peyton hummed as she took a sip of her drink, "That's what you said the last three times."

"That was before I saw you in those clothes," Nathan said, his voice dropping a little lower, his hand on her hip, the other placing his glass on the counter, "Seriously, Sawyer, you looked hot."

"Nate," Peyton shivered under his touch, "This is probably not a good idea."

"Give me three reasons why not," Nathan said as he took a step towards her while pulling her closer.

Peyton put her hands on his chest as to stop him and looked up at him, "We're friends living together,"

"Hmhm," Nathan nodded slowly, his other hand tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. What she said was true. After graduating college they somehow both ended up in Raleigh and after a night of catching up over a couple of drinks they decided to rent a house together so they could split the costs and hang around more. For the past five years they had lived together in a little bungalow on the edge of town, both of them feeling more at home here than they ever did in Tree Hill.

"We already tried this in high school, Nate," Peyton tried again, but her voice was soft, almost apologetic, "We're not good at this whole relationship thing."

Nathan brushed his lips against hers and felt the last of her resistance starting to crumble, "Who said anything about a relationship? Can't we just be friends with benefits?"

"Nate," Peyton moaned, pulling him closer. She kissed him, softly first, but harder then, her tongue darting across his lips.

He pressed her against the counter as his mouth took over hers, her taste so familiar even after all those years. His hands cupped her ass and he lifted her up on the counter, deepening the kiss even more.

"Nate," she breathed after she pulled away just a little.

"Just say it, Sawyer," he pressed his forehead against hers, creating some space between him, "If you want me to stop, just say it, babe."

It was then that she pulled him close again and crashed her lips into him, smiling against them, mumbling a soft, "Never."