A/N: What can I say? I'm feeling generous. Two chapters in two days, because you asked so nicely. Let me know what you think!
----
Haley could see what was stealing Lucas' attention, and she knew it wasn't Nathan's game. It was the leggy blonde across the river making her husband laugh.
"So," she started as they sat at a table and let the kids eat ice cream, "how long have you had feelings for Peyton?"
His eyes shot up to meet hers, and she was looking at him in that way that let him know that he couldn't fool her if he tried. He heaved a sigh, ran his hand over his face and shook his head. Was he really that transparent?
"A while," he answered vaguely.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Haley asked, concern in her tone and her features softened.
She wouldn't tease him; she knew better than that. Lucas guarded his heart fiercely, and she had been able to tell since she first saw him casting glances at the pretty blonde the day before that this was different.
"I kind of didn't want it to be true," he admitted. He looked to the kids who were too wrapped up in their treats to really care about the conversation going on around them.
"How bad is it?" she asked, referring to the crush.
"Bad enough that it isn't going away," he said, almost regrettably. "And I don't want it to."
"Wow," Haley whispered. She'd never really heard him talk that way about a girl. Ever.
"Is it really that obvious?" he asked, terrified that everyone, including the girl herself, knew.
"Kind of. Even Nathan noticed the eye sex," she said.
"Hales!" Lucas cried, looking towards the kids. She just waved her hand in the air and the two toddlers remained oblivious.
"So what are you going to do?" she asked seriously.
"I don't know," he sighed. "I really don't think she feels the same."
"You're an idiot," she said softly, shaking her head.
"Uh...thanks...?"
"Lucas, she's looking at you the same way you're looking at her," Haley pointed out. "And she's not looking at anyone else that way."
The way Haley just explained it, made it sound like the most obvious and easy thing in the world.
"This sucks," he groaned.
"Can we play?" Jamie asked excitedly, and Haley nodded her head as they all stood and made their way to the park.
Maybe it was as easy as Haley made it sound. Since he'd met Peyton, it had been a whirlwind of emotions and flirtations and moments of either complete comfort and security, or awkward encounters over feelings he didn't know she felt. The drawing, for example. God, even thinking about it made him involuntarily shiver. But what maybe meant the most to him, was that they could be - and were - totally honest with each other.
And what hurt the most was knowing that, despite that honesty, she hadn't said anything to him about feeling more for him than just a simple friendship. He chalked that up to her not feeling anything for him other than that, but the way Haley had just spoken had made it sound like everyone else could see what he was so hopeful for. After all, he hadn't been honest with Peyton, either.
Lucas and Haley sat down on the bench and watched as Lily and Jamie chased each other, giggling and smiling before making their way to the swings.
"I can't...I mean, I can't act on it, right?" Lucas asked, almost making it sound like he wanted her to tell him that he couldn't.
"Um...why not?" she asked in confusion.
"Because we're roommates, and that just...It can't work," he said.
"Why are you trying to convince yourself that it isn't worth it?" Haley asked seriously, and she heard him sigh. "Lucas, Peyton is an amazing girl, and you and I wouldn't even be having this conversation if you didn't know that you two could have something really good."
"But what if it's not?" he asked.
"What if it is, and you never do anything about it?" she mused, raising her eyebrow as she looked at him.
She was right. He knew she was right, and he was glad, on one hand, that it wasn't all in his head; that someone else saw the potential too. On the other hand, he had to figure out how to broach the topic with Peyton, and even the thought of that was making his stomach turn.
The girl had a hold on him. It was like an iron grip.
----
When Lucas stepped into his bedroom, he saw Peyton wearing different clothes than he'd seen her wearing earlier, and she was drying her hair with a towel. He'd entered through that door out of habit, forgetting that she was staying in his bedroom. He couldn't decide if he was lucky, or unlucky, to have missed out on her getting changed.
"Hey," she said with a smile. "How was your best friend day?"
"It was great," he answered. "We saw you and Nathan."
"Oh," she laughed. "My private one-on-one lesson with the NBA player."
"Looked like you were doing alright," he pointed out.
"Well, I'll have to show you my moves sometime," she said.
And he couldn't help but interpret that sexually. God, he really needed to stop looking at her that way.
But then she pulled her still-wet curls into a messy knot and ran her hand over the back of her neck, and that was pretty much the sexiest thing she could have done that moment.
"Listen, you wanna do something?" he asked abruptly, grabbing his keys.
He'd been thinking about it since his talk with Haley, and all he wanted to do was spend some time with Peyton alone. It had been a couple days of the two of them around everyone else, and maybe it was selfish, but he wanted her to himself for a bit.
"Um...yeah," she said in confusion. "Like what?"
She reached for her bag and pulled her jacket over her arms, and watched the smile spread on his lips when she said she'd go with him.
"I have an idea," he said with a smirk.
"What?" she asked, a little bit of a whine in her tone. "You know how I feel about surprises."
"You trust me?"
She rolled her eyes. Of course, she trusted him, but she hated when he used that as a reason not to tell her what he was planning.
"I think you use that line too often," she muttered as she walked past him and out the door. He could only laugh. He kind of loved to keep her guessing.
And guess she did. She didn't recognize the route they were driving up the coast, though she certainly enjoyed the salty ocean breeze that was coming through the windows. She insisted on rolling them down and forcing him to turn on the heat as they drove. He loved that about her. She didn't have reasons for half the things she did, and he had quickly learned that she didn't need them.
It wasn't until the came up to the city limits sign for her hometown that she realized where he was taking her.
"Lucas," she said softly.
"I thought you might like to visit your mom," he said with a smile, glancing over at her to see the appreciative look on her face.
"Thank you," she whispered, placing her hand over his on the gear shift. It felt natural for her to do so, and when she didn't pull her hand away immediately, that felt better still.
He didn't know why she was still holding his hand, but he wasn't about to question it. He'd take anything she was going to give him. It wasn't until they parked at the cemetery that she let go of him, smiling again before they got out of the car.
"I'll wait here," he said, leaning up against the driver's side door. He gave her one of those smiles that always encouraged her, and she wondered how he always knew exactly what she needed.
She walked over to the familiar spot on the grass and sat down, and she must have spent 15 minutes talking, or just sitting in silence, before she stood and walked back to him.
He watched her as she sat there, obviously saying a lot of things that he wished he could have heard. He smiled at her as she walked back to him, but he didn't expect the hug she gave him when she got to him.
"Thank you," she repeated.
He pulled away from her and just nodded his head at her before opening her car door for her.
"We aren't in a big rush, right?" she asked. "I mean, if I buy you a coffee at my favourite coffee shop in the world, we'll still be back in time for dinner."
"Sure," he said with a laugh. "Just tell me where to drive."
He took the turns she told him to take, and she pointed out things to him that she hadn't shown him the last time they were there. Her favourite record store, and the boutique that sold Brooke's first designs. The club where Jake played his first shows and the magazine that first published her art. It was nice to be let in on some of her history. He felt more connected to her, somehow.
They stepped out of the car and began walking down the street towards the coffee shop she insisted made the best Americano she'd ever had. They were in the middle of the sidewalk when she grabbed his hand urgently.
"Shit," she said under her breath. He could tell there was something going on, and he was unnerved immediately at her reaction to whatever it was.
"What?" he asked, concerned.
"Julian."
"Who's...?"
"Him," she said, gesturing towards a man on the street subtly. "Don't look!"
"That guy?" he asked incredulously as he saw the man walking in their direction. "Who is he?"
"The guy who broke my heart," she explained. "Just...just..."
"Peyton?" the man said, clearly surprised to see her.
She wove her fingers through Lucas', and it shocked him a little, but he squeezed her hand in support anyway. He'd come to know when she needed him, and she certainly did at that moment. Not to mention, her hand felt really nice in his.
"Hey," she said. She said it as nonchalantly as she could, but Lucas could still hear the tension in her voice.
"How...um...how are you?" Julian asked. "I haven't seen you in...A year?"
"Something like that," she agreed. She knew exactly how long it had been. "This is Lucas. Lucas, this is Julian."
"Nice to meet you," Lucas lied, extending his free hand for the man to shake.
"What are you doing here?" Peyton asked.
"Thanksgiving. My mom insisted I come home," Julian explained. "You know how she is. I couldn't say no. You visiting your dad?"
"Actually, we're with Lucas' family," she corrected.
She was well aware of what she was doing. She was making it sound like Lucas was her boyfriend, and that probably wasn't fair to either of the men before her, but she couldn't find it in herself to really care about that too much. It was selfish and silly, but she just needed Lucas' hand in hers to get through this encounter.
"Oh," Julian said, glancing to Lucas again. "Well...It's good to see you. I um...I miss you."
Lucas felt his anger growing. He didn't know this guy at all, but he knew guys like this. They break girls' hearts and then say things like that to make it impossible for anyone to ever really get over them. They toy with peoples' emotions, and he didn't want that happening to Peyton, though it was clear that it had been happening for a long time.
He also wondered what kind of guy made claims like that to girls who were holding the hands of other men.
"Babe," Lucas said, checking his watch, "we have to get back on the road soon."
Peyton looked up at him with a genuine smile, as though she were thanking him for saving her, and he smiled back at her.
"Yeah, we do," she agreed. "Bye, Julian."
"Bye, Peyton," he said, almost regrettably.
She walked away, tugging Lucas with her and leading him into the coffee shop, leaving Julian standing in the middle of the sidewalk watching the couple walk away.
"Thank you," she said once they were inside, for what felt like the infinite time that day. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have..."
"You dated that guy?" he asked. He couldn't really believe it.
"Two years," she confirmed. "Until he moved to L.A. and I found out he was sleeping with some skinny, blonde PA."
"Peyton, you're a skinny blonde," he pointed out, making her laugh. And making her laugh was exactly what he'd set out to do.
"Anyway, it didn't end well, and I haven't seen him since we broke up, and...that wasn't easy for me," she explained.
"Well, he was totally jealous, if that helps," Lucas said with a shrug. "But he's not good enough for you."
She looked at him with a furrowed brow, wondering why he'd say that and how he knew it from just that brief meeting. But she didn't ask. She didn't want to talk about her ex anymore. It was then that she realized that she was still holding Lucas' hand, and she let it go and smiled at him apologetically.
"Come on," she said, "I'll buy you coffee."
It wasn't until they were back in the car that she had the nerve to ask him the question that had been on her mind since her conversation with Nathan earlier in the day. Nathan had said that Lucas had been burned before, and she wanted to know more about that. She thought that maybe since she'd just opened up to him about her past, that he could open up to her about his without it seeming like she was just fishing for information.
"What about you?" she asked abruptly.
"What about me?" He took his eyes off the road momentarily to glance at her. Her body was turned on an angle towards him, and she was cradling her coffee cup in both hands, like she always did.
"Past relationships," she clarified. "You know about my crappy taste in men, so what about you?"
"I have fantastic taste in men," he joked, making her swat his arm as he laughed. "You really don't want to hear about my past."
"Then why did I ask?"
He looked at her again and she had a raised eyebrow, as though she was challenging him to just open up to her already.
"OK, long story, or short story?" he asked, finally giving in.
"Whichever one you want to tell," she insisted, almost giddy to hear the gossip. He could only shake his head at her enthusiasm.
"My last girlfriend was Lindsey. She was...she is...older," he explained. "We met at a lecture at the school. Well, I should say that she was the lecturer."
"Very Mrs. Robinson," Peyton interjected.
"Not exactly," he laughed. "She's only 27, but she works for her dad's publishing company in New York."
"Was it serious?" she asked.
"Serious enough that I almost gave her a ring," he admitted quietly.
"Oh...wow."
"Until I found out that she already had a ring," he said, glancing at Peyton again, just in time to see her jaw drop. "She was engaged to some guy who worked with her."
"I'm sorry," she said, shaking her head.
"So yeah, a year and a half of a serious relationship, before realizing that ours wasn't the only serious relationship she was in," he said, then let out a sigh.
"What is with people!?" she cried, making him chuckle. "Honestly! We...you and I...we're catches!" He just laughed a little harder and she swatted his arm. "I'm totally serious. We're attractive, young, smart...I like to think we're fun. And yet, neither of us can find suitable people to date."
He really wanted to tell her that maybe that all meant that they were perfect for each other. It was right there on the tip of his tongue.
"Well, maybe the lack of dates is the universe's way of helping us to not waste our time with the wrong people," he offered. It sounded a little too philosophical as soon as he'd said it, but he saw her nodding her head in agreement.
They were quiet for a few moments, until an old Boston song came on the radio.
"I love this song!" she claimed, turning up the volume and bobbing her head to the music.
Considering the encounter she'd had with her ex, she certainly seemed to be in a good mood. He wanted to think he had a little bit to do with that.
He laughed at her for knowing the lyrics to all the songs played on the drive home, and she explained that classic rock was her 'bread and butter', and he reminded her that he lived across the hall from her, so he knew what she listened to.
By the time they got back to Tree Hill, they were both in great spirits, laughing and smiling, and playing Name That Tune. She made fun of him for his lack of singing talent, and that only made him sing louder.
They were giggling together when they stepped out of the car at his house, and Nathan and Haley were sitting on the porch watching the kids as they ran and played in the yard.
"Well, well," Nathan called out. "We thought you two skipped town."
"We kind of did," Peyton said, trying to catch her breath. She placed her hand over her stomach, her muscles aching from laughing so hard.
"Ooookay," Haley drawled, signaling her confusion over that statement. "Your mom's making dinner."
"Alright," Lucas said with a nod. "I think I see a little girl who needs to be tormented."
"You better be talking about Lily," Peyton warned with a raised eyebrow.
He winked at her and took off, running after the brown haired little girl, making her squeal when he lifted her up from behind and tossed her in the air.
Nathan and Haley watched as Peyton gazed at Lucas, both well aware that the girl was in deep. Nathan looked at his wife with a raised eyebrow, and she just smiled up at him.
"I'm going to see if Karen needs help," Peyton announced looking over to Nathan and Haley, rolling her eyes when Nathan wiggled his eyebrows at her and glanced at Lucas.
When Peyton stepped into the house, she was met with a lot of really great smells coming from the kitchen. She should have known that Karen would be preparing a feast, despite the fact Thanksgiving dinner would be the next night. She seemed to be hell bent on making sure everyone over-ate. Peyton couldn't say that was necessarily a bad thing.
"Wow. This is a spread," Peyton observed, stepping into the kitchen.
She saw just about every course imaginable, filling all the counter space in the kitchen.
"Oh! It's nothing," Karen said, waving off the younger woman's comment. Peyton could only laugh.
"Can I do something? Give me a job," Peyton insisted.
"How do you feel about salad?" Karen asked, pointing to where she had all the ingredients ready to be washed, cut, and tossed.
"I feel great about it," Peyton said with a smile.
Peyton washed her hands, grabbed a knife and went to work on her task, and the two women worked away for a few minutes in silence, smiling at each other when they realized just how comfortable they were together.
But the mother - and the gossip - in Karen had to ask questions about her son's relationship with this girl. And she suspected Peyton knew those questions were coming.
"Sooo..." Karen drawled out, making Peyton laugh.
"I so knew you were going to say something," she said as she smiled. "I knew we couldn't just stand here."
"I'm sorry!" Karen said with a chuckle. "But you can't expect me to just not ask you about Lucas."
"Well, what do you want to know?" Peyton asked.
"I'm going to put this gently, since you're holding a knife, and I don't need to scare you and have you cutting off a finger," Karen teased. "But how long have you and Lucas been playing this game?"
"What game?" Peyton asked with a furrowed brow.
"The one that has you each pretending that you aren't interested in the other," Karen offered.
Peyton's heart raced a little at the insinuation that Lucas had feelings for her, too.
"Are you and Nathan conspiring?" Peyton inquired curiously, making them both laugh again. "I don't know. Lucas and I...we...get along. And it's just...I've never really had this with someone before."
"These feelings?"
"More like...the comfort and...it's just natural with us, you know?" Peyton explained.
It didn't scare her that she was saying these things to Lucas' mother. It didn't faze her in the least to know that she was opening up to a woman she barely knew. She thought that maybe that had a lot to do with the fact that Karen was a lot like Lucas.
"Well, I know he feels the same way about you," Karen insisted.
"I just...I'm not sure if that translates over into a relationship. Like, maybe the friendship is great, and that's all it'll be," Peyton said.
Karen didn't believe that for a second, but she didn't want to push the girl and scare her or make her uncomfortable, so she'd play along.
"And would that be enough for you?" she asked delicately.
"I think...I think it could be," Peyton said softly.
She knew that Karen knew she was lying, and when their eyes locked, she offered a lopsided smile before going back to work on the salad.
When Lucas walked in with Lily at his side fifteen minutes later, he had to smile at the sight of his mother and Peyton, laughing together while Peyton set the table for dinner and Karen put the finishing touches on their meal.
"Peyton!" Lily shouted, running forward and throwing her arms around the blonde's legs. "I missed you today."
"You did?" Peyton asked, lifting the girl into her arms. "I missed you, too."
Karen shot Lucas a look, and he just rolled his eyes at her. He knew his mother, and he could decode that look, and he really didn't need her, along with Haley, questioning him so obviously.
"Where did you go?" Lily asked.
"I just walked around for a bit this morning, then Lucas and I went to Wilmington," Peyton explained.
"Why?" Lily asked, in that adorable way that young children are known to do.
"That's where I grew up," Peyton said with a smile.
"What did you do there?"
Peyton thought for a moment, trying to think of the best way to explain the visit to the little girl without getting into a while discussion about death and cemeteries and cheating ex-boyfriends.
"We went to a few of my favourite places in the world," she said, happy with the words she'd chosen. Lucas shot her a smile from across the room, and she had to smile back. "Then we drove back here and Luke was singing."
"Luke can't sing!" Lily said as she giggled.
"I know," Peyton laughed. "He's pretty bad."
"He's better at reading stories," Lily insisted, making them all laugh.
"OK, Lily, why don't you go wash your hands?" Karen said with a chuckle. Peyton set the girl on her feet and she took off down the hall.
"Everyone's always ganging up on me," Lucas pouted.
"It's just too easy," Peyton said with a shrug.
"Lucas, could you go get Nathan and Haley and tell them dinner's almost ready. Peyton, would you mind checking on Lily to make sure she's not taking a bath in there?" Karen said, smiling at her own exaggeration. "She tends to get a little carried away."
"No problem," Peyton laughed, turning on her heel and walking down the hall.
"I like her," Karen said in a hurried whisper before Lucas could to back outside.
"Mom!"
"A lot," she confirmed.
"OK, I get it. You like her," he said seriously, reaching for the doorknob.
He knew what his mother's statement meant. It meant that she approved, and that should he date Peyton, Karen would be just fine - thrilled even - with that.
Once everyone was seated at the table and enjoying their meal, Peyton watched the family interact again, much like she had the day before. Nathan and Lucas talked about ball and Haley and the kids, and Haley and Karen laughed over just about anything they were talking about. Lily and Jamie were blissfully unaware of the adult conversations going on around them. Peyton joined in on conversations and laughed at the stories that were being told, and it all felt natural. She wasn't trying to fit in - she just was fitting in.
They were all enjoying ice cream and brownies for dessert, and an uncharacteristic lull came over the table. It was quiet, and it seemed as though all the adults were thinking about just how nice it was for them all to be there together, enjoying each others' company.
"You and Lukey should kiss," Lily said seriously, out of nowhere, looking up at the woman sitting next to her.
"Oh! Uh...What?" Peyton stuttered as everyone else went wide eyed and Nathan laughed. She would have shot him a glare if it wouldn't have totally given her away.
"Uh huh," Lily insisted. "Because you're pretty, and boys are supposed to kiss pretty girls."
"Lil, sweetie, it's not as easy as that," Lucas said delicately, coming to Peyton's rescue.
But in his head, he was thinking that it was that easy.
"The boy and the girl have to want to kiss," Haley explained. She remembered what her son had said to Lucas when he'd visited Atlanta, and she had to smile at how kids viewed the world.
Nathan nudged his wife's knee under the table, telling her without words to quit meddling. Sure, they each knew that the two blondes shared requited feelings, but he felt they needed to find that out on their own.
"Don't you want to kiss her?" Lily asked innocently.
Nathan let out a laugh that he covered with a cough, and Peyton forcefully pushed his water glass toward him as she scowled at him. He took a sip of water, and his eyes met hers, and he just smirked. He was enjoying this far too much.
Her heart was racing as she waited to hear whatever Lucas had to say. She was sure he wouldn't bare his soul in front of his entire family to appease the imagination of a three year old, but she still wondered how he was going to respond. Part of her kind of wished he would just bare his soul, whatever that meant for her; for them.
"I think a lot of boys want to kiss Peyton," he answered honestly, smiling at the blonde girl sitting next to his sister.
She could feel her cheeks getting red, and she lowered her head to try to hide it, but that, apparently just brought more attention upon her.
"OK, now you've embarrassed her," Nathan pointed out. "Come on, let's talk about something that's not gonna make anyone uncomfortable."
Karen and Haley were looking at each other wide-eyed, shocked that Lucas had just admitted that in front of everyone, and Nathan was looking at Lucas, nodding in appreciation at the words the blonde had chosen. Lucas could only shake his head, then glance at Peyton, hoping he really hadn't embarrassed her too much.
Lucas and Nathan took care of the dishes, with Jamie's 'help', while the girls sat in the living room and talked. Karen explained that Deb would be over the following evening for Thanksgiving dinner, and Haley and Karen had a field day describing the woman to the newcomer. It was all harmless, however, and Peyton could tell that.
When the boys stepped back into the room, Nathan elbowed Lucas in the ribs when he saw Peyton and Haley sharing a laugh over something or another. Lucas just shook his head before walking over to Peyton and standing behind her.
"Let's go for a walk," he said, leaning down to speak in her ear.
And if those kinds of statements, and that low tone of voice wouldn't give her chills, she didn't know what would.
She smiled at Karen, who was looking at her knowingly, as she stood from her spot, and Lucas handed her her jacket when she met him at the door.
She wrapped her arms around herself as they started down the sidewalk in silence. She didn't know why he'd had her join him, but it was pretty much a given that she'd go anywhere he asked her to.
"I'm sorry," he said after a block or two.
"For what?" she asked absently, glancing at a big, old house as they strolled past it.
"For...earlier. With Lily and...everything," he elaborated.
"Kids, right?" she said with a chuckle, turning to look up at him. He was looking down to the sidewalk, but she could see the dimple on his cheek. She loved that dimple.
They ended up, by no surprise, at the River Court, sitting on the bleachers together in the dark of his little town.
Her knee brushed up against his, but neither moved. Neither wanted to.
She wondered if maybe that was all the confirmation she needed that he felt the same things she was feeling.
"Do you?" she asked out of nowhere.
"Do I what?" he asked confusedly, turning to face her.
There was a perfect amount of moonlight falling upon her, casting shadows on her face and making her look even more perfect than usual. He had to force himself to focus on her words, other than how amazing she looked.
"Do you want to kiss me?"
Her voice was timid and shy and coy, and it was somehow heartbreaking and incredible all the same.
She wasn't asking if he wanted to kiss her.
She was telling him she wanted him to kiss her.
He could have formed a perfectly beautiful and fitting phrase to let her know that kissing her was pretty much all he'd thought about since the night he'd 'rescued' her from the bar, and that the thought of never getting to do it was killing him.
But he didn't.
He just closed the distance between them and pressed his lips to hers, almost urgently.
He felt that she was surprised, but she eventually sank into it, and her lips were perfect and soft, and she tasted a little bit like vanilla, somehow.
Part of him couldn't believe he was actually doing it - kissing her. He'd wanted to for so long, and it was so much better than he'd ever imagined. She nipped his bottom lip and he let out a noise in surprise and appreciation. He should have known she'd be a little more forward and bold than most girls. That was kind of what he liked most about her.
When they parted, he pulled away and took a deep breath, fully intending on saying something. His eyes open and met those beautiful green ones - the ones that were sparkling just a little bit brighter - and he was at a loss.
And then she grabbed the front of his jacket and pulled him in for another kiss, and he really couldn't say he didn't want that exact thing.