Sunset ^beta

*Clothes over Bros*

“Oh, boy.”

Peyton glances over from where she had been taking in the sight of her best friend’s new store.

She can’t believe how great it looks… and she hopes all of Brooke’s dreams come true because, after everything Brooke had done for her, she deserves nothing less.

“What?” She looks at where Lucas’s attention. Brooke is walking over. She beams. “Brooke! How awesome is this?”

Brooke grins. “I know. I think that the whole town showed up.”

“I can't blame them.” Lucas looks proud. “There hasn't been a party here since... well, ever. Can't believe I got in looking like this.” He jokes, smoothing down the front of his shirt.

“Oh, stop. Where's Lindsey?”

‘Oh, boy’ is right, Peyton thinks. Lindsey had to go to New York and had all but begged Peyton to accompany Lucas here. She knew she could trust her and also wouldn’t have to worry about Lucas coming alone – which he hated to do.

“She's in New York. I came with Peyton.” Lucas answers. Peyton can tell from the minute shift in Brooke’s expression what she is thinking.

Peyton knows that Brooke doesn’t believe she didn’t come back for Lucas.

Which makes convincing Brooke that she isn’t jealous of seeing Luke with Lindsey all the more difficult.

She doesn’t get to say anything, however. Brooke notices Haley and Nate looking at a particular dress. She steps away to go speak to them.

“Well, that wasn’t awkward at all.”

Lucas chuckles. “Yeah. How much you wanna bet she won’t let that go?”

Peyton rolls her eyes. She steps around a customer and to his side. “Please. She’s like a dog with a bone. Lindsey is going to be so upset she missed it.”

The two walk away. Granted, it’s not exactly friendly with his arm around her shoulders. But they know the truth.

And that’s all that matters, right?

“Incoming.” Lucas warns later on when he sees Brooke approaching them again.

“Hey, P. Sawyer. I need you.”

Peyton holds a hand out on instinct, and Lucas watches Brooke take it, tugging the blonde away. Peyton turns and widens her eyes, and he grins to himself.

Oh, this is gonna be good.

“What's up?” Peyton asks as Brooke leads her to the checkout counter.

“I have a little something for you. It's a present to say thanks for helping me with everything.” She hands her the maroon-colored dress she had made specially for her best friend.

Peyton takes it, smiling. “Brooke, I love it, but you do not have to do this,” she emphasizes. “You've already done so much for me.”

Too much, she wants to add, even though she knows Brooke would disagree. She’s been dealing with what she thought would be a great band.

It turns out the lead singer is an arrogant jackass who listens to no one and wouldn’t take any of her suggestions to change up the music.

She really doesn’t want to let Brooke down, and after a very loving reminder from Brooke’s… well, Bitchtoria, about how she has always taken and never given when it came to Brooke, she is really starting to feel the pressure to do something right.

And to be able to pay Brooke back for the substantial amount of money she loaned her.

She just hopes Haley is right about their piano player being what they need.

“So, how are things with Lucas?” Brooke asks, glancing across the room and causing Peyton to do the same.

“What do you mean?”

Ugh. Why did we decide not to say anything? God Lindsey is gonna be pissed that she missed this.

Peyton can just hear her now. Luke is going to have a field day teasing her about missing this. She wouldn’t be surprised if he’s already texted her some of the details.

“Peyton, you asked me to be honest with you about why I'm staying, and I need you to do the same with me, okay?”

“Okay.”

Just smile your way through it, Sawyer.

She sighs and sets in to listen to yet another lecture about how Luke is happy, and she shouldn’t interfere… although to her credit, Brooke doesn’t outright say that last part.

“Lucas seems really happy right now.”

Yep, he does.

“And we like Lindsey.”

We sure do. I like her. And she likes me. Shame you don’t know that.

“And... It's just not high school anymore.”

Oh, Brooke. If only you knew.

“It's not about Lucas, okay?”

It’s all she can come up with.

Now is not the time to explain that she not only has known about Lucas and Lindsey for almost two years but that they visited her frequently in LA during that time.

Explaining all of that would lead to Peyton needing to tell Brooke what her motivation was for staying once she came back.

Motivation that just so happens to be a brunette with killer dimples, and who looks amazing in that dress, standing right in front of her.

“Okay. Good.” Brooke turns so she is casually leaning against the bar. She motions with her eyes. “'Cause the cute bartender's been eyeing you all night.”

Motivation who has no idea that Peyton doesn’t care about the cute bartender.

And motivation who Peyton is content to spend the night with because she is much more her type than the man behind the counter.

“Oh…”

But, she supposes, she can play along. It’s what is expected of her, after all.

*Later*

Peyton had given the bartender a shot. She wasn’t feeling up for it though, and so she had cut the… sort of date short.

Heading home she had gotten a call from Lindsey. She informed her that they had gone, it was amazing, and to call Lucas.

Because he had all the ‘sweet deets’.

Lindsey excitedly hung up, and Peyton sent Luke a heads-up text.

She pulls into the driveway of the house that Brooke bought for the two of them. Entering through their door on the back deck, she sees Brooke on the couch, eating ice cream… and crying.

Her happy mood plummets.

“Brooke, what's wrong?” Peyton tosses her purse to the table and walks over, a hand going to her shoulder.

Brooke looks up at her. She can see the concern. Thinking quickly, she motions to the TV, and the movie she had paused when she heard the door open.

Peyton looks and sees it, and she almost, almost rolls her eyes (but manages to stop at the last second).

“Honey, you’ve seen this movie a hundred times. You already know what’s gonna happen.”

Brooke shrugs, stabbing her ice cream with her spoon. She hadn’t really been crying because of the movie. It had just added to her already emotional state.

But Peyton doesn’t really need to know that.

Sighing, Peyton stands and steps back. Brooke pouts before she can stop herself.

“Let me go change and then I’ll come back and finish it with you.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Brooke says, voice raspy. She looks down at her ice cream carton, no longer hungry.

“Would it make you feel better?” Peyton asks in a teasing voice. When Brooke nods, she raises an eyebrow. “Then I’ll come back. Besides, what else am I supposed to do? Stay in my bedroom?”

Brooke’s response, which had been to tell her she could do that if she really wanted to, dies out as Peyton leaves her with a kiss to the top of her head while walking to her bedroom.

She is back ten minutes later, and Brooke scoots so she can sit down. She abandons her carton on the coffee table and melts into Peyton’s side. It’s like they are two magnetic puzzle pieces, moving automatically to slot into place.

“Alright, you big crybaby,” Peyton teases, an arm around her shoulders. “Press play and let’s get this over with.”

15 minutes after that, the credits are rolling. Peyton wipes her eyes. Brooke leans to the side so she can look at her, and smirks.

“Now who’s the crybaby?”

Rolling her eyes, Peyton huffs. “Whatever.”

“You’ve seen it a hundred times,” Brooke mocks. “You already know what happens.”

“Yeah, yeah. Go on, get it all out.”

Brooke grins. She thinks about continuing to tease her. But then she thinks, leaning her head back on Peyton’s chest, and pretending like they are the only two who matter, is so much better.

And so that is exactly what she does.

“Oh, that’s it?” Peyton eyes the top of her head suspiciously.

“That’s it.” She grins to herself, snuggling closer. It’s an instinctive response, Peyton tightening her arms. But it means everything to Brooke.

“That can’t be it. There’s no way that is it.”

Brooke shrugs, or tries to at least.

“No more.”

“Uh-huh.”

Peyton yawns before she can say anything else. Brooke also takes that time to ask about her date with the ‘dishy bartender’.

Shrugging, Peyton dismisses it quickly.

“Just wasn’t feeling it.”

She can’t see the frown on Brooke’s face. Or know that the brunette assumes it is because he wasn’t Lucas… despite what Peyton says about him.

“Oh… well, at least you gave it a shot.”

Peyton hums in agreement.

“You ready for bed, B. Davis?”

Brooke shrugs. “No. Not really. But you go to bed if you’re tired.”

She had hoped she could spend a couple of hours with Peyton. Oh well. Maybe they’ll have time tomorrow.

“You’re doing it again.”

Brooke frowns. Not at the words but at the clear accusation.

“I’m doing what again?”

Being needy? Because she had tried not to be. Maybe she hadn’t hidden it as well as she thought.

“You’ve spent too much time with Vicwhoria lately,” Peyton says instead of what Brooke had been dreading her saying. “What’s she been telling you, huh?”

Oh, she means that. Brooke looks down at her hands. She feels Peyton rub her arm.

“I hate when she does this to you.” There’s anger now. Brooke is sure she knows what she is talking about but she waits for Peyton to say it anyway.

“It takes me forever to get you back on a positive track when she ruins all of our progress.” She hears Peyton sigh in that way that says she’s annoyed.

“Come on. You wanna watch another movie or go lay in bed and talk?”

“We don’t have to do that.”

“Well, those are your only two options.”

Brooke grins at the no-nonsense voice. “I guess I’m ready for bed.”

Peyton rubs her arm again, but the feeling is overtaken by the kiss she adds to her temple.

They gather up Brooke’s ice cream, lock the doors, and turn off the lights. Brooke meets Peyton in her doorway after brushing her teeth.

“Hey-” Peyton tugs on her arm. “I love you. And if I could, I would hunt her down and kick her ass for making you feel this way.”

Brooke snuggles into her side, feeling safe and loved and… and wanted. Appreciated. Desired.

“Come on.” Peyton guides her to the bed and then flicks off the light, coming over to lie down. She and Brooke scoot together, and Brooke sighs, feeling content and happy.

“I don’t have to stay in here.”

Peyton sighs at the insinuation. “Brooke, honey… you know you’re always welcome in here.”

“I… I know that. But. It’s just… is it weird?”

“Why would it be weird?” Peyton cracks one eye open to look at Brooke’s dark silhouette beside her.

“Because I’m in here.”

“You’re gonna have to give me a bit more than that.”

Brooke shrugs. “I’m in here and not in my room.” She watches Peyton sigh and use her hand to prop up her head.

“Stop talking in riddles.” She frowns at the response. It wasn’t what she expected. “What’s your head telling you right now?”

Then again, it’s always her head that expects far worse.

Sighing, Brooke gives her the answer she knows Peyton is looking for. “I’ve been spending too much time with Bitchtoria.”

She doesn’t necessarily believe that. But right now, it’s about getting the correct response. They can work up to believing it later.

“Mmhm… you have,” Peyton agrees. “Now, tell me how you’re really feeling.”

“I’m sorry,” she feels the urge to apologize. “I just… I wanted to spend some time with you. I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever. We’ve both been so busy and you’ve been working so much lately.” She picks up speed and confidence as she speaks, knowing Peyton wants to hear this, she wants her to say the truth and to know what Brooke is thinking.

There is no judgement there.

Peyton’s hand is rubbing her arm. She sighs, starting to pout and kind of whine. She can’t see it, but Peyton grins and rolls her eyes fondly. Brooke is really a big baby deep down.

“And then tonight you spent it with Lucas, and you looked happy. I know the point was that you came together, and I know I told you to, but I kind of didn’t want you to go with the bartender… I wanted you to come home… I wanted to watch movies and eat ice cream and spend time with you.”

She whines and pouts and then groans when she hears Peyton finally get unable to hide her laughter.

“It’s not funny!”

Brooke feels Peyton’s hand grasp her arm and tug. As she moves closer she can feel Peyton shift and knows she is lying on her back. She has a pouty lip as she tucks into her side.

“Oh, honey. Why didn’t you just say that?” Peyton squeezes her arms around Brooke. “You really think I would have had more fun out on a random date with some guy I didn’t know than here with my best friend?”

Brooke shrugs. Peyton rubs her back and kisses the top of her head.

“I wouldn’t. It was boring anyway.”

“It was?”

“Mhm.”

“Oh…”

“Yeah, oh.”

“Sorry.” Brooke sighs.

“It’s okay… I don’t care.”

They’re quiet for a long moment.

“So… how was your day?” Her only response is a groan, and Brooke giggles. “That good, huh?”

“God,” Peyton huffs, rubbing her palm on her forehead. “The band I was supposed to work with had a leader who was an arrogant jackass. He wouldn’t listen to anything Haley or I had to say. He called her my lesbian girlfriend when she tried to change something and I finally stepped in because he was being a douche, not really sure what the point of that was but…”

“Because he’s a jackass?”

Peyton huffs a laugh. “Yeah. It’s just…” she shakes her head. “It was a mess from the start. Even small things set him off, he was just… so uncooperative.”

By now Brooke has moved to the side and is lying on her stomach, propped up on her arms.

“What are you going to do?”

“Nothing.” And as Peyton goes on to say more, she realizes taking a momentary breath between that word and the rest of the explanation was not a good idea. Brooke sits up and is halfway through her rant by the time Peyton covers her mouth to get her to hush.

“What the hell, P. Sawyer? You can’t just take his shit! If he’s that much of a nuance then just drop him and find someone else! You can’t let him walk all over you just because you’re- mmmm.”

“Brooke.”

Her response is muffled.

“You gonna let me finish?” Brooke nods. “Yeah?” Another nod. “Okay good.” She slowly removes her hand, stops, makes sure Brooke stays quiet, and then moves it completely.

“Now, as I was saying, I’m not going to do anything because Haley and I fired him.” Peyton grins at Brooke’s expression, amused by the sheepish look. “We decided… well, she said the keyboard player is where the magic is. Hopefully, we can do something with Mia.”

Peyton sighs and drops back down, turning on her side as Brooke follows. She tucks her arm under her pillow and the two lie in compatible silence for a while.

“So... that was my day. How was yours?” She knows her night went well. The opening was a success, and she is so proud of what Brooke was able to accomplish in the short time they’ve been home.

Brooke shrugs. “Long, hard… stressful. It didn’t help that she was there.” She knows Peyton knows who she means. Peyton rubs her arm trying to soothe before she can get too upset.

“She kept telling Millie to do things, and poor Millie wanted to help out but she had a feeling I wouldn’t want those things done. Like, she told her to call and have a bunch of expensive dresses and clothes brought in… there’s no way that would have gone well tonight.”

Brooke knows that’s why she did. Bitchtoria knew doing that would put Brooke in a situation where she would be in over her head. Then she wanted to toss her into the stress of the store opening without a heads-up.

“I’m sorry, B.” Peyton sighs. “I wish she could appreciate the wonderful things you have accomplished so far. You’ve done so much, more than most people your age or even decades older… and I’m sorry she seems so intent on destroying your self-confidence.”

Brooke looks at her, staying quiet. She doesn’t even need light to know that her cheeks are shiny with tears and instead reaches out to wipe them, keeping her hand on the side of Brooke’s head.

“I just wish she would see me, you know?” Brooke whispers. “I wish she would see what I’ve done and be proud, instead of raising the bar higher and making everything look like a failure or not enough.”

Peyton nods, feeling Brooke lean into her hand. “I know, sweetie. But you know what? I see you. I see what you have done, what you’ve accomplished… and I am so proud of you, Brooke Davis.” She feels Brooke nod. “I know I wasn’t there for a lot of it, but I followed along, and you know what else?”

Brooke shifts closer. “What?” She sighs as Peyton leans over to kiss the top of her head.

“All of our friends saw you tonight… They know what you’ve done. Haley and Nathan… and Luke… And they know how much hard work you have put into tonight and into your entire business.”

“Yeah… I guess so.”

“Well, I know so. Lucas is so proud of you, and I know Nathan and Hales are too. And Lindsey. She was so upset she would have to miss tonight. And…” she lets out a breath, wondering if bringing up this person is the right thing to do.

“And Mom would have been more proud than all of us put together.” Peyton’s voice cracks, and she breathes in. It’s moments like this, not just in her life but Brooke’s as well, that she misses Anna the most. “You had a mom, B. Davis. And she loved you more than anything. And I am so sorry she can’t be here when you need someone like her the most.”

By now Brooke has all but collapsed against her. She’s had to twist so she can lie on her back. Peyton threads her fingers through Brooke’s hair as her neck becomes slick with tears.

“I’m sorry,” she rasps, words fractured as Peyton shushes her. Her lip trembles but for once she lets it instead of biting and swallowing her tears and emotions. She feels safer with Peyton than anyone else who might have gotten close enough to her to see her like this. Brooke knows Peyton’s thoughts, those that are obvious on the surface and even what she thinks deep down. She knows there’s no insincerity in her comfort.

Brooke lets the emotions out. She cries for the daughter she wishes she was, and the mother she wishes she had. And for the mom she did have but had lost before she truly understood what it meant to have someone like Anna Sawyer in her life.

And for the pent-up stress, anxiety, anger, and frustrations she’s had and held in and pushed down since deciding to open a home base store… and having to deal with Victoria Davis.

“I love you, B. Davis,” Peyton’s voice comes through after the crying has settled to sniffles. She feels her rub her back.

Brooke yawns. “Love you too.”

“Tired?”

She hums, feeling Peyton brush her hair from her face.

“Scoot over for a sec?” She tightens her grip on Peyton’s hand, where they’d been held on her stomach. “Just for a second,” Peyton whispers. “I’m going to step over to the bathroom for a moment.”

Brooke agrees, only half awake by the time Peyton gets back, and she flinches at the feeling of something cold and wet on her face.

“Peyt, what the hell.”

She frowns when Peyton chuckles. But Peyton keeps at it and shushes her. After she tosses the washcloth into the hamper she crawls back into bed.

“Mmm. ‘M sleepy,” Brooke murmurs as Peyton shushes her. “Night, P. Sawyer.”

“Goodnight, B. Davis. I love you more than you know.”

Peyton settles into her side and waits until Brooke’s breathing has evened out, which only takes a couple of minutes, before she finally allows herself to relax and fall asleep as well.