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Trashed and Scattered

Chapter Forty-One: All That I Need

“So, does this mean you’re sticking around for a while?” Brian asked curiously as Peyton neatly wrapped up her tale of job security.
She winced a little at the question. She’d been asking herself that very thing since stumbling on the possibility of propositioning Jonas in the first place. All Peyton knew to do to steady her trembling hands was to apply them to art. Monotony made for unbearable restlessness, and with that came incredible strain. The walls of the house encroached upon her, snatching up her will to maintain sanity. Dwelling too long within them would mean a chaotic unfurling, which Peyton wasn’t feeling particularly inclined to allow. She never lingered in one place for too long, lest the walls inevitably close in.
She shrugged, pushing at the fried rice on her heaping plate, “Long enough that I should work. I’m not exactly retiring to Beverly Hills anytime soon if you catch my drift.”
Brian smirked, “Well, I’m glad you’re sticking around...for now, at least.”
“Is that right?” Peyton challenged him with a bat of her long lashes.
Brian tossed a chicken ball into his mouth, nodding at her with his mouth full, “That’s right.”
“California is...” Peyton paused in thought. “Nicer than I’d thought. But I’m missing home, I have to say. I don’t think I’ve been away from my best friend for this long...maybe ever.”
Peyton was annoyed by her honesty. She was mostly irritated that she missed Joanna at all. She often fancied herself superwoman; capable of all, bowing to nothing and no one. But the sad reality was that she absolutely adored her best friend. Joanna was the kryptonite needed to pierce through Peyton’s hard exterior. She was just the perfect balance of hilarity, compassion, and generosity.
Joanna had originally flocked to Peyton like a child to a wounded bird. She’d spent time nurturing the broken thing—that didn’t know it was broken—until one day it flew off on its own. But Peyton always came back, and Joanna was always glad. They couldn’t have been more different, but for whatever reason, that’s what made them work.
“I can’t imagine that,” Brian noted sentimentally. “Sometimes I miss Jimmy while I’m with Jimmy. Best friends are weird.”
Peyton laughed, “Yeah.”
“What’s her name?”
She beamed, “Joanna.”
“Joanna,” Brian repeated, committing the name to memory. “And what’s she like? How’d you meet?”
Peyton raised an eyebrow, a playful grin tugging at her lips, “Aren’t we curious today.”
Brian smirked, “I’m in a curious mood.”
“Uh-huh,” Peyton mused, letting her mind wander back to Joanna. “She’s…a little bit like Jimmy.”
“Yeah?” Brian smiled, picking at an egg roll. “How’s that?”
“I don’t know,” Peyton breathed, thinking fondly of her estranged friend. “She’s very enthusiastic. Definitely overbearing. She can be a little much to handle if you don’t expose yourself slowly. She’s like a fucking forest fire...In the best way.”
Brian smirked, “Yeah, that sounds like Jimmy.”
Peyton nodded, still chuckling at her friend’s memory antics, “But she’s the most genuinely wonderful person I’ve ever known. She’s kind and... she’ll give you the shirt off her back without question. She’s just a salt of the earth kind of girl. I’m pretty lucky.”
Brian smiled, adoring the way Peyton’s deadened gaze lit up as she spoke of her friend. Best friends have a way of pulling you out from yourself, shedding a new light onto an otherwise dull world. Brian liked to know Peyton had a female Jimmy waiting back home. He liked it so much that he chose to brush passed the very real notion that she’d chosen a best friend that reminded her of Jimmy. The sinking reminder that Brian had stepped over a line came creeping back in.
But as Peyton smiled to herself, Brian moved back into the land of apathy. Jimmy who?
“I told her to come out here,” Peyton told Brian passively.
Brian swallowed down a mouthful, “Oh yeah? Is she coming?”
Peyton shrugged, “Fucked if I know. She’s busy with finals right now...She’s studying to be a doctor.”
“A doctor?” Brian asked, impressed.
Peyton nodded, tapping at her skull, “Of the brain.”
“A brain...doctor?”
Peyton snickered, “A psychiatrist...Or psychologist. I don’t know the difference but Joanna insists there is a difference. That’s a doctor of the brain either way though. So…I’m not totally off. But I suppose that could be confused with a neurologist…That’s the right word, right? Neurologist? Neurologist…Now it sounds fucking made up.”
Brian smiled over at her, shaking his head lightly as he broke out into a verbal train of thought. She squinted, wrinkling her forehead as she worked out her own confusion.
Sometimes Peyton would thoroughly remind Brian of Jimmy—the way she’d brush through conversation topics or her mind would wander as he spoke. There was no question they’d grown up influencing one another; the resemblances were uncanny. He told himself it wasn’t weird to be attracted to the female version of his best friend. Realistically, what could be more perfect than that? She looked nothing like Jimmy—which Brian decided was what mattered most.
“You good?” Brian jested as Peyton slowed to a stop.
She nodded firmly, “Think so.”
“Anyway,” Brian grinned. “I hope she comes. Because then you really will have to stick around.”
Peyton felt her cheeks flushing, “Why are you suddenly so invested in my affairs, Mr. Haner? What’s it to you?”
Brian met her challenge with unfailing steadiness, leveling out his brown gaze as it settled upon her.
“I guess I like your company,” he told her lowly. “I’d feel robbed if I didn’t get to spend some more time with you.”
Peyton was touched. Moreover, she was incredibly attracted to the smooth talker with the doe eyes. The heat only made her head swim faster. Why did she feel like she was betraying Jimmy? Like she was betraying her every instinct?
A primal set of instincts told her to ignore those pesky voices and to focus on the now. Focus on the want.
And right now, she wanted Brian.
“I wouldn’t want to rob you,” Peyton smirked.
Brian laughed sharply, “Well I appreciate that.”
“So, I guess we’ll have to spend some time together...You know, fair trade and whatever.”
Brian replied casually, “It seems only right.”
They settled into a comfortable tension as they each picked at their respective plates. Brian was the first to break the silence, asking questions about New York and then about her father—who, he’d learned, lived in Connecticut.
“We’re close I guess,” Peyton answered curtly.
Brian had talked for a while about his own father and their strangely coercive relationship. He talked about his dad’s sense of humor and the way he’d brought him and his brother up. The way he was still bringing his sister up. He’d moved onto curiosity about Peyton’s relationship with her father. He was unnaturally curious about her mother but knew better than to ask. Jimmy had made it clear all his life that Lexi had a sore spot and it was known as Allison. Brian assumed Peyton might share that same sore spot.
“We don’t speak every day,” Peyton added thoughtfully. “But we try for every other day. I’ve hardly talked to him at all since I got here though.”
Brian caught this with interest, “Why not?”
Peyton pulled her lips to one side, working the question out within her mind. She hadn’t really given it any thought until it passed through her teeth unintentionally.
“I’m not sure,” she sighed. “I’d like to say it’s because I’ve been busy… but you and I both know that’s a lie.”
Brian laughed quietly, stuffing his face with one of Peyton’s wontons.
She pretended not to notice the thieving going on just under her nose.
“I guess it’s because I’m pissed at him for sending me here in the first place,” Peyton answered honestly.
Brian was a little disappointed in the response. He’d imagined Peyton was less than settled stirring around in her childhood home...but she’d seemed to together every time he’d seen her. He assumed things had mellowed out.
“You really hate it here, huh?” Brian asked flatly.
She shook her head, “No, it isn’t that. It’s...” she trailed off, looking down at the table. “It’s not important.”
“You can talk to me you know,” Brian smiled. “I’m more than just good looks; I’m a pretty decent listener too.”
Peyton laughed, rolling her eyes at him.
To her surprise, he slid a hand across the table and settled it atop her own. Her eyes waltzed across the table and up passed his chest. There, they nestled into a chocolate sea, begging her to drown for a while. She felt herself tingling, each of her senses lighting up like the Fourth of July.
“Can I guess?” Brian spoke again, more chipper this time. “You’re pissed your dad didn’t come handle his own shit?”
Peyton was blown away by the accuracy.
“Yeah, totally,” she half-laughed. “How did you—”
“I’d be annoyed as fuck if my dad tried that shit,” Brian chuckled, pulling his hand back slowly.
Peyton smirked, snatching the last wonton before Brian could get his grubby hands on it, “I guess at some point we all kind of become our parents’ parents. It’s my time to shine as it were.”
Brian rolled that over for a minute, trying his best to envision his own father casting him into a role of serious responsibility. His dad was a strange creature, though; Brian knew this. There was simply no comparing Brian and Dan.
“How much do you have left to do?” Brian asked curiously, longing for the wonton hanging between Peyton’s fingertips.
She frowned, “A lot.”
“Sounds good,” Brian smiled.
Peyton furrowed her brows with confusion, “What sounds good?”
Sensing the opportune moment to strike, given Peyton’s perplexed state, Brian reached across the table like a cobra might strike. He snatched the half-eaten wonton from Peyton’s hand and happily tossed it into his mouth.
Her jaw fell to the floor.
“Who the fuck do you think you are?” she demanded with a laugh.
Brian answered with his mouth full, his word muffles by the deliciousness, “Hungry.”
She was horrified by what he’d done.
“You really like my food,” she noted.
He nodded, “It’s better when it’s stolen.”
She frowned at him.
“Want me to give it back?” he laughed as he swallowed it down.
Peyton grimaced wildly.
“Here, I’ll give it back,” he grinned, his finger headed straight for the back of his throat.
Peyton objected quickly, panicking with laughter, “No! Please god, no!”
He snickered, resting his hand back down onto the table.
“You’re so fucking gross,” Peyton informed him with a playful scowl.
He grinned widely, “You love it.”
She rolled her eyes, dismissing the heat flaring in her cheeks. Brian had a route straight to her humor and he used it expertly. She knew she could count on Brian to keep her distracted and he had not disappointed.
“Let’s get this shit boxed up,” Brian thought aloud, glancing around for a staff member.
“Why?” Peyton asked, not that she really cared. “You in a rush?”
He nodded, “Yeah. We have a lot of work to do.”
Peyton stared at him blankly.
“We’ll lunch at your house,” he filled in the blanks for her with a smug grin. “And then you can put me to work. I’m your slave for the day.”
Peyton couldn’t help herself, “My slave, huh?”
“Any way you want me, baby,” he winked. “Seriously, does no one work here?”
He pushed himself from the booth, partly because he wanted to find someone and partly because he’d accidentally let his flirtatious side show a little too carelessly.
Peyton took Brian’s absence as an opportunity to collect herself. She fanned at herself, embarrassed by just how effected she was to hear Brian’s little coo. As he returned with a handful of boxes and began dumping the food into them, Peyton caught herself admiring him.
He smiled down at her, scrunching up his nose just enough to make her laugh. He loved the sound.
“Let’s go!” he announced, piling up the boxes and pulling the stack into his hands.
Following on his heels, Peyton scooted out of the restaurant with Brian.
Now she definitely wanted him.

Notes

Breyton?

xx

Comments

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RamonaFoREVer RamonaFoREVer
6/18/19

@fyction
It is one of my favourite things. I melt every time!!

kiss my sas kiss my sas
6/11/19

@kiss my sas
I know! Isn’t it sweet?! Guh. Pellivan <3

fyction fyction
6/11/19

@fyction
BUT PELLIVAN IS TRUE LOVE!!!
I still get giddy when Peyton says 'I love you' to Jimmy... urgh! Such a long time coming!

kiss my sas kiss my sas
6/11/19

@kiss my sas
I mean.... Breyton could be revived... never say never ;)

fyction fyction
6/11/19