Brooklyn was nervous about making things more serious with Maxxie. He was kind, had a heart of gold, and everything Brooklyn loved, but he wasn't about opening his heart to someone when it could be broken. That's something that Brooks had always playing in the back of his head, the hurt he'd feel if it didn't work out and then he'd be alone and feel like an idiot for opening up to someone so much who ended up breaking his heart. Brooks was the one who broke hearts before they could do it to him. Not that he thought Maxxie would do that, but you never knew what could happen and there was that sliver of a chance where Brooks would be heartbroken at the end of the day and not be the tough guy that he was known for being.

there  is  a  moment  where  he  gets  lost  in  admiring  just  how  beautiful  brooklyn  is  to  him.  his  taut  jawline,  his  kind  of  messy,  kind  of  not,  dark  brown  hair,  his  side  profile,  and  even  the  way  the  non  potent  new  york  sun  in  the  beginning  of  the  year  hits  his  face  just  right,  lightening  his  dark  eyes  to  a  lighter  shade  of  brown,  well,  it  makes  maxxie  so  weak.  it’s  like  every  thought  flew  right  out  of  his  head  at  that  moment.  he  actually  has  to  force  himself  to  look  elsewhere,  occupy  his  mind  on  anything  but  him,  but  then  he’s  kissing  his  cheek  and  starting  the  car  and  god,  he’s  smiling  like  an  idiot,  the  dimples  on  both  his  cheeks  coming  to  view.  he’s  aware  that  he’s  so,  so  pathetic,  but  he  can’t  help  that  little  moments  like  these  mean  everything  to  him.  maybe  this  is  why  they  keep  coming  back  to  each  other.

As he looked at her she did the same right back to him, her gaze not wavering for even a second, because when meeting new people she found it key to not let her guard down. That could be as simple as glancing away for a moment when their eyes were on her, it opened her up to vulnerability. Maybe that was a bit intense for a ballerina from Manhattan and more akin to the mindset of a lion in the middle of a jungle, but they didn’t call this place the concrete jungle for nothing. She took good care of her nails, but sometimes that also felt more like a means of protection than anything else. Leaning forward herself, she mirrored the blonde’s movements, one perfectly plucked eyebrow raising. “Procrastination is the enemy of success, and now you have chipped nails.” She replied simply. But as he carried on talking she took the time to take in his features, they were sharp but not unpleasantly so. He had a smile with corners that could cut glass in the best possible way, almost Scandinavian in his looks. Strong and commanding coupled with a sparkle in his eye that left her under no illusion he could be trouble when he wanted to be, and if on cue his words seemed to confirm that. “Okay but, just to be sure because it’s crucial, you do prioritise good dick and shopping sprees over your research, right? Because otherwise I’d consider you an embarrassment to society.” She mirrored his very serious tone, her change in expression not as obvious as his when it did come though, just a quirk up of the corners of her mouth. Small smirk, a little more light in her eyes, but nothing that could be taken for apparent representation of joy. “Oh, the name is horrible, but the skills of the people who work there can’t be denied. What can I say - I’m a sucker for someone who knows their way around a buffer block.” @deeplywonderstruck

there  was  an  intensity  in  her  gaze,  a  look  that  could  easily  intimidate,  and  while  maxxie  wasn’t  someone  who  could  be  viewed  as  fearless  in  any  way,  by  no  means  an  ‘alpha  male’  or  whatever  the  fuck  that  even  meant,  he  wasn’t  faltering  under  her  stare,  mostly  because  he  was  too  carefree  and  truly  unbothered  to  feel  some  kind  of  way,  too  softcore  to  feel  attacked  the  way  someone  else  would  be  in  his  shoes.  it  was  odd,  almost  like  their  interaction  resembled  literal  black  cat  and  golden  retriever  energy  and  well,  it  was  evident  which  was  which.  the  quick  jabs  thrown  his  way  were  comical  to  him,  but  her  following  words  actually  made  him  burst  out  laughing,  a  finger  coming  to  rub  under  his  eye.  “ you’re  hilarious. ”  he  informs  her,  actually  appreciating  the  blunt  honesty.  she  was  just  saying  what  she  wanted  to  say,  speaking  her  mind  and  clearly  not  phased  over  any  feelings  she  might  hurt  along  the  way.  “ you  know,  someone  using  chipped  nails  and  procrastination  is  the  enemy  of  success  in  the  same  sentence  isn’t  something  i  thought  i’d  hear,  like…  ever.  there’s  just  so  many  things  to  unpack  right  there  –  you  think  if  i  get  them  touched  up,  it  would  help  cure  my  procrastination  dilemma?  i  mean,  you  think  i’d  have  a  shot  at  being… ”  he  places  a  hand  over  his  heart  in  an  over  dramatic  manner,  “ successful? ”  but  he  can’t  say  the  words  in  a  serious  tone  at  all,  his  giggling  stops  him  from  continuing  the  banter.  truth  be  told,  he  doesn’t  have  to  be  successful  if  he  doesn’t  want  to.  born  into  pure,  old  money,  european  nepotism  to  its  core,  he  really  doesn’t  have  to  work  a  day  in  his  life,  or  have  any  kinds  of  goals.  it’s  not  like  he’s  out  here  struggling  and  needs  to  thrive  and  succeed  to  obtain  any  kind  of  dream  or  build  an  empire  –  he  was  just  lucky  enough  to  be  born  into  it.  maxxie  doesn’t  brag  about  being  rich  though.  in  fact,  he  can  probably  count  on  one  hand  and  have  fingers  left  over  with  how  many  people  in  new  york  are  aware  of  his  financial  status.  he  just  doesn’t  think  that’s  the  most  important  thing  out  there,  or  something  to  be  flaunting  around.  he’s  nodding  his  head  far  too  quickly  at  her  question.  “ well  yeah,  of  course.  i  think  anyone  who  doesn’t  prioritize  such  things  has  failed  at  absolutely  everything. ”  he  smiles  so  wide,  it’s  like  the  damn  sun,  the  dimples  on  both  his  cheeks  coming  to  view.  “ i  think  the  name  is  so  cute,  i  love  puns  like  that…  another  jab  you  can  throw  at  me,  i  know.  if  you  hate  names  like  that,  you  would  absolutely  despise  the  name  of  my  favorite  boba  tea  spot.  it’s  called  say  tea  and  smile  and  honestly,  even  just  saying  the  name  makes  me  smile. ”  that  much  is  evident.  he’s  far  too  enthusiastic  and  bubbly  with  someone  who  was  basically  roasting  him  not  even  a  minute  ago.

Why was he like this? That was the first question that came to mind. And he didn't mean Maxxie either. No, Oliver was definitely asking that question about himself, as he did quite often. Why couldn't he find it within himself to change? At this point, he'd thought he had, that his time in Paris and the people he'd met had helped him along on a different path, but then moments like this happened and he realised there were some parts he would never be able to change. "That's a fair point," he responded, his voice light, taking the cup from the other now and pushing a smile onto his face. "How's it going?" he questioned after a moment of silence.

even  if  maxxie  was  admittedly  confused  by  the  way  oliver  acted  whenever  he  was  around,  he  couldn’t  deny  that  he  thought  it  was  cute,  wholesome  even.  he  didn’t  think  oliver  was  naive  in  the  slightest  bit,  but  his  actions  would  indicate  that  he  might  come  across  as  so  to  anyone  who  doesn’t  know  him.  then  again,  maxxie  doesn’t  think  he  really  knows  him.  his  body,  sure,  but  as  a  person,  he  would  say  he  doesn’t  know  all  too  much.  “ definitely  better  now  that  it’s  no  longer  january. ”  he  says  this  as  if  january  is  some  kind  of  cursed  month.  it  wasn’t  –  it  just  felt  unnecessarily  long.  “ what  about  you?  did  you  make  any  new  year's  resolutions? ”  a  pause  is  taken,  followed  by  a  playful  grin  taking  place  across  his  rosy  colored  lips.  “ and  if  you  have,  did  you  keep  any  of  them? ”  this  is  asked  lightly,  poking  fun  at  the  idea  that  a  lot  of  people  only  maintained  their  new  year's  resolutions  for  a  few  weeks  in  and  then  completely  dropped  them  as  the  year  went  on.  not  that  maxxie  was  judging,  but  he’s  seen  it  one  too  many  times.

"I still don't believe you, but you can tell me whatever you want. You know I'm not going to argue with it." Brooklyn responded to him before shaking his head and still driving to his place so that they could get on with their evening. The playful back and forth was nice and while many would say it was a very boyfriend thing, that was something that Brooks was not willing to label them as because he wasn't the boyfriend type. Deep down, he probably was but it's not something that he'd admit to himself.

he  playfully  rolls  his  eyes  in  return,  but  there’s  a  grin  on  his  lips  that  would  indicate  that  he  enjoys  the  back  and  forth.  deep  down,  maxxie  is  fully  aware  that  he  craves  more  than  what  they  currently  have  going  on.  he’s  a  romantic,  a  lover  boy  at  heart,  but  there’s  a  voice  in  the  back  of  his  head  that  is  always  telling  him  that  nothing  serious  will  ever  happen,  and  as  upsetting  as  it  might  be  to  admit  to  himself,  well,  he’s  already  come  to  terms  with  that.  he’s  already  made  peace  with  the  idea  that  brooks  doesn’t  like  him  enough  to  want  to  pursue  anything  serious  and  is  comfortable  with  whatever  it  is  they  have  going  on,  and  even  though  he  longs  for  something  more,  a  deeper  connection  –  he  doesn’t  want  to  scare  him  off,  doesn’t  want  to  make  it  too  obvious  that  he  cares  too  much.  as  pathetic  as  it  was,  maxxie  truly  doesn’t  have  the  strength  to  let  go.

he  scoffs  out  a  chuckle,  shaking  his  head.  “ i  don’t  think  anyone  can  pull  off  being  fucked  out  of  their  minds  at  like…  nine  in  the  morning.  not  even  someone  as  adorable  as  me. ”  it  was  a  joke,  given  by  the  dramatic  pose  he  does  afterwards  to  get  his  point  across.  maxxie  isn’t  super  confident  about  his  looks,  but  he  wouldn’t  say  he’s  insecure  either.  his  physique  is  something  he  focuses  on  more  than  most  things,  really.  perhaps  the  most  ironic  part  of  this  situation  was  that  maxxie  wasn’t  someone  who  was  easily  embarrassed  at  all  –  but  what  happened  to  him  did  the  trick.  how  does  that  even  manage  to  occur  to  begin  with?  it  almost  felt  like  the  universe  was  laughing  at  him,  pointing  a  finger  and  all.  he  isn’t  expecting  austin’s  proposition  in  the  slightest  bit,  and  he’s  even  waiting  for  the  other  to  throw  in  a  quick  just  kidding  afterwards,  but  it  doesn’t  occur.  he  isn’t  sure  how  to  respond,  mostly  because  he  can’t  decipher  what  his  intentions  are  behind  his  words.  “ please  –  you  just  want  me  as  your  tour  guide  because  i’ve  been  there  before.  you’re  not  fooling  me  here. ”  his  tone  is  playful  and  light,  but  his  heart  is  pounding  in  his  chest.  the  younger  male  grins  at  his  following  statement,  nodding  his  head  enthusiastically.  “ i  love  the  beach  as  well. ”  he  just  loved  nature  in  general.  even  the  desert  or  watching  the  pouring  rain  behind  his  windowsill  was  therapeutic  for  him.  he  watches  as  the  other  jumps  on  top  of  the  bench,  his  grin  only  widening  as  a  funny  thought  pops  into  his  head.  “ careful  –  make  sure  you  don’t  fall  on  your  arse  and  bruise  both  your  cheeks  while  you’re  at  it! ”  he  couldn’t  imagine  something  similar  happening  to  austin,  but  he  had  to  throw  that  in  there.  “ i  really  don’t  know.  there’s  too  much  food  variety  in  new  york  to  just  pick  one.  i’m  a  vegetarian  anyway,  so  i’m  picky  about  a  lot  of  food.  i’ll  get  back  to  you  on  that  one. ”  while  maxxie  didn’t  judge  people  who  ate  meat  at  all,  he  did  think  killing  animals  for  food  was  very  inhumane,  but  that  was  another  topic  entirely,  one  that  he’s  sure  a  lot  of  people  don’t  agree  with.  “ i  can’t  just  pick  one,  but  my  top  three  are  probably  fiji,  ibiza  or  iceland,  subject  to  change  at  any  given  moment,  of  course. ”  they  were  very  odd  places,  one  far  too  different  from  the  other,  but  he  couldn’t  just  pick  one  place  he’s  been  to  that  was  his  favorite,  he  had  far  too  many  places  he  loved  to  pick  just  one.

"It's... a song." That explained literally nothing, but that wasn't at all unusual when it came to Tae and expanding on the music that he wrote. He didn't really like to share, he could be extremely guarded when it came to personal things... and songs were personal, yes? He didn't mind that the other was asking, not even slightly, but that didn't mean he was about to expand on the subject either. As Maxxie continued, telling stories of his youth and his attempts to learn music, a soft smile graced his features. "It's not for everyone, though, it's the same for everything," he answered. "I've always thought it'd be boring if we all gifted in the same things." A pause as he contemplated that. "What would you says yours is if not music?" Perhaps it was a stupid question and he wouldn't know how to answer, but Tae was curious. When he introduced himself, though, his smile brightened a little. "Tae," he answered. "Tae Yoon."

“ well then,  i’m  sure  it’s  great. ”  he  responded,  his  grin  seemingly  prominent  and  not  wavering  on  his  soft  features.  he  loved  talking,  loved  knowing  all  the  tea,  but  he  wouldn’t  pry  about  it.  he  figured  if  the  other  wanted  to  tell  him,  he  would.  maxxie  couldn’t  really  relate  to  what  that  felt  like.  most  of  his  art  was  public  on  his  art  instagram  page,  so  it’s  not  like  he  was  secretive  about  it.  he  did  however,  assume  that  with  music  or  writing  in  general,  it  might  be  different.

for // @bfmstarters where // coffee shop

he  left  his  place  a  lot  earlier  than  he  anticipated,  yet,  he  genuinely  couldn’t  be  bothered  to  take  the  subway  today,  so  driving  it  was.  maxxie  didn’t  enjoy  driving  in  new  york  –  he  was  already  a  shit  driver  and  the  traffic  was  horrible,  which  explains  why  he  didn’t  get  there  on  time.  when  he  does  arrive  at  the  cafe,  his  light  eyes  scan  the  room  in  search  for  her,  but  her  voice  causes  the  blonde  to  quickly  locate  her.  “ hey!  sorry,  the  traffic  was  absolutely  horrendous. ”  that  wasn’t  a  lie,  it  was  always  horrible.  “ i  bought  little  cake  pops  i  made.  look,  they’ve  got  animal  faces  on  them! ”  he  loved  to  bake,  and  recently,  he’s  gotten  into  the  habit  of  making  cake  pops.  he  pulls  out  a  little  lace  box  from  the  bag  he  had,  opening  it  up  to  reveal  five  exactly.  “ we’ve  got  vanilla,  chocolate,  red  velvet,  cake  batter  and  cookies  and  cream,  have  as  many  as  you’d  like. ”  he  states,  shooting  her  his  usual  soft  boy  grin. each  one  had  different  animals  too  –  a  dog,  a  cat,  a  raccoon,  a  panda  and  a  sloth.  “ sooo…  what  did  you  want  to  tell  me?  i’m  all  ears. ”  he  was  all  nosy  too,  but  that  was  a  different  story.

"It's a good thing that I wasn't even trying to fool you. If I wanted to fool you then I definitely could, you're easy." Brooks looked over at Maxxie and show him a playful wink and chuckle before looking at what he was doing. "Trust me, there's no dents from me in this car! I can't believe that's something that you would pin on me. I'm sure it has more to do with you. I'm sure that you're out here driving this car more than you tell me that you do." Brooklyn loved the interaction with Maxxie because it seemed so natural and it was never forced. brooks could also be himself with someone that he considered his best friend.

he  laughs  at  his  remark,  playfully  smacking  him  in  the  arm,  but  it's  soft  and  lighthearted,  just  like  he  is.  “ lies!  you  wouldn't  fool  me, ”  a  pause  is  taken,  “ okay,  you  could,  but  do  you  really  want  to  do  that? ”  he  raises  a  taupe  colored  brow,  but  eventually  finds  himself  shaking  his  head.  “ no,  definitely  not.  you  see  how  many  miles  this  car  has?  less  than  seven  thousand,  but...  all  of  them  came  from  you! ”  there's  always  been  a  sweet,  laid  back  nature  to  the  blonde,  a  certain  aura  about  him  that  makes  it  easy  to  joke  around  and  not  worry  about  being  anyone  but  yourself,  but  it's  not  too  common  that  maxxie  meets  someone  he  can  genuinely  feel  comfortable  with,  someone  that  gives  him  the  same  peace  of  mind  he's  been  told  he  gives  others  –  and  then  he  met  brooks.  

he  rolls  his  eyes,  running  a  hand  past  his  raven  colored  hair.  “ it’s  hard  to  genuinely  want  to  stalk  someone  that  subtly  reminds  me  that  my  career  is  over,  so…  no,  no  worries  about  that  from  me. ”  at  least  when  gretzky  retired,  he  was  well  past  thirty  and  it  was  his  own  decision.  the  same  couldn’t  really  be  said  for  him.  “ where  is  your  dog? ”  he  changes  the  subject,  looking  around  the  park  and  wondering  which  furry  creature  belonged  to  her.  “ i  don’t  know  why,  but  you  give  me…  chihuahua  owner  energy. ”  peyton  teases,  the  smallest  hint  of  a  smile  threatening  to  escape.  “ am  i  right  or  way  far  off?  at  least  tell  me  it’s  a  smaller  breed  if  i’m  wrong. ”

he  can't  blame  austin  for  laughing  at  the  story.  maxxie  is  sure  that  if  the  roles  were  reversed,  he  would  have  laughed  too.  it's  definitely  not  everyday  that  you  bruise  both  your  butt  cheeks  in  such  a  horrific  and  (  truly  painful  )  way,  but  at  least  he  didn't  break  anything.  that  would  have  been  worse.  at  his  question,  the  mortified  blushing  only  seems  to  intensify.  maxxie  shakes  his  head,  taking  a  sip  from  his  drink  as  some  kind  of  distraction.  “ actually,  no.  i  was  very  sober,  it  was  early  in  the  morning,  but  i  swear,  i  really  just  didn't  see  it…  maybe  if  i  tell  the  story  again,  i  should  definitely  say  i  was  hammered. ”  he  scratches  the  back  of  his  head,  running  a  hand  past  his  face.  “ i'm  not  always  like  this. ”  he  adds,  feeling  the  need  to  clarify.  this  time,  he  turns  to  look  at  the  other.  maxxie  has  been  all  around  the  world,  so  he  can't  imagine  having  only  been  to  london  and  living  in  the  states  your  entire  life.  still,  he  doesn't  comment  on  this  so  the  other  doesn't  feel  judged.  he  truthfully  isn't  judging  –  if  anything,  he's  sad  for  him.  “ what  am  i,  a  tour  guide  now? ”  he's  only  teasing,  a  soft  chuckle  following.  “ there's  a  lot  of  things  to  do  in  thailand  and  a  lot  of  interesting  places  to  visit  outside  of  bangkok.  phuket  is  great  for  it's  beaches  and  the  big  buddha  is  definitely  a  site.  chiang  mai,  ban  rak  thai,  koh  lanta  and  even  kanchanaburi  are  all  worth  visiting,  but  truthfully,  there's  a  lot  of  very  fun  sites  to  see.  the  food  is  also  fantastic,  and  thailand is  definitely  rich  in  history  if  you're  a  history  geek. ”  he  shoots  him  a  smile.  “ was  that  selling  enough? ”

peyton’s  nodding  his  head  at  the  other’s  words,  forcing  himself  not  to  laugh.  it  almost  works,  until  the  male  nearly  chokes  on  the  water  he  had  been  drinking  due  to  peyton’s  (  very  unserious  )  question  about  his  looks.  at  that  point,  he  bursts  out  laughing,  which  isn’t  really  typical  for  him  considering  how  closed  off  and  hostile  he  can  be  at  times.  “ being  not  not  someone’s  type  is  just  the  ego  booster  i  needed. ”  funnily  enough,  even  with  his  former  success  in  the  sports  world,  peyton’s  ego  wasn’t  inflated  at  all.  definitely  not  in  the  way  he  knows  some  hockey  players  to  have  theirs.  he  shrugs,  “ that’s  a  joke,  by  the  way.  canadian  humor  maybe? ”  not  quite,  but  he  was  rolling  with  it,  mostly  to  mimic  the  other’s  previous  words  from  earlier.  he’s  grabbing  his  own  cup  of  water  and  taking  a  sip,  only  this  time,  it’s  his  turn  to  nearly  choke  when  the  other  mentions  a  bet.  maybe  it’s  more  embarrassing  for  him,  since  he  actually  coughs  as  he  sets  the  cup  down.  “ you’re  joking again…  how  did  you  know? ”  a  beat,  before  he  comes  to  his  own  conclusion.  “ did  you  lose  a  bet  too? ” 

"Yeah, I don't know how some people actually manage to get some sleep around here. Like ever since I moved here, I've been using a white noise machine because some nights you can just hear them partying all night. I don't know how people do that." She said, as if she hasn't had her party nights herself before in the great city. She still does, but she couldn't believe some people did it every single day. "An enabler? I like that. Maybe I need someone like that in my life so I'm not going to be upset if that's you. You look like you can convince people to act on their thoughts quicker than they normally would." She replied. "You're damn right about that too! Like we are hot as hell and people should be eyeing us up and wanting to hang out." She cheers'd with the man and then took a sip from her glass before looking around at the other people that were there, "What's your type? How can I be of assistance?"

“ oh  yeah,  definitely.  though  i  don't  mind  it  when  i'm  part  of  the  party. ”  he  admits  with  a  soft  chuckle  following.  he  couldn't  exactly  fully  agree,  since  a  lot  of  his  early  twenties  were  spent  raving,  partying  and  getting  absolutely  fucked  up.  naturally,  maxxie  was  a  very  social  person,  so  he  thrived  off  environments  with  a  lot  of  people.  social  anxiety  wasn't  a  thing  for  him  at  all.  “ okay,  but  i  could  kind  of  say  the  same  for  you.  i  think  you  can  easily  convince  people  to  sway  their  opinion  if  you  like...  smile  long  enough. ”  luna  was  very  pretty,  maxxie  was  sure  she  could  get  her  way  if  she  really  wanted  to.  he  could  be  a  bad  influence  sometimes,  but  it  was  all  in  good  fun.  he  really  never  meant  any  harm  with  anything.  their  glasses  clink  and  maxxie  takes  a  much  needed  gulp,  wiping  the  corners  of  his  mouth.  

"Good, i'm glad you agree with going there first because since i'm driving I was going to do it anyways." He laughed softly as he looked over at Maxxie and shook his head a bit. He made sure not to take too long in the back because it was clear that the other's stares when Brook's was around made Maxxie anxious, so he knew it had to be worse when Brooks wasn't there. While Brooks wouldn't admit it, he was protective of Maxxie. He knew that the other wasn't used to the real world out there and didn't have to fend for himself in a lot of situations, so Brooklyn didn't mind being this person for him.

“ oh,  i  knew  you  were  going  to  anyway.  you  can’t  fool  me  even  for  a  second. ”  he  teases  right  back,  though  truthfully,  he  is  an  ultimate  people  pleaser.  maxxie  didn’t  mind  stopping  at  brooks',  but  even  if  he  did,  the  odds  of  him  protesting  are  slim  to  none.  his  zen  and  go  with  the  flow  vibe  makes  it  easy  for  him  to  get  along  with  most  people  he  comes  across.  for  most  of  his  life,  to  present  time,  he’s  lived  in  a  bubble.  an  unstable  bubble,  but  a  bubble  regardless.  while  he  wasn’t  naive  in  the  slightest  bit,  he  was  definitely  too  kind,  too  soft  for  his  own  good.  growing  up  rich  has  made  him  a  bit  sheltered  from  a  lot  of  the  harsh  realities  life  had  to  offer.

OPEN STARTER ╱ @bfmstarters LOCATION: sweet scoops

he  took  a  lick  from  his  coconut  ice  cream,  honestly  convinced  this  place  had  the  best  coconut  ice  cream  he’s  tried  in  years.  how  winter  and  him  became  acquaintances,  or  even  friends,  was  beyond  peyton.  they  clearly  had  very  different  views  of  life,  but  somehow,  it  worked.  “ valentine’s  day  is  a  crap,  made  up  holiday  derived  from  a  long  gone  catholic  saint  that  stopped  being  about  love  ages  ago,  and  started  becoming  a  way  big  companies  can  monetize  from  people  in  relationships. ”  in  other  words,  no,  he  didn’t  have  anything  special  planned  or  a  date,  and  he  truthfully  didn’t  care  at  all.  he  hated  the  holiday  altogether  and  found  it  a  total  waste  of  time.  it  didn’t  have  to  be  valentine’s  day  for  you  to  show  your  significant  other  how  much  you  love and care  for  them.  still,  winter’s  words  caused  the  smallest  grin  to  form  on  his  lips.  “ i’m  glad  you  don’t  hate  it  this  time  around, ”  he  points  his  ice  cream  towards  him,  then  proceeds  to  take  another  lick,  “ makes  one  of  us. ”

open starter for @bfmstarters

perhaps  the  most  embarrassing  part  of  being  here  was  the  fact  that  peyton  was  so  damn  sure  he  wouldn’t  be.  his  tolerance  for  spicy  food  was  high  –  he  practically  put  chili  oil  in  more  than  half  of  the  things  he  cooked.  there  wasn’t  a  single  doubt  in  his  mind  that  he  could  beat  his  cousin  when  it  came  to spice tolerance.  the  bet  was  who  could  handle  the  spiciest  curry  chicken  cooked  by  his  uncle  the  longest  without  drinking  something,  but  honestly,  he  underestimated  his  cousin’s  determination.  even  with  tears  running  down  that  fucker’s  face,  he  still  lasted  longer  than  peyton  did  and  well…  now  he  was  here.  peyton  isn’t  a  fan  of  losing,  so  the  entire  situation  just  rubbed  him  the  wrong  way.  he  isn’t  sure  why  he  agreed  to  participate  in  his  cousin’s  idiotic  games  to  begin  with,  but  it  was  too  late  to  back  out  now.  he’s  writing  a  text  to  him,  managing  to  type  out  the  words  ‘i  hate  you’  but  before  he  can  add  angry  faces  and  punching  emoji’s,  his  ‘speed  date’  shows  up,  much  to  his  dismay.  setting  his  phone  down,  his  eyebrows  furrow  at  his  comment.  “ you  don’t  think  it  would  be  more  awkward  to  just  stand  here  and  look  at  each  other  without  uttering  a  single  word? ”  maybe  this  was  some  kind  of  american  humor  he  was  unfamiliar  with.  he  looks  down  at  the  man’s  hands,  then  back  at  his  face.  he  didn’t  seem  happy  to  be  here  at  all.  “ you  look  very  uneasy,  eh? ”  he  leans  forward  the  tiniest  bit,  deciding  he  might  as  well  have  some  fun  while  he’s  here.  “ are  you  nervous,  or  am  i  just  not  your  type  at  all? ”  he  wasn’t  looking  for  a  genuine reply  there,  peyton  just  wanted  a  distraction,  and  testing  the  fuck  out  of  a  stranger  he  would  probably  never  see  again  sounded  fun.