Sometimes you just need a friend Who: Mac and Brayden Where: Their Hotel Suite When: Morning - July 9
Mac had been the first to rise that morning, and clad still in her pajamas, the teen phoned down a breakfast order of bagels and cream cheese, a side order of eggs and orange juice. A breakfast she was enjoying at the moment seated at the table in the suite she shared with Brayden.
Ugh. We could say Brayden was in a grouchy, shitty mood, but that would be an understatement. The argument he'd had a few days ago with Meredith was eating away at him, and the normally cocky, brash young man looked positively sullen. He sat down with Mac, not touching anything on the table, and finally spoke up.
"Mac... you mind if I ask your opinion about something?"
Mac watched, mid bite into her bagels lathered with cream cheese, her roomie as Brayden settled himself down at the table across from her. "Why would I mind you asking me anything, Brayden?" She questioned back setting her bagel down on the plate while trying to read his face in the event that it might reveal just what was on her best friend's mind that morning.
"Because usually when we talk, I don't really get... all deep and shit, you know?" He sighed, resting his head in his hands, obviously having not slept well. "Me and Meredith had an argument... and it was my fault. And I need to know how to handle it."
"A dozen red roses." She answered without all that much of a thought. Granted if it were her the way to go would have been daisies and daffodils, but they weren't talking about her. And Mac knew most girls preferred getting roses over any other type of flower. She wasn't sure what the argument was about, but knowing Brayden as she did the teen was figuring he just said the wrong thing and a simple "I'm sorry" was all that would be needed. Hence her suggestion of red roses.
"I made a big mistake. We all know I kinda wish Ash would slip in a puddle of AIDS and die..." Yeah, face it. Brayden wasn't exactly a wordsmith here. "And it's because I'm fucking JEALOUS. I know Meredith is still in love with him, and it stabs at me every time I see it in her eyes. And I realized she didn't know about something he did in MY time, and kinda got a little TOO happy telling her about it." He wondered briefly if roses would do it... or if they'd at least HELP...
"Then dump her." Not that Mac actually meant it, but she knew Brayden either had to get over the Ash thing and try and make things work with Meredith. If he didn't all he would end up doing would be to push Merdith away permanently. "Or get over this jealousy thing you have concerning Ash."
"I don't wanna dump her... I'm just not used to feeling like someones second choice, you know? I don't know how to handle it. I'm in love with her, and I didn't think I was capable of falling in love with someone."
He smiled at her, almost (ALMOST!) blushing.
"I kinda thought you were the only girl I was capable of being myself around... but I think I could with her too."
"Then show her that, Brayden. Let Mere love you back the same way without you bringing up Ash at every chance. Cause if you keep that up you may just end up losing the girl." Mac reached for her juice then to take a small little drink.
"I think... I kind of knew that. I think I just needed to hear someone else tell me." He stood a little, kissing her cutely on the forehead. "You're a good friend, gorgeous. Seriously. You know I kinda love you, right?"
"Yeah." Mac smiled shyly feeling a light blush tinge her cheeks. "I kind of figured that out a little ways back. Love you too, Brayden Bale." And that was in the best friend kind of way.
"I hope you look good in a tux, kid. Because I promise you, one day? I'm gonna marry that girl. And when I do, you're SO gonna be my Best Woman." Awr. Now wasn't THAT sweet?
"I wouldn't be able to get away with wearing a black and white dress?" She questioned knowing she'd feel a little weird to wear something that was geared toward the male gender, but Mac wouldn't refuse that option. There was close to nothing she wouldn't do for her best friend, and if that meant dressing up in men's clothes for a day, well she'd just have to suffer through it whenever the time came.
"Well... it was meant more to be a little quip to tell you how I felt, really..." He laughed, reaching over to playfully tap her on the tip of the nose. "Yeah. Trust me... when and IF the day comes... a dress would be fine. Although, whether you realize it or not, you'll look smokin' hot in ANYTHING you wear." He grinned, finding it kind of adorable how loyal to him she was. "Now we gotta find YOU someone. Someone good, and who will treat you well, and who I won't have to gut for treating you like anything other than the lady you are."
Mac smiled warmly to him. "For you I'd stand at your side in a tux on that special day." Which Mac knew would come eventually for him. "I doubt there is a someone out there for me." Mac said with a fading smile. Even though Brayden had brought her a long way from who she had been after escaping Wolfram and Hart, Mac still had that little bit of insecurity and unworthiness. And a big part of her still felt she wouldn't be good enough for anyone.
"For a girl so smart, Mac... you can say some stupid-ass shit sometime." He grumbled, shaking his head. "You're gorgeous, you're sweet, and you've got a good heart. Trust me when I say if I didn't have Meredith I'd have half a mind to take you off the market myself." Not much REALLY got under Brayden's skin, but hearing his best friend doubt herself so much? Yeah, that did the trick.
"Old habits die hard." She commented softly, then. "But I will try, and having you around does lots for my self esteem, Brayden." And though somewhat flattered by what he said, Mac wasn't going to comment on the latter part of his comeback. Things were too good between them for her to even contemplate ruining the best friends thing she had going with the guy.
"Tell you what: tonight, whether Meredith comes with us or even if she's still pissed at me and you and I go alone..." uh-oh... those wheels were turning now. Brayden had that look in his eyes that showed he really had some kind of plan formulating. "We're going to Avarice, and even if it leads to nothing more than one simple dance, we're gonna get someone to notice just how awesome you are."
"Alright." Mac agreed with a bit of reluctance. Avarice wasn't exactly her favorite place to hang out in, which was why she tended to only go there when she knew Brayden would be at the club. "But you have to promise me we won't stay long." Two hours was the maximum amount of time the teen could tolerate being at Avarice. So if she was going to go there'd have to be a little bit of a compromise between the two. Well, that was unless Meredith did happen to join them. If that would turn out to be the case Mac would leave the two to enjoy the night and find her own way home after spending a little bit of time at the club.
"Deal. No matter what, I won't expect you to stay long than your usual hour or so." He smirked, hoping that one day she'd start to actually ENJOY herself when he took her to those kind of places.
"Good. Now have some breakfast." Mac directed Brayden placing one of the bagels on a plate and sliding it over toward his side of the table. With the serious talk being over and done with they both could now enjoy a little bit of the breakfast Mac had brought up to the suite.
"Yes ma'am." He laughed with a little salute, finding it sort of cute how she tended to almost take care of him sometimes.