Dating for Dummies (Wynter)

[Peyton]

"Haha no, you're really cool. I like you a lot."

Peyton's small fingers danced on the keys of her laptop. It was a Friday evening, and she was in her room. Over the past few weeks now, that was how she spent her evenings. She'd take care of the baby, and once she was in bed for the night: it was laptop time. What exactly was she doing on there? Flirting. With a man she had met on a dating site she had recently decided to try. At first she had been nervous about it, thinking she'd meet some scary ax-murderer. But after searching through a few of her matches, she found someone she had grown quite fond of. And he lived in Central too!

Oh, they always had so much to talk about. They told each other funny stories, talked about their life, talked about their worries, and made each other feel better after a rough day. One of the best things though, was the fact that he was really into alchemy. Just like Peyton was! Peyton could only imagine what he looked like though. Maybe he was big and muscular, or on the skinnier side but still handsome. It didn't matter! He was the best thing that had happened to her. When she told him about her last relationship, he had assured her that she had done the right thing. It made Peyton feel like a weight had been lifted. She didn't need to feel bad about it when she talked to him. She didn't have to feel bad about anything with him...

Her mystery man, SiO2 was his username, carried heavy burdens himself. He seemed to never feel good about himself. So everyday when they talked, she'd tell him how great she thought he was. How nice and smart he was. Because truthfully, he was. He was the first person to treat her so well...

"I really really like you a lot... I want to meet someday soon. c:"

[Guest]

A few weeks ago, Peyton had introduced Wynter to a dating site she used. His assistant said that he needed to get out of his childish mindset when it came to his feelings and actually get out into the dating world. While laughable to someone who put his mother and alchemy on the top of his list, Wynter still went along with her suggestion and created a profile.

He'd met a few different girls on there, but the majority of them were much too... forward for his tastes. The others were either put off by how shy he was, or the fact that he was an alchemist pointed them in the direction of, 'This guy is way too busy with work for me to date.' Still, there was one girl who kept messaging him and he'd gotten to know quite well. In fact, he messaged her every night before going to bed.

This 'AlchemyLady' was very nice, and shared his interest in the sciences. She would always tell him things he liked to hear, comforting him through his negative emotions. She'd assured him that he was a good person, even going as far as to say he was 'cool'. There was just one problem. Now she wanted to meet him.

Gripping at his cellphone, thinking of a proper response that didn't seem too awkward or pushy, he laid down on his bed. Maybe he should ask Peyton what to do? No, he had been assuring her that everything was going great, he didn't need to come to her for help now.

"Umm... Maybe we can meet up later this week? We could see a movie or something? ._."

Locking his phone, he sighed, rolling over into his pillow. He hadn't given an exact date or anything, so he'd left it to this mystery girl to suggest a day for them to meet. He was a little worried that she could be someone pulling his leg or something, but, even if it was someone dangerous, he knew he didn't have anything to seriously worry about here. They were just two people talking back and forth, right? Even if they met up, they wouldn't really be dating or anything, maybe they could just be friends.

"Why are things like this so complicated?" He asked out loud to his empty room, pulling the pillow over his face and exhaling into it.

[Peyton]

Peyton almost did a little victory dance as she got his reply. He said yes! She had succeeded! Quickly, she typed out her reply. Peyton was a fast typer, so it took her less than a second. She prided herself in that speed.

"How about tomorrow? I'm free then. We could meet up at the movie theater at 7. I think there's something good then. If not, we can always go for a walk. Maybe get some food. I'm so excited, can't wait!>3<"

Peyton looked at the screen and sighed happily. Things were finally looking up. She'd get to meet her dream guy, and maybe they would instantly fall in love! And during their date, they could kiss for the first time. A real one, not the little ">3<" symbols they've been sending each other back and forth. Excitement began to bubble up in her chest. She'd finally meet someone, she wouldn't have to be alone anymore. Someone who really cared about her.

Now she wouldn't be able to sleep! Hundreds of things were racking through her brain. What would she wear? What should she do with her hair? Where would she find a sitter for Anja? Should she put on makeup? What movie should they see?! Peyton felt nervous now as she rolled around her bed. Then something hit her like a ton of bricks. Her automail, she had never told him about her automail! What if he got turned off by it? What if he thought she was freaky?! Peyton's chest felt tight as she flopped her face into a pillow. There were tons of things that could go wrong!

What if he thought she was ugly...? Peyton paused for a moment. Peyton knew she wasn't the prettiest thing around the block, with her red hair and freckles. Her breasts had grown a bit after having Anja, but they were still on the small side. She was also still really skinny and unappealing. No, this would not end well if he didn't like how she looked. He said he didn't care about how she looked, but still... she was nothing compared to other girls.

[Guest]

His cellphone buzzing under his chest, Wynter leaned up slightly and unlocked it, checking the message he'd just received. It was her again, suggesting that they go out tomorrow night. While it was true that his schedule was largely open outside of work hours, he still wasn't very sure about this. Although... this girl was very nice.

"Alright, tomorrow night it is then. >3<"

Oh no. Why'd he put that face at the end? They'd sent it to one another many times already, but now it was starting to seem more and more like something to worry about. Would she want to kiss him? While the thought was nice, he wasn't so sure about giving his first kiss to someone he hadn't even met yet.

Heck, he didn't even know if she'd like him anymore once she met him. He hadn't sent her a picture of himself yet, so he had no idea how she would react to his appearance. A slouching, awkward, wild haired, stuttering... Oh god, the list went on and on. He'd yet to tell her of his speech impediment either. So much could go wrong, it was giving him a headache just thinking about all of this.

If he was lucky she would either look past his flaws, or maybe she wouldn't show up at all. He could enjoy the night watching a movie alone, walking home, and playing chess with himself. Looking over at his bedside table, he remembered he was still on white's twelfth move. Leaning across the bed, he picked up the glass knight and thought for a moment.

"Knight to E2." And with that move, the alchemist rolled over and attempted to go to sleep. If she messaged him back now, he'd tell her goodnight, but... Oh, it would be rude to wait.

"I'm going to get some rest, work comes early, heheh. Talk to you tomorrow!"

[Peyton]

Her laptop made a little beeping sound when he sent another message. She looked over at her laptop once more. She read his messages and chuckled a little when she saw the symbol again. It was how they gave each other "kisses" over the internet. Her hands went to the keyboard, and typed out a short reply.

"Same here, so night night!"

With that being said, she clicked the "X" button at the top left corner of the window and it exited out of the site. Then she shutdown her computer and set it aside for the night. Peyton went under her covers in an attempt to get some rest. All she could do though was lay there and think about the possible scenarios; some sweet and some ugly. Peyton kept mulling over all that could happen. She just wanted this date to go right!

She sighed and lightly slapped her cheeks. Peyton couldn't start thinking negative now, or this date would fail for sure. She'd get a good night's rest, and after work tomorrow she'd get herself ready. This date was going to be a success, she wouldn't let this slip through her fingers! So after another ten minutes of laying awake, sleep finally overtook her.

[Guest]

Waking up the next morning, decisively before he knew Peyton usually awoke, the young man left a note explaining he'd left early before creeping out of the apartment. He didn't really have to be at the HQ any earlier, but when he'd woken up he thought about the date he'd be going on that night. He didn't really have any nice clothes, and his mom always wanted him to make a good first impression with other people.

Walking through the town, he looked for the first clothing store he could find that was open. The first he found sold strictly women's clothes, but the second seemed a tad more lax and to his tastes. Walking inside he found a new, long sleeved shirt and a pair of jeans that wouldn't be too baggy on him. He'd just wear his sneakers, no need to buy new shoes. Going to the checkout counter and avoiding eye contact with the cashier, he quickly paid for his purchase and left.

Making the walk from town to Central HQ, he snuck his way into the lab, checking in first, and kicked the bag with his new clothes under a desk. Sitting down and giving a sigh, he flipped a notebook open and started jotting down chemical formulas. Strange, yes, but reciting the things he memorized helped him to calm down and not have an anxiety attack.

[Peyton]

Peyton's day seemed to have gone by far too slowly! Peyton couldn't help but feel anxious and impatient about her date all day. She was a whirlwind of energy at work, getting things done as fast as she could. Get books, get papers, get coffee, turn in documents, whatever needed to be done! With her quick work, she was able to weasel out of work early. Perfect for her, since she could drop Anja off with the sitter and go find herself a dress!

After leaving Anja with her babysitter, Peyton quickly drove to the store and purchased a light blue dress, the skirt of the dress reaching a little past her thighs. Since she hadn't told her date of her prosthetic, Peyton decided to throw leggings on as well. It took away the sexual appeal of the short skirt, but Peyton wasn't looking for that tonight. So, modest would do.

As a child, she had never really learned much about makeup. She was more of the tomboyish sort, and never got into it. Her mother and siblings had died in the explosion when she was about twelve, so she never got the chance to ask about it. Now, Peyton was clueless and it wasn't to her advantage. The most she knew how to do was put on a bit of mascara. Her eyelashes were naturally long and thick, but were so light blonde that one could barely notice them unless up close. That was why she put it on on occasion.

After about two hours of preparation, Peyton was ready.

Peyton stood outside the movie theater, looking amongst the crowd silently. She now regretted never sending her date her picture, since they wouldn't be able to recognize each other! What if he got tired of looking and left?! Oh no, this was a disaster!

"I hope he comes..."

[Guest]

Wynter looked around nervously on his way to the theater. Work had passed by rather quickly, but he'd still been slowed down by having to go to a short meeting. He hadn't really payed attention during, but it wasn't very long so he assumed it wasn't very important. Something about a case with a chimera that had gone cold, but that was all he could gather. Afterward he'd changed back in the lab before heading out into the streets.

Nearing the movie theater, he could feel his knees begin to shake as he got closer. His date would be here, and she would see him for the first time. Every negative thought he'd been told to restrain came creeping upon him, and in waves. He felt like he'd be sick...

Walking towards the entrance, a familiar face caught his peripheral vision. Peyton was here as well? She must have been meeting someone here too, maybe she had a date like him? Stepping over to her slowly, he gave a short cough.

"Umm... Hello, P-P-Peyton... W-What are you doing h-here?"

[Peyton]

Peyton jumped a bit in surprise when a familiar voice reached her ears. Her head turned towards the sound, and saw her boss standing there. He was dressed up a lot nicer than usual. She stared at him for a moment, slightly dumbstruck. He could look good if he took the initiative more often.

"O-oh uh me? I'm just uuh.." Peyton paused, her face growing red as she looked down at her feet. "W-waiting for my date," she mumbled sheepishly. Peyton wondered if he was doing the same, since he looked so nice. Had her advice worked? Did he find someone online just like she did? "A-and you look really nice tonight, s-so can I assume you're doing the same?"

Her small hands nervously played with the ends of her bright blue dress, whilst rocking on her heels. Peyton had to keep moving when she was anxious. It helped keep herself calm in situations such as this. "I-If you are, then that's great! A um d-date would be pretty good for you."

[Guest]

There it was again, that blushing. Peyton did it quite often, and he was beginning to wonder if there was something wrong. Was it him? He couldn't imagine why the bright shade would be brought about because of his presence. Wynter had been working on being more social with her and Anja, was she embarrassed to be seen here with him? She was, as she confirmed his suspicions, waiting on her date as well.

"O-Oh, yes, I'm waiting on someone too..." He stopped, feeling his own face begin to heat up as he thought of the girl he'd be meeting. "Sh-She's... really nice to me. I m-met her on that website y-y-you told me to try."

Leaning against the wall beside the doors leading into the theater, Wynter kept his eyes to the ground. He didn't see anyone else besides Peyton waiting for anyone out here. Had he been stood up? That would probably be for the best, this sort of thing was nowhere near being his forte. Tugging on his sleeve, he began to think of all the possibilities of what could have happened to the girl. Had she been caught up in work? Maybe she was asked to work later than usual? Or maybe she just didn't want to actually meet him to begin with.

[Peyton]

"Ah, t-that's great.." Peyton mumbled, rocking on her heels again and continuing to play with her dress. Peyton felt very happy for her boss, happy he found someone that was right for him. Hopefully he wouldn't get stood up. If only people knew just how nice of a person he was, then maybe he'd have a lot more friends. Then again, Wynter is very anti-social. So maybe it's best to keep his friend group small; for the sake of not overwhelming him.

Her thoughts then drifted back to her own date. Where was he? He was late. Fifteen minutes late. The movie Peyton had planned on taking him into had already started. The doors had been shut and people had settled into their seats, all of the good ones already taken. This was turning out to be a disaster! As the time ticked on, Peyton could feel herself almost wanting to cry from the feeling that he'd never come. But no, she couldn't cry. Not in front of all these people, not in front of her boss. She didn't want Wynter to think she was some weak woman who sobbed whenever a date was late.

"S-so uh.." she broke the air of silence that had withstood between them. "Tell me about your uh date. Is she pretty? What's her username, I want to look her up and read her profile." Peyton pulled out her smart phone and opened up the app for the dating site. She waited to hear the username of this wonderful mystery woman who Wynter spoke highly of.

[Guest]

Wynter flinched slightly as she spoke to him again, looking around wearily once more. Everyone was already inside but them, had they both been stood up? Or... No, it couldn't be.

"I h-haven't seen her y-y-yet, but..." He looked down to the ground, acting as if he were trying to recall the username, but he could remember it easily. It was just the worry of his newest thought that kept him from saying it. There was absolutely no way that Peyton could be his date tonight, that was too ridiculous an irony to be the case.

"H-Her username is, uhh... AlchemyL-Lady." He turned his head to look away from the woman as he finished speaking, acting as if his interest had been caught by something in the night. He could feel the tension building in the air already, this was going to be extremely awkward... Wynter didn't like awkward, not at all.

[Peyton]

At first, Peyton had started typing out the username. Then when realization dawned on her, she froze. Oh. Fucking. Shit. "Uuuuuuuuuuuh," was all Peyton could even say at that moment. This meant, that for the past few weeks, she had been flirting with her boss non-stop and making KISSY FACES AT HIM! Her face was just burning now. Should she tell him? No no, she couldn't tell him! He might think she was playing around with his emotions and fire her!

Then again, it would be bad to let him think he got stood up. Peyton would just feel awful for the rest of her life. And also... well they did like each other. The fact that they already knew and trusted each other made it so they wouldn't have to feel nervous around one another. Maybe this was meant to be... maybe they were meant to be more than friends. When they were online together, Wynter had opened up to her in so many ways that he hadn't in real life. If she could just get him to be like he was online in real life, then maybe.. this could work..

Peyton didn't know if Wynter would get angry, and she didn't know whether or not he was attracted to her in the least. But they were matched, and they were on a date. So, they should see it to the end. ".... Guess you're not late then, SiO2... want to just go back to the apartment and watch Discovery Channel...? The uh, good seats are all taken anyways... and I know you don't like places that are too public." Peyton waited for his reply, face heated intensely by the blush upon it.

[Guest]

It was her. Oh no, he was right. He could feel his face reddening now, backing up a step before stopping. She just wanted to go home? He shook his head slightly, attempting to stand up a bit straighter. Slouching wasn't very appropriate at times like this.

"W-We don't have to go home, w-we... could g-go somewhere else. If y-you want to, I mean." Putting his hands in his pockets, he played with the fabric inside slowly. This was going to make living with her something strange, even in comparison to before. Still... She deserved a date, he couldn't take that away from her, she'd been working hard the past week.

Walking over to her, he moved a hand above one of hers in an offer for her to hold it. Maybe he could handle that much contact with her, he still wasn't very sure. Along with the messages she'd sent him, Peyton was very kind to him in real life as well. Even if she didn't want to be with him, he definitely couldn't make the situation any worse with just this.

[Peyton]

The heat went from her face to her entire body when she noticed him offering his hand to hold. Wynter was actually offering her his hand... Peyton nodded sheepishly and carefully took his large hand in her small one. She could feel her heart thumping quickly in her chest. Oh god, why was Wynter making her feel this way...

"U-uh, sure... yeah... a little bit farther away from here t-there's a um, drive in movie... want to go see? They're really fun too..." Peyton bit her lip and looked up at Wynter, who was a lot taller even while slouching. "I drove here and I know you don't drive s-so, let's head out to my car..."

With that being said, she gripped her date's hand a little tighter and led him outside. They loaded into her small vehicle and drove to the drive in. When it came time to buy tickets, Peyton began pulling out her wallet. She knew her boss would need the money when he got his own apartment, so she was willing to buy his.

[Guest]

She had actually taken his hand. Wynter didn't really pay attention to much after that. Next he was walking with her to her car, then they were driving off. He'd let Peyton touch him. She'd touched his skin, and he didn't break down or even change his mind after. Shaking his head momentarily, he noticed her reaching for her wallet. Quickly he took note of where they were and checked the ticket prices.

"N-No, I can pay for it!" He winced slightly, not meaning to raise his voice, or, at least, it was raised in comparison to his normal tone. Coughing, he slid his hand into his back pocket and pulled out a black, chained wallet. Opening it, he retrieved the money quickly, and folded the wallet back, putting it back up. Reaching over her, very slowly, he handed the money out to the rather bored looking fellow outside.

"I..." He coughed once more, sliding back into his seat and looking down. "I d-don't want you t-to have to p-p-pay for tonight..." A small smile crept up his lips, but he kept his head down.

[Peyton]

Peyton was surprised when he suddenly raised his voice in objection. He never got that loud. And the fact that it was because he wanted to pay only made Peyton blush more. "U-uh.. okay.." After receiving their tickets, Peyton found a good spot for them to park. Peyton set up the radio to the station the sound of the movie was being broadcasted in, and unbuckled herself.
'
"Hm, I heard this movie was supposed to be pretty good.." she mumbled to Wynter, looking over at him. She felt a little night breeze chill down her spine, and she shivered lightly. "Geez, it's always so chilly at night these days," she mentioned. "Can't wait till uh, things warm up a bit."

Oh god, she was just talking about the weather now. Peyton was so bad at this dating thing, crap. When the movie started, she kept switching her gaze from the movie, to Wynter. She wanted to sit a little closer to him, but she knew it'd only scare him off. Peyton wanted to do this right...

[Guest]

Wynter kept quiet for the most part, trying to watch the movie mostly. No need for him to act put off or uncomfortable. Still, she was right, it was getting a bit colder. Maybe he could scoot closer to her or... Hmm... It began to occur to the second lieutenant that he wasn't very good at this dating thing. He'd thought he wouldn't be before, but this only helped to confirm it.

"M-Maybe you would like t-t-to sit closer to me..." He felt his voice give out, almost choking on his words. His chest was tightening for some reason. He was more than just nervous at this point, but for some reason he didn't feel like running away. He was just... flustered. It was a new feeling for the young man, but he didn't have long to really enjoy the new experience. His mind began to race again, but he eventually looked over at her and brought an arm over her shoulder, pulling her closer to him.

"Y-You... look v-v-very..." He stopped, feeling a bead of sweat creep down past his eyebrow. Sighing slightly, he tried to get more comfortable. "You look very... p-pretty tonight, Peyton..."

[Peyton]

Peyton heard Wynter talking, so she looked over at him to see what he had to say. She heard the first part, but couldn't really make out the last of it since he mumbled it. "What?" Peyton cocked her head to the side. When she got no response, she simply shrugged it off and returned to watching the movie.

When she felt herself being pulled closer to Wynter, she jumped a bit in surprise at the invisible force. Then she saw the arm, Wynter's arm, pulling her close to him. Her heart skipped a beat for a moment, not expecting Wynter to actually be so bold. Her face heated up, but she didn't look down. She kept her eyes on him.

The pretty compliment about did it. Her face was now permanently red, she couldn't get rid of it. Hearing those words come from Wynter's mouth just made her feel butterflies in the pit of her stomach. "Y-you uuuh.. y-you.. you look very handsome.."

[Guest]

"Thank you." He smiled wider at the compliment, allowing himself to pay attention to the movie again. It didn't take long for him to pass another glance her way though. It felt kind of nice to be here with Peyton, actually letting her close to him. She was the only person he'd actually touched on purpose in quite a long time.

He tried his hardest to pay attention to the movie, but there was so much he wanted to ask her now. So much she had said to him online that he was wondering were still true now. She wouldn't just change her mind about some of that stuff now that she knew SiO2 was him would she? He didn't like that thought at all, so he tried to keep it at bay. He had to have more faith in himself.

"Umm... H-Hey did you m-mean it..." He turns his head to look at her, but tilts it down slightly before her gaze can meet his. "Wh-When you sssaid you th-thought I w-w-was cool I mean...? And the other r-r-really nice things...?" His cheeks were burning again, but he attempted to raise his eyes to look at her, blinking two or three times before his vision was fixated on only her.

[Peyton]

"Huh?" Peyton turned to look at him again when he asked his question, a bit surprised by his sudden question, but it was to be expected from someone like Wynter. Wynter had more than a little self-doubt. He was constantly bringing himself down and thinking he's not worthy. A lot of the time, Peyton had to offer reassurance. And Wynter did the same for her too.

".. Why do you think I would lie..? I have nothing to gain from lying to you Wynter... a-and even before we met up online..." her face reddened as she began to confess. "I always thought you were cool... you're kind, smart, thoughtful, a great scientist, and an amazing boss.."

Peyton smiled at him softly and scooted slightly closer to him, now feeling as if he was a lot more comfortable with her so she could do so. She gently grabbed the hand on the arm that wasn't wrapped around her. "E-every word I said.. was the truth... I'd never lie about such things, Wynter.."

[Guest]

The alchemist smiled widely as she took his hand again, squeezing it softly in return. Maybe this date hadn't turned out tragically after all. For all the things he could worry about happening, in the moment presented before him none of those worries mattered all too much anymore. Bringing his arm on her shoulder down to wrap around her back, he gave her another comfortable tug before pushing his head down and giving her a quick peck to the cheek. A kiss executed in an outstandingly awkward manner, but the thought was there all the same.

"Y-You're much too nice to me..." His head turned back quickly to look straight ahead at the movie playing out in front of them once more. His smile softened, his cheeks returning to their usual pale color. "B-But that's okay. Everybody n-needs... someone else to be there sometimes." Wynter then peeked over at her, his head still straight forward. Maybe this would be far enough for them right now, at least he hoped so. He didn't want to rush into anything too quickly, and considering how long they'd known each other already this seemed alright for the time being.

"I'm g-glad we met, Peyton."

[END THREAD]

[Sponsored content]