brooks & hale ✔️

hale

nineteen ;
h a l e

THE EVENING WAS GOING well until Luke Zhang showed up.

For starters, they were in Manchester. Hale loved his city during the day, but it was at night when it truly came alive. All the clubs were booming with pounding music and flashing lights, and the crowds came out in floods where you were guaranteed to meet weird and wonderful people who would probably be strangers again by morning. The shadows and dark sky only made the atmosphere more lively.

And then there was the fact that he got to enjoy Manchester with Brooks by his side. Apparently, they reached town earlier than Brooks had expected - because Hale still didn't have a clue as to what they were doing, and his curiosity was increasing with every passing minute - so they had a bit of time to kill. And as it turns out, Brooks had little experience with Manchester at night, so Hale took it upon himself to act as the designated tour guide by introducing him to all his favourite hangouts.

"I can't believe this place is a thing," Brooks said in awe, staring up at the small glass cafe tucked away into the corner between a Chinese restaurant and printing company. "A cafe...filled with cats? Why did no one tell me it exists?"

"You just haven't been talking to the right people," Hale said wisely, pleased by his reaction. Brooks got so easily excited by all the sights and places that Hale considered the norm, and Hale realised he'd been unconsciously looking for that glimmer of childlike wonder with every new location, silently savouring it.

Brooks looked at Hale with a smile. That fucking smile, which made it impossible to look away and only ever made an appearance when he seemed to feel entirely comfortable. "I'm definitely coming back here," Brooks said, peering through the darkened windows. "I mean, when it's actually open. You really get to play with the cats?"

"Yeah, as much as you want." Hale couldn't help but laugh and Brooks shot him a quizzical look. "You make no sense, Brooks. You're scared of Maxy, who would literally never hurt a fly, but you like cats? They have claws, you know. And sharp teeth. Not to mention they don't even like humans that much."

"It makes perfect sense," Brooks said reasonably. "Dogs can be big and can rip your arm off, if they wanted to. Cats are all generally the same size and just...sit there. There's none of that crazy jumping or barking or licking."

"Licking is loving. That's what she said," Hale added, as an afterthought. Will would have been proud of that one.

"Seriously, Hale?" Brooks flushed and did a bad job hiding his red cheeks. "I'm not even going to say anything to that."

Brooks' phone went off, and he dug it out of his pocket. Hale took the opportunity to check his own phone for the first time since leaving the house. Unsurprisingly, it was blown up with texts and notifications; he was ditching a party to be here tonight, thrown by Hudson Carraway, another guy in their year. His parties were meant to be unmissable, because his uncle was so chilled and didn't care what shit he got up to, and yet Hale was missing it.

Not that he particularly cared. When Brooks had asked him if he was free, it hadn't been a difficult decision about which one he was going to choose.

Hale flicked quickly through them, barely reading as he skimmed the words.

alec :
dude you are missing out on fuck loads of girls here

kara :
hahaha im drunj

elliot :
ur srsly ditching us again??

elliot :
whatever more alcohol for me