It's the age old question every One Tree Hill fan likes to ask: Brooke or Peyton?
Brooke loved Lucas from the start. She made her feelings for Lucas clear since Season ! Episode 2 when she tells Peyton "I think Nathan likes tutor girl. But i think tutor girl likes Lucas. And I know I like Lucas. And I don't know who the hell you like anymore" And even though Lucas plays hard to get at first, Brooke doesn't stop pursuing him until the two finally become a couple in Season 1 Episode 9. After they began dating, Brooke put major effort into their relationship. She read books for him, wanted to get to know Karen, and even feng shuied his room after his accident to help him heal. Brooke also brought out Lucas' fun side, and even got him to get a tattoo. And, despite getting hurt by Lucas again and again, Brooke still cared for him and kept letting him back into her life.
However, Lucas loved Peyton from the beginning. Since he first laid eyes on her in the pilot, Lucas was a smitten kitten. He was constantly looking out for her and really played attention to the little thing when it came to Peyton. From the time he turned her artwork in to Thud Magazine for her to the time he fixed her car when Nathan crashed it, he was always looking out for her and her best interest. Plus, those two had the best scenes. From "you're always saving me" to "it's you", Lucas and Peyton had amazing chemistry together. And let's not forget that Lucas wrote an entire book about Peyton and how much he loved her. It can also be argued that Lucas only dated Brooke in the beginning because Peyton didn't seem interested. Plus, he did propose to Peyton not once, but twice.
Even though Lucas may have preferred Peyton over Brooke in the beginning, Lucas and Brooke shared some cute moments together. He was there for Brooke when she fostered Angie, and the scene of the three of them cuddling in the chair was absolutely adorable. Plus, he still wanted to pursue Brooke even after they broke up the first time. Even though Brooke only agreed to date him again if they were exclusive and continued to see other people, Lucas proclaims "I am the one for you, Brooke Davis" during a party. Probably one of the cutest moments between them was when Lucas goes chasing after her in the rain after he upsets her and goes on about the many reasons he loves her and how they are going to catch pneumonia from standing out in the rain, but if she needs to know why he loves her, he could go on all night. And Lucas calling Brooke "pretty girl" is enough to make your heart swoon.
It can also be said that Peyton liked Lucas from the beginning, she was just too scared to open her heart up again after her relationship with Nathan. She also didn't want to hurt Brooke, even though we all know that didn't really work out. Peyton loved Lucas so much that she bought a copy of his book every time she saw one. She kept finding herself drawn to Lucas and wouldn't stop fighting for him, no matter what obstacles got in her way. But despite her love for Lucas and how much she wanted to be with him, she wasn't going to stop him from marrying Lindsey because she just wanted him to be happy. Peyton and Lucas ended up finding their way back to each other and having their happy ending though, because at the end of the day, "it's always gonna be there".
I will personally always be Team Leyton. They had such great chemistry and always found themselves drawn to each other. They also learned a lot from each other. Lucas taught Peyton that people don't always leave, and Peyton taught Lucas that no matter where you come from or what your story is, there is always a happy ending. They both taught each other that "your art matters" and what you do matters, and they continued to inspire each other since day one. They were there for each other when they needed it most, which is why Leyton will always be superior in my opinion.
Lucas definitely cared for both Brooke and Peyton, and they both definitely cared about him. There are solid reasons to both Team Brooke and Team Peyton. But whether you're Team Brucas or Team Leyton, we can all agree on our love for One Tree Hill.
