☮︎ ᡣ𐭩 🍗

As she took a seat, looking at her surroundings, she could already feel the shift in the atmosphere. It was intimate when she looked at Archer's décor, which spoke volumes about his creativity. She could see him as he is. There was nothing he was hiding; he had been transparent since they had met. Attending an event where he performed, she recognized his singing voice. But an acoustic performance, where it was just the two of them? never had that happen before.

Nerves settled in, realizing that indeed it was just the two of them, a part of her knowing whatever was about to happen, she'd have no control over. He had a way of bringing out the side of her that she kept buried. She leaned in, elbows resting delicately on her lap, her eyes tracing every movement as he settled in with his guitar—like the whole room had gone quiet just so she could memorize the way he looked in that moment.

Her eyes stayed on him as his fingers found the strings, coaxing out a rhythm that seemed to fill every corner of the room. Then his voice joined the melody, and it was like the world narrowed down to just him. She’d already been caught up in the way he played, but the way the lyrics rolled off his tongue, the rawness in how he sang—it pulled her under completely, leaving her mesmerized.

'Say, yeah, let's be alone together, We could stay young forever, Scream it from the top of your lungs, Say, yeah, (Yeah!) let's be alone together We can stay young forever, We'll stay young, young, young, young, young.

'Uh, uh, uh, uh-oh, uh, uh, uh, uh-oh Uh, uh, uh, uh-oh, uh, uh, uh, uh-oh'

Archer kept his gaze glued to the beauty that sat before him; her presence filled the space with a magnificence he hadn't been aware he needed. Lyrics spill past his lips like honey, fingers strumming strings as if it were first instinct. 'Cut me off, I lost my track, it's not my fault, I'm a maniac It's not funny anymore, no it's not My heart is like a stallion, they love it more when it's broken Do you wanna feel beautiful, do you wanna, yeah'

He wondered if she knew? If she understood that every lyric was coated in her essence. In her voice, scent, being. Would she apprehend the meaning? The longing? His desire to claim her?

burningxheaven

Location: His Place Status: Closed @archerxwestley

McKinley knew what it was like to lose someone close to her, the pain of grief, how hard it was to cover. She wanted to do anything she could to make these things a little easier. She had spent all day cooking in the kitchen, getting a few meals prepped for each of Levi's close friends and family. Knocking on the door of Archers place softly she waited paitently with a soft smile as she held the stack of glass trays. EVeryone always went with the basics, lasagana, casarole and those just seemed boring to her. So she spiced it up a bit more with a baked ziti and a good chicken marcala dish. "Hey Archer, I brought over some food for you and your roommates, I'm McKinley, one of Kenjie's friends."

#burningxheaven #archer x kinny

Archer had been perched at the dinner table, glasses hanging from the tip of his nose as he looked down at his notes. Biting down on his inner lip, he began writing down chemical formulas for work. But when a knock forced the numbers from his head, he jumped up, heading for the door. Any friend of Kenjie's was a friend of his. "Hey," he offered, smiling, and motioned for the female to enter. "That's totally cool of you, but it's not called for at all." Though the food certainly smelled delicious.

She was not expecting this when she walked into the room. Seeing the instruments against the wall, followed by the décor. It gave vintage and bohemian vibes. The warm glow of the fairy lights made the wood-paneled walls look almost magical, like a little secret world tucked away from everything else. Guitars hung everywhere—on the walls, on stands—each one like it had a story she wanted to hear. Her fingers itched to touch the strings.

A colorful rug sprawled across the floor, pillows piled haphazardly on a bench that looked way too inviting to resist. Books and vinyls filled the shelves above, and Vivi could practically hear the soft hum of music waiting to be played. Her gaze landed on the desk—a keyboard, some equipment, framed posters—and she grinned, imagining the melodies that had started here, the songs that might still be waiting. She walked over to sit as she continued to look around his room.

"How long did it take for you to set up your room like this?" she asked as she turned her attention to him. The room was Archer's signature, the creativity followed by the way it looked. It was like she was learning more about him. "I'm okay," she stated in response, needing anything before his song performance.

Archer observed with a hint of nerve and anticipation as Viviana took in his intimate space. It was eclectic for sure. Rugs from thrift shops, posters, and photos he'd collected over the years. Perhaps it was a lot, but it was also him. He conveyed a lot of his devotion, many of the roots of his hometown, and his dedication to the Bay Area.

"Maybe a year? I've always had my own vibe when it comes to my room." Luckily for him, his fathers permitted him artistic independence. Encouraged it, even. "Uh, make yourself comfortable." He gestures towards the bed or the bench. He wanted her to sit where she was relaxed and at ease. Turning away, he moves for his guitar, strumming the instrument a few times before adjusting the tune. Allowing himself a juncture to shake off the bundle of nerves coiling in his stomach, Arch moved toward a single chair and dropped into it.

Arranging his guitar on his knee, he presented her with a goofy little smile as he readied himself. "I'm just going to jump into this…" With that, he cleared his throat, unfurled his mouth, and began to sing as fingers strummed the strings in tune.

'I don't know where you're going But do you got room for one more troubled soul? I don't know where I'm going But I don't think I'm coming home And I said, "I'll check in tomorrow if I don't wake up dead" T his is the road to ruin and we're starting at the end'

ravinax

"Damn, dude. That means next time we're in a crazy situation where shooting starts, you'll take the hit for me? Thanks, buddy." Flashing him a smile, she can help but be surprised at how well the day had turned out, considering all the bullshit that had gone down. From Jason and his toy, to the car bombing, running into Miguel once again had been a pleasant surprise. She'd figured he'd end up being an incredibly annoying being. But somehow, he'd turned out to be weirdly hilarious and his nerd knowledge was top-notch. Not that she'd ever share that information with him. "Are you kidding me? Rooms tell all the secrets. And I might be dying to know what kind of skeletons you're hiding." Her tone is taunting, light, as her arms tighten across her chest in an attempt to keep the warmth of the sweater in.

"Cool, let's see their room too." Fuck, she was nosy as shit. "Come on, Gramps!" With a jerk forward, she runs into the others' back, sending the pair stumbling into the apartment.

"Oh, so it's like that?" he stated, looking over at her, "using me as a shield, again." he shook his head, not at all surprised. "Not very final girl of you." However, he really did navigate both those situations without thinking. When he led her through the darkness of the pitch black gala. The chaos at the beach, he was sure he could get them out if anything like that happened again. The turn of events these past few days was wild. Especially since meeting Ravina in person, who was nothing at all like what he expected. She was annoying, but strangely familiar too. Hmm.

"This isn't paranormal investigations, you're acting like you're ready to hear a ghost in my room and hit record," he stated with a smirk. The anticipation or excitement on her features is what made him pause. He had nothing to hide; he was proud of his room as a matter of fact. Now that he thought about it, it would have a wow effect. "no, no, we will not. privacy is respected in this househol----" he couldn't finish because as soon as the door opened, he was pushed through.

He didn't know what happened, or able to take anything in. He saw maybe but a glance of Archer before he felt his back against the wall, elbow firmly pressed against his neck. Panicking before he looked forward, he saw a pair of eyes that one could say haunting in a Halloween-esque genre. Piercing eyes that for a second he felt like he was imagining it, before seeing it was .....the chick that ran at the gala? "uh..." oof, woah, how the hell did this happen "Look, I'm just chill." he paused " AM I BEING ROBBED?" he choked out.

#darlingrevenge #archer x vivi x rav x miguel #/I can't Lolol

It happened far too swiftly. One second, they were conferring ordering in, and the next, Viviana had Miguel shoved against the wall. He should have contained her. Should have darted forward to calm her down... but instead, Archer stayed planted, gawked in awe as she defended them. Bravely, and without even missing a beat, she protected them. It's not until another female appears, barging her way in and plowing Vivi out of the way, that he finally comes back down to reality. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Everyone just chill for a second! That's my roommate, babe." Inching forward, he causiously places a hand on Vivi's shoulder. "And she's-" Pausing, his gaze darts between Miguel and the female he'd brought along. "-wait, who is she, exactly?"

So he went with it. She liked that. He stood by his words, and it was enough for her to nod her head. It was his confidence that swayed her. His words did not feel as if he was trying to comfort her; it was the truth in them. Vivi wasn't sure how to react, but it made her smile. "okay." she stated with a chuckle.

Her sheets of paper. Something not written in a diary for her to release whatever she had kept buried inside. Archer had a way of surprising her; she didn't have someone she could talk to. Aside from her brother, however, he was gone when she was younger. Nodding her head once again, she couldn't form words regarding that matter. "It will go far," she stated, looking up at him. "I believe in you." and that was the truth.

"You are one of a kind; no one on the planet is ever the same as someone else." Something she believed in. "Only you would come up with something like this," she chuckled, holding up his creation in a cup. Following along as they came up towards the corner.

#darlingrevenge #archer x viviana #//I hope this is okay!

[TIME JUMP!]

Archer looked over at Viviana, offering up one of his signature crooked grins. "Here we are," He motions a hand towards his bedroom, the door ajar. "It's not much, but it's mine." With a chuckle, he leads her into the space. It's dimly lit, and mismatched rugs cover the hardwood floor. Music posters and knick-knacks coat the walls in a spontaneous, yet cohesive way. Instruments and recording equipment sit in front of the window near a bench filled with endless records. His neatly made bed rests on the opposite side of the room, with a colorful concoction of pillows and a striped comforter. "Um, make yourself comfortable." Seeing her standing in his bedroom? It was like an out-of-body experience. In some ways, she stuck out like a shimmering ruby in a pit of diamonds, but in that same breath, it was as if she made the room complete. "Do you need anything before the show?"

drewhearts

"i do remember the promise of a song being mentioned." aspen said with a laugh, looking back at him for a moment before her lips curled into a smile. "you were pretty awful, huh?” she teased, playfully tapping his shoulder. “i’m kidding — all that matters is that we both escaped that fire.”

#drewhearts #archer x aspen

"Nah, it's okay. I was the absolute worst, and I will be apologizing until the end of time." Which was putting it lightly in Archer's book. His folks would have been disappointed in his actions towards the amazing girl at the Gala. "That's true. And I hope you know, I really am sorry for abandoning you during all of that... I would have really hated myself if something had happened to you." "Okay, so what kind of song are you feeling? I'll see what I've got up here." Arch jokes, lifting a finger to tap the side of his head.

davinaclaires

10 Things I Hate About You (1999) dir. Gil Junger — Written by Karen McCullah & Kirsten Smith

#gildedash #;;musings #have I posted this? no idea #Here ya go

@gildedash KenjiexArch

darkenmity

cassius stood with his back half-turned, gaze skimming the quiet sprawl of crates and bundled pallets lining the warehouse walls. he wasn’t rushing this, wasn’t pacing either. just still—*calculating.* his hands were tucked into his coat pockets, jaw set, voice low and sharp when it finally came.

“i want it clean,” he said. “you hear me, arch? *clean.* i’m not putting trash on my streets. not under my name.”

he didn’t bother with dramatics. that wasn’t his style. but the weight in his tone was unmistakable—heavy, pointed, like a blade drawn halfway.

“strips and pills,” he added after a beat. “both. finite batches. controlled. i wanna see which hits first, which holds longer. we test 'em proper, no rushing it. if the streets don’t like it, we tweak—simple as that. but we *do not* skip steps.”

his eyes cut toward archer then, holding. “you said it yourself—too many fucks out there don't care what they’re pushing. that ain’t us. i want it potent. i want it efficient. but i don’t want corpses stacked in alleyways. i’m building *sustainability,* not a death toll.”

he moved then, slow and deliberate, walking toward archer’s workstation as he spoke.

“you’ll get your test subjects. clubs, underground spots, strip joints—places where a buzz spreads quick and the clientele don’t ask questions as long as the high hits good. i’ll handpick the circles. you don’t worry about that part.” then, quieter, dry almost amused, but not quite: “and make the packaging subtle but sleek i'll bring you some idea in a day or to. you’re not designing candy. i’m not selling this shit to school kids. ”

he looked down at the papers scattered across the desk, then back at archer. “this is big arch, its your baby im trusting you choices.”

#darkenmity #archer x cassius #//i juumped ahead and didn't proofread for shittt #forgive me

"I'll get it to you as soon as possible." He peered up, watching the man from behind his glasses. "Before, three weeks." And Archer maintained that pledge. A week and a half (longer than he'd expected) after Cassius had come to pay him a visit, Archer had his miraculous child in hand. "Sorry if you had to move things around." He offered a weak wave, sporting his pristine lab coat. "That being said, I think you're going to be pretty damn pleased with the results." Approaching the desk, with a delicate push, Archie pushed a tiny clear ziplock baggie into the center between them. Inside were two black capsules, which appeared to be a white swirl snaking around the pills. "And before you ask, I went with Odyssey." The ivory twist actually stated the name in small print. "I've had guys out testing the batch and it's going beyond expectations. The formula I initially struggled with maintaining such an intense high, with a bit of agitation to follow. But with those tweaks I mentioned-" Cassius wasn't here to hear about how it was made, but how it was doing. "-before our distributors could even leave the club, others had gotten word and came sniffing around for details." There was no denying that Archer was beyond pleased with himself or the outcome of the drug thus far. "And it's as safe as any drug can be, obviously. We have no idea how each person should react, but I did have a few people with normal allergies to certain things come in, and there were zero adverse reactions.

That made her laugh, his yeah, because I say so. and it wasn't even in a tone that indicated he was right. It was the way he said it, followed by how adorable he looked when he said it. His boyish charm seemed to have a way of working. Not that she'd admit out loud. "and does that win you an argument?" she chuckled.

She thought about that for a brief moment. A diary. She had one when she was in high school; after that, she never went back to that again. Vivi didn't have an outlet. She was never graced or given the privilege to write down her feelings. “Once,” she murmured, the word tasting of a memory she rarely let see the light. Some things from the past were better kept behind glass—fragile, dangerous, threatening to pull her back into the childhood she never got to have. Her attention turned back to him. "You should keep your collection," she states as she exited with him, "frame it for when your career soars off."

That was true; she could get cookies & cream anywhere. She couldn't help but tease him. He put his all into everything, even something as simple as defending his favorite ice cream. She liked that. Liked that he embraced and stood his ground when it came to what he enjoyed. "Oh, for sure, it's one of a kind, but you know what?" she stated, looking at him, "it's similar to its creator." He truly is one of a kind.

"In this case?" He peers down at Vivi, watching her for a moment, before offering her a gentle nod of his head. "-yeah, I'm going to say so." His crooked smile greets her, and there's no containing the dry chuckle that follows. There was something about her that seemed to give him complete confidence while filling his gut with nervousness. "Well, you know, I'm always willing to be your sheets of paper." Her personal safe place where she could vent, talk, and express her emotions without the fear of being judged. "Only if you're ever comfortable enough, of course." Archer adds before a genuine, bellowing laugh escaped. "I don't know about that, but we'll see." At this point, he doubted he'd ever go far with his music, but the decent local following was enough for him. "It's just around the corner," Arch explained before taking a mouthful of his ice cream. But just as he removed the plastic spoon, her words hit him. Swallowing thickly, his neck dared to redden. "Uh, thanks. Coming from you? That means something."

ravinax

"Oh... ugh, yeah. Totally... Thanks or whatnot..." Offering her his sweater? Wasn't that some bullshit out of movies or something? Rav swallowed thickly before pulling it over her head, allowing it to rest along her frame, the end grazing the center of her thighs. The sun had kept it warm, and the smell? Damn, it smelled good. What the hell was it with this guy? He was supposed to be some lame ass dweeb, and instead? Instead, he was hot as balls and made her into a bumbling bafoon. "Shut up." But the words don't hold nearly as much of her natural aggression. " Just go or whatever!" A playful scoff breaks free as he calls her Miss Final Girl. It sure as fuck shouldn't be making her smirk so much, but here she was. "Hurry up, Randy Meeks." Entering the arrived elevator, she fell back into the corner of the metal box, observing him before admitting. "I am actually pretty curious about your place, I won't lie."

He couldn't help but chuckle as she rushed him, followed by the name Randy Meeks. He took that as a compliment, enjoying that the character helped the trilogy out on how to survive Ghostface. "Easy there, Miss Prescott." After all, she was the final girl; it was fitting.

He didn't know if his roommates were home after the chaos of a beach party, but that didn't bother him either. "Oh, and why is that?" he asked, truly curious about what she expected to see at his place. He wondered if she thought he was some obsessed horror movie freak, but she wouldn't be wrong. The elevator stopped on the second floor. He then walked down the hallway, glancing over at Ravina. His sweater wasn't terrible on he;, if she were to argue, he was pretty sure he couldn't take her seriously looking like that. He chuckled to himself.

"I live with two other roommates." he stated as he approached the door, taking out his keys.

#darlingrevenge #archer x miguel

While Vivianna went to change, Archer took a moment to inspect the fridge. The selection was pathetic. A few beers, condiment for days, and a carton of OJ. Damn, they really needed to do some shopping soon. Maybe they could order in? Watch a movie? Try to enjoy the rest of their day, as they'd intended. Peering up as Vivi reentered the room, there was no containing the grin that pulled across his lips. How did she always look so much better in his clothes than she did? "Aw, come on. They have way better hits than that." He teased, staring at her for a moment. "But you, uh, you look great." Arch breathed before shaking some sense into himself. "Sorry, um, are you hungry? We don't have much going on here, but I'm happy to order something?" And just as he finished speaking, he could hear keys jiggling just outside the door. Oh.

"I would say it's a choice of words," she tilted her head, "True because you say it so?" not that she didn't believe him. Perhaps she liked challenging him on things. It was her way of seeing what he thought of her, and why. It was interesting; most people would have found this boring. If she indeed has met her match, this was certainly going to be quite a journey.

"I'm not saying they're not written by the heart. People had a way of being inventive," she gave a light shrug. She could picture him writing his lyrics down in a journal. Archer seemed like the type to put his heart into everything. At the mention of old notebooks, she smirked. "So you have quite the collection then?" she asked, looking at him with curiosity.

His laughter filled the room, and it made her smile in return. Such joy from watching her try his creative combo, or simply because she was giving him a review on it. Shaking her head, " Still would prefer cookies n cream." she chuckled as she then stepped back, moving in the direction of the exit. "Lead the way."

#darlingrevenge #archer x viviana #//this is TRASH #but i thought this gif of him was soooo cute idk y

God, she was astonishing. From the way she carried herself to the simple challenges she effortlessly tossed in his direction for him to catch and toss back. "Yeah, because I say so." There is a hint of boyish charm lacing his words, the corner of his mouth twitching upward. "Ah, fair enough. You ever put your thoughts on paper? Not in the form of songs, but as any outlet?" Or did she keep it all contained? Allowing her unescapable emotions to carve into bone? "Something like that." A dry chuckle escapes as he slowly shifts to open the door with his free hand, allowing her to exit the shop. "I've been at it since I was pretty young… so the catalog goes back pretty damn far."

"Aw, come on!" A deep laugh flees, his head shaking as he follows her out into the bright city. The kiss of the sun makes Viviana blaze, and Archer permits himself a single beat to consume her before initiating to lead her back to his place. "You can get cookies & cream anywhere. But this-" He scoops up a spoonful of his creation. "-is one of a kind."

Location: The Jade Vortex For: @drewhearts

"So, I believe I owe you a song, right?" Archer offered up a crooked grin, shifting to tune his guitar, as he looked at Aspen as they sat in the nearly vacant lounge. "-you know, for being the worst Gala date of all time." Archer truly felt awful for the way things had turned out. Aspen was a great girl and deserved far more than he'd given her.

#drewhearts #archer x aspen

ravinax

Ravina was not only surprised that she'd spent most of the day with Miguel on the beach; talk about fucking wild, right? But that he'd also been kind of like... nice? He pulled her to safety and even took her home with him. (Whoa, whoa, whoa, not in that way!) "I hope you have blankets, man, I'm freaking freezing." Sporting a pair of Vans and her bathing suit, searching for her coverup hadn't been a priority when a damn bomb was set off. Following close behind, she allowed herself a moment to stare, looking along his frame as they moved through the hallways. Who the hell would have known the scardy cat was hiding that kind of body? "Ugh, shit." Face running straight into him, she fumbled back a few steps, features twisting in the slightest hint of embarrassment. "Aye, I'm walking here. Give me a warning, would you?" Of course, it had been her fault, but still. "Come on, let's just get inside, please."

Digging into the backseat, Miguel yanked out a sweater and tossed it to her. “That do for now?” His pulse was still running high, the buzz of pulling off the whole thing and actually making it back to the apartment still thrumming in his veins. He stepped out, locked the doors with a sharp click, and started toward the building.

Their floor wasn’t too high up. The hallway stretched ahead, elevator doors gleaming on the right. He hit the button, only to feel her collide into his back a second later. His hands shot out against the metal doors. “Whoa—” Reflexes still sharp as ever.

He turned, brow raised, a smirk tugging at his mouth. “You’re walking, and you crash into me. What—already that eager to see my apartment, Miss Final Girl? Chill. Wait for the elevators first.” and it wasn't even like that. This was his refuge and comfort zone. Anything to get away from the beach.

#darlingrevenge #archer x viviana #archer x miguel

"Yeah, that makes sense..." Stepping closer, a hand lifts to gently cup her cheek. Would every moment they shared end in some kind of madness? Even now, their beach date had been ruined by yet another attack. Not that he wasn't concerned for anyone who might have been hurt, of course, it was simply frustrating. "Of course, try to relax, okay? I'll find something comfortable for you, and maybe we can talk about getting some food into you, okay?" Dropping his hand, he offered up a weak smile before backing away, turning to enter his room. Rummaging through his drawers, he decides on a worn Journey band-tee and a pair of baggy gym shorts. Returning to the living room. "If this doesn't work, you're free to dig around for something more your style." Arch offers her a motion towards his room. "Take your time, and... you know where my bathroom is." The pros of having the master bedroom.

She wasn't a believer in those cheesy sayings that beauty was in the eyes of the beholder or whatnot. The longer he stared at her, the more she looked back at him. In his eyes, she saw something she couldn't form into words. It was in every conversation and moment when he was looking at her that she would see the same look. It wasn't longing, was it? maybe something more. It was as if he could see through her, and that is what made her curious. What exactly was he seeing? no one looked at her the way he was doing right now. "You make it sound like a romance novel. The only thing you saw? in a crowded room."

"I would hope you don't research lyrics; the works of a musician come from the deepest part of themselves. how else would they write songs, hmm?" Not everyone was born to be gifted in music, whether it was singing or playing an instrument. "How many songs have you written Mr. Lyrics find him." she chuckled.

Viviana was straightforward: what you see is what you get. He acknowledged that part of her. Not that she needed him to tiptoe around her because of her blunt nature. "Good."

That was one thing she enjoyed, seeing Archer at a loss for words, perhaps from nerves, or close contact. Reaching for the ice cream that was hers, she continued on. "Privacy." In his apartment, he wasn't making this better for himself. The catch, she knew he didn't mean anything bad by it. "Never. that's a strong word to use," she chuckled before taking the spoon provided and tasting the ice cream that was his favorite. It was such an odd combo, but it didn't taste all that bad. "You sure you like this?" she chuckled, teasing of course. "Not bad."

"You make that sound like a bad thing," Archer responded with sincere honesty. "Doesn't matter how corny it sounds, if it's true, it's true, you get what I mean." It was as if Viviana were attempting to dissect every comment he made. And as far as he was concerned, he'd offer up an explanation to anything she tossed his way. Archer had zero plans of backing down, not unless she expressed discomfort with him; she may have just met her match.

"Research lyrics? Is that a thing?" A chuckle escaped, his head shaking. "I write my lyrics. My band member Jake assists in writing the music, and we put it together." Music was just as important to him as his job, more so, because it was his way of expressing feelings and thoughts. "How many? Uh." He ponders the question for a moment before lifting his shoulders into a shrug. "I don't think I could count. I believe my dads saved some of my old notebooks." Though the thought of looking back on them was embarrassing.

Wetting his lips, he offered up a crooked smile, peering down at her. Once again, her warming scent encapsulated him, causing the base of his stomach to coil in a sense of excitement. The same feeling he had when stepping on stage. "If it's the truth, it's not." Arch points out, his smile returning as she dived into his treat. A laugh boomed, before he could contain it, a heart flaring the length of his neck. "Yeah, I'm sure." Shaking his head, he nodded at her following statement, nodding. "Right? Not too bad." He'd take it. "Um, so did you want to maybe eat while we head to my place?"

#darlingrevenge #archer x vivi x rav x miguel #//I'm already DEAD! lol

Location: Archer, Kenjie's, and Miguel's apartment. For: @darlingrevenge Vivi, Ravina & Miguel

Archer led Viviana into his apartment, his blue striped shirt hanging over her shoulders, a hand placed against her lower back. "How are you feeling?" Concern clouded his features, his shoe kicking back to close the door behind them. "Can I get you anything? A glass of water? Change of clothes?" He was still reeling from the events at the beach. It had all taken place so quickly, the frenzy taking over what had once been a festive time. "You're welcome to shower, if you'd like." Even though he wanted her close, she deserved to be comfortable.

darkenmity

the lab hummed like a broken machine—lights flickering overhead, vents rattling against the stale weight of too many chemicals and too few fucks given. cassius leaned against the frame of the door, blunt tucked between his fingers, eyes tracking every twitch of archer’s. the pen scratch. the pages. the way his knee bounced like he’d already taken a hit of his own curiosity.

“you talk like you don’t know why i keep the nitwits around,” cass said, finally stepping in, voice low but cutting. “they’re replaceable. you’re not.”

the notebook hovered between them, ink-stained and warped at the corners, like it had survived three fires and a flood. cass didn’t reach for it right away. just gave it a glance, took another slow drag, exhaled hard enough to fog up the lens of archer’s glasses. “you tweak what you need. get it potent, but clean. no drag, no crash. one hit should make ‘em think they’re breathing new air.”

his gaze swept the room—metal trays, tubing, stacked canisters half-labeled and probably still dangerous. archer was a genius, but chaos still lived in his corners. cass didn’t flinch. this was what progress looked like.

“we’ll test it in grafton. you know the block. tight, broke, desperate. if it floats there, it’ll fly anywhere.” he moved closer, took the book, flipped through the marked page with a thumb, didn’t even stop to read it.

“you’ve got three weeks.”

he let the words settle like dust on the linoleum. “after that, i want product. packaged. labeled. i want to hold god in my hand, and i want it small enough to fit in a capsule.”

he handed the notebook back without ceremony, without doubt.

“make it count, arch. this is your baby but i need updates . questions?”