cassiebennettā:
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Cassie canāt lie thereās a moment where she forgets that Archie is stood beside her, that it was Archie who told her to scream her fears and failures into the city. She canāt lie thereās a relief that feels her as her shoulders shake and she allows herself to be vulnerable. A relief that all of that weight is no longer hers alone to bare, relief that a city this size is able to hear her screams and swallow them whole, as if they were so small that they never actually deserved to eat away a part of her.Ā
Sheās so lost in the moment that she nearly jumps the instant Archieās hands are placed reassuringly on her shoulders. She relaxes into the touch, itās exactly what she needs in the moment. She allows him to pull her into his side and is beyond grateful when instead of wanting to talk about the tings she had yelled he acts as if he hadnāt been stood next to her the entire time. He instead simply suggests that it is time for the cheese fries that she had spoken of earlier. She canāt help but let out a small chuckle, a genuine one, something that hadnāt been available in a while to her.Ā
She allows him to to lead the way, allowing him to support most of her weight as she leans into him. Archie had become like a brother to her. The way he was with her was much like the way Jenny was although he was more likely to allow her to make her mistakes and help her back from it whereas Jenny did her best to prevent those things from ever reaching her sister.Ā
Cassie doesnāt even realize that there are still tears falling as Archie leads the way to some half assed diner that would be open this late to get her those cheese fries until heās reassuring, ruffling her hair as she chuckles. Usually she would hate that, it would make her feel young and childish but in this moment it was reassuring.Ā
āWho needs therapy when youāve got the city.ā She chuckled lightly looking up at himĀ āThank you.ā She said to him lowlyĀ āI donāt know how but that defiantly lifted a weight off of me.ā She informs himĀ āI feel like I can actually breath again after months.ā She admitted with a shake of his head.Ā
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Itād be a lie if he didnāt admit that he understood her. Listening to her howl and scream and cry and let the city take it all thereās a quiet ache of understanding. Of course heād been younger. Heād been mourning and he had been self-destructive in the worst ways before he found new traditions. Sure therapy worked, heād done it for years, but there was something no hour long session could do quite like the echo of the city. Maybe one day heād tell her about it, bare a part of himself to comfort her.
For now he lets her lean heavy into his side and doesnāt complain in the slightest. Archie canāt help but be reminded of his own sister before sheād grown to be a person that no longer welcomed his support. It hadnāt been all that long ago that she had come to him often venting and talking about the day and how utterly frustrating it had all been while he braided her hair back. Silly to mourn such a little thing he muses, watching Cassie as he leads the way slowly towards the diner.
Better to let her compose herself.
Archie grins a little, a small laugh slipping free,Ā āYeah, the city is a lot of things but at least sheās a good listener.ā Slowing to a stop in front of the beat up rail and the old concrete ramp headed inside some hole in the wall diner, heās happy to wait for her to catch her breath so to speak. Standing under the blinking neons ofĀ āMelās Diner - 24/7 - Good Eats!ā she tells him thank you and Archie shakes his head. Reaching up, heās careful wiping her tears away and letting her talk.
āSometimes you donāt need to put things into words,ā he says gently,Ā āyou just have to let it out.ā Like heād said, Archie was going to baptize her in traditions heād learned through hard lessons and harder times. Back when he thought he could escape his family name. Back before he loved a boy so fiercely it nearly ruined his life. Back before his secrets grew and who he was changed on any given day.
Tonight he could be justĀ Archie and it was enough.
āCmon, hopefully Angie is working tonight. She always makes sure you get bacon on your fries if you wantĀ āem.ā Winking, heās gathering her up under his arm if only to usher her up the ramp and towards the gaudy door that looked like a throw back to the fifties itself. Stepping inside, Archie is shifting his backpack a bit and giving a half wave towards the waitress with the beehive updo. Itās as chaotic as ever from floor to ceiling, trinkets and posters and even playing cards decorating every inch where the checkerboard floor and teal vinyl seats donāt cover.
āNow Little May I know you aināt sneaking by without saying hello.ā
The voice catches his attention and steady hands snare him, Archie laughs and lets himself get pulled away into a tight hug. It ought to be comical really seeing a little old african-american lady scarcely tall enough to see over his shoulders holding him in a bear hug.Ā āYouāre the only one that still calls me that Angie,ā he hums into her shoulder letting her fuss over his shirt and scowl at the sight of his bandaged hands. Of course sheās turning her attention to Cassie easy enough and is quick to smile.Ā āWell go on, mind your manners and introduce us.ā
Archie turns to Cassie then, motioning towards the woman next to him with a crooked sort of smile.Ā āAngie this is Cassie, Cassie this is the local legend Angela Russett.ā














