archreese

[archreese]

@archeronair: It’ll be so embarrassing if she says no.

↳INSTAGRAM: @flynnmoone uploaded a photo:

Hey, you guys think I should ask this cute girl out on a date? She’s kinda outta my league.

[archreese]

@archeronair: I… think I asked you for a selfie in the street earlier? Sorry. My brother and I love the moonbeam ice cream song, though.

↳INSTAGRAM: @xavimacaroni uploaded a photo:

was walkin to da rink and i got entered into a bunsen burner lookalike contest? dno who that is but i won somehow n we did a sick photoshoot

[archreese]

@archeronair: Looks like he was really helpful!

↳INSTAGRAM: @sunneshinerae uploaded a photo:

he helped me with my painting 🥰

[archreese]

@archeronair: Sorry, Syl! It was a lot to follow, but I’m always happy to have lunch with you. My treat next time?

↳INSTAGRAM: @sylviemcbly uploaded a photo:

i asked zac and archer to hang out for lunch today. i tried to get their attention but zac is explaining journey’s end to archer so i don’t think they can hear me right now but i took this photo anyway because they look happy.

[archreese]

@archeronair: I had fun! No apology pasta needed. I hope you liked the songs :)

↳INSTAGRAM: @talesofthetardis uploaded a photo:

Archer let me talk to him about Doctor Who for three hours straight 🙈 But then I made him apology pasta and he showed me all his favorite Maggie Chance songs! We had such a fun day :)

[archreese]

@archeronair: @sunneshinerae Very easily when you’re not his girlfriend. Which I’m not (last time I checked!)

↳INSTAGRAM: @archeronair uploaded a photo:

Boys trip (plus Clover!) to pick up some LPs from a record collector outside of the city. Please settle a debate - who gets to pick the music, Flynn or I? (I’m driving)

[archreese]

@archeronair: @opheliaonline Traitor!

↳INSTAGRAM: @archeronair uploaded a photo:

Boys trip (plus Clover!) to pick up some LPs from a record collector outside of the city. Please settle a debate - who gets to pick the music, Flynn or I? (I’m driving)

[archreese]

@archeronair: @littlemissfliss Our boss? I’m not listening to heavy metal the whole time.

↳INSTAGRAM: @archeronair uploaded a photo:

Boys trip (plus Clover!) to pick up some LPs from a record collector outside of the city. Please settle a debate - who gets to pick the music, Flynn or I? (I’m driving)

[archreese]

@archeronair: @talesofthetardis Very diplomatic! - I can bring Clover by tonight if you’re not busy? I need to pick Belly and Noodle up from Carm’s place first.

↳INSTAGRAM: @archeronair uploaded a photo:

Boys trip (plus Clover!) to pick up some LPs from a record collector outside of the city. Please settle a debate - who gets to pick the music, Flynn or I? (I’m driving)

[archreese]

@archeronair: @flynnmoone Driver famously picks the music.

↳INSTAGRAM: @archeronair uploaded a photo:

Boys trip (plus Clover!) to pick up some LPs from a record collector outside of the city. Please settle a debate - who gets to pick the music, Flynn or I? (I’m driving)

[archreese]

↳INSTAGRAM: @archeronair uploaded a photo:

Boys trip (plus Clover!) to pick up some LPs from a record collector outside of the city. Please settle a debate - who gets to pick the music, Flynn or I? (I’m driving)

[archreese]

@archeronair: Impressive how you didn’t even get any paint on the bed, too!

↳INSTAGRAM: @sunneshinerae uploaded a photo:

sometimes you run out of canvases and have to make do!! 🎨🫟🪷

[archreese]

Archer wasn't sure it made much sense, but the other man's awkwardness worked to put him at ease. He liked meeting people who reminded him of himself (not in a weird, narcisstic way, at least he hoped it wasn't?), people who stumbled over their words and held eye contact a little too long. People who were just as enthusiastic as him, he guessed. It kind of gave him free reign to say whatever he wanted, knowing whoever he was talking to was probably way too stuck in their own head to worry about Archer being embarassing.

It made him think of a piece of advice Carmen had given him a couple of years ago, something that had resonated with him. He'd dragged Carmen to this amazing gig that his big brother hadn't appreciated, an artist he'd been following for the past few years, ever since she'd first been posting tinny-sounding YouTube videos from her bedroom. He'd dug Maggie Chance's hyperpop sound and her tongue-in-cheek lyrics. Carmen had merely stood the whole gig with his arms crossed as Archer bounced on the balls of his feet, sweating and elated. Afterwards, he'd watched as Maggie Chance hung around her merch stand, chewing bubblegum and looking bored. Archer had been wringing his hands, wanting so badly to talk to her. But she was beautiful and talented and he was meek and awkward. Carmen had shoved his shoulder with a small smile, inclining his head towards the tiny brunette.

"She's not thinking about you the way you're thinking about you. Just go talk to her."

Archer never did go over to talk to Maggie Chance that day, but he always thought about Carmen's advice. This guy didn't care about the fact Archer was a little nerdy, or gangly, or that he blushed easy. People were way too wrapped up in themselves. Besides, he just wanted to talk about records. Archer could do that.

"Yeah?" he said, his voice going up at the end in uncertainty, making his affirmative sound more like a question. He chased it with a quick laugh.

"You're a customer." he shrugged, shoving his hands deep into his pockets. "One of our best customers, I'd say."

Everyone had their own theories as to why the guy kept coming back. It was hard to pinpoint the kind of music he liked - he bought everything. Archer wished he knew just what this guy was into, so he could look out for it when it came in the daily deliveries.

He watched with an amused smile as the guy floundered, eyes moving downward til they landed on the record he clutched in his hand. It was a record he was familiar with, but not one he liked. Sonically it was good, he guessed, but he'd never quite been able to get past the lyrics - "Jailbait, you look fine, fine, fine." - yeah, no thanks.

"Yeah, that one's... not good." he wrinkled his nose, leaning over the guy to return it back to it's rightful place, just a drop above where his awkward new friend had filed it away. "I didn't take you for..."

He pressed his lips, realising there was no flattering way to finish that sentence. Instead, he shook his head, a stray curl falling into his eyes.

"Can I help?" he asked, bouncing up onto the balls of his feet. "I'm kind of off the clock but, I don't mind? Not for my favorite customer."

God. He hoped Flynn hadn't heard him say that.

Zac knew that Sylvie wasn’t working today because his friend had told him as much. They’d made plans to go see a movie over the weekend, with Sylvie being thorough enough to list her days off, or noting when she finished early, just so they could adapt to each other’s schedule. Admittedly, Zac was his own boss, so he didn’t exactly prescribe to traditional work schedule times, but he appreciated the courtesy. In fact, if he was being completely honest, he’d started making little impromptu visits to this particular store long before his pal had started working there. Not that he’d ever admit it out loud. 

It was a little pathetic, actually. He’d stumbled in on a complete whim one day, hair peppered with snow, his nose resembling that of everyone’s favourite reindeer. He’d mostly been looking for someone warm to act as shelter and had taken the time to browse while he was there. He’d been so excited, bouncing on the spot when he’d spotted the perfect Christmas gift for Melody. In his hands he’d held a lush – and admittedly expensive – vinyl of the original 1959 production of The Sound of Music, starring none other than Mary Martin and Theodore Bikel. His friend had been working on the costumes for a small, regional production of the show when he’d first met her, and he just knew she’d love the rare piece. He’d been so wrapped up in his own excitement that he’d hardly watched where he was going, turning so rapidly on the spot only to collide with one of the employees at full force. He’d blushed profusely and uttered a thousand apologies at a hundred miles per hour before awkwardly scurrying away to the till to pay, casting furtive glances over his shoulder at the boy he’d collided with. 

He’d been pretty much gone for since that day. The boy – Archer, Sylvie had long since supplied – had a sharp jawline and the perfect amount of stubble to highlight the sharp edges, while not entirely obscuring his pretty features from view. His apple-cheeked smile, so painfully endearing with dimples the outline it, was enough to make Zac’s heart stutter in his chest any time he saw him. He’d gotten into such a stupid habit of showing up to the store just to catch a glimpse of him that he found his record collection at an all-time high. Zac had ended up forking out on various exclusive editions that hadn’t even left their sleeve just so that he didn’t come across as a total weirdo lurking in the corner every other weekend. 

Today was a day like every other, his head low and cheeks flushed as he tried to sneak covert looks at the other boy from over the collection he was pretending to browse. He really was at an all time low. It was that exact behaviour that helpfully supplied him with the knowledge that Archer was currently heading in his direction, having slipped away from a conversation with his handsome, albeit a little gruff, coworker. Zac thought for a moment that he might need something, that maybe he was in his way and blocking the exact crate that he needed to do, I don’t know, inventory on or something. Until the other boy waved and Zac simply blinked across at him, fingers tightening on the record he’d abruptly rested his hands on, nails sharply digging awkwardly into the shrink wrap that encased the item. 

“Oh! Hi. Hey. Hello,” Zac greeted the other man, cringing at his own awkward demeanour. What was actually wrong with him? Was he physically incapable of talking to other human beings or was it just cute boys in record stores with eyes like diamonds. He cleared his throat, flushing as he caught the end of Archer’s sentence.  

You’re back.  

Oh, God. What did that mean? Was he on some kind of list? Did Sylvie’s co-workers gossip about him in the back when she wasn’t around? Did they do it when she was? His mind ran wild with theories, panic swirling at the pit of his stomach as he wondered if there was a blown-up mugshot of him printed in staff room labelling him a public menace. Or a stalker! Oh, no. Was he about to get banned? He didn’t want to be banned! 

“Um, yeah. I– what? Is that okay? That I’m here? I wanted to... buy something. A record. Obviously. I was just looking for it here...” he supplied, racking his brain for what he could pretend to be searching for. He frowned as his gaze dropped to the record in his hand, a song called Jailbait by some artist named Ted Nugent. Dropping it abruptly, he lifted his head, eyes wide. “Not this one though!” 

[archreese]

TEXTING: BONNIE

Archer: Happy Birthday, Bonnie :)

[archreese]

TEXTING: LEO

Archer: Happy Birthday, Leo! I got you a gift. (It’s a record, please try to act surprised)

[archreese]

TEXTING: ZAC

Archer: Hi, Zac. Hope this isn’t weird but Sylvie mentioned it was your birthday? Happy Birthday.

[archreese]

@archeronair: Glad you had fun. Hope you got to hear some of the music over me talking your ear off, haha.

↳INSTAGRAM: @talesofthetardis uploaded a photo:

Made a new friend. :) Had fun seeing some live music! Archer has good taste!