Fic :: (Cook/Archuleta) "every great success story" (1/2)
Title: every great success story
Pairing: David Cook/David Archuleta
Rating: PG 13
Summary: Cook finally gets it together to make his move forward just as Archie's world is about to fall apart. (Future Fic, Not AU) (very very very very loosely based on Say Anything. I mean VERY.)
Author's Notes: As always I had an amazing group of people help me with this. From emily_n_90 who offered a read even when she doesn't do fandom, to openice who had to deal with my rambling for two hours in a (locked car), to rajkumari905's insanely in depth cleaning of all the parts or carolinecrane's amazing response/beta that not only gave me the confidence to continue but meant more to me than I'll ever be able to put into a stupid little A/N. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.
For years, Cook and Archie were just friends. Two friends, close friends at times and not so close at other times. Cook admired him, was in complete awe of him if he was honest. He hadn’t really known at sixteen what he wanted to do in the next year, let alone the rest of his life. Yet, here was this guy-this kid-who walked into Hollywood week and blew the competition out of the water. He knew what he wanted, and crazily enough, he was actually going for it.
So maybe, just maybe, it wasn’t just friendliness but more of an infatuation on Cook’s part. He wanted to get inside the kid’s mind. He wanted to know just what made him tick. He took a shine to him, that was all.
Then there was a moment, five years after Idol, where he was meeting up with some of the top ten for a quasi-reunion and realized that maybe it wasn’t a shine or infatuation or awe…
“I think I have a crush on Archie,” Cook stated, albeit quietly, to Michael over breakfast. It was just the two of them --none of the others had come down from their rooms yet-- but it felt like something that had to be said quietly. He couldn’t look Michael in the eye.
Michael’s laugh, loud and echoing in the otherwise empty room, startled Cook enough to jump an inch and spill some of the milk from his bowl of cereal.
“Hey.”
Cook looked up to find Michael giving him a huge grin. “Sorry man, but seriously? Way to catch up with the fucking class.”
“I’m glad this is funny to you,” Cook groaned, taking a napkin to the spilled milk around his plastic bowl.
“We’ve been taking bets,” Michael added, popping an orange slice in his mouth.
Cook paused for a beat, swallowing and trying his best to collect what semblance of dignity he could muster. “… We? What we?”
“Top twelve, Seacrest, Cowell,” Michael shrugged. “Most of the crew from the tour. Fans…”
Cook put a hand up. “What the hell? I mean, maybe you and possibly Syesha? But Seacrest?”
“You guys were glued to each other’s sides. I was surprised that you weren’t together by the end of the tour, honestly.”
“He was seventeen,” Cook pointed out. “You thought I was a pedophile?”
Michael shrugged again. “By New Years, then. Or Manila. You two were sickeningly sweet. I’m talking cavities.”
“Conversation over,” Cook put a hand up to cover his eyes. “You suck as a friend, has anyone ever told you that?”
“Oh come on, Cookie, you know you love me.”
*
Of course the whole idea of having a -lord help him - crush on David Archuleta, was that Cook couldn’t think of anybody less likely to reciprocate his feelings. He was straight-laced as they came, went to services when he could, and still had his dad accompany him on half the trips he took. Granted, he wasn’t on this trip, which was kind of a relief.
But it was like, now that he’d said the words out loud, now that he’d he said them to someone else, he was well and truly doomed. Archie walked out of the room he was sharing with Jason and stretched and Cook felt momentarily that he was sixteen all over again, all hormones and no brains to back it up. He was doing dishes, thankfully, so he had something to distract himself with, but it wasn’t much.
“You need any help?” Archie asked, voice still a little sleepy and low. “I didn’t think you’d be up this early.”
Cook focused on the bowl in his hand, which had been clean probably a full minute beforehand. “My sleep schedule’s off.”
“I know the feeling,” Archie said from much closer than he had been, and Cook felt like turning around just to see exactly where he was. “I think Castro might sleep till noon.”
A silence fell between them, thankfully broken as Archie walked behind Cook and grabbed a bowl to make himself some oatmeal. Cook was thirty years old. Thirty years old and still making a complete ass out of himself because of a cru--thing for a guy eight years younger than him. He felt beyond ridiculous.
He drained the sink and braced himself to look over at Archie, who he found was curled up in the breakfast nook and blowing on a spoonful of oatmeal. Cook blinked at him, thankful that Archie’s distracted. It was weird to see the remnants of the kid he’d known in the guy sitting just a few feet from him.
His face had definitely narrowed out, his skin a little darker and his hair a lot longer than it had been. But the lips were there, the smile just barely raised at the corners even while he ate, and the ears that Cook had teased him for over the years.
“Sit with me?” Archie asked, the weird way the question turned into a nervous plea familiar after all the years they’d known each other.
Cook grabbed the last mug of coffee and slid into the booth beside Archie, even if it was against his better judgment. Even before his revelation he had never quite been able to tell Archie no.
“What are the plans for the day?” Archie asked, taking a sip from his milk and looking at Cook intently.
Just biting back a laugh, Cook shook his head, “You don’t get the point of vacations, do you, Archuleta?”
“So?” Archie quirked an eyebrow. “No plans for the day?”
“Give the man a medal.” Cook winked. “Three days of no plans. No interviews, no phoners, no obligations… you think you can swing it?” Archie genuinely looked a little taken aback, which amused Cook and kind of broke his heart at the same time. His schedule had been crazy, but he still knew when to take a break.
Archie took another bite of oatmeal and nodded, his smile widening a bit. “Well, I guess that means that I can finally kick your butt at Mario Kart?”
Cook couldn’t help the loud bark of laughter.
*
Halfway through the day, when the last straggler had made it up into the living room, Archie had to admit that something was up. Cook was acting… weird. Every time Archie was within five feet of him, Cook would get jumpy and uncomfortable. To make matters weirder, Michael had a weird grin on his face that really just creeped Archie out.
Maybe it was just the free time and the lack of things to do. Cook had been right; it had been a long time since he’d had time to just relax. Or maybe it was just the fact that he hadn’t really gotten a chance to hang out with any of them since… well. Forever. But either way he didn’t like it. Which was silly, he wasn’t the kind of guy who was into contact; usually HE was the one who jumped a foot in the air, but he’d grown used to Cook’s constant touching.
The way his hand would land on Archie’s back when Archie said something he didn’t mean to be funny. Or the random and kind of odd hugs he would get when he’d say something that made Cook smile - which was often.
He felt … sad? Lonely? No, that wasn’t right. He had six of his friends surrounding him, making noise and playing games. He should’ve been happy and relieved and relaxed but none of that was true. He was tense. He was almost unhappy.
He just couldn’t place why.
*
There was a porch behind the small rented cabin they had. It was where they planned to hang out after or before dinner. It had a huge grill and a row of chairs and if Cook were honest with himself he would say it was a slice of heaven. As it was, he constantly ribbed the group for being old and crotchety, watching the sunset in deck chairs.
When he went out in the middle of the afternoon, seeking just a little bit of time to himself, he was surprised to find Archie leaning against the railing staring out at the trees. He stopped in the doorway, thought about turning back, but then Archie turned towards him, with a genuine smile that faltered after only a few seconds.
“Need some space?” Cook asked, taking a step back before Archie held both hands up.
“No,” he said, firmly, before he seemed to realize the force behind his voice. “I mean, um. No. I’m just getting some air. Do you… um… do you need some space?”
The unspoken from me made Cook’s chest hurt. The concern that creased Archie’s eyes was just further proof that Cook had failed completely at keeping things cool. He walked towards the railing with as little hesitation as he could muster and then leaned his forearms next to Archie’s.
“Not at all.” He stared out. It really was a beautiful place, peaceful and quiet in a way that his life very rarely was. Archie relaxed beside him and seemed to move just an inch or so closer, the warmth spreading through Cook like a shot of whiskey.
Nothing he could think to say was anything less than horrifyingly embarrassing so Cook stood with his eyes firmly fixed on a mountain in the distance. He licked his lips and bit his cheek, both things he hadn’t done since his first real crush in probably third grade. All his dignity was gone now.
“Are you mad at me?” Archie was so quiet that it almost got lost in the albeit small space between them.
Cook jerked his head to look at him and knew he must look like a scared cat or possibly a deranged lunatic. He just… that was the vibe he was giving off? He blinked. He exhaled. He pleaded with his brain to do something productive but it seemed to not want to do that at all.
“It’s just,” Archie started again. “You flinch when I’m around and I know it’s been a while since we hung out and all but it’s work, right? We’re all crazy busy and maybe I should have made more of an effort to just like… tell everyone to go to heck and call you but I didn’t know it would hurt your feelings and I don’t want to have you mad-“
“Shut up,” Cook just stopped himself from putting his hand on Archie’s mouth. The look of hurt that replaced the nervous look made Cook wish he had. “I mean. Stop? Please? No, I’m not mad at you. Not even a little, man. I mean. Yeah, I wish we talked more, but I get it? If anyone in the world, the people here get what crazy feels like. So no worries about that.”
Archie frowned. “Then what is it?”
There was a long pause, possibly too long, while Cook collected his thoughts. “I miss you.”
“I miss you, too,” Archie smiled, lopsided but it was still there. His head was cocked to one side like he was a bit confused. “But I thought that was what this weekend was for? Catching up with the gang?”
Cook inhaled. Of course he was failing at getting his point across. Maybe he needed Michael as his Cyrano or something - wait, that was not his best idea. He rubbed his face with both hands but smiled. “Exactly. That was what this weekend was for. But I miss you, Arch. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you and had it been just you, you know?”
Still a bit confused, Archie nodded. “So do you want to make a break for it? Maybe go to town or something? I hear they have a few places. Though I thought we were aiming for laying low.”
“No,” Cook felt like he was in a demented Abbot and Costello routine. He swallowed around a ‘whose on first’ joke and tried again. “But maybe when we get back to Los Angeles we can work out a time to go to dinner?”
Archie’s smile went so wide that Cook’s chest ached. “Yeah, that would be totally awesome. I have to go do a couple of interviews back east, but would you want to get dinner when I get back? I have some songs I want you to hear, I’m really trying to get a new voice on this next record.”
“Awesome,” Cook mimicked. He didn’t think Archie got that he’d just been asked on a date but really, beggars couldn’t be choosers.
Suddenly, Archie’s arms were around him in a tight hug, something Archie still rarely initiated even after all this time. Cook inhaled.
“Wait,” Archie said, pulling back. “Do you have your acoustic?”
Cook cocked an eyebrow; was that even a question?
“Go grab it, I’ve got something I want to work on with you.”
Archie was in the house two seconds before Cook could form a retort of about this being a vacation. But honestly he didn’t care.
*
The four-day weekend went by way too quickly, though after the conversation with Cook on the second day, Archie felt like it was actually a vacation. There were still moments of weirdness that Archie couldn’t define but it didn’t matter as much. They played around with the chorus of a song that had been driving him crazy and after awhile Michael and Jason came out to play with it as well.
It was his favorite way to spend an afternoon, honestly, with his friends just goofing off. It didn’t feel like work when the people around you were willing to laugh when you messed up and didn’t look at you like you were costing them time and money. That was a part of the business that always bugged him. It wasn’t all the time, but it felt like a good number of people he worked with considered it actually work, and he hated losing the love of it.
Cook was the first to leave, an early flight that was taking him to DC to play a benefit concert. They all hugged, patted each other’s backs and Cook predictably teared up. As he dug his head into Cook’s neck, his eyes began to water as well, but he stopped it before he pulled back.
“See you soon,” he promised, the tell tale crack at the end of it giving him away. He felt silly, they lived in the same city for Pete’s sake… at least sometimes.
Cook seemed to get it and gave him a second hug, tighter this time. “See you soon.”
Then maybe an hour later they had to do the same thing, this time with Brooke, Carly and Jason, all heading back to California for work. He felt bad that it wasn’t that hard this time, but he hugged them each tightly. Brooke and Carly both made him promise he’d call or at the very least text and he said he would. Jason joked that twitter was just the same.
Then it was just he and Michael. The house was weirdly quiet, having been filled to the brim with noise for days. He felt weird not hearing one of the others coming down the stairs or making plans. He didn’t even know what to say.
“Where ya heading?” Michael asked, breaking the silence.
Archie looked at his phone and frowned. He wasn’t actually sure. Somehow this made Michael laugh, but Archie had long since given up on trying to figure out what was funny about what he said.
“Um, New Jersey?” he said, about ninety percent sure. He looked up at Michael. “What about you?”
“Texas,” Michael smiled. “Stacey took Tuck down there to visit her family. Meeting up with her.”
Archie smiled back. He’d only really met Tucker once, but he’d seen all the pictures that Stacey sent regularly. It was almost hard to picture Michael as a dad, but he knew without a doubt that anything he did, he did well. “Tell them I say hi?”
Another silence. The car for Archie wasn’t going to be there for at least fifteen minutes and he had no idea what he should be talking about. It was a common enough occurrence but most of the time there wasn’t a weird undercurrent. Which there seemed to be, like maybe they should be talking about something,but Archie was totally in the dark.
Out of desperation he went into the kitchen and grabbed two of the remaining cans of Sprite left. He offered Michael one, who took it with a different smile than he’d had on earlier.
“He’s a good guy,” Michael offered, in a leap in conversation that Archie seemed to miss. “Cook. He’s a nice guy.”
Archie nodded his head. “Yeah. Cook is awesome.”
Which was true. He loved Cook. Cook was silly and random and like, beyond intelligent. Of course Cook was awesome. He was Cook.
Michael sipped from his can and averted his eyes. “This feels really weird to say to you and I’m totally going to break a few rules of friendship here, but … I’ve got to say that he isn’t as badass as he seems, so if you are going into this date with anything other than the right mindset I might have to hurt you.”
Archie gaped.
“And I really don’t want to have to hurt you, kid. I like you. A lot.”
“Thank you?” Archie said, unable to think of anything better to say.
There was a honking sound, and of course it was his car. He grabbed at his bag and automatically turned to Michael, whose face had gone from serious back to smiling and happy. He was wrapped up in a tight hug, and lifted up because Michael always did that to him.
“Good on ya,” Michael said, placing him down. “We’ve been taking bets on when you guys would figure this out for years.”
The car honked again before he could ask who and what the bets were about but he lifted his free hand in a wave.
It wasn’t until he was buckling himself into the back seat that the last few minutes sunk in. Had Michael just said ‘date’?
*
It turned out that just as Archie got back from the east coast, Cook was on his way to Canada for a week-and-a-half-long press/show junket. Which normally wouldn’t be that big of a deal: he wasn’t kidding when he said that he was used to things being put off because of his schedule. This time, though, this time it itched under his skin.
He didn’t cancel shows; he didn’t do that to fans. Through sickness and heartache and the worst times of his life, he never canceled. His fans were some of the most amazing people, even the crazy ones, and he owed it to them to show up and to be there for them. But… just once, he was dying to do so.
He just wasn’t sure “Archie said yes” would be a valid excuse, or at least not one that didn’t require a whole lot more explanation than he was actually prepared to give at the moment. So he texted and emailed and tried his best to not sound like a weird stalker when Archie was brought up in interviews (which he was, even a half a decade later).
He even gave himself a day of recovery time before he actually went on the date, because if he was going to do something, he was going to do it right.
In the month they were separated, something changed between the two of them, that was for sure. Archie had made an effort to actually text and call, which was comforting and yet unnerving. Their conversations seemed a little stunted and awkward, but he wasn’t the best on the phone and he knew for certain that Archie wasn’t either.
He emailed Archie most nights, the delete key a life-saving buffer from some really stupid sentences, and agreed on dinner at a restaurant that Archie had heard about through his agent.
Cook suggested they see a movie afterward, but Archie couldn’t find anything that they would both like, and made a casual comment about maybe someplace where they could talk. Cook tried not to count his chickens before they hatched.
He showed up in front of Archie’s apartment building to find that Archie was already outside. It left him a little disappointed that he didn’t get to do the walk up and knock on the door thing, but when he noticed that Archie was pacing, it comforted him. At least he wasn’t the only nervous on. He was telling himself that that was a good thing.
“Hey,” Cook smiled. “Long time no see.”
Archie’s smile was just as nervous and yet it was his usual blinding watt. “How was Canada?”
“Mostly cold and polite.”
Archie laughed and the ball of nerves in Cook’s stomach began to unravel.
*
There was something weird about the time between Michael’s out of the blue declaration of ‘date’ and the actual… well. Date. Archie spent the first few days desperately trying to figure out if he could get out of said date without losing Cook’s friendship; because that was what he thought of it as. Friendship.
Dating could ruin everything, not that he had that much experience, but he knew the very basics of never dating a close friend. He didn’t want to lose Cook. He couldn’t lose him. Distance and breaks from conversations were one thing, but forever? He couldn’t lose Cook like that. He just couldn’t.
But after brooding over it for the better part of a week, he did the only thing he could think of: he called his sister.
Once her giggling repetition of ‘I called it’ ebbed, Claudia was actually pretty helpful. She didn’t freak out, like he’d half feared she would, about Cook being a guy. She didn’t tell him that he was making the biggest mistake of his life. She didn’t even tell him that he had to go on the date. She just… laid out the truth in front of him and waited for him to connect the dots.
“So he’s one of your best friends?”
“Yes.”
“He makes you laugh?”
“Yes.”
“You’re comfortable around him?”
“Yes.”
“You’re attracted to him?”
He didn’t respond, but knew his sister well enough to assume she took that as a ‘yes’ as well.
“So, what’s the big deal? Go on a date with him. See if you click, you know, like that.”
A knot formed in his stomach and his voice went tight. “What if we don’t?”
But then they did and he talked and he texted and every time he talked to or even about Cook everything seemed to make more sense. He was long past the freak out over sexuality: he hadn’t been exactly forthcoming with it but he was definitely comfortable with himself. He had to be.
Which meant he got to go on a date with David Cook. Which was kind of awesome even if not just a little bit terrifying. He hadn’t exactly planned on talking about it with anyone, other than Claudia of course, but when it slipped to his agent that he was planning on dinner with Cook, she emailed a list of ‘acceptable’ places within twenty minutes.
Most of them were big places that were apparently places to be seen and well, he didn’t want to be seen. Or he did? But he didn’t want it to become a circus. He remembered the look on Cook’s face when he said “just you and me” and he wanted it to be that, too. Just him and Cook and some time to catch up.
He spent who knew how much time trying to figure out which on the list was the smallest and most intimate - even though that word kind of made him squirm-and finally settled on a small seafood restaurant by the beach. He had never thought of movies as good first date material; they just seemed to be too impersonal and totally against the point of what a date was supposed to be.
So yeah, he knew Cook. They didn’t have to have silly first date conversations about where they grew up and their jobs or anything but he did want to have time to just catch up. That was the point.
Before Cook picked him up, he’d changed his outfit about a half a dozen times. The place they were going wasn’t fancy by any definition but it wasn’t a hole in the wall. Besides it wasn’t the place, but the person he was going to dinner with. He tried to dress up but felt completely silly in a tie; Los Angeles wasn’t cold enough for a jacket even when it was late at night.
He felt totally ridiculous.
He settled on a polo and a nicer pair of jeans - could jeans be nice?-but he forced himself to leave his apartment before he second-guessed himself… again. He sat on the bottom step of his apartment for all of half a minute before the nervous energy made him pace back and forth. Cook had said he would pick him up at six; he was out front at five forty five.
When he saw the familiar red car, the butterflies started again but he forced a smile. Date or not, some of his favorite times were just hanging out with Cook.
*
They spent the better part of the dinner talking about nothing of any consequence. Songs that had been driving them crazy, random fan encounters, the occasional break at their respective homes. Cook couldn’t place where catching up with old friends ended and something more began, but he began to suspect something was up when Archie decided he was paying for the whole thing.
He grabbed his credit card and handed it to the waitress before she even asked if they wanted dessert, and Cook was taken aback by the forwardness of the action. So taken aback that he barely had a chance to fight it. He just tilted his head and tried to hide the flush of pink that he knew was spreading on his cheeks in the unfortunately bright restaurant.
After they left, Archie safely avoided the valet and pointed towards the short walk to the beach ahead of them. Cook smiled and felt a bit like a teenager all over again. He wasn’t sure where this new Archie was coming from but it was definitely not a bad thing.
They walked just long enough that they couldn’t see the lights of the restaurants. Archie was quiet, not rare but a little unnerving, and Cook made up for it by telling him all about his trip to Canada; from the poutine to the real live Mounties he’d seen standing guard outside an embassy.
Finally Cook had enough and sat down on the cool sand. It was early October and he couldn’t help but smile at the fact that back home, he’d probably be wearing layers. As it stood he wore a shirt, shorts and a light jacket. He loved the west coast.
Cook dug his feet into the beach, letting his toes curl in the grains of sand. He was thankful he had gone for the casual shorts rather than having to roll up his pant legs. Though really, it was kind of cute when Archie did it. Lord, he was thinking of Archie in terms of “cute”, when did that happen. He wasn’t even sure what the hell this was and he was pretty sure Archie had just as little clue and it was all messed up.
He stared at the water, which was oddly calm with little waves, the smell of the familiar mix of salt water and Los Angeles fog that slowly was becoming synonymous with home. He put his hands back behind him and leaned back on them to stare up at the sky.
“I forget there actually are stars in Los Angeles,” Cook said, then instantly regretted it. “I mean. That you can see the stars? I forgot you could see them in LA.”
Out of the corner of his eyes, he caught Archie nodding, which was a relief. He guessed if he could ramble to anyone it would be Archie. He looked back up and heard the soft familiar hum of Archie’s voice.
“I'll touch every star in the sky… so this is the miracle that I've been dreaming of…”
Cook wondered if Archie even knew what he was doing. Half the time he knew for a fact that he didn’t, but that just made it even more endearing. Damn it. He turned towards him, mouth open to ask where the song was from but instead he was met with Archie’s face inches away from his.
“Wh-“
It wasn’t the most graceful first kiss. Cook’s mouth was open, Archie was smiling and somehow their teeth clicked. It wasn’t as bad as the time in high school he got his lip caught on Laura’s braces or the time that Grant tried to bite his tongue, but it was still pretty bad.
Still, it was Archie and rather than ask ‘What the hell was that?’ when they pulled back, he shifted to a more comfortable position and showed Archie that he did in fact know how to kiss. He put his hand on the back of Archie’s neck and pulled him closer, mixing sand into the his hairline.
Archie moved his hand to Cook’s chest and pushed slightly, just enough to move him away. Cook went a little bit dazed at the sight of bright pink lips and glazed eyes. Archie looked so… debauched.
“Sorry,” Archie exhaled, and Cook swore that even in the dark he could see him blushing.
He chuckled. “Trust me when I say that I’m not sorry at all.”
Which just made Archie blush harder.
*
Cook didn’t have to check the phone to know who it was.
“So are you a real boy now?”
He shucked off his shoes and turned the lights on. Dublin was giddily running around in circles at his feet. “Shut up, old man.”
“You’ve got to give me something here,” Michael pleaded. “You know that I’ve been getting texts from the girls all night. I’ve got to get some sleep sometime.”
Cook opened his fridge and grabbed a beer. “Bullshit. You’re just wanting it for yourself, you perv.”
“Oh yes, Cookie dear,” Michael drawled. “I need all the facts for my detailed accounts on the internet. You’ve got to give me something, why else did I buy Cook loves Archuleta dot com?”
“That’s getting you nowhere fast.”
Michael laughed. “You know you are going to tell me, just get on with it. Did you at least figure out if it was a date?”
“It was a date.” Cook couldn’t help the goofy smile on his face. He sipped happily at his beer, sprawled out on his couch with his dog at his feet. “It was a freaking good date.”
“Called it.”
Something in his stomach did a weird flip when he realized that he could care less. He could deal with the fact that he was going to get endless crap from not only his family but his friends as well. That if it actually leaked to the internet, the shit might hit the fan. He could deal with schedules and craziness. Because it had been a freaking great date and there was talk of other dates.
“You are smiling like a lunatic right now, aren’t you?” Michael broke into his thoughts.
Cook laughed. “Ugh, I don’t accept or deny that.”
*
Archie just made it in his bedroom before he grabbed his phone and hit the third speed dial on his cell phone. It didn’t even get through a full ring before his sister’s voice came on the line.
“Everything.”
He knew full well it was a command and not a question - something that had annoyed him from the time he was a little kid but not so much right now. He pushed his hand into his hair and smiled.
“It was good?” Archie offered, admittedly lamely.
Claudia made a tutting noise. “Good. You are giving me good? Cook, David. You went out with Cook. Elaborate.”
“Gosh,” Archie blushed, like he was sixteen and it was still his first date. “It was good? More than that, it was kind of amazing. I mean, Cook was Cook, but maybe a little nervous? And he kept looking at me in this weird way that made me nervous. We went to this place that was by the ocean and then walked along the side of it and it was so awesome. I mean, I’ve lived here how long and I never just take a night to give myself a break. It was amazing.”
“That was the least descriptive ramble you’ve ever given me.”
Archie frowned. “How?”
“Are you going to see him again?”
“He’s Cook,” Archie blinked. “Why wouldn’t I see him again?”
Claudia sighed. “Like on a date, Dave. Are you going to go out again?”
Archie had to think about it. He wanted to go on a date. He thought Cook did, too. Especially with the way the night had ended… but maybe he was reading into something. He remembered with painful detail the clack of their teeth during the first kiss. It wasn’t pleasant, but what came after was completely the opposite, warm and toe curling and all the things he would never ever tell his sister under pain of death.
“So did you get a kiss?” she asked, like she could read his mind. His prolonged silence caused a laugh loud enough that he needed to pull his phone back from his ear for a moment. When he got it back to his ear she added. “David James, first date? You sly dog.”
Archie put his hand over his face. “Oh my gosh, I can’t tell you anything.”
*
Cook planned on waiting it out a few days, possibly because he was still processing and maybe because he had no idea what he would say, but Archie was the one to call the very next day. In typical Archie fashion, he didn’t really mention the night before and rambled for a minute or so about an afternoon off and this really great Indian place until Cook cobbled together that it wasn’t just mentioning, it was asking for something.
“You asking me to lunch?” he laughed. “Cause if not you are just being a Naan-tease.”
Archie didn’t answer immediately and even with years of experience of Archie on the phone Cook’s stomach went into a knot. Maybe he was just mentioning it?
“Do you want to go?” Archie asked; the words rushed together and a little high pitched. “And maybe, um. Hang out afterward?”
Cook had a meeting at three; one that would probably require the jaws-of-life and a lot of genuine pleading to get out of, but the image of Archie all flushed and nervous and asking him on a date was a little too much for him. “Yeah. Of course.”
They met at the place - and seriously Cook wondered where Archie found these places - and enjoyed Naan and Tandoori chicken and something way too spicy for Cook’s taste. He manned up though and ate it, even if he could feel his sinuses draining and has had to chug down three or four cokes just to finish it. Archie didn’t even seem to bat an eyelash, sipping on his water like he was eating mashed potatoes.
Having covered the topics of the last few weeks the night before, they instead talked about the future. They both were crazy busy, which Cook had known beforehand but still didn’t like hearing. Archie was only in town for about four more days and wouldn’t be back until Cook was doing some touring. Cook’s return would be during a family thing and all in all they wouldn’t even be in the same state for a good two months.
It made the rest of the lunch conversation a little stilted and uncomfortable.
*
Archie hadn’t actually planned out the whole “hanging out” thing when he’d called Cook. Actually he hadn’t even really known he was calling for a date until he’d stumbled into it. He felt like maybe he was thinking way too much about everything, but how could he not?
He just knew that he wanted it to be a chance to really hang out after the awkward realization that they weren’t going to see each other… or maybe the reminder of it? It wasn’t like they hadn’t been in the business for the entirety of their friendship.
It just wasn’t their friendship anymore, was it? Archie’s stomach clenched when he thought of the word. Not a friendship but a relationship. Maybe.
“I got the new Madden?” Cook offered. Archie wasn’t much for sports on gaming systems, it just felt silly, but he nodded. It was a decent enough excuse.
They both took their own cars, which gave him just enough time to have the minor freak out that he was going over to Cook’s. Alone. After they’d kissed the night before. He would call what was going on in his stomach butterflies but he was pretty sure that they would have to be titanium butterflies. Probably a dozen of them, at the very least.
Cook beat him home, naturally, and left the gate that lead into the front door of his house slightly open. Archie looked himself in the mirror.
“Oh my gosh, what are you doing?”
His reflection was stubbornly silent.
Cook, at least, looked nervous when Archie walked in the door. Standing in his foyer awkwardly, like he didn’t know whether he should have gone further in. Archie went to take off his shoes, the gesture reminding him that he had in fact been in this house before. That he knew Cook, that he wasn’t just starting a relationship, just continuing one. Or something. It somehow calmed him down.
When he stood back up, Cook was still there, or possibly closer. He was smiling, small, but happy with just that faint line of nervous underneath. Archie had the beginnings of a question on his lips but instead he got Cook’s lips tentatively on his. A simple brush of skin and when Cook pulled back Archie caught the familiar scent of Cook’s cologne. He leaned forward just to take a good long inhale.
“So,” Cook exhaled, Archie close enough to feel the warmth and smell the remnants of Indian spices.
Archie swayed for a second, feeling aware of how silly he was over what amounted to a peck on the lips. He thought for a second and smiled. “Guitar Hero?”
Cook’s laugh made him jump.
“Oh it’s on.”
*
They ended up playing Guitar Hero for a grand total of two songs before they both realized that they weren’t really into it. Or possibly it was because neither one of them could concentrate. Either way it ended up being thrown aside for Ghostbusters on Comedy Central. Cook owned it on Blu-Ray actually, but Archie liked that they censored out the questionable bits.
Cook shouldn’t have found that so entirely endearing. He had dignity after all. Or he did. But when Archie cracked up at Bill Murray ranting, Cook questioned if dignity was even going to be an option.
They started seated on opposite sides of the couch, leaning back at the seats with comical space between them. Cook let that last for all of ten seconds before he broke the silence and leaned across and kissed him again. He could definitely get used to being able to do that when he wanted to. Even more so, he could get used to the look of shock on Archie’s face each time he pulled back. The way his face tinted pink and his eyes glazed a little. The exhale that always came out like an ‘Oh!’
He catalogued it all and smiled when Archie moved right beside him. His eyes still on the screen, he leaned back onto Cook’s arm and shifted so his side was pressed alongside Cook’s. Cook just watched. fascinated at how calm Archie was, or at least seemed to be. He put a hand on Cook’s thigh and leaned his head slightly onto Cook’s shoulder.
After a moment Archie turned his head up to look at him, eyes innocent, lips curled up just slightly at each side. “What?”
“Nothing.” Cook bridged the last little bit and kissed him again. He almost laughed when Archie’s other hand landed on his chest. Who would have thought that Archie had moves. But then he was kissed again and he lost track of his thoughts after that.
*
By the time that the credits ran, Archie was pretty sure he still could claim to never having watched it. He’d seen about twenty minutes total and even then he’d been distracted by the way Cook had been so close but not touching him. It was like a magnet, the way he felt pulled towards him. Once Cook kissed him it was the permission he needed to curl up into his side.
He felt like he was sixteen again, the way he was just aware of Cook and everything he did. Back then he’d claimed that it was friendship but now he laughed at his own densness. He’d been crazy over Cook from the first time that he’d heard a stupid joke from him and laughed. It just took him a while apparently.
“What’re you grinning at?” Cook asked, his hand wrapped around the hand that Archie couldn’t seem to move off of Cook’s chest. He could feel the steady beat of Cook’s heart beneath his hand and the warmth even through the layers of clothing.
He blushed. “Um. Just thinking about how things take time.”
“About that,” Cook said, looking away and something tightened in his chest. “I know we don’t have much time right now…”
“Three days,” Archie admitted a bit miserably.
Cook turned back to look at him and pressed a kiss on Archie’s temple. “I’ve kind of been waiting five years for this.”
“Me too.”
“You think we can make it a few more months?”
Archie took a steadying breath. “I think that depends.”
“On?”
He looked down at his and Cook’s hands; Cook was running his thumb back and forth on top of his wrist. “On if … if we try and do it together? I don’t think I want to go back to barely talking.”
“Hey,” Cook made him look up. “I didn’t mean we were going back to just friends. I just meant… I just meant we could figure it out. We can do this together. If you’re up to it.”
He kissed Cook, because he could. Even with the constant contact over the last hour and a half he liked the way the kiss felt brand new. It made his face warm and his lips tingle and his stomach twist.
“I think we can make it work,” Archie smiled against Cook’s lips. “Together.”
on to part two.
Pairing: David Cook/David Archuleta
Rating: PG 13
Summary: Cook finally gets it together to make his move forward just as Archie's world is about to fall apart. (Future Fic, Not AU) (very very very very loosely based on Say Anything. I mean VERY.)
Author's Notes: As always I had an amazing group of people help me with this. From emily_n_90 who offered a read even when she doesn't do fandom, to openice who had to deal with my rambling for two hours in a (locked car), to rajkumari905's insanely in depth cleaning of all the parts or carolinecrane's amazing response/beta that not only gave me the confidence to continue but meant more to me than I'll ever be able to put into a stupid little A/N. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.
For years, Cook and Archie were just friends. Two friends, close friends at times and not so close at other times. Cook admired him, was in complete awe of him if he was honest. He hadn’t really known at sixteen what he wanted to do in the next year, let alone the rest of his life. Yet, here was this guy-this kid-who walked into Hollywood week and blew the competition out of the water. He knew what he wanted, and crazily enough, he was actually going for it.
So maybe, just maybe, it wasn’t just friendliness but more of an infatuation on Cook’s part. He wanted to get inside the kid’s mind. He wanted to know just what made him tick. He took a shine to him, that was all.
Then there was a moment, five years after Idol, where he was meeting up with some of the top ten for a quasi-reunion and realized that maybe it wasn’t a shine or infatuation or awe…
“I think I have a crush on Archie,” Cook stated, albeit quietly, to Michael over breakfast. It was just the two of them --none of the others had come down from their rooms yet-- but it felt like something that had to be said quietly. He couldn’t look Michael in the eye.
Michael’s laugh, loud and echoing in the otherwise empty room, startled Cook enough to jump an inch and spill some of the milk from his bowl of cereal.
“Hey.”
Cook looked up to find Michael giving him a huge grin. “Sorry man, but seriously? Way to catch up with the fucking class.”
“I’m glad this is funny to you,” Cook groaned, taking a napkin to the spilled milk around his plastic bowl.
“We’ve been taking bets,” Michael added, popping an orange slice in his mouth.
Cook paused for a beat, swallowing and trying his best to collect what semblance of dignity he could muster. “… We? What we?”
“Top twelve, Seacrest, Cowell,” Michael shrugged. “Most of the crew from the tour. Fans…”
Cook put a hand up. “What the hell? I mean, maybe you and possibly Syesha? But Seacrest?”
“You guys were glued to each other’s sides. I was surprised that you weren’t together by the end of the tour, honestly.”
“He was seventeen,” Cook pointed out. “You thought I was a pedophile?”
Michael shrugged again. “By New Years, then. Or Manila. You two were sickeningly sweet. I’m talking cavities.”
“Conversation over,” Cook put a hand up to cover his eyes. “You suck as a friend, has anyone ever told you that?”
“Oh come on, Cookie, you know you love me.”
*
Of course the whole idea of having a -lord help him - crush on David Archuleta, was that Cook couldn’t think of anybody less likely to reciprocate his feelings. He was straight-laced as they came, went to services when he could, and still had his dad accompany him on half the trips he took. Granted, he wasn’t on this trip, which was kind of a relief.
But it was like, now that he’d said the words out loud, now that he’d he said them to someone else, he was well and truly doomed. Archie walked out of the room he was sharing with Jason and stretched and Cook felt momentarily that he was sixteen all over again, all hormones and no brains to back it up. He was doing dishes, thankfully, so he had something to distract himself with, but it wasn’t much.
“You need any help?” Archie asked, voice still a little sleepy and low. “I didn’t think you’d be up this early.”
Cook focused on the bowl in his hand, which had been clean probably a full minute beforehand. “My sleep schedule’s off.”
“I know the feeling,” Archie said from much closer than he had been, and Cook felt like turning around just to see exactly where he was. “I think Castro might sleep till noon.”
A silence fell between them, thankfully broken as Archie walked behind Cook and grabbed a bowl to make himself some oatmeal. Cook was thirty years old. Thirty years old and still making a complete ass out of himself because of a cru--thing for a guy eight years younger than him. He felt beyond ridiculous.
He drained the sink and braced himself to look over at Archie, who he found was curled up in the breakfast nook and blowing on a spoonful of oatmeal. Cook blinked at him, thankful that Archie’s distracted. It was weird to see the remnants of the kid he’d known in the guy sitting just a few feet from him.
His face had definitely narrowed out, his skin a little darker and his hair a lot longer than it had been. But the lips were there, the smile just barely raised at the corners even while he ate, and the ears that Cook had teased him for over the years.
“Sit with me?” Archie asked, the weird way the question turned into a nervous plea familiar after all the years they’d known each other.
Cook grabbed the last mug of coffee and slid into the booth beside Archie, even if it was against his better judgment. Even before his revelation he had never quite been able to tell Archie no.
“What are the plans for the day?” Archie asked, taking a sip from his milk and looking at Cook intently.
Just biting back a laugh, Cook shook his head, “You don’t get the point of vacations, do you, Archuleta?”
“So?” Archie quirked an eyebrow. “No plans for the day?”
“Give the man a medal.” Cook winked. “Three days of no plans. No interviews, no phoners, no obligations… you think you can swing it?” Archie genuinely looked a little taken aback, which amused Cook and kind of broke his heart at the same time. His schedule had been crazy, but he still knew when to take a break.
Archie took another bite of oatmeal and nodded, his smile widening a bit. “Well, I guess that means that I can finally kick your butt at Mario Kart?”
Cook couldn’t help the loud bark of laughter.
*
Halfway through the day, when the last straggler had made it up into the living room, Archie had to admit that something was up. Cook was acting… weird. Every time Archie was within five feet of him, Cook would get jumpy and uncomfortable. To make matters weirder, Michael had a weird grin on his face that really just creeped Archie out.
Maybe it was just the free time and the lack of things to do. Cook had been right; it had been a long time since he’d had time to just relax. Or maybe it was just the fact that he hadn’t really gotten a chance to hang out with any of them since… well. Forever. But either way he didn’t like it. Which was silly, he wasn’t the kind of guy who was into contact; usually HE was the one who jumped a foot in the air, but he’d grown used to Cook’s constant touching.
The way his hand would land on Archie’s back when Archie said something he didn’t mean to be funny. Or the random and kind of odd hugs he would get when he’d say something that made Cook smile - which was often.
He felt … sad? Lonely? No, that wasn’t right. He had six of his friends surrounding him, making noise and playing games. He should’ve been happy and relieved and relaxed but none of that was true. He was tense. He was almost unhappy.
He just couldn’t place why.
*
There was a porch behind the small rented cabin they had. It was where they planned to hang out after or before dinner. It had a huge grill and a row of chairs and if Cook were honest with himself he would say it was a slice of heaven. As it was, he constantly ribbed the group for being old and crotchety, watching the sunset in deck chairs.
When he went out in the middle of the afternoon, seeking just a little bit of time to himself, he was surprised to find Archie leaning against the railing staring out at the trees. He stopped in the doorway, thought about turning back, but then Archie turned towards him, with a genuine smile that faltered after only a few seconds.
“Need some space?” Cook asked, taking a step back before Archie held both hands up.
“No,” he said, firmly, before he seemed to realize the force behind his voice. “I mean, um. No. I’m just getting some air. Do you… um… do you need some space?”
The unspoken from me made Cook’s chest hurt. The concern that creased Archie’s eyes was just further proof that Cook had failed completely at keeping things cool. He walked towards the railing with as little hesitation as he could muster and then leaned his forearms next to Archie’s.
“Not at all.” He stared out. It really was a beautiful place, peaceful and quiet in a way that his life very rarely was. Archie relaxed beside him and seemed to move just an inch or so closer, the warmth spreading through Cook like a shot of whiskey.
Nothing he could think to say was anything less than horrifyingly embarrassing so Cook stood with his eyes firmly fixed on a mountain in the distance. He licked his lips and bit his cheek, both things he hadn’t done since his first real crush in probably third grade. All his dignity was gone now.
“Are you mad at me?” Archie was so quiet that it almost got lost in the albeit small space between them.
Cook jerked his head to look at him and knew he must look like a scared cat or possibly a deranged lunatic. He just… that was the vibe he was giving off? He blinked. He exhaled. He pleaded with his brain to do something productive but it seemed to not want to do that at all.
“It’s just,” Archie started again. “You flinch when I’m around and I know it’s been a while since we hung out and all but it’s work, right? We’re all crazy busy and maybe I should have made more of an effort to just like… tell everyone to go to heck and call you but I didn’t know it would hurt your feelings and I don’t want to have you mad-“
“Shut up,” Cook just stopped himself from putting his hand on Archie’s mouth. The look of hurt that replaced the nervous look made Cook wish he had. “I mean. Stop? Please? No, I’m not mad at you. Not even a little, man. I mean. Yeah, I wish we talked more, but I get it? If anyone in the world, the people here get what crazy feels like. So no worries about that.”
Archie frowned. “Then what is it?”
There was a long pause, possibly too long, while Cook collected his thoughts. “I miss you.”
“I miss you, too,” Archie smiled, lopsided but it was still there. His head was cocked to one side like he was a bit confused. “But I thought that was what this weekend was for? Catching up with the gang?”
Cook inhaled. Of course he was failing at getting his point across. Maybe he needed Michael as his Cyrano or something - wait, that was not his best idea. He rubbed his face with both hands but smiled. “Exactly. That was what this weekend was for. But I miss you, Arch. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you and had it been just you, you know?”
Still a bit confused, Archie nodded. “So do you want to make a break for it? Maybe go to town or something? I hear they have a few places. Though I thought we were aiming for laying low.”
“No,” Cook felt like he was in a demented Abbot and Costello routine. He swallowed around a ‘whose on first’ joke and tried again. “But maybe when we get back to Los Angeles we can work out a time to go to dinner?”
Archie’s smile went so wide that Cook’s chest ached. “Yeah, that would be totally awesome. I have to go do a couple of interviews back east, but would you want to get dinner when I get back? I have some songs I want you to hear, I’m really trying to get a new voice on this next record.”
“Awesome,” Cook mimicked. He didn’t think Archie got that he’d just been asked on a date but really, beggars couldn’t be choosers.
Suddenly, Archie’s arms were around him in a tight hug, something Archie still rarely initiated even after all this time. Cook inhaled.
“Wait,” Archie said, pulling back. “Do you have your acoustic?”
Cook cocked an eyebrow; was that even a question?
“Go grab it, I’ve got something I want to work on with you.”
Archie was in the house two seconds before Cook could form a retort of about this being a vacation. But honestly he didn’t care.
*
The four-day weekend went by way too quickly, though after the conversation with Cook on the second day, Archie felt like it was actually a vacation. There were still moments of weirdness that Archie couldn’t define but it didn’t matter as much. They played around with the chorus of a song that had been driving him crazy and after awhile Michael and Jason came out to play with it as well.
It was his favorite way to spend an afternoon, honestly, with his friends just goofing off. It didn’t feel like work when the people around you were willing to laugh when you messed up and didn’t look at you like you were costing them time and money. That was a part of the business that always bugged him. It wasn’t all the time, but it felt like a good number of people he worked with considered it actually work, and he hated losing the love of it.
Cook was the first to leave, an early flight that was taking him to DC to play a benefit concert. They all hugged, patted each other’s backs and Cook predictably teared up. As he dug his head into Cook’s neck, his eyes began to water as well, but he stopped it before he pulled back.
“See you soon,” he promised, the tell tale crack at the end of it giving him away. He felt silly, they lived in the same city for Pete’s sake… at least sometimes.
Cook seemed to get it and gave him a second hug, tighter this time. “See you soon.”
Then maybe an hour later they had to do the same thing, this time with Brooke, Carly and Jason, all heading back to California for work. He felt bad that it wasn’t that hard this time, but he hugged them each tightly. Brooke and Carly both made him promise he’d call or at the very least text and he said he would. Jason joked that twitter was just the same.
Then it was just he and Michael. The house was weirdly quiet, having been filled to the brim with noise for days. He felt weird not hearing one of the others coming down the stairs or making plans. He didn’t even know what to say.
“Where ya heading?” Michael asked, breaking the silence.
Archie looked at his phone and frowned. He wasn’t actually sure. Somehow this made Michael laugh, but Archie had long since given up on trying to figure out what was funny about what he said.
“Um, New Jersey?” he said, about ninety percent sure. He looked up at Michael. “What about you?”
“Texas,” Michael smiled. “Stacey took Tuck down there to visit her family. Meeting up with her.”
Archie smiled back. He’d only really met Tucker once, but he’d seen all the pictures that Stacey sent regularly. It was almost hard to picture Michael as a dad, but he knew without a doubt that anything he did, he did well. “Tell them I say hi?”
Another silence. The car for Archie wasn’t going to be there for at least fifteen minutes and he had no idea what he should be talking about. It was a common enough occurrence but most of the time there wasn’t a weird undercurrent. Which there seemed to be, like maybe they should be talking about something,but Archie was totally in the dark.
Out of desperation he went into the kitchen and grabbed two of the remaining cans of Sprite left. He offered Michael one, who took it with a different smile than he’d had on earlier.
“He’s a good guy,” Michael offered, in a leap in conversation that Archie seemed to miss. “Cook. He’s a nice guy.”
Archie nodded his head. “Yeah. Cook is awesome.”
Which was true. He loved Cook. Cook was silly and random and like, beyond intelligent. Of course Cook was awesome. He was Cook.
Michael sipped from his can and averted his eyes. “This feels really weird to say to you and I’m totally going to break a few rules of friendship here, but … I’ve got to say that he isn’t as badass as he seems, so if you are going into this date with anything other than the right mindset I might have to hurt you.”
Archie gaped.
“And I really don’t want to have to hurt you, kid. I like you. A lot.”
“Thank you?” Archie said, unable to think of anything better to say.
There was a honking sound, and of course it was his car. He grabbed at his bag and automatically turned to Michael, whose face had gone from serious back to smiling and happy. He was wrapped up in a tight hug, and lifted up because Michael always did that to him.
“Good on ya,” Michael said, placing him down. “We’ve been taking bets on when you guys would figure this out for years.”
The car honked again before he could ask who and what the bets were about but he lifted his free hand in a wave.
It wasn’t until he was buckling himself into the back seat that the last few minutes sunk in. Had Michael just said ‘date’?
*
It turned out that just as Archie got back from the east coast, Cook was on his way to Canada for a week-and-a-half-long press/show junket. Which normally wouldn’t be that big of a deal: he wasn’t kidding when he said that he was used to things being put off because of his schedule. This time, though, this time it itched under his skin.
He didn’t cancel shows; he didn’t do that to fans. Through sickness and heartache and the worst times of his life, he never canceled. His fans were some of the most amazing people, even the crazy ones, and he owed it to them to show up and to be there for them. But… just once, he was dying to do so.
He just wasn’t sure “Archie said yes” would be a valid excuse, or at least not one that didn’t require a whole lot more explanation than he was actually prepared to give at the moment. So he texted and emailed and tried his best to not sound like a weird stalker when Archie was brought up in interviews (which he was, even a half a decade later).
He even gave himself a day of recovery time before he actually went on the date, because if he was going to do something, he was going to do it right.
In the month they were separated, something changed between the two of them, that was for sure. Archie had made an effort to actually text and call, which was comforting and yet unnerving. Their conversations seemed a little stunted and awkward, but he wasn’t the best on the phone and he knew for certain that Archie wasn’t either.
He emailed Archie most nights, the delete key a life-saving buffer from some really stupid sentences, and agreed on dinner at a restaurant that Archie had heard about through his agent.
Cook suggested they see a movie afterward, but Archie couldn’t find anything that they would both like, and made a casual comment about maybe someplace where they could talk. Cook tried not to count his chickens before they hatched.
He showed up in front of Archie’s apartment building to find that Archie was already outside. It left him a little disappointed that he didn’t get to do the walk up and knock on the door thing, but when he noticed that Archie was pacing, it comforted him. At least he wasn’t the only nervous on. He was telling himself that that was a good thing.
“Hey,” Cook smiled. “Long time no see.”
Archie’s smile was just as nervous and yet it was his usual blinding watt. “How was Canada?”
“Mostly cold and polite.”
Archie laughed and the ball of nerves in Cook’s stomach began to unravel.
*
There was something weird about the time between Michael’s out of the blue declaration of ‘date’ and the actual… well. Date. Archie spent the first few days desperately trying to figure out if he could get out of said date without losing Cook’s friendship; because that was what he thought of it as. Friendship.
Dating could ruin everything, not that he had that much experience, but he knew the very basics of never dating a close friend. He didn’t want to lose Cook. He couldn’t lose him. Distance and breaks from conversations were one thing, but forever? He couldn’t lose Cook like that. He just couldn’t.
But after brooding over it for the better part of a week, he did the only thing he could think of: he called his sister.
Once her giggling repetition of ‘I called it’ ebbed, Claudia was actually pretty helpful. She didn’t freak out, like he’d half feared she would, about Cook being a guy. She didn’t tell him that he was making the biggest mistake of his life. She didn’t even tell him that he had to go on the date. She just… laid out the truth in front of him and waited for him to connect the dots.
“So he’s one of your best friends?”
“Yes.”
“He makes you laugh?”
“Yes.”
“You’re comfortable around him?”
“Yes.”
“You’re attracted to him?”
He didn’t respond, but knew his sister well enough to assume she took that as a ‘yes’ as well.
“So, what’s the big deal? Go on a date with him. See if you click, you know, like that.”
A knot formed in his stomach and his voice went tight. “What if we don’t?”
But then they did and he talked and he texted and every time he talked to or even about Cook everything seemed to make more sense. He was long past the freak out over sexuality: he hadn’t been exactly forthcoming with it but he was definitely comfortable with himself. He had to be.
Which meant he got to go on a date with David Cook. Which was kind of awesome even if not just a little bit terrifying. He hadn’t exactly planned on talking about it with anyone, other than Claudia of course, but when it slipped to his agent that he was planning on dinner with Cook, she emailed a list of ‘acceptable’ places within twenty minutes.
Most of them were big places that were apparently places to be seen and well, he didn’t want to be seen. Or he did? But he didn’t want it to become a circus. He remembered the look on Cook’s face when he said “just you and me” and he wanted it to be that, too. Just him and Cook and some time to catch up.
He spent who knew how much time trying to figure out which on the list was the smallest and most intimate - even though that word kind of made him squirm-and finally settled on a small seafood restaurant by the beach. He had never thought of movies as good first date material; they just seemed to be too impersonal and totally against the point of what a date was supposed to be.
So yeah, he knew Cook. They didn’t have to have silly first date conversations about where they grew up and their jobs or anything but he did want to have time to just catch up. That was the point.
Before Cook picked him up, he’d changed his outfit about a half a dozen times. The place they were going wasn’t fancy by any definition but it wasn’t a hole in the wall. Besides it wasn’t the place, but the person he was going to dinner with. He tried to dress up but felt completely silly in a tie; Los Angeles wasn’t cold enough for a jacket even when it was late at night.
He felt totally ridiculous.
He settled on a polo and a nicer pair of jeans - could jeans be nice?-but he forced himself to leave his apartment before he second-guessed himself… again. He sat on the bottom step of his apartment for all of half a minute before the nervous energy made him pace back and forth. Cook had said he would pick him up at six; he was out front at five forty five.
When he saw the familiar red car, the butterflies started again but he forced a smile. Date or not, some of his favorite times were just hanging out with Cook.
*
They spent the better part of the dinner talking about nothing of any consequence. Songs that had been driving them crazy, random fan encounters, the occasional break at their respective homes. Cook couldn’t place where catching up with old friends ended and something more began, but he began to suspect something was up when Archie decided he was paying for the whole thing.
He grabbed his credit card and handed it to the waitress before she even asked if they wanted dessert, and Cook was taken aback by the forwardness of the action. So taken aback that he barely had a chance to fight it. He just tilted his head and tried to hide the flush of pink that he knew was spreading on his cheeks in the unfortunately bright restaurant.
After they left, Archie safely avoided the valet and pointed towards the short walk to the beach ahead of them. Cook smiled and felt a bit like a teenager all over again. He wasn’t sure where this new Archie was coming from but it was definitely not a bad thing.
They walked just long enough that they couldn’t see the lights of the restaurants. Archie was quiet, not rare but a little unnerving, and Cook made up for it by telling him all about his trip to Canada; from the poutine to the real live Mounties he’d seen standing guard outside an embassy.
Finally Cook had enough and sat down on the cool sand. It was early October and he couldn’t help but smile at the fact that back home, he’d probably be wearing layers. As it stood he wore a shirt, shorts and a light jacket. He loved the west coast.
Cook dug his feet into the beach, letting his toes curl in the grains of sand. He was thankful he had gone for the casual shorts rather than having to roll up his pant legs. Though really, it was kind of cute when Archie did it. Lord, he was thinking of Archie in terms of “cute”, when did that happen. He wasn’t even sure what the hell this was and he was pretty sure Archie had just as little clue and it was all messed up.
He stared at the water, which was oddly calm with little waves, the smell of the familiar mix of salt water and Los Angeles fog that slowly was becoming synonymous with home. He put his hands back behind him and leaned back on them to stare up at the sky.
“I forget there actually are stars in Los Angeles,” Cook said, then instantly regretted it. “I mean. That you can see the stars? I forgot you could see them in LA.”
Out of the corner of his eyes, he caught Archie nodding, which was a relief. He guessed if he could ramble to anyone it would be Archie. He looked back up and heard the soft familiar hum of Archie’s voice.
“I'll touch every star in the sky… so this is the miracle that I've been dreaming of…”
Cook wondered if Archie even knew what he was doing. Half the time he knew for a fact that he didn’t, but that just made it even more endearing. Damn it. He turned towards him, mouth open to ask where the song was from but instead he was met with Archie’s face inches away from his.
“Wh-“
It wasn’t the most graceful first kiss. Cook’s mouth was open, Archie was smiling and somehow their teeth clicked. It wasn’t as bad as the time in high school he got his lip caught on Laura’s braces or the time that Grant tried to bite his tongue, but it was still pretty bad.
Still, it was Archie and rather than ask ‘What the hell was that?’ when they pulled back, he shifted to a more comfortable position and showed Archie that he did in fact know how to kiss. He put his hand on the back of Archie’s neck and pulled him closer, mixing sand into the his hairline.
Archie moved his hand to Cook’s chest and pushed slightly, just enough to move him away. Cook went a little bit dazed at the sight of bright pink lips and glazed eyes. Archie looked so… debauched.
“Sorry,” Archie exhaled, and Cook swore that even in the dark he could see him blushing.
He chuckled. “Trust me when I say that I’m not sorry at all.”
Which just made Archie blush harder.
*
Cook didn’t have to check the phone to know who it was.
“So are you a real boy now?”
He shucked off his shoes and turned the lights on. Dublin was giddily running around in circles at his feet. “Shut up, old man.”
“You’ve got to give me something here,” Michael pleaded. “You know that I’ve been getting texts from the girls all night. I’ve got to get some sleep sometime.”
Cook opened his fridge and grabbed a beer. “Bullshit. You’re just wanting it for yourself, you perv.”
“Oh yes, Cookie dear,” Michael drawled. “I need all the facts for my detailed accounts on the internet. You’ve got to give me something, why else did I buy Cook loves Archuleta dot com?”
“That’s getting you nowhere fast.”
Michael laughed. “You know you are going to tell me, just get on with it. Did you at least figure out if it was a date?”
“It was a date.” Cook couldn’t help the goofy smile on his face. He sipped happily at his beer, sprawled out on his couch with his dog at his feet. “It was a freaking good date.”
“Called it.”
Something in his stomach did a weird flip when he realized that he could care less. He could deal with the fact that he was going to get endless crap from not only his family but his friends as well. That if it actually leaked to the internet, the shit might hit the fan. He could deal with schedules and craziness. Because it had been a freaking great date and there was talk of other dates.
“You are smiling like a lunatic right now, aren’t you?” Michael broke into his thoughts.
Cook laughed. “Ugh, I don’t accept or deny that.”
*
Archie just made it in his bedroom before he grabbed his phone and hit the third speed dial on his cell phone. It didn’t even get through a full ring before his sister’s voice came on the line.
“Everything.”
He knew full well it was a command and not a question - something that had annoyed him from the time he was a little kid but not so much right now. He pushed his hand into his hair and smiled.
“It was good?” Archie offered, admittedly lamely.
Claudia made a tutting noise. “Good. You are giving me good? Cook, David. You went out with Cook. Elaborate.”
“Gosh,” Archie blushed, like he was sixteen and it was still his first date. “It was good? More than that, it was kind of amazing. I mean, Cook was Cook, but maybe a little nervous? And he kept looking at me in this weird way that made me nervous. We went to this place that was by the ocean and then walked along the side of it and it was so awesome. I mean, I’ve lived here how long and I never just take a night to give myself a break. It was amazing.”
“That was the least descriptive ramble you’ve ever given me.”
Archie frowned. “How?”
“Are you going to see him again?”
“He’s Cook,” Archie blinked. “Why wouldn’t I see him again?”
Claudia sighed. “Like on a date, Dave. Are you going to go out again?”
Archie had to think about it. He wanted to go on a date. He thought Cook did, too. Especially with the way the night had ended… but maybe he was reading into something. He remembered with painful detail the clack of their teeth during the first kiss. It wasn’t pleasant, but what came after was completely the opposite, warm and toe curling and all the things he would never ever tell his sister under pain of death.
“So did you get a kiss?” she asked, like she could read his mind. His prolonged silence caused a laugh loud enough that he needed to pull his phone back from his ear for a moment. When he got it back to his ear she added. “David James, first date? You sly dog.”
Archie put his hand over his face. “Oh my gosh, I can’t tell you anything.”
*
Cook planned on waiting it out a few days, possibly because he was still processing and maybe because he had no idea what he would say, but Archie was the one to call the very next day. In typical Archie fashion, he didn’t really mention the night before and rambled for a minute or so about an afternoon off and this really great Indian place until Cook cobbled together that it wasn’t just mentioning, it was asking for something.
“You asking me to lunch?” he laughed. “Cause if not you are just being a Naan-tease.”
Archie didn’t answer immediately and even with years of experience of Archie on the phone Cook’s stomach went into a knot. Maybe he was just mentioning it?
“Do you want to go?” Archie asked; the words rushed together and a little high pitched. “And maybe, um. Hang out afterward?”
Cook had a meeting at three; one that would probably require the jaws-of-life and a lot of genuine pleading to get out of, but the image of Archie all flushed and nervous and asking him on a date was a little too much for him. “Yeah. Of course.”
They met at the place - and seriously Cook wondered where Archie found these places - and enjoyed Naan and Tandoori chicken and something way too spicy for Cook’s taste. He manned up though and ate it, even if he could feel his sinuses draining and has had to chug down three or four cokes just to finish it. Archie didn’t even seem to bat an eyelash, sipping on his water like he was eating mashed potatoes.
Having covered the topics of the last few weeks the night before, they instead talked about the future. They both were crazy busy, which Cook had known beforehand but still didn’t like hearing. Archie was only in town for about four more days and wouldn’t be back until Cook was doing some touring. Cook’s return would be during a family thing and all in all they wouldn’t even be in the same state for a good two months.
It made the rest of the lunch conversation a little stilted and uncomfortable.
*
Archie hadn’t actually planned out the whole “hanging out” thing when he’d called Cook. Actually he hadn’t even really known he was calling for a date until he’d stumbled into it. He felt like maybe he was thinking way too much about everything, but how could he not?
He just knew that he wanted it to be a chance to really hang out after the awkward realization that they weren’t going to see each other… or maybe the reminder of it? It wasn’t like they hadn’t been in the business for the entirety of their friendship.
It just wasn’t their friendship anymore, was it? Archie’s stomach clenched when he thought of the word. Not a friendship but a relationship. Maybe.
“I got the new Madden?” Cook offered. Archie wasn’t much for sports on gaming systems, it just felt silly, but he nodded. It was a decent enough excuse.
They both took their own cars, which gave him just enough time to have the minor freak out that he was going over to Cook’s. Alone. After they’d kissed the night before. He would call what was going on in his stomach butterflies but he was pretty sure that they would have to be titanium butterflies. Probably a dozen of them, at the very least.
Cook beat him home, naturally, and left the gate that lead into the front door of his house slightly open. Archie looked himself in the mirror.
“Oh my gosh, what are you doing?”
His reflection was stubbornly silent.
Cook, at least, looked nervous when Archie walked in the door. Standing in his foyer awkwardly, like he didn’t know whether he should have gone further in. Archie went to take off his shoes, the gesture reminding him that he had in fact been in this house before. That he knew Cook, that he wasn’t just starting a relationship, just continuing one. Or something. It somehow calmed him down.
When he stood back up, Cook was still there, or possibly closer. He was smiling, small, but happy with just that faint line of nervous underneath. Archie had the beginnings of a question on his lips but instead he got Cook’s lips tentatively on his. A simple brush of skin and when Cook pulled back Archie caught the familiar scent of Cook’s cologne. He leaned forward just to take a good long inhale.
“So,” Cook exhaled, Archie close enough to feel the warmth and smell the remnants of Indian spices.
Archie swayed for a second, feeling aware of how silly he was over what amounted to a peck on the lips. He thought for a second and smiled. “Guitar Hero?”
Cook’s laugh made him jump.
“Oh it’s on.”
*
They ended up playing Guitar Hero for a grand total of two songs before they both realized that they weren’t really into it. Or possibly it was because neither one of them could concentrate. Either way it ended up being thrown aside for Ghostbusters on Comedy Central. Cook owned it on Blu-Ray actually, but Archie liked that they censored out the questionable bits.
Cook shouldn’t have found that so entirely endearing. He had dignity after all. Or he did. But when Archie cracked up at Bill Murray ranting, Cook questioned if dignity was even going to be an option.
They started seated on opposite sides of the couch, leaning back at the seats with comical space between them. Cook let that last for all of ten seconds before he broke the silence and leaned across and kissed him again. He could definitely get used to being able to do that when he wanted to. Even more so, he could get used to the look of shock on Archie’s face each time he pulled back. The way his face tinted pink and his eyes glazed a little. The exhale that always came out like an ‘Oh!’
He catalogued it all and smiled when Archie moved right beside him. His eyes still on the screen, he leaned back onto Cook’s arm and shifted so his side was pressed alongside Cook’s. Cook just watched. fascinated at how calm Archie was, or at least seemed to be. He put a hand on Cook’s thigh and leaned his head slightly onto Cook’s shoulder.
After a moment Archie turned his head up to look at him, eyes innocent, lips curled up just slightly at each side. “What?”
“Nothing.” Cook bridged the last little bit and kissed him again. He almost laughed when Archie’s other hand landed on his chest. Who would have thought that Archie had moves. But then he was kissed again and he lost track of his thoughts after that.
*
By the time that the credits ran, Archie was pretty sure he still could claim to never having watched it. He’d seen about twenty minutes total and even then he’d been distracted by the way Cook had been so close but not touching him. It was like a magnet, the way he felt pulled towards him. Once Cook kissed him it was the permission he needed to curl up into his side.
He felt like he was sixteen again, the way he was just aware of Cook and everything he did. Back then he’d claimed that it was friendship but now he laughed at his own densness. He’d been crazy over Cook from the first time that he’d heard a stupid joke from him and laughed. It just took him a while apparently.
“What’re you grinning at?” Cook asked, his hand wrapped around the hand that Archie couldn’t seem to move off of Cook’s chest. He could feel the steady beat of Cook’s heart beneath his hand and the warmth even through the layers of clothing.
He blushed. “Um. Just thinking about how things take time.”
“About that,” Cook said, looking away and something tightened in his chest. “I know we don’t have much time right now…”
“Three days,” Archie admitted a bit miserably.
Cook turned back to look at him and pressed a kiss on Archie’s temple. “I’ve kind of been waiting five years for this.”
“Me too.”
“You think we can make it a few more months?”
Archie took a steadying breath. “I think that depends.”
“On?”
He looked down at his and Cook’s hands; Cook was running his thumb back and forth on top of his wrist. “On if … if we try and do it together? I don’t think I want to go back to barely talking.”
“Hey,” Cook made him look up. “I didn’t mean we were going back to just friends. I just meant… I just meant we could figure it out. We can do this together. If you’re up to it.”
He kissed Cook, because he could. Even with the constant contact over the last hour and a half he liked the way the kiss felt brand new. It made his face warm and his lips tingle and his stomach twist.
“I think we can make it work,” Archie smiled against Cook’s lips. “Together.”
on to part two.