(Untitled)

[itellthetaleof]

All morning, Gabrielle had been hearing about people gaining extraordinary powers and about both the celebrating and disasters that usually came with such a thing. She wanted to help those who needed comforting and it had taken a while but she'd finally come up with something she knew most people would like

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[usethecompany]

Though untouched himself by the latest island trickery, Archie had been no less attentive to his surroundings. Worry still reigned, for as chief of the island police he felt it his duty to ensure the safety of the island inhabitants, even to keep them safe from themselves. He dreaded to think what damage someone might have unintentionally done in their ignorance.

That worry spiked for a moment when he spied Gabrielle on the path, but her cheerful expression did a great deal to reassure him. "Gabrielle," he greeted with a wave of his hand as he approached. "Might I ask, have you been affected? Or do you find yourself unchanged?"

[itellthetaleof]

Seeing Archie, Gabrielle just smiled as she shook her head. "Not as far as I can tell. Nothing unusual about me today. What about you? Have you been spared as well?"

[usethecompany]

"So it would seem," Archie replied, coming to a halt before her now. A smile teased at the corner of his mouth as he continued. With Gabrielle's reassurance, his immediate worry ebbed.

"I have yet to change colors or bend myself fantastically or disappear, though there's still time left, I suppose. These things do tend to last a few days." His gaze drifted briefly to her basket of goods and he nodded toward it. "I thought for a moment you had developed the power to create baked goods from thin air."

[itellthetaleof]

"With island trickery, I agree, it might only be a matter of time." Gabrielle said with a light hearted roll of her eyes. But really, in the scheme of things, she supposed worse things could have happened.

Then she laughed. "Oh no, not at all, unless you consider baking out of thin air. I thought people might need some comfort food after developing strange new powers." Her hand fished into the basket and pulled out two cookies before holding them out to Archie. "Here, I think you could use them as well."

[usethecompany]

Though he knew Gabrielle to be of the sweetest disposition, Archie still found himself surprised by such a selfless act of simple kindness. His look was fond though his smile restrained as he reached out to take the gift.

"Gabrielle, you are--" His fingers brushed hers and he was seized by a need to take her hand. He did so, removing the cookies, her precious gift to him, with his left. His expression went soft and adoring in an instant. "--the pinnacle of everything lovely and good in this world. I could be in your company for but a minute and feel I have reached Heaven."

[itellthetaleof]

Gabrielle blinked as Archie seemed to change right in front of her, though she couldn't quite put her finger on what had happened. Still, she gave him a friendly smile. Maybe he really liked cookies. "Thank you? I didn't realize cookies would get me that kind of praise."

[usethecompany]

"It's not simply the cookies," he exclaimed, his smile beatific in the face of her perfect modesty. "Every moment with you, Gabrielle, I count as a blessing. Please," he begged, squeezing her hand just a touch more desperately as he did, "do not think me too forward. If you were to spurn me, I do not know what I would do, but I simply cannot keep my utter admiration and.. well... affection for you a secret."

[itellthetaleof]

Now Gabrielle could only stare. She's met William, she'd seen Archie with William. That this was a complete surprise, one that she didn't believe, was an understatement. "Archie, if this is a joke, it's a very strange one. And kind of cruel. What about William?"

[usethecompany]

If his words and actions had not been enough to cause alarm up to this point, Archie's reaction to William's name most certainly would have made one raise the red flag. No hint of embarrassment or affection crossed his features. He merely shrugged his shoulders in a dismissive fashion, neither malicious nor kind. "How could anyone compare to you?" he countered.

His eyes did light up, but from inspiration solely. "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" he asked, reciting the Bard's sonnet with alacrity. What could be more perfect for the moment? "Thou art more lovely and more temperate..."

[itellthetaleof]

Now Gabrielle was worried. And a little scared. This devotion was overwhelming, especially since it was so unexpected and intense. She started to tug her hands away, hoping maybe some distance would do the trick. "Archie, you don't mean this. I don't know what's gotten into you but I think you should stop it."

[usethecompany]

Needful as he was for her attention and affection, Archie would never hold any woman, let alone one so precious to him as Gabrielle, against her will, unless there were serious dangers involved. The danger to his heart, though great, could not be counted in this way.

He released her hand... and suddenly the fullness of his words struck him like a physical injury. Flushed and embarrassed, Kennedy took a step back. "Gabrielle, I-- Forgive me. I didn't- I didn't mean what I said. I think the world of you, I assure you, but not in that.. manner."

[itellthetaleof]

While Gabrielle was quite glad to hear he hadn't quite meant what he'd been saying to her, she still couldn't help but find his current sudden change in attitude worrisome. "Archie, are you feeling alright? While I can't say I mind, that was some drastic change of heart."

[usethecompany]

His own confusion deafened him to anything but the concern behind Gabrielle’s words. Indeed, he worried as well, lifting a hand to the side of his head, though he felt no pain there. “Perhaps I haven’t escaped from the island’s fancy as unscathed as I thought,” he said. His gaze lifted then, with a flash of insight, to regard Gabrielle. “Or perhaps you haven’t.”

[itellthetaleof]

She blinked at him in surprise. "Me? How could I have..." Her face fell. "Oh no...you don't think the island..." Gabrielle had been so sure she'd been spared but perhaps... "Do you mind if I?" She held out her hand, meaning to just touch Archie's arm. She needed to know if perhaps he was right.

[usethecompany]

"Well I certainly don't think the island gave me the power to speak grossly out of turn about feelings I do not possess," Archie replied, discomfort making his tone sharper than usual. But he reigned it in as best he could, bearing in mind that both he and Gabrielle were victims in this game.

He cast a wary glance at her hand, but ultimately allowed it, for the sake of knowledge. Archie took her hand in his once more... and could not for the life of him understand why he should feel so annoyed when he was graced with Gabrielle's company. His hand squeezed hers and he released a sigh of contentment from his lungs, his look completely smitten.

[itellthetaleof]

The discomfort in Archie's tone made Gabrielle's expression fall again, as she hated to thing she was the cause of it. This just wasn't fair nor right in any sense of the word. But she pushed on watched his expression careful as they touched.

And his look alone was enough to make her heart fall as she tugged her hand back sharply. "Oh Archie...I'm sorry! It is me!"