Fic :: Cook/Archuleta "Nice to Meet You Anyway"
Title: Nice to Meet You Anyway
Pairing: Cook/Archuleta (Um. Again. Sorry?)
Rating: PG13
Summary: "Come here often?" So David Archuleta walked into a bar... (Future fic, not AU.)
Author's Notes: The idea popped into my head this afternoon and as usual mausi wouldn't talk me out of it. ;) (That is to say, thank you Jenna! For reading and betaing and epicness!) Title from Gavin DeGraw's song of the same name.
“I really don’t think this is such a good idea,” Archie started, hoping that Brooke would hear the desperation in his voice and have mercy.
She pretended she didn’t hear him, instead lifted her hand and swiped it through his hair for what he was pretty sure was the thousandth time. She stepped back and gave him a critical eye. Apparently he looked decent enough because a huge smile broke out on her face.
“Perfect,” Brooke rubbed her hands together gleefully. “And don’t even think about trying to back out on this one, Archuleta. You are doing it and I am going to be there to make sure of that.”
Archie groaned, putting his head in his hands. “Brooke, why would you come to a … a you know?”
“Oh sweetie,” Brooke bit at her lower lip, “You can call it a gay bar.”
He felt himself go pink. This was all just a little too new for him. He kind of wanted to take it back, but he didn’t think it was something you could do that with. (‘You know how I told you all I was gay? Uh… just kidding?’)
They walked out of the bathroom into the living room of the hotel suite the girls were sharing to find Syesha, Jason, Michael and Cook dressed up and sprawled on the L-shaped couch. Archie’s heart jumped from his chest to his throat and his flight or fight response kicked in just in time for him to jump into the bedroom and lock the door.
Brooke being there to see it was one thing, but there was no way on earth he was going to go to a … a club with the five of them. He was shaking, he couldn’t breathe, this was just not how he had expected any of this to go.
“Archie?” Brooke knocked on the door. “Come on! Get out here, please?”
He slid his back down where it was pressed against the door and knelt his head onto his knees. Even if it made him look like he was a kid he would much rather be a kid then the other option. “I changed my mind!”
He heard them murmuring behind him and he hoped for a moment or two that they would just give up on it. When he heard the door from the hallway open he flinched but didn’t look up. He hadn’t even thought about the fact that they would have a key. He felt someone sit down next to him.
“Hey,” Cook started cautiously.
Archie lifted his head and gave a halfway real smile, “Hey.”
“You okay?”
He couldn’t help but laugh. “I don’t think okay is what I would call it.”
Cook nodded at him like maybe he understood how freaked out Archie was. That was comforting, kind of. There was a moment where they just sat there, completely silent. He wondered what Cook was thinking about. Was he thinking that Archie was being a kid? Or that he was being stupid? He felt like both of those things were true. Felt like it hadn’t been three years since American Idol, but three weeks and he was still the awkward 17 year old that everyone had to watch over.
“You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to, “ Cook offered.
Archie let out a long sigh. “I haven’t told anyone but you guys.”
Cook looked at him for another long moment. “I’m sorry you’ve had to keep it a secret for so long.”
“It wasn’t… that bad,” he lied, it had been pretty hard but he didn’t want to make Cook feel pity for him. “I didn’t even really realize it until recently. And it’s… it’s not like I have had anytime to even think about it. Touring and time with my family, I didn’t even have time to go out with girls let alone…”
When he trailed off he kind of gave a half shrug. Cook still had a serious look on his face. “Archie have you ever really gotten a chance to flirt with someone?”
“Uh,” he started. What kind of question was that? “I guess yea. Of course I have.”
“Flirted with intent?”
Archie blinked, “What do you mean?”
“Have you ever flirted with someone in hopes that it will go farther than just talking,” Cook wasn’t looking at him so he couldn’t even attempt to read him.
He shrugged and looked down at his hands. “I guess no.”
Cook pushed himself up onto his feet and offered his hand to Archie. When Archie got up onto his feet Cook unlocked the door they had been leaning against and swung it open before Archie could get a chance to protest.
“Let me talk to them for a minute, okay?” Cook asked and Archie wasn’t going to fight not having to go in there right then. He nodded, Cook turned and walked in closing the door behind him.
Archie took a few swallows of air, closed his eyes and tried to focus on getting his hands to stop shaking. He hoped for a moment that Cook was telling them all to just back away and leave him alone. Or even just told them to take it easy on him for a while. He didn’t want to be ungrateful, but he was completely overwhelmed.
The door opened again and Cook nodded at him to come in. The other four were spaced out on the couch, dead silent. Brooke looked up at Archie with a worried furrow of her eyebrows. “We didn’t mean to push you, Archie. Honest. I am so sorry.”
“Gosh, it wasn’t your guys fault,” he frowned. “I shouldn’t have told you guys I would go.”
Cook cleared his throat. “I think I have an idea.”
Archie froze. He had thought that the worst of it was over. He thought Cook was on his side here.
“Hear me out,” Cook said, reading his mind once again. “We aren’t going to a gay bar.”
“Okay?”
His eyes caught on Michael, who was throwing a glare at Cook that was somewhere between annoyed and worried. It wasn’t exactly boosting Archie’s confidence in the plan but he was willing to listen to anything that would get him out of the other plan.
“I’m going down stairs,” Cook said. “To the bar in the lobby. Give me a few minutes and then you follow me down there. “
Archie closed his eyes, “I don’t want you to find some stranger for me to pick up, Cook.”
“Not a stranger, ” he paused. “You are going to pick me up.”
Suddenly Archie’s mouth felt completely dry. He blinked open mouthed at Cook before turning to the room at large for some sort of help. None of them could look him in the eye.
Michael piped up, “I would like to take this moment to register my complete disapproval of this idea.”
“Seconded,” Syesha agreed.
“I think it’s … sweet,” Brooke smiled. “You can try it out with no pressure.”
No pressure? Archie thought. Hitting on David Cook?
Jason kind of shrugged when Archie looked at him. This was … a nightmare. He was having a total nightmare. He would wake up and be in his bed at home. There was no benefit tomorrow, he wasn’t in New York, and most importantly he hadn’t accidentally let out the fact that he was gay to five people who apparently wanted to make his life a total mess.
“So?” Cook asked, making Archie snap his attention back to him.
There was something behind in the way Cook looked at him that made Archie’s stomach tight. It looked like he was… nervous? Open and vulnerable and nervous. Archie blinked. “I don’t think this is a good idea. But … I am willing to try.”
Whatever the look had meant it was dropped in favor of a huge face splitting Cook grin and Archie had just enough time to brace himself for the hand that landed on his shoulder. He felt suddenly aware of the warmth that spread out from where the hand had landed, felt the way his lips curled on instinct to mirror Cook’s smile.
He was so totally doomed.
*
Archie walked off the elevator fifteen minutes later with about twenty butterflies beating in his stomach. As soon as Cook had left the room he had been all but attacked by Michael and Syesha, both offering to call the whole thing off. (Where were they an hour before when he just wanted to call the stupid bar thing off, huh?)
The thing was, it did kind of make sense. In the messed up way that a lot of Cook’s schemes had made sense in the past, but still. He hadn’t had much experience at all, and Cook was his friend. He could trust that he wouldn’t laugh at him or call TMZ as soon as he was out of earshot. It was safe. Sort of.
His brain was too full to think too much beyond the fact that he had to find Cook. He walked through the lobby and into the hotel’s bar. He had been in it the night before when they had all met up for dinner (just before he had stupidly opened his mouth and told them all too much) and so he didn’t worry about not being of age.
The bartender was the same one from the night before and he jerked his head to the left. “Your friend is over there.”
Archie smiled, his dry lip catching on his upper teeth. “Oh, uh. Thank you.”
He walked along the front of the bar until he caught sight of Cook. He had taken a seat on a raised table in the corner, which was probably to keep them private (Archie wasn’t sure if that was a bad thing or a good thing). He was hunched over slightly, staring at the beer in his hands and picking off the label.
The thing was, he had no idea what was next. Cause even if he had flirted before he had never been the one who initiated the flirting. He had always more or less stumbled into situations and most of the time would only realize that someone was flirting with him after he had said or done something that ruined his chances either way.
He squared his shoulders and walked over to the table, his hands in tight fists at his side. When he almost reached him Cook looked up and flashed a brief relaxed smile. Archie stopped and hesitated.
Oh gosh, now what? he thought desperately.
“Is … uh,” he said, and his voice was weirdly deeper than normal so he cleared his throat and tried again. “Is this seat taken?”
He cringed at how stupid he sounded, but Cook shook his head and waved at the other chair. “Not at all.”
When he pulled on the chair it made a pretty heinous sound scraping on the floor. He was glad for the poor lighting to mask his blush. Cook smiled and offered his hand.
“My name is David,” he tilted his head. “And you are?”
When they broke the handshake Archie had the sudden flash of the first time he had met Cook. There was something familiar about the smile Cook used with him now, something that made him uncomfortable and shy. He blinked.
He turned away. “I don’t think this is a good idea, Cook.”
“Hey,” Cook’s hand landed on top of his and he turned to see that his façade was momentarily gone. He leaned in slightly and lowered his voice. “Come on. It's just you and me here. You can do this. Tell me I am less scary then Simon Cowell."
Despite his nerves, Archie laughed.
Cook retracted his hand and the moment was gone. “So I’m David, you are…?”
“Oh! Um, I’m David, too?”
“Well, that’s a coincidence,” Cook smiled. “You can just call me Cook.”
There was a moment where Archie thought about saying, ‘Call me Archie.’ But it fell away quickly at the idea of actually getting to hear Cook use his name. And if they were going to play this game it was only fair that he got to make some of the rules too.
“Nice to meet you, Cook,” Archie smiled weakly.
Cook laughed. “You too.”
The bartender stepped up beside him. “Can I get you something?”
“Just a glass of water?” he asked, and he flicked his eyes to Cook. “Do you want another…”
When he pointed at Cook’s beer, Cook shook his head. “A glass of water sounds good. I’m good for now with this.”
The bartender nodded and walked off and Archie was left mentally scrambling for what he should do next. He had been forced to watch enough cheesy teen movies with his sisters that he was sure he should know but his brain was completely blank.
“Do you come here often?” he blurted out and then put his hand up to his eyes when Cook had to spit out some of his beer or choke.
It took a minute for him to recover but when he did his eyes were shiny from laughing. “No, I don’t. What about you? Come here often?”
“No,” he blushed. “I’m just here for a few days.”
It was weird, because he knew that Cook knew why he was there. He was pretty sure Cook knew everything about him practically, and he thought he knew most things about Cook as well. But after a few minutes of awkward standard questions the weirdness melted away and instead they started to talk about everything instead. The topics went from music to friends to goals and even a little bit about fears they had. It was like he wasn’t just talking to Cook but someone completely different.
When he had finally allowed himself to admit that he was more than just curious about guys he had quickly realized that he had seriously been fooling himself when he told himself that he loved Cook like a brother. He doubted that it had ever been that way for him, even from the first time he met him. It was something different. Maybe a little hero worship at the beginning, probably still a little bit even three years later, but beyond that it had just been. More.
He had been raised dealing with people far older than him on a pretty frequent basis, and he was generally more comfortable hanging out with them rather than kids his own age. He met Cook and instantly felt awkward and young and unable to really coherently string together thoughts. It had been embarrassing and frustrating and he had spent months getting his head back in the game before he realized that he was actually friends with Cook. The young feeling had more or less passed by, but the awkward never quite did.
Until, at least, he found himself seated in a dark corner of a cheesy hotel bar, his head leaned forward to catch what Cook was leaning in to tell him. He was for the first time totally at ease, not at all shaky or nervous. He laughed at the stupid jokes Cook was giving him (most of which he had heard from Cook before) and even thought of a few to tell back.
He didn’t think about the way his hand landed on the table only a few inches away from Cook’s, it felt natural. He let his fingers inch forward on their own accord and curl around Cook’s hand. Cook didn’t pull back and Archie didn’t flinch and it felt amazing.
When the bartender walked over to tell them that the bar was closing down in about fifteen minutes and that it was time to settle the bill Archie was caught completely off balance. He looked over at the clock to see that nearly four hours had passed with neither one of them noticing. His eyes turned back to where their hands were still linked together on top of the table and he froze.
Somewhere in the back of his mind he had the cold realization that this wasn’t real. He had forgotten, in the moment, that this was just practice. He leaned back in his chair, his hand breaking contact and falling down to his lap. Cook gave him a curious look and he shrugged.
“You okay?” Cook asked, putting a twenty on top of the bill.
Archie had the sudden and painful urge to run again. “I’m just… tired. I guess? I mean, wow. It’s almost one? And we got up so early this morning. This was … fun. I really liked talking. Thank you so much for your help Cook.”
He was on his feet and halfway out of the bar before he heard Cook call his name behind him. This was the dumbest thing he could have done. And to make matters worse, even if he made it up stairs he was sharing the suite with the boys, meaning Cook was going to be there. He tried to think how quickly he could get dressed and in bed so he could fake sleep.
The elevator doors were closing, there was no time for him to even try and put his hand out to stop it. He groaned and came up just short enough not to face plant into the bright gold doors. For a moment he thought of all the colorful curse words his friends used that would probably be ideal in this moment.
“David… Archie what the hell man?” Cook’s voice came behind him and he turned himself back to him even though it was the last thing he really wanted to do.
He licked his lips, “I’m sorry.”
“What just happened?” Cook asked, “I thought we were having a pretty decent conversation.”
Archie nodded and felt miserable. “We were. And thank you… for… everything. That was really cool of you to … to show me. I think I have it now. Thanks.”
Cook frowned at him, seemingly thinking something out before he nodded. “You’re welcome. It was nice, you got it after a bit. You just need to relax.”
Behind him Archie heard the elevator ding and he got in to it and pushed the button for the tenth floor. It was a sort of horrible form of torture to be in the elevator alone with Cook. The smell of the bar was still clinging to both of their skins (though no cigarettes, so that was nice) but over it he smelled the cologne Cook had worn the entire time he knew him. It made him ache at the same time it was comforting and familiar to him.
When they were almost to their floor Cook turned to him. “I had a really good time tonight.”
“Me too,” Archie admitted, hoping Cook couldn’t recognize the guilt underneath the words.
They stepped out into the hallway and Archie tried his best not to break out into a run. Cook had longer legs than him so his rapid pace kept them in stride. He kept feeling Cook giving him considering looks and it made his skin feel weird and tight. The awkward sensation from earlier was back, he had to swallow around all the words he was afraid would come pouring out if he didn’t keep himself in check.
Thankfully he had decided to take the room with Jason, he wasn’t sure what he would do if he had to sleep in a bed four feet away from Cook. It was going to be hard enough doing the press and concert the next day, he needed a little bit of a break.
He stopped in front of his door to grab his key from his back pocket. When he turned to say goodnight he saw Cook standing nervously a few feet away. He lifted his hand in a small wave and just as he was about to turn and put the key card in Cook stopped him.
“Hey Archie?” Cook asked.
Archie turned and saw Cook giving him the same look he had before they went downstairs. He tried to stop his head from guessing at what the look meant. It wasn’t fair of him to think like that. “Yea Cook?”
“I had a really good time tonight,” he repeated.
Archie nodded, giving the same response. “Me too. “
Cook hesitated. “It was a good date all in all, except…”
You are planning on critiquing me NOW? Archie felt his eyes go wide.
“Except?” he prompted when Cook didn’t go on.
Cook gave him a nervous smile “It would probably end differently.”
“End differently?” he said, and realized that he was mostly mimicking what Cook said in hopes that he could catch up with the conversation.
“Yea,” Cook walked a few steps closer. “Usually, when you go on a date with someone and you like them, you give them your number.”
Archie blinked, “Cook, I already have your number.”
“I know that,” Cook laughed, and wow. He was like… inches from Archie. And behind Archie was a door, there was nowhere, nowhere for him to go. “But after that you usually walk them to their door and…”
And before Archie had a chance to repeat the last words and ask for Cook to translate his rambles Cook stifled him with a kiss. It was pretty innocent, when it came to kisses, but it lingered for long enough that when Cook pulled back Archie had to inhale deeply to catch his breath.
“Oh.”
Cook smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling up. “So, I had a good time tonight. And I’m glad you have my number. It was nice meeting you, David.”
Before he had a chance to think of what he should say or do or … even to really process what Cook had said, he found that Cook had walked away. He waved at his back, caught a quick smile when Cook put the key in the door. When the hallway was empty he shook his head in disbelief, but couldn’t wipe the huge smile off his face.
Just before he put the key in the lock he turned again to where Cook’s door was.
“It was nice meeting you, too.”
Pairing: Cook/Archuleta (Um. Again. Sorry?)
Rating: PG13
Summary: "Come here often?" So David Archuleta walked into a bar... (Future fic, not AU.)
Author's Notes: The idea popped into my head this afternoon and as usual mausi wouldn't talk me out of it. ;) (That is to say, thank you Jenna! For reading and betaing and epicness!) Title from Gavin DeGraw's song of the same name.
“I really don’t think this is such a good idea,” Archie started, hoping that Brooke would hear the desperation in his voice and have mercy.
She pretended she didn’t hear him, instead lifted her hand and swiped it through his hair for what he was pretty sure was the thousandth time. She stepped back and gave him a critical eye. Apparently he looked decent enough because a huge smile broke out on her face.
“Perfect,” Brooke rubbed her hands together gleefully. “And don’t even think about trying to back out on this one, Archuleta. You are doing it and I am going to be there to make sure of that.”
Archie groaned, putting his head in his hands. “Brooke, why would you come to a … a you know?”
“Oh sweetie,” Brooke bit at her lower lip, “You can call it a gay bar.”
He felt himself go pink. This was all just a little too new for him. He kind of wanted to take it back, but he didn’t think it was something you could do that with. (‘You know how I told you all I was gay? Uh… just kidding?’)
They walked out of the bathroom into the living room of the hotel suite the girls were sharing to find Syesha, Jason, Michael and Cook dressed up and sprawled on the L-shaped couch. Archie’s heart jumped from his chest to his throat and his flight or fight response kicked in just in time for him to jump into the bedroom and lock the door.
Brooke being there to see it was one thing, but there was no way on earth he was going to go to a … a club with the five of them. He was shaking, he couldn’t breathe, this was just not how he had expected any of this to go.
“Archie?” Brooke knocked on the door. “Come on! Get out here, please?”
He slid his back down where it was pressed against the door and knelt his head onto his knees. Even if it made him look like he was a kid he would much rather be a kid then the other option. “I changed my mind!”
He heard them murmuring behind him and he hoped for a moment or two that they would just give up on it. When he heard the door from the hallway open he flinched but didn’t look up. He hadn’t even thought about the fact that they would have a key. He felt someone sit down next to him.
“Hey,” Cook started cautiously.
Archie lifted his head and gave a halfway real smile, “Hey.”
“You okay?”
He couldn’t help but laugh. “I don’t think okay is what I would call it.”
Cook nodded at him like maybe he understood how freaked out Archie was. That was comforting, kind of. There was a moment where they just sat there, completely silent. He wondered what Cook was thinking about. Was he thinking that Archie was being a kid? Or that he was being stupid? He felt like both of those things were true. Felt like it hadn’t been three years since American Idol, but three weeks and he was still the awkward 17 year old that everyone had to watch over.
“You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to, “ Cook offered.
Archie let out a long sigh. “I haven’t told anyone but you guys.”
Cook looked at him for another long moment. “I’m sorry you’ve had to keep it a secret for so long.”
“It wasn’t… that bad,” he lied, it had been pretty hard but he didn’t want to make Cook feel pity for him. “I didn’t even really realize it until recently. And it’s… it’s not like I have had anytime to even think about it. Touring and time with my family, I didn’t even have time to go out with girls let alone…”
When he trailed off he kind of gave a half shrug. Cook still had a serious look on his face. “Archie have you ever really gotten a chance to flirt with someone?”
“Uh,” he started. What kind of question was that? “I guess yea. Of course I have.”
“Flirted with intent?”
Archie blinked, “What do you mean?”
“Have you ever flirted with someone in hopes that it will go farther than just talking,” Cook wasn’t looking at him so he couldn’t even attempt to read him.
He shrugged and looked down at his hands. “I guess no.”
Cook pushed himself up onto his feet and offered his hand to Archie. When Archie got up onto his feet Cook unlocked the door they had been leaning against and swung it open before Archie could get a chance to protest.
“Let me talk to them for a minute, okay?” Cook asked and Archie wasn’t going to fight not having to go in there right then. He nodded, Cook turned and walked in closing the door behind him.
Archie took a few swallows of air, closed his eyes and tried to focus on getting his hands to stop shaking. He hoped for a moment that Cook was telling them all to just back away and leave him alone. Or even just told them to take it easy on him for a while. He didn’t want to be ungrateful, but he was completely overwhelmed.
The door opened again and Cook nodded at him to come in. The other four were spaced out on the couch, dead silent. Brooke looked up at Archie with a worried furrow of her eyebrows. “We didn’t mean to push you, Archie. Honest. I am so sorry.”
“Gosh, it wasn’t your guys fault,” he frowned. “I shouldn’t have told you guys I would go.”
Cook cleared his throat. “I think I have an idea.”
Archie froze. He had thought that the worst of it was over. He thought Cook was on his side here.
“Hear me out,” Cook said, reading his mind once again. “We aren’t going to a gay bar.”
“Okay?”
His eyes caught on Michael, who was throwing a glare at Cook that was somewhere between annoyed and worried. It wasn’t exactly boosting Archie’s confidence in the plan but he was willing to listen to anything that would get him out of the other plan.
“I’m going down stairs,” Cook said. “To the bar in the lobby. Give me a few minutes and then you follow me down there. “
Archie closed his eyes, “I don’t want you to find some stranger for me to pick up, Cook.”
“Not a stranger, ” he paused. “You are going to pick me up.”
Suddenly Archie’s mouth felt completely dry. He blinked open mouthed at Cook before turning to the room at large for some sort of help. None of them could look him in the eye.
Michael piped up, “I would like to take this moment to register my complete disapproval of this idea.”
“Seconded,” Syesha agreed.
“I think it’s … sweet,” Brooke smiled. “You can try it out with no pressure.”
No pressure? Archie thought. Hitting on David Cook?
Jason kind of shrugged when Archie looked at him. This was … a nightmare. He was having a total nightmare. He would wake up and be in his bed at home. There was no benefit tomorrow, he wasn’t in New York, and most importantly he hadn’t accidentally let out the fact that he was gay to five people who apparently wanted to make his life a total mess.
“So?” Cook asked, making Archie snap his attention back to him.
There was something behind in the way Cook looked at him that made Archie’s stomach tight. It looked like he was… nervous? Open and vulnerable and nervous. Archie blinked. “I don’t think this is a good idea. But … I am willing to try.”
Whatever the look had meant it was dropped in favor of a huge face splitting Cook grin and Archie had just enough time to brace himself for the hand that landed on his shoulder. He felt suddenly aware of the warmth that spread out from where the hand had landed, felt the way his lips curled on instinct to mirror Cook’s smile.
He was so totally doomed.
*
Archie walked off the elevator fifteen minutes later with about twenty butterflies beating in his stomach. As soon as Cook had left the room he had been all but attacked by Michael and Syesha, both offering to call the whole thing off. (Where were they an hour before when he just wanted to call the stupid bar thing off, huh?)
The thing was, it did kind of make sense. In the messed up way that a lot of Cook’s schemes had made sense in the past, but still. He hadn’t had much experience at all, and Cook was his friend. He could trust that he wouldn’t laugh at him or call TMZ as soon as he was out of earshot. It was safe. Sort of.
His brain was too full to think too much beyond the fact that he had to find Cook. He walked through the lobby and into the hotel’s bar. He had been in it the night before when they had all met up for dinner (just before he had stupidly opened his mouth and told them all too much) and so he didn’t worry about not being of age.
The bartender was the same one from the night before and he jerked his head to the left. “Your friend is over there.”
Archie smiled, his dry lip catching on his upper teeth. “Oh, uh. Thank you.”
He walked along the front of the bar until he caught sight of Cook. He had taken a seat on a raised table in the corner, which was probably to keep them private (Archie wasn’t sure if that was a bad thing or a good thing). He was hunched over slightly, staring at the beer in his hands and picking off the label.
The thing was, he had no idea what was next. Cause even if he had flirted before he had never been the one who initiated the flirting. He had always more or less stumbled into situations and most of the time would only realize that someone was flirting with him after he had said or done something that ruined his chances either way.
He squared his shoulders and walked over to the table, his hands in tight fists at his side. When he almost reached him Cook looked up and flashed a brief relaxed smile. Archie stopped and hesitated.
Oh gosh, now what? he thought desperately.
“Is … uh,” he said, and his voice was weirdly deeper than normal so he cleared his throat and tried again. “Is this seat taken?”
He cringed at how stupid he sounded, but Cook shook his head and waved at the other chair. “Not at all.”
When he pulled on the chair it made a pretty heinous sound scraping on the floor. He was glad for the poor lighting to mask his blush. Cook smiled and offered his hand.
“My name is David,” he tilted his head. “And you are?”
When they broke the handshake Archie had the sudden flash of the first time he had met Cook. There was something familiar about the smile Cook used with him now, something that made him uncomfortable and shy. He blinked.
He turned away. “I don’t think this is a good idea, Cook.”
“Hey,” Cook’s hand landed on top of his and he turned to see that his façade was momentarily gone. He leaned in slightly and lowered his voice. “Come on. It's just you and me here. You can do this. Tell me I am less scary then Simon Cowell."
Despite his nerves, Archie laughed.
Cook retracted his hand and the moment was gone. “So I’m David, you are…?”
“Oh! Um, I’m David, too?”
“Well, that’s a coincidence,” Cook smiled. “You can just call me Cook.”
There was a moment where Archie thought about saying, ‘Call me Archie.’ But it fell away quickly at the idea of actually getting to hear Cook use his name. And if they were going to play this game it was only fair that he got to make some of the rules too.
“Nice to meet you, Cook,” Archie smiled weakly.
Cook laughed. “You too.”
The bartender stepped up beside him. “Can I get you something?”
“Just a glass of water?” he asked, and he flicked his eyes to Cook. “Do you want another…”
When he pointed at Cook’s beer, Cook shook his head. “A glass of water sounds good. I’m good for now with this.”
The bartender nodded and walked off and Archie was left mentally scrambling for what he should do next. He had been forced to watch enough cheesy teen movies with his sisters that he was sure he should know but his brain was completely blank.
“Do you come here often?” he blurted out and then put his hand up to his eyes when Cook had to spit out some of his beer or choke.
It took a minute for him to recover but when he did his eyes were shiny from laughing. “No, I don’t. What about you? Come here often?”
“No,” he blushed. “I’m just here for a few days.”
It was weird, because he knew that Cook knew why he was there. He was pretty sure Cook knew everything about him practically, and he thought he knew most things about Cook as well. But after a few minutes of awkward standard questions the weirdness melted away and instead they started to talk about everything instead. The topics went from music to friends to goals and even a little bit about fears they had. It was like he wasn’t just talking to Cook but someone completely different.
When he had finally allowed himself to admit that he was more than just curious about guys he had quickly realized that he had seriously been fooling himself when he told himself that he loved Cook like a brother. He doubted that it had ever been that way for him, even from the first time he met him. It was something different. Maybe a little hero worship at the beginning, probably still a little bit even three years later, but beyond that it had just been. More.
He had been raised dealing with people far older than him on a pretty frequent basis, and he was generally more comfortable hanging out with them rather than kids his own age. He met Cook and instantly felt awkward and young and unable to really coherently string together thoughts. It had been embarrassing and frustrating and he had spent months getting his head back in the game before he realized that he was actually friends with Cook. The young feeling had more or less passed by, but the awkward never quite did.
Until, at least, he found himself seated in a dark corner of a cheesy hotel bar, his head leaned forward to catch what Cook was leaning in to tell him. He was for the first time totally at ease, not at all shaky or nervous. He laughed at the stupid jokes Cook was giving him (most of which he had heard from Cook before) and even thought of a few to tell back.
He didn’t think about the way his hand landed on the table only a few inches away from Cook’s, it felt natural. He let his fingers inch forward on their own accord and curl around Cook’s hand. Cook didn’t pull back and Archie didn’t flinch and it felt amazing.
When the bartender walked over to tell them that the bar was closing down in about fifteen minutes and that it was time to settle the bill Archie was caught completely off balance. He looked over at the clock to see that nearly four hours had passed with neither one of them noticing. His eyes turned back to where their hands were still linked together on top of the table and he froze.
Somewhere in the back of his mind he had the cold realization that this wasn’t real. He had forgotten, in the moment, that this was just practice. He leaned back in his chair, his hand breaking contact and falling down to his lap. Cook gave him a curious look and he shrugged.
“You okay?” Cook asked, putting a twenty on top of the bill.
Archie had the sudden and painful urge to run again. “I’m just… tired. I guess? I mean, wow. It’s almost one? And we got up so early this morning. This was … fun. I really liked talking. Thank you so much for your help Cook.”
He was on his feet and halfway out of the bar before he heard Cook call his name behind him. This was the dumbest thing he could have done. And to make matters worse, even if he made it up stairs he was sharing the suite with the boys, meaning Cook was going to be there. He tried to think how quickly he could get dressed and in bed so he could fake sleep.
The elevator doors were closing, there was no time for him to even try and put his hand out to stop it. He groaned and came up just short enough not to face plant into the bright gold doors. For a moment he thought of all the colorful curse words his friends used that would probably be ideal in this moment.
“David… Archie what the hell man?” Cook’s voice came behind him and he turned himself back to him even though it was the last thing he really wanted to do.
He licked his lips, “I’m sorry.”
“What just happened?” Cook asked, “I thought we were having a pretty decent conversation.”
Archie nodded and felt miserable. “We were. And thank you… for… everything. That was really cool of you to … to show me. I think I have it now. Thanks.”
Cook frowned at him, seemingly thinking something out before he nodded. “You’re welcome. It was nice, you got it after a bit. You just need to relax.”
Behind him Archie heard the elevator ding and he got in to it and pushed the button for the tenth floor. It was a sort of horrible form of torture to be in the elevator alone with Cook. The smell of the bar was still clinging to both of their skins (though no cigarettes, so that was nice) but over it he smelled the cologne Cook had worn the entire time he knew him. It made him ache at the same time it was comforting and familiar to him.
When they were almost to their floor Cook turned to him. “I had a really good time tonight.”
“Me too,” Archie admitted, hoping Cook couldn’t recognize the guilt underneath the words.
They stepped out into the hallway and Archie tried his best not to break out into a run. Cook had longer legs than him so his rapid pace kept them in stride. He kept feeling Cook giving him considering looks and it made his skin feel weird and tight. The awkward sensation from earlier was back, he had to swallow around all the words he was afraid would come pouring out if he didn’t keep himself in check.
Thankfully he had decided to take the room with Jason, he wasn’t sure what he would do if he had to sleep in a bed four feet away from Cook. It was going to be hard enough doing the press and concert the next day, he needed a little bit of a break.
He stopped in front of his door to grab his key from his back pocket. When he turned to say goodnight he saw Cook standing nervously a few feet away. He lifted his hand in a small wave and just as he was about to turn and put the key card in Cook stopped him.
“Hey Archie?” Cook asked.
Archie turned and saw Cook giving him the same look he had before they went downstairs. He tried to stop his head from guessing at what the look meant. It wasn’t fair of him to think like that. “Yea Cook?”
“I had a really good time tonight,” he repeated.
Archie nodded, giving the same response. “Me too. “
Cook hesitated. “It was a good date all in all, except…”
You are planning on critiquing me NOW? Archie felt his eyes go wide.
“Except?” he prompted when Cook didn’t go on.
Cook gave him a nervous smile “It would probably end differently.”
“End differently?” he said, and realized that he was mostly mimicking what Cook said in hopes that he could catch up with the conversation.
“Yea,” Cook walked a few steps closer. “Usually, when you go on a date with someone and you like them, you give them your number.”
Archie blinked, “Cook, I already have your number.”
“I know that,” Cook laughed, and wow. He was like… inches from Archie. And behind Archie was a door, there was nowhere, nowhere for him to go. “But after that you usually walk them to their door and…”
And before Archie had a chance to repeat the last words and ask for Cook to translate his rambles Cook stifled him with a kiss. It was pretty innocent, when it came to kisses, but it lingered for long enough that when Cook pulled back Archie had to inhale deeply to catch his breath.
“Oh.”
Cook smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling up. “So, I had a good time tonight. And I’m glad you have my number. It was nice meeting you, David.”
Before he had a chance to think of what he should say or do or … even to really process what Cook had said, he found that Cook had walked away. He waved at his back, caught a quick smile when Cook put the key in the door. When the hallway was empty he shook his head in disbelief, but couldn’t wipe the huge smile off his face.
Just before he put the key in the lock he turned again to where Cook’s door was.
“It was nice meeting you, too.”