Rivals

Archie

DAFIL ODAIR

 "Hey, Daf. You want some cereal?" Archer asks when I step into the kitchen. 

        I shake my head at him, leaning against the doorframe as he pours some Lucky Charms  into a bowl. "I'll stick to coffee, thanks." I answer, running my gaze over the symbol embroidered into his vest beneath a patch that read the name of the motorcycle club - The Originals. It's a cobra curled around a skull. An 'o' is formed on the forehead with the end of the snake's tail. 

        "Suit yourself, but remember . . . " He shoots me a pointed look over his shoulder as he moves towards the fridge. "You're eating for two now." He digs around for the milk as I grin.

        "I'm beging to think you and Silas are more excited about the baby than I am." I say as I grab a mug from the cupboard and pour myself some coffee. 

        "We are." He agrees through a mouthful of marshmellows and charms. "As soon as it's born we're going to run off and raise it by ourselves."

        I sit beside him at the table, still smiling. "Don't forget to send me pictures." I joke, staring at the heavy rings on his long fingers.  

        He senses my gaze and flexes his hand to get my attention. A grin twitches at my lips as my eyes flicker up to his own. 

        "Do I make you uncomfortable?" I ask, sipping my coffee.

        He nearly chokes on his cereal. 

        "When I stare, I mean." I clarify, feeling a rising sense of satisfaction at my ability to rattle him.

        "Nah." He shakes his head, swallowing another mouthful to keep from talking.

        "Good, then you won't mind me asking you a question."  I gnaw at my lips to hide my smile.

        His blue eyes bore into my own. "Go head."

        "Would it bother you if I walked around naked?"

        He actually does choke this time, coughing harshly as he stares at me with wide eyes. I burst into laughter, rising to pat his back.

        "I'm just kidding, Archie. Don't get your boxers in a twist." I ruffle his dark, curly hair and moved into the living room. I collapsed onto the couch and flickered on the TV. 

        "You barely touched your coffee!" Archer shouts from the kitchen.

        "Come watch cartoons with me!" I ignore him.

        An indecisive moment passes.

        I smile when I hear him thump his fist on the table. He slumps down next to me as I kick my bare feet onto the table.

         The sound of him chewing becomes almost more annoying than the 'beep, beep' of the Road Runner.  I reach over slowly while he's distracted and place my palm over his mouth.

        "Shut up." I murmur.

        He tries to bite my fingers and I pull away with a giggle.

        When the episode ends, I stretch my legs and toes, yawning lazily. I can feel Archer's gaze on my skin, running over the exposed skin of my thighs all the way over my ankles and to the tips of my toes. 

        "What happened?" He asks and I don't even have to look down to know what he means.

       A few scars from burns adorn my ankles. There are more on my arms, but they are signifcantly less apparent.

        "Before Silas . . . " I begin quietly. "I had boyfriend that was . . . " It was a hard word to say. It brought up sessions with an uncaring therapist and multiple painful memories.

        "It's alright." Archer says, nochalantly placing a large hand on my thigh as he meets my eyes. "You don't need to say it."

        I offer a light-hearted smile and we stay like that for a moment, until I begin to feel the heat of his palm on my skin. He seems to notice too, and quickly retracts his hand.

        I feel ashamed for the rush of heat that pulses through me at his touch.

        Awkward silence fills the room until I change the chanel. 

        Archer groans when he realizes what show flickers onto the screen.

        "Archie!" I say, all excited and bubbly. "Look what's on!"

        He hangs his head in dissapointment at my taste in television as I grin.

        "Dance Moms!"