"Lovely evening, isn't it?" Archie remarked, gesturing widely with his arm and Gold frowned.
"Dr. Hopper, are you drunk?" Gold asked, stopping himself from reaching out and steadying the swaying therapist. Archie grabbed hold of the doorframe on his own and leaned closer. His breath stank of alcohol. Bad alcohol, no less. Maybe he'd had a bad day? "Dr. Hopper, I can drive you home if-" he was interrupted by a disapproving finger over his lips.
"No no no no no, I'm fi-fine," Archie hiccupped and he didn't remove his finger. Gold let him keep it there. It was doing no harm other than perhaps bruise Archie's dignity a little in the morning. "I just… I just wanted to see you," he finally stammered out, watching Gold with hazy eyes.
"Me?" Gold had to count himself surprised. They nodded at one another when they passed on the street, but their encounters had so far been mostly non-verbal. What did they have to talk about?
"There's so-something I wanna get off my chest," the redhead slurred, pushing Gold back into the house and following without prompting. Gold watched his open front door with wariness in his head. He resisted the urge to close it as Archie continued to push backwards until his back hit the rail of the staircase. Archie seemed to realize he wouldn't get any further and grabbed Gold's shoulders. "There's something…. Something I need t-tooooo… to you," he struggled briefly with focusing on Gold's face. And with the phrasing of his words.
"Oh? Do tell," Gold made a promise to himself and to Archie that he wouldn't mention whatever embarrassing confession that was about to be aired But Archie didn't speak, he just leaned forward and Gold could feel the therapist's breath on his face, "Hopper, what-"
Archie kissed him.
At first Gold was a little confused about what was happening. Did Archie not realize what he was doing- probably not. Both of Archie's hands cupped his face with tenderness impressive for a man who could hardly stand straight.
Gold blinked and drew back, "Dr. Hopper, I think-"
"Shhhhh," Archie mumbled already going for Gold's mouth again and Gold let him, while figuring out how the hell he was going to get out of this. Archie distanced their mouths and watched Gold with a starry-eyed expression. "I… jus' wanted you to know," he mumbled leaning down to rest his cheek on Gold's shoulder and the pawnbroker felt Archie lean more and more as the need to sleep started to overwhelm.
"Hopper! Hop- Archie, you can't fall asleep on my shoulder," Gold protested, dragging Archie upright before he could drool on his clean suit. "You can borrow the guest room, alright? I'll take you there," he suggested, putting Archie's arm over his shoulder. He struggled a bit, but Archie was very compliant with the idea of a bed. Gold couldn't send him home like this, right?
"Th-thank you, Gold," Archie said drowsily as he was deposited in the bed in the guest room. Gold nodded, mostly to himself and pulled off Archie's shoes. Then he started to pull off Archie's jacket and suddenly there was an arm around his waist. "You're warm," Archie muttered against his stomach.
Gold sighed, "Archie, you need to let me help you."
Archie reluctantly let his arms be pried off and the jacket was removed without further incidents. "I knew you'd be warm," Archie said sweetly and Gold wondered exactly how long Archie had been harboring these feelings. If you could call them that. An infatuation was probably a more correct term.
He quickly went downstairs to shut and lock his front door and then went back up. In the short time he'd been away, Archie had managed to roll himself into a knot so tightly in the blankets, that Gold feared, he might loose and arm or a foot. He was also soundly asleep, mildly snoring.
"Goodnight, Archie," Gold said quietly, switching off the lights and letting the door stay open an inch.
-x-x-
Archie woke to the headache of a lifetime. There was light in the room, and he put both hands over his face to block it out. Then he inhaled and he realized with shock that he wasn't at home. He sat up so quickly his head spun and he felt like he might need to throw up. He didn't recognize the room, but the door was unlocked and his shoes and jacket had been deposited on a nearby chair for his reacquiring.
He slowly got out of the bed and found that he wasn't cold. He pushed the door open and he was thankful it didn't creak. He couldn't deal with that amount of noise right now. He wanted to know where in the world he was. He looked into the hallway and was greeted with rich wood and many doors.
He saw a staircase by the end of the hallway and he went for it. He grabbed hold of the railing with both hands as he descended to the first floor. Suddenly he recognized Gold's front door and everything about the previous night came crashing down over him like a tidal wave.
He'd kissed Gold.
Oh God.
Gold had been forced to let him sleep over because he'd been so drunk.
Oh God.
His attention was stolen as Gold suddenly walked into view, cane in one hand and a glass of water in the other. He took the first step of the stairs before looking up, freezing immediately.
"Morning," Archie mumbled, trying desperately not to blush.
"Good morning," Gold said after a small pause. "I thought you might want something for your head," he continued, and Archie could now spot something white and flat, fizzing in the bottom of the water.
"Thank you," Archie said lamely. He walked down to take the glass and Gold gestured with his head, turning and heading for what Archie then found to be the kitchen. He followed mutely and took a seat when Gold pulled a chair out for him.
"I assumed you wouldn't be hungry," Gold said, turning to the stove where a pot boiled with something. It smelled like coffee.
Archie nodded, "I don't really have an appetite at the moment, no."
"Hmm," Gold hummed, pouring himself a cup of the dark liquid before sitting down across form Archie. Archie took small sips of the water, tasting the medication with a grimace. Gold watched him sympathetically, "This brand should work fast."
Archie didn't speak, having trouble looking Gold in the eye. "I'll be out of your hair when I find my jacket and shoes," he said.
Gold quickly informed, "I put them on a chair in the guest room."
"I know," Archie nodded, sipping more medicated water. He looked at the coffee, "I figured you'd be a tea-person."
Gold looked down at the cup in his hands and smiled, "I am, but after a long night, coffee seems to wake me up faster."
"Yeah, sorry about last night," Archie began sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck.
"You were drunk and I couldn't just let you go home like that. I hope you understand," Gold said, pausing when Archie waved his hand.
"No, I mean… I'm sorry I- I kissed you," he looked away, feeling heat spread all the way to his ears. Gold didn't speak and Archie pressed on, "I'm sorry I forced myself on you like that. I didn't mean to get so drunk."
"It's fine," Gold said calmly.
Archie didn't think it was fine. "So, we're good?" he asked.
Gold tilted his head to the side, "Of course. Why wouldn't we be?"
"Because I kissed you and all but confessed my love for you last night," Archie threw out one hand to get his point across. Why was Gold not more upset about this?
Gold blinked, "So you don't love me, but still you kissed me?"
"I... I don't know if I love- I'm just in love with you," Archie blurted and suddenly it was right there, out in the open. Gold watched him with an unreadable expression.
"Why would you be in love with me?" he asked.
Archie shrugged, "I don't know, I just… appreciate your face occasionally when we pass by each other."
Gold exhaled slowly, "No one's ever been in love with me before."
"Really?" Archie had a hard time believing that. But then again, no. Gold was rich enough to be targeted for his wealth The thought of someone doing something so cruel to Gold made Archie want to stomp his foot really hard. "Well, I am in love with you. So there's that," Archie offered.
Gold nodded.
What kind of response was that?
Say something!
"Are you going to do something sensible about it?" Gold asked.
Archie felt just little annoyed, "Sensible-"
"Perhaps kissing me now that you're sober?"
Oh.
OH.
"Would you be alright with that?"
"You know what? I think I would be."
"Then I'm just going to go for it."
"Please do."
"I have bad breath."
"No worse than last night, I suspect."
Archie leaned forward and they both closed their eyes when their lips met. Archie quickly put a hand behind Gold's head to press closer, the other hand blindly fishing for either of Gold's hands. Gold's left hand caught on to Archie's and they shared a moment of silence, barely moving a muscle.
Archie drew back, "Sensible enough for you?"
Gold responded by closing the distance between them again.