AN: I adore both Johnny and Archy. I've wanted to write something for them for a while and was always intrigued by what would've happened directly after the final showdown with Lenny.
This story can be read as pre-slash or platonic friendship, I'll leave that up to you depending on what you prefer.
Anyway, hopefully I've managed to do the boys justice with this story. Enjoy!
By the time Archy arrives at the hospital another gathering has formed. His lips twitch in the faintest hint of a smile because Johnny always did love a gathering.
In the sterile corridor stands Roman, Mickey, Mumbles, Bob, One Two, Cookie, Pete and now of course himself. It's the foundation of an empire if Johnny wants one.
"How is he?"
"He's in recovery," Mickey supplies.
"They're not letting anybody in to see him yet," Roman adds.
Archy isn't anybody, so he'll see about that. He lets himself into the room.
In the bed lies Johnny, eyes closed, the bullet hole in his belly all sewn up.
"Alright there, John?" Archy asks in a low voice.
Johnny's eyes slowly crack open. Archy sees the deflation in them when Johnny recognises him.
"I don't think I'm quite fit for another round with you, Uncle."
"Forget that now John, I'm not here to argue. I just want to know how you are."
"Well I got shot by my dad, so I'm however that makes a person feel. Thanks very much for asking."
"You don't have to worry about Len anymore," Archy offers, taking a seat by Johnny's bedside.
"Old codger catch a cold did he?"
"Yeah. Bottom of the Thames will do that to a man."
His words almost bring a smile to Johnny's face. Almost. The damage Len did won't be fixed quite as quickly as the old bastard was.
"What did the doctors say?" Archy enquires.
"A few stitches here and there, a couple of days in bed and I'll be right as rain. I'm in remarkably good health for a dead man they said."
"Secret's out now then?"
"One of the nurses was a Quidlickers fan, can you believe that? Now I ask you Arch, what was a nice respectable girl like that fucking doing listening to music by a crack head like Johnny Quid?" By the time's he's done, Johnny's words have degenerated into a dry cough.
Ignoring the 'nil by mouth' sign above the bed Archy offers him some water, holding Johnny's head while he sips though a straw.
"There we go," Archy soothes, momentarily transported back to Johnny's childhood and the protectiveness he'd felt towards the boy back then.
"What are you doing?" an unhappy nurse demands when she catches them.
Quick as ever Johnny says, "I needed something wet to wrap my lips around love."
She doesn't see the funny side and orders Archy out of the room. He goes because she looks like she might have a slap to rival his and that she'd be more than willing to use it. As he leaves he wonders what they even put the water there for if Johnny wasn't allowed to fucking drink it.
All eyes are on him as he's hustled out of the room.
"How is he?" Cookie's the one to ask but the rest of them look just as anxious as Johnny's old pal does.
"He'll live," Archy tells them. His words are met by a collective sigh of relief.
"You lot might as well head off. Could be a while before anyone's allowed back in there," he says with a glance over his shoulder.
"What about you Arch?" Bob says, ever the perceptive one.
"Think I might stay a bit," he says, dropping down into a chair to settle in for what he suspects will be some time if that nurse has anything to do with it.
"Are you sure Arch?" Handsome says, something more than the expected concern at play here but Archy's too tired to try deciphering it.
"Yeah."
"Give John our best," says One Two, as they all head off leaving him alone.
"Hey Bob," he calls after them, Bob and his faithful pal One Two stop, the rest keep going. He'd heard there was a bit of a rift between the two of them but whatever that was it seems to be mended now. "Do us a favour?"
"Yeah Arch."
"Get that Pete into a clinic. I won't have any junkie's hanging around."
"Consider it done." Good to his word Bob, and One Two of course, head off in the direction of the hospital information desk rather than the exit.
He takes this private moment to indulge in letting his guard down for a second. He's exhausted. The day certainly took an unexpected turn, a few of them actually, and the rug's been pulled out from under him. Of all the people in the world he never suspected Lenny to be a grass, but in hindsight he feels kind of stupid about that because Lenny always was good at feathering his own nest.
He thinks about Johnny and everything he missed and can't help but wonder if Len did it on purpose. He'd been the one person Johnny could rely on and with one devious ploy Len had managed not only to tear them apart for four long years but to create a permeant rift in their relationship. Johnny had blamed him for the perceived abandonment, Archy hadn't taken kindly to Johnny's new attitude upon his release, and they'd never found their way back to the ease of old.
The door to Johnny's room opens and the unhappy nurse steps out. Maybe she'll just walk right on by if he doesn't look up. But no, her feet come into view and he realises she's standing right in front of him. Toe tapping impatiently and everything. He looks up.
"Can you read?" she asks.
"What?"
"Are you illiterate or just plain ignorant? We don't put those signs up for fun." She means the nil by mouth thing. It was stupid of him but he'd always had trouble denying Johnny anything.
"I didn't mean any harm."
Not fighting back takes the wind out of her sails and he does mean what he says. He would never do anything to knowingly hurt Johnny. He thinks she might see that on his face because her own expression softens dramatically.
"Try not to kill him this time if you sneak back in when no one's looking."
She strides off, pointedly not looking, and he does indeed sneak back in.
There's laughter in Johnny's eyes.
"I don't think she's very impressed with you."
"Shut up."
He finds his way back to that seat, the one right beside Johnny.
"Never fear Arch, I managed to soothe her with my dazzling and irrepressible charm."
Archy's not even gonna comment on that load of bollocks.
"The rest of the boys said to give you their best."
"Who else took up my bedside vigil then?"
"Bob, One Two, Mumbles, Roman, Mickey, Cookie, Pete," he lists off, careful not to miss anyone because he's sure Johnny will be filing this information away for later.
"Couldn't tell me themselves? Had somewhere better to be, did they?"
"I told them to go. I'm not even supposed to be in here."
Johnny might actually miss a beat that time, well half of one anyway.
"Who are you now then?" he jibes. "Archibald the Magnificent? Set to ride in and take over Lenny Cole's vast empire."
"In a manner of speaking. Thought I might hold the reins for a while until someone more qualified comes along."
"Do these qualifications involve the fine art of sucking on a pipe?" Archy meant to save this conversation for another day but since Johnny has brought it up...
"No they don't. They involve the clear thoughts of a cunning and gifted mind."
"I thought you said we weren't going to argue."
"We're not. As soon as you're out of here you're going into rehab. There is no other option, and therefore nothing to argue."
"You're not my father."
"No, luckily for you, I'm not. Unlike that old bastard, I actually give a shit about what happens to you."
Johnny's face darkens with scepticism.
"Go on then, say it. Get it off that skinny chest of yours."
Archy knows what Johnny's thinking. It's an old grievance, and it's a conversation that's been brewing for a long time.
"Always there when I needed you, were you? Pretty words, Uncle..."
He'd meant to be. It had killed him when he'd been locked up, knowing that seventeen year old Johnny was left alone to deal with Len and all the other strife he always managed to get himself into. Archy'd never been able to curb Johnny's reckless behaviour but he'd always been there in the aftermath to help Johnny however he could. Sometimes that had meant real work, other times just to lend an ear.
"I always tried my best to be. Come on John, what do you say? We've both made some right royal cock ups in our time. Can't we leave the past behind us and start fresh? Won't you let me help you?"
"Think I might be beyond that now, Uncle."
"Don't be stupid John. You could be the very best if you set your mind to it. There ain't nothing you couldn't do if you wanted to. That's why you've gotta get cleaned up."
The rare and honest praise works a treat.
"Well I might, if you promise me one thing."
"What's that?"
"That you won't disappear on me again."
"I promise I ain't going nowhere. I'm gonna be there this time, every step of the way. I ain't never leaving you again."
"I'm gonna hold you to that."
"See that you always do."