A/N: Another chapter! Originally it was supposed to be uploaded this Tuesday, but I had free time. Thanks for the criticisms, and thank you Horticulture for watching me write this until, like, 1 am. I didn't realize I had this rated m when I linked it to FR, and I'd like to thank the mods for catching it and removing the thread. After some careful consideration, I decided this will most likely stay rated the way it is.
There's going to be side Wind/Arcane in this, too. Because I'm a trash shipper ayyyy.
Disclaimer: I do not claim to own flight Rising, its deities, or its affiliates.
Thing went slow for the next week, until Paige threw herself into Archie's study full force one day. She was wearing the biggest grin Archie has seen so far in his life, and her eyes twinkled with a mischievous sort of glint.
Oh no. In her hands she held one of Flora's various small notebooks, the same one Archie knew for a fact Flora used as a personal diary. The leather book was filled to the brim with multicolored pressed flowers and torn yellow pages.
"Paige, I recommend putting Flora's personal belongings back in order. I wouldn't want to clean blood off the floor again."
"Pshh, it's her fault for not hiding it well enough. And you wouldn't believe the juicy things this has in here. I get to know evverrrything about her."
Archie shivered before turning his attention back to his aged tome. Paige frowned, crossed her arms, and gave a gentle "hmph".
"So you're not interested to know literally everything about our sister?"
"We already do. She is our sister. Stupid." The last part was murmured under his breath. Paige made a sound similar to a squawk and tore the book out of Archie's hands.
"She's totally crushing on your new intern, by the wayyyy~. C'mon, you can totally get blackmail from this!"
He sighed, took off his reading glasses, and massaged the bridge of his nose with a shaky hand. Why did his sister always pull him into her antics? Can she not find another librarian to bother?
He wanted some aspirin.
"You won't let me continue reading, will you?"
"Nope!"
"Fine, read it to me. My head hurts too much anyways."
Paige's grin grew predatory as she stalked towards Archie's free couch (the other one has literal piles of books and moldy notes.). She cleared her throat, flipped to the middle of the book, (Archie hated people who did that…), and began with a random entry.
"June 26, Morning.
I haven't noticed until now, but an exceptionally pretty girl seems to really like my garden. It's hard to grow things in the city, so I'm proud that someone appreciates my work, but I can't shake off her gaze. She was alone, well, sitting alone, in the pastry shop across the street, but she seemed comfortable, gazing at the plants with what could only be described as adoration.
She doesn't seem like the gardening type, either. She came on a motorcycle, for goodness' sake. She looked like the kind of girl that hung around the wrong type of crowd in high school, with her leather jacket and bright red lipstick. I could've sworn she's full of piercings, too.
She almost the exact opposite of me, it seems. Is this why she interests me? Is she interested in me? Not romantically, of course not, but she kept stealing glances at me when she thought I couldn't see her. (I'll install a mirror next to the door, I think. I need to get a better look at her. For pure scientific reasons.) "
Paige stopped reading at this point to purposefully make a loud gagging noise. Archie rolled his eyes at her theatrics.
"It's a crush. We all go through it at some point, Paige."
"Pfft, not me."
"I'm surprised your heart hasn't rotted. " Archie murmured as he pulled out another book from under his table.
"It's getting there, Archie-boy!" Paige cackled, smacking Archie's back in her laughter. He found himself rolling his eyes twice in the past five minutes.
"Now that you're done-"
"But I didn't finish read-"
"You do not need to. This," he plucked the notebook from Paige's hands, "is going back to Flora, along with a formal apology from you. Two pages, front and back."
Paige rolled her head backward and groaned. "Oh my god, Archie, you're going into strict teacher mode. But also, I know you just want the book for your 'research', hehe. Have fun being a total pervert." Paige called out behind her as she shut the door to the study.
Archie caught himself rolling his eyes for the third time. He threw a book at his door, which managed to push down the lock with a satisfying click. His attention turned to the book, er, diary.
(Before, of course, flipping to the first page and reading it from the start.)
[One week afterward]
"She's just, she's so, ughh, help me out here, man." Ember buried her hands in her hair, running them through the strands as a comforting gesture. Her friend, sitting next to her, chuckled.
"Can't help much, Flamey. You've got it bad, and that's about it." Zephyr W. Singer was a kind fellow, who owned a series of chain stores for arts and crafts of all kinds. However, with the arrival of an old friend in town, he took some time off just to meet her face-to-face for the first time in… well, forever.
It became a sort of habit to walk with her to her favorite pastry shop in the mornings. They would sometimes come on Ember's motorbike, and they once came on Zephyr's limo, but the resulting crowd was a bit too much.
(The horror that is limo-divers will forever disturb him.)
"Gahhhh, heeelp meeeee." Ember disturbed his train of thought by making various guttural sounds. He took a sip of his caramel frap carefully, making sure nothing spilled onto his lime green suit.
"Get her number? It's really kind of simple. Sorry, but I never really had any lady trouble."
"Oh my god, I knew asking a womanizer wouldn't help." Ember sank into her chair and smooshed her face against the table. Ripples spread throughout her own plain black coffee.
"Get this over with. Whatever deity out there, just shoot me with lightning and get this over with."
"Provoking Zeus wouldn't exactly help you." A new voice joined the conversation.
Ember's head shot up to meet her employer's eyes. Archie stood in front of the pair, wearing a beanie, holding a stack of papers in one hand and a coffee in the other. He was smiling at his worker's antics.
"Ember, you forgot the records you promised to take home on your desk. Oh, and by the way, I now accept your offer to go 'hang out', as you eloquently put it."
Ember smiled back, taking the papers away from Archie. "How much did you overhear, Archie? Should I wipe your memories clean?" She joked, pulling a chair up behind him. He nonchalantly waved a hand at her as he sat down.
"I doubt the technology to wipe one's mind exists, but you'll be happy to know that the only thing I heard was your desire to get struck with lightning." Archie turned towards Ember's companion.
"And you are?"
Zephyr blinked once, trying to remember exactly when this hottie arrived and, more importantly, how to get his number. 'I didn't know I had a thing for hipsters.'
"Uh, I'm Zephyr. Well, Zeph, technically, or sometimes Zephie." He babbled, trying not to make direct eye contact with his new crush.
"Uh, nice pink contacts, by the way. They suit you."
"...Archibald. It's a pleasure to meet you." He completely ignored Zephyr's second comment and instead turned back to Ember. She shot a look of pity towards her blushing friend, who seemed to visibly deflate.
Before Archie could say anything, though, Zephyr piped up.
"Ember, I've got a question." He felt as if his stomach was turning itself into knots. Better get this over fast.
Archie rolled his eyes and faced the lime-green man again, visibly annoyed.
"Yeah, Zeph?" Intuition told her she should probably leave soon.
"Why didn't you tell me your boss had such a fine booty?"
Archie was frozen like a deer in the headlights for a moment. Ember scooted her chair away from the table, ready to hold him back if he did anything reckless. (It was out of character,yes, but she's seen it happen.)
"Do you not have any manners at all?" He ground out through gritted teeth. 'Run'. Said the voice in Zephyr's head. 'RUN, you maniac!'
"I cannot believe someone would be so forward, and so perverted at the same time, all the while trying to play off such blatant disrespect as a compliment! Did your parents not raise you correctly? The fact that you told your friend this, while pretending I wasn't there when I was literally less than two feet away and between you two makes one think you were raised in a barnyard, for goodness' sake!"
Although the outburst wasn't as loud as it seemed, Zephyr still felt as if all eyes were on him. Pressure seemed to well up inside if him, and for a second he thought he couldn't breathe, until he realized that no one seemed to be staring except for the very angry librarian in front of him and the slightly concerned girl behind him.
"Oh shit. Sorry dude." He murmured under his breath, not realizing how he literally scooted away from Archie's rage.
"I would hope so." Archie took off his glasses and laid them next to Ember's stack of papers.
"And grow up, will you. There's no need to act like a frightened child." Archie finished. Ember bit back saying "but he is" in front of Archie. Friends help out other friend's crushes, no matter how hopeless. She did stifle a laugh, which only caused Zeph to disappear further into himself.
"Um, Archie, I have a question about some of these notes on this script." Ember pulled out a piece of paper from the small stack Archie brought with him.
The atmosphere of the little shop returned to normal, and Ember started up a friendly conversation with Archie about the practicality of writing notes compared to just listening. Zeph joined in once or twice, but was mostly busy winking at other girls and mouthing "call me" at strangers (which Archie found positively disgusting.) However, in his mind, Zephyr was plotting ways to get Archie's number without completely embarrassing himself. While Ember and Archie were talking about boring things, he shot a quick text.
Wingsinger messaged Flamecaller 1:47 pm
We both know why I just texted you~
I'm right here you ass? Like right next to you?
But he's there too :c
Aww, you're afraid?
…
Yes. :c
Omg I'm screenshotting this.
Omg just hook me up w/ his # u whore
I'll try darling~ *hearts*
Ew gayyy
Says the dude trying to get another mans number...
Edit1: Fixed spelling errors, added small amount of content, made 2nd part a bit less rushed.