archie callaghan.

Tom grinned, watching Archie's reaction to his absolutely terrible attempt at his impression and shaking his head, washing down any type of embarrassment another type of person might have felt with a gulp of beer and letting his eyes settle against the other's face once more. He was gorgeous, that much was obvious, good looking enough for Tom to throw his inhibitions to the wind - not that it took much of a push for him to do that. Still, a pretty face made Tom's clarity fade and his impulses take over - which usually only ended in trouble for him.

part of him hated how easy this was, to sit here and pretend to be somebody who he wasn't. a single man, no real responsibilities, just out for the night in the hopes of picking up a stranger. archie had to remind himself that this was just a little game, this was a fleeting moment that he'd forget about when he crawled into bed with his wife later that evening and he'd be back to his real life. tom, as handsome as he was, wasn't going to be a fixture in his life.

Tom had always been a sucker for accents, of any kind, but the clarity of Archie's Scottish accent tickled him differently than he was used to, the way he spoke forcing a smile from Tom's lips as he chuckled, "I'll be honest, accents are not my thing, but for you…anything." He teased, another sip from his beer bottle before he set it down on the bar, clearing his throat for an ill-fated attempt at a Scottish accent as he spoke next, "I'll have you itching to get back home in no time.." He rolled his eyes at himself before feeling his face flush with heat, he wasn't easily embarrassed, especially when making a fool of himself brought a laugh or even a smile out of whoever he was conversing with.

"not your thing? i don't believe it," archie smirked. he liked how the man was giving him some stick, the playful banter was always something he was a sucker for and archie fell for it every time. as tom produced his... scottish? accent, archie couldn't help but to burst into laughter. "oh christ, that was awful -- but i appreciate the effort so, so much."

The latter. That was a good sign in Tom's opinion, if he was unforgettable, that meant he'd hooked Archie in without even trying, which only meant that the rest of the night was bound to be much more fun than even Tom had anticipated when he'd set out. "It is, it's…" He nodded, he'd been away for some time, of course he'd visited, but never really stayed long - his family had missed him, he'd missed his friends, but something about being home felt constricting for many of those years. Maybe he'd grown out of that mindset, or maybe he was just tired, but coming back felt right, felt like he was meant to be in town at this stage of his life. "Well, aren't you far from home…feeling lonely? If I put on a Scottish accent will that help you feel less homesick?" He chuckled, "I could try…no promises it won't sound like nails against a chalkboard." He winked before picking up the new bottle the bartender had set down for him, and lifting it to his lips before he rolled his eyes, "You can thank the ex-wife, I suppose." He smirked, taking a long sip, "On second thought…wouldn't want to say her name more than once…might summon her here in a bloody mary-esque event."

home sickness was something that was difficult to really try and explain to anybody. whilst the concept was easy, missing home, the feelings it brought on were anything but. to know he was so far away that he couldn't make his best friend's wedding, that the messages between him and his group of lads were growing fewer and fewer as their lives ticked on by without him in it. "aye, a wee lonely," it came off as a joke as he chuckled, but the words couldn't be more true, "oh, i would love to hear it. i find that most who try either steer off down the english or irish route, so we'll see how you do." the man grinned, taking a big gulp of his first drink to finish it off.

"alright, i'm in," archie loved a partner in crime moment, so who was he to turn this down? "hm, i mean if it's been a long day then she loves anything chocolate. it's like, the naughty treat that she tries to avoid but the reality is she fuckin' loves it." he explained as he pondered over the choices in the display cabinet. "but, on the other hand, i feel like you're right in that maybe a favourite staple is the best way to go because it's just like comfort, ain't it?" the man paused, turning to the girl beside him before saying, "are you a counsellor or somethin'? 'cause i feel you've just made a breakthrough with me." then again, it wasn't exactly difficult to make archie callaghan realise he could be a better husband.

Tom was never the type of person who went out looking for a good time, good times just always seemed to find him. Maybe it was his open-mindedness, his skillful ability to go with the flow, see where the night took him, the way he allowed fate to guide him, maybe that was why, wherever Tom went, he found himself having a good time. Tonight was off to a slow start, but he's milking a beer at the corner of the bar, making small talk with strangers when the other man walked in. Seemed impossible not to noticed him, he seemed to stand out in a place like this, and Tom had never been one to censor himself, staring and nodding in the other's direction once he's been noticed. Ever the type to act on impulse he's out of his barstool before he can think twice about it and approaching with a smirk.

archie's smirk grew wider as the other approached; god, he was beautiful. the way the dimly lit bar accentuated his sharp features, and that smile. "i'd say the latter," he teased back, turning to the bartender to order another rum and coke. he'd barely sipped from his current one but archie wasn't one to turn down a free drink. "thanks," archie rested his arm on the bar so he can turn to get a better view of the other man. "that's a long time to be away from home," archie replied, "i know the feelin'." his scottish accent was as thick as ever on his tongue -- alcohol seemed to loosen it even more (or maybe because it was a sure way to attract someone in). "name's archie, it's a pleasure, tom." he extended his hand, "'m from the scottish highlands, but i moved here six or so years ago now. still not quite used to the city life. but what about you, who do i have to thank for bringing you back home?"

It was none of her business.

of course, delilah. archie feigned a smile as she spoke to him; it was as if she knew but he couldn't be certain. "and what else would that be?" archie couldn't help himself, "sounds like you know more than i do." he maintained a teasing tone, careful to not overstep and bite. he'd no idea what his wife had told her throughout their budding friendship, he would be stupid to think that she hadn't confided in someone.

Zero winces instinctively as the ball collides with the man's face, touching a hand to his own face as if he could feel the red, hot sting from the football himself.

"alright, i could've been... blinded then," archie counters, but there's a small smirk upon his lips. it's not often he meets someone that's ballsy enough to call him out. "where exactly were you tryin' to kick it?" there's a playful tone to archie's voice, taking a few steps back as the ball is headered back toward him. he pushes his chest out to stop it, the ball dropping down to his feet where he rolls it back onto the top of his foot. "cheers, pal," he says, "used to play a lot back home." if a seven-a-side sunday league counted.

"Oh gosh, you didn't do the laundry when you were supposed to?" He asked as he looked over at the other and just shook his head slightly. "You're really in for it now." He joked with the other as he then took a sip of his coffee that he ordered for himself. "Well I feel like flowers are very cliche so you shouldn't do that, but I do think that some sweets will really get her." he said as he looked at him and then turned towards the display cases. "I think girls like chocolate covered strawberries but there's none of those here so maybe a cannoli? If i had made this mistake and was trying to make it up to someone, then I would go with that or the double fudge cake if she's a cake person."

"tell me about it!" archie had to laugh, "i just get distracted so easily and it's, ugh, complicated." that was an understatement. "i'm not a big flowers guy anyway; like, i understand they look nice but you're effectively giving someone you love something that's going to die very quickly." he shrugged. "the cake does look good," archie then mused as he looked into the display case, "i think that's a safe bet." either way, he knew no matter what he brought back, it wouldn't be enough to prevent an argument but it would at least soften the blow somewhat. "never had a cannoli though - what's that?"

"Are you though?" She questioned him with a pointed look because it sounded like the sort of toxicity that would take years to unravel in therapy. He'd be out of house and home by the time he came out on the other end. "So you're the problem or is it just a mutual type of chaos that you both bring to each other?" Now she was invested. "What more is there behind it? You might think I'm nosy, which isn't totally wrong, but I might be getting you out of spending your saving on a schmuck telling you that mommy and daddy traumatized you growing up and that's why your marriage is shit."

"murphy." archie said in a firm voice, cocking a brow, "you know i'm fine." though, sometimes he did question whether or not she knew something else and was why she liked to tease him about it all. "we've always been mutual chaos," he admitted with a shrug, "it's like... our thing. we fight, we fuck, we're fine." archie would never be one to claim his marriage was healthy because it was anything but, and whilst he appreciated murphy's desire to not have him pay for therapy, deep down he knew he needed it for his own personal growth. "my parents were great, no childhood trauma," he sighed, "no underlying reasons as to why sometimes i'm just a bit of a cunt. it's how it is."

"I think you are and if you aren't, you should be." She liked playing with fire, craved it, even, but there were certain flames she refused to be burned by and his marriage was one of them. Tempting as it was, she wouldn't cave on that. "I could. That's the thing about life, right? Trusting that someone won't leave for something better. I think he trusts me. I'm not saying he's entirely wrong for that, but you make a point." Still, more money, more responsibility, less time to do what really brought in the money to her bank account. "Do you what you do? Doing what you like?" She liked the idea of it; liked the thrill behind every new adventure that awaited, but she needed an ounce of stability and envied those that didn't. "Aren't you ever worried a compliment is going to get you in trouble with that wife of yours?" There. She'd said it, had mentioned the woman and now she had nothing more to feel guilty over.

god, that sentence hit him like a brick to the face. trusting that someone won't leave for something better. because the reality was that if archie got a second chance, if he was ever able to see him again, then the likelihood of him leaving his marriage was higher than it had ever been. yet his wife trusted him. she stayed with him, believing his affair to be a moment of madness - and as far as archie knew - she didn't think he was going to leave for better. "just do whatever is goin' to make you happy," the man said with a small shrug, "that's the goal, ain't it? gotta put yourself first above everything. take what you want to take at your own pace and fuck the rest of 'em." now, if only he'd listened to his own advice. "i love being my own boss and makin' my own decisions but it is tough; there are months when i don't get a single bit of work, i don't make any money, and i'm strugglin' to make ends meet. but on the flip side, there are times when i'm real busy and i gotta turn work down." archie only recently took up ubering as a side hustle to make for a more steady income, and it allowed him a chance to escape the house when he needed a moment of space. "no, i don't think so," archie then said, "i'd like to think she also compliments people. i suppose there is a line," which he'd crossed, "but there's no harm being done. is there?"

"Rough night, or a good night?" He could never tell when it came to a hangover. Some of the best times of his life were followed by the excruciating morning after, as were some of the worst times too. A quiet laugh slipped past his lips, amusement falling short. He'd steal it again if it meant getting out of there any quicker, despite claiming that wasn't his intention. "What's the problem with soy? Are you more of an oat milk fan? Don't tell me you prefer almond," he mocked with a pinched brow and boyish smirk. "Of course it does. It's espresso with some flavor pumps. It beats a cold brew any day."

archie paused, it wasn't necessarily a rough night as such -- more just, a night. "just one of those where, you need to take the edge off." is what he settled with. the man's arms folded across his chest as he waited alongside zeke; as much as he loved this coffee spot, he had every mind to find a new one that wasn't so chaotic first thing. "almond is like pish water," archie pointed out, "oat milk is the more tolerable out of all the non-dairy options but it still makes me feel sad." the man chuckled. "you got somewhere you need to be or you gonna sit in for a minute?" archie then asked as their coffees were finally brought over to the two of them.

Where: The Penalty Box

the penalty box was one of archie's favourite spots. if he were ever going through a rough patch - which seemed to be more often than not as of late - the bar was the perfect way to wind down. you would think, however, that his frequent appearances meant he had finally gotten a grasp of american sports but as he watched the screen with dina, the puzzled look was evident on his face. "hang on, what do you mean power play?" he really was trying to get it. ice hockey at least had his interest more than american football. "i feel like the way i am now is how other people are when i talk about footie- well, your soccer." archie chuckled as he took a sip from his pint.

Jaw clenched tight per his compliment, her sun kissed skin burning with heat. "That's the artist speaking, right? The one clearly obsessed with details? Seeing as he had plenty of practice with unknowing faces, she chose to assume that forgetting wasn't in his nature. Head tilted slightly, her curiosity fully piqued. For a married man, he had one hell of a charm factor. "I think you're bluffing." She was the easiest subject to draw, a mere seat away. There couldn't be another reason behind it and if they were, she'd choose to ignore it. "I think he wants someone doing more of the work. He knows that right now, I'm not much of a help behind a desk answering phones all day and scheduling lunch dates he has no intention of showing up to." And he was right for that. She was a smart woman, but more work meant more responsibility and the latter wasn't of interest to her. "Do you always compliment people so much?"

"maybe i am bluffing," he said with a sly smile, "or maybe i'm not." archie was treading on thin ice and he knew it; if his wife were to find out these conversations, he didn't even want to think of the consequences that would be had behind closed doors. "but in turn, if you were to go for this, could you not take that experience and leave him to go elsewhere that might be better?" archie suggested, in between glancing from aksel to the paper. "you shouldn't ever be thrown into something to alleviate someone else of their shit, y'know? just because he can't be arsed to turn up to a meeting, doesn't mean it should be your problem. but, i also have no idea how that world works -- the only 'real' job i ever had was servin' coffee in a cafe and even then, i got fired after a couple weeks." archie didn't do well with being told what to do, it was what made being his own boss so much more appealing. "i try to, sometimes y'never know when a wee compliment can actually make someone's day." the man said with a small shrug, taking a break from his sketch to take a long sip from his coffee.

"oh god, how old's your daughter? i only ask 'cause if my paisley is anything like me when she's older, i'm in for some proper trouble." archie laughed in response. he could already see little snippets of himself in her, not just because she was the spitting image of her but in her little quirks -- the sass on her was ridiculous for a four-year-old. "i'm gonna sound like a right donut here, but... what actually is a macaroon? i see it all the time on that bake off show but i ain't got a fuckin' scooby what they are." doing his allocated chores however was definitely the cheaper (and safer) option here, but archie was an idiot and he never seemed to make his life easier. "i just forget," a slight twist on the truth, "and i get distracted easy. next thing i know, she's on her way home and i've fucked it."

"Should I remember that face?" How could anyone forget it? The way his jawline could cut glass and his smile? No wonder his wife had cornered the market of Archie Callaghan. "Surprisingly, I think most people would be flattered by you taking an interest in their passing faces. Personally, I'd feel honored if you picked me out of a crowd of people." She didn't have to compete with anyone else though; it seemed his offered to sketch her was as good as it got. "I can't have your ego getting any bigger on my watch. Sorry." She wasn't apologetic, her devilish smile showcasing that with utterly playful ease. Eyes rolled at the mention of the paperwork again, but it was the least she could offer during the exchange. "It's a program for paralegal studies. My boss thinks I should look into it, but honestly, it's just more work. See? Nothing exciting. I told you."

"well, it's highly unlikely i'd forget yours, love, so i'd hope the same in return." archie couldn't help but to flirt; aksel was beautiful, there was no dying that, plus it was harmless wasn't it? "that's a nice way of lookin' at it, actually," he then said as he lightly traced his thumb along the stubble of his jaw. "i do tend to draw people i'm attracted to." he set his pencil to the paper, lightly beginning a sketch of the woman in front of him, nodding as he listened to her words. "you say it's more work," he said, glancing up momentarily and placing the tip of the pencil between his lips, "but, to me that sounds like a compliment from your boss. that means they trust you, aye?" but archie could be wrong, he'd never been involved in the corporate world. "you're a smart girl though, dangerous combination."