#issedi

1. Archer and Issedi for Court

Holding her hand in his and spinning her about once, he looked her up and down one last time and took in the glorious tall hat with its floor-length wraparound veil and declared,

"Now you will look perfect for your wedding!"

Issedi didn't have the heart to point out that much as she would talk about wanting to have a wedding, she wasn't actually engaged, and didn't have anyone to marry or even anyone who would consider it, because watching him dress her up (especially in fine hats) was far too much fun. Instead, she just laughed, and kissed his cheek.

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2. Adam and Erin for Court

So it wasn't actually that he could read her mind, just that whenever she told him what she wanted or even said it to anyone else where he could overhear it or read it or -- whatever, Adam always wanted to give Erin the things that she wanted.

Generally it wasn't like it was with Anathema and the nuclear reactor, but he was still doing things he'd promised the Them (and Aziraphale and Crowley and eventually even Owen and Kara) he wouldn't do like using his powers to create ice cream trucks in convenient locations and influence the weather and move ley lines around so the dousing work she went on with Spiritualist Lyonette worked out better, and he should've felt guilty, but he didn't, because he loved her.

It was all going fine until she whispered something as they were falling asleep under the stars and woke up with a giant water park in the backyard.

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3. Danny and Lydia for Shans

"You know," she said, "Marrying me is actually a really horrible idea, because it's me and all, and so if we actually hold a wedding people are going to die or at least get seriously hurt, and something will be set on fire and nothing will go according to plan. We might even end up missing our own ceremony being pursued by the police across state lines for something we didn't do."

Issedi had left a cupcake outside his door, but Archer made no sign that he was at all interested, or even aware that it was there. She had tried talking to him at first, but after no response she had simply left him the food and hoped he would, eventually, peek out long enough to eat it. Rhen probably should have been more sympathetic, but talking wouldn't do anything to fix it. Whatever had spooked the guy, it wasn't going to go away, and Rhen knew from experience that sometimes you had to work through it on your own.

He had.

"Maybe you should go talk to him."

"Wha?" Rhen looked up from the knife he was sharpening and met Issedi's eyes, one eyebrow raised. "Why?"

"Maybe he'll talk to you?" She glanced over her shoulder at Archer's door. "He's been in there a while. I'm a little--"

"Worried? Look, I know you like him and all, but sometimes you gotta let things go. He'll come out when he's ready." He didn't add the "if".

"But he might--"

"I don't know what he told you," said Rhen, interrupting again, "but we're not really pals. More like friends of necessity. I don't ask about his personal life, he doesn't ask about mine. I don't know why he'd break silence now."

"Because," said Issedi, and she looked a mix of sadly disappointed and angry, "I think you're more than that. You could at least try." And she walked away-- not stomped, like a petulant child, but with an air that said she greatly disapproved.

Rhen sighed. The girl just didn't understand. 

Didn't mean the guilt wasn't seeping in through the cracks she'd put in his confidence, though. With another sigh, Rhen put down the knife and walked over to the door.

"Arch? Hey, Archer, you still in there?" When he didn't get a response, he knocked on the door. "Hey, I'm gonna eat this cupcake if you don't come out." A pause. "What, you not talking to us now?" 

When he still got no response, Rhen huffed and sat down next to the door, his back against Archer's wall. "Fine. I'm just gonna sit here 'til you decide you want to be obnoxious again. Gods know I'm enjoying the silence while it lasts."

"You should be so lucky." 

The response was faint, tremulous, and far more defeated than Archer's usual tone, but it was still a response. Rhen smiled.

"Yeah? Well, the longer you sulk, the better it is for all of us. Take all the time you need."

"I am not sulking, Rhen, and you are a horrid person. Go away."

"Not 'til you come out."

The next response was muffled. "I am never coming out."

"Fine. More cupcakes for me. Maybe I'll take some to Nyk; bet he'd like them. Better company than you are, anyway."

"That is not true."

Rhen's smile grew. "So prove me wrong."

"Baiting me is not going to work."

"Sorry," said Rhen, "I couldn't hear you."

"I said," and the door open enough that Rhen could see a red-eyed Archer glaring down at him, "that baiting me is not going to work."