A Tenuous Thread, MMFD One-Shot.
SAMANTHA! Ugh, this was brilliant, I can’t even deal. You wrote Archie’s voice so well and this is now headcanon. I accept it whole-heartedly. His internalized worrying about his best mates and actions he went through to make Finn see sense… guh. My heart. I love this so much. Also, “Because if you’d ever heard Finn talk about Rae, how could you not?” I loved that. I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS.I got really inspired by this post and then it took on a bit of a life of its own. Aka Aiyana this is all your fault.
Summary: Archie can see the gang is falling apart, and he’s doing whatever he can to hold them together. But if Finn keeps acting like a twat, and Rae keeps running to avoid her pain, will he be enough to stem the tide? Angsty internal monologuing with a dash of conversation porn. Enjoy all 4,000+ words of it.
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The night at the pub was already off to a painfully awkward start. Sure, Izzy means well when she brings up Simmy and how he’s been saying mean things to me and pointedly looks to Chop, but it only serves to make things tense. Chop’s been a bit stand-offish since I laid my metaphorical bits out on the table. He’s one of my oldest and best mates, and even though he appears very laddish, I know deep down he’s very kind and accepting. But I’d be lying to myself if I didn’t admit that his discomfort with my newly declared sexuality wasn’t completely demoralizing. I figure it’s got more to do with the lying I did over the years and less to do with him thinking I might have ever fancied him. So in the spirit of keeping the newly reunified gang together, I have resolved to be understanding and give him time to adjust.
It doesn’t make it hurt any less, though, when I hear him say Simmy was probably just joking after Rae asks him to say something. Seeing that he can so casually shrug off the relentless harassment I now receive on a daily basis from that soulless ginger wanker and his mates means I can’t quieten the cynical voice that sounds in the back of my head before it moans about how he’d rather choose to be a spineless coward instead of a good mate. I swiftly push the thought aside though, because I can’t allow myself to think about how disappointed I am in him, not now. I’m being understanding, right? Because I know deep down he’ll be solid when counts. I won’t think about how that soulless ginger wanker and his lot used to be my mates too, and how college is a lot more solitary since coming out… because I’ve got the gang.
We nearly ripped apart at the seams when Rae and Finn broke up. But we’ve mended things now and I know they’ll keep me together. I say it’s fine so we’ll move on and just talk about happy things like how much a laugh Chloe’s birthday party was and how cracking the fun fair will be tomorrow. But then in walks Finn with Olivia on his arm and the air goes from being a bit heavy with tension to electrically charged. I can feel it prickling against my skin. What the fuck is he thinking bringing her here? Did he not hear when Rae mentioned she was coming out tonight? Has he not seen her sat right beside me? I can sense Rae tensing up next to me and I turn to her, quietly asking if she’s alright. She turns back to look at me, tutting and shrugging her shoulders, doing the best she can to look casual when she answers affirmatively, but I know the real answer even if she won’t say it aloud.
