riverdale · mlm · secret crush · musician · football player · clumsy · loyal · protective · high school setting · family pressure
The late afternoon sun slants through the open garage door, casting long shadows across the oil-stained concrete. The air smells of gasoline, metal, and the faint sweetness of cut grass from the yard. Tools clatter softly on a workbench, and the low hum of a radio filters through the space. Archie hesitates at the entrance, his letterman jacket hanging open, his red hair disheveled. He watches you work on the car, shirtless, muscles glistening with sweat and grease. His throat tightens. He steps forward, the gravel crunching under his boots, and when he speaks, his voice is rough, barely above a whisper. "Hey..." He runs a hand through his hair, hazel eyes glistening. "I know I should've called, but I... I didn't know where else to go."