#archie bloodstained suits

[rhetoricalsoapbox]

couldn't Richie have brought Archie back with his magic?

short answer: yes.

long answer: absolutely.

But, if you want to know why he didn't...

Richie did have the ability to try to, and he likely would've been successful. He does have a bit more confidence in his magic than Aurin does; although both have been equally unsuccessful with some of their endeavors.

Both Denver and Richie's siblings were aware of what he was practicing—with his necromancy and whatnot—and his refusal to try to do anything for Archie was a bigger part of what got him thrown out in the first place.

Richie outright refused to do anything with his magic to bring back Archie, because he was still holding grudges against him for things and wanted him out of the way. Just as Helmer wanted Aurin out of the way because Aurin was favored over him, Richie had similar thoughts about his brother.

To be completely honest, Richie might've made an attempt to "get Archie out of the picture" if Helmer hadn't gotten to him first.

He was still upset about Archie damaging his eyesight in his left eye, he was still upset about all the things he had wanted being handed to Archie, and held grudges over some mildly over the top sibling rivalry.

TLDR: yes, Richie could have absolutely brought Archie back but he chose not to out of anger.

[exquisiteagony]

I can barely decide on a prompt. “  who did you kill?  whose blood is that?  ” with Niko/Joel and can you touch me like this? with Joonas/Aleksi. Thank you!

the first one is murder channel and the second is spicy!

1:

Niko looked up at the sound of Joel’s footsteps as they neared the apartment entrance, concern rising to his face as he took in their uneven pace. He’d known Joel’s business that night had been private and personal, and that he’d been troubled by it before he’d left, but he hadn’t pressed for information. Whatever was upsetting Joel, he’d talk about it when it was over.

Niko stood when he heard the sound of the key in the lock, taking a step towards the door. He wouldn’t be lying if he said he’d waited up for Joel, fretting about if he’d even return.

He’d known Joel long enough to know that if Joel was anxious about a kill, it was because he was uncertain he’d survive it.

And Niko didn’t know what he’d do if Joel died.

Oh, it was bound to happen one day, because people in their line of business never lasted, but Niko could never bring himself to think pragmatically about it very much. Joel’s death would destroy him, and he knew Aleksi wouldn’t fare any better.

More than that, who would lead them? Joonas was the second in command, but he wasn’t a leader. Olli preferred to shut himself away with his subjects and experiments, and all Tommi wanted in life was someone in front of him he could beat to a bloody pulp. Aleksi was so used to being a scurrying basement pet that he’d reject leadership outright, and Niko was too junior.

And Johnny wouldn’t give up his safety as a manager without coercion.

When the door opened, Joel staggered in.

His hair had mostly fallen out of the neat bun Niko had done only a few hours ago, and the loose strands were stained and matted with blood. More red was on his face, fingers trailing down to his collar, and Niko knew without having to touch Joel how sticky and tacky it would be by now. Joel’s sharp suit was rumpled, and where the sheen of his jacket sleeve should reflect a little light on the thin pinstripes, there was nothing.

Still, Joel was back and in one piece, so Niko closed the gap between them, cupping Joel’s cheeks, eyes scanning Joel’s face.

“You’re back,” he said, almost disbelieving before he wrapped Joel in a hug.

“Of course I’m back,” Joel said, but his tone wasn’t as cocky as it would usually be, and the way he cupped Niko’s cheeks before he kissed him was tender.

“Before you left, you were nervous,” Niko said. Wet warmth seeped into him from Joel, and he stepped back, eyeing the bloodstain transferred to his shirt.

“It turned out that I didn’t need to be,” Joel said. “He was a good sharpshooter, but once he was away from his guns it became clear how much better I am than him.”

That wasn’t the whole story, Niko was certain, but he’d leave it until the morning. Joel didn’t want him to worry, especially so late at night, and the way he’d been so tender with Niko instead of cocky proved that the assignment had gotten close enough to rattle him.

“Who was it?” he asked quietly, softly meeting Joel’s gaze. “Who did you kill? Whose blood is that?”

Joel sighed, tension coming to him. “Archie’s final crew learnt of his death. They’re coming after Johnny, one at a time. This time it was his sharpshooter; some pretty but otherwise dull brat who’s been out in LA for years. Johnny planned for me to take him alive so Hannes and his lot could have him, but he was a vicious bastard. I don’t know if I killed him or not. But the vultures will come to take him away, dead or alive, and they’ll string him up either way, so it doesn’t matter.”

“Johnny wants them all to suffer,” Niko murmured. However affable and easygoing Johnny could be, he was a hundred times more ruthless, and Niko had always gotten the sense that Johnny didn’t mind a scorched earth policy if it got him what he wanted.

Joel gave him an unreadable look. “He’s not a man to be fucked with,” he said.

But that was a conversation for another time. “Let’s get you washed up and fed. There’s food in the warming oven for you,” Niko said. “Steak and a salad, just the way you like it.”

Finally, the tension left Joel. “Sweet potato fries too?” he asked hopefully.

Niko nodded, smiling fondly at Joel’s palpable joy.

2:

Joonas squeezed lightly at Aleksi’s inner thigh, enjoying the sounds he was making. Aleksi’s thighs were ridiculously sensitive, and Joonas swore he could spend all day teasing him, palming at him one second only to scratch the next, kissing him to swallow up his delicious noises.

Aleksi squirmed on his lap, gasping breathlessly when Joonas kissed at his neck, his free hand entwining fingers to tug at his hair.

“Please,” Aleksi sighed, groaning deeply when Joonas tugged his hair.

“Hmm? What do you want, babe?” Joonas asked, smiling into Aleksi’s neck when his boyfriend whined, his fingers tight on Joonas’s back.

“Please keep touching me like this,” Aleksi murmured. “Please don’t stop.”

Happily, Joonas thought, palming high on Aleksi’s thigh as he gave his hair a third tug. I’d have you squirming on me as I touched you until you begged me to fuck you. He nipped at Aleksi’s neck, burying his face in the clean smell of Aleksi’s skin like he could absorb him.

[rhetoricalsoapbox]

RIP Archie Valence you would've loved the Dave Clark Five