"You look grumpier than usual," Nolan said with a firm voice that definitely did not match his appearance. He was neither tall nor muscular. His eyes weren't sharp and piercing, more like cheerful and goofy, the one where you want to plummet them in the face. Because why the fuck are they happy about nothing? Be stoic and tired, like everyone else. Yeah, Nolan has a very punchable face. Aside from that, he has this ugly goatee Clyde's been telling him to shave off. 

He stopped eating his lunch and looked at him. "Shut up." 

Nolan placed his hand on his chest.  "How can you talk like that to your superior?" He said with faux-offence.

"Are you? " He asked back. Well, he is. Captain of the squad even though he is somewhat incompetent at times. He asked to get transferred repeatedly but, hey, no one listens to him. Nothing new there. The only reason he tolerates this squadron is because Nolan is his friend, unfortunately. They went to the same high school but, never really got into talking until they hit college. They were in the same class and turned out to be studying the same major and due to the lack of other familiar faces, they formed a friendship. Nolan decided to. 

" Maybe you should take the day off? Go home. You've been working overnight these past few weeks." He suggested. It is true that he hasn't properly rested for a while. This may not be obvious, but he does love whinging about being sleep-deprived. It has become a key personality of his at this point. Clyde will cease to exist if he doesn't emphasize how much he needs his bed at least thrice a week.

"Are you sure about that? This whole place will fall apart without me because a certain leader keeps on disappearing to do whatever he wants."

"At least I get my work done on time." He crossed his arms. ." and I know you love me." He grinned. There it is, the punchable face.

He rolled his eyes and sighed. " And this is why I have to do overtime, to make sure you get yours done in time."

Nolan's eyes widened as he loudly gasped. " And I really appreciate that. I'm the cool Captain and you're the up-tight First Luitenant. Sort of like a good-cop, bad-cop kind of deal."

"I give up." He defeatedly spoke. No matter how many times they have this conversation, it always ends the same way. Nothing changed and nothing resolved. He is very puzzled how Nolan even managed to snag the position. He didn't bribe anyone and, he doesn't have any connections, that's for sure. Maybe it's the personality, probably is. 

Nolan laughed, "You say that but you never do. Go home, I'll finish it. I promise."

Clyde looked at him absurdly. "You think I'd believe that?" He scoffed. 

" Yes, because I'll assign Lloyd to stop me. " He pointed at the plainest guy in the precinct.

Lloyd, he trusts Lloyd because Lloyd fears Clyde for some reason. He always stutters and can never look him in the eyes when he talks to him. Clyde hasn't done anything to him except exist. He doesn't like that someone fears him but whatever, why should he fix something that was already there to begin with? He's not the one who started it.  He shrugged. "Suit yourself." 

He stopped at a convenience store to get his favourite pack of cigarettes. Near the counter was a bookstand, he saw this week's Shout, a crappy weekly comic. It was the last copy. He grabbed it and bought it along with his cigarettes. Archer once whimpered nonstop when he wasn't able to buy it before. He bought it as a precaution, he wants to sleep in peace. See? whinging.

He opened the door to their apartment and it was surprisingly clean. For once, Archer didn't make a mess. He took the comic out from the plastic bag and placed it on the living room table. He went to the fridge to grab the notepad and incidentally saw Archer's note. He crumpled and threw it away. He took the notepad and wrote: For you. Last copy. Shut up. Let me sleep. He stuck it on the cover of Shout.

He turned on the tv and watched some shows until he fell asleep on the sofa.

Archer went home late, he had to do extra work to make up for his tardiness. If that wasn't bad, he had to listen to Louis make plans with Richard. Not that he wants to join them in a night of debauchery, he would rather seat in the bar, nose deep in alcohol and watch Richie fail as Louis' wingman than read his student's barely legible homework. At least he wouldn't have a hangover on a Wednesday morning, there really is a silver lining.

He opened the door and saw his roommate sleeping on the floor. For someone who's all blah blah blah manners and blah blah meticulous, he didn't think Clyde would willingly sleep on the sofa. The sofa Clyde loves to whinge about how it has hundreds of stains and thousands of crumbs.

Also for someone all blah blah don't be wasteful, that's expensive, he left the TV on. Archer rolled his eyes and reached for the remote on the coffee table. He saw the Shout magazine and read the note written on top of it.

He smiled and glanced at Clyde. He wrote a note back and stuck it on his forehead. And of course, there were the damn lips again. All pink and taunting him about the blasted kiss that did not seem to affect stupid Clyde. Does the idiot know that it felt so sweet and melting, that it tasted like cigarettes, that he should probably stop smoking if he wants Archer to kiss him this time? 

Wait, what? No. He can smoke, sour his tongue and trash his lungs, no skin off of Archer's back. Why would he want to kiss Clyde? Totally not his type, with his creepy black eyes that are always piercing, his terribly sharp jawline and that coiffed black hair that made him look like a douche. Clyde is a douche, at least he presents himself as such. 

"What the fuck is wrong with me? I'd rather gouge my eyes out than do that." He mumbled to himself.

He prepared dinner for the two of them. It was supposed to be Clyde's turn to make dinner but he let it slide. Another thing he can use against him if a situation to do so occurs. He decided to make rice mixed with corn and carrots with croquettes. It took him half an hour to prepare dinner. He set the table and placed a cup of coffee jelly on Clyde's side, the one he stole. You see, before Clyde moved in, that was Archer's spot and the first time they ate together, Clyde unapologetically took it without asking. Again, for someone who's blah blah blah manners, he--- whatever, this is grievance best thrown away. He made a note and stuck it on the cup. He ate silently without bothering his roommate.

Clyde woke up around 10 pm. His back hurt. He sat up and rubbed his back but a piece of paper blocked his view. He grabbed it and it read: Thanks for the Shout.

He smiled at the letter. He got up and saw something sitting at the dining table. There was another note sticking on the cup. It said: you forgot to make dinner. You owe me one.

Is this how we communicate now? through post-its?  He thought.

He looked at the dish and saw that it was croquettes with rice. It was tasty. He always liked Archer's dishes. He is surprisingly a good cook. He properly seasons his dishes, the meat is never hard and the rice is always fluffy. But that's it. That's the one thing he liked about Archer, nothing else. There's nothing to be fished.

He cleaned everything up and decided to visit his insufferable roommate. He knocked on his door three times and opened it. Archer laid on his bed, his knees up as he read his comic book.

"Finally, Clyde Carter joins the living." He flatly said, his eyes never leaving the book.

"Just here to thank you for the dinner." He said. Even though the two of them aren't always on good terms, it's still common courtesy to give thanks. It's only proper and right.

"You have to make dinner for two nights." He hummed.

"I know." He replied as he closed the door.

"Wait." Archer suddenly spoke, stopping Clyde from closing the door.

" I sort of need you to come to the school festival with me." He warily spoke.

"Fine, when is it?" He lazily replied.