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The Titans Tower felt strangely quiet without Archie.
For two entire weeks the absence had settled into every room like an irritating echo none of them could escape. Jay complained constantly that missions were less entertaining without someone to argue with him. Odie missed having someone to train with in the mornings. Theresa pretended she had barely noticed the difference, though everyone caught her smiling every time Atlanta dramatically sighed at her phone while rereading old messages.
Atlanta, however, had suffered the most.
At first she tried acting normal about it. She insisted she was perfectly fine with Archie being gone on a “guys trip” Neil had aggressively organized after claiming the team needed “male bonding and adventure.” But by day four, Atlanta had started stealing Archie’s hoodies from his room. By day seven, she had fallen asleep on the couch clutching one against her chest. By day ten, even Jay stopped teasing her because she looked genuinely miserable without her boyfriend around.
Now, finally, the two weeks were over.
Theresa and Atlanta were stretched across the living room couch late that evening while waiting for Jay and Odie to come back with dinner. The room glowed softly under the warm lights overhead while a movie played quietly in the background, mostly ignored.
Atlanta sat curled beneath a blanket wearing one of Archie’s oversized sweatshirts, her legs draped lazily across Theresa’s lap. She had spent the last twenty minutes pretending not to stare at the clock every thirty seconds.
Theresa smirked knowingly from beside her. “You realize pacing mentally is still pacing.”
“I’m not pacing.”
“You’ve checked the time eleven times.”
Atlanta crossed her arms defensively. “I just want to know when they’ll be back.”
“Mhm.”
Atlanta groaned dramatically and buried her face into a pillow. “I hate that Neil convinced him to leave for two weeks.”
Theresa laughed softly. “You survived.”
“Barely.”
“You talked to Archie every single day.”
“That’s not the same.”
Theresa’s smile softened immediately because honestly, it really was not the same. Ever since Archie and Atlanta officially started dating three months earlier, the two of them had become nearly inseparable. The constant flirting and competitive tension they used to hide behind had softened into open affection, stolen kisses, lingering touches, and quiet moments where they simply existed together comfortably.
Watching Atlanta without Archie these past two weeks had honestly been kind of depressing.
“You’re down catastrophically bad,” Theresa teased.
Atlanta sat up enough to glare at her halfheartedly. “I’m in love, Theresa.”
The blunt honesty made Theresa grin immediately.
“Oh wow,” she teased. “You admitted it out loud.”
Atlanta’s expression softened instantly into something almost dreamy. “I really am.”
Before Theresa could respond, the front doors downstairs suddenly slammed open so loudly it echoed through the tower.
“I HAVE RETURNED!” Neil’s voice boomed dramatically through the building.
Theresa immediately burst out laughing.
Atlanta shot upright so fast the blanket nearly flew off the couch.
Heavy footsteps thundered up the stairs as Neil continued his painfully theatrical entrance.
“Citizens of the Titans Tower,” he announced loudly, “your favorite hero has arrived!”
The second Archie appeared behind him carrying two duffel bags, Atlanta completely stopped hearing anything else.
For a moment both of them simply froze.
Archie looked exhausted from traveling, his purple hair slightly messy from the trip and one sleeve pushed up his arm as he adjusted his bags, but the second his eyes landed on Atlanta his entire expression changed instantly.
Relief.
Warmth.
Pure overwhelming love.
“Atlanta,” he breathed.
Atlanta moved before she even consciously decided to.
She launched herself off the couch and sprinted across the room straight into Archie’s arms so fast he barely had time to drop his bags before catching her. Atlanta wrapped herself around him immediately while Archie laughed breathlessly and held her tightly against him like he was terrified she might disappear.
The impact nearly knocked him backward a step.
“Oh my gods,” Atlanta whispered against him. “Finally.”
Archie buried his face into her neck with a relieved groan. “You have no idea how much I missed you.”
“I hated every second you were gone.”
“I know.”
“You better know.”
Archie pulled back just enough to look at her, both hands immediately cradling her face like he needed physical confirmation she was real. Atlanta mirrored the gesture instantly, her fingers brushing through his hair while both of them smiled so helplessly in love it almost made Theresa emotional.
Neil cleared his throat loudly nearby.
“Nobody’s going to acknowledge my dramatic entrance?” he asked hopefully.
Neither Archie nor Atlanta even glanced at him.
Atlanta was too busy staring at her boyfriend like he had personally descended from Olympus.
“You’re real,” she murmured softly, touching his face carefully.
Archie laughed quietly. “Last time I checked.”
“You were gone forever.”
“It was two weeks.”
“That’s forever.”
Archie’s expression melted completely before he kissed her.
Hard.
Passionate.
Immediate.
Atlanta made the softest happiest sound against his mouth as her hands slid into his hair while Archie pulled her impossibly closer against him. The kiss carried two full weeks of separation and longing behind it, every missed touch and late night phone call collapsing into one overwhelming moment.
Theresa smiled warmly from the couch because honestly, it was adorable.
Neil looked deeply offended.
“I was also gone for two weeks,” he informed the room.
Still no response.
Archie and Atlanta had completely forgotten anyone else existed.
Their kiss deepened further while Archie’s hands slid up her back and Atlanta practically melted against him with a content sigh. The second they finally separated for air, Archie immediately kissed her forehead, then her cheek, then the corner of her mouth again like he physically could not stop touching her.
“You cut your hair,” Atlanta whispered accusingly.
Archie smirked slightly. “You noticed immediately?”
“I notice everything about you.”
Neil gagged dramatically.
Theresa ignored him and smiled brightly instead. “Welcome back, Neil.”
Neil pointed at her emotionally. “Thank you! Finally someone appreciates me!”
Archie and Atlanta still were not paying attention.
Atlanta cupped Archie’s face again, studying him carefully like she was trying to memorize every detail all over again. “You look tired.”
“You look beautiful.”
Atlanta immediately flushed while Archie grinned proudly at her reaction.
“You flirted with me on the phone every day,” she accused softly.
“And?”
“And somehow it’s worse in person.”
“Better,” Archie corrected smugly.
Atlanta laughed quietly before kissing him again, shorter this time but somehow even more affectionate. Archie smiled directly into the kiss, visibly relaxing for the first time since arriving home.
Neil crossed his arms dramatically. “This is unbelievable. I organized the trip.”
“You kidnapped Archie,” Atlanta corrected without looking away from her boyfriend.
“It was healthy bonding!”
“You stole my boyfriend for fourteen days.”
Archie snorted softly while Atlanta narrowed her eyes at Neil over Archie’s shoulder.
“I almost tracked your location.”
Neil looked horrified. “You’re joking.”
“She’s not,” Theresa answered cheerfully.
Atlanta immediately turned back toward Archie, completely dismissing Neil’s existence again.
“You smell like airport,” she informed him seriously.
Archie laughed. “That’s romantic.”
“You still smell good.”
“That’s more romantic.”
Atlanta smiled so softly at him that Theresa had to look away for a second because wow, they were painfully in love.
Archie brushed his thumb across Atlanta’s cheek. “You okay?”
“No.”
His expression instantly shifted with concern. “What happened?”
“You left.”
Archie groaned softly while pulling her close again. “Baby, I’m sorry.”
The nickname made Atlanta visibly melt.
Neil looked personally victimized by how easily Archie monopolized everyone’s attention.
“I’m standing right here,” he reminded them.
Archie finally glanced toward him briefly. “Oh hey Neil.”
Neil stared at him in disbelief. “Oh hey Neil? That’s all I get?”
Atlanta smiled innocently. “Welcome back.”
“You didn’t even look at me when I walked in!”
“You were blocking Archie.”
Theresa burst out laughing while Neil pointed dramatically at the couple.
“This is exactly what I was afraid of,” he complained. “You two are disgustingly codependent.”
Archie shrugged without shame. “Correct.”
Atlanta immediately nodded. “Very correct.”
Neil groaned loudly while Theresa smiled fondly.
Honestly, seeing Atlanta this happy again made the entire tower feel lighter.
For the past two weeks there had been a noticeable emptiness around her. She smiled less. Laughed less. Even her teasing had lost some energy without Archie around to bounce off of.
Now she looked practically radiant.
Archie brushed a strand of hair behind her ear gently. “Did you miss me at all?”
Atlanta stared at him flatly. “No. I actually had a wonderful time suffering emotionally.”
Archie laughed warmly. “You’re so dramatic.”
“You made me cuddle your hoodie for emotional support.”
His grin widened immediately. “Really?”
Atlanta instantly realized her mistake.
Theresa betrayed her by snickering loudly.
Archie looked unbearably pleased with himself now. “That’s adorable.”
“Shut up.”
“You slept with my hoodie?”
“I hate you.”
“You definitely love me.”
Atlanta tried glaring at him but completely failed once Archie kissed her again.
Neil looked at Theresa desperately. “Do something.”
Theresa smiled pleasantly. “I think this is beautiful.”
“You’re encouraging them!”
“They’re cute.”
“They’re insufferable!”
Archie barely broke the kiss before speaking casually. “You’re just jealous nobody sprinted into your arms.”
Neil gasped dramatically. “That was cruel.”
Atlanta laughed against Archie’s shoulder while he kissed the top of her head.
“I missed this,” Archie admitted quietly.
Atlanta softened immediately. “Me too.”
For a moment they simply stood there holding each other close, both visibly calmer now that the separation was finally over. Archie’s hands rested securely around her waist while Atlanta absentmindedly traced her fingers along his jaw like she still could not fully believe he was home.
Then Atlanta suddenly brightened.
“I’ll help you unpack.”
Archie smirked knowingly. “Will you?”
“Yes.”
“You sure you’re not just stealing me away?”
“Absolutely stealing you away.”
Neil pointed accusingly. “See? This is what I’m talking about!”
Atlanta ignored him completely while grabbing one of Archie’s duffel bags.
Archie reached for the other one but paused long enough to kiss her again first.
Theresa laughed softly. “You two are ridiculous.”
“And happy,” Atlanta corrected immediately.
Archie smiled down at her with such overwhelming affection it practically answered for him.
The couple started toward the hallway together, shoulder to shoulder, already disappearing into their own little world again. Atlanta leaned against him while Archie kept one arm securely around her waist as they walked.
Halfway down the hall, Atlanta looked up at him teasingly.
“You’re never leaving me for two weeks again.”
Archie snorted softly. “Trust me, after listening to Neil complain in three different hotels, I wasn’t planning to.”
“I heard that!” Neil shouted.
Archie simply laughed while Atlanta kissed his cheek.
Then the two of them disappeared upstairs together.
The second they were fully out of sight, Theresa slowly turned toward Neil with the expression of someone preparing to issue a serious threat.
Neil immediately looked nervous.
“What?”
Theresa pointed toward the stairs. “You are never separating those two again.”
Neil lifted his hands defensively. “In my defense, I did not realize they were this emotionally attached.”
Theresa stared at him. “Atlanta looked like she was dying for two weeks.”
“And Archie spent every night staring at pictures of her,” Neil admitted reluctantly. “It was honestly horrifying.”
Theresa burst out laughing. “See?”
Neil sighed dramatically before collapsing onto the couch beside her. “Fine. I accept responsibility.”
“You should.”
“I thought it would be fun.”
Theresa grinned knowingly. “Instead you accidentally proved they’re soulmates.”
Neil groaned loudly. “Please never say that sentence again.”
But despite his complaining, he smiled a little anyway.
Because honestly?
Seeing Archie and Atlanta that happy together was kind of worth being ignored for.