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Archie and Atlanta wake up in the middle of the night not being able to fall asleep. They decide to bake brownies together.
Moonlight spilled softly through the curtains of Archie’s bedroom inside the Titans Tower, painting silver streaks across the floor and blankets. The entire building had settled into peaceful silence hours ago, every member of the team fast asleep after another exhausting day of training and battling monsters.
Unfortunately for Archie and Atlanta, sleep had apparently abandoned them both.
Atlanta slowly blinked awake first.
For a few moments she simply lay there, warm and comfortable beneath the blankets while listening to the quiet sounds around her. Then she felt a familiar pair of arms wrapped around her waist.
A smile instantly spread across her face.
Archie was awake too.
She tilted her head slightly and discovered him already looking at her in the darkness.
“Hi,” she whispered sleepily.
His expression immediately softened.
“Hi.”
Atlanta smiled wider. “You’re awake.”
“So are you.”
“That’s true.”
Neither of them moved for a few seconds.
They simply stared at one another with sleepy affection while the moonlight illuminated their faces.
Atlanta brushed her fingers through his hair.
“Can’t sleep?”
Archie shook his head a little.
“No.”
“Me either.”
“Strange.”
“Very.”
Atlanta yawned softly before scooting even closer against him somehow despite already being wrapped in his arms.
Archie smiled at her immediately.
“You comfortable there?”
“No.”
“No?”
“I could be closer.”
Archie laughed quietly.
“That’s physically impossible.”
Atlanta grinned sleepily. “Watch me.”
She tucked herself against him even more until Archie burst into another soft laugh.
“There we go.”
“You are ridiculous.”
“You love ridiculous.”
Archie smiled warmly at her.
“Yeah,” he admitted. “I really do.”
Atlanta practically melted every single time he said that.
Three simple words somehow still made her heart race.
She leaned up and kissed him softly.
The kiss was sweet and unhurried, full of midnight warmth and sleepy affection.
When they pulled apart, Archie immediately kissed her forehead.
“Still not tired?” he asked.
Atlanta thought for a moment.
“Nope.”
Archie sighed dramatically.
“Me neither.”
She grinned suddenly.
“You know what we should do?”
His eyes narrowed playfully.
“Fight Cronus?”
“No.”
“Train?”
“No.”
“Wake Neil up?”
Atlanta gasped dramatically.
“Archie.”
“What?”
“That’s evil.”
He laughed softly.
“You thought about it for a second.”
“I absolutely did.”
They both snickered quietly.
Then Atlanta brightened.
“Let’s bake brownies.”
Archie blinked.
“At midnight?”
“Yes.”
“Secret brownies?”
“Secret midnight brownies.”
His smile instantly widened.
“That’s actually an amazing idea.”
Atlanta sat upright immediately.
“I know.”
Archie laughed before stealing another quick kiss.
“You’re cute.”
“You’re biased.”
“Extremely.”
The couple quietly slipped out of bed and tried their best not to wake anyone else.
Atlanta grabbed one of Archie’s hoodies before pulling it over her pajamas while Archie quietly fixed his messy hair.
Atlanta immediately smiled.
“You have bed hair.”
Archie looked offended.
“I do not.”
“You absolutely do.”
She reached up and ruffled it more.
“There.”
“Atlanta.”
“You’re welcome.”
Archie smirked before leaning down and kissing her nose.
“Brat.”
Atlanta laughed quietly.
“You love me.”
“Hopelessly.”
Her face instantly softened.
“Good answer.”
Hand in hand, the couple quietly snuck downstairs.
The Titans Tower was peaceful at night.
Everything felt slower.
Calmer.
The moonlight from the windows spilled into the kitchen while Archie quietly gathered ingredients and Atlanta climbed onto one of the counters.
He immediately looked at her.
“Sit on the chair.”
“No.”
“You’re going to fall.”
“I won’t.”
“You absolutely will.”
Atlanta grinned.
“There’s my overprotective boyfriend.”
Archie sighed dramatically.
“I’m serious.”
“I know.”
She hopped off the counter anyway and kissed his cheek.
“There.”
“You listened?”
“I occasionally listen.”
Archie's eyes widened.
“A miracle.”
Atlanta laughed while helping him gather ingredients.
Soon enough the kitchen filled with quiet whispers and soft laughter.
Atlanta measured flour while Archie prepared the chocolate.
Their shoulders continuously bumped together because neither one of them could stand being far apart for more than a few seconds.
Atlanta smiled every single time it happened.
At one point Archie reached around her for the sugar and she purposely leaned back against him.
“You know,” she teased, “you could just admit you wanted an excuse to hug me.”
“I live with you.”
“So?”
“I have unlimited access to hugs.”
Atlanta laughed.
“That is true.”
Archie wrapped his arms around her anyway.
“See?”
Atlanta smiled.
“Mhm.”
He rested his chin on her shoulder.
“I’m cashing in my unlimited hugs.”
She giggled.
“Good choice.”
After another moment, Atlanta looked up at him curiously.
“What were you dreaming about?”
Archie paused.
His expression changed immediately.
The playful energy softened into something quieter.
Atlanta noticed instantly.
“What is it?”
Archie sighed softly.
“Cronus.”
Atlanta turned toward him.
“What about him?”
Archie hesitated.
Then he answered honestly.
“I keep thinking he has another plan.”
Atlanta stayed silent.
“He always does,” Archie continued quietly. “And every time he attacks, someone gets hurt.”
His hand instinctively found hers.
“What if next time…”
He stopped himself.
Atlanta immediately understood.
“What if next time it’s me?”
Archie sighed.
“Or Jay. Or Theresa. Or Neil. Or Odie.”
Atlanta gently squeezed his hand.
“I hate the thought of any of you getting hurt.”
She watched him carefully.
Even now, Archie carried so much responsibility.
He loved deeply.
Which also meant he worried deeply.
Atlanta stepped closer.
“Hey.”
He immediately looked at her.
“We’re okay.”
“For now.”
“For now,” she agreed gently.
She cupped his face.
“But we have each other.”
Archie softened immediately.
“You’re not allowed to get hurt.”
Atlanta burst into laughter.
“Oh?”
“I’m serious.”
“You know I can fight too.”
“I know.”
“You know I’m strong.”
“I know.”
“You know I can absolutely take care of myself.”
Archie smiled despite himself.
“I know.”
Atlanta grinned.
“Then stop worrying so much.”
He laughed softly.
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
“Because I love you.”
The answer was so immediate and sincere that Atlanta completely melted.
“Oh.”
Archie kissed her forehead.
“You matter too much.”
Atlanta smiled warmly before wrapping her arms around him.
“You matter too much too.”
He hugged her tightly.
For several quiet moments they simply stood there in the moonlit kitchen holding one another.
Eventually Atlanta smiled mischievously.
“You know, if Cronus ever tries anything…”
Archie immediately looked protective again.
“What?”
“We’ll defeat him.”
“Absolutely.”
“Then afterwards…”
She smiled bigger.
“We can have a normal future.”
Archie’s eyes softened instantly.
“A normal future?”
“Mhm.”
“What kind?”
Atlanta pretended to think.
“A house.”
“Okay.”
“A giant kitchen.”
“Definitely.”
“A dog.”
Archie smiled.
“One dog?”
Atlanta gasped.
“Archie.”
“What?”
“Three dogs.”
He laughed.
“Three?”
“Minimum.”
“Okay.”
Atlanta grinned.
“And we’ll still bake brownies together at midnight.”
Archie leaned down until their noses touched.
“That sounds perfect.”
She smiled.
“It really does.”
Then Archie kissed her.
Slowly.
Tenderly.
Atlanta immediately melted into him.
One kiss turned into another.
Then another.
Archie pulled her closer by the waist while Atlanta’s hands rested in his hair.
They kissed softly between quiet laughter and whispered teasing.
Atlanta stole quick kisses.
Archie immediately stole one back.
Then Atlanta kissed his cheek.
Archie kissed her forehead.
Then her nose.
Then her lips again.
The entire kitchen felt wrapped in warmth and love.
“So handsome,” Atlanta whispered against his lips.
Archie laughed softly.
“So beautiful.”
“Flirt.”
“Hypocrite.”
Atlanta grinned.
“Very true.”
Their foreheads rested together.
“You know,” Archie said softly, “I hope we get a lot more nights like this.”
Atlanta smiled.
“Midnight brownies?”
“Midnight brownies.”
“Midnight cuddles?”
“Definitely.”
“Midnight kisses?”
“Unlimited.”
Atlanta practically glowed.
“I like unlimited.”
Archie smiled at her helplessly.
“Good.”
Then suddenly both of them froze.
The timer beeped.
Atlanta gasped dramatically.
“The brownies!”
Archie laughed.
“We almost forgot.”
“Worth it.”
He laughed harder.
Together they carefully pulled the brownies from the oven.
The entire kitchen instantly smelled incredible.
Atlanta bounced excitedly.
“They look perfect.”
Archie grinned.
“Because we’re professionals.”
“We are absolutely not.”
“Professional brownie makers.”
“Sure.”
They sat together at the kitchen island while the brownies cooled.
Atlanta broke off a piece and held it toward him.
“Open.”
Archie obeyed immediately.
She fed him the brownie while smiling happily.
His eyes widened.
“Oh wow.”
“Good?”
“Really good.”
He immediately broke off another piece.
“Your turn.”
Atlanta leaned closer.
He fed her the brownie while watching her reaction.
Her eyes brightened instantly.
“Oh my gods.”
“Good?”
“Amazing.”
Archie laughed.
“Teamwork.”
Atlanta smiled warmly before leaning against him.
“Best midnight ever.”
Archie wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
“Agreed.”
Atlanta looked up at him with that familiar expression that always made his heart skip.
The one that said she was hopelessly in love with him.
Truthfully, he looked at her the exact same way.
The moonlight continued spilling into the quiet kitchen while they shared brownies, soft laughter, and endless affection together.
And for a little while, with no monsters, no battles, and no danger around them, the future they dreamed about suddenly felt very real.