Alphabet ≫ Jarchie

S is for Sycophant

Sycophant— a person who tries to please someone to gain an advantage

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Archie's boss was hot. Bend me over a desk kind of hot. The kind of hot that made the redhead lose focus when he strutted past, that made him sigh longingly and rest his head in his hand dreamingly as he stared at how well his ass looked in his pants.

Jughead was oblivious of course, too busy to entertain his employees with such nonsense and too naive to realize the affect he had on them.

Jughead Jones was a good boss, but he was also pretty shy and awkward. He'd always been pretty nerdy as a child and not the best looking boy in the world. The idea that people were attracted to him went completely over his head, and the most he wanted from people was friendship. That's partly why he was so easy going, generous with vacation time and benevolent in every sense of the word. He liked to hang out with the employees on his lunch break, laughing with them and telling jokes with an award winning smile. His employees genuinely liked him, although a lot of them were extra friendly with him.

Archie was one of those people. Archie insisted on calling Jughead "sir" although everyone else called him by his first name. Jughead preferred the casualness and Archie refused to give it to him. Archie was always in the man's office, asking if there was more he could do for him or striking up random conversation. The redhead was always complimenting him, always striving to take projects that allowed him to spent more time with him, and sticking to him like glue.

Jughead would be lying if he said it didn't make him slightly uncomfortable. He guessed Archie was just overdoing it because he wanted something from him, like a raise or a day off, but Archie never asked for anything in return.

"Tell me why he's looking extra good today," Veronica purred as she glided over towards Archie in her office chair to get a better view as their boss walked past.

"You noticed that too?" Betty asked, peaking her head around her computer to join in on the conversation.

There was something different about him today, something that did make him even more attractive than usual, but Archie couldn't put a finger on it. Was Jughead wearing a new suit? No. That wasn't it. Haircut? No...

"He's wearing makeup," Cheryl pointed out with a smirk, making everyone turn their heads to the back of the room where Cheryl was typing away on her computer. "I think his girlfriend did it for him this morning. She was here when I walked in, sat on his desk and forcing him to stand still. He looks like a model."

Archie frowned a bit, not able to join in on the excitement with the other girls at the mention of men in makeup—which was usually a favorite topic of his. He was more concerned about the girl in his boss's office. Jughead didn't have a girlfriend... did he? No. He would've mentioned something. Wouldn't he?

"I'm going to go see if he needs anything," Archie interrupted, blushing once Veronica started to wiggle her eyebrows and Betty started bouncing up and down on her chair, making obscene faces to tease him. He flipped them both off before rushing to his office and straightening out his clothes, trying to look the best he could.

Most of the people in the office were pretty young. They were all in their early twenties, most of them having snagged the job right after college as a starting point to look for other things more suitable for their major. Jughead, however, was in his late twenties, twenty-seven to be exact. That was pretty young to be a boss of an up and coming start up company.

Archie knocked on the glass of Jughead's office, which was enclosed with glass windows and walls. He liked the the idea of an open concept, a place where his employees could see what he was up to and vice versa.

Jughead smiled and waved him in, cocking his head to the side as Archie stared at him shamelessly, an entranced expression taking over his face.

Jughead looked amazing.

His eyelids were painted gold and hazel, bringing out the color in his eyes, and his lips were tinted a pretty pink color, subtle enough to look natural, but unique enough to tell there was something there.

"Is it the makeup? Is that why you're looking at me like that?" Jughead groaned, blushing a bit at his gaze. "My sister did it to me this morning because I lost a bet and I don't know how to get this stuff off," he explained.

"You should lose bets more often sir," Archie said, clearing his throat. "You look really good."

Jughead smiled slightly again and gestured for the younger man to sit down. "Andrews, is there anything you want from me? Anything at all?" He asked kindly. He was genuinely ready to give him anything he wanted just for being so sweet and reliable.

Archie shook his head and smiled back at him, taking in his appearance once again. He didn't want anything in particular from Jughead, not anything he could make himself give.

Jughead frowned and shook his head. "Okay, then I think you should wear makeup more often too. You'd look gorgeous with it on," he said shyly.

The man wasn't a pro at flirting and he wasn't sure what he was doing exactly by uttering the simple phrase. He was just being honest, not really thinking about the applications of his words or the results that would rush in afterword.

The man was awkward and inexperienced, give him a break.

The redhead smiled bashfully and blushed vividly, ducking his head down and trying to conceal how flattered he was with a forced laugh.

"Thanks sir."

As soon as Jughead let him go, Archie raced back to his friends, jumping up and down with excitement. "He doesn't have a girlfriend! His sister did his makeup and I said he looked really good in it and he said I'd look gorgeous in it!" He rushed out, almost incomprehensibly.

***

Over the next following days, Archie became even more smitten over his boss.

Jughead noticed this, but he wasn't sure what to think of it. He couldn't place a finger on why Archie was being more clingy and slightly more concerning than usual. He called Archie into his office the following Friday, and waited for the younger man to come bursting through his door.

"You wanted to see me sir?" Archie asked sheepishly as he stood in the open doorway.

Jughead looked up and did a double take.

Archie really did look gorgeous in makeup, just as he had predicted.

The redhead's eyelids were decadent with silver glitter, his cheeks rosy and pink. His lips had a sparkle or two on them too, even though he insisted that Betty and Veronica seemed to be going over the top.

"I see you took my advice?" The older man asked playfully, his smile reaching up to his eyes.

Archie nodded and rushed over to the chair in front of the desk. He looked over at him intently, as if to ask why he was being called in without saying the words.

"You seem tense, you can relax," Jughead assured, laughing.

Archie blushed and sat back in the chair, lounging instead of sitting up so rigid.

"I just wanted to ask what was going on because you've been kind of tailing me lately and I do appreciate the company, but I just wanted to know why," Jughead shared, coming out and saying it.

Archie, getting the gist of Jughead's little spiel which was better translated as "you're being a weird little stalker, are you mental," sighed in response.

"I guess I just have a tiny little crush on you," Archie admitted, scratching the back of his neck.

"Aww, that's so cute," Jughead giggled, his eyes widening in surprise.

Archie decided that he would've preferred being yelled out than for his feelings to be called "cute."

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