( beating around the bush doesn't do much for helping her balance out in the awkward flood of words. he doesn't mind her rambling. archie likes hearing her talk. she isn't blunt but she has a way with blurting out whatever's on her mind and it makes him feel less like a disaster because he has a tendency to do the same. he'd be more specific with his own word choice if the crowd around them wasn't made up of people he's known since elementary school. he doesn't want to embarrass her, himself, or anyone else around them. )

Yeah. Yes, of course I do. I felt like I would be pushing you. I was the one who didn't want to wait. When you said we should, it made sense. Except somewhere in the week, I got in my head about it. Like — ( he shrugs, already turning a bit pink at how dumb he probably sounds. ) I don't know. We were doing it backwards? So I didn't kiss you goodnight and not because I didn't want to. I did. And I convinced myself tomorrow would be perfect, then the next day, and I didn't actually stop to ask you if you needed it to be.

( don't mind him swiping a hand across his face and playing it off like brushing his hair back. )

I never used to overthink this much.