#jughead distancing himself from betty because he's afraid of hurting her

[satelliteinasupernova]

Riverdale season two, but instead of the southside kids being in a gang, they're all werewolves.

[zalrb]

elena: *slightly pricks her finger* stefan: *sincerely concerned* "did it hurt?" stefan, honey, please... it was a pin prick. this girl would stick one of those stainless steel straws in her neck for you if she had to.

Of course I answered the wrong ask. My bad!

Ask I thought I was answering:

I’ve actually answered various versions of this ask over the years but usually I’m limited and this time I’m not, so, sure I’ll do it again. As always, everything in italics is from old posts and you can find the full posts of these excerpts in the master list.

Stelena was about savouring being with each other, it was about connecting with each other, which also brings me to this, there’s so much eye contact between Stefan and Elena because they want to see each other, they want to engage with each other, they really want to feel each other.

I do not want to be afraid I do not want to die inside just to breathe in I’m tired of feeling so numb Relief exists I find it when I am cut

Is the actual “seeing” it’s the turning point because neither Stefan nor Elena want to be afraid anymore, they’re tired of being living ghosts, they’re tired of running from each other, they don’t want to feel anymore pain just to feel anything at all, they want to feel something good and they feel it together, which is why Stefan allows her to see him and she doesn’t only accept what she sees, she embraces it, she embraces him and that provides relief for the both of them; she’s relieved that he stopped running, he’s relieved that he can stop running

[...] 1x20 is when Elena delivers. 1x20 is when we see that commitment, those words in action, in play and it’s when we see how much they actually love each other and what they’re willing to do for one another, we see a strong sense of loyalty. Stefan is trying to scare Elena because he doesn’t want to hurt her but Elena stubbornly refuses to leave his side and when she stands her ground and stares Stefan down, Stefan’s veins disappear because he could never actually hurt her, he could never put her in danger, he can only love her, protect her in any way he can.

it’s the epitome of angst. why? because elena broke up with stefan the episode before, she made her boundaries perfectly clear, and then now, she seems to be doubling down on not wanting to be with him and he accepts it and then she says [she can’t lose the way she feels about him] and his impulse is to go to her, to touch her, to talk about what she just said, but he restrains himself from doing any of these things and yet instinctively moves toward her like those words are pulling to him? and she feels it? but she’s also resisting the impulse to go to him so it’s just this charged moment???

OK so you know how I always go on about how Delena tells and Stelena shows, the doorstep 1x08 gaze vs. the 6x08 dialogue demonstrates this.

Delena:

Stelena:

Throughout this entire exchange, Elena is doing her best to shut him down, distance herself, try and build walls back up

but she can’t do it, just look at that gaze, she’s gone, there’s nothing she can do about it at this point and she doesn’t have to spell it out, she just looks at him

and we see it throughout the season -- i mean it’s in all seasons but in season one, it’s this complete enrapture against the mystery of Stefan and Elena coming out of her shell

With no one else does she convey being so struck and so mesmerized. This is the kind of chemistry necessary for a ship shows/movies push the ‘instant attraction/connection’ sl with because it’s exactly what it’s supposed to be in the script

[…] it’s interesting for me to answer this question after reviewing Riverdale because the blood-share scene relies almost entirely on chemistry, if Stefan and Elena had the kind of [non] chemistry Betty and Jughead had then that scene would not work but because Nina and Paul are feeding off of each other, they’re selling the significance of the scene [...] And then when Stefan decides to bite her wrist, he doesn’t just do it and he doesn’t just hesitate, he looks Elena directly in the eye all the way up until he feeds, there’s a constant connection, there’s an unstated “if you change your mind at any point, I will back the fuck off” and Elena being like, “I’m not changing my mind, go ahead” and this can only work if the two actors have chemistry to pull it off otherwise it falls flat, otherwise it’s “I see what you did there but it’s not working”, this is “Oh you did that shit!”

Because they’re explicitly, palpably vibing throughout the entire episode, it never lets up.

it’s just so soft.

This is adorable because they’re kind of embarrassed by how hot they are for each other so they’re giggling/smiling and then Stefan has to sit across the room so they can chill the fuck out since Jenna and Jeremy are both downstairs and I’m pretty sure the door is open.

This is such an underrated gaze because Stefan’s expression is so raw not because he’s stuck in the tomb but because he thought Elena was in trouble and he ran in to get her out and Elena is realizing what he’s done so she’s about to panic about him being in the tomb, essentially they’re both thinking about the other.

Earlier in the episode Stefan and Elena argue about Stefan’s need to drink human blood, it is their biggest obstacle at this point because human blood is a gateway to Stefan’s depravity, his demons, and after what happened in the latter half of season 1, of course Elena doesn’t want him to drink from it, it’s a very loaded argument between the two of them, which ends with them actually getting closer together, being more entwined with each other since Elena not only gives him her blood to drink but reaffirms how she’s not leaving his side no matter what. And when Stefan drinks and Elena sees his veined face, she has enough faith in his love for her, her love for him, their commitment to each other for her to kiss him to settle his ripper urges and it works. And then afterwards, because of all of that, because of their argument and their reconciliation and Elena’s faith and Stefan’s commitment, when they stare at each other, it’s this “I love you so much” stare but Stefan looks at Elena like “So I love you so much and we’re about to go upstairs so you can know how much”.

The pure joy and relief at being back together when they weren’t even acting like they were broken up when they for real broke up is adorable.

What I actually adore about that scene is that Elena is the one that’s hurt, she’s the one who stabbed herself and once Stefan heals her, she puts her hands on his face and looks at him to see if he’s OK because she knows how much seeing her hurt scares him

Elena hurries to stand in front of him so he won’t get harmed and she kisses him as a way to take his mind off of doing something stupid and I think as a way to still herself, to ready herself for what’s about to happen. And the way she whispers I love you with such earnestness and sadness and complete devotion, how her fingers sort of stroke his face, once again solidifies just how much she loves him. What I like about how Stefan says I love you, they’re both teary-eyed and terrified and out of their minds with worry but Elena manages to smile at hearing him tell her he loves her and he manages to smile at seeing her smile because they can rely on their relationship to keep them strong

What’s funny about that scene to me is that their stares start charged and angsty but when contact is made we just get to these knowing look sand then they both just get these caveman eyes.

it’s legit like he took her breath away and it’s pure Dobsley chemistry, that gaze, that connection, like they don’t break eye contact.

And then this stare that she has when they’re finally looking at each other it’s reminiscent of the gaze she has when he feeds from her in 2x05 and it’s that same awe of what’s happening, awe of that connection, of that feeling that they share, this bond, this love, this intimacy. And when he says in case there is no later and is about to walk away the gaze she has is reminiscent of the gaze she has in 1x10. Almost like wonder. “Is this really happening?” “Can I really be this affected by another person?” Like I said, familiarity and novelty, which is why I have an SE fanfic called “The First Time and The Hundredth” because they have a tendency to look at each other like it’s the first time and the hundredth and that is what I liked about the 3x22 kiss as opposed to the kiss itself.

I focus on the right gif a lot:

I love every SE scene of 3x14. I like it because that entire episode encapsulates the push-pull, can’t-fight-it, overwhelmed, I-just-love-them-so-much narrative that DErs insist DE has […] what I love about the dance itself is that it starts off a little awkward, Elena is kind of wrong-footed and she doesn’t really know how to act but then Stefan makes a joke and then it hits her that this is Stefan and she’s comfortable and at ease and they naturally fall back in place and they smile at each other because this is them, this is their history, their present, their future, this is Stelena and there’s just such security between the two of them and their dancing becomes less stiff, they’re not like everyone else in the ballroom who are rigidly sticking to the way they’re supposed to dance, and then during the dance, Stefan reaffirms that he is indeed still Stefan by simply being Stefan which leads to some serious eye sex

But I love the left gif and that scene so much because the ANGST

and then when they’re outside and Elena asks for Stefan’s help, he has the opportunity to tell Elena that he still cares about her and he hesitates and she’s hopeful, she is silently pleading with him to let her in and you can see that he wants to so much but he just can’t do it

[…] with Stelena, Dobsley chemistry is reciprocal, neither of them shrink in response to the other, they feed off each other’s energy almost like with each look they tether themselves to the other, Nina/Elena looks neither young nor impressionable nor awkward, she looks and feels evenly matched and confident and Paul/Stefan looks intent on Nina/Elena as opposed to predatory; neither of their presence dominates the other.

Nina describes it best:

Because this is a visual representation of there is a bond between these two, a trust, a devotion, an intimacy that Damon just can’t touch. He just can’t. And I’ve said this before about SE but one of the reasons why they work so well for me is because their love is treated as fact, their connection is treated as fact, it just is, this is just how they are and everyone else has to watch it.

if you notice, a lot of the time when it’s revealed (usually by Damon) to Elena that Stefan has slept with someone else, he looks guilty, like he’s cheated on Elena and they always make eye contact so he sees her reaction and reacts to that:

And he knows that she’s upset [...] every time they had their glances when she was jealous it makes me think of this scene between Dan and Serena in 2x12 when Dan is going to sleep with someone else and they say [“why does it feel like we’re breaking some mythological tie?” “i don’t know ... but it does.”]

are you broken up, or nah?

Are You Broken Up, Or Nah?

ARE YOU BROKEN UP, OR NAH?

But really, with SE, you actually do see a magnetic connection, a pull, a draw, a ... falling into the other’s gravity if you will and it’s why I just can’t take the fact that that’s supposed to be an aspect of delena seriously.

I go on about this stare so much but the sheer amount of longing here? I still think it’s incredibly underrated because they’re talking about this life, this beautiful, perfect life they could’ve had together and Stefan is kind of tiptoeing around how good it felt but when Elena says “amazing?” and he just looks at her like so we’re going to say it? so you felt it? so you know how I feel? and he validates it with a “yeah” and my girl exhales like that? COME ON.

And then 6x21 rolled around and Stefan and Elena had that brief moment together and I was hit with my SE feels and I remembered, I remembered in that moment what it was about Stelena I loved so much and I realized that Steroline would never be able to make me feel that way, that they would never have that intimacy or that chemistry or that connection, like they just never could.

They’re just really sexy stares.

[just-another-ficwriter]

Seconds To Midnight

Pairing: Sweet Pea x Reader

Words: 2400ish

Warnings: Underage drinking, a lil heart break, pregnancy 

Summary: Y/N and Sweet Pea share a lifetime of New Year’s together, some better than others.

Notes: Filling my ‘Midnight Kiss’ square on my @riverdalebingo​ card! The next few days are gonna be a flurry of super late Christmas Eve/New Years posts as I attempt to catch up!

10...

They still can’t believe they’ve convinced their parents to let them stay up passed midnight. Not even when the five of them are crammed into a booth at the Wyrm arguing over a pack of cards and sharing bottles of soda way past their usual 10 year old bedtimes.

By the time the ball drops, Jug’s already asleep, the cheering from around the bar barely making him stir. Fangs and Toni decide to mock the adults around them, pouting at each other and making ‘kissy’ noises. Y/N laughs along with them, pretending to gag, but Sweet Pea doesn’t miss the way she blushes when she looks over at Gladys and FP once more.

A tint that deepens a dark red when he leans over and places a quick peck to her cheek.

“Happy New Year Y/N.” He whispers, thankful that the others are still too distracted to notice.

“Happy New Year Pea.”

9...

By the time they’re 13, they care a little less about their parents permission, opting to swap the warmth of the Wyrm’s crowds, for the back of Fang’s brothers truck, at the edge of the car park instead. The same way Jughead’s opted to switch them for Archie Andrews and Betty Cooper.

The huddle together for warmth, gazing up at the stars, and even though no one will admit it for a fear of being deemed ‘uncool’, everyone’s excited for the burst of fireworks about to come.

When the first explosion sounds off, Sweet Pea misses the look Toni gives him, her eyes switching fiercely between him and Y/N.

But she doesn’t give up.

“I dare the two of you to kiss.” She blurts out the challenge, and Sweet Pea hears Y/N suck in a breath beside him.

“What?” He chokes on the word, eyes casting from her down to his lap, not missing the way Y/N’s leg brushes against his, suddenly aware of how close they’d been sitting.

“It’s midnight.” His best friend shrugs, the streak of bright pink hair falling off her shoulder. He can still remember her Grandmother’s face the first time she’d seen it, Toni’s first act of outright defiance. “You have to kiss someone.”

“Then you kiss Fangs.” Sweet Pea’s hand gestures wildly between the two of them, both gagging in unison. 

“That would be like kissing my sister.” Fangs’ nose scrunches up with the statement, and Y/N can’t help but laugh.

“But-“

His fight is already lost, now three against one as the girl besides him sits up straighter, rolls her eyes and simply grabs his face. “Oh Pea, just shut up and kiss me!”

He’s too distracted by the warmth of her palm against his skin, feather light fingertips dancing across his cheek, to see her closing the gap between them. 

He sees fireworks even when he closes his eyes.

8...

At 15, Y/N’s forced to spend New Years at her grandparents. Their first one apart in 6 years and Sweet Pea feels her lack of presence more with every passing second.

He misses her when Toni talks about last years celebrations and sneaking on the Wrym’s roof, when she text him early so her words don’t get caught in a signal back log, when he sees Jug squeeze Betty’s hand.

He wishes she was there to share the beers Fangs has managed to steal for them and make fun of the way Archie follows Veronica around like a lost puppy, wondering how their two opposite friendship groups somehow became intertwined to ring in the new year. 

And when the count down ends, he watches as Toni kisses Ginger, turning to tell Y/N she owes him $5, before remembering she’s not there. His heart sinks a little a further as he struggles to understand the feeling swarming in his head.

He’s not interested in the fireworks that year.

7...

When they’re 17, everything just goes wrong.

They’re at their first official New Year’s Party, thrown by none other than Cheryl Blossom, as they desperately cling onto the last parts of their high school selves, months before they all leave the town behind and disappear to different colleges.

Some partying to celebrate the year that everything changes, others to forget what lays ahead.

They dance too much, they laugh too hard, they drink more than they should.

One minute she’s in front of Sweet Pea, the next she’s gone.

The panic sets in, once the ball drops, and he only catches a glimpse of her over Josie’s head once the singer starts pulling him towards her. Y/N laughs at something Reggie Mantle whispers in her ear, the sound piercing into Sweet Pea’s lungs.

He hadn’t planned on kissing her at midnight, yet now it’s he can think about.

But he’s too late. 

He’d never make it in time, not with Josie hanging onto his arms. Not with the way Reggie’s already leaning in to do the one thing he’s always been to afraid to do. 

He wants to look away, but he can’t, even when he’s sure his heart won’t take it. He watches as Reggie’s lips press firmly against hers, watches the way she kiss him back and does the one thing that would stop him screaming out over the crowd. 

He kisses Josie and pretends it her.

Her eyes blaze like fires when he finds them again, and Sweet Pea doesn’t see it back then but everything changed in that swift couple of seconds, a silent, wordless disagreement that tears them apart.

Distance grows between them, not just physically as she leaves to chase her dreams in New York City and he stays, ever attached to Riverdale.

His heart shatters at the thought of the next New Years Eve without her.

But thinks maybe its for the best.

6...

“Y/N will be there.”

Sweet Pea still declines the invite politely, but he can tell by the triumphant glint in Toni’s eyes that she knows she’s won.

There’s no way he’d turn down the opportunity of even a glance at his former best friend after three years. 

So he finds himself dressed to the nines, hiding away on the rooftop of Toni and Cheryl's penthouse apartment, because of course they have one of the best views in New York, trying to forget the image of her dressed in red. 

It doesn’t take her long to find him, and he doesn’t need to turn around to know it’s her creeping up behind him. He can feel her presence the minute she steps out, like it’s coded in his DNA. He hates it as much as he loves it.

“Hi.” She breathes out the greeting, tiptoeing across the unsteady ground between them. It’s the first words she uttered towards him since she left for college and the sound makes his heart sing. 

“Hi.” He parrots back, there's so much more he wants to say but that's all he can manage. Her eyes meet his, locked together, unaware of the countdown being called out below.

And then she laughs.

And he does too. 

Laughs over the stupidity of it all, laughs because its them, laughs until it hurts, until the fireworks explode around them surprising them both back to silence.

“I’ve missed you.” He feels her hand close over his, fingers squeezing his tight.

He feels like he can breathe for the first time in a long time. “I’ve missed you too.”

5...

This time its him that finds her on the roof, eerily similar to their moment two years prior. 

They’ve been trying for the last few years, piecing the remains of their broken friendship back together. But it’s not enough.

Not for him. 

Maybe not for her.

The thought rips through him, his chest exploding with pain, and need, he has to tell her. He can’t wait any longer. 

The idea alone burns its way into his lungs until he can’t breathe, until he can’t think straight.

“I love you.” The words slip out the same time the noise below them erupts into a chorus of the number ten. He can hear it all around him, from people in the building next door, from people down the street.

She just stares at him, eyes wide with a hint of something he doesn’t quite understand.

“You don’t have to say it back.” He panics, trips over his words and the way she looks at him. “I just want you to know.”

He’s whispering into the dark, but she can hear him, over the chanting, over the beating of her own heart drumming clear in her ears.

“I just love you.” He falls into a spiral, confessions pouring out as he plunges downwards like the countdown under their feet. “I always have, I probably always will.”

And as the ball drops, and the crowd underneath explodes in cheers, their friends, she’s suddenly pulled back into reality.

Her eyes soften at the sight before her, Sweet Pea’s bashful grin luminated by the glow of the fireworks in the distance, their light dancing off his skin.

And she does the first that comes to her mind, the only thing she’s wanted to do every New Year’s Eve since she met him.

She kisses him.

4...

At 25 they find themselves back on the roof. 

That roof.

Their roof.

A location so sentimental to their relationship. 

Relationship. 

The word feels so weird in Sweet Pea’s thoughts, the concept of her being his girlfriend still so foreign to him, still so unreal, even after three years.

He loves her. 

More than he’s loved anything ever before in his life, he’s sure of it. And he’s sure she loves him too, even if sometimes he doesn’t understand why, but lord knows she does.

Which is why he finds himself down on one knee, velvet ring box held tightly in his shaking hand, surrounded by candle light and rose petals that float in the wind. He can feel wet tears streaking lines down his cheeks that mirror her own as she nods out her answer, not trusting her own voice before she pounces at him. 

His back hits the floor the same time fireworks light up the skyline and his heart swells in bliss when she slips the ring onto her finger, a perfect fit.

“Did she say yes?” Fangs calls from across the roof, head peering around the door, Toni just behind.

“She said yes!” Sweet Pea sings back, a permanent grin on his face. 

It’s only seconds later the two dive on the couple still sprawled out on the floor, four sets of limbs, four sounds of laughter, embracing in celebration.

3...

The tell tale signs are there all night, he doesn’t understand how he didn’t see it sooner.

She professional switches out her vodka orange for plain juice, gags at her usual favourite fancy foods that Cheryl and Toni insist on serving every year, and has ran to the bathroom more than once in the last three hours.

But he doesn’t fit the puzzle pieces together.

Not even when she slots her hand in his, half guiding, half pulling him towards the roof and presents him a neatly wrapped gift once they’re surrounded by cold night air.

It’s only right she thinks, to tell him here, on the very roof top he confessed his love, where he asked her to be his wife only a year before. It has to be here he finds out this too.

He stares, confused down at the box held in his hands, feeling guilty that he has nothing to give her. She laughs at him, a sound that still sets his heart alight as she encourages him to open it quick.

The excitement takes over, racing to reveal its contents before the countdown sounding below hits 1, his fingers make light work of the paper.

When he lifts the lid of the box he’s sure he’s stopped breathing.

This can’t be real.

Two blue lines stare back at him, clear at the dead of midnight and he chokes out a sob.

“You’re?...” He can’t finish the sentence, can’t get his tongue to move and say the words. Her eyes glisten with unshed tears, nodding her head in confirmation.

He can’t help but drop to his knees, his hands gently cradling her barely there bump, his heart so full of love.

“I’m gonna be a Dad.”

2...

Of course they get married on New Year’s Eve.

It’s their day, no matter how much Toni and Fangs tease them about it. But their friends draw the line at a roof top wedding.

Sweet Pea can’t describe the day as anything other than a god damn dream.

He’s wanted this for so long it’s hard to believe it’s actually happening.

She looks a vision in white, too good to be true and he couldn’t ask for anything more.

As he twirls his now wife in his arms, their baby girl nested up against Toni’s chest just a few feet away, he’s so overwhelmed with love that he can’t help but cry.

It starts as a gentle shake from his chest, vibrating through his shoulders before the tears fall fast and he has to hide his face in her hair.

Tears pool in her own eyes as she pulls him closer, whispers how much she adores him into his neck, claims she’s the luckiest woman in the world.

He’s not afraid to admit this might be his favourite New Years Eve.

1...

At 30 there’s no lavish parties.

No roof top confessions, no pregnancy announcements, no engagements, no Wrym.

Just them and their closest friends sprawled out in their living room, discarded pizza boxes on the coffee table, their three year old asleep upstairs.

And when those around them start counting down, Sweet Pea cups her cheek, tilts her head towards his so he can see her eyes staring back.

“I love you.” He whispers, so honestly, so raw. He feels her smile into the kiss that comes next. He doesn’t care that his friends might see them, not like that shy ten year old hidden in a booth 20 years ago daring to plant a peck on his best friends cheek. No, he wants everyone to see how happy his is now, how far they’ve come. “Happy New Year Y/N.”

“Happy New Year Pea.”

Riverdale Bingo Holiday Masterlist

Forever Taglist: @p-marie-sp

Sweet Pea Taglist: @80sand90simagine @wildberryyyy @hopelesslylosttheway @be-gay-do-crime-cutie

[probablyobsessingovertv]

Riverdale 4x18: Varchie, Archie, and my attempted explanation of what the heck I think (hope) is going on- (There’s a TL;DR at the end, but please consider reading it all, especially if you are in need of Varchie hope :)

Disclaimer: This is entirely my opinion. I am not associated with Riverdale in any way other than being obsessed with it.

It’s not that Archie doesn’t love Veronica or doesn’t care about her anymore because he does. Archie doesn’t realize that what he did was wrong, like actually wrong. I think he knew that he shouldn’t have kissed Betty while they’re with other people, but I don’t think he knows what he’s really done. He did say that he loves Veronica. Yes, it was after Betty said she loves Jughead, but he still said it.

What caught my attention was his reaction to when Betty said she didn’t want to hurt or lose Jughead. He said the same thing about Veronica, but his face and tone made me do a double take. He didn’t even consider that before I don’t think. He thinks he can have both. He believes he can have these feelings for Betty and that Veronica’s still going to be there. It’s like ‘she’s been there all along for the last three years so why wouldn’t she keep being?’ He doesn’t think anything he does could damage that. He doesn’t understand that having Betty means losing Veronica. He doesn’t get that he’s already hurt Veronica and he’s continuing to do so. He didn’t think about how his confused feelings are going to impact and potentially destroy his relationship with Veronica (and Jughead). He doesn’t, or at least didn’t get that, I don’t think. In his mind, Veronica was quick to forgive him for kissing Betty last time, so why wouldn’t she again? They were fine after last time, no long-term consequences, no break up. He still had Veronica and Betty, and he thinks he will again. Well yeah, except, Veronica and Archie (and Betty and Jughead) weren’t together when Betty and Archie kissed the first time and they were in a life or death situation... Also, Archie was honest with Veronica. Yes, it was partly because Cheryl was blackmailing him with it, but he also knew that he had to tell her himself before she heard it from someone else. It’s not the same thing this time, Archie. Not at all. This entire episode’s story was pretty much told from Betty’s POV so we got very little of Archie’s thoughts or what he was really feeling, if you ask me. We saw more of Betty’s feelings and how he reacted to those. He didn’t mention Veronica while at Fred’s grave. He didn’t say hardly anything about her other than that she was with Cheryl at the very beginning of the episode. I think if we would’ve seen his POV, it would be obvious that he’s conflicted. I understand why people are upset with how he was portrayed in this episode, but in my opinion, he was almost treated as a side character to Betty’s story. I truly believe that if we would’ve gotten more from Archie’s POV, we would see that he really does love Veronica and is thinking about her, but is also thinking about Betty and confused about what he feels for her. I kind of understand where they’re both coming from. Trust me, I’m upset with Archie (and Betty) too, but I’m just trying to (somewhat) justify what Archie’s doing and trying to stay positive about Varchie by desperately finding any way I can to give Archie the benefit of the doubt, so please, hear me out.

It’s a huge time of change for Archie and Betty (and everyone), and it’s easy to want to feel safe again when everything you know is changing and you don’t know what’s going to happen. It’s natural to want to go back to what’s simpler. For Archie, in my opinion, that’s Betty and music. It was simpler during his sophomore year. Betty was in love with him, he and Veronica were flirty and happy, he was writing songs and playing football, his dad was alive, he hadn’t been to jail, and truly, just everything was simple. I get that, I do. It’s not an excuse for cheating and lying and going behind your girl/boyfriend’s backs though, not even close. Veronica (and Jughead, but I’m focusing on Veronica for this) does not deserve that. She deserves to know what Archie’s feeling and honestly, if he’s this conflicted about his feelings, she deserves for him to let her go. I know, I hate typing that probably as much as you hate reading it, my fellow Varchie lovers, but I really believe that’s what’s best for both of them, at least for now. They both need to grow individually and figure out who they are apart from each other before they can, hopefully, come back together even stronger in the future. Right now though, Veronica deserves the truth and yes, it’s going to suck. Yes, she’s going to be heartbroken and angry and confused and blindsided, but she needs to know, and Archie needs to be the one to let her know. It’s not healthy for Veronica to believe everything’s good and they’re strong and happy or for Archie to be unsure and confused and wondering about his potential feelings for someone else.

In my opinion, either something or someone needs to slap Archie back (physically would be great, but I’ll take a figurative one too), and remind him why he loves Veronica and what she means to him like Cheryl did for Betty with Jughead, or... they need to break up. They need to figure themselves out and grow as single people, and then if the time is right for them to come back together later, great. I’ll be all here for it, as long as Archie genuinely apologizes, realizes what he did, and has matured enough to own up to his mistakes and not make them again. I want to see him fight for Veronica and for their relationship if the show is really going to bring them back together. I think Archie has a lot of growing up to do and he needs to do that before he can truly understand how badly he screwed up. And yes, Veronica has some maturing to do as well, but she didn’t emotionally or physically cheat like Archie did.

For the record, I am not trying to hate on him. I love Archie and Varchie, but there’s no doubt that what Archie did was wrong and that he should’ve stopped or broken up with Veronica way before anything in the bunker or the garage happened. I don’t think it’s right now that Archie will understand that, unfortunately. Right now, Archie believes Veronica’s just going to follow him anywhere and no matter what he does, he’ll always have her. That’s not true. Yes, she would follow him and continue to be with him.... IF he didn’t cheat on her. She would support him in joining the Naval Academy because she would support him in anything. Again, IF he were honest and if she knew he really loves her and cares about making sure they stay together. They would make long distance work. They would stick together, count on each other, love each other... Veronica would be ready to do all of that. She trusts Archie.. Well, she thinks she can trust him... and what really sucks is that she can’t right now. She would never let herself be put through all of that after finding out he cheated on, lied to, and deceived her... She deserves a lot better than that and she knows it. She doesn’t know that she deserves better than Archie right now because she doesn’t know what Archie’s really been doing, which is honestly what hurts so much about this whole thing.

Long Conclusion: Archie loves Veronica. I don’t think there’s any doubt in his mind about that. I know people will disagree with me on that and that’s fine, but I really do believe he loves her. He would never have said all of those words to her about their future or any of that if he didn’t. He would not have stuck by her after everything Hiram has put him through if he didn’t love her. Archie does not want to hurt Veronica. He definitely doesn’t want to lose her, but I don’t think he realized that could really happen until Betty said so and it, unfortunately, probably will. What does he do right after hearing that? He tells his mom he’s all in with the Naval Academy. He’s running away from guilt, from the consequences of his actions, from the facts that he has to face Veronica and tell her the truth, he’s probably going to lose her, and that he feels something for Betty, but doesn’t know what it is or how to control it. He’s running off to the Navy to escape it all. He’s leaving so that he doesn’t have to face the reality that he’s hurt people he cares about. The one thing he never wanted to do, as we’ve seen and heard on multiple occasions (4x8, 4x18, I know there are more). He’s most likely going to lose the girl he loves and probably his best friend too. (which I don’t know if he’s even considered yet) On top of that, he’s also realizing that everything’s changing. Everyone is getting ready to leave. Betty, Reggie, Veronica, Jughead, everyone, is leaving Riverdale High and for the most part, Riverdale. That’s completely normal, but Archie didn’t have a plan for after high school like everyone else, so he made one. The Navy. Like he said, he wants a fresh start. A fresh start where he isn’t the bad guy. Where he didn’t break Veronica’s heart or lose out on Betty or destroy his friendships. He does not want to get away from Veronica because he doesn’t love her, but because he does and he doesn’t want to accept the fact that he MESSED. UP. He’s going to face serious consequences and suffer because of it, so he’s leaving. Who knows what that means for him and Veronica.

I’m just afraid he isn’t going to realize it quickly enough and the damage will already be done before he can come to his senses and be honest. She’s going to find out another way. Through a tape, I’m afraid. Maybe it’ll be people in masks of Betty and Archie or maybe it’ll be the real thing... and that’s going to hurt her a heck of a lot worse than if Archie told her himself, if that’s what happens. At least in the long run, she would know that he was honest. That he cared enough to tell her and to protect her from future heartbreak and pain. The really sad thing is, I don’t think he’s going to get a chance before it all blows up in his face. Then I think Veronica’s going to leave (maybe even before graduation), and Archie’s going to be lost. He’s not going to believe she’s actually gone. He’s going to realize what he’s done and it’s all gonna hit him like a truck. He’s lost the one person who was truly there for him through everything. The one that he loved and who loved him all along. The person he could always lean on. I think that’d be a good story to tell. A really painful one for sure, but a good and, in my opinion, realistic one. That’s what I think Archie’s really dealing with. He doesn’t know it yet, but I think he’s about to, and it’s going to suck for everyone involved.

TL; DR: Basically, Archie still loves Veronica, but he also clearly has some unresolved feelings for Betty. He doesn’t realize how badly he screwed up and I think he’s clueless to the fact that he’s probably going to lose both Veronica and Jughead. In my opinion, Archie’s running away to the Navy to avoid the consequences on all fronts. Also, I think Jughead and Veronica are going to find out about the kiss through a tape before Archie or Betty can tell them the truth, yikes.

I’m clearly a long-winded speaker, but I had a lot to say and I hope this made even an iota of sense. It was basically a brain dump of my thoughts on this whole thing and where I think and hope Archie’s head is.

Thank you to @loverofthor-2 for encouraging me to post and always being so supportive and uplifting. Give her a follow if you haven’t already, she’s awesome!!!

Let me know what you think. I would love to hear other opinions on this whole situation.

[malereader-inserts]

The Poem of a Dead Man

Fandom: Riverdale Pairing: Riverdale & Male!Reader Summary: A psychopath, a dead man, they’re all the same to you because they only way you’re being stopped is a bullet through your head. Word Count: 2,391 Warning: Major death, multiple deaths, blood, gore. A/n: Part two of “The Art of a Psychopath”

Flyers of you roamed around Riverdale. 

Due to the corrupted system of the police of FP Jones had lead you to flee Riverdale. WIthout a trace, without a trial. You laugh in mockery.

Flyers of you roamed beyond the little town called Riverdale.

Riverdale. The town with pep.

The town was recovering after the three-month period of mass murders, and there was no trace of you, no whereabouts of you. Almost as if you hadn’t existed, your name was no longer branded in the school register or in the list that was proudly presented around the school as one of the top achievers.

When your parents been asked, they would look confused and claimed that they never had a son called (Y/n), and when told that you were a psychopath they would be offended because they wouldn’t raise a child to be a killer. But, there were pieces of evidence of scarring around their head.

Your younger siblings? Afraid to talk about you, claiming they never had a sibling. You were virtually no one. No medical records to obtain from the hospital, your record of any crimes were gone. 

Now, the band of very close friends ever wondered if they just imagine it. 

But, they couldn’t because eight of them and their parents couldn’t have imagined the same thing. 

The town was quiet, the farm had disbanded and Alice was recovering from the farm, gaining a lot of support from Betty and FP. Kevin was quick to reunite with Betty, often going out to Pop’s whilst Kevin and her gush about old things. Jughead was still plotting against his mother but this time having the support of his dad.

Hiram and Hermione had fully split, but Veronica has quickly adapted to the new custom - though disliking it. Tom and Sierra were happily in love whilst surprisingly Penelope and Cheryl are trying to mend their relationship.

Archie was thriving with his music and sports, Josie being his number one fan whilst Reggie and Veronica are figuring things out. Life at Riverdale, the town of pep, seemed too good. 

“I need some kind of miracle to run my mom out of Riverdale,” Jughead sighs, as Betty rubbing his arm as Veronica looked sympathetic.

“I know, we’ll find a way,” Betty comforted.

“We always do,” Archie confirmed, offering his best bud a smile.

But, you know what they say?

Be careful what you wish for.

“Jughead?”

He stands there frozen, the house that once belonged to his girlfriend now his family has been trashed. Specifically warned, marked. Archie had driven the four of them back to Jughead’s house. The four of them had been joking around until they had got out of the car.

It was Jughead who noticed first, his eyes widen as his blood run cold. His whole world was collapsing, his head was spinning.

He wanted his mother gone, but not dead.

“I called the police,” Veronica shakily spoke behind Jughead.

He couldn’t move even if he could feel Betty grip his arm even harder. The core four stared at the house, not moving, too shocked and well aware not to tamper with evidence. Sirens could be heard in the far distance, coming closer and closers.

“I have to check on my dad!” Archie suddenly exclaimed, remembering how he lived next to Jughead, but before he could Fred had already seen his son standing outside.

Fred was quick to exit his home in confusion until he saw red liquid drop from the second floor. He makes his way to Archie, who wore a relieved expression, gripping his dad into a tight hug. 

“Did you see anything, dad?”

“No, I didn’t hear anything of the sorts, didn’t see anything either,” Fred explains as two police cars pulled up.

FP exiting his car as his eyes are drawn to the graffiti art on his home. His next attention was his beanie wearing son, safe. Having a hard grip on his boy’s shoulder, he draws him for a hug, before looking to his home. 

His heart is crushed, he is disgusted. 

Gladys Jones dead body was hanging out a smashed window, her throat slit.

Jellybean Jones strung up with a noose around her neck, swinging to the direction of the wind.

The red liquid was Gladys’ blood and was used for writing. Sending chills down everyone’s spine as the press was quick to report the new murder, capturing the new message that would send Riverdale into a state of panic.

“I’m back!”

“How do we know that is (Y/n)?” Betty asked, “Hard to recognise his writing since I haven’t seen it for almost four months.”

Betty had looked at Jughead, who was still processing that his little sister had been killed, with you being one of the possible suspects. You’ve been gone for four months, four months since they last saw you in the school gym playing a dangerous game.

And when the last of your memory started to fade away, you came back to haunt the town. 

“No one has seen him in town,” Jughead mentions.”

“Could be possible that someone else is doing it for him,” Veronica proposed as she sipped her drink, timidly, “He doesn’t want himself to get caught.”

It was a smart idea, which is why you like Veronica and Jughead a lot, most of the time they were leaders of schemes. You liked using their own plan against themselves. 

But, you always liked getting your hands dirty, you had power in the town, a power that Hiram longed for, a power that FP tried to obtain, a power that Sierra hoped for. A young teenage boy capable of doing the dirtiest of filth. You were insane, and you got away with a lot of things.

“Look, we better get to class soon,” Archie spoke before there was static from the school’s tv. Almost simultaneously, all the TV’s switched on, every single person in Riverdale was witnessing the same thing.

FP watched with his men at the police station. 

Hermione in the mayor office.

Fred in his construction works.

They saw you, smiling at the camera, waving a knife and it was bloody. Your eyes scream insane. Your smile suddenly wiped away and your lips thinned.

“Riverdale,” Your tone was cold, sent shivers down anyone spine, “Did you miss me because I certainly missed you.”

You started to chuckle then it became hysterical laughter, everyone jumped out of their skins when you slammed your fist against the desk. Veronica could tell the settings, that was Hiram's art portrait behind you.

“That’s right, Veronica,” You seemingly knew her thoughts, “How’s daddykins? Don’t you worry yourself, he’s fine...for now,” Your voice lowers near the end, before smugly smirking towards the camera, licking your lips, “You know what want? It’s time to give this town of pep the boost it needs. Time to stop taking ourselves so seriously. I mean, come on, Riverdale. What do you have to lose? Except your sanity.”

You chuckled, you stuck the knife down at the desk as you abruptly stood up. Your dead cold eyes burned through the television as everyone seems to be frozen in their spot, afraid to move.

“You know what they say, we all could go insane with just one bad day,” You continued, “You know what happened on my bad day?” You leaned over the desk with every word you spoke after, “People just kept... pushing.”

You turn on your heels as whipped out a red spray paint, shaking it vigorously and standing on the seat you once occupied and spray paint over painted Hiram. 

Deadman

You threw the can to the side as you stepped onto the desk and jumped down, facing the camera. 

“I’m more than a man, I’m an idea; a philosophy, and I will live on in the shadows within Riverdale’s discontent. You’ll be seeing me soon. Au revoir!”

And so the screen turned black.

14 was your current death count, as much as you would like to claim the Black Hood’s killings, you couldn’t. You often visited Hal in prison, all in his glory, you were curious you see. You couldn’t take credit for the gargoyle king’s kills either, though you found those a little distasteful. 

Murdering irrelevant people? It bores you.

Pop’s for example, was exciting, a kind man who wouldn’t hurt a fly just murdered in cold heart. 

Hal gave you excellent ideas, what to do, but some of them burnt you out. So, the last time you exited his visiting hold, the police hadn’t realised a gun in Hal’s hand and your order to shoot himself.

Your reason?

His ideas can’t be spread around, and so the floor stained red, his glass protection splatter with his blood.

You left chuckling, you left with a vision. 

You wanted to release the prisoners, but then you thought too much about how they either worked for Hiram or in cahoots with the Serpents, finding followers to do you mad scheming was harder than you expected and yet you did everything alone.

“They call me a dead man, you know why?” Your tone was like a snake, slither, a hiss in Jughead ear as you sat in the booth behind him a knife pressed against his neck.

“Because-”

“Because they’re watching me! I could be killed at any moment and yet I see no bullets in me,” you interrupted, “I do enjoy an audience, but never witnesses. Shame I liked Pop’s.”

You clicked your tongue as Jughead registered what you have spoken, whipping a revolver from your tucked shirt and shooting Pop. Jughead watched in horror, unable to move as your left hand was still occupied with the knife against his neck.

“What did they use to call this place?” You hummed, before a eureka moment came to your head, “Ah! Yes! Death Diner,” you looked at the people sitting there watching your movements.

Jughead watched you grin, as you allowed your bullets to do the talking. Left satisfied as you remove the knife away from Jughead. Tucking the gun away back into your pants, as you jumped into the aisle. Jumping onto the counters as you pointed to Jughead.

“I do love a good show,” You announced, “20 people, Jughead, and they just keep going up n up n up.”

“You vile bastard-”

“I know!” You jumped down, “Who should I target next? Unfortunately, there is nothing else I can take away from you to torture you even further. Do, you think Veronica would appreciate her mom’s head in a gift box?”

Jughead watch you stride towards the door, before changing your mind.

“I am truly spoilt for choice, and like I said, I hate witnesses.”

Jughead was met with your knife, a stab to his gut as you could hear him choking into your ear.

“I do hope you survive Jughead, I couldn’t imagine what your dad would do after losing his little girl.”

Merrily escaping your way to never be found again. Jughead recovering in the hospital, FP was stress to the max. Teaming up with Tom and Hiram in any attempts to stop you.

It seems almost impossible to find a seventeen, near eighteen, year old boy terrorising a while town.

They couldn’t believe their ears to the next murder after Pop’s Diner. Cheryl’s beloved. A gift box painted red, with a small printed card on top:

“A heart for a cold-hearted bitch.”

A heart was presented in the red gift box as Cheryl screamed, oh and did she scream, she screamed for the death of a lover.

Toni Topaz was no longer around.

And on her trailer marked 21.

“Can you hear that?”

Josie gulped in fear as she sat in her kitchen dining table across Kevin. They were both terrified as you sat in between, your eyes flickering between the two. 

“That’s the screams of anguish,” You muttered, “Joyful, isn’t it?”

“Why are you doing this?” Kevin asked as you shrugged your shoulder, you were free of weapons as you lean your wrist back, opening.

“Boredom? I mean feel free to walk out, I’m not holding you captive.” 

“If one of us move, you’ll kill us,” Josie spoke afterwards, her hands gripping the table as you turn your head slowly to face her, your eyes narrowing.

“If you attack me, yes, now go get me coffee. Black, two sugars.” You waved her off as she scrapes her chair back.

You turned to look at Kevin, leaning your elbows on the table as you rest your chin on your hands. A pretty little smile on your face as you flutter your eyes towards him.

“So, boys,” You teases, “You seemed cursed, anyone you get with either gets killed or runs out of your life - tragic.”

Kevin glares at you as his eyes flicker up to Josie, his eyes widen to find her with a switch knife in her hand and scalding hot coffee in the other. Feeling another presence behind you, you smile as you straighten your back.

“Thank you, darlin- argh!” You turned around as you were faced with the hot liquid to your eyes.

You fall back off your chair, as you could hear the scraping of movements, you opened your eyes. Anger had taken over you, grabbing a nearby chair you threw it to Josie, as you stood up, landing a right hook to Kevin.

Next thing you’re fighting with Kevin and Josie, two weakest people. And yet you seemed to be overpowered by the two of them. You had managed to roughen the two of them a big deal, but whilst you were preoccupied with smashing Kevin’s face in, his pretty face was no longer but mushed with blood.

You hadn’t heard the flicker of the switchblade opening behind you as Josie stuck in in the side of your neck.

“Argh!”

You stumble yourself off, Kevin, your back colliding to the wall as your hand flew to the stab wound. The blood was flowing out as you could feel it trickle down your neck, down your collar, down your sleeves. 

You started to cough out blood, and yet the coughing became chuckles. As you slide down the wall, staining it in the process. These chuckles became hysterical laughter, spitting blood as your eyes widen in insanity.

“Oh, you should have put a bullet through my head.”

[madelainesvixens]

50&67 Sweetvee

Please continue to sent requests from this list of prompt!

50. “You told me you loved me so why did you go away?”

67. “Love terrifies me.”

.

In a small town like Riverdale, news travelled fast. Especially news concerning a certain Serpent being back in town.

Veronica sat with Betty in a booth at Pop’s, sipping their milkshakes and gushing over Betty’s big rock on her finger. “I can’t believe Jughead Jones proposed to you. I recall him saying marriage was superficial a few years ago.”

“Well, he changed his mind.”

“Obviously. Have you seen that rock?! I’m impressed.” A blush coated Betty’s cheeks, accompanying her giddy smile. “So, what’s the plans for the big day?” Veronica asked, already planning the whole event in her head. She was so excited for Betty.

“We want a chill wedding, nothing grand. Just our best friends and close family.”

Although they were best friends, the two girls had polar opposite ideas of a dream wedding. Veronica was all about a royal-like wedding while Betty prefered an intimate reception.

Veronica pulled a face of disapproval. “It’s your big day, Betty. You can’t settle for a small reception. Here, I’ll call Miranda, she’s the best wedding planner in New York. She’ll make all your dreams come true.”

Betty hummed, knowing Veronica won’t quit it until she agreed on hiring that wedding planner and took a sip of her vanilla milkshake. “My mom and FP are throwing a small engagement party for us on Saturday. I expect you to be there.”

“Of course, B. I wouldn’t miss it.” Betty’s phone buzzed on the table and she reached out, reading the message. “Is it lover boy?” Veronica asked, arching an eyebrow.

Betty shook her head. “No. It’s Toni saying there’s gonna be some late-additions to the guestlist.”

“Is Archie back from California?” The hope and excitement in Veronica’s voice could lead to think she still had feelings for the ginger man but, don’t be fooled. They were over.

“No, Archie unfortunately can’t make it. Jug’s pretty upset his best friend isn’t there,” she explained. “Al least he’ll have Fangs and Sweet Pea.”

“Wait. Sweet Pea is in town?!” Veronica repeated, eyebrows narrowing and jaw clenching at the thought of her ex-boyfriend.

Betty’s green eyes widen, realizing she shouldn’t have said that. “Oh shit.” Before she could say anything else, Veronica bolted from her seat, coat and handbag in her arms, and hurried out the door. “V, wait!”

.

Ignoring Betty bombarding her phone with text messages and missed calls, Veronica headed to the Wyrm, knowing if Sweet Pea was back in town, he’d be there. He always spends his Friday nights at the Serpent bar.

It was a good thing André was waiting for the girls in the parking lot or else she would’ve had to walk all the way across Southside in her Louboutins. André stopped the car in front of the rundown bar and Veronica got out, heels clicking on the pavement.

As expected, her arrival made a few heads turn, clearly standing out of the lot with her handbag worth ten times their rent. And, that’s without counting the rest of her designer clothes.

Ignoring the dirty stares from elderly Serpents, she pushed the heavy door open, scrunching her nose as the vapors of cheap alcohol and smoke filled her nostrils. It was quite a drastic change of scenery from her fancy New York clubs. 

Veronica looked around, scanning the bar for a tall Serpent, walking with a confident step once she spotted him at the bar, having a laugh with the bartender. If only he knew what was coming for him…

“Back in town I see. If I were you, I’d watch my back,” Veronica said, loud and clear, as she crossed the room. “Who knows, you might’ve made it to Daddy’s List. He’s very eye for an eye…more so when it concerns his daughter.”

Kept to secrecy, no one knew who’s names were on that infamous list of Hiram’s. All Veronica knew was that whoever was on that list never got to live long after their name was inked down on the paper.

After witnessing Veronica cry for days, confined in her bedroom, she wouldn’t be surprised if her father had put the name of the man who was responsible for the tears in her beautiful eyes on said list. She was his darling daughter after all, he wouldn’t hesitate to get his hands dirty for her.

At the sound of her voice, Sweet Pea whirled around, finger tightly wrapped grasping his glass of whiskey. “Veronica.”

“Save your saliva. I’m not finished.” It wasn’t often a Northsider dared talking like that to a Serpent so, naturally, heads turned, watching the scene unfold. “Being the Serpent King’s right hand must’ve gotten to your head but, lucky for you, I’m here to knock you off your pedestal. You tactik to lure people with your Chuck Bass-esque paroles might’ve worked and successfully fooled me into thinking you were a good person despite the double headed snake on your back but, as Daddy would say, everyone’s true colors shows eventually: you’re just a spineless coward, Sweet Pea.”

Whistles were heard in the room and Sweet Pea felt uncomfortable. He knew he had hurt Veronica - and he hated himself for it - but she didn’t need to take out their dirty laundry in front of everyone.

“Will you please quiet down?” Sweet Pea hissed, lowering his head to her level.

She huffed, giving him attitude. “I don’t have any orders to take from you.”

“Then, let’s go somewhere more…private. I don’t fancy everyone in this bar hearing our conversation.”

Knowing it would be empty, Sweet Pea took her hand and pulled her into FP’s office. To his surprise, she didn’t put a fit and followed.

Sweet Pea closed the door behind them and, when he turned around to face Veronica, he was met by angry fists jabbing at the his chest. The Serpent let her hit him, cashing the hits without blocking the hits or fighting back. He deserved it, every hits.

Once she was done, Veronica curled her fingers over the lapels of his jacket, pulling herself together before shoving him, back hitting the door.

Months have passed since Sweet Pea skipped town without warnings yet, it felt like it was yesterday. Seeing him tonight re-opened an old wound that felt ten times more painful than the day she realized the Serpent had left.

When he had left, she thought he had the intentions of never coming back but, he did and didn’t bother giving her a ring. It was as if he never knew her, never cared about her, never loved her.

“Anything to say for your defence?” Veronica asked, arching an eyebrow as she waited for his answer, arms crossed over her chest.

“I’m sorr-’‘he started but she cut him off.

”No. Say anything but that. A mediocre apology won’t excuse you for the pain you caused me, Sweet Pea.“

Sweet Pea looked down, not knowing what to say. Unlike his friends, he wasn’t good with words - he was better with his fists. He didn’t have Jughead’s writer brain nor Toni’s quick wit. If Veronica was expecting some grand apologies from him, she better take a seat - and grab a snack.

”You told me you loved me so why did you go away?“ Tears filled her eyes. ’’D-did you even mean it?” she asked with so much agony in her voice.

Seeing the hurt in her dark irises, Sweet Pea spoke up. He had made her cry enough already. “Of course I did. Why the fuck would I have told you that if I didn’t?”

“I don’t know!” she snapped, hands in the air. “You completely vanished from the surface of the earth right after saying those three words. It leaves to interpretations…”

“I love you so fucking much, this is why I left Riverdale. You mean more to me than any other person and that scares the shit out of me. I’ve never felt this way before and it terrifies me, love terrifies me.”

“I thought snakes weren’t afraid of anything,” she said, putting up a front.

In response, Sweet Pea scoffed. “We’re not emotionless warrior robots, Veronica. We- I know I pretend to be one but, I’m not. I have feelings and I have no idea how to deal with them. To me, love is like falling into the empty: you don’t know what you’re gonna get at the end and you have zero control over anything. That’s fucking terrifying for me. I thought I could do it - loving you -but, as I laid in my bed that night, I got the jitters and I didn’t have the heart to break up with you so I packed a bag, got on my bike and left with Fangs.”

The Serpent walked a few steps, crossing the distance between them and got hold of Veronica’s hands. Her heart jumped as their hands touched, a familiar feeling filling her stomach. “I thought it would hurt less to erase myself from your life but, clearly, I was wrong…”

“Careful there or else you’re gonna start battling first place with my ex-boyfriend in the dumb decision departement.”  

A light laugh escaped his lips. “Leaving you was the dumbest decision I’ve ever made. I-I love you, Veronica. I love you so fucking much-”

Tears filled her eyes again and she shook her head, twisting her hands free from Sweet Pea’s hold. “I can’t…” she said, her voice thick with sorrow and melancholy.  

She was hurt and he just couldn’t expect her to be okay after hearing him out. Even if it took him a lot or courage to say those three little words again.

A part of Veronica wanted to let Sweet Pea in again despite the lengthy emotional breakdown and months of utter sadness because, although he broke her heart, it still beat for him and that’s why it was so difficult to forgive him. While another chance could be the best thing she’s ever done, it could also backfire on her and end with a broken heart - again. Standing this close to her, she wanted nothing more than to hug him, feel his strong body under hers and never let go.  

Her thoughts were cut short when someone knocked at the door, asking why the hell it was locked. FP.  Sweet Pea went to the door, unlocked it and opened it ajar. “We’ll be out in a minute, Boss,” he assured the man. “We needed a quiet place to talk.”

FP raised an eyebrow, peaking in and seeing Veronica Lodge. He locked eyes with the young Serpent. “No funny business in here, kids.”

“Yes, Boss.”

The door closed again and they were back to being just the two of them.

Returning his attention to Veronica, it hit Sweet Pea how fucking beautiful and hot his ex-girlfriend was. She was always beautiful but, with her stronger jaw and fuller looking breast - or maybe it was a push up bra? - she was- wow. Or, maybe he felt like this because the last time he saw her was two years ago.

“Want a picture? It lasts longer.”

Her snarky comment made him chuckle. “No need. I have plenty in my phone.” Veronica’s face twisted into disgust. Oh shit. “I didn’t- That’s not- Ugh, I meant I kept all our photos on my phone so could look at them whenever I missed you.”

“Why would you do that?”

“Because I’m in love with you, Veronica! Fucking hell, how many times do I need to say it for you to believe me?”

His change of tone made her jump a little, not expecting his voice to raise. “I…”

Sighing, Sweet Pea’s male instincts took over and he walked over to Veronica, pressing their lips together, cupping her jaw tenderly. As his lips touched hers, she forgets her months of moping and crying and she kissed Sweet Pea back. It only lasted for a few seconds before she found her head again and pushed the Serpent away a little bit more roughly than intended.

“What the fuck?”

“No, I meant: what the fuck,” she clarified, fisting the collar of his tee shirt to pull him down to her level before kissing him.

Decrypting her coded thoughts, Sweet Pea grabbed her by the waist and lifted her onto FP’s desk, stepping between her legs as they deepened the kiss, hands wandering everywhere on their bodies.

In true Veronica and Sweet Pea fashion, kisses turned into making out and - although Sweet Pea had promised FP they weren’t going to have sex - or anything of the nature - in his office, hormones took over and jackets and tops found home on the floor as lips were pressed on skin and moans filled the room.

Taking his lips off Veronica, Sweet Pea spoke up. “I truly hadn’t planned to come back but Jones’s getting married and Fangs insisted we come so…”

“Remind me to thank him later.” She locked their lips again, hungry for him. “…Or tomorrow.”

[bugheadjones-the-third]

title: See You Soon

summary: Post 02x21 - Jughead is not answering and the entire world around her starts to crumble. Betty knows she needs to think fast in order to save him, but real life cannot be compared to a medical manual.

a/n: Yes, Betty Cooper knows first aid. I only wrote what I felt like doing at that moment, and I regret nothing… (Well, maybe I do because I really want to write a part 2 now after this). I really LOVED writing this, and I hope you can feel this love! Please, tell me your opinion, and TO THE STORY!.

His limbs were hanging apathetic from his father’s arms as the leader of the South Side Serpents left the foggy forest behind him with each, heavy step. Blood and dirt covered his entire body, and there was just no sign of his beautiful, blue eyes she loves so much. It was dark, there was mud on his face and tears were pooling around her eyes, and all of that just made it incredibly hard from her to see if there was any kind of movement coming from him.

No. That couldn’t be happening, she thought. He couldn’t be de—

Betty swallowed dry, for she just couldn’t even imagine that word related to Jughead�� to her Juggy. The boy who has the sweetest smile she knows, and has this smooth voice that makes her heart skip a beat whenever he says her name. The boy whose hands are always there to hold her and whose lips fit perfectly on hers—

No, such word could never be used to describe Jughead Jones. She was not going to accept it. She was not going to say it.

Her lips were firmly pressed together as they trembled, her hands were shaking and her nails were begging to pierce the skin of her palms. The world went mute around her, the colors became more vibrant, somehow, and suddenly, there was a lump lodged on her throat that made it hard— almost impossible— for her to breath. She could feel an anxiety attack building up inside her, the signs clear as day as she started to hyperventilate, and if not for the look on his father’s eyes, the Cooper girl would’ve succumbed to all those feelings that were about to lash out.

Those eyes… Those eyes that resembled his so much.

FP has always been a strong and tough man, who has never did as much as tremble near her after he got a hold of his drinking problem. He has always been the one she would look at whenever she was scared, but at that moment, as he carried his son’s body, Betty could tell that man was really close to fall and cry like a child. His lips were mumbling incoherent words, his eyes were glassy as he looked straight at her, and it was as if that grown man, who has gone to hell and back, was begging for her help. He was desperate, she could tell. Desperate and in search of any flicker of hope he could find in the girl who never gives up.

He didn’t know what to do. She didn’t, either, but something had to be done before it was already too late.

Her nails dug into her palms and the blood running down her fingers prevented her from spiraling away. Finally, she managed to move, almost tripping on the short distance that separated them, and by the time she managed to reach both of the Jones man, FP slowly crumbled down, placing Jughead on the floor in between them. She was on her knees now, watching as FP’s tears streamed down his bony cheeks. He was breaking in front of her, and at that moment, she knew he wouldn’t be of any help.

Betty was going to have to take over that situation. She was going to have to do it for him, and she was going to have to be strong for all of them in order to save the love of her life.

God help him.

“ Mr. Jones….” She was biting her lips now, trying ( but clearly failing) to bring him back into this whole mess. For she was but mere inches apart from him, the blonde could make up the ghosty words his lips were forming. Cold, they said. So cold.

It was clear that he was talking about his own son, for as soon as she touched his dirty skin, the girl could feel that temperature freezing the tips of her fingers. Her heart broke a little more after that, and all she wanted to do was to keep him warm. She wanted to scream for a blanket or even for his beanie, but it was clear that there were more important things that had to be solved at that moment.

First things first, she thought, trying her best to focus her mind on anything but that desperate urge to cry.

Her shaky finger quickly went to his neck in search of his pulse, and her head was soon pressed against his chest in order to check his breathing. At that moment, there was nothing in the world she wanted most than to hear the soothing sound of his heartbeat and to feel his breath fawning over her hair. She wanted to feel the weight of his hand on the small portion of her back, and she wanted to see those icy, blue eyes of his opening up just for her.

Any reaction would be enough, but as expected, she found no sign of either vital signs. Her face felt warmer during the tears that threatened to wash her focus away, however, thanks to all of the emergency courses she took during her life, Betty had a manual in her head and she knew what to do next.

“ Someone call an ambulance!” She screamed from the bottom of her throat, startling everyone around her whose hopes had already vanished.

“ But Betty—“ Archie started, hurt and concern clear in his voice.

“ Hurry up! We have no time to waste if we want to save him!

“ There’s no reception here.” Cheryl said, trying to lift her phone in order to look for signal. They were too deep into that shitty hellhole the Ghoulies had decided to meet up, and it was no surprise to actually have no signal around there. Trying to look for it would be a waste of time, and time, for sure, was not a luxury Jughead possessed.

They needed a plan B, and they needed one as fast as possible. If they couldn’t call out for help, then—

" Sweet Pea, Toni, please! Bring them here! Go get help!”

The young Serpents were quick to understand what she meant by those words, and they wasted no time before heading towards their bikes. Even if Sweet Pea didn’t really love Betty, he knew that, at that moment, the war between North and South had nothing to do with that. Jughead’s life was in danger, and he couldn’t simply accept that fate was taking away another friend from him. Jughead was their leader. He was the one who sacrificed himself for the entire gang, and the one who stood by their side even against his childhood best friend. Just like Betty, Pea couldn’t simply watch as the boy in front of them died.

He was not going to let Jughead die.

And with a simple nod, the tall boy, the pink haired girl and her girlfriend started their engines and left in search of help. Even if there was no reception, they were going to find someone who could help, while the others tried their best to stabilize the Serpent Prince.

As she continued to examine her boyfriend’s body, Betty realized his shirt was glued to the right side of his abdomen. She was desperately trying to look for the wound, but the sole fireplace illuminating the area wasn’t enough to offer her enough light. Betty could feel herself getting madder as time went by, and if not for the sudden that suddenly came from FP’s phone, the blonde would’ve probably just kept tapping aimlessly in order to find the origin of the blood.

The flashlight wasn’t strong, but just like FP, it was going to have to be enough to be enough. She could see a little better now, and behind all the mud and the ripped clothes, the blonde finally found what she had been looking for. Bingo! There was blood coming there, she could smell it, and she knew she had to stop that as fast as she could in order to prevent him from bleeding to dea—

“ Arch! I need your help!”

When his time came, the ginger wasted no time before running to them, practically throwing himself at the floor. He watched as she removed her coach and handled it to him, clearly not minding the cold breeze striking them at that moment. Archie has never been the smartest kid around, and seeing his best friend— no, his brother— laying there, motionless, was breaking his heart; but even he could connect those dots before she could say anything.

“ Apply pressure there. You need to stop this bleeding!”

“ Betty, I-I—“

“ You can do this, Arch! He needs us.”

Even with fear clearly spread around his face, the Andrews boy did as he was told. He placed her jacket over the wound and pressed it with the strength he judged to be necessary to stop the bleeding. Red soon spread around the pink material, and no matter how terrifying it was to see that whole thing from such a short distance, the blonde knew she could count on her neighbor to take care of that while she did the rest.

Archie was also afraid of losing Jughead, but just fear wouldn’t stop him from doing the right thing. They are brothers, after all.

With the bleeding secured, and with all the orders given, the Cooper girl was finally ready to start CPR. She adjusted her position, intertwined her own fingers and placed the heels of her left hand between his nipples. She looked down at him one more time, and for a fraction of second, Betty allowed fear to cross her mind.

How the hell did they get there? How did they go form worrying about homework to her trying to literally bring him to life with her are hands?

That was not how things were supposed to be. They were supposed to be worried about stuff like football or what to wear for prom and not wether or not they would make it through the night.

Stuff like that were not supposed to happen in Riverdale. Not with the children of Riverdale. Not with them—

But then it hit her. It’s already happened. There was no turning back now and no way of undoing what was already done. Those kids couldn’t be brought back to life, lies could not be untold and everything that happened had already changed their lives. For the better or worse, neither of them were the same kids from before. They’ve experienced things no children should have, but for that, they’re a lot stronger now. They’re smarter, braver and they’re no longer alone.

They’re in love now. Betty and Jughead. They only happened because of all the things that brought them to this very moment. All the deaths, gangs, murderers and heartbreaks brought them here, together, and if anything, such terrifying episode would only bring them even closer in an even more messed up Riverdale.

It all started with Jason Blossom, but it was certainly not going to end with Jughead.

A new wave of confidence hit her and she quickly started massaging his chest according to the manual she has read so many times. The hardest thing about the whole thing was maintaining a steady rhythm— not too slow and not too fast— while she could feel an emotional breakdown just around the corner. Betty knew the recommendations were 30 compressions to 2 ventilations, and that if she could sing Staying Alive she wouldn’t make any mistakes. Yes, she knew it all, but such knowledge meant shit when her boyfriend was the one whose heart was stopped.

“ Come on, Jug. React!” She said, in between compressions, as her face was slowly getting redder due to pressure. She could feel his sternum succumbing under her weight, and if not for the fact that she was mentally keeping track of everything, Betty wouldn’t believe time was actually passing. The world around her had gone completely mute, and it was as if there were only the two of them left in the world.

After the 30th compression, her lips met his in a cold kiss, and she fought hard to ignore the disgusting taste of iron as she offered air to his lungs. His chest went up two times before she restarted the compressions, and the entire cycle restarted as they fought side by side in order to keep him alive. Again, they were doing something dangerous together. And god— she was getting tired of this.

Even if she was supposed to have another person helping, Betty was too deep into that trance to even step away in order to let someone else do the job. At that moment, she just didn’t trust anyone with his life, and all of her actions suddenly fell into an automatic rhythm, allowing her to focus on him.

To focus on the real him.

His cheeks under the mud, his blue eyes behind closed eyelids and the tons of jokes Jughead himself would be making about his own condition if he knew what was happening. He should be making her laugh instead of crying, and she made a mental note to scold him for that as soon as he recovered his senses. She was going to give him a piece of her mind when he woke up, and together, they would send all those ghoulies to the jail. They were going to pay for what they did to him, and she wouldn’t give up until she made sure of that.

“ Jughead, you better open your eyes! Y-You better open them, because we need to go to the Blue and Gold in the morning.”

Memories of their days at the school paper started to fill her mind, and before she knew it, tears were finally spilling from her eyes. Until that moment, the blonde hadn’t allowed a single one to fall, but due to the physical exhaustion, her control over her emotions were slipping away. Sweat dripped from her forehead and into his own skin, and the freezing breeze of the night made nothing to her. The adrenaline running through her veins kept her warm and filled with enough energy not to stop the compressions, and she knew that her heart was beating enough for both of them at that moment. Betty wasn’t really sure for how long she had been doing that, but there was no way she was stopping until there was a reaction from him.

“React, Jug!! Please!” She begged him, more tears falling from her red cheeks. Her ponytail was a mess right now, her clothes were all dirty in a mix of mud and blood, and she could feel her knees starting to complain for being like that for so long. Under normal conditions, even Betty would’ve already passed out, but at that moment, he needed her. He needed her in order to live, and she was not going to let him down.

Not again.

She would bring him back with her bare hands, and she would do it all by herself if she had to.

Betty was not giving up on him. She was not giving up on them.

And thankfully, neither were their friends.

“ Fuck!!”

Her screams were coming out without filter now, and she could tell that she was starting to lose her sanity as well. A different noise was invading her ears now, and for a moment, she could swear there was a new light coming from the background. She leaned down to press her lips against his another time, and in her mind, she could only whisper the last words she wanted to tell him before he hung up on her a couple of hours earlier.

I love you too, Jug. Please…

She made his chest rise up two times more, and when she lifted her head one more time, Betty could swear she saw his lips trembling, as if in a weak attempt to breath by himself.

Did he just…?

Her green eyes widened at that, and she desperately wanted to check his pulse one more time to see if that was not just another trick of her tired head. The blonde placed a hand on his cheek before lowering to his neck, but before she could even touch him again, a strong hand pulled her away from him. All her breath escaped her lungs, as her hands succumbed to the ground, and  even if she wanted to reach out and touch him again, her body just wouldn’t move.

The world around her was still mute, but flashes of light surrounded her now as people dressed in white approached his body. Sweet Pea was by their side along with FP and Archie, and as if in slow motion, she could only see as they took him away and into the ambulance.

Be careful with him, she begged in her head. She wanted to stand up and go to him, but her knees were too weak to do so. She wanted to scream, but her voice wouldn’t come out, and she just wanted to follow him, but there were more hands holding her back now. Hands warmer than any part of his cold body, and hands that were, doubtlessly, trying to protect her from the world.

Her mother was there now, along with Veronica, but Betty couldn’t care less about them for her eyes were set exclusively at the white car that was taking Jughead away from her. She wanted to be there, by his side and holding his hand, but there was no time to waste anymore. FP exchanged one, last glance with her, and quickly, the ambulance disappeared from view, taking her heart with it.

I’ll never stop loving you. Those were the words echoing in her head at that moment, as all the people cried around her. Betty couldn’t move or breath, and at that moment, for as helpless as that could feel, all she could do was hope.

Yes, at that moment, hope was all she could do, and so she did it.

Betty Cooper hoped that, soon, Jughead could, finally, fulfill his promise.

I’ll see you soon, Jug.

the end. (?)

[xbarrjallenx]

Ruined?

Pairing: Jughead Jones III x Reader

Summary: Having Jughead by your side after busting Archie, your boyfriend, cheating on you.

Word Count: 977

Posted: 23rd of October 2017

A/N: Guess who’s back? Yes, it’s me! I finally decided to post something again, since it’s been a while since I posted an imagine.

Yup, I decided to write imagines for Riverdale too and this imagine was written during my summer holidays. I left it unfinished for months and I decided to finish it after seeing episode 2 of season 2. I can’t help it, but I am in love with Cole/Jughead.

Anyways, I am still finishing the prompt requests that I received. Please bear with me, because I won’t post anything until my halloween holidays. Sorry.

Thank you for your endless support, guys. I love you so much.

- G. x

Warning: betrayal and (Y/N) is Your Name.

“Uhm, guys?” Jughead cleared his throat deprived of phlegm to catch the little group’s attention as he entered Archie’s house and you silently thanked him because he woke you up from the worst nightmare that you were having that evening. The slow-motion movement that you were observing from afar suddenly became fast and painful.

“(Y/N)!” Betty, your best friend, and Archie, your boyfriend, shouted your name in shock as soon as they realized the situation between the two of them. Their bodies tensed up and they accidentally pushed each other away, causing the distance between them to increase.

Your legs started to shake and you felt weak while they were still feeling each other’s lips, lingering the taste that their tongues allowed. You were speechless and breathless at the same time, but tears found their way out as you dealt with the pain and the weight inside of your chest.

“Babe,” Archie tried to reach for you, but you were fast enough to dodge from his determined grip on your wrist. “let me explain.” The ginger-haired boy pleaded as he travelled across the living room, feeling dirty and rubbish at the same time.

He hurt the girl that he loved the most and everything between them was ruined because he couldn’t contain himself, him and Betty couldn’t contain and couldn’t keep their hands to themselves.  

“I hate you, Andrews.” You fiercely spat and your red and teary eyes angrily danced between the two treacherous people in front of you. “I hate you.”

Your words cut like knives and they couldn’t bear the pain. The thought of how everything happened so quickly remained in their heads and, in no time, their faces were masked with guilt. They had the guts to betray you and the big mistake made you hate two out of the three most important people in your life.

“(Y/N).” Jughead silently called your name as he cradled you in his arms gently. Your arms found their strength to hug him tightly and he used his right hand to caress your perfectly combed hair.

“Jug, please?” Betty murmured softly as she asked for Jughead to leave you for a while and you quickly felt the awkwardness between them. Jughead wasn’t stupid, he knew how hurt you were and he honestly felt worse by seeing you in that way.

“Are you okay, Betty?” Jughead sarcastically asked with his corrugated forehead. “Of course, you are.” Betty’s eyes grew wide while she tightened her fists, losing her patience, little by little.

“Give her some space, Betty.” Archie suggested in defeat and he admitted to himself that he did a wrong move. He knew how hurt you were and he hated himself because he caused you pain, ruining every thing that you had. “Take care of her, Jug.”

“I will, Archie.” Jughead shook his head, showing that he was disappointed of his two other friends. “C'mon, (Y/N).”

“Let’s leave this hell-hole, please.” You pleaded as you unwrapped your arms from Jughead’s neck. Jughead nodded with a sad smile on his face and he grabbed your hand to lead you out of your ex-boyfriend’s home.

You have always been each other’s best friend since your kindergarten days and he has always cared for you, nevertheless you’ve met new people and you considered them important in your life. You sometimes secretly thanked him, because he has always stayed beside you and you were happy because of that.

“Have a seat!” Jughead pointed the couch in Fred’s garage and tears kept on rolling down your cheeks while you thought of the moments that you had with Archie in that specific room. “I don’t have my own place, pardon me.”

“It’s okay, Jughead.” You slowly nodded and you unleashed a long, deep and heavy sigh, trying to take the weight out of your chest.

“(Y/N)?” Jughead sweetly called you as he plopped himself on the couch, beside you. You considered his green eyes and you admitted to yourself that you’ve never seen those eyes for a while now, probably because you were too busy spending time with Archie. You couldn’t deny that you missed him, you missed your best friend. “Everything will be alright, okay?”

“Jug, I just lost two people in one kill,” You pouted and tears streamed down your face once again. You loved your friends and losing them was really the last thing that you wanted to happen. “that’s sad.”

“I know, (Y/N),” Jug dried your cheeks with his thumbs and considered your swollen and puffy eyes. “but time heals. Give yourself some time and space. Don’t be cruel to yourself, you’re a human too. It’s not a sin to feel angry and betrayed.”

“I will, Juggie.” You gave him your sweetest smile and you thanked him once again for being with you, mostly during the roughest times.

You rested your head on Jughead’s chest and he played with some strands of your hair. Moments like these made you realize how important you were to Jughead. You missed spending time with him and little did you know that he missed you too, more than anything else.

“Jug?” You murmured as you fumbled for your words.

“Hmm?” He hummed and your head carefully vibrates as he emanated the sound. He kept on playing with your hair and you started to consider the loud and deafening heartbeats against his chest.

“Did I ruin everything?” You hopelessly asked as you tried to remember every detail of how you reacted to the happening minutes ago. “I am afraid that I did, Jug.”

Jughead let out some soft giggles. “Of course not!” He exclaimed sweetly, slightly shaking his head for the useless question you have just asked. “You still have me, your best friend. I am by your side and I promise that I will never leave you,”

Indeed, he never would.

“not now, not ever.”

[tea-and-cardigans]

Movie Night - Bughead College AU - Part 2

Hey Guys,

Sorry it has been so so long since I have posted anything but unfortunately adulting (and a super flu) got in the way and then there was a hit of writing self doubt and writing block. But here is the second and final part to Movie Night.

I also almost have the next chapter of What Fools We Mortals Be finished and am just working out some kinks and ideas with my Beta.

I always get so stressed with my fics that aren’t one shots as I get so worried that readers will be disappointed with the conclusion or next part which is the reason I sometimes get stuck on my WIPs.

Anyway I hope you guys enjoy and always sorry to mobile users for the keep reading cut.

Summary:

Betty is sick of the substandard movies that are chosen to play at the makeshift college ‘drive in’ she decides she has had enough and on her mission to correct this injustice bumps into a beanie wearing student who is just as outraged.

Based on the following prompt:

You’re the only other one who voted for my favorite movie on movie night so do you just want to watch it in my room au

Part One.

Nolan and Tarantino

Veronica was excited for her. As soon as she told her she would not be in their dorm room tonight because she was going to a boy’s room the squeal that Veronica had emitted had very near ruptured her eardrums.

“I knew you had it in you B.” Veronica wrapped her arm around her shoulder like a proud mamma bird finally seeing her baby bird spread her wings and embrace the full college experience. “Sooo what’s his name?”

“Jughead.” Veronica did a double take, her head cocked slightly to the side as if she may have misheard her.

“Jughead?”

“Yeah I think it might be a nickname.” Betty mused while Veronica’s eyes widened in realization.

“Wait a second Archie’s roommate has a weird name, I thought it was Juicebox, but maybe it was Jughead.” Veronica clapped her hands together in delight. “You are going out with Archie’s roommate.” Her voice had now taken on a sing song quality and Betty could see the cogs turning in her head processing all this information at once, probably forming plans for double dates and who knows what else.

“I’m just going over to watch a movie, it’s not a date.” Veronica sighed heavily, before taking Betty’s hand and leading her over to her bed encouraging her to sit beside her. “It’s not-” Veronica silenced Betty’s protests placing a finger up to her mouth.

“It’s a date Betty,” she stated simply, as Betty’s eyes widened. She knew it was a date, or was that just some wishful thinking on her part. He was interested in movies, she was interested in movies. People of the opposite gender can watch movies together alone in a college dorm room and not have any romantic feelings towards each other. Can’t they? “You are going to be alone in his dorm room, probably on his bed, his laptop between the two of you, an arm around your shoulder.” Betty imagined the scene in her head. She imagined them both reaching for the popcorn at the same time, their hands brushing accidently against each other, a shared laugh before their eyes would meet each other’s gaze. She shook her head trying to wipe the images from her mind. No it was just watching a movie.

“He chose The Lobster for drive in movie, he puts up a choice each month.”

“The unpopular choice.” Veronica reminded her.

“Maybe but it’s always the one I would choose.” Betty was happy to have someone who could appreciate good cinema as much as she loved Veronica her taste in movies sucked.

“Well B, what are you going to wear for your non-date date.” Betty pulled her bottom lip with her teeth. She hadn’t even thought about it yet. She wanted to look nice but not too nice, not like she had spent hours agonising over what she was going to wear for the night, even though she had a feeling that that was exactly what she was about to do at Veronica’s insistence.

Betty shifted nervously in front of his dorm room door, she could faintly hear music playing inside his room. It was something she didn’t recognise but it sounded pleasant to her ears. She shifted one of the two large shopping bags of snacks that she had brought for the evening into one hand while she raised the other to knock on his door.

The door opened almost immediately and she noted that he was still wearing the crown beanie that he had been earlier. Apparently that was part of his permanent wardrobe or so Veronica had informed her after sending several inquisitive texts to Archie. And yes, Jughead was in fact a nickname, but Archie wouldn’t tell her his real name through fear of Jughead’s retribution.

“Hey.” He opened the door wider for her so she could enter brushing past him.

“Where can I put these?” She held up the two rather large bags of snacks that she had brought with her. “I wasn’t sure what you liked so I just brought some of my faves and the classics.” She noticed him lick his lips as he eyed the bags and he pointed towards what she assumed was the desk on his side of the small dorm room.

“Over there.” She moved towards the desk placing the heavy bags down and turned around to fully take in the room. It was not as messy as she had imagined a room shared by two teenage boys may be, but she guessed that he had done some tidying up as well. The two of them looked at each other awkwardly for a while, both of them with their hands in their pockets, before glancing around the room. “Would you like something to drink?” Jughead asked her breaking the silence.

“Sure.” He moved over to the bar fridge located at the end of his bed and surveyed it’s contents.

“I’ve got Coke and Beer.” Betty knew the safe option was a coke. Best she keep a clear head. She had been drunk once in her life, one of her first nights on campus and it had not been a pretty picture. But one beer couldn’t hurt.

“Beer,” she announced confidently, straightening her posture a little at her decision. He pulled out two beers, twisting the tops off both using the bottom of his t-shirt and handing one to her. He held his out for her to clink her bottle into, almost like a little cheers before they endeavored on their film watching journey.

“You can sit on the bed.” He motioned towards the single bed on one side of the room. “Or I have the desk chair if that would be more comfortable,” he added quickly.

“Bed’s fine,” she answered as she jumped onto the single bed, her back resting against the pillow that had been placed against the wall, stretching her legs out in front of her. He picked up the laptop from his desk along with the desk chair. Placing the laptop on the chair in front of the bed, he moved again to Archie’s desk to get his desk chair and placed it in front of the bed before sitting on it. Betty watched him carefully as he leant forward to get the movie playing on the laptop.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“I’m getting the movie started.” He looked at her quizzically before he returned to the task at hand.

“No I mean why are you sitting there. There’s plenty of room up here.” She patted the empty space next to her.

“I just thought you might -”

“Grab the snacks and get up here.” Betty was surprised by the strength of her own words. “Please.” she added to try and soften her request. He quickly pressed play on the video and grabbed both bags before hopping onto the bed next to her, still placing some space between the two of them. She handed him one of the pillows that was next to her and he placed it behind his back before opening one of the bags.

“What do you want?” He whispered as if they were in a cinema afraid of ruining the viewing experience of others.

“The Red Vines.” She turned towards him as he handed her the packet. She noticed him looking through the bag hesitating on making his own choice. “Take whatever you want,” she whispered to him before turning her attention immediately back to the screen in front of her as the words she had just used wash over her and she mentally kicked herself. He didn’t seem to notice, or he was just as embarrassed as she was as he pulled out a packet of Milk Duds and faced the screen as well.

They were both fully engrossed in the movie, laughing together at the appropriate parts and she was glad that he shared her dark sense of humor. When she had tried to get Veronica to watch the movie she had asked her to turn it off not even half way into the movie. Instead they put on a romantic comedy, not that Betty minded them once in awhile but it was nice to have someone who could understand her love for dark comedy.

“What animal do you think you would want to be turned into?” Betty whispered as she turned to Jughead waiting for his answer while she watched the movie from the corner of her eye.

“I think I would be a cat.” She waited for him to elaborate further. “Well they’re independent, survivors and it would good to always be able to land on your feet.” He threw a milk dud up into the air before catching it in his mouth. She gave a little clap at his achievement. “You?”

“A hawk.” He looked at her surprised at her choice. “Well I would want to be able to fly so I would want to choose a bird, but I also don’t want to be at the bottom of the food chain and be one of the small animals getting eaten by a bigger animal. So a hawk.” She took the packet of milk duds from him and tried to toss one into her mouth, but missed by quite a distance. “It’s the beer.”

“No I just think you aren’t very good at that,” he quipped, throwing another one up for himself and catching it in his mouth easily. Betty never one to be outdone took the packet from him again and tossed another up into the air, too high and off centre and it bounced off her forehead. The impact stunned her for a moment and his laughter filled the room. She rubbed her forehead in embarrassment as she watched him laugh. The way his nose and eyes wrinkled and he looked completely uninhibited. She couldn’t help herself and soon found herself laughing along with him.  

Betty took a deep sigh as the movie cut to black. She eyed the packets of open half eaten sweets that they had managed to work through during the movie. It was though Jughead was determined to try some of everything always offering her some first. There were also the 4 empty beer bottles that they had polished off during the movie on his night stand. She could feel the slight heat across her cheeks and neck a side effect of the alcohol and the enclosed space no doubt.

“Okay important question.” Betty sat straighter on the bed at the seriousness of his tone. “And the very future of our friendship depends on your answer.” A smirk crossing his face told her that he probably would let her get away with an incorrect answer. “Favourite director?” She sighed heavily at this collapsing onto her side in dramatics as she groaned.

“Don’t make me choose.”

“You have to.” He insisted leaning his body to the side to catch her eyes. Betty sighed in defeat and pulled herself upright again, thinking carefully about his question.

“Hmmm.” She was tapping her finger on her chin as she ran through a series of possible answers she had favourites for each genre, for each decade of film, how could she possibly choose just one out of so many. He watched her expectantly as she continued to think. She went to answer before pausing again, considering her answer so carefully. “Christopher Nolan.”

“Hmm.” He said nodding his expression giving nothing away about her choice.

“Hmm?” she responded, her eyes urging for him to elaborate further, to tell her his own thoughts rather than just making a sound in response.

“I just wouldn’t have guessed, thought you might go for a classic like Speilberg, you seem like a classic kind of girl.” She wasn’t sure how to take his statement, should she be offended that he thought she liked older more traditional things, did he think that she would be so predictable and hence maybe even boring.

“What’s yours?” she asked.

“Tarantino.” She let out a short laugh in response.

“Of course.” she rolled her eyes.

“What do you mean? Of course.” Jughead Jones did not like to be predictable he prided himself as not being one of the herd.

“Just you know, dark, tortured, mysterious it figures you would like Tarantino.” She shrugged her shoulders reaching over him for the unopened packet of M&Ms, meeting his eyes as she took a handful, a look of victory in her eyes. He sighed. Maybe he was a little predictable sometimes. “What now?” She said finishing her mouthful of candy and eyeing him carefully.

“Well we could watch another movie.” He suggested, she nodded eagerly and he found himself smiling at her. It felt so easy between the two of them. He knew he should feel nervous a pretty girl like Betty Cooper alone with him in his dorm room. Archie had given him a wolf whistle when he had let him know that a girl would be over tonight, before Jughead had insisted that it wasn’t like that.

If Betty’s love life had been uneventful up to and including college, Jughead’s had been non-existent. He wasn’t exactly what girls had gone for in highschool he kept to himself. Attended classes and stayed on the outer fringe as much as he could. Not that he ever went completely unnoticed, the jocks it seemed had a far reaching sonar for those who wished to go unnoticed. He had been bullied, sure, but he had survived. Even had managed to fight back on occasion but at the end of the day he was still that scrawny weirdo from the wrong side of the tracks.

College he had imagined would be much the same. He would attend his classes, stay on the fringe. He had always been more of an observer than an active participant. Then he had been roomed with Archie Andrews. Jughead could practically smell the Jock coming off of him as soon as he entered the room. He had already been formulating the contents of his request to transfer rooms form in his head, when Archie had introduced himself, holding out a hand for him to shake. Jughead had taken it cautiously always waiting for the punch that was coming masked by kindness. But it never came. Archie was a decent guy, still a jock, but decent and despite himself they became friends.

“Should I make some popcorn?” Her voice broke into his thoughts and he saw that she had moved off the bed a packet of microwave popcorn in her hand as she stood next to the microwave.

“Sure. I’ll choose a movie. Any requests?”

“Action. After that film I need to see some things getting epically destroyed.” She winked at him and he felt his stomach drop. He had felt the same feeling when she had asked him to take anything he wanted and several images had crossed his mind, while he tried to keep his face passive.

He carefully looked through the list of films before smiling to himself. “Batman Begins?” he asked already having a pretty good idea of what the answer would be.

“Now I know you're just trying to get in my good books. Choosing a Nolan film.”

He shrugged his shoulders. “I’m just trying to be a good host.”

“Well you are being an excellent host.” The microwave beeped and he moved to his cupboard to grab a bowl holding it in front of her for her to empty the freshly popped popcorn into. The aroma filling the air. He grabbed two drinks from the fridge, pressed play on his laptop and sat back down on his bed. She soon joined him. He noticed that she sat herself a little closer this time placing the bowl in between them. He tried to concentrate on the film in front of him but found himself distracted.

Betty seemed more engrossed in the film than he was. He could occasionally see her mouth the words and he wondered how many times she had seen this one.

His hand brushed up against her knee and she froze. He was reaching for the bowl of popcorn between them and had misjudged where it was. He could see her body tense up at the contact and he scolded his own clumsiness.

“Sorry,” he mumbled under his breath.

“It’s okay.” He felt her hand rest over his own before he was able to draw it away from it’s current location. He shot a questioning look in her direction, her eyes were still focused on the screen but he could feel her thumb tracing the back of his hand. He felt as though he could learn to  lose himself in those little touches. He had lost complete interest in the film, which really had been used as a way to keep her there for a little bit longer, not wanting the night to end just yet. He watched the way the light played across her face, the pale blue light highlighting her face, the small tug of a smile in the corner of her lips. And now he knew he was doomed as his attention had been drawn to her lips. He imagined how they would feel against his own. How he would trace the curve of her neck with his thumb hoping that she would keen into his touch. He shifted uncomfortably and when his leg brushed up against hers she turned to face him, meeting his gaze immediately.

There was a moment’s hesitation as he felt that he had been caught staring at her, before she shifted towards him and her lips brushed against his. Soft. Her lips were impossibly soft. She pulled back and he stopped her with his hand at the back of her neck, pulling her back again so that his lips could have another taste. He felt her lips responding in kind to his insistent lips returning his kiss with just as much force.

His thumb traced her collarbone, travelling up her neck to cup her face as his lips moved to her neck, feeling her move her body against him as the bowl was knocked to the floor in her eagerness to feel closer to him. Her hand rested on his chest as his hand dropped to her waist holding her against his body as his lips returned to hers, running his tongue over the seam of her lips begging for permission. She relented and sighed into his mouth as he deepened the kiss and his grip on her waist tightened in response.

She pulled back to examine his face, her fingers running over his features. The ones that she has been admiring all night, sneaking glances when he wasn’t looking. Watching the shifting light from the screen move across his face, highlighting his cheekbones just as she had imagined.

“That was nice,” she whispered breaking the silence between them.

He placed a hand over his heart in mock hurt, “Just nice?”

“More than nice,” she corrected as she reached over to lace his hand in hers. “You know we should do this every month your movie loses.”

“That would be every month then.” He wrapped his arm around her tighter as she leant up against his chest.

“It’s a date.”

[veronicadvalle]

When Archie tells Veronica "I want to be that for you" do you think that's him realizing what he had with Grundy wasn't real? I think when Cheryl said he had mommy issues she was right. He was hurt when his mom left, it made him vulnerable in a way that Grundy seized on, and he has that weird reaction to Betty (his surrogate mother figure) when she becomes more devoted to someone else. Then he sees how a relationship should be and knows he wants that with Ronnie but has no clue where to start.

I’m not really sure what was going through his head regarding Grundy to be honest. When he found out she was dead, he took that pretty hard on himself. But it could have been because at the end of the day, she’s still a human being who got murdered and somehow Archie thought he was responsible, considering first his father gets shot and then grundy gets murdered. He was connecting link between those two incidents so he clearly thought he was responsible (even though its all out of his control) … But I’m not sure if those exact words to veronica had anything to do with Grundy. 

Your ask is an interesting look on Archie that I honestly never thought of before. I do think that Archie somehow feels incapable and/or inept when it comes to relationships, in general (not only romantic ones). He kind of screwed up his friendship with Jughead over the summer; he starts lying to his dad and distances himself from his dad, and that leads to a bigger fight between them; Betty confesses to him and he has to turn her down, resulting in Betty not picking up his phone calls or returning his texts; and later, he kind of screws up hard core with Valerie. So I definitely think Archie has a history of ruined relationships, even when its not all his fault, and he internalizes that and thinks its all his fault. He’s pretty deprecating and has very little self-worth when it comes to that. =/ And it all kind of clicks in his mind in episode 1.10. “Why do I keep doing this, Veronica? Why do I keep messing up?” or something along those lines. So I definitely think Archie is definitely anxious and nervous about going into another relationship, because he’s afraid of screwing up. 

I do think his words “I want to be that for you” comes from the fact that he feels inept and incapable, definitely. And that’s why there was so much …. hesitation and just a lot of second-doubting himself. It wasn’t because he wants to be with Betty (as many people would think), but it’s more that Archie is afraid of possibly screwing up. And I think his failed whatever-that-was with Grundy has a lot to do with it. But I’m not sure if Archie ever realized that Grundy was only using him …. and that makes me sad. 

Archie typically always blames himself so I don’t think he’ll ever blame Grundy or say anything less-than-flattering about her =/ it’s just who Archie is. 

[satelliteinasupernova]

ok for the weird trope mashup: 35. Bathtub Fic & 85. Innocent Physical Contact

(This is pure angst, which is probably not what you were hoping for, but I follow inspiration where it takes me.)

The last thing Betty expected to see when she reached the main road after hiking up from Sweetwater River was her ex-boyfriend, stumbling forward along the pavement, caked in blood.

She had gone to Sweetwater with a book and little else, intending just to get away from everything for a while. Mostly to get away from her mother. Now that Betty’s first year of college was on the horizon, Alice had gone into overdrive with passive-aggressive comments and near constant needling. 

It’s just because she’s feeling lonely about you going off to college, she kept telling herself, but regardless of the reason, it was all starting to overwhelm her. So, she had left all means of contacting her behind, and dedicated the day to reading a book by the side of the river until the sun had begun to set.

She didn’t actually see Jughead until she had already stepped up to the road and had started kicking the dirt off of her shoes on the pavement. He was some distance away, but it was clear from his uneven pace that he was in pain. Before she had even processed it, she was running ahead to his side.

“Jughead!” As soon as she reached him, she stretched out a hand to him, but stopped before touching him, afraid she might hurt him. “What happened?”

There were patches of blood across his face, his lip and left eye was swollen. Trails of blood ran down his neck and had stained the front of his shirt. One of his pant legs had torn, and Betty could see blood seeping through the jean fabric.

His expression didn’t change, utterly blank despite the clear pain he was in. When his eyes met hers, they were a dark and unfamiliar. “Go away, Betty,” he said, his words muffled by his swollen lip.

She had almost gotten used to Jughead pushing her away. It had been nearly a year since they’d last had a real conversation. So, instead of heeding him, she grabbed his arm and put it over her shoulder. He grunted in pain, but fell into pace with her without speaking again.

They were too far from the hospital to walk there, but Sunnyside was close by, so Betty decided to focus on getting to his trailer first. Then, hopefully, she could call him an ambulance.

“Where is your dad?” she asked. She couldn’t see much of his expression. He was staring at the ground as they walked. “Where are your friends?”

He didn’t answer.

When they finally got to the trailer, Betty took one glance around the living room, and then decided to move Jughead to the bathroom. Maybe the Jones men wouldn’t care about blood stains on the carpet, but Betty couldn’t go against her Cooper habits. 

As soon as she had helped settle Jughead into the bathtub, she stepped back. He looked terrible.

“I’m going to call an ambulance. I’ll be right back.” But before she could move, Jughead reached up and gripped her wrist.

“No, Betty,” he said, gruffly.

“Jughead, you’re bleeding. You probably need stitches. For all we know, you could have broken bones. You need to go to the hospital.”

“No.” This time, his voice was hard. He glared up at her, coldly. He had only spoken to her that way once before in all the years they had known each other. A year ago, when everything had ended.

She turned away, her emotions smarting as if she had been physically hit. She knew if he could see her eyes they would betray her feelings, so instead she walked away. “Fine,” was all she said, clipping her words to keep them steady.

From a previous, much more mundane experience, she knew that the Jones family kept a first aid kit under the kitchen sink. She went to retrieve it, taking deep breaths to calm herself as she did. 

If he wants to act like this, just let him take care of himself, came a voice in Betty’s head that sounded an awful lot like Veronica. Betty’s hurt feelings had given way to frustration, but she knew she couldn’t leave him like this. She would do what she could to patch him up. Then she would leave, like he clearly wanted her to.

By the time she made it back into the bathroom, she felt mostly fueled by anger, but as soon as she saw him again, his beaten state startled her all over again.

He was still awake, though slumped awkwardly against the side of the tub. As she walked back into the room, he stared at her without moving.

“You have blood on your shirt,” he said finally, after she had sat down on the floor next to the tub and set the first aid kit on the closed toilet lid.

“I’ll live,” she responded, icily.

He didn’t say anything more except for a few grunts of pain as she helped him out of his jacket and took a warm washcloth to his skin. The damage wasn’t as bad as it looked. It would take awhile for his face to heal, but after the wounds were cleaned, it was clear that he had mostly stopped bleeding.

She felt around at his abdomen and pressed her hands along his legs to test for any serious damage, but he just huffed at her. “My legs are fine. It’s fine.”

Betty pulled away and looked at him, “None of this is fine, Jughead.”

He stared back, and licked his lips, wincing involuntarily when his tongue hit the injured side of his mouth. After a few breaths, he spoke again. “And here I thought you hated me.”

Betty rolled her eyes. “I don’t hate you, Jughead. You’re the one who made it clear you wanted nothing to do with me.”

He went silent at that.

Suddenly, the bathroom felt almost claustrophobic. Betty stood up. “Let’s get you out of the bathtub, at least. I’ll see if I can find some clean clothes.”

When she stepped away, she could hear Jughead climbing out by himself, and she had to stop herself from immediately turning back to help him. When she handed him a clean pair of clothes, he shut the bathroom door, and changed by himself.

Once he was dressed, she helped set him down on the couch and took another look over his bandages.

Now’s the time to leave, she told herself, but she couldn’t bring herself to. She sat on the carpet next to him for a full ten minutes, unsure of what to do. She wasn’t even sure what she wanted to do. Jughead had his eyes closed, as far as she could tell he had already fallen asleep. She could probably step away without him even noticing. Maybe she could try to find his cellphone and see if she could get one of his friends to come over and keep an eye on him.

Betty sat up and looked around the room, but her movement caught Jughead’s attention. His eyes opened, and he looked over at her. His expression was thoughtful for a moment. 

His voice was quiet when he spoke. “Can you stay?” he asked, his voice wavering, tentative and vulnerable. Betty felt her eyes tear up for a completely different reason this time.

Yes, she was still angry with him, she told herself, but she could never hate him.

[jugandbettsdetectiveagency]

The Serpent and The Swan - Ch.6

Goodness this was a long time coming, and I don’t think I’m entirely happy with it, but if I look at it anymore I fear I may explode! Thank you so much for being patient with me and continuing to shower me with such wonderful support for this fic, I hope you enjoy!

Ch.1 / Ch.2 / Ch. 3 / Ch.4 / Ch.5 / Read on AO3

It no longer surprised Betty when she would find herself looking forward to her meetings with Jughead. She wished she could say it had crept up on her slowly, the way Caramel would creep along the swell of her pillows on silent paws just before dawn, pouncing suddenly on stray strands of her hair and gnawing at them between tiny mewls. Bothersome but heart-warming all at once. But in reality she knew, despite herself, Betty had felt something for Jughead right from the start.

Initially she could blame the stirrings within herself on annoyance, frustration, and the sheer distress of knowing that they were to be married before they even had a chance to hear the sound of one other’s voices. But feelings as intense as these demanded motivation, and once Betty began to seek out such stimulus her mind would only supply her with one word: jealousy.

At first she thought it was just the sight of Cheryl, as competition for her future husband’s affections before she’d even had the chance to vie for them. This, coupled with her past experiences being pushed aside for the more appealing woman, had made her think that it didn’t matter who the man was and she was just programmed to feel the bitter taste of bile rising to the back of her throat whenever she was being treated as second best – something she felt doomed to happen for the rest of her life.

But then something unnerving happened, throwing Betty’s own view of herself off kilter for yet another instance in the course of a few weeks.

***

“Your Highness?” Ethel’s timid voice had floated through the crack in her chamber door following a light knock on the wood.

“Yes?” Betty asked unassumingly, not bothering to turn from where she was perched at the foot of her bed, dangling a feather on the end of a string to lovingly taunt her pet cat. She giggled as Caramel attempted to clap the soft down between his paws, quirking his head in childlike confusion when she pulled it away at the last second. When no reply came she looked up, finding Ethel stood nervously in the doorway, her expression worried. “What is it, Ethel?”

“You have a visitor waiting in the library for you, Princess.” She took a breath. “It’s Prince Archibald,” she winced.

Betty instantly schooled her features into one of impassiveness as she gathered her skirts and rose from her position, sweeping past her maid with rigid determination. The steady patter of the soles of her shoes on the floor helped measure her breathing as she walked, hoping the hitch in her throat wasn’t too noticeable to anyone other than herself. The door wasn’t closed when she finally stood before it, unfortunately not giving Betty the time she wanted to compose herself before she locked eyes with her former flame.

Archie was pacing nervously, clasped hands against his lips when he finally noticed Betty, stilled at the threshold. His thick eyebrows were drawn low over his eyes, bright hair mussed.

“Prince Archibald, I wasn’t expecting your company,” Betty addressed him stiffly, tilting her chin upwards. She buried her hands in the folds of her skirts, fingers flexing restlessly.

“Betty, come on,” Archie sighed, his look pleading. “It’s just us. I’m still… me. Don’t be like this,” he begged. Behind his eyes Betty could still see the boy she used to think she would spend the rest of her days with, the boy that she had grown up believing she was in love with. She averted her gaze, stepping further into the room and pushing the door until it was ajar. If anyone walked by it would still be considered inappropriate for her to be alone with the recently married Prince. She wandered over to a nearby bookshelf, running her fingers over the spines for something to do.

“I have every right to be upset, Archie,” Betty mumbled. “It wasn’t fair what happened, and it was made even worse by the fact that you didn’t even seem to care!” Archie flinched, moving to step towards her before thinking better of himself. “Did I really mean so little to you?” She bit her lower lip to prevent it from quivering in betrayal.

“I know. I know, and I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel like this. We were friends before we were anything else. Believe me, Betty, the last thing I’d ever want to do is hurt you.”

“It’s a little late for that,” she exhaled. “Why are you here, Arch? You haven’t seen fit to apologise before, so why now?” she asked tiredly, abruptly feeling the strong urge to crawl back beneath her sheets until tomorrow came. The prince didn’t say anything, far more interested in his shoes all of a sudden. Betty turned to face him fully. “Did she make you come?” Archie paled. She wanted to flee but the curiosity in her rooted her to the spot.

“Listen, Veronica knows what happened between us, or what was supposed to happen anyway. And she feels bad, really she does, and she wants a chance to make amends.” He strode forwards, resting his hands gingerly on Betty’s shoulders, as if he were afraid she might disappear at any moment.

“What for?” His hands felt like deadweight.

“Because we can do better than our parents. Because we can bring the factions together when it’s our turn,” he suggested, voice tipped in childlike excitement. She shot him a look that if it were spoken out loud could only have been captioned as oh, Archie.

“You really think that’s all it’s going to take?” She had to appreciate his unfiltered optimism. The chasms between factions had been splintering decades before they were born, and she had only assumed they’d continue that way long after. Her history lessons were all but nil, no one wishing to relive the age that brought so much discord to the people, but a few texts buried in the library had taught her there used to be unity, that one ruler commanded the whole realm. The idea seemed so impossible to her now. But, she supposed, with the union between Archie and Veronica, and soon to be herself and Jughead, there was no telling where they would stand come their coronations. Something such as this had never been attempted as a fix before. The union between Betty and Archie had come only as an attempt to marry two neighbouring factions when one was in need (at least, Betty still assumed they were in need). No one seemed to have accounted for such variables as love and scandal, sending the whole plan into an unwinding spiral.

“It’s worth a try, right?” His thumb brushed gently against the skin of her neck as he searched the depths of her eyes for agreement. The movement was sweet and familiar, although Betty was surprised to find out that that was all. The action didn’t spark adrenaline through her veins, or churn acid in her stomach. It was simply a touch.

“I suppose so,” she relented finally. Archie’s cheeks widened with his familiar boyish grin and Betty couldn’t help but return it with her own soft smile.

“And I need you to know that I’m truly sorry for your… circumstances now. Just, my father became wary after Polly… and then when I met Veronica…” His voice faded out as he struggled to sum up the joyous emotions she could see springing to the surface. Betty cut him off, saving him the trouble.

“It’s alright, Archie. I understand.” Dark hair and stormy eyes floated before her vision, and Betty was struck with the notion that she might just understand a little more than she realised.

“If I’d known that they’d try to get you to marry a Serpent…” Archie’s face crumpled in distaste as the word left his tongue. Betty felt her shoulders straighten, her eyes narrow, his hands suddenly feeling more unwelcome on her body than they ever had before. She wanted to ask him what. What would he have done if he’d known? For all his amiable qualities, Archie Andrews had always had trouble controlling his need to satisfy his own desires first and foremost. The defensive question died on her lips as another voice filled the air.

“Betty?” The figure in the doorway startled her. She took a quick step away from Archie, his hands dropping from where they still rest on her shoulders. Jughead tread cautiously into the room, surely having heard the murmur of voices from out in the corridor.

“Jughead! G-good morning,” Betty stammered, every inch of her becoming flustered at his sudden appearance. He looked between the pair, trepidation colouring his features.

“Am I interrupting something?” he asked, and Betty couldn’t decide if the sharp edge she could hear in his voice was real or imagined. She crossed the short distance between them, resting a delicate hand at his elbow in what she hoped was a reassuring gesture. Little touches like this had slowly slipped into their interactions, his hand on her lower back, brushing her hair away, hers on his forearm, or straightening the immaculate lapels of his jacket. There was an unfamiliar tingling sensation building up from the tips of her fingers as she watched him size up Archie cautiously. Having become quite well acquainted with the betraying signs of jealousy herself, in her few short years, the look Jughead was sending towards the redheaded prince before them had anticipation spiking in her veins.

“Of course not,” she replied, gesturing towards Archie demurely. “I don’t believe you’ve had a formal introduction. Jughead, this is Prince Archibald. Archie, I’d like you to meet my fiancé, Prince Forsythe Jones of the Serpent faction.” Betty’s voice was unwavering in her introductions, surprising herself. It was the first time she’d presented Jughead as hers. She couldn’t describe the sensations running through her body in that moment, perhaps only knowing that they were something akin to excitement. Being on Jughead’s arm made her feel powerful, dangerous even. It was as if a connection to him heightened her confidence in a way she’d never experienced before, being so used to derogatory dismissal. Betty realised with a start that his undesirable background didn’t frighten her anymore – it thrilled her.

“I know who he is,” Archie replied, rather rudely without a hint of the pleasantries they’d all had drilled into them as a requirement of being born inside castle walls. Out of the corner of her eye Betty caught the corner of Jughead’s mouth tilting up in a masterful smirk, clearly sensing how his presence riled up his opposition.

“Prince Archibald,” he greeted, bending minutely into a bow while never taking his eyes off the man eyeing him like dirt upon his boot. “I trust married life is treating you well.” Archie visibly bristled.

“Yes. Thank you,” he bit out, clasping his hands behind his back as he rose to his full height. Betty hadn’t noticed until now but Jughead was a few inches taller than Archie, though he was a collection of lean lines and willowy muscle, while Archie was built bulky and noticeable strong. However, caught between the standoff happening between the two men, Betty definitely noticed how imposing Jughead’s presence could truly be. Instead of making her recoil in fear, like it may have once done, she basked in it, looping her arm tightly around his, reminding him of her presence next to him as much as she was confirming her place at his side.

Jughead’s shoulders lost some of their tension at her affirming touch, his eyes finally breaking away from Archie’s to look down at her, a mixture of caution, concern and comfort waiting within their depths. Betty’s breath hitched as the full force of his expression, reserved for her only, washed over her. His forehead smoothed as she arranged her full lips into an enamoured smile.

“Betty, that’s not all,” Archie interrupted slowly, confusion pressing his lips into a hard line. Betty turned to address him, her expression clear. “When I was talking about our future, a-as allies,” he hastened to clarify. “It’s because, well, Veronica and I are expecting.”

Betty waited for the world to drop from beneath her feet. She stood, completely motionless, as she waited for the ground to rise up and meet her head. She waited for the hot sting of tears in her eyes and the sickening swoop of abandonment in her stomach, but nothing came. The bubbling waters of the fountains still filtered up through the open windows, the late morning sun rays remained slanting through and spilled across the plush, red pile of the paisley rugs covering the floor, and her breathing continued, slow and steady, as the seconds of apprehensive silence kept ticking by.

“Oh,” Betty heard herself saying when she finally found her voice through the surprise. “Congratulations, Archie,” she cheered warmly from her spot beside Jughead. She could sense the heat of his stare on her profile, checking for cracks in a façade she wasn’t even wearing anymore. Somewhere, without her noticing, Betty has slipped out from under Archie Andrew’s spell. “That’s such wonderful news. You’ll have to bring Princess Veronica to our ceremony if she is feeling well enough for the journey, so I can congratulate her in person.” Betty felt giddy upon her new realisation, unable to rein in the blinding grin she could feel herself sporting. Archie still looked nervous, eyes flickering between her and Jughead as the pieces clicked almost audibly into place for him.

“Err, yeah. Of course. Thank you, Betty,” he said softly, relief evident in his tone despite his confusion. Betty turned her face towards Jughead, the expression gracing his handsome features so soft that she struggled for air for a few moments. She knew it was a little ridiculous but she could have sworn he looked proud of her, and that notion settled with a comforting warmth in the pit of her stomach for the rest of the day.

***

“Princess Elizabeth, please concentrate,” the stern voice of her tutor reprimanded through her poorly stifled giggles. Jughead coughed indiscreetly, the corners of his mouth twitching as he supressed a smile, Betty’s own bypassing her half-hearted efforts until she had to cover the expression with a delicate hand. She snatched the paper frog that Jughead had folded from one of the sheets she’d supplied him with and had sent bouncing across the table with just a flick of his finger, trying to adopt her most intimidating stare.

The chastisement was becoming a regular occurrence from the old mistress within the walls of the Cooper’s library. Jughead, after her initial invitation, had begun attending Betty’s lessons frequently, much to Mistress Geraldine’s chagrin. While she found him to be an intelligent young man, and an avaricious reader, he was nothing but a distraction for the princess. Mischievous glances and quick-witted comments were thrown across the table at every opportunity, and although the aged woman was pleased for the young girl she had known since birth it was still her duty to get her to learn something.

Betty had the grace to look somewhat embarrassed by her actions, but the expression slipped again as soon as Jughead made a sardonic comment about how droll the ancient philosophers truly were. Mistress Geraldine closed the book before her with a decisive thud, throwing her wrinkled hands into the air in defeat.

“Alright, you’re dismissed for today,” she sighed, watching with subtle fondness as the couple rose from their chairs hastily and scurried towards the exit. “But if you’re not careful I shall ban him from all future lessons!” she called after them good-naturedly.

Betty and Jughead burst from the shady confines of the castle and into the warm sunlight with laughter still falling from their lips.

“She doesn’t like me,” Jughead stated as they fell into step beside one another. Betty rolled her eyes at him, knowing he wasn’t in the least offended by the assumption by the way his lips settled into a smirk.

“Oh, she does. She’s just used to more well-behaved students,” she teased. Jughead nudged her playfully with his elbow.

“What do you say to more riding lessons?” he suggested, eyes sparkling as he edged towards the path that led to the stables. “It’s a nice day for it,” he added, tipping his head back to let the sunlight wash over his face. Betty took the moment to look at the way his olive toned skin soaked up the beams, how it made the constellation of freckles across his cheeks more prominent, the rich chocolate tones in his dark hair coming alive. He really was beautiful. It took her a beat to realise she still hadn’t replied.

“Yes, I’d like that… but only if you humour me with another archery lesson afterwards.” Jughead let out an insincere groan, humour still evident in his movements. He hadn’t been as receptive to her skill lessons as she had to his, and their archery sessions would usually end up with Jughead having to scale whatever unsuspecting feature of the Cooper’s gardens he’d managed to lodge his arrows in while Betty giggled prettily behind him.

“You drive a hard bargain, Cooper,” he accused with narrowed eyes. Betty bit her lip, as she often did whenever he called her by her last name.

“It’s in my genes, have you met my mother?” she retorted dryly, revelling in the way Jughead threw his head back in laughter after staring at her for a beat. The creases from his usually sombre forehead shifted to around the corners of his eyes as he allowed her a rare glimpse at his entirely unguarded underbelly. He could tell her what he wanted about riding, but the feeling of creating a carefree Jughead with her words was all the rush she seemed to need.

When his guffaws had simmered down to light chuckles he shook his head fondly, murmuring under his breath, “Sometimes I wish I hadn’t.” Her fingertips brushed against his as their hands swung between them, and Betty’s mind couldn’t help but take her back to the unforgettable whispers of an overheard conversation.

“You met when you arrived here, didn’t you? That was the first time?” she probed, glancing towards him but returning her gaze to the floor before he could meet it. She could sense his confusion.

“Yes, she met us as the carriage,” the lilt in his response encouraging her to explain herself further. He caught her chin between his thumb and forefinger. “What is it, Betty?”

She sighed, finding whatever it was she was looking for in Jughead’s eyes that made her speak. “Jughead, I think our parents–”

“Your Highness!” The shout startled them apart, Betty having not realised how close they had been leaning towards one another up until he dropped his hand and she took a fumbling step backwards. They turned towards the maid expectantly, taking in her heaving chest and pallid face. “Your mother has requested your presence, urgently,” the girl added, hastening back beneath the archway she’d appeared from.

Before she could think better of it Betty grabbed Jughead by the hand, lacing their fingers easily as she pulled him alongside her.

There was an eerie silence within the walls of her home as they walked brusquely in the direction of the maid. It didn’t mirror the one she had grown accustomed to throughout her childhood, but instead lay suffocating and ominous across her back as she tried to swallow her heart from where it had become lodged in her throat.

The maid didn’t hesitate before bursting through the doors to her parents’ private chambers – an act alarming enough in itself – and Betty caught a glimpse of the myriad of people waiting behind the thick oak, crowded around the limp form beneath the bedsheets. Her head spun, knees faltering as they tried to keep her weight from collapsing, fingers squeezing Jughead’s in a deathly grip. He pulled her towards him by placing his other hand on her waist, steady and reassuring.

“Betty, look at me. It’s alright. Whatever has happened, I’m here,” he promised firmly. His hand rubbed up and down her side in slow, soothing motions, and Betty tried to match her breathing to its pace, feeling her heartbeat slow but not lessen in intensity. Shaking legs carried her forwards and through the throng of people all attending to her father, as white as the sheets he lay on.

“Daddy,” she whispered, her voice sounding unfamiliar and choked. His head rolled at the sound of her speech, his lips attempting an exhausted smile in her vague direction. His skin was coated in a sheen of sweat, eyelashes fluttering rapidly against his sullen cheeks.

“Oh, Elizabeth,” her mother wailed, sounding far less composed than she’d ever seen her. She clutched at Betty’s arm as they both stared down at the most important man in their lives. “It was so sudden.”

“What’s wrong? Is he…?” She didn’t want to think about the ending of that sentence, let alone allow it to slip into the air, tangible and possible. Expecting to see a sadness that matched her own on Alice’s face, Betty looked up, only to lose her breath once more at the hardness waiting in the tightness around her eyes and the pinch of her lips. In the silence that followed, not even the birds dared chirp.

“Only time will tell,” the physician eventually told her, frowning. “I’m not yet sure what has caused this episode, I’ll have to conduct some further tests, but I’m afraid it may not be conclusive. If we could clear the room,” he said hesitantly, worried about incurring the wrath of the Queen, no doubt.

Alice backed away slowly, joints in her neck shifting as she set herself with an impenetrable coldness. “This family is cursed,” she spoke hauntingly. “Infused with an incurable venom.” Her last sentence was accompanied by a sharp look towards Jughead, glaciers in her eyes glinting like steel. Jughead’s head snapped towards her in shock, before his face blanked.

***

The King’s condition remained stable over the next few days, and while it did not worsen it also barely improved. He had managed to sit up, taken small amounts of food and water, and tucked Betty close to his side as she read her favourite passages to him throughout the afternoons, pressing his cold, dry lips to her forehead in an attempt at comfort that only made her shudder.

Her time with Jughead dwindled considerably, no matter how much more appealing the sensation of the wind combing through her hair as they rode together was suddenly becoming. In the evenings, though, she sought him out, in their courtyard by the library. He was always waiting. She sat beneath his arm in the shadows of the babbling fountain and pretended that her only concern was finding herself slowly falling in love with the man at her side.

In amongst all the chaos, her mother had still managed to schedule a fitting for her wedding dress with Master Kevin. Of all the things of import at this moment in time, Betty failed to see how this managed to climb so high on the list.

Instead of his usual light-hearted jokes and conversation, Kevin seemed distant and distracted. He had hardly tried to pry for any information about the budding relationship between her and Jughead, something that would have previously relieved Betty but now only concerned her.

“It’s a little early for all this, isn’t it? Why has my mother insisted on moving this fitting up so much?” she said, twisting her arms back and forth to examine the white lace pinned there. It was beautiful, it made her feel beautiful, and the creeping sensation of panic she expected to feel upon being sheathed in her bridal gown had failed to come, leaving only anticipation tingling in her gut. “Kevin?” He hadn’t answered her.

“Hmm?” he hummed, staring blankly for a moment before he blinked and seemed to shift back to himself. “Oh, well, yes. We wouldn’t want to upset your mother at a time like this,” he replied with a consoling tilt of his head. “And, after all, Rome wasn’t built in a day!” he quipped, attempting something more akin to his usual conversation.

“My wedding dress is going to be comparable to Rome?” Betty squeaked, eyeing the rolls of white chiffon bundled in the corner apprehensively. Kevin didn’t say anything. “What is the matter with you today? That’s the third time I’ve felt you almost stick me,” she grumbled, somewhat more irritably than she’d intended. He dropped his hands, rubbing one swiftly across his forehead.

“I’m sorry, Princess,” he sighed, turning his face towards her with genuinely apologetic eyes. “Everyone is just a little on edge at the minute, don’t you think? Joaquin said– ” He cut himself off suddenly, eyes widening.

“Joaquin? You mean Jughead’s servant?” Betty asked, eyebrows nestling together. Kevin nodded slowly, colour draining from his cheeks. “You’ve been speaking with him?” He nodded again, backing up into the edge of his work bench.

“We may have… met,” he supplied vaguely, unable to meet her eye. Betty knew about Kevin’s preferences in relationships, had promised to keep his secrets from the judgemental eyes of the people, especially in the court. But she also knew that most of them had secrets of their own they would hate to see the light of day. Kevin was her friend, and she’d do anything to protect him, if necessary. But right now, he was giving her pause.

“And?” she prompted. “What did he say? About what? My father?” She knew she was bombarding him with questions, but she couldn’t help it. Her mother’s face as she’d turned on Jughead that day in their chambers wouldn’t leave her mind’s eye, the hissing of a snake ringing in her ears. The fabric of her dress unexpectedly felt too tight against her, like a second skin she wished she could shed.

“Betty, please. I can’t say anything…” She had never seen Kevin look at such a loss; he looked painfully torn. “I know you love Jughead.” The statement caught her off guard, having never heard the words out loud before.

“Yes,” she whispered before she could even think, even question how he knew, her eyes watering beyond her control.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he whispered back, blinking away his own tears.

“Why would–” A loud gathering of people passing outside halted their conversation, Ethel coming in a moment to say that her father had requested Betty’s presence by his side. When she turned back, Kevin was already rounding the corner.

***

King Forsythe had left the castle early that evening, citing important business in his faction that simply couldn’t go without his attention. Betty was supposed to accompany the Serpents back to their faction for her stay at Castle Fosse, but given the circumstances her protests were well-received. Jughead also refused to go.

“I’m going to stay with you, until your father recovers,” he murmured solemnly, finding her once his father’s carriage had left the grounds, cupping her cheeks in his hands and dropping his eyes to her level. The conviction in his promise made something in her chest flutter uncontrollably.

He didn’t tell her about the suspicious fuss FP had made upon learning of Jughead’s intentions. His desire to stay at Castle Aeris has sent the man into an unexpected fury which Jughead hadn’t stuck around long enough to learn the outcome of – he knew he was staying no matter the consequences.

“But what about Jellybean?” she asked quietly, hating the idea of him changing his mind and following them in their path, but having to check anyway. He knew his father was insistent on the little girl accompanying him home immediately. She didn’t miss his somewhat sharp intake of breath, the way his shoulders hunched.

“She’ll be alright,” he said, more for his own benefit than hers she suspected. Betty wanted to argue more, but she was so tired.

“Okay,” she consented, the word barely breaching the quite air around them amongst the stacks. He pulled her close and she gratefully tucked her face into the crook of his neck, shirt in her fist, breathing in the scent that lingered uniquely on his warm skin, a mix of spices she was unfamiliar with, but found utterly intoxicating nonetheless. His hand rubbed circles on the small of her back as the day began to slumber. “I’m glad it was you,” she breathed after some moments had passed.

“What?” She lifted her head reluctantly, praying her nerves held out.

“I’m glad it was you that I was betrothed to. That I’m going to marry,” she told him shyly, thankful that the evening’s darkness had already descended, neither of them having moved to light the lamps, shielding her from his perceptive eyes.

“Me too,” he replied, and she could hear the smile in his soft voice. “The thought of being away from you, for any length of time… It doesn’t seem conceivable anymore,” he confessed nervously. Betty liked how the open emotions looked on him, gaze darting to his parted lips quickly. His sentiment reminded her of something else, though.

“I got a letter from Polly today. She had a boy.” Betty’s voice was quivering as she played with Jughead’s long fingers. “I have a nephew, and I don’t know if I’ll get to meet him, if he’ll get to meet his grandfather. I just–” A sob burst out of her chest before she could stop it, Jughead hurrying to ply her with gentle hushes and consolations, stroking her hair back from the sticky trails her tears left down her cheeks. “How did all of this happen?” she cried.

Jughead seemed to consider something for a moment before speaking. “Do you know where Polly is living?” he asked, Betty’s head jolting back in surprise. She nodded.

“She sent me her address in one of her first letters,” she confirmed. Jughead stood and pulled her from their spot on the floor, tucked beneath the window seat.

“We’ll go to her. We’ll find her and bring her back to the castle.” Betty gasped at his outrageous plan, the certainty with which he spoke. “I’ve had a lot of practising getting in and out of places unseen, and Joaquin will help us.”

“But my mother…” she started to protest. Jughead spoke over her quickly.

“Surely even Alice Cooper will understand, given the circumstances.” Betty wasn’t sure that she would. She chewed her lower lip worriedly, the only thing stopping her fingers curling into the berth of her palms being his locked between them. He noticed the tension in the digits, turning over her hands before she could stop him.

Her old scars glowed silver in the moonlight pouring in from the large window and Betty tensed, watching him carefully. Slowly, as if approaching a spooked animal, Jughead brought the wounds to his lips, pressing them softly against the repaired skin, but with unmistakable purpose. When he looked back at her his eyes were burning.

“Betty, I know that we cannot fix everything the people before us have broken. But we can try and build something new, and I’ve never wanted anything more than to do that with you.” His gazed flickered between her face and her palms. “I don’t want anything to hurt you anymore, I want to do whatever I can to make it better,” he declared, voice breaking in the middle.

It only took her a second to take in his words before she leaned in and pressed her lips to his. It was nothing like her first kiss with Archie, she realised that that was exactly what that kiss had been – nothing. This kiss had a heat spreading throughout her every extremity, from the point they were connected right down to her toes. His breath filled her with a new lease of life as he gasped against her mouth. His hands grasped her waist, pulling her against the solid planes of his body as her fingers moved from his soft cheek to his hair, burying themselves in the dark locks. It wasn’t slow and unsure, as she expected their first kiss to be, tentatively testing out this relationship that was handed to them. It was hurried and desperate, his tongue quickly coming out to lick along the seam of her lips, asking for entrance. She willingly gave it to him, oxygen escaping her lungs as he stole it from her, tongue tangling together, dancing, as if time was running out faster than they could catch it.

He pulled away first, resting his forehead against hers as their chests heaved in unison. He let out an exhale with a hint of a disbelieving laugh to it, cheeks flushed, and she couldn’t help but grin at his innocent reaction to such a sinful kiss. It was enough to give her one last spark of confidence.

“Jughead…” A loud crash from the hallway halted her words. “What’s happening?” The doors burst open, Alice illuminated by the light spilling in from the hallway. Her eyes searched the room before falling on the couple.

“Elizabeth,” she said, her voice impossibly cold. “It’s your father. He’s dead.”

[sicklylittlesnowflake]

First things first, I am a huge fan! Your Riverdale fics give me life. I share your love of making Jughead suffer. So I assume you have a whole bunch of request/prompts lined up but if you ever feel like it: I would love to see Jughed with pneumonia/bronchitis. Whichever you prefer and however you prefer :)

(Thanks so much for the kind words anon!! I am so glad you share my love of making jug suffer. I absolutely love researching illnesses so this was a lot of fun to do! This became very angsty but a whole lot of tooth rotting fluff in the end! Here’s jug with pneumonia and a worried Andrews fam.)

For most of his life the bright, warm light of the sun was a beacon of hope for Jughead. The summer was a sign of hope, a signal that he had made it through the cold winter, and that everything was going to be okay. He could be with Archie and Betty all summer, and he didn’t have to constantly go home to the darkness of his own family.

However when this past summer, Betty was away on an internship and life decided to take Archie Andrews away from him, Jughead had never felt this lonely in whole life. His mom and Jellybean left him to the darkness that was surely engulfing his father, and he didn’t even have his rock, Archie to cling on to. He felt so alone, so cold in this darkness, the sun seemed to be mocking him. He’d watch all the happy people bask in the sun while he felt trapped in this personal rain cloud that would never leave him.

To keep himself alive Jughead had told himself that the winter would be better for him, for everyone. However as the winter approached and arrived, things got worse. He had been homeless, Jason had actually been murdered, his father had been arrested and there was definitely darker things in Riverdale.

It had started with a cough, a typical winter ailment that he got every year, no biggie. But a cough wasn’t meant to last this long, Jughead was convinced it wasn’t meant to hurt this much.

His cough had worsened as him, Kevin and Betty investigated the death of Jason Blossom, Jughead desperate to bring some light to Riverdale and uncover the truth. It had been a cold, cold night, the air dry and unforgiving, frosty and painful to his lungs. It rained too, the droplets of water seeming to be from a frozen lake, icy and soaking him to the core. There, they found Jason’s jacket, and the truth he found was horrifying.

The stress of the next few days did no wonders to Jughead’s declining health and mental health. When he should’ve been getting better, he lay wide awake at night, afraid to shut his eyes in fear of the nightmares that plagued him. He clutched his small blanket in the Andrews garage, shivering, wanting it all to end.

The one thing the freezing cold garage did in his favour was the fact he could cough freely, not afraid of waking Archie had he been in the air mattress. However, he couldn’t quite ignore the nagging thought at the back of his mind telling him that coughs were not meant to hurt his chest that much, that they weren’t meant to be that deep, that wet, this teeth-chattering.

The phlegm certainly wasn’t  meant to be tinged with blood.

The next morning, as Jughead awoke to Archie swinging the back door open, presumably to wake him, he hadn’t felt that awful in his whole life.

His head caused the world to spin, and he couldn’t lift his head up because of how heavy he felt. His entire body was shivering, he felt so cold, literally frozen as if he had just fallen through the frozen Sweetwater River, and his teeth chattered with the cold. However, if he was so cold, he shouldn’t be radiating off heat, should he? The hot air coming out of his nostrils felt so uncomfortable.

Archie opened the door slowly, shivering lightly as he made his way into the freezing garage, immediately nervous that Jughead had spent the night here.

“Jug? You awake.”

“Yeah,” Jughead croaked out, his chest hurting, unbelievably tight. His breathing shouldn’t be this fast.

“Woah, you okay dude?”

“First thing in the morning, dude, calm your face,” Jughead joked forcefully, honestly not finding itself in him to be his regular, jokey self.

Archie noticed, worried that Jughead couldn’t even make a joke. When times got hard, Jughead could at least make a joke of his horrible situation. The fact that he couldn’t didn’t sit right with him.

“Get out of my face, Andrews. I’m going to get changed–unless you want to watch?” Jughead teased, trying to not sound congested.

Archie looked reluctant, but left anyway, making his way back to the kitchen.

Jughead walked into the kitchen, wearing one long sleeved t shirt underneath a hoodie, and a thick, shearling denim jacket on top, obviously trying to stop his shivering. However he still shook slightly, looking very pale besides his very pink cheeks and nose. His eye bags very dark against his pale skin, and his blue eyes dull and bleary.

“Morning Jughead,” Fred greeted, back facing him as he cooked the eggs.

Archie couldn’t even greet him, shocked by his appearance.

When Fred turned around, he was slightly surprised, “..Are you cold, Jug?”

Jughead shrugged, “Just a little. It is the winter after all.”

Fred didn’t even know what to do, “Jughead..uh..how are you feeling?”

Jughead looked up from the food he was playing with and gave him a forced smile, “Fine. Ready to seize the day.”

Archie and Fred didn’t even know how hey let Jughead out of the house and walk to school in the snow.

School would be a tricky situation because this was the worst possible day Jughead could be sick, Archie didn’t have any classes with him until Lunch. Meaning Archie had no way of having eyes on Jughead, and this worry prevented Archie from concentrating on any of his classes.

Jughead had spent his classes huddled going the radiator, grateful he sat at the back of the class, shivering and shaking. He felt extremely fevered, not able to concentrate on anything his teachers would say.

He was so bad, his coughing sounding so chesty and raspy that some of his classmates who had just been currently treating him like a murderer were concerned with him. Jughead squeezed his eyes shut, a hand to his chest as he struggled to breathe, his airways blocked by phlegm. He shivered with his fever, pulling his jacket closer to him and wishing he had worn more layers.

As the teacher let the class go off doing pairwork, she approached Jughead and looked at him with concern.

“You have to promise me that you’ll go to the nurse after this class, okay?” She said, worried.

Jughead’s teeth chattered, finding it hard to reply to her, “Y-yes, miss. I will.”

Of course, he didn’t.

Come geography Jughead was feeling worse, the pain in his chest as he coughed like he was being stabbed repeatedly. To make things worse he couldn’t breathe, choking on his own phlegm that refused to come out. He gasped for air, his chesty and phlegmy gasps sounding horribly weak and awful. He continued to choke, his vision growing hazy.

Ethel looked over at him and watched the pathetic display, managing to pat his back as he spat the phlegm out into a tissue she had offered him. “Jughead, please, I don’t think this is normal.”

Jughead knew at this point his voice was gone, so he only gave her a small, reassuring smile.

At the end of that class, Jughead had been wheezing yet again, walking out as he held a hand over his aching chest. He could barely breathe, his breathing short and rapid. Hell, he could feel his heart beating fast.

Jughead hacked pathetically into his arm, when a familiar pair of strong arms were holding him in place, to support him. Just a bit ago those same arms were pushing him into a locker. He looked up blearily, blue eyes watery and completely void of life.

“Go away, Reggie,” Jughead wheezed, his voice almost completely gone, a weak, raspy whisper.

“Jughead, please! You’re so sick, this isn’t normal,” Reggie pleaded, taking his shoulders. He wasn’t rough or cruel like he normally was, he was so worried and concerned, as if Jughead could just break into pieces in his arms right there. His actual name coming out of Reggie’s mouth was so weird, and his vision was just so blurry nothing felt real anymore. Jughead pushed past him, his chest on fire as he pushed himself on to the cafeteria where his friends were.

***

Kevin Keller was a hundred percent sure he had just seen a ghost.

It was the ghost of Jughead Jones, who looked like he was about to die just there, his body ready to succumb to death. The ghost of his friend approached the four of them, and the sight was so disturbing he gasped.

“Jughead?!” He yelped, causing the other three of his friends to whip around and watch as what was left of their friend approach them. He looked so awful that they didn’t even know what to do.

Jughead took his seat next to Kevin and Veronica, as if absolutely nothing was up. He didn’t say anything, looking off into the distance like his conscience was in some other plane of reality.

They were frozen, not knowing what to do.

“Jughead..?” Veronica finally said, voice quivering with fear.

The sight of him was horrifying; ghost white, looking like he was on the brink of death. Eyes sunken, with a pair of dark purple eyebags. His cheeks were flushed a horrible shade of red. He slouched, completely drained and unable to sit upright His entire frame shook like some sort of epicentre for an earthquake. He was the perfect image of illness. It was haunting.

Suddenly, Jughead erupted in the most horrendous fit he had yet, entire body convulsing like he had been possessed by a demon. He hacked, choking on his own phlegm. His entire body was shivering, gasping for air, short and rapid. His chest was on fire, someone was stabbing him with a flaming knife, viciously and brutally. It hurt so much.

He felt a ringing in his ears, all he could sense was the pain of his chest, and could faintly feel Kevin slapping his back, and Veronica feeling his pulse.

“Guys, it’s so fast!” Veronica screamed.

Jughead finally spat out the phlegm, tinged with blood.

“Oh my god!” Archie yelled and jumped out of his seat and ran, with Reggie Mantle running after him, hot on his heels as they ran for help.

“Juggy!” Betty screamed, crying.

Jughead looked up to see his hysteric friends, and all the worried other people, making out Ethel, and hell, even Cheryl Blossom looked terrified. There was screaming, too much was happening. His head pounded, vision shaking and blurring, breathing short and rapid. His attempts to breathe for longer hurt his chest, a sharp, stinging pain. His entire body ached, he felt like he was on fire, and yet shaking and shivering. Suddenly, he became void of all senses. He couldn’t feel anything.

Then there was darkness.

***

Archie paced the hospital hallway, his chest feeling right. He felt so anxious, breathing heavily. The hospital was so white, it was terrifying. So clean and orderly.

“Yes, Sheriff, I understand you can’t just allow random calls at random times, but please, FP deserves to know,” Fred argued on the phone, just as anxious as Archie.

A few minutes later, Sheriff gave up and handed the phone to FP.

“FP? I don’t even know how to say this,” Fred whispered guiltily.

“What is it, Fred? You here to finally admit I was better at the guitar than you?” FP joked.

“..No, Forsythe, it’s Jughead. He’s really sick, he passed out. We’re at the hospital–I don’t know what’s wrong, but he was coughing blood..”

FP was silent.

Eventually he’s spoke, “That’s my boy, Fred.”

“I know, FP, you just deserved to know.”

“No, no, you don’t understand. That’s my boy who never gave up on me. That boy who’s kind to everyone but what did he do to deserve this? This ain’t fucking fair! I can’t lose him! I love him so much, Fred! I don’t even think he knows that, Fred.”

“He knows that, FP. Listen, we’ll keep you posted, okay? The doctors will be out in a little bit.”

They continued to speak for a while but Archie couldn’t listen anymore, way too afraid. Once Fred hung up, Archie looked at him, tears in his eyes.

“Dad, he’s gonna be okay, right?” Archie whimpered, sounding so young.

Fred swallowed, “He’s a tough kid, Archie. He’ll pull through.”

“He shouldn’t have to be the tough kid,” Archie choked, tears streaming down his face.

“Arch,” Fred cooed, coming close to his son and holding him, kissing his forehead.

“I know Archie, he shouldn’t. I shouldn’t have made him feel unwelcome, I shouldn’t have let him go this morning. I’m so sorry Archie, blame me all you want, but I care for him too. I will do all in my power to make him better again, okay?” Fred whispered softly as Archie cried into his chest.

“I’m so scared,” Archie cried.

Fred sniffled, swallowing, “Me too, Arch.”

***

Half an hour later, one of the doctors came out of Jughead’s room.

“Mr Andrews?” She said softly.

“Yes, that’s me,” Fred piped up, as Archie who was asleep on his shoulder woke up immediately, rushing to her.

“I’m glad to be informing you Mr Jones will be just alright,” She smiled brightly.

Archie made an overwhelmed, happy noise, he lunged and hugged the doctor, “thank you thank you thank you thank you!!”

Archie pulled away and blushed, “Oh, sorry.”

The doctor laughed, “That is quite alright.”

Fred cleared his throat, “What’s wrong with him, doc?”

“Pneumonia. He had it pretty bad, as you know from what happened at the school, but we’ve patched him up enough so that there will be no negative effects later in life and that he should be better in two or three weeks.”

Fred sighed softly, “That’s great.”

“He will need continuous usage of antibiotics and must not leave the house, must get good sleep and rest,” She explained.

Archie looked anxious, “When will he be discharged?”

“He must stay for about a week for now, but he will be allowed visitors. In fact, would you like to visit him now? He’s awake.”

“Yes! Please!” Archie said excitedly.

“This way, then,” The Doctor  instructed as she held the doors open for the two of them and let them in.

“Oh my god, Jug!” Archie exclaimed as he saw Jughead sitting up, joking about something with one of the doctors.

Jughead looked over to see Archie and smiled, and gasped softly as Archie tackled him into a hug.

“Arch–” Jughead said softly, slightly suffocated.

Archie gasped, “Sorry!”

Jughead laughed, still raspy but a lot less deathly sounding, “It’s fine.”

“You really scared me, Jughead! The whole school thought you were dead!” Archie exclaimed.

Fred chuckled, “That really was quite a scare, Jughead.”

“Sorry about that,” Jughead said sheepishly.

Fred looked at Archie then sighed, “no kid, we should be sorry-no, I should be. I’m so sorry I made it seem like you weren’t welcome here, you are just as much of family as Archie is to me. Y'know, when FP called me to say Gladys was having his child Mary and I drove to the hospital with little Archie. When you were born, we were all together, we were all a family. We still are a family.”

Jughead smiled softly, but scrunched his nose, “Ew, so you’re telling me that this rat here is one of the first things I ever saw?!”

Archie laughed heartily.

Fred laughed, “That’s quite right. Jughead, FP and I made sure that as blood brothers, we had to take care of each other’s sons. I told FP that what if his son was a little shit? Well, you are a little shit, but you really are a great kid, Jug. We care about you so much. When you get discharged, I’m going to make sure that when you go home, it is a home.”

Jughead smiled softly, “I’m sorry for pushing you away and withdrawing.”

Archie shook his head, “We never should have let you disappear.”

Jughead groaned, “Stop fighting with me, I’m sick, let’s just all agree we all fucked up!”

They all laughed.

Just then, Jughead began to cough again, eyes squeezed shut at the burning sensation of his cough, wet and deep. Before he started to choke, a nearby doctor coaxed the coughs out. He spat out into a tissue and threw it into the wastebin, finally resting against the pillow and took a good minute to catch his breath.

“Poor kid,” Fred muttered softly, taking in the pale features of his second son and approached him, pushing back the messy black curls that had fallen into his face as he coughed.

Archie watched in concern, wondering how he could help when his phone buzzed, opening it to see Veronica was facetiming.

“Ooh! I think they want to see you!” Archie grinned.

Jughead flipped his hair, “Of course they want to see the absolute beauty that is moi!”

Archie answered the call, coming close to Jughead so they could see him, to see Kevin, Veronica, Betty, Reggie, Ethel and oddly, Cheryl in the frame.

“HE’S ALIVE!” Kevin squealed.

“Lookin’ good, Wednesday Adams,” Reggie teased, pointing at his hospital gown and all the tubes in him.

“Jughead, you scared the shit out of us!!” Veronica exclaimed.

“Juggie, I’m so glad you’re okay!” Betty cooed.

“Get better soon, Jughead!” Ethel smiled.

“Ugh, he’s alive, guys. Can we all go now?” Cheryl rolled her eyes, but they could all see that Cheryl was secretly relieved and happy.

They spoke for a while, and as the call ended Fred started to call the Sheriff.

***

“Fred! Is my boy okay?!” FP breathed out through Fred’s phone.

“Hi dad,” Jughead said softly.

“Oh my god, Jug..Jug! You’re okay..thank god! I was beginning to think..it’s so good to hear your voice..”

“I’ll survive, dad.”

“You just might.”

Jughead could faintly hear the Sheriff telling FP he didn’t have much time.

“Listen–Jug, I don’t have a lot of time..”

“I love you, dad,” Jughead whimpered.

FP froze.

“I love you too, Jug,” FP choked, clearly teary.

“I miss you so much,” Jughead sniffled, one tear rolling down his cheek.

“I miss you so much Jug, there’s not one day that passed by where I wish we were all together. But I did bad things, Jughead, inexcusable. I need to pay for what I did. You understand that, don’t you, Jug?”

“I do.”

“..I am so sorry, Jughead. For not being the father I should’ve been, the one you deserve. I’m so sorry about this, but please know that I never for one second stopped loving you,” FP whispered.

“I know dad, I know. I never gave up, I never will,” Jughead cried.

“You’ll be okay, you’ll pull through. C'mon lion, brave through it and seize the day, I know you can,” FP chuckled.

“I will dad, I always do,” Jughead whispered.

“I’ll come home to you someday,” FP managed to say before Sheriff Keller took the phone back.

Jughead bit back a sob, whispering to himself, “I know you will.”

***

The morning he was to be discharged, Jughead began to gather all his Get Well Soon presents. He coughed, not quite as chesty or deep as it had been, and certainly did not feel like he was being stabbed repeatedly. He smiled fondly as he looked at them.

A beautifully crafted handmade card from Ethel, a not so beautifully crafted handmade card from Reggie, a fancy card from Veronica with some luxury gourmet chocolates and snacks, a simple, pretty card from Betty and a container of her signature soup, a nice card from Kevin who had sent some snacks, and a bit of money from Cheryl who helped pay for some of the hospital bill and medicine. The family was loaded, and her parents didn’t even notice she took some.

Jughead hadn’t felt so loved in so long. The winter seemed to be just a bit brighter.

And finally, a picture of Jughead, Archie and Fred during movie night on top of an application for Legal Guardianship.

“Ready to go home, Jug?” Archie grinned.

“Born ready.”

[hellaintthatbad]

Riverdale fanfic 1 - kevin & joaquin (with @fangirly-freak)

>Kevin, all well-behaved, typical suburban boy, straight a’s, and then the serpent, bad boy how theyre written, and yet theyre together and I bet, if there should be a showdown of some kind, joaquin will try to protect kevin, to keep him away from the shit hes getting being a serpent, even though he doesn’t realize hes protecting him, and also im betting that kevin wants some distance at first, but he cant keep it up for long and runs to joaquin and kisses him as if the world is ending. And that will happen in that bar where the serpents hang around, right in front of all the other men and when anybody says anything against them jugheads dad will personally beat them up because he is a good soul.<

 Kevin ran faster than he ever did before, his throat burned and his legs became wobbly, threatening to give up. But Kevin didn’t pay attention to his body’s protests, the only thing on his mind was a raven-haired boy, the boy that was from another world and yet from so close, being so close to him yet being unrecognized.

Kevin took a sharp 90° turn, his shoes slid on the wet concrete but he didn’t fall and just kept running. Jughead’s words still echoed through his head. His friend asked Archie if he could sleep over a few nights, his dad having a serpent thing and didn’t want him to follow him, his ‘detective of a son shouldn’t be there for his own life’s sake’. Thankfully Archie asked when the whole ordeal would take place so Kevin hadn’t been caught eavesdropping. And thankfully Jughead trusted Archie enough to tell him.

But not so thankfully, Kevin’s dad didn’t fall asleep fast enough. The sheriff was always tired when he came home from work and usually fell asleep after dinner, but tonight he wanted to tell his son about his last case. In the end, Kevin said he had homework to do and left, only to sit on top of the stairs and wait. Soon his father’s breath slowed and the boy sneaked down, a first-aid packet and another jacket on his hands. He fingered around the holster, freeing the gun and wrapping it in jacket. Then, quietly, but still as fast as possible, he left his house and turned for the old warehouse.

Joaquin told him where this warehouse was, they used it as a place to be when they wanted to be alone. Okay, let’s be honest, when they wanted to make out without anybody interrupting them.

And while the authors described stuff so the reader knows stuff that’s important for the story, Kevin has reached said warehouse. Several motorcycles and cars stood in front of it. And men talked in it. Their voices were only hearable due to the echo in the empty building; also the men didn’t care to lower them.

Kevin knew the architecture of the house quite well, him and Joaquin going exploring when they wanted to talk or not make out [haha yeah that happens sometimes too believe it or not] and needed something else to do with their hands. Because, you know, hormones.

The old and rusty stairs at the back didn’t look trustworthy but they didn’t even move when you climbed them up right. They led to a sort of second story, but in the middle was a huge hole, enabling a good look to the ground story. Stair cases led down, but nobody bothered to climb them up, giving Kevin a perfect hiding spot.

The men stood at two fronts, the serpents on Kevin’s left, their client on his right. Joaquin was in the back, only about 50 meters away from Kevin, and fidgeted his hands behind his back. That meant he was nervous as hell.

Suddenly one of the clients screamed in rage, Kevin hasn’t noticed their voices rising until they shouted, he was too caught up in Joaquin’s facial features. A broad-necked bodyguard tried to calm the angry man, but another slipped through his arms and went to punch F. P., almost succeeding but the serpent next to their leader hit him first, sending the suit-wearer to the ground.

With that, all hell broke loose, fists hit jaws, blood dripped, bones crashed. Men went down, many of them unconscious. In the chaos, Kevin has lost Joaquin, but then something neon green caught his gaze. That neon green was a bracelet he gave his boyfriend a few weeks ago. A snake eating a heart was printed on it. Then it vanished as a very buff and muscular man blocked the view, pulled back his fist and threw it onto the boy’s stomach. Joaquin went down with a groan.

Out of desperation, Kevin reached for the gun, stood up and shot into the air. Everybody stopped in their tracks. Their faces turned towards him and twisted as they recognized him as the sheriff’s son.

“Kill him! He gonna report! Whatcha waitin’ for?!”

Thugs went for the stairs, one of them the man that just hit Joaquin, but the boy suddenly jumped up and put his arm around his neck, trying to strangle him.

“Kevin! Run!” F.P. bellowed.

Kevin followed his order and ran to the stairs that led him up there. He heard fists hitting flesh and groans, but didn’t look back. That is, until a stone hit his head making him feel dizzy and trip over his own feet.

He expected violence as he felt a body near him and tensed up, but was even more surprised as gentle hands fiddled around the gun in his hand.

“Sweetie, hey, it’s me. Gimme the gun. Get up. Run. Please, for me.”

“No, I can’t. Can’t leave ya…”

Kevin fainted.

The next thing Kevin knew is that he’s lying on the floor, some voices speaking almost out of earshot.

“Why is he here? Did you tell him?”

“What? No. I don’t know why he’s here. He isn’t supposed to.”

“And you’re not supposed to take a broken nose for him. You should spy on the sheriff, not play the knight in shining armor for his son.”

“I didn’t want to, it just happened! I just couldn’t see him getting hurt!”

At that, Kevin stirred. His movements didn’t go unnoticed, Joaquin and F.P. rushed over to him.

“Hey... Whoa, sweetie, calm down, your head must hurt like hell.” Joaquin reached up to stroke Kevin’s cheek as he began to sit up.

“You must hurt like hell, your face looks like Spaghetti Bolognese, and not in the tasty way.”

Jughead’s father chuckled. “Two seconds back and already backfiring, you got one there.”

“I got a first-aid kit, let me clean you up.”

The two boys went over to where Kevin’s jacket was and sat down next to it.  They sat in silence as Kevin got the utensils out and started to take care of Joaquin’s wounds.

“I heard you talk.”

“Huh?”

“Joa, I heard you and F.P. talking. He said you are supposed to spy on the sheriff. Is that why you are dating me?”

“Kev, I…”

“Don’t lie to me. I want the naked truth, without excuses. Without consideration of my feelings or whatever. Just tell me.”

The young serpent sighed.

“Yeah, I mean, I… I am supposed to play your boyfriend to spy on your dad. But so much has happened since then, and F.P. still wants information needed for clients and jobs, but I… We can get information otherwise, I am… I’m confused, you know? Because you are so good and kind and I am a no-good, usele…”

Before the boy could finish, Kevin presses a piece of bandage drenched with pure alcohol into an open cut.

“Go to the hospital, that needs stitches. I can’t do that. I’m going home. And tell F.P. to go fuck himself.”

Kevin’s voice sounded so cold. The room temperature seemed to drop 15°C

“Sweetie, what…”

“Don’t call me sweetie! That’s a name a lover should use, not a spy!”

Joaquin flinched as the other boy spat those words. He tried to reach for his hand, but Kevin withdrew his hand, grabbed his things as he stood up and left quickly without another word.

  The next three weeks were hard for both of them. Kevin couldn’t concentrate at all, which had effects on his grades, his friends were worrying, but he didn’t tell them why he didn’t eat as much, sleep as much or even talk as much as he used to or why Joaquin wasn’t with him all the time like he used to, and seeing from Jughead’s behavior, his dad didn’t tell him. Kevin felt emotionally used, he wanted to hate his (former?) boyfriend, but couldn’t help to reach for his hip, where his hand had lied or almost call him, his thumb seemed to be frozen into spot right above the call button.

Joaquin wasn’t much better. He, too, didn’t watch his health and lied on his bed when F.P. didn’t need him to do whatever needed to be done. He didn’t know why exactly he behaved like this. He just had no clue what to do. Or what is body was doing while his mind wandered off. He caught his hand several times as it creeped over his mattress, looking for something, that wasn’t there. He didn’t charge his phone, afraid to get weak and call Kevin, even though the boy has made clear that he was angry with him.

Both boys vegetated through their lives, but Kevin had more people to look out for him. He didn’t lose as much weight as Joaquin. And people tried to talk to him about what happened. Joaquin had no one to talk to except for his cactus.

                        This led to Kevin’s breakdown as he sat with his friends in Pop’s diner. Veronica showed them her new haircut, it was about the length Joaquin’s hair had been when Kevin had last seen him. Veronica’s was a more female version though. Just as she turned around to show Betty how she had to straighten them, Kevin looked up from his now cold coffee. She looked so much like Joaquin mas he had shown him a tattoo on his neck.

Kevin let out a sob. Then another. Then he let out a ragged breath, murmured something about fresh air and stumbled out of the diner to the parking lots. As soon as he felt like there was enough distance between him and the diner to not be seen instantly, he vomited. But there wasn’t much to vomit, so he just gagged around air, his throat burned and his head felt way too light. He stumbled from the car he used for balance towards the diner. Someone was coming out, but Kevin didn’t recognize them before he fell face down on the ground.

Another voice, somehow common to him, called his name. The boy opened his eyes to see dark hair at shoulder length.

“Joa?” he asked with a raspy voice before wincing. His throat felt like he swallowed sour rain.

“No, I’m sorry. But Kevin, you got to get up. You got to drink. Archie’s calling your dad. We thought you were dying here.” Veronica let out a forced laugh. “And I can’t let you die on my favorite dress, can I?”

Betty came and kneeled next to him. She held a glass of water to his lips and he drank greedily. Pop came out too and handed the blonde an extra-large milk shake.

“He gonna need that. Saw his orders last few weeks. He needs the protein and sugar and whatnot.”

Kevin also drank the shake, though slower than the water, enjoying the sweet taste in contrast to the acid burn he felt before.

Just as he finished and properly sat up without help, his father’s car pulled into the parking lot. As soon as the car stood, the sheriff ran to him and kneeled down.

“Son? Son, can you hear me? How many fingers am I holding up?”

“None, dad, your hands are crashing my shoulders. I’m okay now. I’m just tired.”

His dad stood up, pulling him onto his feet and led him to the car after thanking Pop and Kevin’s friends for helping him. Pop declined the money he offered him.

When they came home, the sheriff made his son eat and take a bath before letting him sleep.

 Kevin slept until 3:40pm, having his first halfway decent sleep in weeks. He hadn’t notice how much this kind-of break up was draining him.

As he got up, he thought of what to do next. He couldn’t continue like this. He missed the warmth of Joaquin right next to him. He missed the way his kisses felt. He missed shoving his hands into the long hair when they kiss. He missed the smell of leather, hair gel and Joaquin. Even his room still smelt a bit like him, even though he hadn’t been there in a month or so.

At 5pm, Kevin was completely dressed, half a pizza was eliminated and a note was left for his dad. He had made his mind up.

 Joaquin had just finished his last job, paying a drug dealer, and now sat at the bar and sipped at some drink he didn’t even know the name of.

He thought of nothing specific as someone tapped his shoulder. He turned around and saw Kevin. Right in front of him.

“Wha…” he began but was interrupted as Kevin slapped him.

“That”, the brown haired boy said, ”was for using me! And that”, a slap on the other cheek, “was for not telling me!”

Then he brought up both his hands and gently laid them on his jaw.

“And that is for being you.”

Kevin kissed Joaquin with all he had, with all the pain and nothingness he had felt throughout the last weeks, with all the love he felt for the boy, with all the missing he had endured. And Joaquin kissed him back with as much emotion as him.

As they parted, both breathing heavy, they mustered each other, noticing the way both had lost weight and gained shadows under their eyes.

“I love you. I’m sorry we became a couple due to my wrong intentions, but I’m happy we did. I adore you so damn much. You are my pretty boy, my sweetie. And I doubt that’s gonna change in the near future.”

“You know, that’s so cheesy, if we would be closer to the heater, we would melt.” Both boys giggled before missing again.

“And by the way, I love you too.” Kevin mumbled with their lips touching. And kissed him. Which felt better than their first kiss. Better than the making out sessions. Better than the last kiss. But not as good as their next kiss. Because the kiss that is just happening will always be the best kiss. Because, well, because it’s happening.

 ~some extra F.P.-is-super-and-a-good-man-in-the-end-stuff but this isn’t necessarily part of the story~

A few days after the great becoming-a-couple-again action, Kevin came into the bar after school to pick up Joaquin for the movies. He stepped into the building and looked out for his boyfriend as someone shoved him.

“Oi, fag, stop blocking the way. You not allowed in here!”

Kevin wanted to apologize, but a familiar raven haired boy stepped to his side and slid his arm around his waist.

“Stop bothering my boyfriend, would ya?”

“Ya can’t tell me what to do! You little shit think you’re bette…”

“That’s enough!” F.P. walked down the stairs and towards them.

“Pete, if you got a problem with homosexuality, that’s okay. But it is not okay to treat someone as less worthy or disrespectful because of it! Y’all! I know some of you looked at them with disgust, but this is love! And I don’t care what’s your reason for being a homophobic little bitch, and as long as you don’t hurt them because of it, I will not care! But if you even think about it, I will give you what you deserve! And I don’t care if any of you will hate me for it, I will protect them! And if you have a problem with them kissing, tell me, not them! Let them live their lives!”

With that, he shushed the two boys out, mumbling something about late for date. Before he can close the door though, Joaquin wraps his arms around his neck, murmuring “you’re the best dad I could wish for.” before grabbing Kevin’s hand and dragging him towards the cinema.

[infinite-beginnings]

Did you ask for more quotes/prompts? *pulls my notebook full of them and searches* here's another one: “Fall for someone with an air of mystey and wildness un their bones but with the kindest eyes and a thousand beautiful stories woven into their soul"– Nikita Gill

Yes Dachi, I love you! Seriously all of these quotes are so perfect and they give me such good ideas. Also I feel like this quote can fit for either Jughead or Betty (Especially after that last episode, whew) But I decided to write it for Jughead because most of my fics have been from his perspective and I wanted to switch it up.

If Betty’s mom didn’t like her hanging out with Betty and Archie, then she hated the idea of her hanging out with Jughead Jones. And as usual, her mother didn’t hesitate to tell Betty exactly how she felt.

“I noticed that you’ve been spending a lot of time with that Jones boy…I don’t like the look of him Betty.” Alice said as she ran her fingers through Betty’s hair, playing the part of concerned mother while really just trying to control her. Luckily, Betty was learning to see through her mother’s fake concern. So she stuck her chin out stubbornly and defended Jughead.

“He is helping me with the Blue and Gold mother, and he’s been amazing. He has such a dedication to finding the truth and he is really good at finding answers.”

“Oh, I bet he is.” Was Alice’s only response.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Betty turned to look her mother in the eye.

“That boy is a wildcard. He keeps to himself more than is normal and he has a dark streak, I can sense it.” Betty sighed at her mom’s words. She was used to people misjudging Jughead, she had been defending him since they were little, but she hated that this time it was coming from her own mother.

“Mom, no offence, but you have no idea what you are talking about. I have known Juggie for most of my life and you have never once made an effort to get to know him. He likes to be mysterious, that’s for sure, but behind that he is kind and sweet and he is one of my best friends.” Betty didn’t mention that their friendship had recently blossomed into something knew, she knew that would put her mother over the edge and she didn’t feel like getting into a full blown fight at the moment.

“Betty, once again you are too trusting, too quick to see the good in people. But sometimes the good in people is outweighed by the bad, and I’m afraid that’s the case with this boy.” Betty noticed that her mom never called Jughead by his name, it was almost as if she were offended by the mere idea of someone being named Jughead.

“I can take care of myself mom” Betty said with a sigh, knowing that it was no use to argue. If Betty saw the good in people, then her mother saw the bad. Betty would never be able to convince her mom of the sweet boy that Jughead really was.

“I’m just trying to keep you from getting hurt.” Alice stroked Betty’s cheek. Betty bit her lip to keep from shouting.

“Mom, you can’t protect me from everything. Jughead is my friend, and he is not going to hurt me.” Betty said in the sternest voice she could manage. Her mother seemed unsatisfied and displeased with this response, but she finally dropped the subject.

“As adorable as that little scowl is, I don’t like the fact that it means that something is bothering you.” Jughead said the next day, reaching up his hand to smooth the wrinkles in between her brows.

“Juggie, does it ever bother you that people in this town are always misjudging you?” Jughead dropped his hands and looked at her questioningly.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean people think you are this dark, mysterious, wild person. It doesn’t ever seem to bother you, what people think or say. Why do you only let Archie and me see the real you?”

“And what is the real me?” Jughead quirked his eyebrows at her, he rested his hands on Betty’s waist and pulled her closer to him.

“Someone who cares. Someone who will go to the ends of the earth to find truth and justice. Someone who will let me complain about my life and my mother for hours on end. Someone who will sneak into my room and bring me freshly baked cookies when I’ve had a bad day. Why don’t you let everyone see that side of you?” Betty wasn’t surprised when Jughead shrugged, batting away her compliments with his hand.

“Because I don’t care what everyone thinks of me.” Jughead looked at her intensely. His voice was indifferent, but his green eyes shone with vulnerability as he asked his next question, “do you?” Betty stared transfixed at his eyes, they were the first thing that she had fallen in love with about him. He may be sarcastic and belligerent, but his eyes always told his true feelings. They were kind eyes and when he looked at her like that, so intensely, she found it hard to breath.

“No” Betty shook her head firmly, “I know the really you, that’s all that matters.”

“Exactly” Jughead said with a grin. If his eyes had been the first thing she had fallen for, his smile was the second. His full force smile was as blinding as sunlight. It was a rarity that he usually reserved for Betty and Archie, and in some ways that made it all the more special. Every time Betty could coax a smile like that out of him was like her own personal victory.

“So, we hear that you are dating Jughead Jones” Betty looked up in surprise when two of her fellow cheerleaders walked over to where she was stretching. Betty glanced up to where Jughead was sitting in the top corner of the bleachers, completely engrossed in his writing.

“I am” She said with a smile. The two girls sat down and started stretching next to Betty. She looked at them questioningly. These two girls had never spoken to her before today.

“What’s he like?” One of them finally blurted out.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“Well, he’s just this super mysterious guy, who seems like he would have tons of skeletons in his closet.” 

“Yeah, and in a town of this size, where everyone knows everyone’s business, its not often we find something that is a mystery.” The other girl added. Betty almost laughed out loud, these girls were actually coming to her looking for gossip about Jughead. What had her life turned into?

“Oh, he’s got loads of skeletons” Betty whispered confidentially, “but they are his skeletons to keep, besides he would probably kill me if he found out I told.” The two girls smiled and shook their heads.

“You know, a few weeks ago, I may have believed that…but now. I mean the way he looks at you. Good lord what I wouldn’t give to have someone look at me like that” 

“What do you mean?” Betty was confused at the sudden turn the conversation had taken.

“Look” the girl nodded her head to where Jughead was sitting. Betty followed their gaze and found Jughead looking down at them. Even from that distance, Betty could feel the intensity of his eyes locked on hers. Betty waved at him and he winked in response before turning back to his novel.

“See, I mean that kid is seriously whipped, I’m starting to think that the only skeleton in his closet is that he is really a big softie.”

“You might be onto something there” Betty responded, but she was no longer really paying attention to the conversation. She was thinking about what the girls had said. Did Jughead really look at her with that much love in his eyes? If other people were starting to see it, that meant he was slowly letting his walls down.

Jughead was mysterious and Betty didn’t doubt that he could be dangerous if he wanted to. There was a wildness in his bones that no one else in their small town shared. It was what propelled his sarcasm and sardonic humor, it was what gave him his thirst for exposing the truth, and it was what made her mother weary of him.

Jughead was mysterious and wild, there was no denying that. But there was also another side to him. There was a kindness to him that shone out through his eyes. It was there every time he caught her gaze from across the room. A loving, gentleness that was so often lost behind his mysterious mask.

And his soul, he had the most beautiful soul that Betty had ever seen. She first started falling for him because of his eyes and smile, but it was the glimpses of his soul that sent her over the edge.

The wildness inside of him was no match for the genuine kindness of his soul.

[scuttz]

Against All Odds

Archie Andrews/Veronica Lodge

Rating: E for Everyone

Tags: Fluff, Friendship

Not exactly a romance fic, but not-not romance. If you know what I mean.

"If Veronica were to leave, it would prove to everyone that there was too much tension, sexual or otherwise, for the two of them to hang out alone without it crossing some kind of line. If Veronica and Archie could spend time together without it being weird, Veronica would know that she could be around Archie without hurting her best friend." ----

Or, Betty's mom didn't let her go, Kevin was babysitting, and Jughead couldn't be bothered to get out of bed.

read below the cut or read here on ao3

The two of them didn’t mean to end up, alone, together.

They really didn’t. Everything that lead up to Archie and Veronica being alone together was completely accidental. Veronica would never do that to Betty.

In fact, she even said so.

“Archie, I could never do this Betty. Not again. Sorry, but this is just too weird. I’m just going to go home.”

The only problem was that it was in fact, raining. Veronica’s jacket, while in correct fashion for this time of year, did not account for the unpredictable weather and lack of Ubers that came with living in a small town. Veronica had to decide between getting drenched on her way home or staying here, at Archie’s house, alone.

Neither option seemed too appealing to her.

“I wouldn’t either, but this isn’t us doing anything. You could just stay here. I know things are…a little weird right now, but there’s nothing wrong with us being friends, right? We can’t hurt Betty by just being friends. It would probably be good for us to get to know each other better so we can stop walking on eggshells around each other.” What Archie was saying, was of course very true.

If Veronica were to leave, it would prove to everyone that there was too much tension, sexual or otherwise, for the two of them to hang out alone without it crossing some kind of line. If Veronica and Archie could spend time together without it being weird, Veronica would know that she could be around Archie without hurting her best friend.

So in the interest of Betty Cooper, Veronica decided to stay. As she crossed the threshold into Archie’s house, she was already worried she had made the wrong decision.

“And, like, I promise I won’t try anything.” He said, completely serious.

“Fuck, Archie.” Said Veronica. “You just made it fucking weird again.”

——

It happened in the stupidest way possible; everybody was supposed to come over to Archie’s house. It was supposed to be a group hangout. Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, and Kevin. The first one, actually, of them all spending time together. Jughead and Archie were finally friends again, and they had all been sitting together at lunch and breaks. Veronica was excited that she finally felt she had her own little group in Riverdale, something that had been lacking ever since she moved from New York.

The Saturday hangout however, fell apart faster than you could say “squad”.

Kevin was the first one out.

“I’m really sorry guys but I’ve got to babysit my siblings that night.” Kevin sighed the next day at lunch. “I forgot that the second Saturday of the month is my parent’s date night.”

“Your parents do date night every month?” Jughead asked. “Sounds exhausting.”

“Actually, that’s kind of adorable.” Veronica gushed.

“Still as in love as the day they got married.” Betty teased, as Kevin gagged across the table. Betty turned to Veronica. “Kevin’s parents are so cute. You’ll die when you meet them.”

“Well, that sucks Kev. I guess the four of us can just hang out then?” Archie’s question was met with four enthusiastic nods.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Betty smiled.

——

Apparently, the world was equivalent to Betty’s mom making sudden “family plans” as soon as she heard she was going over to Archie’s on Saturday. Kevin not being there, and him being the only one of Betty’s friends that Mrs. Cooper considered acceptable, meant that she saw no reason for Betty to be allowed to attend.

“I can’t believe her!” Betty shouted angrily on a group Skype call.

“The rest of us can.” Jughead said, in-between handfuls of potato chips.

“Can’t you just sneak out or something? Just this once?” Veronica begged, thinking about how awkward it will be for her to spend the day with two ex-best friends, one of which she’s barely spoken to and the other that she knows all too well.

“Veronica…have you met my mother?” Betty asked, pointedly. She was met by a quick chorus of agreements that Betty sneaking out would be the possible worst reason in the world.

“Well I guess it’s just down to three of us.” Archie said. “That okay?”

Veronica and Jughead nodded, while Kevin began talking the background about how it was never going to be fun with Betty anyways, because he couldn’t make it.

——

Jughead, of course, just didn’t show up.

“Where is he?” Veronica asked, for probably the 18th time in the past twenty minutes. She was digging into the bottom the barrel of a peanut butter jar, before giving up and putting it down on the ground for Vegas.

“He’s probably asleep. That’s where he usually is, anyways.” Archie was sifting through his kitchen cupboards for more snacks. He had been avoiding looking Veronica in the eyes, and it was slowly driving Veronica insane. It was like the boy didn’t know how friendship worked.

“You know, back in New York, if someone didn’t show up somewhere that they said they were going to be, we kicked them out of the group.” Veronica mentioned causally.

Archie’s head snapped up at that.

“Wait, really? That seems, like, a little bit harsh don’t you think?” Archie seemed a little bit judgemental when he spoke. Well, at least he was finally looking Veronica in the eyes.

“Yeah, it was kind of a bitchy thing to do, but it’s just what we did. We had a whole list of rules, and if you didn’t follow them, you were axed immediately. Blocked on every form of social media, and just never spoken to again. We were like our own high class version of the plastics.” Veronica smirked at her movie reference.

“Plastics? Like, as in Barbie dolls?” Archie asked.

“No, like as in Mean Girls? The movie?” Veronica raised her voice accidentally at the shock of Archie not knowing the joy of such a beloved cult film.

“Oh, yeah, never seen it. People sure do love to quote it, though.” Archie dismissed the topic.

“What do you mean you’ve never seen Mean Girls?” Veronica exploded.

“Well, I don’t know, isn’t it kinda like, for girls? Like a chick flick?” Archie said.

“What? Just because it’s a female-lead movie, only girls can enjoy it?” Veronica said.

“Well, no-“ Archie started to defend himself, but Veronica threw her hand up to shut him up.

“I wasn’t finished, Archibald. Do you like SNL?” Archie nodded, unsure whether he was allowed to speak. Veronica was please that he quickly figured out that he was not. “Well, Mean Girls was written by Tina Fey, one of SNL’s most successful alumni, not to mention someone who has been paving the road for women in comedy for decades, all while being hilarious. Will Ferrel and Adam Sandler, two other successful SNL alums, don’t get treated this way and I would argue that most of their movies don’t match the comedic genius that is seen in the writing and production of Mean Girls. It is, ball means a movie, that boasts a hilarious female lead cast, with beautifully done comedy that shouldn’t be ignored just because the cover is pink and it stars a teenage girl.” Veronica tried her best not to pant after how worked up she had gotten over her speech.

Archie just stared. He looked a little bit afraid.

Veronica sighed.

“Where’s your TV?” Veronica asked.

“The living room, just right over there.” Archie pointed out the door frame.

“Okay. We’re going to watch Mean Girls.” Veronica waltzed into Archie’s living room, and began messing with his remote to try to find the on-demand option.

——

“Oh my god!” Archie exclaimed.

Veronica groaned.

“What now? Do you have any more insightful thoughts about the movie? Because I think I really needed it pointed out that Cady has trouble being in high school because she’s never been in high school.” As it turns out, Archie is a little bit slow when it comes to movies.

“No, Regina just got hit by a bus! Is she dead? I hope she’s dead. She was a bitch. Oh wait, never mind, she’s not dead.”

Veronica snorted.

“It would be so cool if she was dead.”

At that, Veronica couldn’t help but to burst out laughing.

——

“Okay, you were right, that movie was actually pretty good.” Archie said, in defeat.

“Do you promise to never again judge a movie by a young female lead?” Veronica asked.

“No. If a movie casts like, Meghan Fox as their lead I’m still probably going to judge them a little bit.” Archie said.

“She really can’t act, can she?”

“She really can’t.”

That sat in silence for a short minute.

“Hey, Archie?” Veronica asked, hesitantly.

“Yeah?”

“Are things always going to be weird between us?”

“Were things weird today?”

Veronica thought about that for a second. When Veronica first walked in this house, it felt as if she was walking on egg shells. But right now? She felt okay. Being with Archie, alone, felt okay.

“Well we just watched an entire movie sitting an appropriate amount of distance away from each other on the couch. Not too close, but not awkwardly far. I didn’t once think about trying to move closer. That seems normal.” Veronica reasoned.

“I didn’t think about doing anything either. I was too focused taking in the genius comedy of Mean Girls.” Veronica laughed. Archie shrugged. “That seems like what should be normal.”

“Have you ever had a normal friendship with a girl?”

“I don’t know anymore. There’s always been Betty, but like, I don’t know what to think of that anymore. She’s been my friend forever, and she’s like my sister. I think. I don’t know. If we were watching a movie, I might have my arm around her or something. It didn’t mean anything to me, but I think it might have meant a lot to her. All along. How long as she liked me?” Archie asked.

“I’ve been here for a month, Archie.” Veronica said.

“Right.” Archie paused. “But if you had to guess-“

“If I had to guess I would tell you that that girl has been in love with you since the moment she laid eyes on you, Archie Andrews.” Veronica said. “And I would also guess that you were blind to it all along because you loved her so much.”

“That’s probably all correct, then.” Archie trailed off.

“It’s not your fault, Archie. Just, maybe don’t touch her anymore unless you have the intention to date her.” Veronica said.

“I wish I did.” Archie said.

“I hate this.” He said.

“I love her.” He said.

“I love her too, Archie, and that’s why you better not touch me either.” Veronica said.

“I won’t.”

“And I promise I won’t touch you.” Archie nodded.

They sat in silence for a bit.

“Have you ever had a normal friendship with a guy” Archie asked.

“Not ones that aren’t gay.” Veronica said. “I went to an all girls school back in New York. Boys being anywhere meant it was an occasion, I guess. It wasn’t really until I moved here that I’ve realized that boys can be friends in the exact same way girls can. Even ones I’m attracted to.”

“Really?” Archie asked.

Veronica smiled at Archie. When she first walked into Pop Tate’s and saw him for the first time, she will admit that she just saw him as, well, a cute boy. It’s something that had happened to her a million times before. Veronica Lodge came, saw, and conquered. At least when it came to the opposite sex. She had a feeling that Archie was special from the first time she saw him. But maybe it wasn’t because they were going to date or hook up or fall in love. It might very well be because Archie was the first boy to show Veronica that boys are just like girls, in most ways anyways. All it took was a Lindsey Lohan movie to realize it.

“Really.”