#All jokes aside I’m glad he allows the interviewer to finish their question before they are cut off.

[chalamet-chalamet]

Timothée when asked if he has a ‘Dune: Part Two’ popcorn bucket:

“I keep mine under my bed.”

TikTok credit to triplej

[comfortbucky]

Hey! If requests are still open I was wondering if I could request a fluffy fic where reader is having a bad day and Bucky notices and cheers them up? 💗💗

HELL YEAH!!!

REQUESTS!!! ARE!!! OPEN!!!

𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗲𝘁 ⋆｡˚ ��︎ ˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆ ｡˚ ☁︎ ˚

pairing: bodyguard!bucky x fem!reader

warnings: anxiety, anxiety attack

tags: grumpy!bucky, bodyguard!bucky, fluffy bucky!!!

A/N: okay i have never written bodyguard!bucky before but i just thought it would be such a sweet concept to see him being soft🥺

sorry if the ending is kind of bad😭 i didn’t know how to quite wrap it all up, but i hope u enjoy!!!!!!!! <3 i had so much fun writing about bodyguard!bucky!!!!!

word count: 2.9k

my masterlist!

completed requests!

Y/N groaned as her phone alarm went off and hit snooze for the fifth time. She reached her hand out, head facing away and resting on her pillow, fumbling for her phone to turn off the incessant sound. Before she could shut it off, the noise stopped. Y/N turned her head slightly to see a large, dark figure in the corner of her eye. She turned her head fully to see her bodyguard with a frown on his face as he shut her alarm off.

“Your alarm, it’s annoying,” Bucky grumbled. “You should get up anyways, busy schedule today.” He walked out of the room before she could respond. Super soldier hearing was no joke if he was able to hear her alarm from his bedroom down the hall. Y/N sighed as her face planted into the pillow.

She was not looking forward to the events planned out for the day. During the day, there was a slew of interviews she had, back to back, and at night, a gala she was being forced to attend by her father.

Being the daughter of a wealthy tech tycoon had its perks for sure, but Y/N did not consider all of the press she did as a part of them. She never liked being in the spotlight but was forced to be, a birthright she had. Growing up with her dad, she’d developed a fascination for tinkering with computers, game consoles, and everything in-between. She spent a lot, practically all of her free time, with her dad when her mom had passed away. Her dad ended up throwing himself into his life’s work and she worked with him closely in the beginning, but slowly started to drift apart from him as she started to make a name for herself.

Earlier that week, her dad had sent her a text, informing her that a big announcement would be made at the gala. Big parties and large crowds weren’t really her thing, but it seemed like she didn’t have the option to avoid this one.

She got ready for the day, walking down to her kitchen to see her bodyguard, Bucky, sitting at the table, reading a book. As soon as he heard her come down the steps, he stood up and put his book away.

“C’mon, we’re already running late,” he mumbled, making his way to the door. Y/N rolled her eyes in response, grabbing a granola bar as she briskly followed behind him.

When her dad became a big name in the world of tech, the last thing Y/N thought she needed was a bodyguard, but her dad felt otherwise. It took one, very close call, of her almost getting mugged for her dad to immediately assign a personal bodyguard for her. She insisted that it was unnecessary, seeing that she was a fully grown adult, but her dad refused, as he was the one paying for Bucky’s salary.

Bucky had always been rather closed off since the beginning, and not much had changed since he was first assigned to her a little over a year ago. He kept their relationship very professional, only speaking when necessary and leaving the room whenever he wasn’t needed. She had tried to get him to open up more, learn about his past, but he always shut her questions down by either ignoring her or changing the topic to discussing something work-related. He was an enigma to her, which only left her wanting to solve the mystery that was James Bucky Barnes but couldn’t seem to crack the code.

Her first two interviews went smoothly, exactly what she was used to. A couple of questions about her current projects at work, some about her dad sprinkled in, and what she had planned for the future. It was a format she was used to and had come to appreciate, not exactly enjoying being the center of attention. During her last interview, however, she was caught off guard by one of the last questions she was asked.

“I know this might be an awkward question to ask, but I just have to! The people want to know: do you think your dad’s ever going to return to the dating pool?”

Y/N choked on her saliva. She knew her dad was an attractive man, seeing posts on social media of people fawning over him. Although she found it to be very weird and uncomfortable, she just brushed it all aside, not wanting to think about it as it only led to her thinking about the loss of her mom, a sore spot for her.

Y/N cleared her throat and forced out a chuckle. “I think that’s a question only he can answer, I don’t always know what’s going on in that crazy head of his.”

The interviewer laughed and proceeded to transition into the next segment. Y/N quickly thanked the interviewer and left, Bucky swiftly following behind. He had a feeling that something was off, as Y/N would typically stay behind to chat with the interviewer, crew members, even the service staff, whenever she finished an interview. It was always something he admired about her, how down to earth she remained, despite all of the privileges she had. She went out of her way to thank everyone on set, no matter how small their role might seem. He always told the drivers to pull the car up a little later than originally planned, just so she would have the extra time to talk.

Y/N pushed the doors open, only to find an empty street. She turned around and gave Bucky a curious look.

“Sorry, the driver just texted me,” he said, as he sent a text to the driver, telling him to come now. “He’s running late.”

Y/N nodded and leaned against the wall, looking down to fiddle with her hands. Bucky leaned against the opposite wall, facing her, his arms crossed over his chest.

“You okay?”

Y/N looked up at Bucky to find a gentle look in his eyes, slightly taken aback at the sight. She always found herself drawn to his piercing blue eyes, but they usually had a colder glint to them. This was a look she’d never seen before.

“Yeah, ‘m fine,” she replied, averting her gaze down as she felt her cheeks flush at the sight of Bucky’s soft gaze.

The car arrived, cutting off Bucky’s train of thought as he was thinking of what to say to her. For a moment he debated on continuing the conversation in the car but figured she already had a long night ahead of her and didn’t want to push any further.

After a quick pit stop back to Y/N’s place, allowing her to change into an evening gown, the car headed to the venue of the gala. Bucky got out of the car before her, walking around to the other side to open her door. Before she stepped out, Y/N took a deep breath in and exhaled, plastering a fake smile on her face as a surge of flashing lights from cameras greeted her. Bucky watched, seeing her seamlessly transform from Y/N, the girl who needed to set a million alarms before actually waking up, to Y/N, tech extraordinaire, one of the most powerful people in the tech world.

Once they were inside the venue, Bucky stuck to his usual routine. Scope out the exits, look for any potential threats, and make sure Y/N was in his eyesight. Bucky kept close by but also kept his distance. He wanted to make sure that he gave her enough space whenever they were out, knowing that having him around was her dad’s idea and that she wasn’t too fond of having security detail in the first place. So he did everything he could to make himself blend in with the crowd, allowing her to roam freely, only following her when she moved out of his line of vision.

Y/N walked around, not knowing a single soul but making polite small talk with the rest of the guests. She became accustomed to knowing how to act at these types of events over the span of her adult life. Food, drinks, more food, home. Crowds made her uneasy, but she always felt calmer when she saw Bucky in her peripheral vision. Y/N would never admit it out loud, but over the last year, he had become a constant source of relief at these public events. Just knowing that he was there if she felt uncomfortable, unsafe, or wanted to leave early made her public outings much more bearable.

“Hey, sweetie! I’m so glad you made it.” Y/N turned around at the sound of her dad’s voice and smiled, moving in to hug him.

“Yeah well, you said you had a big announcement, so I figured I’d stop by,” she joked, eliciting a chuckle from her dad as they pulled away from each other.

“I’m about to make it now,” he started, placing his hands on Y/N’s shoulders. “And I was wondering if you could join me on stage for it? I know that’s not your thing, but it would mean so much to me, Y/N.”

While she absolutely hated the idea of having to stand in front of thousands of people, she reluctantly nodded. Y/N and her dad had slowly grown apart the past several years, only talking a couple times a month to catch up. With both of their busy schedules, they always seemed to miss each other. Despite their growing apart, she would do anything for her dad, especially if it meant so much to him.

Bucky slowly followed behind, as Y/N and her dad walked up to the stage. Y/N glanced behind her to give a slight smile to Bucky, to which he nodded back. He stood backstage, watching them from behind the curtains.

“Hi everyone, thanks so much for coming out tonight,” Y/N’s dad spoke into the mic. She was standing beside him, hands clasped in front of her, trying to look calm and not totally anxious.

“Since the success of my brand, people have said that I am a man who has everything. And I definitely have a lot to be thankful for, my company, my friends, and most importantly, my daughter.” Her dad extended a hand out to point to Y/N and the crowd cheered. Bucky couldn’t help the smile that formed on his lips. Despite his brooding attitude, he had come to grow fond of Y/N, being able to see her for who she truly was. She was smart, witty, and had a heart of gold.

“The only thing I’ve been missing,” her dad looks down at the ground for a second, before looking back out at the crowd. “Is someone to share it all with.” Y/N’s smile faltered and felt her stomach drop. She couldn’t fully register the words coming out of her dad’s mouth.

“After Sarah, my wife had passed, I didn’t think I would be able to love again. Until I met Alyssa.” Y/N was frozen in place upon hearing her dad’s confession. She’d never heard of anyone named Alyssa during any of their catch-up calls and now he was saying he loved her? Y/N quickly turned as a woman walked out on stage. The woman walked over to her dad and he wrapped one of his arms around her waist before speaking.

“Now I feel complete, now I have everything.” He pulled Y/N to him and wrapped his other arm around her shoulders, smiling for the cameras ahead. There were a lot of strategies Y/N had devised over the years to deal with potential unexpected and uncomfortable situations in a composed manner to avoid having a PR nightmare.

She didn’t have one for this.

Tearing herself from her dad’s hold, she ran off stage, heading towards the exit that led to the outside. Y/N took in the fresh air, trying to stop her hyperventilating. It wasn’t working. Her chest felt tight as she began gasping for air, struggling to take in oxygen.

She was having a panic attack. It was nothing she hadn’t experienced before, but it had been so long since she’d had one. The last time she remembered, was at her mom’s funeral.

Her mom. Her dad. Alyssa.

Her thoughts were pushed aside as her vision blurred, her eyes swelling up with tears. Y/N felt like she had no control over her body and shut her eyes, allowing the panic to consume her.

Then, a firm, but gentle, warm feeling in her hands.

Y/N blinked her eyes open to reveal Bucky, standing in front of her. She looked down and saw that it was his hands in hers, holding them tight.

“Can you breathe for me, honey?”

His voice came out in a soft whisper, accompanied by the warmest and welcoming smile. She shook her head, unable to control her quick and rapid breaths. Bucky squeezed her hands a little tighter, rubbing his thumb in small circles on the back of her hand.

“Yes you can, just breathe with me, okay?”

He started to breathe in and out slowly and eventually, she was able to follow his lead, deciding to focus on his eyes. There was that look from before the ride to the gala, the gentle look in his eyes. She’d always felt that his blue eyes reminded her of stormy seas, but now, now they made her think of the calmness of the ocean in the early morning, waves crashing softly on the shores.

As she regained her composure, she realized she’d been staring into Bucky’s eyes for, probably, far too long. Bucky felt her tight grip on his hands loosen and reluctantly let go of her hands. He immediately missed the softness of her hands and how small they were in comparison to his much larger, calloused, hands.

“T- Thank you,” she stuttered out, her gaze locked on the ground, as she placed her hands to her sides.

“It’s no problem. I get them too,” he replied. She looked up at him as he clarified. “Panic attacks. PTSD from serving overseas.”

Y/N face drops, her stomach churning at the thought that Bucky had ever experienced panic like she had. She returned her gaze to the ground as a silence washed over them.

“He didn’t tell me about her,” she spoke in a quiet voice. “Never brought her up once. But I guess she must be pretty special for him to do all of this.”

Bucky stood a couple steps in front of her, seeing teardrops fall from her face. She lifted her head up to wipe away her tears, her hands shaking from anxiety. Y/N placed her hands on her face and started to sob.

She was slightly hurt by the idea of her dad loving any other woman than her mom but knew that he’d have to move on eventually. What hurt her the most was the fact that he didn’t tell her, not until they were on stage, standing before a crowd of people. It was too much for her to handle and she reached her breaking point.

Bucky’s heart dropped at the sight. He cautiously stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her tightly. Something his PTSD had taught him was how pressure from a hug could help relax the nervous system and calm him down. He held her firmly in his arms until he felt her breathing slow. She looked up at him, remaining in his embrace, her eyes glassy from crying, nose red and sniffly. Bucky felt his heart skip a beat and immediately pushed the thought away.

“You wanna leave, honey?”

She nodded in response, staying in his arms for just a second longer before pulling away. Y/N longed for his warm touch, feeling like a child who had their security blanket taken away. It didn’t help that it was also cold outside, sending a chill down her spine.

Bucky noticed and shrugged his suit jacket off to wrap around her shoulders. She beamed a smile at him and he smiled back.

The pair walked around the outside of the venue to find the car when they ran into a mob of paparazzi, shouting questions at Y/N about her sudden exit. Like a reflex, she grabbed hold of Bucky’s hand and he gave her a comforting squeeze as he cleared a path towards the car.

Bucky and Y/N were sat next to each other in the car, which was not the typical seating arrangement they usually had, usually sitting on opposite ends of the car. But Y/N hadn’t let go of his hand, not quite ready to separate herself from his warmth. Bucky had absolutely no problem with that, mindlessly rubbing his thumb against the back of her hand. She felt safe. She always felt safe with Bucky around.

Y/N felt her eyelids become heavy, struggling to keep them open. She was exhausted from her long day, and her panic attack had taken most of her energy away.

Bucky felt a weight on his shoulder and turned his head slightly to see Y/N’s head resting there. He felt a warmth rush to his cheeks and smiled, resting his head on top of hers.

“Thank you for tonight, Bucky,” she mumbled, keeping her eyes closed. “You always make me feel so safe.”

Bucky felt a surge of tenderness rush through him. That was all he ever wanted to do. He wanted to keep her safe. He kissed her forehead, causing her to snuggle closer to him.

“Of course, honey. I’m here, always.”

[multimetaverse]

HSMTMTS 2x08 Review

Most Likely To was the best ep of S2 so far and ended one ship while launching another. Let’s dig in!

Gaston was super fun, a very nice showcase for both Larry and Matt. This is the kind of energy that early S2 was lacking. Also feels like the first ep where East High might actually have a shot at beating North High. Covid restrictions played a role but we really needed to see more rehearsal scenes and scenes of the wildcats just being theatre kids. This also may be one of the last times we see EJ perform as a student in the musical so I’m glad we got this.  

EJ has been criminally underused for most of S2, he’s marketed as part of the big 4 along with Nini, Ricky, and Gina and Matt Cornett’s name is listed 3rd in the credits but in the early eps of S2 you’d think he was guest star. Lately he’s started to become more important and tonight was an excellent showcase of why he’s such an interesting character. I’m not gonna check but this feels like it’s the most EJ screen time in a single ep that we’ve gotten all season long. 

Of course, the main reason for EJ’s increased screen time is because of Portwell. I’ve been neutral on them but tonight they really won me over’ their scenes were so sweet that they warmed even my cold black heart. Matt and Sofia are good friends irl and that shines through in their easy rapport and great chemistry. Gina snorting at EJ’s joke was cute and I loved the shot of Gina accidentally walking into the shot for EJ’s confessional. As an aside, they’ve been doing some fun stuff with the confessionals lately which helps add a bit of the metaness that helped make S1 so great.

The real big Portwell scene tonight was EJ and Gina talking on the couch at Ashlyn’s. Lot’s to love there. Gina’s speech to EJ about what she sees when she thinks of him was sweet and her saying that EJ tried to do the right thing and often failed but kept trying echoes what she said of herself during her confession to Ricky. Also when EJ asked Gina if she understood the feeling of having her life mapped out she replied, ‘’not really’’ which is almost certainly the inspiration for Gina asking a question to EJ and him responding ‘’not really’’ in their pre S2 face time call on the hsmtmts instagram. 

EJ is still wracked with guilt for the guy he used to be but Gina reminds him that he’s grown and is a good guy which leads to her slip up about her seeing him that way vs the rest of the gang hinting that she’s beginning to catch feelings for EJ. Which leads to EJ complimenting her and them having a moment that could well have led to a kiss if Ashlyn hadn’t come home. And they cap it off with Gina falling asleep and EJ covering her with his Duke sweater. 

It’s been nice not seeing Gina upset over Ricky these past two eps and it’s a damning indictment of the poor writing and pacing of S2 that her story in the first 6 eps can be summed up as Gina being upset over something Ricky said or did. Not only has Portwell allowed EJ to rise in prominence but also it’s allowed Gina to escape the rut her character was stuck in pining for Ricky. 

I hope after S2 is over that we get an interview where Tim explains how the Portwell plot came to be. The S1 finale set up some possible interest between them as did the pre S2 face time call but nothing came of it during the first 4 eps, they stood next to each other a lot but barely interacted otherwise. Notably in 2x01, which Tim himself wrote, EJ tries to grow a beard and tells Ashlyn that he says her as so young which is extremely jarring now that we know that EJ is crushing on Gina who is Ashlyn’s age. 

Was Tim not set on doing Portwell until he realized he needed to give Gina something else to do other than hopelessly pine for Ricky? Narratively, it made sense after Rini got together in S1 to put the other two Big 4 characters together in S2 but did Tim not want it to seem so obvious to the audience so he deliberately kept Portwell apart until 2x05 where EJ’s feelings make for a nice plot twist? Was he just reluctant to plug EJ back into the love square due to how much more complicated it would make things but later felt he had no other options? Or was it just plain old bad pacing and writing?

Of course, I wish that there wasn’t such a large age gap between Sofia and Matt but there are no Gina ships that avoid that problem, there’s also an age gap between Sofia and Joshua, just as there was between Olivia and Joshua and Matt in S1. Depending on when they film S3 there’s a good chance that most of it will be finished before Sofia even turns 18 which is deeply unfortunate. There’s a broader issue of teen girls being cast in mostly age appropriate roles while their male love interests are older adults and in particular it often affects female characters of colour. Netflix has a really bad track record with those kind of age gaps but Disney has problems too as we’ve seen on HSMTMTS and on GMW where by the end of S3 they had 18 year old Peyton Meyer as the boyfriend of 14 year old Rowan Blanchard’s character (not to mention canon Joshaya which didn’t have such a bad age gap between the actors but was problematic regarding the ages of the characters themselves).

A knock I’ve seen on Portwell is that EJ is just gonna leave for university next year but that was never gonna happen, Matt’s under the same 4 season contract as all the other mains and he’ll be sticking around in some capacity much like Sharpay ended up doing in the movies. It is true that EJ will probably have to move on at the end of S4 while Gina still has her senior year left but that will also happen with her and Ricky since he’ll be graduating at the end of S4. It was a big mistake to make EJ a senior but it also may end up being a big mistake to make Gina a sophomore. It would have been too messy to retcon EJ to be a junior but Tim probably should have taken the chance to retcon Gina into being a junior in S2.

That Rini breakup was so sad (missed opportunity for gotta go my own way). They managed to get in a Troyella reference with the treehouse. This was inevitable they just have not been communicating well though now that we know that Ricky thought Nini left YAC for him some of his desperation to spend as much time together as possible makes more sense. I think Rini is endgame if the series has 4 seasons but it wouldn't shock me if we never seem them dating again and they only get back together in the series finale. It also wouldn’t surprise me if Nini never dates anyone else for the remainder of the series or at least not seriously. 

We’re not even halfway through the series so it’s way too early to permanently slam the door on Rini though this time apart will probably help Joshua and Olivia move on from their own bitter break up before it bleeds too much into their performances. I do wonder if Tim really has a clue what he's gonna do with them for the remaining 24-28 eps of the series, assuming S3 and S4 have 10-12 eps each. 

Roman Banks killed If I Can’t Love Her and the montage of all the couples or ex couples was great.

It was nice to finally meets some parents other than the Bowen’s and Salazar-Roberts’. Kourtney’s mom was played by Dara’s actual mother and their dynamic was great as expected. It seems from their conversation that Kourtney's father is dead which I don’t believe has been mentioned before. Cash Caswell.... well it gets what the character is about across. He really looks and sounds like a rich Utah republican, I bet he knows Mitt Romney personally. I liked EJ going to tell his father that he’s not going to Duke and recognizing that he wants to build his own life on his own merits. 

We saw a bit of that S1 Miss Jenn energy tonight which was fun though I didn't like how curt she was with Seb nor did I like how rude Carlos was to Seb although we know that blows up in 2x10. 

Jazzara rising! I really liked how Jazzara and Portwell are sort of mirroring each other and since Mazzara knows about EJ’s feelings for Gina it wouldn’t shock me if helping EJ out is part of him showing a softer side in 2x12.

Of course Ashlyn is VP of the Nostradamus society. It's clear her family has some kooky new age beliefs (her parents are probably members of some naturopathic medicine group on Facebook that doubles as a gateway into Qanon)

It was nice to see Big Red being such a good friend to Ricky and the return of Ricky’s infamous pillow hugs. Lmao at Ashlyn just chilling while Big Red is comforting Ricky

Also Miss Jenn saying sexy and Big Red referring to pillow talk, the writers are adding a bit of spice when cooking up these scripts.

Looking Ahead: 

Looks like Gina may be wearing EJ's duke sweater next ep according to some posts I saw. Jack presumably is there to somehow help Gina decide what she wants with Ricky and EJ though him having wanderlust might also feed into Gina’s thoughts on settling down in SLC or moving with her mom around the country.

Let's see what mom of the year, Lynne Bowen, has up her sleeves. Ricky’s bedroom at her place in Chicago looks much nicer than the apartment Mike Bowen has so perhaps she makes a lot more money than he does. 

Not looking forward to the Zoom portions of the ep but I guess it was inevitable. 

There’s only two paths for Gina’s story to go in the remainder of this season; either she decides to move on from Ricky and give EJ a chance or she decides that Ricky is worth trying again and squelches her budding feelings for EJ. The former looks much more likely after tonight’s ep but either way it needs to be handled with care. Inevitably Gina and Ricky need to talk about what happened between them but if Tim really wants Ricky to continue being a viable love interest or even a good friend to Gina then he needs to really have Ricky apologize and show a thoughtful, kinder side of him that’s largely been missing this season. 

What I think Tim is doing is setting up Portwell getting together in 2x12 but Ricky pining over Gina until Portwell break up late S3 and Rina get together in the S3 finale before they break up later in S4 and Ricky gets back with Nini near the end of the series. If I had Tim’s ear I would tell him that he should pick which ship he wants to do, Rina or Portwell, but don’t do both. He wants canon Rina? Great then end Portwell before it starts and have Rina happen in S3 and introduce other obstacles to them getting together rather than having to damage EJ’s character and make him lose another girl he likes to Ricky. He wants canon Portwell? Great then have Gina and Ricky’s conversation be closure for the both of them and have Gina and EJ get together and break them up without Ricky being a cause of it or waiting in the wings to get with Gina soon afterwards. Doing both will be a disaster and I truly hope that Tim Federle carefully thinks over his mistakes in S2 and really plans out the remaining 2 seasons of the series while there’s still time to prevent things from going really off the rails like GMW and AM did thanks to the bad decisions of Michael Jacobs and Terri Minsky. 

Until next week wildcats. 

[littledreamybeth]

First date

Okay, this imagine is not only the longest that I’ve written but also the one I’ve spent hours with. 4 hours I needed for it but I’m honestly proud of this work. Hopefully, you guys will like it too. Please give me some feedback, I really appreciate evry opinon. Sorry for typos and grammar mistakes. Enjoy my lovelies! Btw, Harry looks like the picture above in the story! (Both pics are not mine!)

“How are you feeling, babe?” (Y/N)’s best friend asked her as (Y/N) was observing herself in front of the mirror for the last time. To say that she was nervous was an understatement, she was hell terrified of the upcoming night even though there was no reason to be. Deep down she knew everything would go just fine and she had not have to be worried about it at all. But still, her legs were so shaky that (Y/N) felt like they would give up steadying her when she even dared to walk. And not to mention her heart. Her heart beat increased faster, threatening to rip off her chest in two the more she thought about the date she would have in an hour. She took a deep breath to calm down her nerves, to get rid off of the uncertainty that was consuming her. Breathe in, breathe out. Relax. She reminded herself nonstop. How bad could it be? It was just a date.

Yes, it was just a date but which girl would not freak out if she was asked for a date by the one and only Harry Styles?

She was still perplexed if she was being honest. How come that someone like Harry wanted to date somebody like her?

(Y/N) turned around and a pout appeared on her lips as she looked at the black dress that adorned her body. She wore it only on certain occasions or when it came to important events that she had to attend. She was never the type of girl who liked to be overdressed to be fancied by a man. No, she always stuck to natural beauty, preferring a less amount of makeup on her face even though her job was contrary to what she usually held on to. She was a makeup artist, working alongside Lou Teasdale, a very close friend of Harry’s. That’s how she met him.

Lou once took her on a  gathering where her famous friends met each other, among them were people like Nick Grimshaw or Lottie Tomlinson. (Y/N) was quite honored to meet each one of them, but when she was face to face with Harry Styles it honestly felt like she achieved at least something in her life. Okay, that was definitely an exaggeration but it really gave her that feeling. She was a fan of him you can say.

“Do you think I look slutty?” (Y/N) questioned her friend. Her ass was sticking out obviously too much for her liking and matter how much her friend tried to convince her that she looked fine and sexy as fuck, she couldn’t stop doubting it.

“Slutty? Are you kidding me? You don’teven wear something that makes you look like a slut. Geeze, you look more like a nun if you ask me.”

(Y/N) threw her pillow at her friend who had a cheeky grin on her lips.

“Not funny,” she mumbled, turning around to face her reflection and adjusted her dress.

“Relax, it was just a joke, girl. Calm down. You look really good and Harry will definitely fall down on his knees because he’ll be so overwhelmed by your amazing beauty. Hell, if I was gay I would totally want to date you. I mean those boobs and this ass-wow! ”

(Y/N) rolled her eyes at her, shaking her head. ”I don’t feel like I’m okay. Maybe I should call off?”

“No way this is happening!” Her friend called outraged, standing up from the bed she was sitting on the whole time and placing herself behind (Y/N).  With laying her hands on her shoulders she continued speaking. “You’re going to on that date and you’re going to have so much fun, okay? Babes, I totally know how you’re feeling and I understand. If Harry Styles asked me out I would have probably burned down an entire city out of happiness but I promise it’s going to the best date that you’ve ever had. And the sex you will have afterwards will be mind-blowing, I’m sure.”

“I’m not going there to get laid and don’t plan on doing it,” (Y/N) replied, an annoyed tone underlined her statement.

“But you can’t deny that you haven’t wasted a thought on it.” 

Both girls laughed because it was indeed a true fact and (Y/N) reminded herself of why she loved her so dearly. (Y/F/N) always did everything to cheer her up, to put a smile on her face. In her hardest times she was there for (Y/N), wiped off her tears ,never left her side for once and supported her countless of times. (Y/F/B) was more like a sister to her. A sister she never had. They were so close and a lot of experiences and memories bonded them to each other.

“Come on, let’s finish getting you ready,” (Y/F/N) suggested and led her to the dressing table where she made (Y/N)’s hair and makeup.

***

Meanwhile, somewhere in London in a fancy and quite expensive penthouse, a young man went back and forth to check up if everything was prepared and was going well as he planned. Harry spent hours in his kitchen to prepare a delicious meal for his date and he was quite proud of himself. Hopefully, (Y/N) would like it.

He took a look at the dining table which he decorated with two plates, forks, knives and wine glasses a few minutes prior. He also made sure to scatter some rose petals on the table and he even lightened two red candles. With the soft music playing in the background, a very romantic atmosphere was created, exactly how Harry wanted it. Normally, he was not a romantic guy in his opinion but the sight in front of him proved that he could be if he gave a little bit of effort.

Checking up the time, which told him that he had no longer than fifteen minutes, Harry hurried to the kitchen and took the dessert he made out of the fridge. Mousse-au-chocolat with raspberries on top.

He placed it on the dining table and voila, the evening could begin. He immediately ran to the bathroom to check up himself. Running his hands through his messy hair, he tried to fix them so at least it looked like something. With spraying a few splashes of his favorite cologne before, he brushed his teeth afterwards.

Harry couldn’t remember when it was the last time he had been so excited for a date. With his busy schedule in the past, the touring, the interviews and songwriting in the past, he never had the time to get to know somebody or ask them out. His busy lifestyle never allowed him to find somebody that he liked very much and to date her. Even though he talked to (Y/N) only a few times when Lou brought her to the gatherings, he knew she was something special. The first moment he laid his eyes on her he just wanted to make sure that no one except for him could make a move on her. He wanted to make her his. He would love to call her his girlfriend sometime, to introduce her to his family and friends. Yet he was afraid of how the media and the fans would react if they ever found out but at the end they had to live with the fact.

“You already think like she was yours,” he mumbled to himself, fixing his white shirt, wrinkling its sleeves up to his elbows.

He was wondering how the night would end. Before he dared to ask her out for a date, he’d been a nervous wreck. He was scared she would turn him down. But as a ‘yes’ escaped her beautiful lips, Harry was so relieved he could have jumped out of happiness. However in front of her colleagues, he thought it was a good idea to not doing it. He felt like he had already embarrassed her in front of them.

At point 8 PM, Harry perceived a knock on his door and he breathed in and out deeply as he went to open it.

(Y/N) who was standing behind the door patiently, tried to stay calm. All the way long to Harry’s she reassured herself that everything was going to be just fine and she would enjoy the night with him. Her hands became slightly sweaty as she heard footsteps reaching the door.

“Here we go,” she mumbled under her breath. She put on a smile on her lips as the door was finally opened.

But her smile slightly faded as she faced him. Her heart stopped its beating and she felt a huge amount of warmth spreading through her whole body. She was out of words. He looked absolutely handsome. Beautiful. Angelic.

He wore a white shirt and she could see the outlines of his tattoos underneath. His legs were adorned by tight black jeans and black boots covered his feet.

But she wasn’t the only one who was speechless and knocked out of breath. Harry, Harry was totally mesmerized by her, blinded by her beauty. He could have indeed fallen on his knees in front of her, just like (Y/F/N) predicted. Her normally straight hair was curled and that black dressed fitted to her body perfectly. She was absolutely breath-taking.

The two of them stared into each other’s eyes for a while before (Y/N) could regain herself and made the first move.

“Hello Harry,” she smiled at him with slight red cheeks. His gaze on her was warm but she still felt uncomfortable.

“(Y/N)…” he only breathed out. He knew he made a fool himself right now by staring at her instead of inviting her in but who could blame him? “You look- (Y/N), you’re- wow.” 

That was it. Just wow. Gorgeous. Astonishing.

“Thanks,” (Y/N) replied sheepishly. “You look handsome yourself. May I come in?”

“Of course,” Harry stepped aside so she had full access to enter his fancy penthouse.

“Can I take your jacket?” he asked her, helping her out of it like the gentleman that he is.

(Y/N) thanked him for his kindness and Harry led her to the living room. Her eyes widened as she entered the room. Everything looked so elegant and just like Harry but it seemed hella expensive. Even the furniture. (Y/N) didn’t want to know how much he probably had spent for the couch she was sitting on.

“Do you want something to drink?” Harry inquired. “Water, wine, juice?”

“Thanks, I’m fine,” (Y/N) responded.

“How was the ride?”

“It was okay,” she offered him another smile. “I just had some difficulties with finding the address. But I’m glad I made it on time.”

“I’m sorry about that,” Harry said, returning the smile (Y/N) gave him. So beautiful, he thought.

“No need to apologize. I’m here now.”

They had a small conversation of how they had been in the past weeks and what they had been doing before Harry invited her to the dining room. (Y/N)’s eyes went wide open as she saw the beautiful decorated dining table. Just like how she imagined it to be.

“Harry…” she spoke, touched by his effort. “You really didn’t have to do that. I would have been fine with take outs as well.”

“You’re worth more than just take outs, (Y/N),” he said, pushing her chair back slight so she could take a place. “And you’re a terrible lair.”

“I’m not-“

“Do you want some wine?” Harry cut her off, pointing to a bottle of red wine in his hand.

“Sure, I would love to.”

 He tilted the bottle carefully and poured some wine in her glass. They clinked their glasses and took a gulp of it.

Placing her glass next to her plate, (Y/N) glanced at the meal in front of her. Harry had prepared pesto pasta with grilled chicken and it looked so alluringly delicious to her. She probably could never prepare such a meal. She was quite clumsy when it came to cooking. She admired his cooking skills. Maybe he could teach her how to cook sometime.

“You can start if you want to,” Harry offered, and (Y/N) obeyed, taking a small bite from her plate. Harry observed her features intensely as she chew the food in her mouth. He was insecure how she would find it. With the look on her face he could neither tell that she liked or that she hated it.

But (Y/N) didn’t mean to make him feel that way. She only needed time to enjoy the food she was tasting. And it tasted heavenly.

“Not bad, Styles,” She commented with her thumps up and Harry let out a relieved breath. “I’m impressed.”

“May I say something?”

“Sure.”

“You almost gave me a heart attack,” Harry laughed. “I thought I did bad.”

“Oh no…I’m sorry. It tastes really delicious.” (Y/N) blushed. “I never ate something cooked by a male, and it is very admirable how you managed it.”

“Thank you,” Harry responded. At the same time he felt honored and proud of himself because he was the first man in (Y/N)’s life who cooked for her.

While eating, they talked about different stuff. Harry was very interested in her life which he showed by asking her numerous of questions. He got to know her family and friends, the people she grew up with and the ones who made her the person she was today. Harry watched her in awe as she passionately spoke about her job and stuff that she liked because he loved the shine that formed in her eyes. Inwardly he really hoped that one day he would be also the cause of this shine in those mesmerizing orbs of hers.

When he was talking (Y/N) could not stop but to be focused on his lips. She had never expected that words could sound so beautiful when they came out of his mouth. His voice was so indescribably amazing and soothing, she could have listened to him all day without any interruptions. The most important thing was that he was talking. The way he pronounced a word, the way his British accent would underline them, it was to melt away. But the way he spoke out her name was even more beautiful. Whenever he used to say her name, a shiver would run down her spine, giving her chills in her whole body. He had lips of an angel. (Y/N) wondered how they would feel on hers, how it would feel to kiss an angel.

She woke out of her trance as Harry looked at her worriedly.

“Excuse me?”

“I just asked if you wanted a bit more of the pasta.”

She shook her head smilingly. “Thanks but I’m quite full. It was really delicious, Harry. Great job! I would love to eat more of your cooking sometime.”

“I’d be honored. Would you like to eat the dessert on the balcony?”

 He pointed at the area behind him. (Y/N) agreed with a nod but before that she made sure to help him putting the dishes into the sink in the kitchen. Harry appreciated her help but told her that she had not to do it. She shrugged her shoulders, telling him it was fine for her. After the table was tidied up, Harry took the cups with mousse-au-chocolat while (Y/N) took the wine glasses and the wine bottle and the two of them entered the balcony.

Even though it was already in the evening, the weather was still warm enough. Harry had an area with a tiny table and lounger. They had a perfect view on the city and (Y/N) held onto the railing while admiring the view in front of her. The moon and the stars emphasized it wonderfully.

Harry joined her but instead of looking at the same direction as (Y/N) he rather looked at her because she was the one and only beauty there. He had no idea if he was ever able to avert his eyes away from her, she was so captivating. She smiled and had her eyes closed, just listening to the noises from London’s streets. The wind was slightly blowing into her face, moving the curly strands of hair. Harry had the urge to touch them because he knew they’d be soft on his fingers.

(Y/N) caught him staring at her, a blush crept its way on her cheeks.

“You look beautiful when you blush,” Harry admitted.

“Thank you,” (Y/N) uttered. She wondered how many times she had thanked him the night. Probably a thousand times. Suddenly, she felt his fingers between hers and the warmth of his hands overwhelming hers.

“I really enjoyed our date, (Y/N),” he admitted. “I would love to take you on a date again. Only if you want to of course.”

She nodded her head in agreement. “Yes, that sounds like a very good idea.”

 She knew she couldn’t let him go out of her life anymore. He had intrigued her in so many ways tonight, the thought of leaving him alone seemed impossible in her mind. All she wanted to do was to keep him till the end. This date shouldn’t be the one and only they had. She wanted more. And she was willing to do everything to get it. To get him.

Harry entwined one hand out of hers to shove back one strand of hair behind her ear. One simple touch but enough to make hear heart beating wildly in her chest.

“I really want to kiss you,” he whispered with a smile.

“I don’t usually kiss on the first date,” (Y/N) said, causing his smile to drop slightly, “but I think I can make an exception.”

With that, Harry put her face softly between his hands and gave a dimpled smile before he leaned forward to capture his lips with hers. (Y/N) felt like she was flying and thousand, no millions of butterflies erupted in her stomach. Harry kissed her so gently, so soft that her she thought her heart would explode out of happiness.

When they pulled away, they smiled at each other and Harry caught the glimpse of passion in her eyes that he craved to see.

“(Y/N), I don’t know about you but I have feelings for you and they’re deep. I have feelings for you ever since I saw you. And if you give me a chance, I would love to show you how much I care about you. Being your boyfriend is all I want.”

(Y/N) smiled at his confession but she had to admit that she was very shocked about his honest words. This time, she was the one who bent forward to bring their lips to a kiss again.

“I give you a chance, Harry,” she said.

She wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning her head against his chest where she could perceive his constant heart beat. Harry slung his arms around her body in order to keep her safe and secure. They stood there like this for a while and gazed at the city together.

It was the best first date that they’d ever had.

[the-kings-tail-fin]

Short fic on Cal and Chick's first time meeting one another? How would that go?

The blueberry child had a lot of words to say to the angry green shoe box. But was he going to say them?

“Bobby, I swear if he starts trash talking while we’re in there, I’m gonna -” Cal was angrily waiting outside the studio door with his friend.

“Cal, chill out.” Bobby cut him off and tried to calm him down. “We’re not here to settle scores. We’re literally just here to be on the talk show because it’s in our contracts.”

“Of all the talk shows, why does it have to be his?” Cal asked. “We could have went and talked to Jay Limo, Mel Dorado, or anyone else but Chick. Why?”

“Probably because it’s RSN sponsored.” Bobby shrugged. “Listen man, the whole world hates him for what he did to your uncle, but you gotta at least put on a face like you’re past that. I doubt he’s gonna bring it up. It ruined his career.”

Cal fumed. Ever since the day he saw Chick push Strip off the track he’d had a list of grievances he’d wanted to air to the world. Strip had told him time and time again that it wasn’t anything to hold a grudge against, but Cal was having a hard time accepting that. He wanted Chick to feel guilt for his actions, but he knew that was akin to asking for the moon. His uncle had explained to him that people like Chick will always do what they want and what’s in their best interest, and there’s nothing anyone else can do. The only way to combat that was to pay no attention to it and rise above it.

A forklift came out of the studio doors to greet Bobby and Cal. He checked a few things off his clipboard and told them the cameras were rolling. They were expected to enter when he gave the signal. The two racers could hear Chick’s voice through the doors, giving his opening spiel about how great he was. Bobby rolled his eyes and Cal sighed, putting on an fake face of indifference.

The forklift moved aside and gestured into the studio, allowing Bobby and Cal passage. Bobby went first, followed by Cal, fake enthusiasm radiating throughout the room. 

“And now I’d like to welcome the guests of tonight, Bobby Swift and Cal Weathers!” Chick proclaimed to the camera as they drove up onto the stage next to him.

Bobby and Cal put on very convincing smiles and tried to act like they enjoyed the attention. In reality, Bobby was just plain annoyed and Cal was fighting back the urge to go over there and knock the sense out of the host.

“So, a couple of new rookies, taking the track by storm, eh?” Chick started doing what he did best - talking. “I hear you’re givin’ ol’ McQueen a run for his money! About time, if you ask me. How do you do it?”

“Now if we told you, it wouldn’t be as effective, now would it?” Bobby jumped in first. “Really the key is that we respect each other. We’re all equals out there on the track.”

“Yeah, it’s really all the friendly competition out there that drives us to be better racers.” Cal tacked on, liking where Bobby was taking the conversation. “It gives us a little more drive to best each other.”

“I see.” Chick said, realizing they’d taken the question in the complete opposite direction he’d wanted. He changed the subject, looking over at the script someone was holding up behind the camera. “So Bobby, word is you climbed your way up from the bottom to get into the Piston Cup series. Is there anything you’d like to tell us about how you managed that? How you became one of the biggest names nearly overnight with five wins so far this season?”

“Sure, Chick.” Bobby took the spotlight and turned it to himself. “I think the most important thing to keep in mind for anyone out there that dreams of becoming a racer is that you need three things: determination, humility, and respect for the sport. You gotta be persistent in training and take all the chances you’re offered, else you’re never gonna climb the ladder. You also need to remember your roots and not let the fame or attention get to you, else you lose sight of what you’re there for. Finally, realize that while racing is a thrilling and competitive sport, it can also be very dangerous, so to be a part of the community requires a lot of respect for your follow racers and the track facilities.”

Chick realized he was not going to get any trash talk out of this guy, to his disappointment. Had they planned this beforehand? They knew how he used to race, and they were very blatantly telling the world to do exactly what he hadn’t. Well, if they weren’t going to give him the drama he wanted, he’d have to create it himself.

“Excellent advice, Bobby.” Chick said begrudgingly to please the audience. “Now, moving along… Cal Weathers, Dinoco’s new star. How does it feel to be signed on with the biggest name in Piston Cup sponsorship?”

“It’s the greatest feeling in the world, Chick.” Cal jumped at the opportunity to subtly rub it in that he’d got the sponsorship instead of the disgruntled host. “You have no idea just how great the team is. Working with them feels like hanging out with family at this point. They’ve been nothing but supportive in getting me ready to be at my best.”

Chick’s eye twitched a bit at the response, as he was still angry at Tex for refusing to sign him on. That had been the deal, and then they’d gone and given the sponsorship to Cal instead, only after first offering it to McQueen, he later found out.

“Speaking of family, Cal.” Chick continued on. “You’ve got a mighty big place to fill. Do you think you’ll fulfill the expectations?”

Oh, I see what you’re doing. Cal thought, as he smiled slyly. “It’s no secret that they want me to do my absolute best, and they’re doing everything they can to help. My uncle’s been the best crew chief I could ask for. He’s got more experience to pass on to me than anyone else in Piston Cup history. I don’t think we’ll ever see another racer as good as he was, or one with as many wins, and I don’t expect to top that. They’re not asking me to be him. Dinoco’s asking me to be the best me I can be, and at seven wins so far this season, I’d say I’m doing fine.”

Bobby and Cal shared a glance and a smile. They knew they were getting to Chick. He wasn’t being as snappy with the comebacks as he normally would be. He wasn’t used to dealing with celebrities that didn’t exaggerate or brag all the time, and as such, he couldn’t use their words against them to create a more “engaging” or dramatic interview.

“Sounds like a great team, Cal.” Chick said through his teeth before turning back to the camera. “How about some recaps of the season so far? Let’s put the videos up here on the screen and take a look.”

They played several clips from races with close finishes and discussed them. Chick was scouring the clips for something he could use against them, but couldn’t come up with anything. Cal and Bobby ended up stealing the show and joking about all the fun they’d had so far. Chick sat in an awkward, third-wheel-like position for the remainder of the ten minute segment, just trying to get a word in edgewise.

Finally the cameraman signaled that they only had thirty seconds left. Chick was eager to be done. He jumped in and cut the other two off mid jaunt about a prank they’d pulled on Lightning a few weeks ago.

“Well, it looks like that’s all the time we have for tonight. Everyone, let’s give it up for Bobby and Cal, will you? Thanks for comin’ on tonight, boys.” Chick hurriedly dismissed them, making no attempt to hide the fact he just wanted them gone.

Cal and Bobby didn’t even say goodbye, they just drove back off the stage and out of the studio before anyone could stop them. Chick watched them go and realized two fundamental truths. He would never be able to spark any dramatic conversation with Bobby, as the kid was too laid back to fall for his tricks. He would also never be able to insult Cal or his family without severe backlash from the media. The world already blamed him for the King’s accident, which ended up ending his own career. Because of that, he’d never attempt to start drama with Cal for fear of losing his place on the show - the only thing he had left. His career had already been ruined, he wasn’t about to lose this as well.

Outside, Bobby and Cal found their way out of the building. Bobby looked over at his friend and found him smiling, a rapid departure from how he’d been before the appearance on the show.

“What’s with you, man?” Bobby asked.

“Dude, we did nothing but roast him the entire time. He didn’t know what to do.” Cal answered. “You really helped me out a lot, Bobby. I owe you one.”

“Eh, anything for a buddy.” Bobby waved it off. “You won’t ever find me passing up an opportunity to call him out like that. I’m just glad you didn’t try anything on your own.”

“Oh, don’t get me wrong, I still wanna drag him through the dirt for everything he’s done.” Cal explained. “But this will do. He’s gonna be his own downfall.”

The two bumped their front tires in a celebratory gesture, and drove over to their trailers to begin their journey to the next race.

[cooperjones2020]

Second City, chp. 5

Summary: Sometimes she worries she’s settling — for a smaller job, a smaller city, a smaller life than she’d promised herself — but that was before she found out Jughead Jones lives in Chicago. That was before she found out the final secret of Jason Blossom’s murder.

A/N: Apparently I’m obsessed with writing about forms of transportation. *shrugs*

ao3–>http://archiveofourown.org/works/11409360/chapters/25851957

Second City one / two / three / four

Nobodies Nobody Knows one / two (ao3)

In which Betty Cooper remembers

On Wednesday, they drink tequila. On Thursday, Mary calls to invite her to their weekly Friday night family dinner with Jughead. The timing makes her suspect he may have had something to do with the invitation. She wonders if they’re becoming friends.

By Friday afternoon, she’s finished transposing the interview and has begun making notes for the story. Currently, she’s switching back and forth between the printed-out transcript, covered in colorful scribbles of half-lines and sentences that came to her that morning on the L, and the word document where’s she’s attempting to put those half-lines and sentences into some sort of order that will open the piece.

She waffles over including the line, “FP Jones is the kind of man who spends his first advance—the first significant amount of money he’s ever had in his life—on a house for his dad and his little sister.”

It’s a great line. It sheds light on his background and his character. It’s relevant to the continuously floated questions on the blurred boundary between fact and fiction in Jughead’s work. It’s a line she, and maybe only she, can walk, having lived through the murder and its aftermath with him. But it’s a line on which she treads lightly. She has no interest in exposing them. She’s already begun the mental math of figuring out just how little of herself she can keep in the piece while maintaining the integrity of the pitch.

Betty deletes the sentence.

She may have a duty as a journalist but she also has a duty to the sacred weight of the shared history they carry. It is not a secret that is hers to tell. It may have been said in the course of business meeting—thereby formally on the record—but Jughead had been so earnest and vulnerable in that moment, she wants to keep it to herself, to hoard it like the piece of gold that it is.

Then she leaves work early, telling herself it’s so she can beat rush hour on the red line. But still, she stops at the French Market and picks up a tiramisu to contribute to dinner and then swings by home to trade her grubby pencil skirt and blazer for a light linen dress.

When she arrives that evening, she spends the first few minutes alone with Mary in the kitchen, catching up. After they’ve run through the past few weeks of Betty’s life, with the brief pitstop on the surreality that was Wednesday, Mary’s eyes flick down to Betty’s left hand and back up to her face.

“No regrets thus far?”

“No regrets.”

Then, she puts a glass of wine in Betty’s hand and shoos her into the living room, where Jughead is FaceTiming with Archie.

“Betty!” Archie extends the ‘y’ in her name into an ‘ay’ sound—a sign he’s either drunk or happy to see her. Tonight, she’s pretty sure it’s the latter.

“Hey Arch!”

He is notoriously bad at responding to texts and emails, and his schedule is so different from hers that they’ve only FaceTimed once since her move.

In order to fit both her and Jughead’s faces on the iPad screen, they are pressed together on Mary’s two-seater couch. He balances his arm on one knee so the camera is more angled toward her, so she and Archie can catch up. The other stretches along the cushion behind her. She is hyper aware of the long muscles of his thigh, where they bunch and release, pressed against her own. But then Archie says something that is so very typically Archie, and Jughead catches her eye and smiles, and it feels like an inside joke.  The years melt away. They are twelve and sitting in a treehouse in the Andrews’s background. Archie reads comic books. Betty and Jughead read To Kill a Mockingbird.

Eventually, Veronica pops into the screen over Archie’s shoulder and joins the conversation. Betty’s glad to see her. They’ve been talking since last fall too, tentatively rebuilding the promising friendship they’d once had.

“Jughead, Archie, go away. I need to talk to Betty.” Jughead rolls his eyes but complies, handing her the iPad before he slips away.

“What’s up, Veronica?”

“B, please tell me you’re tapping that.” Betty nearly drops the iPad. She can see Jughead through the front window, knows he’s joined Mike, knows he can’t hear them, but she feels her palms begin to sweat nonetheless.

“Oh my god. You can’t just say that. What if he hadn’t left the room yet?”

“So what if he hadn’t? Look, I know he was dreamy in high school, but Look. At. Him. Now. I can almost forgive him for still wearing that damn beanie sometimes.”

“It’s not happening, Veronica. I don’t even think we’re friends. This is only the third time I’ve seen him since I moved here.”

“You just told Archie you spent five hours in a bar two days ago talking.”

“Yeah for my job. I was interviewing him.”

“Do you normally drink tequila at a bar with your interviewees?”

“No but I also don’t normally interview people who’ve previously stomped all over my heart.”

“Oh, Betty.”

“Don’t ‘oh Betty’ me. You didn’t see. You went back to New York. Jughead left me. There’s no way he still has feelings for me. And if he did, that would be crazy. It’s been years, Ron.”

“Please. That boy looked at you like you hung the moon when you were 15 and from what I just saw, he still does.” Betty’s reminded of a conversation they once had in the hallway at Riverdale High, when she and Jughead had just started dating. Ronnie called him Holden Caulfield. She is just as sincere now.

“It doesn’t matter. He walked away. He picked the Serpents over me.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll drop it. Weird vibes with Jughead aside and I know you had Hunter, but—Look, I just wanted to make absolutely sure I’m not stepping on any toes. You know I don’t have the best track record with that.”

“You’re definitely, definitely not, V. Even if you were, I’m pretty sure I ceded any claim I had when I moved halfway across the country. Archie and I did try dating once and it was so weird.”

Ronnie exhales, “Good, that’s what he said. I really like him.”

“And he really likes you.”

“So tell me about Mary and her boyfriend. They’re coming for a visit in a few weeks and I want her to like me. I only met her that one time after Fred was shot and obviously that didn’t go well what with my dad and then moving back to New York right after.”

“All Mary wants is for Archie to be happy. She knows better than anyone that he’s usually the one tripping himself up when it comes to that, especially with girls. You guys will get along fine. And Mike is the sweetest man in the world. Just don’t try to tell him that New York pizza is better than Chicago pizza.”

“I don’t know if I can promise that, on principle.”

“Okay, your funeral. Also. Kevin texted me he’s gonna be in the city from LA in a few weeks for work. I mentioned you and he wanted to know if you wanted to get coffee.”

“Oh my god yes! Text me his number. I’m so excited.”

She can’t shake the sense that she’s somehow entered a time warp. All of a sudden, Veronica and Jughead are back in her life. All of a sudden, she’s sitting down to a family dinner with cloth napkins and people are passing dishes. It’s not her family, there seems to be none of the Cooper brand of dysfunction in sight, and yet, with Jughead across from her, it’s impossible not to remember. She accepts the platter of green beans Mary is handing her and forces her mind to the here and now.

“So Jug, are you coming to the Cubs game with us next week?”

“What? No. I don’t sports.”

Betty feels her mouth drop open. “You’re the one who told me I couldn’t take the L that first night because of the game.”

“Yeah but that was about avoiding drunk bros. If you wanna take public transportation in Chicago in the summer, you gotta know when the baseball games begin and end.”

Mary laughs and Mike adds, “I’ve gotten him to a game or two. Only ever when Archie’s in town though.”

Betty smiles at Mike. “Guess I’m just not special enough.” She means it as a joke, but when she turns back, Jughead is staring down at his plate.

Mary and Mike had refused point blank to allow them to help with clean up. So instead, they’re leaning against the back porch railing.  Jughead is smoking, Betty swirling the dregs of the wine in her glass, when she screws up her courage. “How’d you get out, Jug?”

“What?”

“The Serpents. You were in a gang. Teenage gang members don’t usually wind up with full rides to tier one colleges.”

“You’ve been talking to Mary.” He pulls off his beanie and runs a hand through his hair. “FP found out after a while and lost his shit. He managed to get a hold of my foster parents from prison and all of a sudden, junior year, I was being escorted to and from school. It let up after his trial, but he also reamed out the Serpents. So that was sort of it for my career as a gang banger.”

“Oh, that’s why you disappeared for a while.”

“Disappeared?”

“I mean I stopped seeing you around town. And then when I did again…”

“You were with Archie.”

“Yeah, and you were with that other blonde girl.”

“Sabrina.”

“Yeah. I would get this quick little pang when I would see you around town, at Pop’s or with Sabrina, I always thought it was regret that I’d let our friendship die along with our relationship.” As soon as the words are out of her mouth she wants to inhale and suck them right back in. But she can’t. They hover for a moment, then she overcorrects. “I mean, we drifted apart and eventually we both moved on. We should have been able to still be friends.”

“It wasn’t like that with Sabrina, you know. She had a boyfriend. Harley? Harvey? I don’t know. Last I heard they’d just gotten back together.”

“No I didn’t know.”

They stand in silence for a while.

“I regretted it too. That we lost our friendship as well. That I lost both of your friendships.”

Again, her mouth ruins it. “Yeah well, you’re the one who walked away.”

“What? Betty, I didn’t — okay. Yeah. I did.”

“And you didn’t come back.”

“There was still shit going on, Betts. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t.”

“Why not? If not the Serpents, what else?” Okay, so they’re doing this.

“Even if I wasn’t a member anymore the Serpents were still a factor. They were still my friends. My dad was still in jail. We were still in the middle of a fucking civil war. We’d already been threatened, and not just with the pig’s blood.”

“Please. No one threatened me beyond Chuck and his usual douchebaggery.”

“Not true.”

“Oh yeah, who was the big threat? And why don’t I know about it?”

His posture goes rigid, and he flicks away the cigarette butt, which still has a while to go before it’s burnt out. “Ah—no. You’re right, you weren’t. I’m misremembering. I must have just been thinking about something else Chuck did.”

“You’re lying.”

“I’m not.” But a muscle pulses in his jaw.

“Fine, whatever. Don’t tell me. I suppose I’ve gone this long not knowing.”

“Betty.”

“I’m going to go help with dessert.”

It wasn't dramatic, until the end. He washed away from her like waves on the sand, receding bit by bit until she looked up and he was gone.

Her memory is cinematic. Impersonal. (Her therapist said that defamiliarizing had been an emergency tactic on behalf of her brain to cope with the trauma.)

It had been uncharacteristically cool that July. More days than not, fog rolled in off of Sweetwater River in the early morning and lingered into the night. That night, though—the worst night—the sky was clear.

When she walked out of Pop’s, Archie and Kevin trailing behind her (Veronica already long gone back into the glittering arms of Manhattan), Jughead had been waiting for her. It wasn’t an unfamiliar sight by then. His body, a long column of black from his boots to the jacket that clung to his back like a scar to the windblown hair atop his head, silhouetted against the chrome of the motorcycle. When she bounced up, she remembers, she’d tried to force back the smile that had dropped off her face upon seeing him. He pulled away from her kiss.

Something had been wrong for weeks and no amount of wheedling or cajoling could unearth it. There would be days that felt like normal, felt like before a social worker and a leather jacket had come between them.

(This is her post-mortem diagnosis. She doesn’t remember any problems until the end of the school year. She liked his new friends. Liked hanging out at the garage where the Serpents congregated. Loved the happiness and comfort he seemed to find there. Loved the newfound confidence with which he walked, with which he touched her. But half the summer gone and they were done, and the only things she could point to, only concrete things she could finger, were the social worker and the leather jacket from the autumn before.)

The frequency of the normal days receded like the sunlight that hid from the fog that summer. On the other days, the more common days, silence sat awkward between them and a look would come into his eyes that had no explanation.

Eventually, her memory drowned out the specific words Jughead had chosen to break her heart and what she’d said in return. She remembers standing outside herself and seeing her scream, watching him ride away, staring at the blood pooling her palms.

Worse than the night her father died. Worse than the night she returned her engagement ring. She screamed at him until her throat was raw and snot dribbled off her chin. But he’d stood there, still as a column.

She doesn’t remember his words, but she remembers his metaphor. Their lives had torn like fabric and no amount of careful stitching could hide the seam. They had changed, he had changed. It would be easier on them both to just end it now.

She remembers, no matter the words he said, that what he meant was, “I don’t love you anymore.”

She didn’t believe him then. But when he stayed away, when he didn’t answer her texts or calls, when he didn’t come the night she cried into his voicemail until it wouldn’t accept any more messages, or any of the nights thereafter, she began to accept that he’d told her the truth.

(The next thing she remembers clearly, the next memory that’s free from fog, is waking up in Archie’s twin bed the morning after senior homecoming.)

They don’t make eye contact over their tiramisu. And after, when Mike has asked Jughead if he wants to head downstairs to work for a while and Jug has accepted, when she knows he can’t follow her, Betty excuses herself.

She is too tired to stand on the train platform and studiously avoid the eyes of lecherous drunks, to cling to the pole and pretend to listen to the rambling of the people who ride the train one end to another and back again, to pay attention so she doesn’t miss her stop. She has spent far too much money on ubers so far this month, but tonight she doesn’t hesitate.

Construction on the north side means he takes her down Lake Shore Drive.

She opens the window and lets the wind buffet her face until it brings tears to her eyes. She doesn’t blink and the tears blur the stars that hang suspended over the deep, dark blue that merges lake and sky.