#Joy as Betty because she would pick her out of anyone else

[seyvia]

𝕳𝖆𝖕𝖕𝖞 𝕾𝖕𝖔𝖔𝖐𝖞 𝕯𝖆𝖞 𝖋𝖗𝖔𝖒 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝕯𝖎𝖛𝖎𝖓𝖊 𝕱𝖆𝖒𝖎𝖑𝖞!

[theramseyloft]

After Ankhou died, I have had a very hard time keeping up with both manual loft maintenance and media work.

Manual loft maintenance is the higher priority of the two, so that's were the energy I have has been focused.

The birds are happy, but I have failed to advertise availability for two months.

The birds currently available do not meet the specifications of anyone on my wait list, and to prevent the loft from getting crowded, we've frozen rescue intake and implemented strict hatch control.

Breeding pairs on the roster are only permitted to hatch their first clutch with another bird also on the roster.

Every subsequent clutch will be swapped with fakes at least until all currently available cocks go home.

As I am not caught up on editing photos yet, I will have to make due with listing the name, parents, and temperament of available birds.

Please message me privately, email theramseyloft@gmail.com, or call/text 706-993-7452 for more information.

1. Raddish

Mia x Cara

Retired. ($20)

Was friendly as a young bird, but has not had the opportunity to express temperament in Qt.

Not to be bred under any circumstance due to one known and a second possible cancer in his blood line.

2. Wukong

Blue Check Chinese Owl cock

Loft Bird $30.

Wukong is an excellent father that will definitely benefit a breeding program.

He's very human shy, unless his mate isn't.

Chances of him bonding with a patient person that will let him make friends at his own pace are decent, but I can't guarantee it in good conscience.

3. Farthing

Pied Almond Blue T-pattern het for Toy Stencil mixed cock.

Betty x Hagrid

Comfortable ($50)

A bit of a himbo, Farthing is one of our better known cocks.

He likes people and often gets in my lap or on my shoulder, when not distracted by being the loft bi-cycle.

He's pretty and sweet, but Giant Homer and Frillback ancestry make him a big boy with long flights and tail feathers that will need a lot of room.

4. Leela

Khaki T-pattern mixed hen

Cody x Rigby

Comfortable ($50)

Leela is a mellow little sweety that likes my lap and shoulders.

She's a great pumper, but chain lays and starts a new clutch INCREDIBLY early! Leaving nestlings well fed, but largely unguarded.

5. Todoroki

Tippler

Sooty Ash Red Bar cock

Rescue ($20)

Todoroki is an EXTREMELY high energy breed that will need a LOT of space to free fly most of the time.

He would be happier in a loft than as an indoor pet.

6. Amiga

Blue T-pattern mix hen

Pippin x Cookie

Retired ($20)

Amiga is going to be a pain.

She hates people to the point of trying to break herself to get away from them, and she cannot under any circumstance be allowed to hatch an egg.

She provides her own hatch control by nest cup dancing on her hatchlings. She has been given two chances to hatch clutches, and eviscerated all three peeps this way.

So she will need to be housed in a loft with minimal interaction other than obsessively switching her eggs with fakes.

7. Dolly

Blue Bar mixed hen

Pippin x Cookie

Loft Bird ($30)

Dolly is her sister Amiga's opposite in almost every way.

She's only retired from my program because she's the hen on the roster that likes people the least.

She is an amazing, devoted mother and would make a fantastic foster hen.

8. Wess

Blue tailmark mixed cock

Wukong x Suki

Curious ($40)

Wess is shy and dislikes being approached directly, but often chills nearby preening my clothing and occasionally hops up on my knee.

He is a TERRIBLE dad! It took him two weeks to start helping Dolly feed their nestlings and never sat on them when they were little enough to need it.

9. Arco

Pied Ash Red T-pattern mixed cock

Vito x Cookie

Loft Bird ($30)

Arco is uninterested in people, but not afraid of them.

He'd be a good partner for a nervous rescue bird, or an absolutely amazing foster dad!

He's devoted to his mate and her nest and doesn't start shit with flock mates once he's settled.

10. Bridget

Blue T-pattern feral cock

Rescue ($20)

This is the boy we found with a broken wing and foot on the sidewalk under an overpass.

He's healed entirely and though flighty and skittish, gets along very well with his flockmates.

Like Arco, he takes a mate, picks a nest, settles, and doesn't start shit.

He'd make an excellent foster or partner for a skittish rescue.

11. Scan

Pied ash red cock

Cherub x Tandy

Loft Bird ($30)

Scan is Cherub and Tandy's first hatch.

I was initially going to keep him, but his brother, Nimbus, has a better temperament.

Scan is a flamboyantly aggressive pain in the ass, constantly starting shit with established pairs to earn himself a spot in the hierarchy.

He'd likely mellow out with fewer birds, but isn't interested in being social with me, so I don't think he'd be the best house pet.

12. Acer

Ash Red T-pattern mixed cock

Pippin x Cookie

Loft Bird ($30)

Acer's classification as a loft bird is maintained by technicality.

He has to come in after repeatedly attacking nestlings.

If he does it again with different ones when he goes out on Thursday, his status will be changed to Retired foe unusually severe aggression.

This seems to be a pattern developing in the Pippin x Cookie line...

Which is going to make the birds afflicted hard to place.

13. Bell

Blue T-pattern mixed hen

Pippin x Cookie

Loft Bird ($30)

Bell is the same intense degree of skittish as the rest of her siblings, but gets along well with her flock mates.

She has the best chance of them of being ok as a house bird, but she'd honestly be happiest either in a loft or with a bird friend.

14. Rusty

Pied Ash Red T-pattern mixed cock

Ginger x Danica

Curious ($40)

Rusty is an energetic boy with places to be and stuff to explore!

He occasionally lands on my shoulder or head, or hops briefly up into my lap

He isn't afraid of people, but not liking to hold still makes him hard to interact with.

He's very fun to watch, though, and would be a good match for any one who wanted an independent bird.

15. Checkers

Pied blue check mixed cock

Ginger x Danica

Loft Bird ($30)

Checkers is less interested in people than his brother, Rusty.

He's energetic, gorgeous, and fun to watch, and would make a lovely addition to a pet loft.

He probably wouldn't enjoy being a house bird unless he had a hen to interact with.

He's very combative with other cocks, and has not yet learned the virtue of "Don't start none, won't be none."

16. Frieda

Khaki tailmark mixed hen

Wukong x Suki

Comfortable ($50)

Frieda, though not super outgoing, is friendly in spite of her shyness.

She often gets up in my lap to loaf, but doesn't like being reached for, even with treats.

If you just want warm, quiet company while you read, watch videos, or do desk work, she'll be an excellent match for you.

17. Berry

Pied blue bar hen

Cherub x Tandy

Loft Bird ($30)

Berry is not remotely interested in hanging out with me. She isn't even curious.

She's not afraid by any stretch, she just would rather do literally anything but interact with me.

With lots of enrichment or another bird, she could be ok inside, or she'd make a pretty loft bird.

18. Shinobi

Black pied mixed hen

Leonard x Elliot

Comfortable ($50)

Like most of her siblings, Shinobi is friendly and interested in people, but too energetic to really hold still for long.

She is sweet and polite about taking treats when she feels like it.

She'd be quite happy as a house bird with lots of flight time.

19. Mote

Blue check mixed hen

Wukong x Suki

Curious ($40)

Mote is shy and reserved, but mostly seems overwhelmed by how many of her older and younger flockmates want to be in my lap or on my shoulders at any given time.

When my lap is free, she will usually hop up unto it and loaf for a bit.

She has a good chance of coming out of her shell as a house pet.

20. Tye

Pied tiger grizzle ash red cock

Ginger x Danica

Loft Bird ($30)

Tye is a drop dead gorgeous little man, the spit'n image of his father, Ginger.

He's not afraid of people, but literally everything else is more interesting.

Being a roller and tumbler mix, he's a delightfully acrobatic flier who is a joy to watch.

He'd be a striking addition to a pet loft, or, with enough enrichment or a friend provided, a great addition to a household.

21. Slate

Dirty, smoky blue bar mixed hen.

Satin x Chiffon

Interactive ($60)

Slate's brother, Cotta, is my new therapy prospect.

Slate is mellow and sweet tempered, happily accepts treats, and occasionally tries to play with my fingers like she would a stick.

She's quite happy to loaf in my lap and occasionally lets me stroke her little neck with a fingertip.

22. Flint

Blue check mixed cock

Nobu x Leela

Comfortable ($50)

Flint is a sweet little man that has started jumping into my lap at every opportunity, and often flailing his way up to loaf on my chest.

He accepts treats politely when he feels like it, but doesn't try to play with me yet.

I told y'all there were a TON of birds available. XD

I'll do my best to update this post as there are updates to make, but 22 is WAY more birds ready for homes than I'm really ok with having, especially with winter on the way.

It's my own fault for failing to advertise that they were available as soon as they became available.

Now I'm just going to have to wait before I can do any more rescue work or hatch peeps out for the people on my wait list.

Back to playing catch up...

[blessednereid]

Pity the Living

Daniel Sharman x Reader Series

A/N: The Much Requested, and By Requested, I mean @rogershoe wanted me to write this, MY DANIEL SHARMAN FANFICTION!!!!!! The character that Y/N plays is based on my OC for FTWD and is not an actual character in FTWD. Basic Premise of the setting for this chapter is that they're in high-school/ secondary school. But for the majority of the story(minus flashbacks) it's set in 2016/17 when s3 of FTWD was filmed.

Story Summary: When (Y/N) (L/N) reunites with a high-school friend on the set of the job she's been working on for the past 2-3 years, not only is she excited to work with the guy who inspired her to go into acting, but to hear about what he's done since she's seen him. But the more they talk, the more she realizes, this reunion is not going the way she had planned.

CW: Cursing? brief mention of alcohol, anxiety, mentions of food, fake dagger, fake blood, bets,

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Career Day

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Most of the students around you were chorusing to the tune of your school anthem, but not you. You had heard the melody and sung it almost a million times. Whether you were exaggerating or not, not even you knew. Instead, you were whispering and laughing with one of your best friends, Daniel Sharman.

You met Daniel when you first came to the school. You didn't know many people. You didn't even know yourself in this place. It was a completely foreign experience, but he stuck by your side and showed you around.

Since then, you had made friends, joined the swim team, learned your way around the school without ending up in the boys' restrooms instead of the girls' ones. Despite not needing Daniel to show you around anymore, he still provided plenty of comedic support and pick-me-ups and was a great mate all around.

Your teacher had just finished introducing all the parents who were presenting at career day. The assignment being after the presentations were finished, you were supposed to think about what you wanted to be in the future. You had no idea what you wanted to be. But of course… Daniel did.

"An actor."

"An actor?" he nodded. "Like Macbeth?"

"No, Macbeth is a character. An actor is a person who plays the character."

"Why an actor?"

"Dunno. Just seems right."

You frowned. "Huh, that's nice. Knowing what you want to be."

"You could always try acting. It's worth a shot."

"Hah, if I ever tried acting, it would probably be when I'm old, senile, and look like Betty White."

"Oh, come on. You're a great actress!"

"What's that supposed to mean, Sharman?" you gasped.

"Just that you tell fibs and stories as if they were the truth. That's all acting is."

"I DO NOT!"

"How did you convince your mum that your dog jumped onto the table and ate the cake without making any noise last weekend, then?" You opened your mouth to speak before closing it.

"Cat got your tongue?" he teased.

"Shut up, Sharman."

☆◦ 。＼｜／。◦☆

L/N Residence

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You and Daniel were both swimming in the pool in your backyard when Daniel asked you the question.

"Did you think about it?"

Still floating, you asked, "About what?"

"Acting."

You laughed incredulously. "You were serious?"

"Of course I was." He swam closer to you and pulled your leg down, making you flop around and splash water.

"WHAT THE HELL!"

"Was just trying to get your attention," he remarked innocently.

You coughed. "You had it."

"Picture this," he waved you off. "Us, on the red carpet-"

"Who's red carpet?"

"Does it matter? We'll be each other's dates anyways."

"Why is that?" you asked.

"Because we're best friends."

"What if one of us has a boyfriend or girlfriend?"

He shrugged. "Ok, whatever. We're on the red carpet separately. It's both of ours red carpet-"

"So, does that mean we're in a movie together?"

"Yes, Y/N," he muttered exasperatedly.

"But that's impossible?"

"Why do you say that?"

You leaned closer to his ear. "BECAUSE I'M NOT BECOMING AN ACTOR."

He jumped away from you, proceeding to splash you with water.

"Mark my words. I know talent when I see it."

You sighed. "Could this just be you not wanting to be lonely in the acting world?"

He jutted his lip and spoke in a whiny voice. "Maybe…"

You laughed before splashing a giant wave of water at him. While he still had water in his eyes, you dove under and pulled him down.

He flailed around before his head popped up, and he calmed down.

"WHAT THE HELL!"

"PAYBACK, SHARMAN!"

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Announcement

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The intercom gave a heavy buzz, and static-y noises ran amok over the building before a voice actually came through the speakers.

"Hello, Teachers, Students, and Faculty. Welcome back to school. We hope that you all enjoyed your holidays and got the rest you needed to pay attention in class today," the last part was passive. Your principal gave more announcements for clubs and sports around the school, such as upcoming games or reminders for students to buy the school yearbook.

You were nodding along interested, or looking for interest really when something caught your best friend's attention.

"The school will also be hosting its first-ever play, Romeo and Juliet. Interested people should report to the music room before the end of the week to receive information."

You saw Daniel's eyes widen only moments before he spoke up. "Hey," he waved at you. "You should audition!"

"Daniel, are you insane?"

He chuckled, "No, but I think you'd like it."

You tried arguing, but he wasn't taking no for an answer. "You're the one who said you didn't know what you wanted to do after you graduated. Doing this cannot hurt."

"Yeah, it can't hurt until I trip on my costumes and break my neck!"

"That rarely ever happens," he said exasperatedly. "Ok, how about this? You audition, and if you end up getting a role and actually doing the play, I'll give you fifty pounds."

You squinted. "Do you even have fifty pounds to give me?"

"Do you even have to ask," he feigned shock in the accusation? You gave a sour face before he truthfully answered. "Fine, I don't have it now. But I will by the time the play comes around."

"What do I get just for auditioning?"

"I'll convince my mum to make that cake you like."

"Fine."

"BUT!" he exclaimed. "You have to audition for Juliet."

"You're kidding?"

He laughed. "No, I'm not. You have to audition for Juliet."

"I hate you," you mumbled before sighing a whispered 'fine.'

He gave a toothy smile. "Then we have a deal."

☆◦ 。＼｜／。◦☆

Auditions

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You reluctantly walked onto the stage, Daniel's widening grin so visible in the audience. He said that he only put his name on the audition sheet so he could watch the auditions. He would've already been gone by the time it was his turn.

"Hello, My name is Y/n L/n, and I am auditioning for Juliet," your lips pressing into a straight line after saying the sentence.

You stammered through your first few lines. "Sh-Shall I speak ill of him— that is my husband?" You said with a laugh.

"Ah," you paused and clicked your tongue. "Poor my lord, what tongue shall smooth thy name… When I, thy three-hours wife, have mangled it?"

You said your following line in an accusatory manner. "But wherefore, villain... didst thou kill my cousin?" you said, though your voice squealed trying to pronounce 'didst.' "That villain cousin would have killed my husband."

"Back, foolish tears, back to your native spring!" Your voice rose and fell several octaves. "Your tributary drops belong to woe, Which you, mistaking, offer up to joy." Fake tears spring to your eyes, your voice cracked, and you began slowly falling against an invisible wall.

You looked down at your paper for what to say next. "My husband lives, that Tybalt would have slain; And Tybalt's dead, that would have slain my husband. All this is comfort; wherefore weep I then?" You wiped your cheeks dramatically.

"Some word there was, worser than Tybalt's death, That murd'red me. I would forget it fain;" your lips quivered, and you sucked in deep, heaving breaths before speaking your line.

"But O, it presses to my memory. Like damnèd guilty deeds to sinners' minds! 'Tybalt is dead, and Romeo--banishèd!" You shouted.

You stood back up in a startling jump, and with a proud smile, you said triumphantly, "And Scene!"

The directors and some students in the audience, especially Daniel, gave a round of applause before the director dismissed you.

You took the steps to the stage and sat next to Daniel as the director called the next student to audition.

"You were amazing! The director might as well have given you the role right then and there."

You laughed, "Hang on, charmer. There were a bunch of Juliet's who literally said that entire thing so… fluently. I stammered through the whole thing."

"But you showed more emotion than anyone else. You only had a week to prepare. The actual show will be like child's play."

"They want people who can memorize and recite. The emotion can be added later, but it's worth nothing if they forget their lines."

"There is such a thing called improvising for a reason," he reassured.

"Who in their right, bloody minds wants to improvise Shakespeare?"

He turned his head and chuckled before waving a five-pound note in front of your face. "Here, I got to go before they call me, but you earned this at least."

"Five pounds for being forced to audition for a stupid play so you can prove a point? Wow, you must really fancy me, huh, Sharman?" you said sarcastically.

"Goodbye, L/n," he whispered before sneaking out the back door of the auditorium.

"Alright, next up. Daniel Sharman!" The director shouted your friend's name a few more times before giving up.

☆◦ 。＼｜／。◦☆

Headmasters Office

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A week after your audition, you were called to the headmasters' office. Thus is the cause of the curious looks from your classmates. Oohs and Aahs flooded your ears as you grabbed your bag and headed out the door to the front of the school.

When you got to the front of the building and went into the headmasters' office, you saw the Theatre director, Ms Parker, standing behind the desk. "Headmaster Leo allowed me to use his office to do this. Isn't that cool?"

Ms Parker was one of the younger teachers in school. She was twenty-four, and this was her first year teaching after receiving her bachelor's degree in education and a master's degree in music production. A fact she could astoundingly ramble about for fifteen minutes. As proven at the auditions.

"I didn't want to call you to the theatre room. That would be too predictable, correct?" You'd come to realize she was a very eccentric woman. "I have called you in here to inform you that you have been selected to perform in this year's play of Romeo and Juliet."

A wave of shock coursed through your body, and you were sure it reflected on your face. "Are you sure?"

"Darling, I'm positive!- your audition was totally spectacular! So brilliant-in fact- that I am completely sure in my choice to make you our female lead- Juliet!"

"What!" Your eyes widened into a blank stare. Your thoughts were running rampant in your mind. You thought that performing on the stage would be a breeze when you weren't the lead.

"Ms Parker, I didn't actually want the part of Juliet! It's just that my friend dared me to audition for Juliet! Is there no way I can get a smaller part? I'm no Juliet. The show would be ruined," you rambled.

The directors' facial expressions softened, "Darling, you are the only choice. None of the other people who auditioned can even compare to the amount of passion you produced in that audition. I am determined to have you as our Juliet."

You whimpered out an "Ok." Professors had a strange way of convincing you to do extra credit assignments or things that aren't necessary.

"We have a chemistry read for you and a few of our other choices for Romeo after school today. Do you need to contact a parent to let them know where you'll be?"

"Uh, yes, please."

After you made your call, you walked back to your classroom with shaky hands. The class period was almost over, but you had to tell Daniel that you had gotten a part in the show. Not just any part- THE PART!

You shuffled into the classroom reluctantly. All eyes were on you as every student had assumed you'd been in trouble. Either suspended, expelled, or told your parents were going to have a sit-down with the headmaster.

You took your seat next to Daniel before taking out a piece of paper and writing out a note, encompassing the words, "I got the part!"

You slid the sheet discreetly onto his desk. When he read it, his eyes widened, and he quietly moved his hands toward yours, beckoning for a high five.

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First Rehearsal

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After the chemistry read, the role of Romeo was given to a kid named James Mercer-Allen got the part. Though it was more because the directors were starting to become tired.

The next day was the first rehearsal. Swimming season was last semester, so there was no clash in schedules with the play.

"Alright, this rehearsal is to get acquainted with the stage, your fellow actors, and directors," she insisted. "Now, let's introduce ourselves. Can our Romeo please stand up?"

James stood up and gave a brief introduction. You were called on next. You stated your name, "I was on the swim team last semester, and I'm in my thirteenth year. I hope I can do this role justice."

More students stood up to introduce themselves. The entire process took more than thirty minutes.

The next thing to happen was that the rest of the students were called to recite lines for various roles. The only parts that had been cast preliminarily were Romeo and Juliet.

You and James had sat on the wooden stools unless there was a scene going on that needed Romeo and/or Juliet.

By the end of the first rehearsal, the majority of the speaking roles were cast. You went home exhausted but not expecting the conversation that waited for you.

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The Talk

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"We're moving?" you shouted at your parents from your seat across from them in the sitting room. "What do you mean we're moving."

"Honey, your dad got a job in the states, so we have to move," your mother argued.

"But what about school? No school will take me in the middle of the year, and it's my last year of secondary school. I don't want to spend the rest of my last year knowing nobody."

Your dad, the man of the hour, spoke up. "Dear, we're moving at the end of the year. After school ends."

"But- What about Uni?"

"You said you were taking a sabbatical year!"

"Yes, so I could intern in London!"

"Can't you intern in California?" Your mother whined.

"We're going to California? It's the furthest state?"

Your dad attempted to reassure you but failed. "Darling, it won't be that bad. Maybe you'll like it there more than you like it here!"

"I could never like anywhere more than I like it here!"

You agreed to go to your room and spent the rest of the day there. Later on, after you finished moping, you ringed up your closest friends to tell them you were moving. You did that until you were so tired you fell asleep on the phone with Sarah before you even called Daniel.

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Confrontation

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"Why am I hearing from everyone besides you that you're moving?" Daniel appeared out of thin air behind you, and the accusation was an assault on your conscience.

You could lie and tell him that you wanted to reveal that to him in person, or you could just tell him the truth- say you fell asleep. Mix-and-Match? You ended up just telling the truth. "I fell asleep when I was making some of my other calls. I was going to tell you, I swear!"

"Why didn't you call me first. I'm your best friend?"

"That's why! It was too hard. I kept putting it off and putting it off and putting it off because I didn't want to tell you, I don't want it to be true, and telling you of all people would make it feel real."

"Why can't you stay for Uni?"

"I already told my parents I was taking a gap year. I didn't apply to any colleges."

"Crap!" he sighed. "Ok, well, we're going to have to make the most of it. And! You're getting a going away party!"

"Daniel, I don't need-"

"No debate! You are getting a going away party!"

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Opening Night

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Four months later, after all the rehearsals and memorizations of lines. After much running around the entire film department, it was finally opening night, and your nerves were shot.

You were scrambling all morning to find everything you needed. All your costumes were at the school, but you still needed to bring your black leotard, skin-coloured tights, and wear your hair in an up-do style.

You decided to do your skincare routine, but your panic got the best of you, and you forgot what every single product was used for.

Daniel came over and helped you get ready but found you practically hyperventilating.

Your parents drove you both to the theatre, and when Ms Parker told you that Daniel couldn't be backstage, you promptly told her that he was your emotional support. After much arguing, she finally let him backstage.

Around an hour before showtime, the director told Daniel that he had to go wait in the audience if he already bought his ticket or that he had to go do it now.

Before he left, he gave you a pep-talk. "Hey, so one time, I was in this play, and the idea was that I was expelled, and there was a piece of paper I had to give my 'mother,' but I lost it. So we had to improvise, but I couldn't find the paper, and I felt horrible. So just know, even if you forget your lines, you must improvise, and remember, it still probably won't compare to the embarrassment I felt that day. So you can laugh at my humiliation. "

You chuckled, "I will. Ok, go before you get in trouble."

"Ok, me, our parents and all your friends will be in the front row. I've already reserved the entire row. I brought a whole bag of jackets just for that reason!"

"You can't do that," you said in between cackles.

"For you, I'll do anything," he grinned.

A few hours later and the show was almost done. "What's here? A cup, closed in my true love's hand? Poison, I see, hath been his timeless end," you wept.

"O, churl! Drunk all and left no friendly drop to help me after? I will kiss thy lips; Haply some poison yet doth hang on them, to die with thine restorative." You leaned over James and let your hair fall to the side of your head to cover your face. You pulled back without actually kissing James.

"Thy lips are warm."

A whispery voice came from offstage, "Which way?" The cue for you to take the poison, which was actually cranberry juice.

"Yea, noise? Then I'll be brief. O happy dagger!" You grabbed the dagger and brought it near your chest. "This is thy sheath;" you drew the fake knife back three inches from your chest and stabbed it to where the bag of more cranberry juice was and punctured the bag. 'Blood' soaked through your dress. "There rust, and let me die." You fell dramatically onto the altar and waited for the scene to end as the crowd cheered.

After the show, you dashed into the crowd where your friends and family waited for you. Ovations and Applauses were passed, lauded boxes of chocolates and gorgeous roses were given.

When you got to Daniel, he practically tackled you with a hug. "I actually thought you died for a split second. The blood looked so real."

"Daniel, most people don't bleed that fast, do they?"

"I don't know but fear kicked in, and I couldn't make sense of anything."

You grinned and almost went to your parents before Daniel grabbed your arm. "You don't have a date to the Leavers ball, do you?"

"No, I don't. Why?"

He sighed. "Well, I was thinking that you could go with me. I don't have a date either."

You squinted, thinking there was some ulterior motive behind his actions. "Ok, I'll go with you if you give me the money you owe me before then."

"It's right here," he smiled.

Your face scrunched up, but you reluctantly agreed. You only had a month of school left, and you might as well spend it having fun with your friends.

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The Leavers Ball and the Getaway Party

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You were dressed in a light blue, pleated, Mikado prom dress that cut off at mid-thigh. You had black wedges on your feet and a black pearl-beaded bracelet on your arm.

You were wearing a half-up, half-down style that framed your face and a silver necklace with a circle-shaped diamond.

You were sitting in the parlour when Daniel rang the doorbell. He was ten minutes late.

"Sorry," he said when your dad answered it. "I know I'm late. I was picking up Kat and James."

Kat and James were your and Daniel's respective friends who'd started last year after you and Daniel introduced them.

"Hi," you popped out of the shadows. "Alright, Mom, Dad, we're late, so we're just going to get goi-"

"Wait! I have to take pictures! Go get Kat and James."

"No, Mom. No pictures!"

"It's only right. I just want a few. We can take it outside."

You sighed but reluctantly caved into your mother's will.

The four of you took pictures outside of Daniel's Jeep Wrangler. You took ones with silly faces, just girls, just boys, and ones with all four of you before your parents allowed you to leave.

You were forty minutes late, and the ball was already in full swing by the time you got there.

You got on the dance floor immediately because one of your favourite songs was playing, but the DJ switched the song as soon as you found a decent spot. It was a slow song. You chuckled, and Daniel put his hands on your waist.

"Well, this is awkward."

A few minutes later, Daniel posed an interesting question.

"Did you know that I had a crush on you when you first came to school?"

"Uh, you stammered. "No, I didn't know that."

"Yeah, I did. It was short, though. Surface-level."

"Oh," you said. "Should I take offence to that?"

"What?" His eyes widened in realization with what he said. "No, that's not what I meant. You have an amazing personality. I just meant that… I just meant I like you more as a friend than to ruin that with any of those feelings."

"Oh, ok. You wouldn't have, though."

"I wouldn't?"

"No, everyone needs an ego boost every once in a while."

"Haha!"

"And besides, I've had feelings for you at one point too. But it was very cliche, so I tried to shake it as hard as I could."

"Oh?" He raised his eyebrows. "And did you?"

"Like I said, as hard as I could. If it's still there somewhere, it's buried very deep, so much so that I was embarrassed."

"Embarrassed to like me?"

"I mean embarrassed to try and make my life seem like some movie."

"Oh, well, if you did, it would've just made you that much better as an actress. Speaking of that, would you consider acting in the least?"

"Maybe, now that I'm leaving, it's basically the last thing I have to connect me to you."

"No," he said, pointing to your bracelet. "You have that."

You had forgotten that it was Daniel who gave it to you, but the realization brought a smile to your face. "Oh yeah, I'll never take it off."

Later on, long before the ball ended, you saw many of your friends leaving.

"Hey, are you ready to go?" Daniel approached you.

"Where is everyone going?"

He wriggled his eyebrows. "Afterparty!"

"But it's not over?"

"Quit being a party popper and just come with us, L/N!"

You gave in, something you did a lot, and you all started driving. When you got there, you realized you were at Daniel's house.

"The afterparty is at your house?" you asked.

"Well…" James answered.

Kat joined in. "It's really an afterparty!"

"This is your going away party!" Daniel finished.

"But I'm not going away for another month."

"Well, now you have an entire month for people to give you gifts and stuff, and you don't have to worry about the party!" He reasoned.

"But why did it have to be after the Leavers ball?"

"Because you're already in a dress, and it has to be a surprise! Surprise!" Kat exclaimed.

"Alright, fine!"

The entire night you partied and danced, and though you didn't drink alcohol, plentiful amounts of pop and mocktails were passed around. The music was a delight to your ears with all your favourite songs. There were chips and pizza with all your favourite toppings.

"This party is awesome!"

Daniel grinned. "Well, I am an amazing party planner if I do say so myself."

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Airport

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Daniel's parents drove your family to the airport. Your parents had sold the car. Your dad would return in a week to close a deal on the house. Everything was official, and now you were leaving.

You got out of the car, and the tears forcefully began to fall.

"I'm really gonna miss you, jerk," you said disdainfully to Daniel.

He chuckled. "I'm going to miss you more."

"Impossible!"

He wiped the fallen tear from your eye, and for a moment, you could see every single multi-coloured speck in his eyes and noticed how sometimes they looked blue, and at others, they looked grey or green.

You noticed the curvature of his smile and the chisel of his jawline.You saw the hurt in his eyes that said, 'why do you have to go? You're killing me,' and wanted to never move from that position.

He continued to rub the tears that fell onto your cheek, and the sad moment was as sheltered as it could be. You felt safe with him, in his arms, just looking at his face and being reminded of how he comforted you in a place that felt as familiar as Oz felt to Dorothy.

"What am I gonna do without you?" you whispered.

"Get at least one acting job, get an assistant and an agent, I'll do the same thing, and then either one of us has our assistants reach out to our agents, so we get back in touch in case we ever lose touch."

He sounded so grave that you couldn't help but laugh. "That's assuming I do become an actress, Daniel."

"You're right," he whined. "But don't forget me."

"I promise."

And you tried to keep that promise. Throughout your first year, you interned at UCLA, working in the lab. You then applied to go to school there, and you still tried to keep Daniel in your mind. Maintaining a social life on campus combined with schoolwork already wasn't easy. However, you still wouldn't let yourself forget your best friend.

It wasn't until you entered your senior year and you were about to graduate that he started to wane in your memories. The things you did together became obsolete as new friends and memories replaced the old. The things he taught you were thrown out to make space for the new lessons you learned each day.

Even when you did become an actress, you never really remembered why you decided to. You remembered that your friend pushed you to do that play, but it was almost ten years ago, and for the life of you, you couldn't remember his name.

But you did do it, first as an extra, then a body double, and then you started getting l roles on smaller shows. But your big break was getting a quasi-lead role on the spin-off of a big television show, The Walking Dead. For two years, you enjoyed going to conventions and playing the complex character, Valeria Bishop, and you thought you had it all figured out.

But life has a funny way of coming full circle and throwing you a curveball that knows you off course and changes your life.

[youwontlikethisblog]

You Betrayed Me!

Armando finds out that Betty's "boyfriend" gave her money to invite everyone in her friend group to have lunch.

He nears Patty, Marcela, and Hugo cackling at the expense of Betty, as always, and smiling he asks what they're laughing about, that he too wants to laugh.

"We're talking about Betty's boyfriend." Marcela says calming down from her laugher and Armando's huge smile falls and he displays a pissed off expression. "Ah you don't know she has a boyfriend?" she chuckles.

"Nono I didn't but I'm not interested in the personal life of Beatriz. Who is he?" now his voice is low. However you can tell he is angry but controlling himself.

"I think she doesn't even know it herself." Patty jokes.

"But I am dying to know who he is 'cause that type of species, of people, we need to study. We should stick them in a research laboratory with cameras and when he gets close to give her a kiss he'd grab her by the ears and(proceeds to pucker his lips as if he were sucking in air) all drooling." Hugo insults and laughs.

"Ah! No! I can't imagine anyone could have the balls to kiss her." Marcela laughs and covers her face in disgust.

"Right! Up until now I was convinced that the only thing that could kiss her would be a bat." Patty says.

"Aside from that, the man ia a millionaire!"

Armando turns to look at Marcela and then at Patty.

"Millionaire no. Multi-millionaire. He lent [Betty] money so she could take her friends out to eat to the Corrientazo.(Proceeds to mock Sofia's voice and naming the menu)"

"With so much trickery she managed to get a multi-millionaire. Does she think we're all stupid? As stupid as the supposed multi-millionaire boyfriend she got?" Mean girl cackle.

Armando mouths the 'multi-millionaire" part.

All three of the mean girls laugh or cackle like wenches.

"What's wrong? Ah it's because in front of Armando you can't talk bad about Beatriz."

"Ah Armando one thing, why don't you tell that moscorrofio to introduce you to her rich boyfriend that way you can make business with him and get money to run me my check."

"Ha-ha-ha. You're all super funny today. "

"See he doesn't even believe it that Beatriz found a rich boyfriend"

Hugo complains about not getting paid so bla bla bla.

The camera then switches to Armando being centered, head down, staring ahead under his brows, nostrils flared, lips tight, and his classic hand passing lightly over his hair as we hear a menacing voice:

"I'm going to kill Beatriz Pinzón Solano."

One thing is for sure here: Armando's ego is being dragged through the mud.

The arrows thrown at Betty end up hitting him as he is the one that has the balls to kiss(in his imagination AA) her.

As they insult, ridicule, and make fun of Betty and her boyfriend Armando is getting a taste of what he's afraid of. The ridicule and social embarrassment he'd face if he were to ever be seen with Betty as his girlfriend out in public. His reputation is important to him and he is afraid of being laughed at and he's now seeing it. He is witnessing first hand what he knows people in his social circle will say behind his back and Betty's.

Now it does upset him and he is angry that Betty has a boyfriend as everytime he hears that he has the exact same expression: Anger disguised as disinterest.

When Patty mentions that he[Nic] is a multi-millionaire his anger now centers in disbelief and betrayal.

Swiftly he turns to Hugo and with a smile on his face until he hears again "multi-millionaire" and he turns to Marcela, mouths the words and stares at her.

The phrase that comes to mind is "stomach tied in knots." but not in a good way. He looks tense, pissed off, hurt, and scared.

All these emotions center around Betty and her "boyfriend". Why would Armando feel betrayed? Why does he feel hurt? Why is he pissed off? Especially more when money is mentioned?

Money for men is power. The more you have the better you are. It's seen as a sign of being untouchable, stronger, more important, and better than everyone else.

Men use money to boost their ego and feel better about themselves. So for him to hear that Betty's boyfriend is a multi-millionaire is a kick to his ego, but also his fear that Nicolas is turning Betty against him and by consequences will take away his money therefore it would make Nicolas Mora better than him.

Now Betty's friends suck.

They constantly use her to make fun of Patty. They never respect her privacy or her wishes to maintain her personal life secret from others in Eco Moda and are always so nosy in her business.

They care more about their ego than they do about Betty's wishes or feelings.

Even Bertha tells Betty that she can't deny them the pleasure of rubbing it in Patty's face that Betty has a boyfriend.

The only ones that show some kind of redemption are Mariana, Aura Maria, and at times Inesita.

Because of them the hostility of Armando and his distrust of Nicolas is fed. As they constantly spread false information and use Betty's intimacy as a pawn without caring about the consequences. They suck.

Betty leaves a lollipop on Armando's desk.

As Armando enters his office we can see the lollipop on his desk.

Why does such a simple object hold such meaning in this scene?

Betty exits her office.

"Did you eat well?"She speaks in a peaceful tone.

"Mhmm" he avoids her.

"Sir, I need you to sign this paper for the legalization of the money Terra Moda paid to your family." Armand snatches the paper from her hand to sign and then throws it at her. "Thank you." Betty looks at the paper. "I have some really good news! Regarding the sells report and with the advances that Mr. Mario Calderon managed to get we are able to cover the overdraft with the bank and pay everyone tomorrow."

Armando slowly looks up at Betty, under his brows he gives her a dead stare. "What joy, no? Beatriz." he says sarcastically.

Confused Betty stops smiling and stands up.

"I knew you'd like the news." she walks towards her office and then returns " Sir may I ask you a question?"

"Mhm."

"Are you upset with me?" Armando, again slowly looks up at her.

"If i'm upset with you?" He laces his fingers in front of him, head tilted towards her, eyes dead focused on her. "No." he rest his elbow on his desk while he makes his hand into a fist, moves his right arm to rest behind him on his chair. "I'm not upset with you, Beatriz." He blinks rapidly. "It doesn't upset me at all for you to go around the halls of Eco Moda to shout to the four winds that you've got a rich boyfriend. That doesn't bother me." he is angry. Now he already discussed the situation with the Love Guru himself and they drew the conclusion that Betty was referring to Nicolas and Armando. We know that he was jealous, both economically and emotionally.

"Me?"

He stands up quickly, picks up the lollipop and starts to gesture pointing at himself and moving his hands in the air in front of him. "No! Me! Me! Beatriz you said you have a rich boyfriend." he leans on his desk towards Betty and hisses at her. "You told Patricia."

"I haven't said anything, Sir."

"No. I said it. " He walks from behind his desk to stand behind Betty. "Since I'm the one with a rich boyfriend! Beatriz you're lying to me. "He shakes the lollipop in the air. "and what pisses me off the most are lies. You did tell Patricia Fernandez in the hall that you have a rich boyfriend and I asked you a favor, to please not tell anyone about this-this-what we have, our relationship, yes. "he jerks to see behind him. "that it wasn't going to leave the both of us, right. You started talking about it. You tricked me! You betrayed me! You betrayed me, Dammit! You Betrayed me!" he angrily throws the lollipop onto the floor.

"Sir, I swear to you by the most sacred thing in my life that I didn't say anything. Allow me to explain. We[the secs.] were all waiting for the elevator and I told them I'd invite(lunch would be on her) out to eat because they're really low on money and I had taken out sixty thousand pesos from the petty cash fund to help them. In that moment Patricia showed up and overheard the conversation and started attacking me, asking where I had gotten the money, as if insinuating that I had stolen it from Eco Moda. So then they, to defend me, started to yell at her that I didn't have any need to have stolen that money and that I earn a really good salary and am a really good administrator and outside of that, Bertha said that I have a rich boyfriend but I've already explained, Sir, that she is always nagging me about Nicolas Mora."

"It's cause you told them you are committed or in a relationship with Nicolas Mora. Or what's going on, Beatriz?"

"Um nonono, Sir, how do you draw that conclusion? I haven't said any of that. Bertha said that to mortify Patricia but again, I repeat, I don't have anything with Nicolas Mora, no more than a friendly and work related relationship" she smiles nervously.

Armando stands up from his desk and walks behind it.

"Look Betty this isn't right. I don't like for people to be making assumptions or speculating. You shouldn't have said that, neither Bertha or anyone else. I don't want what we have to be jeopardized or that there's a rich boyfriend around. I don't like that, understand me."

"Yes sir. I talked to them already and asked them to not bother me about Nicolas Mora and they'll do it. Besides I don't have anything with Nicolas. In any case I want you to excuse me because of all of this and I want us to stand clear that I have word and I'll die before I don't fulfil it. I'm never going to betray you, Mister. I am incapable of breaking something so sacred to me. Do you believe me, Sir?"

"Yes, I believe you."

"It just that for me it's really important that you believe me."

"Yes I believe you."

"Do you swear?"

"I swear, swear, swear. I believe you, I swear!"

"Thank you, sir."

This was a heavy scene.

Armando is furious. He can't sit or stand still. This isn't for show. He truthfully feels this.

Betty is nervous and scared. She stands still, only moving when Armando nears her.

The lollipop actually plays a huge role here. It is a symbol of Betty's affection(just like chocolate bar that he shared with Mario). When Armando hastily picks it up, he is holding her affection. As he waves it in the air he is questioning it. As he throws it on the floor he is discarding it.

This represents Armando's furry and how quickly he is to react to it. He doesn't pay attention to consequence or details. He is solely focused on his own pain and yes, he is in pain.

As he repeats over and over again that Betty betrayed him.

Why does he feel betrayed? He talked this out with Mario and they both drew the conclusion that Betty was probably talking about him[Armando](the rich boyfriend). However Armando still feels betrayed.

Let's take a few steps back and break this down to simple actions.

Betty arrives to Eco Moda. She leaves a chocolate bar for Armando on his desk.

Mario and Armando have a briefing where Armando doesn't talk about his feelings and when he does Mario doesn't take him serious so he shuts off and gets angry at him instead.

Betty and him talk. He talks to her sweetly.

Betty's friends use her to make Patricia jealous.

Patricia, Marcela, and Hugo make fun of Betty and insult her and her "boyfriend" while Armando watches and witnesses first hand his biggest fear that keeps him in denial; public humiliation and people talking bad about him behind his back. His ego is bruised.

Mario and Armando discuss this new tabloid. Mario then mocks him by asking if he's jealous. Armando refrains and tells him to get serious.

Betty arrives back to Eco Moda and places a green lollipop on his desk.

Armando arrives to Eco Moda and enters his office.

Betty hands him a paper to sign. He pulls it out of her hand and then throws it at her. He then proceeds to yell(whisper but yelling at the sametime) at her and like a lion paces in his symbolic cage of feelings.

At the peak of this he expresses his true feelings.

Betrayal.

Once again Armando feels bamboozled.

At the start of the day Betty's gift represented hope. It gave him the understanding that things were going well and all of a sudden he finds out that she is "talking" about her rich boyfriend[Nic] to everyone. This causes him to want to murder her. Now when he talks to Mario they conclude that Betty possibly wasn't talking about Nicolas but instead him, Armando. His feeling of betrayal moved from feeling jealousy to now feeling like he can't trust her.

To some degree, not only because he doesn't want to face public humiliation or Marcela finding out about them, Armando does want to continue this relationship with her as it means he removes Nicolas from her life and you know what that means to him. So he does want to keep it tight lid.

However Armando has a problem, he can't control his rage. He can keep himself composed in front of people he doesn't want to give a bad impression to but with people he sees every day he has no problem exploding on them. This is the one emotion he is never shy to show.

Now as he stares at Betty, the one who he has trusted so much, as a potential liar, someone who could have broken his trust, he feels deep anger and hurt. He believes that she isn't respecting his wishes and worst of all playing him.

Her gift now though still represents her affection, is something he no longers cares for in his furry or how he treats it.

As she explain her side of the story he inspects her. He is suspicious and watching her closely.

Now seeing things from Betty's side. She is now looking at the man she has worked so hard for, to prove her worth, her important role in the company and his life, who has worked so hard for his trust, question her, it causes her a deep anguish.

She clarifies things but she needs him to believe her. She needs him to trust in her, to see her, to not question her integrity, to not pull away.

This is similar to the time that Betty confessed that RagTela had offered her a 10% commission and because at this point things were vastly less complicated for Armando emotionally, he listened to her and he showed that he trusted her. However this time Armando now agitated and frustrated over the whole situation tells her "I swear, swear, swear! I believe you, I swear!" because he wants the conversation over.

This isn't enough for Betty but she takes his word. You can tell she feels awful about the whole situation.

People that tend to not show emotion, live in denial of them, and basically just avoid them tend to feel extremely exhausted when we are placed in emotional settings. Be it an argument or just a conversation that is heavily rooted in emotions we tend to burn out quickly and just want the entire thing done with.

Armando is the exact way except he doesn't have the luxury of taking some time off to recharge emotionally like many of us do. For months this man has been on an emotional rollar coaster with the company and now in his personal life.

When Mario shows up to his office we can clearly see a very tired Armando.

Betty isn't like that. Though she knows how to control her emotions, she wears her heart on her sleeve with the people close to her. She isn't afraid to show her affection, though afraid to speak of them she is, Betty still wants people to believe in her.

Again though Betty and Armando are similar in a lot of ways the way they react is what sets them apart. Betty faces her problems and she finds ways to fix them. That's who she is. She explains her side of the story to clear the air but mostly because she doesn't want Armando to not trust her. His trust in her means a lot to her. It's what she has worked so hard for.

So while he is emotionally exhausted at the end of their argument, Betty isn't. Betty is hurting and afraid once again of what it all means.

[suffering-and-happy-about-it]

The Less I Know The Better (Peter Parker's iPod, Part 9.)

Description: Blip was hard. Dating MJ was a pleasure in Parker’s life, so it was even harder when she told him that things aren’t working as she anticipated - one month before college. Although they remained friends. But Peter isn’t too sure if he can handle liking yet another girl.

Part Summary: As another week came by, another visit from the masked hero was granted. And this time, MJ maybe started to pick up some vibes of you being even bigger weirdo than normally.

A/N: We're feeling fierce today, my babies. Let's give this boy a taste of heaven, shall we?

Word count: 2.5 K

Tagging: @fanboyswhereare-you, @lukesbabylon, @eridanuswave​

Master list: H E R E

This time, when Peter decided to come by, it was raining like crazy. The season of crazy spring thunders came by, it was just two weeks away from May. There were gallons of water pouring down every damn second. If you would like a shower or go out for a swim, you could. You just needed to count on having a cold afterward.

Peter came by your window two days earlier actually, with a rose in his hand even, being in one of his super romantic moods, but he forgot that you were about to visit Betty's place along with MJ, so he just gently opened up the window and closed the flower into the doorframe. And now, while the ice-cold water poured down on him, he watched as you laid on your bed, dressed only in a t-shirt and shorts, doing work for school on your old laptop. He could hear a tune playing pretty loudly - and he saw even the rose put in the vase on your desk, which excited him.

Carefully, he knocked on the glass, waiting before you noticed. Your eyes almost popped out when you realized who that even is - quickly, you locked the door and went to open the window.

"I'm certainly not coming on the rooftop with you today in this freaking weather, so, come on in." - You stepped aside, tugging his forearm in, and you could already tell that he's grinning under his mask. He was also insanely cold to touch. That boy was about to be sick, just because he wanted to see you. While he tried to get into your room through the window somehow, you cleaned up some mess before you turned back right at him.

"I'll let you be if you're working, I can come later or tomorrow." - Peter said when he finally got in, looking at you sitting down with your laptop again. Oh, you were playing a happy tune today. It was Vance Joy and his Mess is Mine, which was just radiating with joy and love. You looked at Spidey a bit cluelessly, showing him the math problem.

"I would use some help now. I don't have any idea what the hell am I supposed to do now. But... Are you cold? Won't you take the spandex off? I can lend you something." - You offered. Yes, you wanted to see him undressing and maybe even see more of his body, but also, you didn't want to see the boy get sick. - "And I can warm you up if you want." - You said with a devilish giggle. You, of course, didn't think anything nasty with that comment, you thought about some snuggles in the worst and best-case scenario.

That kinda caught Peter off guard. He started to blush again, for an unknown, stupid reason as he was watching you slowly looking back at the math. Did you just... Could he... Didn't you think something else..? Peter could say yes, since, for a reason, his body was missing your warmth ever since you had to wake up for school after the Twilight Saga marathon. But, let's be honest, Peter had his morals and these couldn't be crossed.

"I'm fine. I can just press a little button on the suit and it does this." - He showed you and the only thing you could see was steam coming out of him along with an intense heat since his suit had turned on the heating function. You nodded and a grin appeared on your face as you wrote down something into your math notebook.

"You could just say yes and take such a privilege, but you need to play the gentleman until the end, don't you?" - You said while looking at the numbers you had written down. Peter shook his head and sat on the chair in front of your desk while you put your blanket over your legs. Before you started to look at the problem again, the man stole your laptop, automatically doing your homework.

"Give me the paper and a calculator would be nice." - He asked you, but the only thing you could give him was the paper since you were consistent with stealing Peter's calculator. You still hadn't bought one. He just let a long inhale out, knowing there isn't any calculator coming, as he found the app in your notebook, finishing the page in the next few minutes.

"How can you be so smart? Math is a torture device, and I'm sure of it." - You mumbled when you stuck your head from behind his back as you watched him just... Finishing the whole homework off just like that. He turned his head on you and you just noticed that he had already pushed his mask a bit up, to breathe some normal, fresh, cold air.

"I'm not that smart, come on. I just like this thing. Also, instead of 3.5, you should get 4.8 here. Now you see why it wasn't working. It kinda makes sense." - Speedy pointed on the screen, showing you where you wrote the wrong number you'd know what to do the next time. - "Why aren't you freaking out? I heard stalkers do that when they have their idol in their bedroom." - He mumbled and his mouth was just flat. For a moment, you thought that maybe he's serious.

But when you opened up your mouth, that boy just started laughing out loud. You bumped his shoulder, saying him that he's a dumb frick before you send the e-mail off to your teacher's address.

"I'm joking, come on, I'm just joking." - He sat next to you on the bed, watching as your expression didn't change a single bit. You looked pissed for a reason, but to be honest, you were just concentrated so you wouldn't do that much typos in that one e-mail. - "Hey, talk to me. If anything, it's only fair to give me something for writing your homework for you, missy."

"I don't know who's the stalker. Do I knock on your windows at eight o'clock in the evening, Speedy?" - You mumbled and send the message off, closing the laptop. Then, you were looking at him. And with that, Peter had to say that you had a point. He was acting like a stalker at that point. - "But to your luck, I'm okay with having a stalker." - A whisper came out when you put that piece of technology away and leaned in to catch his chin in with your thumb as MJ just knocked on your door, making you both jump at that sound.

Jesus, what was her deal at nine p.m. when you had something more exciting going on. You shoved the Spidey boy behind your bed, going to unlock the door for her. She was standing there with her hair let down and her face was just dead from the inside. MJ was holding a cup with ice-cream in her hand, staring you down.

"What's that about?" - She asked, feeling the air in your room. It was extremely humid but pretty cold. - "Are you having a party without asking me to come?" - MJ rose her eyebrows. You smiled at her, opening the door more so she could see that you're all alone in there.

"I don't know what you're talking about, girl. I just finished my math, if you want help with that, I can send you the homework." - You mumbled and leaned your temple into your door. MJ closed her eyes a bit, noticing a rose on your desk. Why didn't she noticed anyone giving you that flower? It seemed to be pretty fresh.

"What you were talking to, then? And why did you lock the door? You never do that." - She mumbled with suspicion in her voice. With a long sigh, you told her that you had Peter on the phone and that you locked the door so the flat wouldn't get too cold since you knew she doesn't like that.

"Yeah. Right. Do you even know that locking your door doesn't help with the temperature at all? You only have to close it, dummy. Physics aren't your thing, are they?" - She mumbled and turned around to walk back to the living room, eating on the ice-cream. Her brain started working and thinking about the mysterious rose in your room. When you locked the door again, you walked to the door to close it a bit, and afterward, you rose your blanket which was hiding the boy.  

"Momma Capulet is gone now, Romeo. You can come out." - You whispered, stepping away from him. You saw him looking at the door, licking his lips.

"I will have to take you out on some balcony, then." - Speedy answered, walking to the window. You seemed to be surprised to see him leaving, but he was pretty scared of MJ. - "Since, you know, you're calling me Romeo and stuff."

"What’s the matter? She hadn't seen anything, calm down." - You mumbled and closed the window just when he was reaching out to it. - "You think you're going, don't you? But there weren't any criminals misbehaving or Avengers searching for their youngest addition, so no, I don't think you're leaving."

"Miss, this is considered threatening personal space and kinda holding me as a hostage. And I know you know that I can file a lawsuit at you for that." - Spidey tried to resist, but that was when you pushed him down onto the bed. And Peter just knew that at that moment, he won't be leaving no matter what.

"Oh, you won't do a thing about that, boy." - You said confidently, leaning yourself down to sit on his lap, smiling into his face. The tone of music shifted drastically, as Tame Impala came in with his seductive base guitar.

"You seem to be sure." - The boy remarked as you hugged his outer thighs with your inner ones, leaning your lovely bottom into his knees. You moved your hair away, biting your lip while you looked down on him. When your thumb rested on the top of his chin again, he felt a bit like a little kid whos getting a lecture. Just before you finally kissed him again, he felt a gentle whisper on his lips.

"Watch and learn, boy." - That was the only smart remark you had before getting full silence from that boy. Peter couldn't get enough of your lips, those were just the fact. But there also were the small things like your grip on one of his shoulders, small whimpers before you leaned before another kiss and occasional smiles every time he opened up his eyes.

"Are you fine with this?" - You asked suddenly, making Peter look at you as he slowly tuned back into reality. He looked at you, panting, hearing the song slowly fading away, tuning Jawny’s Honeypie.

"Why? Do I look like I'm running away?" - He joked back and your eyes traveled to his hands just laying around his body. Oh, OH. Peter was just so taken by you kissing him that he forgot to touch you. That was normal for him. He was taken away by you all the time.

"I mean, do you like... Want to dance or will you participate in this activity as well? You know, I don't know if someone told you, but because you're single you might not know that... There are two people when they're making out." - You said courageously, biting your lips as you tried not to laugh. Peter closed his eyes at this and laughed out loud as well. Just seconds after, you almost let a scream out when you were thrown onto your pillows like a sack of potatoes.

"Does this count as me participating enough or what do you want me to do exactly?" - He shot back in the same tone, feeling your palms gently circling his waist again. He leaned into the bed with one of his elbows, holding your face with the other one. The song in the background was playful as well, which made him hum the tune.

"I'm quite fine with this situation going on, Gonzales." - You nodded, rising your knee to meet his hips, laughing when his lips blew air into your neck, making loud farting before he pushed you a bit closer to bring you in for another kiss. MJ intervening was long forgotten as you lost the track of the time or of what was even going on.

"Will you stay to watch a movie or you're in a rush?" - You mumbled sleepily, just having your head leaned into the funny feeling spandex, listening to his heartbeat. He was keeping you closer, having an arm over your shoulder.

"What about you'll play something and I’ll stay until you fall asleep? Hm?" - He hummed back, kissing the top of your head. For a good portion of your fourth date, you were just making out - and even if Peter knew that he won't fall asleep for a pretty long time, he could understand that you're tired. Especially when the weather was crazy outside.

You nodded, playing the first thing you found on Netflix, sniggling under the warm blanket. It felt quite nice to feel someone pressed to your back, having their hand on your waist. You fell dead asleep rather quickly, snorting lightly after just ten minutes. When Peter poked your waist and you haven't moved an inch, he slowly took the mask off, finally looking at you with his eyes only.

He knew that Karen kept on recording everything he saw, that was why could simply rewatch the two hours of you making out, but there was some intimacy about looking at you in the dark room. His face slowly leaned in until his forehead rested on your shoulder as he took a few long, deep breaths.

This maybe was beautiful and much more, but he just wanted to be Peter with you. Oh Lord, he wished you to kiss him with such an eagerness every single morning. Or he could tickle you until you'd woke up in the morning. And... With that, it hit him.

Another realization. And he just knew that he doesn't only has a huge crush on you. He felt that small impulse - as if something inside of him clicked. That feeling everyone told him about. That something which made you wanna do stuff with someone else. Not just kiss them or snuggle them. But stuff, like... Adult stuff.

How he was about to survive all of that? He didn't know. Peter just hoped that you might be able to love Peter as much as you felt affectionate toward Speedy Gonzales.

[lolabean1998]

This Better Work Part 7

Sweet Pea X OC

Summery; Hey guys, not sure how well this is going to go but I originally put it on Wattpad so its way long, but hopefully its not horrendous. Let me know what you think! So, it follows the story line kind of, it’s not exact but I have tried and it follows my OC Ali as she navigates through the hell that is Riverdale. Whilst struggling with financial, social and romantic difficulties, she has the added pressure of keeping up with school work and bonus of being thrown into the frightening world of the criminal underground.

Side Note; None of the gifs or pictures I use are mine, I’m not talented or smart enough to even begin an attempt at making my own. Thank you to those who have such abilities and if you don’t want me using them then please let me know so I can remove them for you. 

Word Count; 

"Hey Ali! Ali Cat! Why the hell are you siding with the Southside scumbags?" Reggie bellowed down the corridor at Ali as she threw her unneeded Chemistry and Geography books in her locker. 

"Really Reggie?" She questioned sternly, slamming her locker and spinning to face the jumped-up Bulldog. Being met by the whole squad, her arms folded as her eyebrows raised in amusement. 

"Are you serious? You got the whole damn squad out just to confront me about a HOODIE? A FUCKING HOODIE REGINALD? I'm not taking anyone’s side. I'm just trying to keep the peace. Something you clearly aren't capable of!" Ali bellowed. How dare he challenge me! 

"You need to get your affairs in order and get your head out of your arse, IT'S NOT A HAT!" Ali warned before slamming past him cutting through the see of Jocks. 

"I'm not the one wearing their clothes. That hoodie warm is it? Looks more like a snake skin if you ask me." He spat stopping Ali dead in her tracks. Her bag dropping to the ground as the last string of her temper snapped. She spun quickly on her heels storming back down the corridor towards Reggie. Her hand reached out grabbing his throat. Slamming him against the lockers. 

"Yes. Its very warm. But so is the River Vixens t-shirt underneath." Ali growled through gritted teeth. Her faces inches from his. 

"I live on the border so I'm neither one nor the other. I'm Both! Remember that before you open your mouth next time." Ali snarled. Her fingers curling round Reggies throat increasing the fear and disgust in his eyes. 

However, this didn't last long. A pair of strong arms wrapped around Ali's waist heaving her up and pulling her away from Reggie. 

"Settle down Ali Cat you nearly got yourself expelled." Jughead cautioned as he placed her on one of the sofas in the common room. All eyes on her. Betty and Toni arrived seconds later carrying Ali's bag. 

"Damn girl that was bad ass!" Toni exclaimed with an impressed smirk as she slumped besides Ali on the sofa. Ignoring the warning glare Jughead shot her.

“Don’t encourage her.” Jughead groaned.

"I leave you alone for one minute and THIS is what you do?" Ali smirked handing Sweet Pea a beer before kneeling beside him to look at the boiler he had just stripped. He looked over at her with a boyish grin plastered across his face, before taking a large swig of his drink. Turning back to the boiler pieces scattered in front of them.

"I had to see what was broken. I know where it all goes. I'm not an idiot!" Sweet Pea replied nonchalantly, a cocky twinkle in his eyes. 

"Besides who are you to judge me? I'm not the one that nearly got myself kicked out for standing up for a bunch of actual gang members." He smirked shoving Ali's arm lightly. He loved spending the weekends helping her around the garage and fixing up her old run-down house. She made him laugh and he swore whenever he was around her, he felt as if his luck would change forever. But that was him. He knew there was no way she would feel the same way. They were friends. End of.

"You too good to say gangsters now?" Ali teased, her usually bright smile was brighter than ever and this time, it was real. 

"You know you've taken this apart only to find the whole damn thing needs replacing. Right?" She asked after a moments glance over the corroded parts.

"Yeah I know." Sweet Pea sighed. Knowing full well that this meant Ali and her family going without heating. 

"I'll think of something Ali Cat. Hey if worse comes to worst my caravan is always warm and I have room for three more." He smiled sympathetically. His words making Ali chuckle for a moment before she fell silent. Her eyes trained on the parts in front of her as if they would run away if she blinked. 

"Hey, Princess. It's going to be ok." Sweet Pea soothed, turning Ali's face to look directly at him. 

Her eyes welled with tears. For the first time ever, her guard was down. Her walls had fallen. There was no longer the endless reals of hope and joy that once resided in her eyes. Her bright, contagious smile had faded and all that was left was the fear and misery she had always hidden so well. Sweet Pea's heart broke at the sight of her feeling so vulnerable. Before he knew it he had wrapped her up in an enormous, warm bear hug. His chin resting on top of her head. His hand wrapped in her hair whilst the other pulled her deeper into the hug. He could feel the tears soaking through his t-shirt and onto his skin. They sat there for a moment. But when Ali pulled away her bright shining smile was back, her eyes filled with false happiness as she looked up at him.

"With all do respect Sweet Pea. You barely fit in that caravan. How would we ever fit around your giant ass." She replied, the thick sassy sarcasm flooding her voice like nothing had happened. Ali felt a rogue tear fall down her rosy cheek. Swiping it away with her finger tips, staring at it a moment before flicking it away. 

"Ugh gross I'm leaking. Think its time for my M.O.T." She complained. 

"Want a cup of tea?" She offered making her way to the kitchen before Sweet Pea had a chance to reply. 

Good job Ali. Cry in front of everyone like a fucking wimp. Good one dick head. Ali scolded herself, pottering around the kitchen for Tea and mugs.

"You know you don't have to be like that Ali. It's ok to cry." Sweet Pea soothed from the doorway.

"Why because I'm a girl? Because that's what girls do? I have nothing to be sad about. I have a roof over my head, amazing friends, a loving family and I'm a jack of all trades." Ali snapped. Who was he to say she was allowed to cry? 

"My tears are pointless and selfish. There are people in the world with far less than me so why should I allow myself to cry?" She continued, her words taking Sweet Pea back a step. 

"Ali I was just trying to help. No one, male or female should have to be an emotionless robot. Its ok to feel." He reasoned, trying to defuse the situation.

"So, NOW I’m an emotionless robot. Oh gee thanks Sweet Pea. I feel much better now!" Ali thundered, her eyes flooding with red mist as she glared aggressively at Sweet Pea. 

"You should go." She growled.

"I was just trying to help! You were sad so I tried to comfort you! How am I the bad guy?" Sweet Pea retaliated. Arms flailing angrily as he spoke. But Ali was a stone-cold bitch, it would take more than that to persuade her.

"I DIDN'T FUCKING ASK FOR YOUR HELP THOUGH DID I SWEET PEA?! I TOLD YOU BEFORE I DIDN’T NEED A KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOUR THEN AND I SURE AS HELL DON’T NEED ONE NOW SO GET THE FUCK OUT! DON’T STAY WHERE YOU CLEARLY AREN’T WANTED!" Ali roared, her vocal cords screaming at her in pain with every syllable.

"Wow." Sweet Pea stepped back, his word quiet and upset. His heart crumbling to the floor at her last words. 

"You're right. I don’t know why I bothered helping such a pompous, stuck up Northsider anyway." He snapped before spinning sharply on his heels and strutting out the house. Slamming the front door in frustration as he went.

"I mean, what a wanker! Can you believe the balls on that over-sized shoe lace?!" Ali ranted. She had been ranting to Cheryl for the last hour whilst they all made cookies for the local homeless shelter. 

"I told you Ali. Serpents are the scourge of Riverdale." Cheryl stated putting the last batch of cookies in the oven.

"Oh yeah? That including Topaz?" Ali smirked raising an inquisitive eyebrow. She had seen the two girls eyeing each other up all week at school. 

"Pffft please. She's Queen of the hobos". Cheryl snorted turning her face away from Ali so she wouldn't see how badly she was lying.

"Really? That's not what your eyes have been saying." Ali teased knowing full well what was going on in her best friends head. "You've been giving her your come to bed eyes all week." 

Ali's phone went off before she had a chance to reply. The song Sharp-dressed Man playing loudly from her jet black, well armoured Iphone. 

"What the fuck does Hiram Lodge want?" Ali mumbled wiping her hands before picking up her phone. 

"Hello Mr. Lodge, how can I help?" She answered politely.

"Ah Ali. I was wondering if you could do me a small favour? Unfortunately, I cant ask anyone else to do it as I cant have anyone catching word of this. Is that understood?" He asked carefully. He was up to something and since Ali needed the money, he knew she'd do it no questions asked.

"Of-course Mr. Lodge. I'll come round later to discuss this in further detail. Shall we say 6pm at the Pembroke?" Ali replied. It wasn’t the first time she'd done something under the radar like this for the Lodges. She knew the drill. 

"Perfect. I'll see you then. Oh and Ali, it is my understanding that you are in need of a new boiler. Is that correct?" He quickly stopped her before she hung up.

"Um. Yes Mr. Lodge, may I ask why?" Ali questioned curiously. "I'm sending a boiler round tomorrow. Someone will be there to fit it in at 11 o’clock sharp." He answered happily before hanging up.

"What was that all about?" Cheryl pondered, watching Ali jot something down on her phone.

"Hiram Lodge has a job for me and he's paying me with a boiler." Ali puzzled staring at her phone.

"That's not weird at all." Cheryl commented just as her phone began buzzing like crazy. 

"Oh my god what is with people today." She muttered grabbing her phone. "Yes, dear cousin." 

"Cheryl hi, I was wondering if you and Ali fancied going dancing at the White Wyrm tonight? I don’t want to go on my own." Betty responded sheepishly.

"Ali, want to go out dancing at the Wyrm tonight? Betty has something going on there." Cheryl muttered to Ali, her phone pressed to her chest muffling their voices. 

"Yeah I'm down providing we're drinking. I should be finished by about 7 so I'll come back here, and we can all get ready and eat at mine." Ali agreed, she needed a release.

"Be at Ali's for 7 we can get ready here. Toodles." Cheryl instructed before hanging up. 

"Ready to get the last batch of cookies out and hit the road?" She asked, skipping over to the oven when Ali nodded, her eyebrows still knitted in concern. 

"I'll grab the containers for them." Ali muttered disappearing to the storage room by the bathroom.

[c-is-for-circinate]

The Untitled Prequel To A Harry Potter Fic I Am (Probably) Never Writing

By popular demand, this thing that starts a story I know more of but probably don’t have the words for!

In which Minerva McGonagall tries to figure out the present, and, relatedly, the future; including a great many names readers will not recognize, because there are many, many students at Hogwarts, and several more that readers will.

.

It takes nearly three weeks after the final battle to empty the tent city struck up on the Hogwarts grounds of the last of its inhabitants.  They leave in straggling, drawn-out waves, one by one or six or seven at a time, one day after the other.  Nobody takes the train.

First to go, of course, are the Aurors, the members of the Order, with the dead carried out on pallets and Death Eaters in chains--adults.  Very well and good riddance.  Minerva isn’t concerned with them.  She barely spared them a thought in the first place.  The few that stay are useful for wards and charms to light the campfires, and that’s all the mind she has time to pay to them right now.

The first children to go, then, are those injured too badly to be cared for with the Hogwarts facilities in the state they are now.  There aren’t many.  More left with the dead.

After that and within the first day or so, there’s a small handful of sixth- and seventh-years old enough to Apparate themselves away and tired or worried about family enough to leave without a second glance.  Minerva wishes them well and turns her attention to the next wave: students with parents or guardians who are still alive, and findable, and sane and well enough to Floo or Apparate in to Hogsmeade to collect them in person.  Parents who aren’t in some sort of custody or wanted by this or the last, not-quite-dismantled Ministry for capture the moment they arrive for their children.

“I am not,” Minerva says on the second day, knuckles very white around her wand and Kingsley Shacklebolt very much in her way, “going to hold children hostage to secure their parents’ arrest.”

“Minerva,” Kingsley says, voice calm and quiet and sad enough that she doesn’t hit him for it, “does it do them any better service to send them home with parents who will be hunted as traitors and murderers the moment they leave?”

Minerva takes a sharp breath to retort and thinks, very abruptly, how much of the last year she has spent spoiling on the very edge of a fight.  Kingsley Shacklebolt is her ally.  He is her friend.  He is not even incorrect.

Minerva’s been a Gryffindor for fifty years.  She has learned in that time that a great many problems cannot be solved via force, combat, or conflict, and found a great many alternate ways to solve them besides.  A year of occupation, a pitched battle, and the bodies of too many students won’t take that from her.

“Very well,” she says, and allows the Order’s Aurors to stand present at the Hogsmeade floos, the designated Apparition points for parental pick-up, and hover generally in the background of every parent-child reunion.

Four days after the battle when the rush quiets, a little fewer than half the students who attended Hogwarts this year are left.  It’s no more than a third of the number that should have been there, but never mind that.  Never mind the groaning, crumbling wreck of Hogwarts Castle, the broken walls and fallen staircases, the gaping holes and cursed booby-traps left in every hall that they ought to be living in now.  Minerva turns away deliberately, keeps the castle to her back, and faces the problem in front of her.

The next set of students, then.  Those whose adults are, for one reason or another, difficult to locate or otherwise...unavailable.

There are ways to find witches and wizards who don’t want to be found, but no adult witch or wizard had survived any amount of time on the run from Voldemort and his Ministry by being easy to track.  Half the parents who appear at Hogwarts over the next few days, Minerva hasn’t actually managed to contact at all--they show up on their own, eager or hopeful or desperate, and she turns their children over gladly.

It took three days after the battle, with all the wizarding world in a shambles as expected, for someone from their side to finally make it out to Azkaban.  It takes days more even to process the prisoners, to treat them for disease and injury, for madness.  Days just to get a list of names, the living and the Kissed and the dead.

Some of them come for their children after that.  Some of them, Minerva scratches off her list of parents with a steady, even stroke of her quill, and adds their children’s names to her list of students whose aunts and uncles and further relatives need to be located and investigated instead.

A week after the last battle, Demelza Robins shows up at the flap of Minerva’s office tent, fists clenched and tear streaks dry on her cheeks, four younger students behind her.  “We’re going to St. Mungo’s,” she says.  “My dad’s the only family I’ve got left.  It’s the same for all of us.  You can’t keep us here.  We’re going.”

“My dear,” Minerva says, rising from her chair, one hand raised to placate.  She freezes quite suddenly when Malcom Baddock raises his wand in a shaky hand.

“You can’t stop us,” he says.  “You can’t.”

Malcom had shared a dormitory room for four years with Matthias Burke and Dominic Rosier, a bathroom with Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle and Draco Malfoy, a house with Flora and Hestia Carrow.  Decades ago, his father wore green and silver and sang in the school choir and was so fluid and graceful with his Transfigurations it was a joy to have his class of Slytherins every single year.  Nobody’s seen Sylvester Baddock in three months, for all the word Minerva’s been able to find of him, but if Betty was in Azkaban...Minerva doesn’t hold out much hope.

Malcom has one uncle to Minerva’s knowledge, besides Betty’s Muggle family, but he won’t be coming by to pick his nephew up.  He was already here last week.  He’ll be on the other Azkaban list, as far as she’s aware.  The incoming one.

“Mr. Baddock,” Minerva says gently.  “You cannot possibly stay at St. Mungo’s.  The entire hospital is packed.  I’d be surprised if there’s a spare chair that hasn’t been Transfigured into a cot in the whole place.  Where would you go?”

“Home,” says Demelza.  “Not some hospital without anything familiar or anyone who loves them to help them get better.”

“Children, your parents are in no fit state to take care of you,” Minerva says.  She’s seen the reports on Travis Robins, Betty Baddock, Paul and Angela Hurst.  Edric Fowley, whose family tree hadn’t seen a Muggle in ten generations until he married one.  Poor Emilia Dawlish.

“That’s fine,” Demelza says.  “That’s what we’re for.  We’ll take care of them.”

“We’ll take care of each other,” says Winifred Fowley, very very quietly.  “We don’t need magic for that.”

Minerva should put her foot down and stop this.  Lucas Hurst is only twelve.  What if something goes wrong?  What if their parents are even more broken in mind and spirit than in body?  What if that thrice-damned excuse for an Auror John Dawlish gets out of his own hospital bed before Emilia’s well enough to defend herself?  What if somebody gets hurt?

“We can all stay at Fowley’s place if we have to,” Demelza says.  “Even Baddock.  But we’re leaving now.”

Five fewer children to worry about here, feeling trapped and frightened and plotting ways to escape without doing her the courtesy of a farewell first.  Five more to worry about out in the great wide world without her, but what’s five more on top of that impossible pile?

“Professor Sprout will escort you to St. Mungo’s,” Minerva says, though, Merlin, she needs Pomona here so badly.  But Pomona will have the good sense to bring the children back if need be.  For one afternoon, she’ll make do.

The trickle of incoming parents has turned into a trickle of aunts and uncles and grandparents by the second week, as Minerva pours over lists and writes letters and sends owls and looks for any suitable relative capable of taking care of one or two or four or five children still shaken by the year they’ve survived.  Grace Hawthorne, just barely eighteen, shows up with her great-great-grandmother Jocosa, a hundred and eight, and together they collect Grace’s two younger sisters and every one of the Partridge and Hawthorne cousins.  Minerva lets them do it, even Edna and Toby Partridge who are cousins on the other side and not a drop of Hawthorne blood to them at all.  There are too many students left and too few parents to take them all, and Edna is responsible, and Grace is clever.  They’ll make do as well as anyone else these days.

Not a single child at Hogwarts this year is Muggleborn, but there are two dozen or more who haven’t any family left besides their Muggle relatives, and that’s another horror and a heartache all in itself.  Each child must be hand-delivered by Side-Along Apparition or Floo’ed to some nearby wizarding location and then taken by broomstick or Knight Bus or some Muggle transportation or walked.

James Tuckett’s aunt hadn’t even known her brother was dead until Xiomara Hooch showed up at her front door.  Minerva sits down at her desk and listens to Xiomara relate the story and closes her eyes, and tries not to think about a brick house with a perfectly tailored lawn in Surrey on a night in 1981, when everything had somehow felt so much clearer than this.

Somewhere around the second week, the Aurors--the new Aurors, whatever may be becoming of them under Kingsley’s leadership, after the days of arguing and politicking that Albus surely would have stuck his nose into and Minerva simply doesn’t have time to care about--release a whole flurry of suspects they’ve cleared of the Imperious curse or found reasonably innocent of most probable wrongdoing.  There are dozens of others still awaiting trials that might not be managed for weeks or even months, but in the meantime the new wave of parents is here and furious or desperate or relieved, every one of them overflowing with emotions and very few of those happy.

Minerva finds herself very nearly cursed by Isra Harper nee Shafiq, upon revealing that she’d sent Adam home with his Harper relatives several days prior.  At this point, she is tired enough to barely bat an eye.

That wave clears out a handful of students and two thirds of the Slytherins that are left.  Minerva walks past the color-coded row of House tents, shorter once again than it’s been in days as the remaining students cluster and condense some more, and doesn’t let herself think about school unity or what might even become of Slytherin in the fall.  Doesn’t let herself think about autumn at all, or the falling-down castle behind her, or Septima Vector’s still, cooling body or the tremor in Filius Flitwick’s hand these days.  There’s Fiendfyre in the school somewhere, Potter told her quietly before he left, eating its way through a pocket dimension of magical objects and who knows what other enchantments, and if it’s grown powerful enough feasting it might not stop burning for months.  There are still students here in front of her, and Minerva will see that they’re taken care of before she lets herself fall apart in terror of the future.

By the third week they’re down to just shy of forty students, and Minerva has racked her brain as thoroughly as possible to try and remember what they did at the end of the last war.  Had there been so many orphans, that time?  Hogwarts had been safe, had stayed safe, that entire war.  Surely there must have been students whose parents were murdered as they sat snug in their dormitories.  What had they done then?

It had all been case by case back then, was the trouble, never so many all at once.  But this is no place for children.  It’s no place for adults--Irma Pince is already gone, horror and nightmares behind her eyes, and she’d had to beg Poppy to stay on just until the last child was seen to and sent off.  Aurora Sinistra’s in St. Mungo’s still.  Horace Disapparated within the first day of the battle being over without a second look back.  There’s just Minerva herself, Pomona and Filius and Xiomara and Poppy, Rubeus in his hut and Sibyl holed up inside her tent too shaken to leave, a handful of house elves keeping them all fed over campfires and a handful of Aurors and Order members patrolling the perimeter every day.  It’s not enough.  She misses Severus more than she ever would have thought possible.

She thinks Albus would have done better.  She thinks Albus wouldn’t have done a thing at all, popping down to the new Ministry every single morning and only putting in an appearance here to keep his face in people’s minds, and she’d still be doing everything she is now and then some.  She thinks it would still be better, because then at least they’d have Albus to look to, to believe in, to reassure them that it would all turn out alright though of course he was much too cryptic to say how.  Albus wouldn’t ever explain his full reasoning and he might even be wrong, but at least he’d have an answer.

Well.  If the possession of any answer at all, abstruse or wrong as it might be, is the standard to which Minerva is aspiring, she can certainly provide that herself.  She can do several steps better than that.

She makes a new list from memory, and has to stop herself at the bottom, go back and cross out several names once again.  The Westinburghs are dead.  The Kaleys ran to France the moment George and Miranda left school.  Honorius Hanley was arrested last week, shocking everyone who had the time to care about it.

The Abbotts are in mourning.  The Smiths are in mourning.  The Weasleys are in mourning.  Everybody in the world is in mourning.

There’s a small fireplace in Minerva’s office tent, large enough to firecall from.  She starts at the top of her much-too-short list, and hopes.

Percy Weasley answers the fire at the Burrow, looking gaunt and tired, wrapped in a hand-knit sweater that ought to be much too warm for very nearly June.  “Professor McGonagall,” he says, polite in his surprise.  “What brings you by today?”

“I’m afraid I have a favor to ask of your parents,” Minerva says, and doesn’t miss the flash of stubbornness and rage that calms so quickly on Percy’s face.  She can’t blame him for an instant.

“Don’t you think my parents have done enough?” he asks, clipped and chilly.

“Be that as it may,” Minerva begins.

“Oh, shove over, Percy!”  A moment later he’s elbowed out of the way of the fire, his younger sister taking his place.  “Professor McGonagall.  MUM!  FIRE FOR YOU!”

Minerva controls a wince at the volume and spots Percy failing to quite do the same, though that may be related to the elbow-inflicted bruise he now appears to be rubbing on his side.  Ginny Weasley peers down into the fire with a smile that doesn’t quite reach her sharp, probing eyes.

“What’s going on, Professor?” Ginny asks.

“I’m afraid--” Minerva begins, to put her off, before Percy cuts in.

“That’s Mum and Dad’s business, Ginny,” he says, and Ginny scowls darkly.

“That’s enough from you, Percy,” she says.  “Go see if George needs help in the garden.”

Minerva doesn’t know quite what to expect from that, but it’s not for Percy Weasley to pause and then sink in on himself, becoming a small, quiet thing in the face of his sister’s ire.  He nods at her once, “Professor.”  Then he’s gone.

“Ginny, what on Earth--”  Molly Weasley bustles over with as little cheer and energy as Minerva’s ever seen, but she does smile when she sees whose head is in the fireplace, and Minerva takes it for the kindness it is.  “Minerva, how nice to see you.”

“You as well, Molly.  How is your family?”

Both Weasley women’s expressions darken a bit, though Molly’s brightens back into half-forced cheer after a moment.  “We’re getting by,” she says.  “Charlie’s been staying with Bill and Fleur, not that we don’t have the space, but they didn’t want Shell Cottage standing empty and anyway at least it’s closer than Romania.  They’ll be by for supper in a few hours.”

“I’m glad,” Minerva says with complete honesty, for reasons entirely separate from the impetus for her call.  She leaves it there--Molly wouldn’t thank her for useless platitudes, no matter how true, and she’s a whole list of firecalls to make after this one, too.

“How about Hogwarts, then?” Molly asks briskly.  “Rebuilding efforts beginning and all that?”

Minerva can’t quite contain her flinch this time.  “I’m afraid they haven’t begun.  We’re still...attempting to find appropriate homes for several of the students from last term.”

Molly’s face goes wide with understanding and grief.  Ginny’s sharpens.

“The orphans,” Ginny says, cutting straight to the point.  “How many?”

“Miss Weasley…” Minerva begins, and then finds she doesn’t quite know what to say.

“Hector and Ariadne’s parents died last November, but they’ve an aunt,” Ginny continues.  “I heard about Demelza and her father.  Kitty and Mara Westinburgh?  Who else?”

“There are approximately three dozen students with no relatives on record available to take them in,” Minerva concedes.  “We were hoping...I know this is a terrible time for your family, but Molly…”

Molly wrings her hands in her apron and blinks away a bit of wetness in her eyes.  “Is there anywhere else?” she asks, and then recoils a bit, biting into her bottom lip in shame.

“With three dozen children, and things the way they are, the options for placement…”  Minerva doesn’t think there are three dozen untouched wizarding families today in all of Britain.  And oh, there are plenty of families still standing, still pulling through, but how many can she trust to do right by a child not their own?  Who could she turn to, if not…

“Do you have a list, Professor?” Ginny asks.  “Of the students who are left.  I know most of them, maybe I can help.”

Minerva should protest, but Ginevra Weasley’s eyes are bright and very piercing.  She hasn’t yet turned seventeen.

Minerva hadn’t been able to make an ally out of her, last year.  She hadn’t been willing.  Better that Ginny, that Neville Longbottom, that their whole organization slip by unrecognized and unknown by as many adults as possible.  Minerva couldn’t reveal and didn’t have to be seen to punish what she didn’t know.  She’d set herself as a bulwark facing Severus and the Carrows and done her best never to look over her shoulder at the students behind her, placing all her hope and faith in those children’s ability to protect themselves where she couldn’t.

Perhaps she’d hoped for this, when she firecalled here first.  ���Very well,” Minerva says, and reaches through the fire with the list.

Molly goes to take it, far too slow, but only makes the smallest noise of protest when Ginny snatches it away.  “Hmm,” she says.  “You should send Euan Abercrombie off with David Wu, if you can find where their family’s hidden,” she says.  “They’re all Muggles but Euan spent half the past two summers with them, they’ll take him in.  Leslie Bittern…”  She stops quite abruptly.  “Flora and Hestia are still there?”

Out of thirty-eight students on the list in Ginny’s hand, thirteen of them are Slytherins.  The only other House with nearly as many orphans left is Gryffindor.  Flora and Hestia Carrow have barely set foot outside the tent they share with five other girls of their House in weeks.

“Their family members are largely unavailable,” Minerva says, which is the word she’s been using for three weeks to mean arrested, or tortured to insanity, or dead.  In this case it means that she sent Alecto and Amycus to prison with her own wand and not a second thought, that she heard about Agamemnon's defiant last stand with grim satisfaction, that she didn’t think at all about the pair of fifteen-year-old girls in her own keeping until days after word of Calanthe Carrow nee Sauvageon’s suicide began to trickle down the grapevine in her direction.  The Sauvageons, secure in their own chateau somewhere in the wilds of France, have declined to answer her owls.

“I don’t think…” Molly begins hesitantly.

“They’re not evil,” Ginny says, surprising both of them.  “They barely spoke to anyone all year.  They only ever did Cruciatus on command.  Three quarters of the school’s done that.”  She says it bluntly, almost carelessly, like it’s nothing at all to her--like she knows exactly how dizzy, how ill that fact makes Minerva feel, and wants to punish her for it.  “Find them some Mudblood without any other children who won’t take nonsense and quite likes housekeeping and decorating charms.  They like pretty.  Maybe if they learn to bake they won’t turn out like the rest of their family.”

“Ginevra Weasley!” Molly exclaims while Minerva is still a bit boggled by the excellent suggestion.  “To think I’d see the day where I’d hear that word come out of your mouth--”

“What?  Mudblood?” Ginny asks scornfully, and Minerva realizes she hadn’t even noticed.  It hadn’t even made her flinch.  “Do you think I haven’t heard someone say Mudblood a hundred thousand times by now?  Do you think Hestia and Flora Carrow haven’t heard and said worse?  Do you think that’s the worst thing I’ve done?”

“I think your attitude has just about reached the limit of my patience, Ginevra Elaine Iseulte Anna Viviane--”

“We’ll take Samuella Grey and Mortimer Colt,” Ginny interrupts her mother.  “We have to, Mum.  They’ve nowhere else to stay.  They need someplace safe.”

Minerva hadn’t known that either child was particularly close with Ginny.  She’d chosen not to know a lot of things, last year.

“Well,” Molly says.  Then, very briskly after a pause that goes on just slightly too long, “Yes, of course we’ll take them in, and you’ll come right back if there’s more left that need homing after you’ve worked through your other options.  You, meanwhile, young lady--”

“Go to the Longbottoms next,” Ginny says to Minerva, interrupting yet again.  She hands the list back, careful through the fire.  “I know Neville’s got space for at least five or six, and they’ll all trust him, mostly, besides some of the older Slytherins.  Let him pick who to take.  He’ll have a good idea on the others, even the Slytherins, too.”

“Thank you, Miss Weasley,” Minerva says gravely, and means it.  “Molly, thank you.  Please give my regards to Arthur.  Miss Grey and Mr. Colt will be on their way within the next day or so, and I’ll be sure to send word first.”

She pulls back from the fire before the argument she can see brewing in the Weasley living room explodes.  It isn’t kind, to put this extra pressure on their family when they’re already awash with grief and all their own conflicting nightmares.  It isn’t kind to Samuella Grey or Mortimer Colt, to send them among it.  But it’s among the less wretched or cruel options Minerva has available to her.

The Ministry is every bit the shambling wreck that Hogwarts Castle is behind her.  Nobody will find homes for these children if she does not.

So.  The Longbottoms it is, then.  Minerva doesn’t bother to waste any more time, and tosses another pinch of powder into the fire.

Augusta’s in her sitting room with a cup of tea when Minerva pokes her head through the fire, perched with perfect posture on a brocade sofa and arching both eyebrows in question.  “Good afternoon, Minerva.  What brings you calling here?”

“I’ve a matter of some importance to discuss with you and your grandson,” Minerva says, dismissing with any illusion that the children who protected Hogwarts last year might be left out of this conversation at any level.  Out of any conversation, if some of the distant rumors she’s been hearing about Miss Granger and the rebuilding of the Ministry prove true.

Besides, she’ll need Neville Longbottom’s help for this one.

Neville and Augusta both listen seriously, consideringly, to Minerva’s request.  The left side of Neville’s face is nearly entirely healed, aside from the last brown smudge of remaining bruise along his jaw.  The simplest healing charm could have dealt with it weeks ago, but Augusta never could work a decent charm, and Neville knows better than to try to work healing magic on himself.  Of course they wouldn’t have bothered anyone else.

“We’ve the room,” Neville says the moment Minerva’s finished.  “We can probably take six or seven, if we double up, right Gran?  And I can pop back to Hogwarts until everybody has a place to stay and help, I shouldn’t have just left right after the battle like that--”

“That won’t be necessary, Mr. Longbottom,” Minerva cuts in smoothly, before she ends up with Neville and Augusta both moving into the dormitory tent city this very afternoon.  “We’re far more interested in moving people out than back in.  In fact, Miss Weasley suggested that you might be very valuable in coming up with suggestions for which students we might be able to house where.”

“Let’s see the list, then,” Augusta beckons for it.  “Hmph.  You’ve a Smith on here--”

“Half-blood on her mother’s side, I’m afraid,” Minerva sighs.  “No relation.”

“Nonsense, as though that clan’s ever met a Muggleborn Smith they haven’t adopted or married instantly to keep their monopoly on the name,” Augusta says.  “You’ll owl Aspasia tonight.”

“It’s true, Zacharias did keep a bit of an eye out for her, as much as he did for anyone,” Neville says, more derision in his tone than she would have thought, a year ago, that Neville Longbottom could possess.  “We should take Vigi Thorston.  And Valdis, too, I suppose, I think if her brother’s here she won’t likely go after the other kids.” 

It isn’t a surprise that Vigi Thorston, tiny Gryffindor that he is, caught Longbottom’s eye last year, but his older sister is rather more of unexpected.  Valdis is Slytherin through and through, and quite a bit crueler with it than the Carrow twins ever managed.  “Are you sure?”

“She loves him,” Neville says confidently.  “They should stay together, and you can’t put Vigi in a house without other Gryffindors around, or people who can’t handle her, they’ll both go mad.”

“Alice’s second cousin Joshua married a Thorston,” Augusta agrees briskly.  “That’s enough to make us family, I should think.  Who else?”

There’s a curse and a blessing to teaching at Hogwarts for so many years, and it’s the ability to see an ever-lengthening string of parents and cousins and ancestors stretching out behind every new student to cross Minerva’s eye.  She’s known for years that Neville has Frank’s gentleness and patience, Alice’s sheer grit under pressure.  She’s never looked for Augusta in him except as a somewhat sharp-edged element of his upbringing, and that, Minerva reflects, was a mistake.  Neville and his grandmother dissect her list like so much mincemeat, easily comparing and confirming Augusta’s encyclopedic knowledge of wizarding lineages and current alliances with Neville’s apparently equally encyclopedic understanding of every first through seventh year student at Hogwarts last year.

“What’s this about Boot, anyway?” Neville asks, turning back to Minerva as though she’s been at all useful to the past fifteen minutes of conversation doing anything other than jotting very quick notes.  “He was a seventh-year.  He’s of age.”

“Of age, but still entirely without a place to go,” Minerva explains.  “There was a fire no more than a month before the final battle.  The Boot ancestral home was destroyed, and all living relatives perished.”  Little wonder the Longbottoms hadn’t heard.  Terence hadn’t known it himself until two days after the battle, when his fifth attempt to Floo home failed and he risked his wobbly Apparation skills to get there.  “He is still a Hogwarts student, adult or not.”

As though any seventh-year, any eighteen-year-old, ought to be considered an adult.  Boot is hardly the only would-be graduate to find himself floundering without a place in this post-war world.  No fresh new Ministry positions awaiting this year’s crop of students.  Nobody was prepared for this.

“Merlin,” Neville curses quietly.  “Why didn’t he owl?  He can stay here too, no question, or with Michael, maybe, if they don’t ask Mrs. Corner about it first.  Michael says his nightmares’ve come back as bad as they were last winter, and his mother’s been fretting, but he reckons half of it’s just not being able to hear the others snoring to know they’re alright.  He and Terry’re close, he should go there.  I’ll let Michael know about it soon as we’re done here.”

“I don’t believe Mr. Boot would wish to be a burden,” Minerva tempers cautiously, before poor Mr. and Mrs. Corner find themselves promised into taking on an additional traumatized teenager to accompany the one they’ve already got at home without a single word of warning.  It may well be the best place for Terence Boot, but not without a welcome from those that would host him.

“It’ll be better for both of them.  As soon as Michael knows about Terry’s family, I’m sure he’ll Apparate back up to Hogwarts and drag him back himself.”  Neville nods, as though he considers the matter closed, and Minerva suspects it very likely is.  “Who’s left on the list?”

“Alexander Okafor,” Augusta reports.  “As well as Delphine and Roland St. Croix, Surendra Tamboli, and Nikias Selwyn.”

“Send Alex to Hannah,” Neville suggests.  “It’s just her and her dad, but Alex is quiet, and he thinks Hannah’s brilliant.  Delphine and Roland should be fine anywhere, just keep them apart whatever you do or they’ll rip each other to pieces.  I’d say bring Surendra here, I don’t think he’d had the chance to make more than one or two friends in the whole country before he started Hogwarts last year, but can’t have him and the Thorstons in the same house--have you tried owling his great-uncle in Maharashtra?”

“The Tambolis have been a cornerstone of the magical plant trade in Great Britain for four centuries,” Augusta scoffs.  “If the Ketteridges don’t admit they owe that family far more than a few months of childcare, I should think Douglas Ketteridge will be hearing a few of my opinions about it.”

“So long as they speak Marathi,” Neville says, relieved, and Minerva makes a note.  “If you could just drop Selwyn over a cliff somewhere we’d all be better off, but barring that, better find him somewhere without small children or pets.”

“Travers,” says Augusta.  “Not the good-for-nothing side of the family, the ones with a sense of honor.  They’ll be sharp enough with him.”

Minerva shudders to think of the sort of parenting Augusta Longbottom might consider ‘sharp enough’ for the son of two Death Eaters.  She shudders to think what Nikias Selwyn might have gotten up to this past year that she’d never known about, considering the things she had.

“Thank you,” she says instead.  “This has been more valuable than you know.”

“Of course, Minnie,” Augusta says, as easily, dismissively generous as she’d been when she was sixteen and Minerva the twelve-year-old needing guidance.  “You’re free to come to us at your leisure.”

“I really shouldn’t have left,” Neville says, expression darkening once again.  “I’m sorry, Professor, I didn’t think.  Tell Terry I’m sorry, will you?  I’ll tell him myself when I see him.”

“You’ve nothing to be sorry for, Longbottom,” Minerva assures him.  “You have gone far above and beyond in your attempts to protect the students of Hogwarts this year.  That so many are safe and sound enough to go to any homes this year at all is very much thanks to you.  I’m so grateful that you’re willing to assist yet again.”

He blushes, which Minerva is somewhat comforted to see that Neville is still capable of, even after everything.  “It’s nothing anyone wouldn’t do,” he says to her chin and a bit of the hearthstones near the fireplace.

“Nonsense,” says Augusta, clapping one hand over her grandson’s shoulder rather harder than probably necessary.  “There’ll be another Order of Merlin on the mantle before long once they get the Ministry sorted out, I should think.  Is there anything else, Minerva?”

It only makes Neville blush harder, for all Minerva suspects it’s quite true--she’ll certainly put her voice behind it, should the question come to her--and Minerva reconsiders even asking the question tickling at her curiosity.  It’s not as though she needs to know, but...they’re her students.

“Mr. Longbottom,” she says, not quite as casually as she’d hoped, though she doesn’t think the embarrassed boy on the sofa notices.  “It did catch my attention that, while you suggested several of your fellow sixth and seventh-years from Dumbledore’s Army to host younger students of their acquaintance, Miss Lovegood’s name was not among them.  Is she quite alright?”

“Oh, no--I mean yes, Professor, as far as I know she’s fine.”  Neville trips over his own words like he’s thirteen again, finally looking up from his knees with wide eyes and the look of having been caught out at something.  “She’s had a hard year, that’s all--I mean…”  He catches himself short, lost in the obviousness of the difficult year every single member of the wizarding world has had together.  “I just don’t know that it would be a good idea,” he says.  “There’s enough space elsewhere.  Luna’s fine, though.  She’s planning on heading back to Hogwarts in fall.”

It’s Minerva’s turn to try to control her facial expression, her flinch.  The more people she speaks to, the more questions there are about the coming autumn.  She’ll need to be able to answer them sooner rather than later.

“It’s good to hear that she’s well,” Minerva says.  “Good day, Augusta, Mr. Longbottom.  Thank you once again.”

She pulls back from the fireplace, sheet of notes in hand.  It’s a plan.  It’s a good one.  She ought to be able to arrange this lot in less than a week.

Less than a week left of having students on Hogwarts grounds.  She’d best get to work.

[mdwatchestv]

Best Television (Of the Things I Watched) 2018

IndieWire's Liz Miller put together a staggering list of all the television shows that aired this year, excluding most reality and children's programming, to help narrow down top ten lists. If you would like to view it and despair, you may do so by clicking here.

Per her list there were o/a 554 shows on television this annum. Stare into the gaping void of that number, and let it, in turn, stare back into you. Of the television shows on this list, I have seen, at least one episode, of 136 of them. Although I am not a "professional" television "critic" who "gets paid" to give opinions, I am a "television professional" who also writes about it as an "amateur" "hobby". What I'm really trying to say here is that I have never seen an episode of The Americans.

But what I'm REALLY trying to say is that I watch a lot of TV, and work in TV, and love TV and have only seen 25% of the shows currently on television (and yes, I had to Google how to do that math). 25%! That's a quarter! That's an F- -, that is a paltry drip in this vast ocean of content. How is anyone supposed to keep up with that! The only thing I keep up with are the Kardashians, and that show isn't even included on the list of 554 shows!

And so with the disclaimer that any true distillation and subsequent ranking of the current landscape of television is, for all intents and purposes, impossible- I present to  you my picks for the best shows of 2018. Or perhaps more accurately ~*~my~*~ favorite shows, or the shows that brought me the most joy, or who managed to rise above the froth of the seething hoard of content, or shows I’d like you all to watch so we may talk about them. 

Killing Eve - BBC America

Okay so forget everything I just said about the insurmountable tv landscape and the inability to make an accurate judgement of quality, because Killing Eve was the BEST show this year. Watching this show, the latest outing from Phoebe Waller-Bridge, felt like suddenly finding out you've been holding your breath your entire life and finally filling your lungs. Killing Eve is the show I have always wanted to watch, and yet could never have previously imagined being possible. It is a spy thriller that maintains a heady tension, it's a pitch black comedy, it's a love story, it's violent, it's stylish, it's sexy, and it's unapologetically female. I could write an entire blog about this show in regards to women's spaces, sexuality, violence, and the female gaze but there WAS other television this year that I GUESS you want to read about. Real quick: the music was amazing, the clothes were amazing, Jodie Comer has shamed all other psychopath performances, and Sandra Oh held this whole jumble together with a deeply grounded yet intimately vulnerable performance and that shit AIN'T EASY Y'ALL. Also this is on Hulu now....so....

The Terror - AMC

I can say without question that The Terror is the most enjoyable show I've ever seen about men rotting to death on a boat. AMC did a terrible (lol) job of advertising this gem of a series based on an 800 page novel, which itself is based on a real (doomed) expedition to find the Northwest Passage. Yes, the The Terror is about all the ways men can die (many!), but it was also easily the most aesthetically beautiful series I watched this year. Sure, it was scary and there were zombie polar bears, but it also created a subtle unease as delicate as it was unsettling. The natural world is unforgiving and unknowable, but is it more dangerous than what lies in the hearts of men? (Free tagline for you AMC) Everyone slept on this show like they were dying of hypothermia.

Queer Eye - Netflix

Imagine you're you, and you've had a really rough couple of years. I mean, the news is terrible, the planet is dying, and you're never going to be a homeowner. The only thing that brings you joy is lying listlessly on your couch playing cooking games on your phone and trying to pretend that you don't have to haul your corporeal form to work tomorrow. Suddenly, there is a knock on your (over-priced apartment's) door. Who could be visiting you here, at such an hour? Who is there left in the world that cares? You pull on a bathrobe and shuffle over, opening the door and blinking owlishly into outside world. Before you are five beautifully appointed men, they have gifts, salsa, bomber jackets, soft-silken hair,  their energy is non-threatening. They join you on the couch and you cry in their toned arms for hours, for days, for weeks. For the first time in a long time you think maybe humanity is worth saving after all.

Sharp Objects - HBO

I have never fully boarded the Gillian Flynn train, my reaction to watching Gone Girl and reading Dark Places was "Oh...that's it?" So despite the creative heavy hitters (Marti Noxon, Marc-Jean Vallee, Amy Adams) attached, I had reservations about this HBO miniseries. On its surface Sharp Objects is another one of Flynn's lurid mysteries, but its on-screen adaptation created a fully realized world for this particular mystery to inhabit. A world that at turns felt stifling and magical, that oozed resentment, and pain, and fear. A world filled with women who had anger simmering under the skin, caught in their hands, trapped in their mouths. For once this wasn't a story where the twist was the final destination, but rather an inevitability of cruelty wrought on women by their world and by each other.

The Good Place - NBC

Everything on this list so far has been new series. Maybe that's because newness is more interesting, or maybe it's because goodness is hard to sustain. However everyone's favorite philosophy comedy just seems to be getting better and better the longer it goes on, continuing to invent itself from season to season, and even episode to episode.  The Good Place is the only show that can make you a fan of Blake Bortles and also a genuinely better person.

Okay those were my five best shows of the year and now I'm tired. Here are some rapid fire honorable mentions!!!!

Honorable Mentions:

Barry (HBO)- The season finale didn't stick the landing for me, but I can assure you Barry’s actor struggle was documentary-level. Cannot speak for hitman authenticity.....publicly...

GLOW S2 (Netflix) - Improving on the promise of its first season, GLOW can sometimes be a bit messy in delivery but I admire their go big or go home attitude. This season dealt with workplace sexual harassment, parenthood, the AIDs crisis, race, and even had time for a lesbian dream ballet and an anti-kidnapping PSA. Betty Gilpin forever.

Doctor Who (BBC America) - Jodie Whittaker is a sheer delight as the Doctor, and a breath of fresh air for the series. This new season has also taken the back-in-time episodes (always my fav) to a new level- I LEARNED STUFF.

Aggretsuko (Netflix) - Aggretsuko is a Sanrio anime about a red panda named Retsuko. She is 25, she works in an office for a sexist pig boss, she hates her life, and at night she sings death metal karaoke. She is....extremely relatable. Sam please watch this.

The Magicians S3 (SyFy)- I may be biased, but at the same time, I have always loved The Magicians. This is another rare show that gets better the longer it goes on, having carved out a strange little genre space with a tone all of its own. Within the forest of snappy quips and surly fantasy characters, is a beating heart and an ability to achieve real emotional catharsis.

The Haunting of Hill House (Netflix) - I said earlier this year that I had never found a television show truly scary, but this was before I had seen Haunting of Hill House.  I have not yet finished this show because it started giving me nightmares and I can only watch it in the light of day. That being said, the Bent-Neck Lady episode alone is such a tight, terrifying, piece of storytelling it deserves a shout out on this list. Also A+ kid casting, that shit is HARD. 

Brooklyn Nine-Nine (NBC) Probably the time I felt most alive this year were the harrowing  hours between Brooklyn 99's cancellation by Fox and subsequent saving by NBC. During that wretched purgatory it was decided by the internet that B99 was the Last Good and Pure Thing Left and its salvation would mark some sort of victory in the losing battle against the darkness that will  one day overtake us all. Luckily, the day was saved (no thanks to Fox), but the abyss still looms.

That's it! This is everything I thought was good on TV this year! If you thought something else was good, or you would like to shame me for something I did not watch, feel free to do so in the comments or on Twitter.  There are over 550 after all and I ABSOLUTELY DID NOT watch them all.

The television wheel begins inexorably turning again in a few scant weeks, so buckle up buttercups!!! If you read the blog this year, or are reading right now - thank you for your time! If you thought the writing was poor, at least I gave you some entertaining gifs. 

XO MD

[greyshuman]

Betty boop birthday

GIPHY is how you search, share, discover, and create GIFs. These Betty Boop Printable Birthday cards and messages have been a real hoot to publish. Discover & share this Gif Betty Boop Happy Birthday Fireworks GIF with everyone you know. Thanks for all the good times!ġ3) To my _, I love you, not because you have amazing _, I think you are great too!ġ4) Real women don't have hot flashes, they have power surges!!ġ5) Wine to women is like duct tape to men. Happy birthday, my friend.ġ1) I hope your day is as wonderful as you are! You are one of those people who always make everything better with your smile.ġ2) We may not see each other much anymore but I still think about you all the time and miss hanging out like we used to do so often before life got in the way a little bit here and there. Thanks for all the good memories!ĩ) Just like Betty Boop you combine sex appeal with cheerfulness! Happy birthday beautiful!ġ0) The world needs more of the good things and less of the bad. We know each other better than anyone else knows us and we always manage to pick up right where we left off. Sending you all my love for your birthday.Ĩ) Sometimes it feels like we've been friends forever. It's easy to find joy in everything and every day when I think about how lucky I am to have the friends, family, and other loved ones that I do. Live in the present and make it beautiful.”ħ) I'm going to let you in on a little secret: life is pretty good. A relic of the jazz era, she was an icon of hope for Americans suffering through the. Don't stress about the future, it hasn't arrived. Betty Boop celebrated her 80th birthday this month, as her first appearance on film occurred on August 9, 1930. 46 Barrier, Mike, xv Beery, Wally, 53 Beethoven, Ludwig van, 41 Benny, Jack, 150 Bergen, Edgar, 54 Betty Boop, xix Billposters, 149 Birthday. Tunes Beagle Beagle - Grape Ape Bimbo - Betty Boop Bolivar - Disney Brain. Here's to good times, past, present, and future! chihuahua and favorite fashion accessory Puppy Birthday 1h ago wmvVideo. Happy birthday from me to you.ĥ) Thank you for always believing in me and cheering me on when things got tough, no matter how old we get or where life takes us, I'll never forget that. May your day be as sweet as you are!Ĥ) I don't know what I would do without you - thanks for being such a wonderful friend. So without further ado, here are some of our favorites:ġ) You're my hero- celebrate your birthday knowing that you've accomplished something amazing!Ģ) Have a birthday as beautiful as you are!!!ģ) Happy Birthday to the best big sister I could ever ask for. Cute little Betty Boop dance to happy birthday song (boogie woogie piano instrumental) for your special day.This clip is from a 1933 cartoon that has been co. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators. From just a few words, they'll know how much you care about them on their special day. We also have some beautiful Betty Boop inspired birthday messages for you to add to your chosen card. Cartoon betty boop fucking porn fuck cartoon, gaming cartoon. Drinking Birthday Cards (Category Page)ġ5 Wonderful Betty Boop Birthday Messages Husbands Happy Threesome Surprise on His Birthday.

[imyourliquor-youremypoison]

Great Minds Think Alike (Riverdale - Jughead x OC) Finale

Pairing : Jughead x OC

Synopsis : A new girl arrives in town around the time of Jason Blossom’s accident. That alone makes her suspicious and unlikeable to most people. Jughead has every reason to investigate on her, the timing is too perfect, right? And it has nothing to do with the young girl’s odd yet charming way of always seeming to find her way back to him, no matter the situation.  

Word Count : 6.2k

MASTERLIST

Part 10  <<<

She was surprised to realize that she remembered how to get to Jughead's house without using her GPS, and soon parked her car in front of the old house, her heart playing the maracas in her chest. There was a huge lump in her throat, making her wonder if she would even be able to talk at all. Iris caught her reflection in the rear view mirror and winced.

Veronica had made wonders with her, there was nothing wrong with her appearance per se, but she looked so unlike herself that for a second she wanted to go home and change, take off the makeup, undo her hair. Had this entire situation turned her into something she wasn't?

A tired sigh fell from her lips – one more, one less, who was counting at this point? Iris kicked open her door before she could chicken out of this and put the contact on again. It was now or never, she was already ditching school, she was already feeling like utter shit, so really what more could Jughead do to her? She would end up getting a lecture from her dad, and feel miserable in any case.

Worst pep talk ever, she thought to herself, and smiled a little. She used to be funny. Who had sucked the joy out of her? Could she only joke around the one Jughead and no one else? If feelings weren't so wild and out of control, Iris would have chosen to swing the other way and live her happy ever after with Ronnie. Now she groaned. She was pathetic.

Her feet lead her to the front door and her hand raised on its own to knock, the gesture being so natural that she could do all of that on autopilot. And she was thankful, because her brains was on overdrive and it didn’t help think clearly.

As soon as she had knocked, Iris began to panic good and proper. What was she going to say? Where to start? She should be calm, or scream at him for behaving the way he did? Did she have to apologize? Would he? And what if he slammed the door to her face and refused to listen? Had they reached that point? It wasn't the first time in her life that Iris lost a friend to a grief, but it burnt like acid in her stomach each time.

The door remained closed for the longest time – or perhaps it was only long due to Iris' distorted perception of time. When it did swing open, her heart nearly dropped in apprehension.

“Hello? What can I do for you?” An old lady greeted her, only opening the door enough to peek through the crack.

Iris breathed again.

“I- euh- I'm sorry to bother you, I'm looking for Jughead? Jughead Jones? He lives here,” she stuttered out, feeling like an intruder suddenly.

The old lady smiled a little and opened the door wider.

“Jughead!” The lady said. “Oh my dear the boy doesn't live here! He helps me take care of my garden sometimes, you see I'm getting too old to mow the lawn, so I give him a little something and he does it for me.”

“This... is not his house?”

Iris' mind was a mess. All sorts of red flags raised at this revelation, and her brain glitched altogether. What was going on? She was absolutely certain that she had picked Jughead up right here. She couldn't be mistaken, she remembered the roses next to the door, the wooden beams, the flowery garden.

The more she thought about it, the less this house looked like a teenager lived here, or anyone under the age of sixty for that matter. This was an old lady's house, with an old lady's garden full of peonies, roses, and gardenias. This was not Jughead's house – he had lied. He gave her a wrong address.

Why did he do that? Was Iris to high on his list of suspects that he refused to let her know where he lived? Did he mistrust her so much? Was their entire friendship a scam? If she didn't get out of here right now she was going to cry right in front of the woman, who now looked at her with concern in her eyes.

“No, darling. I don't have his address but I can give you his phone number if you want?” She offered, in an obvious attempt to stop the tears from welling up in Iris' eyes.

“I already have it, but thank you. And sorry for bothering you, have a good day ma'am,” Iris bit her farewell and walked away.

She had lost the purpose in her stride and didn't know where to go now. She entertained the idea that Jughead hadn't just hid where he lives from her, and if that was true then there was no point in asking Betty, or Archie where Jughead lived because they would give her this very address.

Cheryl only said that Jughead didn't come to class today, it didn't necessarily mean that he was home, wherever that might be. And if Jughead wasn't home, or at school, then there was only a very limited number of other places he would most likely be.

Iris' got in her car again and started the engine. Her first stop was Pop's – an obvious place to start with, but it turned out being fruitless. At this early hour the diner wasn't even open yet. Her phone buzzed just when she was going to exit the parking lot.

“Cheryl?” Iris said in her phone.

“In the flesh,” Cheryl chirped on the other end of the call. “Where are you honey? You've been MIA since I talked to you this morning, don't tell me you left to look for this brooding wannabe Shakespeare.”

“I found Betty, or rather Betty found me,” she said with a sigh. “She told me something vague about how she pretended to be into Jughead, but then she refused to tell me why and insisted I go find Jughead because he was the only one who could give me the answer,” she explained as concisely as she could.

“Well dear me, this sounds dramatic and ominous, I wonder what could make someone pretend to like this edgy teen cliché,” she said, not sounding surprised at all. Then again dramatic behavior was Cheryl's signature, so maybe she lost the ability to be surprised by it. “Anyway, did you find him?” She added right before Iris could take offense, because he actually liked this edgy teen cliché – albeit against her better judgment – and there was nothing wrong with it.

“No...” She hesitated, not wanting to admit Jughead pretended to live at a random house because he didn't want to tell her where he lives – regardless of the reasons, that was a fact. “I'm going everywhere he might hand out for now.”

“Try that crumpling, old car park cinema, he can't shut up about it being a part of Riverdale's history and that it needs to be saved from the bulldozers,” Cheryl nearly yawned as if it bored her just to talk about Jughead and the Twilight. She was right though, and it was Iris' next destination anyway.

“I'll do that,” she told her ginger friend – at this point there was really no use in pretending they weren't friends. “See you Cheryl.”

The ginger girl did not say goodby and simply hung up, as her usual. Despite herself, Iris smiled, because among all this emotional chaos, she had made a friend – a very unlikely one but a good one, she mused. Somehow, when she drove away, her heart wasn't as heavy anymore.

It came as a shock to see that Cheryl had been right, and the Twilight was not abandoned as it should be. The Godfather was playing on the giant screen, though the parking lot was empty. Iris hadn't expected to find him to be honest. A part of her even thought Jughead was gone – finally having had his fill with Riverdale's drama and tragedy.

She couldn't blame him, Iris would do the same in a heartbeat it the opportunity arose. But he was here, she knew it, and once again bracing herself, this time even taking the time to give herself a real pep talk, Iris got out of the car, and climbed the stairs leading up to the local where Jughead worked before the Twilight shut down.

What better telltale sign of Jughead's presence here than the fact that the movie stopped the moment Iris knocked on the door – and he didn't even know who it was yet. She laughed bitterly, not looking forward to this conversation but knowing it had to happen.

When he opened the door, Iris almost wished he were a friendly old lady. As soon as their eyes met, Iris' anger from the past few weeks of being ignored, looked down upon, frowned at, and generally badly treated rose up to the surface, and her mouth opened without her brain's permission, and started speaking.

“I went to your house,” she said.

Jughead, who was about to ask her what she was doing here, closed his mouth again, and looked away.

“You know the one you made me pick you up from, even though you don't live there,” she said, unable to hold back from sounding reproachful and mad. Hell! She was mad. “I met the nice old lady who assured me that no Jughead Jones lives in this house. Care to explain?”

“I-” he opened and closed his mouth a few times, taken aback both by the question and Iris' tone of voice. He distinctly remembered her as being jovial and teasing, but never harsh, not to him anyway. Unless he deserved it, like that night in the woods. After reflection, he deserved it. “It's none of your business.”

If she hated him already what was the point in telling her? He might as well keep his secret well hidden and keep Iris' at arms' length at the same time.

“None of my business,” she repeated to herself in a hushed tone. “Right.” She clicked her tongue against her cheek. “And I suppose it isn't any of my business either that you used me for your goddamn book? That you kept from me that Kevin's dad had a file on me? That I am, and always was your prime suspect in this fucking Jason Blossom case you try so hard to solve? Was it also none of my business when you pretended to be my friend to keep an eye on me, or try to dig out some deep, dark secret you think I have? And maybe it wasn't my business either when you continued where we left our investigation with Betty? And when you and her pretended to have a thing for each other? Speak up Jughead, I'm curious.”

Iris glared so hard she thought she might set him on fire if she tried hard enough, and while Jughead wasn't screaming in agony yet, he also wasn't comfortable. His hands fidgeted, his eyes averted from her like he feared she might read the truth in his eyes. He still stood in the doorway and pondered what to do when Iris took the reins and pushed him inside. If he wasn't going to invite her in to talk, she would do it herself.

“Wait!” He called but she was already inside, and she stopped in her tracks. Not because of what he said but because of what she saw.

What she saw was a bed of fortune, his school bag, a few cans of perishable goods, a toothbrush and toothpaste next to the small sink, a bag of clothes sitting in a corner. There was a pregnant pause.

“What the hell Jughead?!” Iris exploded. “You better start explaining right this second or you'll see what happens when I'm done sulking an start acting!”

This time her anger was mixed with confusion – and perhaps a dash of concern, but first and foremost anger. Her incomprehension was painted all over her features, and while her tone was still harsh and demanding, her demeanor changed altogether. Her shoulders slumped down, her eyes begged him to come clean, to tell her the truth of what was happening.

“I can't stay in the dark anymore, just tell me what's going on or I'll go crazy,” she added, seeing his resolve waver in his eyes.

He looked terrible. Had he always looked so unkempt and tired? She couldn't remember the last time she looked his way and didn't catch him staring holes into her skull, immediately looking away. Because if she didn't see him glare at her, then she could pretend he wasn't.

“Fucking say something!” She shouted when he still didn't speak.

“Okay! Okay...” Jughead finally said, gesturing her to keep the volume down. “I'll talk, just please calm down. I'll answer all your questions, but you have to promise me this stays between us.”

“Like I told any of your secrets to anyone before,” Iris spat at him, sitting on the makeshift bed. It creaked under her weigh. After a second of hesitation, and after wiping his palms on his thighs, Jughead joined on.

For the first time in what felt like an eternity, they were sitting next to each other like before, about to have a somewhat civil conversation, looking in each other's eyes and not just trying to mentally kill each other. Iris felt a tinge in her heart and flinched.

“This is the part where you apologize for estranging me without telling why and making me feel miserable,” Iris told him in a much more even voice.

It hurt a lot more to hear her say that in such a flat, factual tone, as if she didn't trust herself to let filter any emotion at all. Jughead felt terrible. Even more terrible than he had over the last few weeks, when he distanced himself from Iris for reasons that Betty qualified as ridiculous and undignified.

“How did you learn about the file?” Jughead asked – he figured he had to start somewhere. Iris' expression immediately darkened and she leaned back, squinting her eyes at him.

He took a second to look at her and found she looked rather strange. She was dressed up, which was unusual, and it clashed with how worn out she looked. Like she wasn't sleep too well.

“That doesn't sound like excuses to me,” she seethed.

“Right, sorry,” Jughead said, blushing in embarrassment. What was he thinking? She was right of course, he had behaved abominably and now he reaped the fruit of his actions. “I have never pretended to be your friend, you know I can't fake that. If I don't like someone it's pretty obvious.”

“Yeah, I noticed that,” Iris snapped, making him feel even worse about himself. He truly hadn't rightly evaluated the extent of the damage he's done to their friendship.

“When we started meeting up at Pop's to write I hadn't heard about Sheriff Keller's file on you, I swear your meeting isn't some ploy.” Jughead raised his hands to show that they were clean in that matter. “It's true Kevin spoke about the file he saw in his dad's office when we pressed him about why he didn't like you. I admit I was curious but at this point I already knew you, and no matter what this file said I knew you were not a suspect. You were never on my list to start with.”

“Right, save it. You said it yourself that everyone is a suspect until proven otherwise. Getting to know me over burgers is not a proof, not even in my book, and it's nowhere near as strict as yours,” Iris fired back, unimpressed with Jughead's attempt to explain himself.

It was all good that he finally spilled the beans, but that still didn't even remotely resemble an apology. Iris could lie to Jughead but not to herself. True she wanted to get answers, but the main reason for her presence here was not enlightenment. She wanted Jughead to acknowledge that he hurt her, that he behaved like a caveman and that he was in the wrong. She wanted an apology, a genuine, heartfelt apology, and if it wasn't good enough she might have to actually scratch Jughead out of her life.

“I don't know what you want to hear Iris!” Jughead burst out, feeling more and more frustrated with the girl.

“You're not supposed to say what I want to hear, you fucking idiot!” She shouted back. “Say something you mean!”

“I'm sorry! I'm sorry I went about it the way I did, I realize it was dumb and hurtful! There you have it! I apologize.”

There was another long silence.

“You really can't admit your faults, can you?” Iris asked softly. “You say sorry but all I hear is excuses. I'm not your lapdog Jughead, I won't come back with a waggling tail because you scratch my ears. If what you said about being my friend is true, then by all that is holy, I'm begging you to make an effort, because I'm tired of running after you. If you think you can't be my friend anymore you need to tell me, I can live with that. I just want to clear the air between us, because I can't have you be mad at me forever without explanation.”

“I'm not mad at you,” he sighed, rubbing his face with both hands. “I'm mad at myself.”

Jughead angrily ran his hand through his hair, tossing aside his beanie and groaning as he leaned back and fell on the bed.

“So what? You take it out on me? My, my, it keeps getting better!”

“Will you stop being so sarcastic? You picked that up from Cheryl!” Jughead accused. “Everything isn't about you, Iris! I have other problems than our little argument at the river that night.”

“Anything to do with you sleeping at a drive in that's about to get demolished?” Iris asked to get this conversation back on track – they would never go anywhere it they kept throwing around the hot potato.

“It's a long story...” Jughead elided the question. “I know I shouldn't have given you a fake address but I panicked when you insisted on picking me up. I've been living here for a while now, no one knows and I'd appreciate if it stayed that way.”

“I won't tell anyone, you know that,” Iris promised, looking at him. Jughead, despite lying down, looked up to meet her eyes. Of course she wouldn't snitch, she never did.

“Now if you want answers you'll have to ask your questions again, but slowly this time. I never heard anyone ask so many questions at once, you made me dizzy,” he said in a snicker, prompting the same sound to come out of her throat.

It wasn't a laugh but it was damn near one, and for now it would do – an improvement is an improvement.

“I don't even remember what I asked,” she admitted, still laughing humorlessly, somewhat at a loss now that her anger had faded a bit. “I guess I just want to know what's been going on in that head of yours since our argument.”

“A lot, actually. I regretted what I said that night almost as soon as I said it. But once the words were out there I could hardly take them back, so I figured I'd stand by my word and hope for the best. Except it didn't turn out how I'd hoped, it went completely astray, and we stopped talking altogether.”

“You mean it wasn't your intention?” She asked for clarification.

“Not at all, I knew you were right, and I as the one who took the wrong decision when I left the river the night Kevin and Moose found Jason's body. I- I just don't like being wrong, so I kept quiet. Part of me wished you just dismissed what I said and blamed it on the situation, that you'd just come talk to me the next day like always.”

“But I didn't, because I'm not an idiot and I know what I'm worth,” Iris pointed out, earning a groan as sole answer.

He didn't need a reminded.

“You really hurt me, Jug.”

“I know.”

“If I had any sense of self-preservation I wouldn't be here in the first place. I should want you out of my life.”

“I know.”

“Then why am I here?”

“I don't know.” He sat up again. “But I'm not going to waste this chance. I'll tell you everything you want to know. I swear I never intended to hurt you. I know I did and I regret it, but there's nothing I can do about it now, can I? If you want to find out if I'm sincere about being sorry, you'll have to risk being disappointed again.”

“If that's how you try to convince me to listen to your poor excuse of an apology, I have to tell you it sucks.” He cracked a smile, rubbing his hands together in uneasiness. “It really does, you need to work on that.”

“I'll jot that down,” he snorted. “For now, what about I take it from the start?”

“That would be great.”

Iris shot him her first heartfelt smile in over two weeks, and gently bumped her shoulder against his. And just like that the floodgates opened, letting out a flow of revelations she was more or less prepared to hear.

*

Veronica and Betty were in a corner making casual conversation while stretching when Better confessed to having maybe made things worse yesterday by telling Iris something she shouldn't have.

“But after you left Pop's the other day I realized how tense things were between all of us, and Iris looked so hurt when Jug and I became all touchy feely,” she told her. “I felt bad, I couldn't keep up the act.”

“What do you mean 'an act'?” Veronica questioned her.

“Well, Jug was going about it the wrong way, so I suggested we give Iris a little push so she would finally take the first step and talk to him.”

“I don't understand anything you're saying,” Ronnie said with a confused and somewhat nervous laugh. “What are you saying Betty?”

“Jughead obviously likes Iris, you must have noticed.”

“Well... yes, but since their argument-” She started, frowning a big, not sure where Betty was going with this but she was interrupted mid-sentence.

“He's a mess, he does all the wrong things, he can't think clearly anymore. And if he doesn't get it together, than I had to find a way to make Iris be the mature one and talk things out.”

“Let me recap. You pretended to be into Jughead because you were playing Cupid for these two?” Veronica repeated just to make sure she hadn't gotten it all wrong, because it sounded so ludicrous and to be fair, quite sketchy for a plan made by Riverdale's very own Nancy Drew. “You scheming little match-maker!”

“I'm sorry but I couldn't bear it anymore, the tension...” Betty rolled her eyes. “But I haven't seen Iris this morning, and now I'm worried I made things worse by meddling, I hope nothing terrible happened. Oh Ronnie, what if I messed with the natural course of life?”

“Breathe, Betty!” Veronica laughed, feeling lighter and happier herself after hearing that Betty wasn't really in a secret relationship with Jughead. “She's a big, capable girl! If anything happened it's not to her, trust me... The girl has rage.”

“Please, I'd feel bad if Jughead came back with a black eye too,” Betty said with a wince, second guessing everything she did or said the day before. Curse her meddling nature.

“If you're so worried I'll go ask Cheryl,” Ronnie offered.

“Cheryl?” Betty frowned in distaste. “What would Cheryl know?”

“She's friends with Iris,” Veronica said, purposely omitting to add that she too had lowered her weapons in presence of the ginger force of nature.

So now Cheryl stared Veronica up and down in a rather judgmental way for having disturbed her lecture.

“Dismissed,” she said, and immediately the two girls she was ripping to shred for messing up a step during practice hurried off like two scared rabbits. “What can I do for you?” She asked, not as harshly as per usual.

“Have you seen Iris?” Ronnie asked Cheryl, who looked up as if thinking about it really hard.

“I called her yesterday and she was looking for her favorite charity case around town,” she very helpfully informed Veronica. “Haven't talked to her since, but if she's not here she must have found him.”

With that she twirled around, nearly whipping Veronica with her long hair, and walked away. Stunned but happy with her answer, Ronnie joined Betty again.

“So?”

“She was looking for Jughead last she heard of her,” she told Betty. “But she's right, if Iris isn't here today, it might just be because she found him. Maybe they are still working things out,” she mused. Betty stared ahead of her and hummed as sole answer, obviously not entirely convinced. “Or maybe they are boning it out?” Ronnie offered, not helpfully at all.

She smiled and rolled her eyes at that.

“Oh please! I can't vouch for Iris, but Jughead wouldn't... he's never... you know...” she trailed off, rubbing the back of her neck and blushing.

“Had sex, Betty. The words you're looking for are 'had sex',” Veronica laughed. “Wait a minute! You haven't... either?”

“So who can't say 'have sex' now?” Betty retorted smarty. Ronnie scoffed.

“Oh come on! Not even foreplay?” Veronica insisted, which increased the blush on Betty's cheek and made her stutter out a vague answer about 'being busy' and 'not having the opportunity', to which Ronnie only smiled before grabbing Betty's arm to begin practice.

*

“Jughead and Iris have been MIA since yesterday, does anyone know what's going on? Where the hell are they?” Archie asked the moment he set his lunch tray on the table in the cafeteria.

“Don't you worry Archikins,” Ronnie said, tapping his shoulder.

“Ronnie-” Betty started but she was cut off.

“They are probably making up for lost time! Before we hear from them, let's just assume the best, wadya think?” She chirped happily, spooning her yogurt.

“No I mean, Ronnie look! They are coming this way!” Betty pointed to the door, making everyone at the table, even Kevin, turn around to have a look.

Surely enough there were the two class skippers, walking side by side and looking like they were in the middle of an animated conversation, what with Iris making big hand gestures to the point where Jughead had to catch her arm before she accidentally hit someone it the face.

“What on earth...?” Kevin whispered to himself.

“Do you all see the same thing?” Betty asked and was answered by a round of silent, stunned nods. “I'm so relieve I didn't mess things up!”

“What do you mean?” Archie shook his head and focused on Betty.

“Oh nothing!” Veronica answered before Betty could spill out the truth. “Betty here just likes to give a little push to destiny once in a while.”

Archie frowned because he didn't understand anything Veronica just said but figured it wasn't all that important if everything worked out fine in the end.

“Should we call them?” Betty asked.

“No!” Ronnie's hand shot out and took hers as if to stop her. “Let's give them some alone time. We know they're fine now.”

And so they turned around again, and continued eating, the topic shifting to something else.

“Don't look behind you,” Jughead started, “but all our friends are staring at us very obviously and insistently,” he told Iris who smirked at the thought.

“Right, I haven't really talked to them since I left class yesterday morning. I sort of told Veronica that I'd call her in the evening,” she suddenly remembered.

Jughead and her had talked away the entire day once they managed to stop blaming the fault for their argument on each other. It wasn't as easy as one might think when you take into account that Iris and Jughead were both stubborn people who liked to have the last word. But after some more yelling, swearing, and sighing, they got around to both apologizing to each other for the harm done, on purpose or not.

When he finished explaining that he felt too bogged down in his own mess to simply say sorry and go back to how things were before he said those hurtful words at the river, the conversation shifted to what prompted Iris to come search for him in the first place. The whole thing with Betty.

He stammered and blushed and avoided her eyes, making it hard for Iris to recognize the Jughead she knew and loved, the stoic, sarcastic movie buff who talked pop culture references and had a five foot tall brick wall surrounding his heart. She wasn't entirely convinced that was the whole reason for this act of his, but he told her that Betty was trying to make Veronica jealous – or at the very least see if she got jealous, because apparently Ronnie's crush on her wasn't obvious to her.

Iris decided to accept the explanation because she hoped for Ronnie that it was true, and she figured she had squeezed out enough information from Jughead for one day.

“Go figure, maybe they signaled us missing to Sheriff Keller,” Jughead snickered, peeking over Iris' shoulder. “They are not looking anymore.”

Iris turned around too and saw their friends chatting over their lunch – nothing unusual. She exhaled and leaned against Jughead.

“I should go say something at least, otherwise they'll spy on us until they know more,” she decided, and Jughead approved, telling her that he would be getting lunch and waiting for her at their usual spot.

She walked away and she hadn't even crossed half the distance to the table that Betty spotted her and jumped off her seat to meet her halfway.

“Sooo?” She whispered with a conniving smile on her face, as if she was waiting great news she had participated in making true.

“Please don't smile like that, it's a bit freaky,” Iris chuckled. “Everything's fine, we talked it all out. Cold war is officially over, you no longer need to pick sides.”

Iris' humorous yet dramatic announcement wasn't what Betty was referring to though, and the blonde girl made it known.

“No! I was talking about the other thing! About Jug and I pretending to flirt and all that...” she specified.

With a crooked smirk, Iris leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest. She knew what Betty wanted to hear, but she was building up the tension.

“He told me too. You could've just said it that it was for Veronica, instead of making me chase Jughead around town,” Iris said, and Betty nearly jumped to her throat, putting her hand over Iris' mouth. “What-?”

“Shhh!” Betty shushed her. “Not so loud! And what do you even mean? I'm not trying to make Ronnie jealous, wh- why would I- I-” she stuttered out.

“Don't bother, I know you two have a thing for each other,” Iris said, making Betty blush and sigh in relief, somehow both at the same time.

“Yeah, okay, alright, cool...” she said in the least laid back manner Iris ever heard. “But it's still not why we put up this act. “It wasn't me who was trying to making someone jealous. It's Jug. I mean, it was my idea, the blame is on me for this one, but we did it to make you jealous of me for being with Jug.”

Iris' eyebrows went up and down and frowned and arched a few times during this confusing explanation that was a little far fetched and hard to believe, but way too strange to be a lie. If Betty wanted to lie, she would come up with something more convincing.

“Me?” She said, astounded. Betty nodded. “The fuck?” Iris exclaimed, having lost her ability to speak properly over this piece of news.

“You like Jughead Iris, you said so yourself. What's so strange about Jug liking you back?” She said softly, speaking low so no one could overhear.

“Do you hear yourself? The person I like liking me back? Unrealistic,” Iris dismissed the sheer though, waving it off. “He must have thought you wanted to make Veronica jealous and rolled with it while you thought you did it for him, classic misunderstanding.”

“We're not in a teenage drama,” Betty argued, grabbing Iris' arm before she could walk away. “And trust me, there was no misunderstanding. Jughead wanted you back.”

“He never had me!”

“Yes he had! Iris, come on!” Betty was this close to begging her. “Just go ask him if you don't believe me!”

“I will!” Iris replied, as if Betty just threw her a challenge. “I'm sure he'll laugh at me for even asking!”

“I'll be waiting right here if you feel like saying hi to the others and, I don't know, telling me I was right?” Betty smiled one last time and shooed Iris away and towards her and Jug's spot under the tree.

Iris marched with purpose and confidence, standing right in front of Jughead who was sitting against the tree like always, blinking at her because of the sun behind her back, and looking at her questiongly.

“I'm almost scared to ask, but: what's going on?” He asked.

“Betty told you something interesting, I'd like your input,” Iris said, and Jughead swallowed thickly, easily guessing what it was about – if only thanks to Iris' tone and demeanor, the girl liked to have to upper hand in a conversation and she used it mercilessly. “You know about this whole making Ronnie jealous scheme...” She trailed off, giving him a chance to explain before she got to the best part.

But he kept quiet and stood up, as if he had tied springs to his shoes, grabbing Iris' arm and dragging her away from prying ears and eyes, leaving their lunch on the ground. Iris followed him a winning smile on her face – so Betty was right after all! She couldn't believe it! She was ecstatic but she couldn't believe it! Jughead was so red in the face she could hardly recognize him.

When he finally deemed they were far enough he stopped in his tracks, and Iris shortly avoided walking straight into him, Jughead reaching for her so she wouldn't lose balance.

They stared at each other, both flustered, happy, and a nervous. He didn't remove his hand immediately, only realizing he was still holding her when she cleared her throat, and withdrawing his hands.

“I- euh, I thought-” He started, having no idea whatsoever what he was going to say, he just started talking on instinct, having no clue where he was going with this. “Betty said- and then I... I wasn't sure, and maybe it was... I don't know,” he mumbled.

It seemed Iris had unlocked the secret to making a future author lose all of his vocabulary, and it made her smile to big she thought she must have looked silly, but she couldn’t help it.

“You thought what, Jug?” Iris pressed him, having no mercy for the stuttering mess he had become.

“You know what,” he accused her, recomposing himself a bit. “Making me say it would be sadism.”

“I can live with being a sadist. Please enlighten me, I want to know what you thought,” she insisted, enjoyed herself oh-so much. “I'm enjoying this a lot, by the way.”

She took a step forward, and while Jughead was still nervous about his lie being exposed, he didn't step back and that was a good sign, right? She took it as a good sign anyway, and before he could come up with another way to dodge her inquiries, she reached up for his neck, and pulled him into a kiss.

Damn it all, they thought. Jughead might have forgotten how to use his brain but his body still functioned, and he answered the kiss right away, his hands holding onto Iris like it was natural. She expected him to pull back in surprise, but was glad to feel him reciprocate, and for a brief moment they both forgot the pain they inflicted themselves and each other the past weeks.

That is, until a round of cheers and enthusiastic whistles interrupted their moment. Archie, Betty, Veronica, Kevin, and even Cheryl stood uphill and showed their support in the most ostentatious manner imaginable while Iris and Jughead stood there, holding each other, smiling embarrassingly, and wishing their friends were a bit more subtle.

“All is well that ends well,” Cheryl declared, winking at Iris and stealing a glance at Veronica who was leaning against Betty.

A/N: Apologies for being the slowest updater in the history of fanfic writers, but at long last here it is, the finale of GMTA. It’s twice as long as tee other chapters to make up for the time it took me to write it - which was exactly 12h, because yes I suddenly woke up and decided to finally write that bitch, so I sat down and typed all day until my arms hurt and posted it without proof reading because I was SO HAPPY this is behind me, I feel so accomplished today. It’s nothing like I picutred it when I first started this series, and it damn nearly ended up being a Cheryl x OC because I hate season 2 Jughead (which is why I didn’t feel like writing this anymore) but I forced myself anyway, because this story deserved an ending, and you and I deserve CLOSURE.

Wow, longest author’s note ever

TAGLIST: @bathshebaa  @deanackles67 @myteenwolf-world @mumblr-of-tumbir @devilishcloe @bettysreid @angelicawastaken @rebellioncass @adorableninja @scattered-glances @ri-verdale @ice-wolfie @bubblegumcat229 @murderyoursoul @morixeddu @emptyporsche @lucifer-the-cuddler @challenge-accep-ted @scattered-glances @fantiomaticsupertolkienlover @-episkey-  @golden-guide @pass-me-jeez-it

[blueboxesandtrafficcones]

Nana Tyler

The announcement Jackie’s been waiting years for.

For @timepetalsprompts and @doctorroseprompts because of TenToo and Nana Tyler.

AO3

“So, Betty Richards’ daughter had her baby.”  Jackie started as soon as they were seated at the dining room table for their usual Sunday family dinner.

Rose and the Doctor exchanged looks, not unfamiliar with Jackie’s none-too-subtle hints.

“Really?  What’d she have?”  Rose asked neutrally.

“A little girl.” Jackie sighed theatrically, making her husband roll his eyes.  “A granddaughter.  Can you imagine?”

Rose barely refrained from rolling her eyes.  Jackie had been alluding to grandchildren since the day she understood Rose and this new Doctor would be living relatively normal, human lives, but since their wedding two years prior she had been relentless in her campaigning.

“And what did they call her?” Rose ignored her mother’s leading tone, instead pretending to care about this woman she’d never met.

“Elizabeth, after her grandmother.  Isn’t that sweet?”

“Very.  And what’ll Betty be?”

At that, Jackie sniffed in distaste.  “Grandmother Richards.   So pretentious, don’t you think?  Even William and Harry called the Queen ‘Granny’.”

At that, Pete rolled his eyes.  Despite the better part of the decade Jackie’d been living in this new universe without the modern royal family, she still made the odd reference.  Thankfully, she’d stopped doing so in public.

“And what would you want to be called?”  The Doctor asked casually, sipping at his wine.  From anyone else, it would have been a leading question, but by now Jackie was used to his random questions.

“Nana.”  Jackie answered immediately.

“Nana?”  Rose questioned, eyebrow raised.

“Yep.  I’ve considered all of them, and that’s what I want. Nana.  Course, that would require grandchildren…”  Her eyes widened hopefully, but her daughter and son-in-law merely continued eating their dinner.

Deciding she’d again lost the battle, but not despairing of winning the war, Jackie reluctantly turned the conversation to Tony’s latest accomplishments, hoping by mentioning how much of a joy he was her other child might get the hint.

-

After dinner, when they were seating in the sitting room, Rose pulled a packet of pictures out of her pocket.

“These are from our last trip – want to see?”  She offered her mother, and Jackie pursed her lips.

“Is it a weird, alien planet?”  She’d long since accepted the reality of Rose and the Doctor’s lives, first in their original universe and then again here with the TARDIS they’d grown, but that didn’t mean she had to like it.

“No, it’s Rome.  1st century Rome, but still Rome.”  Rose explained, and Jackie accepted the packet to flip through as the others talked shop.

The Doctor was halfway through a story about how one of his researchers accidentally blew off his eyebrows when Jackie let out a scream.

“What’s wrong?”  Pete immediately went over to his wife, who was staring down at a picture, hand over her mouth.

Completely ignoring her husband, Jackie slowly raised her eyes to Rose and the Doctor, who were holding hands and smiling widely.

“No.”  Jackie whispered.

Rose nodded vigorously, while the Doctor, awe in his voice, said, “Oh, yes.”

Letting out another scream, Jackie threw herself over the coffee table to clutch at her daughter, both women having tears in their eyes.

“Oh, Rose!”  The two clung to each other, giggling and crying, and the Doctor went over to Pete, who had picked up the picture and was staring at it.

“So, she’s…”  Pete trailed off, dragging his eyes away from the ultrasound hidden between pictures of the Colosseum and Circus Maximus to stare over at his wife and daughter.

“Yep.”  The Doctor couldn’t have kept the glee from his voice if his life depended on it, still in awe at the miracle that this was his life.

“Congratulations.” Turning to his son-in-law, Pete offered a handshake which the Doctor accepted, before pulling the other man in for a hug.

“I’m going to be a grandfather.”  Of all of them, Pete seemed the most dazed by the idea.

“I’m going to be a father.” The panic had come in ebbs and waves since they’d found out, but tonight it had kindly vamoosed, allowing the Doctor to enjoy this moment.

Pete shook his head.  “When Jackie – my first Jackie – said she didn’t want kids, I stopped dreaming of all this.  But to have it, here and now, because of you – thank you.”

“I know how you feel,” the Doctor reminded the other man. “I never thought I’d have this, but it’s happening and I’m so happy it is.  Terrified, but happy.  And, one grandfather to another?  There’s nothing sweeter than a little granddaughter.”  The Doctor winked, thinking wistfully of Susan.

Jackie must have heard his comment, because she pulled out of Rose’s embrace with a gasp.

“I’m going to have a granddaughter?!”

[nanyoky]

hey gang guess who’s sick in bed and therefore not drinking but is definitely getting Fever Weird which is the next best thing really

No it’s not i’m sick as a dog and fucking miserable and probably not going to be as much fun as usual, full disclosure. Instead of sushi and cider like my usual wednesdays, i’m having tang and saltines so.... cheers.

also i want you all to know there were no working links so i had to wait for the official cw stream to go up like a pauper come on team it’s 2018 we’re better than this

mayor mac and the lodges are still in cahoots and now v knows why but you know who doesn’t yet? ME THAT’S WHO

oh wow so that’s penelope’s deal now

this is- in a darkly hilarious way- the photo negative of season one keller boys “no cruising guys today kiddo” “good GAWD dad”. “i may be a widow but i can still fucking PULL” “good GAWD mom”

i should not be laughing but oh my god CHERYL’S FACE jesus h christ

it’s veronica’s job to keep next gen riverdale chill “when the news breaks” ruh-roh

did archie say he’s going to start a band “of redheads”? so just- him on guitar and cheryl screaming into the mic like a kraken? that’s the only possibility i can envision

“are you upset?” “upset? ronnie, i’m crazy about you” that is a suburban white mom level of non-answer, archie- stop hanging out with alice cooper

RED ALERT KEVIN READS CLIVE BARKER NOVELS AND MY LOVE FOR HIM GROWS EVEN MORE

awkward betty and archie eye contact is almost as obvious as veronica’s stilted forced “we should probably all stay calm....” to the room at large

((the saltines went over pretty well so i think i’mma try some chicken nuggest pray for me team))

“my home is a dickensian nightmare- i won’t have my school turn into one too!” there is just... so much here. short version: cheryl’s origin story is that of the classic highschool bully: not in control of her home life, so enacts violent control over her school. in this way she has not changed. also jesus christ she’s so fucking dramatic i love her like this is in any way her problem but she’s automatically FURIOUS about it. but also just: wow cheryl hates poor people.

“of course. we’re fine.” kevin’s skeptical face (tm) is mint. top shelf. the good shit.

“jones- this is very lovecraftian, which i’m sure was the intention.” toni has jughead Figured Out, and i’m not sure he’s comfortable with that. 

*jake peralta voice* toni- first off your insinuating voice is way too high you sound like meryl streep in mama mia

oh my god sweetpea and fangs are just so dumb. so pretty and so dumb. just because you two wear leather jackets and flannel doesn’t mean you’re not dumb jocks. i’m calling it: sweetpea/reggie. can you imagine the angry makeouts???? so much angry repressed sexuality.

toni’s face of “oh god why are you morons celebrating” is some of the best we’ve seen of her so far my hopes are high for next gen serpent characterization with this plotline

WHAT DOES HIRAM NEED ALL THIS LAND FOR?!?!?!?!?!

POLLY MY GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

oh wow yeah actress must have gotten a better gig or something and is only available for a cameo or two if a show as drama loving as RIVERDALE is keeping the birth of twins offscreen

THE LEADERS OF THE FARM?????? NO. NO. UNACCEPTABLE.

“juniper and dagwood” *betty face*

also yes polly you are in a cult get your babies and LEAVE. go hang out with smithers and joaquin whom i command are safe and happy and healthy wherever they are

“that’s mine by the way” FUCKIN COLD.

FINALLY someone other than the sheriff’s office is getting involved in how fucking SHADY this “small” town is

“is this even legal, what you’re asking me to do?” SMART, REASONABLE ARCHIE IS HERE TO STAY I LOVE SMART, REASONABLE ARCHIE WHO HAS LEARNED NOT TO JUST ACCEPT EVERYTHING ADULTS TELL HIM AT FACE VALUE

oh nevermind one seed of doubt and he’s back. poor boy. sweet boy. dumb boy.

oh nooooo freddddd

fp in his adorkable pop’s uniform smugly nudging about betty is a great moment everyone deserves an in-law that loves them like fp loves betty

please tell me “doctor beeker” is their actual science teacher’s name

we all know that finding the lost cooper brother is going to do ANYTHING but make alice a happier, more stable person right this is not going to end well

i mean even if he wasn’t a minor and using him to get information from a dangerous criminal was a profoundly shitty thing to do, the fbi could have picked literally anyone in town that would have been a better double agent because this is.... not a subtle conversation.

GREAT SONG CHOICE FOR THE SERPENTS’ INTRO TO RHS ((my mom had a tape with this song on it that she’d play to get me pumped for kindergarten))

okay i’m only going to say this once and then probably once more in the scorecard but: how much better would this mixed school plot have been if JOAQUIN WAS STILL IN TOWN?!?!?! the joy and comedy if he and kevin got back together?? the ANGST IF THEY DIDN’T?!?!?!?!?! i am CHEATED. LAID LOW. BITCHSLAPPED.

THAT BEING SAID: this is so good already. serpents swaggering in. veronica’s stepford forced cheer. cheryl and reggie STRUTTING to create conflict.

toni’s face upon gazing at cheryl once more is just so very gay. angry gay. furious that she has to see those mile long legs again.

“no one invited facist barbie to the party” !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! "ragamuffins” !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

oh archie. so pure. so ineffective. as always.

did jughead just sidehug sweetpea away from conflict are they there now

i haven’t been paying enough attention to outfits so far but the placement of cheryl’s iconic spider broach not over her heart like a normal broach, but ON HER SHOULDER LIKE IT’S CRAWLING was a topnotch choice by wardrobe

again this is some classic response to sexual assault in the category of “well that’s unfortunate” until it’s about someone close to you come on archie you’re better than this.

which of course reinforces cheryl’s “me against the world” attitude because NO ONE SEEMS TO FUCKING CARE that she was attacked except veronica and the cats

“of the park avenue lodges” juggie. not helping. although i’d like to think jughead has mentioned veronica enough that toni knows this is just mild teasing between unlikely friends

josie’s awkward “now just... josie...” BROKE MY HEART

“joaquin and i used to hang out. talked about you all the time” OF COURSE HE FUCKING DID THAT POOR BOY WAS *ELIZA SCHUYLER VOICE* HELPLLLLLEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSS. also i’m so happy joaquin has FRIENDS that hopefully still keep in touch please just someone check on him i miss my gay biker leo

godfuckingdammit reggie

“no more serpent jackets” okay- okay- i really need to ask the writers to go to a real high school just once. once. in what world would they have not made this a rule already???? i got in trouble in middleschool for wearing a bandana okay and i was a weird horse girl and LOOKED IT.

is josie hanging out with the core four+kevin because cheryl’s weirdness was scaring her off and the cats have cut all ties? has she lost her entire support network??? i’m worried about alpha kitty guys include her in stuff

jughead is #worked up and toni is having none of it thank god for toni

“i just need to borrow one of jason’s blazers” thank GOD they haven’t abandoned creepy ties between jason and archie. please someone share my half baked conspiracy theory that they were switched at birth and archie is the real blossom twin

juggie. i love you. i genuinely do. but you are being a prime fucking asshole right now. 

i was rolling my eyes so hard at jughead’s bullshit i almost missed sweetpea’s turtleneck which would have been a TRAGEDY

this separation between jughead’s attitude and the rest of the serpents is finally bringing to light what has bothered me about his plot this season so far. he’s so fucking desperate to fit into his role as the heir apparent to the gang but he doesn’t actually know shit about being in a gang and being in danger all the time. for all he grew up poor his has this really privileged attitude and i can’t wait for toni and co. to just tell him to sit down and shut up because believe it or not his actions have consequences

OH MY GOD VERONICA’S SOLUTION IS MAKEOVERS BECAUSE OF COURSE IT IS

i was going to say “what they didn’t call ahead???” but of course not. cooper women do not call ahead

i mean we all knew this wasn’t going to go well and i think a lot of us thought it might be a possibility but...... umm.... heavens.... golly.... that.... that uh... looks like.... ayoungblondskeetulrich. .....jinkies.

oh god why do we have two prostitution plotlines in one episode why why is this a thing in riverdale now

on a lighter note they are hitting into my nostalgia funny bone hard this ep with the game in the whyte wurm being mortal combat ii it’s been years since i’ve gazed on those pixilated icons of my childhood

fp giving you advice on doing the smart thing instead of your kneejerk reaction to a shit situation is a real lowpoint i hope you realize that juggie

again, as heavy as it is, i’m glad they don’t shy away from the dreaded “R” bomb with this nick plotline. like characters seem hesitant to say it in a realistic way, but they do use it which keeps it from feeling like the creators trying to write around controversy

i like that they’re acknowledging it’s pretty shitty of archie to not care until it’s about veronica it feels like brewing #character development

BAHAHAHA TONI AND SWEETPEA LOOK ADORABLY HORRIBLE THIS PLOTLINE IS BLESSED

I mean don’t get me wrong, i love seeing nick get beat up as much as anyone else, but archie should have def talked to veronica before all that and she’s right to be upset

yess betty goin to rescue her bro and showing up in the suspiciously convenient nick of time i love it

archie being a good boy and clearing the air about the kiss before things get out of hand but also.... not mentioning the fbi agent after her dad is such a very riverdale thing to do

omg they’re making a d&d cover group i lied i’m bringing it up again HOW DARE THEY NOT HAVE JOAQUIN HERE FOR THIS WHEN HIS BOYFRIEND IS A CERTIFIED D&D NERD CAN YOU FUCKING IMAGINE THE BANTER

BLOSSOMS JESUS H CHRIST

god this poor lost cooper boy this is the most awkward situation ever because you know alice and hal are not going to handle this well and you know betty is going to try too hard to make it work and you know chic is probably involved in some stuff that will be Plot (tm) later on and this is just A Lot

archie.....

chic..... (we’re supposed to find this threatening, but psych, chic is noticing all the suspiciously different features they have almost like they might be half siblings instead of full siblings.....)

Episode Scorecard:

# of Sick Beat Drop Editing Sequences: None

Do I Still Miss Joaquin: Do i have to fucking elaborate YES okay goddammit someone better be working on a “joaquin never left” au to fit in with this serpents at rhs plot as we speak or i will be MOST CROSS.

Episode Hair MVP: Toni’s was looking particularly nice today

Episode Outfit MVP: sweetpea’s turtleneck. hands down. but with a close second being the placement of cheryl’s spider.

Episode Cast/Crew Shoutout: soundtrack was better than it has been this season- good choices there.

[thatonelucky]

Twist of Fate - Chapter 10

Just a quick note before the chapter starts, if anyone has any prompts they’d like me to write please send them in! I really love writing what you guys enjoy :)

Read on A03

               So that’s how the four of them ended up sat on the couches, wrapped in blankets and watching Christmas movies. They’d already finished the Santa Clause 1 and now they were moving on to Elf. At first, Betty and Jughead had the intention to stay as far away from each other as possible, sitting on the opposite sides of the couch. However, that plan didn’t exactly work. Archie and Veronica got there before the two roommates, forcing them to sit tightly next to each other.

               Betty couldn’t stand it anymore. Her body was itching to run for the hills, she didn’t know what had happened in the kitchen. Quite frankly, she didn’t want to know what happened or how Jughead felt. She couldn’t stand hearing him say that it was a mistake or that they were moving too fast. She didn’t want to have the ‘talk’ about the future because the future terrified her.

               Speaking of terrified, Archie looked as white as a ghost sat next to Veronica. He was fidgeting nervously, a slight shake in the movements. Veronica seemed to be oblivious, concentrating on Buddy and how he was going to make people believe in Christmas again.

               “Archie, can I speak to you in the kitchen?” Betty spoke abruptly. A part of her hoped to stray away from the thoughts spiraling in her head and instead focus on her best friend being proposed to. Jughead stiffened slightly as Archie smiled over at Betty and stood up. “Keep on watching, this won’t take long.” Betty whispered in Veronica’s ear before standing up and following Archie into the next room, closing the door behind them.

               “What’s up with Jughead?” Archie asked immediately after the door had shut. Betty was about to respond but he cut her off. “Is it about me proposing? I don’t want to step on his toes, he’s my best friend.” Archie sat himself at the table and holding his head in his hands. “Am I making the right decision here, Betty?” He looked pained at the sound of his own words. This boy was willing to put his whole life on hold to make someone else happy.

               “Archie no, of course not. Jughead is so happy that his sister has found a guy like you. He’d rather it was you than anyone else.” Betty sat next to Archie, placing both of her hands flat on the table. “Even then, you can’t put your life on hold for anyone. If this is what your heart wants then when does a couple of years difference do? If you know you’ll still feel the same in 10 years then why not make it official now?” Archie seemed to perk up at her words.

               “I’m not sure what to do. How do I even ask? She deserves some huge romantic gesture but I can’t do it without Jug there and I can’t wait any longer.” Archie was stressed, anyone could’ve seen that. Betty’s heart was breaking for him. She knew Veronica wouldn’t care about how grand the gesture is because she was utterly in love with him. Archie pulled out a small black box, cladded with a soft velvet fabric. He twiddled it around in his hands for a few moments.

               “Arch, I can promise you that Ronnie does love you. She would follow you to the ends of the Earth. Dare I say, she would live with you in a cardboard box.” Betty chuckled to herself at the thought of her last statement. The primped socialite living in anything smaller than a 3 bedroom apartment in the Upper East Side was absurd. Though, she knows that Ronnie would oblige, her loyalty overrides her materialism.

               “I want to do it now.” Archie stood himself up. Marching over to the door but stopping when he reached it. He stood for a moment, clutching the black box in his hand. “What do I say?” The red head’s voice cracked slightly, he felt like he was going to throw up. He believes Betty but at the same time he can’t help but expect the worse.

               “Follow your heart and let the words come out naturally.” Betty followed Archie’s steps to the door, standing behind him and giving him a slight push. He responded by chuckling nervously. Swinging the door open, the pair walked into the living room to see Ronnie comforting Jughead, who looked incredibly distressed. At first, Betty wanted to run over and ask if he was okay. But she didn’t want to invade his privacy, in case she was the reason why. Would he kick her out?

               Betty had become all too used to the apartment. Even if she’d been there just under a month. The huge living room space had been her favourite place to watch TV whilst the fire crackled, illuminating the soft brown aesthetic of the room. The kitchen had been her favourite place to escape and cook. The state of the art appliances made cooking feel so much better as well as the modern black and white coloured design. Everywhere was so beautiful. Being here was easy.

               “Ronnie, I have something to say.” Archie puffed his chest out slightly, walking over and pulling Veronica from the couch. She had a shocked expression on her face, stealing a quick glance at Betty who had a huge smirk on her face. Jughead was quick to realize what was happening, so he pulled out his phone and started to record. Luckily, he was quite good at hiding the phone from Veronica’s sight.

               “Archie, what is it?” Veronica spoke in a quiet voice, stepping closer to her boyfriend. She didn’t know what he was about to say and she hoped it wasn’t anything bad. She’d just been told what happened between her brother and Betty so all that was on her mind was to see how Betty feels. Jughead really likes her but he’s had a lot of people let him down in his life. It took him a long time to open up to Veronica, for a long time she was sure he wouldn’t. From what he told her only minutes ago, he’s opened up quite a lot. Which for Jughead is very unusual, she made a mental note to talk to their parents tonight.

               “I have never loved someone like I love you. Through every fight and every experience we go through you teach me to be a better man. To be the man I want to be.” Archie stared straight into Veronica’s eyes. Her brown orbs were welling slightly at the words he had spoken. Only to be clamped wide open when Archie got on one knee and opened the black box resting in his hand. “Ronnie, I know it’s early but I know in my heart that I’ll still feel this way in 10 years’ time or even 20. Will you make me the happiest man alive and be my wife?”

               Veronica let out a small cry that everyone took as a yes and jumped into Archie’s arms. She had never been so sure of something in her life. Archie was special, she’d known that from the first time she met him. To be fair, they were young and Archie was only seen as Jughead’s best friend. Veronica found him attractive, no doubt. But she didn’t want to steal this away from Jughead. That’s why their relationship was a secret in the first place and for good reason. Jughead was upset for a short while but even he could see the chemistry between the two. A connection like that is special.

               Archie took the ring from the box and slid it on her finger. The silver band of pale blue diamond’s stood out perfectly on her finger, making her look even more beautiful. Veronica wondered how he had picked such a perfect ring; it really was made for her. Just like her new fiancée.

               Jughead sat back and watched the couple as they embraced each other, reciting how much they loved each other. He risked a glance at Betty who had a bright smile on her face that didn’t quite reach her eyes. Her blonde waves were now completely free from its previous pony tail. She had changed into a more comfortable outfit, now matching Veronica who had brought around two matching reindeer onesies for the pair to change in to. Even without trying, Betty was effortlessly beautiful.

               Betty hadn’t bothered to look in Jughead’s direction, knowing that she wasn’t ready yet. Right now she wanted to focus on her best friend enjoying the 2nd best day of her life, the wedding coming first obviously. So Betty Cooper did what Betty Cooper does best.

               “This calls for a celebration.” Betty unlocked her phone, hitting speed dial. It rang for a few seconds before a very nervous employee picked up on the other line. Veronica’s eyes were still sparkling with joy, even more so because she knew exactly what Betty was doing.

               “Hi, could I please have four cookie doughs delivered? Yeah, it’s Betty Cooper.”

[daisy-chain-gardens]

Exchange Romance - Chapter 7

A/N: Hey guys, me again. Sorry for the slow update but I've had a bit of a crazy week so I haven't had a lot of time to write. This chapter is quite long though so hopefully that makes up for it! The next chapter is going to be 'day by day' style as well. I was going to merge this chapter and the next chapter but I really wanted to post something today and I think this chapter is long enough as it is. Happy reading :)

Word Count: 6,050

Ch. 1 // Ch. 2 // Ch. 3 // Ch. 4 // Ch. 5 // Ch. 6 // AO3 link

Brave. This is the first word I would think of if someone asked me to describe Betty Cooper. Although these five small letters do nothing to describe the incredible human being that you are, they begin to describe what you are to me. The next word I think of is gentle, then strong, then intelligent, and then a millions others which would take a lifetime to write out. The truth is, a light such as yourself can’t be summed up with mere words, no matter how many I try to use. You couldn’t possibly be summarised because you are so much more than just a few sentences. You are your accomplishments, your failures, your memories, your regrets and everything in between. Every single one of these things has created you, the amazing, ethereal, kind hearted girl who I am incredibly lucky to call my girlfriend. You make me feel safe in this screwed up world and for that I am eternally grateful. Snowball fights and late night movies and vanilla milkshakes and that certain shade of green will forever remind me of you, surely bringing a smile to my face until my dying days. If someone ever asks me about it, I’ll be sure to tell them all about the beautiful blonde with a funny accent and piercing green eyes. The way her hair looks like pure gold when the sun hits it just so. The look of pure joy and wonder on her face at the sight of snow. The way she tilts her head back slightly and scrunches her eyes shut when she laughs. The tune she taps absentmindedly against the table as she does her math homework. If anyone ever asks me why I remember all of these small moments that anyone else would deem insignificant, I'll tell them it is because of you. The unforgettable Betty Cooper. The girl who had my heart from the second I saw her laughing away in a booth at Pop's. What I'm trying to say, or rather write, is that I love you Betty Cooper. Somehow it feels like I always have. Like I just knew, as soon as we locked eyes, that you were the only girl that would ever be anywhere near enough for me. I am so so happy that you're in my life, and now that you are I can't imagine my life without you. I hope that you have the most unforgettable Christmas, Betts, because you deserve it. You deserve all of the goodness and happiness in the world and I will try my hardest to give it to you. I love you.

This was the letter that Jughead wanted to send. The words flowed smoothly as his pen raced across the page to keep up with his thoughts. Before the ink on the first word had even begun to dry, Jughead knew he would never send this to Betty, no matter how desperately he wanted to. "What kind of wimp tells his girlfriend he loves her in a letter?" He mumbled under his breath before scrunching it up and tossing it in the bin.

What felt like several hours later, the bin beside Archie's desk was overflowing, crumpled paper marked with half finished sentences spilling over the sides of the small metal basket. Jughead held his head in his hands, willing himself to continue. This letter had to be perfect but nothing that he wrote felt right. His sentences felt clunky and his words sounded generic and impersonal. After many more failed attempts, he begrudgingly sifted through the paper mountain and pulled out the crumpled sheet hiding at the very bottom.

--------------------

Betty didn't realise she was crying until the ink became blurry, forcing her to clear her eyes before reading the final words of Jughead's letter. His fingers ran over the crumpled page, circling those three words that changed everything. She didn't try to fight her lovesick smile, knowing that her efforts would be in vain. He loved her. Jughead Jones loved her, Betty Cooper. She couldn't believe it. She had to stop from running and jumping around the room for fear of waking up her host family. She reread his letter countless times until she had it memorised, her mind playing the words over and over again. She reached over to her dresser and grabbed her phone, bringing up Jughead's name on Skype and calling him faster than she thought was humanly possible. He picked up on the second ring.

"Hi Betts," he mumbled sleepily, a groggy smile on his face at the sight of his girlfriend.

"Hi Juggie." Her voice was quiet but Jughead could hear the excitement in it.

"Everything ok? It's pretty late. Shouldn't you b-"

"I love you," Betty blurted out, her voice now strong and sure. "Jughead Jones, I love you," she repeated, more to herself than anyone else. Betty wished she had a camera to take a photo of Jughead the minute the words slipped out of her mouth. Pure love and adoration covered his face, no sight of his usual nonchalance.

"Betty Cooper, I love you." There were tears, and quiet promises, and three words whispered over and over again, so many times that they were the only ones either of them could remember. All that Betty wanted was to be with him. To be able to hold his hand, stroke his cheek, press his lips against hers, anything. She absentmindedly traced his face on the screen, aching for his touch. They kept talking until their conversation turned to yawns, the quiet sound of Riverdale in the morning flooded through the speakers before their screens finally turned black.

26th December

By the time Betty emerged from her room, Ronnie had already finished one mug of coffee and Hiram and Hermione were standing near the door.

"Ah, Betty, I'm glad you're awake. Hermione and I are heading off to Paris until the New Year. We have some meetings and things to attend for the company. You two should be fine here but Smithers is staying behind in case you need anything. Have a good time, stay safe," Hiram called over his shoulder as he strolled out of the front door, his wife on his arm. Veronica let out a small sigh when the door closed before quickly turning her attention to Betty.

"So B, I heard voices very late last night. What were you and lover boy up to?" Veronica questioned playfully, waggling her eyebrows.

"Nothing just ... talking," The blonde looked down at the table to hide her smile, failing to hide her happiness as her face blushed red.

"Just talking? If you say so. What did he say in that letter he gave you?" Betty looked up at her host sister, her face resembling that of a deer in the headlights. Ronnie had an innocent smile on her face causing Betty to narrow her eyes.

"What do you know?" Betty asked slowly, her voice curious but threatening.

"I know nothing. But I may have talked to a certain boyfriend of mine who may just happens to sleep in the same room as a certain boyfriend of yours. A certain boyfriend who might sleep talk." Ronnie's voice raised teasingly as she kept her eyes trained on Betty, her innocent smile now having morphed into a knowing smirk. Betty kept her eyes narrowed, still unsure as to whether or not Veronica was bluffing.

"What do you know?" She repeated, her tone becoming more threatening than curious.

"Fine, I give up, you're no fun. Archiekins was clearing out the bin in his room and there was a whole bunch of letters; all addressed to you, all written by Jug. Arch kept teasing him about it until Jug confessed that he loves you." He waited for a beat, creating a dramatic pause which only Veronica could pull off in an actual conversation. "But I wasn't lying about the sleeptalking thing." Betty couldn't contain the smile on her face. Last night the pair had said that they loved each other more times than most people did in a lifetime but Betty didn't think she would ever get tired of hearing it. "So then, last night wasn't just talking, was it?" The brunette raised her eyebrows again, this time questioningly instead of playfully.

"Yes, V, just talking. Sorry to disappoint," Betty replied, laughing when Veronica fake-pouted. "You are the only person I know that would be annoyed I didn't do anything other than talk with my boyfriend on Christmas. Well, you and Kevin."

"At least Kevin has his priorities straight. Speaking of which, shopping is compulsory today because, well shopping should be compulsory everyday really. But, we need to get you something nice for when you get to see Jughead again!" Ronnie practically squealed, looking a lot more excited than Betty.

"Fine, only if we can go sightseeing this afternoon. I haven't gotten to do any sightseeing."

"Deal. Now go get changed, I just got to make some calls," Veronica agreed mysteriously but Betty was too caught up in her daydreams to notice.

--------------------

Not more than an hour after their conversation in the kitchen, the two girls were walking around one of the many malls New York had to offer, arms linked at the elbow as they walked through the crowds of shoppers.

"Ok so, first stop, Victoria's Secrets? What colour are you thinking? I think you'd look good in light pink, maybe blue," Ronnie started rambling, talking about various styles of lingerie.

"Wait, what? Why are we going here for me?" Betty asked, her face revealing her confusion.

"To get you something for Jug, remember?" The dark haired girl replied before laughing at the blonde's blatant confusion. "What did you think we were shopping for, lollipops?" Thank god for waterproof makeup because Veronica was crying herself to tears at how naive Betty was.

"I don't know. I thought maybe a new dress or something. I don't really know if we're at the lingerie stage yet," Betty said shyly. She was used to talking about her relationship with Ronnie but this felt different, more personal.

"Not yet but I have a feeling you will be soon. You love him and he loves you, what else is there?" Veronica asked, as if it were as simple as that.

"I don't know it's just ... scary, I guess," Betty confessed, slightly embarrassed.

"B, I'm not trying to pressure you into sleeping with your boyfriend or anything but it's just how it is. people have needs. You might not feel that way yet and that's nothing to be ashamed of. If nothing else, we can always just go and get cute bras for you, Jughead never has to know." Betty hugged her host sister tightly, thankful that she wasn't pushing the matter.

"Fine V. Only because I know that you’re not going to drop this."

"I have raised you well my little kiwi." Veronica smiled up at her blonde friend with motherly affection, laughing when Betty crouched down to her height. Half an hour later, although Betty would probably tell you it was about five hours later, the pair walked out of the mall, arms laden with bags, all from the same store.

--------------------

They finally sat down for lunch at a trendy vegan restaurant, shopping bags surrounding their small table. Their food came quickly and they were just about to start eating when a high pitched voice interrupted them.

"Veronica Lodge, OMG! I didn't know you were back in New York!" A short blonde girl hurried towards them, the amount of shopping bags she was carrying rivalled Ronnie's.

"Zara? It's so good to see you! I thought you guys were in Spain for the holidays." Veronica rushed out of her seat and into Zara's arms, hugging her tightly.

"Just for christmas, we flew in this morning. You know how much I love the shopping in New York." She said, her voice bubbling with excitement.

"Tell me about it. Zara, this is Betty. She's an exchange student from New Zealand and she's staying with me in Riverdale until June." Betty stood up, remembering all of those years of etiquette training her mother had drilled into her.

"IT'S VERY NICE TO MEET YOU," Zara yelled very slowly, over annunciating each syllable.

"It's nice to meet you too," Betty replied, trying to not to laugh at the small girl in front of her.

"Oh, you speak english. I thought maybe you spoke dutch or something." Zara said, unfased by her mistake. She joined them at their table, contributing immensely to their mountain of shopping, and kept the conversation easy until Betty and Ronnie had finished their food. "You girls up for round 2?" Ronnie looked at Betty, waiting or her to answer.

"You two go ahead. I wanted to get in some sightseeing but I'll be fine on my own. I'll text you if I need anything." Betty said, ever the people pleaser. Ronnie thanked her silently before kissing her on the cheek and bouncing out of the restaurant, Zara following right behind as they handed off their shopping to an ever obliging Smithers. Betty chuckled at the sight of them before walking out of the restaurant herself, heading in the opposite direction.

--------------------

Juggie: Hope you haven't died from over-shopping. Betty laughed when Jughead's slightly morbid text lit up her phone about an hour after she'd left Ronnie. She'd managed to navigate the subway more a less successfully and then was currently standing in line to go up the Empire State building.

Betts: Not yet. Check back tomorrow and I might have a different answer. They texted back and forth until Betty got to the front of the line, eventually making her way to the elevator and stepping out once it arrived on the top floor.

She was speechless. The whole city was spread out beneath her, the skyscrapers looking like they were a normal size while the rest of the city looked like it was built for ants. She slowly walked along the edge of the fence, trying to soak up every second of the experience. Her phone buzzed in her bag, forcing her to tear her eyes away from the skyline and redirect her attention to the screen where a new text from Jughead waited for her.

Juggie: I love you. She felt unstoppable. Reading those words whilst standing on the top of the world made the butterflies in her chest flutter. Betty turned her back to the city, turning her camera around to take a selfie, the smile on her face bright enough to rival the lights which the city was known for.

Betts: I wish you were here with me

Betts: I love you. It made her so happy to be able to type out those eight letter. Jughead replied almost instantly.

Juggie: I'll be seeing you sooner than you think. She held her phone to her chest, smile still bright as she looked out across New York for one last time before walking back over to the elevator and heading back down to earth.

--------------------

Jughead and Betty continued texting for the rest of the afternoon, Betty sending him various photos of herself posing in front of New York landmarks. She ached to see him and sent him a Skype request as soon as she got through the apartment door that evening, making note of Veronica's absence and figuring she probably wasn't going to be back any time soon.

"Hey Betts," Jughead said as he accepted her request.

"Hey Juggie." She was almost breathless at the sight of him, not sure how he could make her feel like this through a computer screen.

"I was just about to order burgers for dinner. Archie's out somewhere and Fred's working late. I don't know why on boxing day but I get the house to myself so I'm not complaining," Jughead said, reaching for the phone to call the number for Pop's he'd memorised a long time ago.

"I think I'm in the mood for pizza. You up for a movie tonight?" She asked, barely able to keep the expectation out of her voice.

"Always, any ideas?"

"I am in New York so I feel like 'West Side Story' is compulsory viewing," Betty said whilst scouring the internet for nearby pizza places. Of course there were a million.

"Not sure if I agree with your reasoning but you've convinced me, West Side Story it is," he said in mock disappointment.

"You've gone soft Jug. Probably just because you love me," she smiled, turning her attention away from her computer to look at him on her phone. His eyes sparkled and they somehow looked deeper than normal. His beanie-less hair was sticking up in all directions, leaving Betty wishing she could run her fingers through it.

"Anything for you Betts." His expression could only be described as loving and Betty had to bite her lip to try and prevent her smile from taking up her whole face. "However, I do have food waiting for me so I'll call you back in 20 minutes, ok?"

"Okey dokey. I'll see you in 20 minutes, not a second later. Love you!" She called out before hanging up the phone, promptly dialing Smithers number.

"Hey Smithers, do you know of any good pizza places nearby?"

"Certainly Ms. Coo-, Betty, I can go and find some for you if you'd like? Any particular toppings?" It had taken almost three months for Smithers to voluntarily call Betty by her first name but it still made her giggle a bit when she heard him struggle with the informality so much.

"Surprise me. That would be amazing thank you. I think it's a pj's and takeout kind night."

"I understand Betty. I'll bring it up to you as soon as possible."

"No rush. Thanks a ton Smithers!" Betty set up the TV and found the movie on Netflix, changing into her pyjamas while she waited for Jughead to call. Her phone started buzzing as soon as she walked back into the living room.

"You ok Jug? You look a bit flushed." Betty stated as soon as his face popped up on the screen, voice laced with concern.

"I'm ... fine ... 20 ... minutes ... isn't ... very ... long." Jughead choked out, breathing heavily.

"Did you run Jug?" Betty asked, trying to stop herself from laughing at his breathlessness.

"Maybe ... I think Pop's has ... gotten further away ... since you've been gone." A giggle slipped from her lips and Jughead laughed along with her, both just happy to be with each other. Smithers knocked politely on the door, handing Betty her pizza before slipping silently back into the elevator.

"Ok, dinner's all set, you ready to start watching?" She asked, the remote already in one of her hands as she reached for a slice of pizza with the other.

"As ready as I'll ever be," he replied, his breathing finally under control. The music for the intro started and Jughead couldn't tear his eyes away from his girlfriend. It wasn't the same as having her with him. He couldn't feel the weight of her lying across him, his arm wrapped around her or running his fingers through her hair. He eventually looked away when he heard the Sharks clicking through the streets of New York, the sound ripping him from his thoughts. They engaged in their usual movie conversations throughout the film, commenting on various things which caught their eye.

Jughead noticed Betty's uncharacteristic silence and looked down at his phone, the sight before him one which he swears made his heart stop. Betty was leaned back against the couch, wrapped up tightly in a blanket with her hair messily falling around her face. Her mouth was hanging slightly open and her soft snores were barely heard over the noise coming from the TV. He let himself look at her for a few more seconds before softly whispering those three small words and ending the call.

Veronica tumbled through the door very early the next morning, or late that night, she's not quite sure. She's greeted by Betty's sleeping figure on the couch, the Netflix menu on the TV, and Jughead's Skype profile on Betty's open laptop. Ronnie couldn't help but think about how the sleeping blonde was going to react when she found out about her surprise tomorrow. The raven haired princess recovered Betty with her blanket, shut down her laptop and the TV, and then walked down the hall to her room, her eyes closing as soon as her head hit the pillow.

27th December

Betty woke up to the sun streaming through the windows, New York already buzzing down below. She got up slowly and decided to make some pancakes, blasting her music in the kitchen while she worked. Veronica stumbled into the kitchen as Betty was taking the last batch out of the pan, fumbling around for her coffee mug.

“Fun night V?” Betty asked.

“How could it not be? Two girls armed with daddy’s credit card, sounds like a recipe for success.” Veronica replied sleepily, filling up her cup carefully. “Care for a stroll in Central Park after breakfast? I think a bit of fresh air will help get rid of this thumping headache I just happen to have accumulated.” The brunette’s eyes twinkled knowingly as she finished her sentence, causing Betty to giggle.

“New York, new Veronica? I thought you hated strolling, and the outdoors, and watching people exercise,” Betty pointed out skeptically, confused as to what had caused Ronnie’s sudden change of heart.

“You never know, maybe we’ll find something more interesting to do along the way.” She took a long sip of her coffee, dismissing Betty’s bewildered look.

“Whatever you say V. As long as it doesn’t involve shopping I’m good with whatever.”

“Speaking of shopping, you should wear something that you bought yesterday. What’s the point in buying it if you’re not going?” Ronnie asked, feigning nonchalance.

“What’s going on V? First you want to ‘go for a stroll’ and now you’re trying to get me to wear nice underwear for said stroll. Is there something going on that I don’t know about?” Betty was completely puzzled at this point and was frustrated that Veronica was being so secretive.

“Only time will tell. Eat up quick, I want to go to the park as soon as possible.” The brunette refused to meet Betty’s eye as they finished their pancakes, Betty’s mind racing with possibilities as to what Veronica could possibly have planned for them at the park. Although she would deny it if Ronnie asked her, Betty put her new baby blue bra and matching underwear on under her winter clothes. Ronnie all but dragged her out the door as soon as she was decent, stilettos clicked hurriedly along the icy pavement. Betty was lead this way and that for about ten minutes until she realised that Ronnie was following the signs to the ice skating rink.

“V, why are we going ice skating? I know how you feel about wearing shoes that other people have worn.” The raven haired princess shuddered at the thought before replying to the girl she was dragging along, a devious smile playing on her lips.

“If things go well, we’ll be doing a lot more than ice skating.”

--------------------

A bright smile lit up Betty’s face at the sound of children playing, a sure sign that they were getting close to the ice skating rink. Her curiosity was killing her and she could tell that it was taking everything Ronnie had not to spoil her mysterious surprise. As soon as they rounded the corner the ice came into view, but Betty took no notice. All that she could see was him. Jughead and Archie were leaning against the barrier, chatting animatedly about something, caught up in their own bubble. Betty ran over to them and jumped into Jughead’s arms, hugging him tightly. Jughead reacted in an instant, holding her close and spinning her around.

“I missed you,” she whispered in his ear, melting into him.

“I love you,” he whispered back. She shifted slightly in his arms, moving so she could rest her forehead against his, her green eyes getting lost in the depths of his.

“I love you.” Before he could react her lips were on his, desperate and loving, trying to convey how they felt now that words were no longer enough.

“As adorable as you two are, there are children here,” Veronica pointed out from where she was standing next to Archie. His arm was already wrapped around her shoulder as he placed a soft kiss on the top of her head. Ronnie’s eyes fluttered closed at the sensation, letting herself lean into his chest. Betty pulled back slightly, blue eyes meeting green, giving her a look that made her feel like she was floating. She had thought that reading those words made her feel something but after hearing them fall from his perfect lips, she didn’t think she could ever get enough. Reluctantly, Betty untangled herself from Jughead as he lowered her gently to the ground, her arm staying around his waist as she turned to face Veronica.

“This is incredible V, I can’t believe you did this,” Betty said, her emotions written all over her face.

“Anything for you B, you know that. I think Archiekins and I are gonna head back to the apartment, you guys want to tag along?” Jughead didn’t even check with Betty before replying.

“Thanks Ron but I think we’re gonna walk around a bit, maybe do some sightseeing.” Jughead looked down at Betty with a sly grin and she burst out laughing, remembering all of the strange pictures she had sent him yesterday.

“Ok well we’ll see you guys for dinner? Maybe watch a movie after?” Ronnie asked, taking over Betty’s usual role of organising everyone now that the blonde was too busy staring at her boyfriend.

“Sounds good, see you tonight,” and with that they were off, running away from their friends and deeper into the park, hand in hand, laughs ringing out and masking the sound of the ice skaters beside them. Ronnie watched them go, a small smile on her face as she watched the pair disappear through the trees. The couple stayed like that for a while, holding each other close and watching the snow fall around them, before slowly turning around and strolling off in the other direction.

--------------------

As soon as Archie and Ronnie were out of view, Betty and Jughead once again became a tangle of limbs, holding each other so tightly they almost seemed like one person. Jughead’s hands were cupping her face, pulling her into the kiss with everything he had. Her hands mimicked his before running through his hair, knocking his beanie to the ground. Neither of them knew how long they stayed like that, kissing the life out of each other, hands roaming as they pleased. Seconds felt like hours but even the hours weren’t long enough. The snow had stopped falling by the time their lips pulled apart, hugging each other as though they would disappear if they put too much space in between them.

“I love you.”

“I love you.”

Their words repeated over like a mantra until their voices turned hoarse from the cold, forcing them to held each other in silence. Silently, they let each other go, hands still joined as their fingers laced together. Jughead leaned down and picked up his beanie, the colour almost black from the dampness of the snow it was half buried under. He tucked it into his pocket, sending Betty that smile which made her heart melt. They slowly made their way out of the park not quite sure of their destination but not really caring.

--------------------

Jughead and Betty spent the whole day running around New York, hand in hand, laughter following them through the bustling streets. They retraced Betty’s steps from the day before, recreating her goofy photos with the camera Jughead had been given for Christmas. He was constantly taking photos of anything that caught his eye; a colourful sign, people caught in conversation, old buildings, Betty. She was somehow completely oblivious to his camera, too caught up in her own little bubble to hear the constant click or notice the lovesick smile on her boyfriend’s face whenever she appeared in his lens. Halfway through the afternoon, Jughead’s phone buzzed in his pocket.

“Can you grab that Betts? I really want to get this shot,” he asked without looking at her, eyes completely focused on the small screen of his camera. A small smile played on her lips at the way he looked when he was completely focused, tongue slightly visible through his pink lips as his fingers fiddled with some buttons. She watched him for a second before digging his phone out of his pocket.

Arch: Ronnie wants to go out tonight so we might not be here when you guys get back. Movies tomorrow night?

“It’s Archie. V’s taking him out tonight so we’ll be all on our lonesome,” Betty relayed, unable to keep her smile from growing at the thought of having the apartment all to themselves. She sent off a quick reply to Archie and was just about to turn it off when something caught her eye. Jughead’s background was the photo she had sent him yesterday, her smiling face looking back at her from the screen, New York filling up the background. SHe stood up on the tips of her toes and softly kissed Jughead on the cheek. He stopped fiddling with his camera and looked down at her.

“What was that for?” He asked, slightly confused by his girlfriend’s sudden display of affection.

“Because I love you,” she replied, slipping his phone back into his pocket.

“I love you.” He leant down to kiss her, slow but quick at the same time. “I don’t think I’m ever going to get tired of say those words,” Jughead confessed, eyes locked on hers.

“Good because I’ll never get tired of hearing them,” Betty said with a cheeky grin, pulling him back in for another kiss, lacing her fingers back through his and leading him through the crowd.

--------------------

They tumbled into the apartment later that evening. Jughead held takeout in one hand and Betty in the other. The two of them promptly collapsed onto the couch, not even bothering to take off their winter coats. Betty leaned against Jughead, closing her eyes for a few seconds.

“You ok Betts? We can just go to sleep if you want,” He suggested, concern leaking into his voice at the sight of his exhausted girlfriend.

“No, I’m fine. It’s just been a busy day,” Betty said, opening her eyes and smiling up at him, adjusting slightly so she could see him better.

“It’s been an amazing day.” His voice sounded soft, his hand squeezing her gently from where it rested on her hip. She snuggled in closer to him, leaning into his chest with her legs lying across his lap.

“It was truly incredible. But now we have to eat, my stomach is getting angry at me,” she commented, making no effort to move from her spot. Jughead chuckled at her response.

“A girl after my own heart,” he quipped, running his fingers through her blonde locks a few times before moving her off his lap so he could grab the food. Betty took off her coat and shoes while she waited for him to return, turning on the TV and scrolling through Netflix. They ate their takeout and watched movies, just like they always did. Betty was so happy that he was here and not on the other side of a screen. She sat as close to him as possible and took every chance she could to touch him; brush his hair out of his eyes, draw small circles on his arm with her thumb, kiss his hand as he held it in hers. Jughead found it adorable how affectionate she got when she was tired. It seemed as if her inhibitions melted away and she was truly herself. He had to fight off a laugh at the end of the movie when he realised she had somehow fallen asleep in what he thought looked like a very uncomfortable position wrapped around him. He was unable to extract himself without waking her up so he gently nudged her shoulder.

“I’m awake, I’m just … resting,” she mumbled, eyes still closed. The chuckle finally escaped his lips as he helped her slowly move to an upright position.

“You ready for bed babe?” He teased, brushing her hair out of her face.

“I like it when you called me babe.” She sent him a sleepy grin which made his heart flutter. God she was beautiful, even with her hair a mess and eyes half closed. He quietly stood up and half carried her down the hall.

“Which bedroom is yours?” Jughead asked when they got to the corridor.

“That one over there,” she pointed to a door about halfway down and Jughead chuckled again. “What’s so funny?’ Betty asked, not sure if she had missed something or if Jughead was just being strange. “Just Ron. That’s the room I stayed in last time I came here with her and she told me I would be in the same room again.” Betty smiled again, not really awake enough to give a proper response.

“Guess you’re stuck with me then.”

“I can think of worse things,” Jughead replied, kissing her nose when she scrunched it up in mock anger. Betty flopped straight onto the bed when they got into the room

“I can’t be bothered moving now,” she admitted, voice muffled by the duvet.

“Come on babe, you can’t sleep in your jeans. Where do your pj’s live?” He asked as he put his bag in the corner.

“Second drawer down. Just grab whatever.” Jughead could hear her voice getting sleepier and moved quickly around the room, grabbing a pair of flannel pj’s before walking over to the bed.

“There you go. Do you want me to wait in the bathroom?” She shook her head before dragging herself off the bed, starting to take off her sweater. Jughead walked calmly over to his bag, pulling out his own pyjamas. By the time he turned around to ask her something, she was only in her bra and undies. He help but stare. She was absolutely breathtaking. He tried to gulp down the lump that was forming his throat, will himself to stay calm but not quite sure how to go about it. Betty noticed him staring and let out a giggle.

“Like what you see?” She teased, a sparkle in her eye that Jughead hadn’t seen before. She walked over to him and he could have sworn it was in slow motion. She wrapped her arm around his neck and kissed him, hard. Where their other kisses had been filled with unspoken promises and loving touches, this was purely instinct. Hands roamed where they pleased and tongues collided, both of them trying to get as much of each other as possible. Jughead’s hands gripped the back of her thighs, pulling her up as she wrapped her long legs around his waist. He carried her the short distance across the room, his body pressed against hers until he carefully lowered her onto the bed.

“Juggie, I really want to carry on but I’m having trouble keeping my eyes open. Is it ok if we continue this later? I’m really sorry,” Betty mumbled into his ear. Jughead could hear the sleep weighing down her voice and had no problem complying.

“You have nothing to be sorry about,” he whispered back, content that she felt secure enough around him to tell him how she was feeling. She crawled across the bed and snuggled under the covers, patting the space next to her to encourage Jughead to slide in next to her. He did just that, wrapping his arms around her as her eyes fluttered closed once more.

“Good night Betts,” he murmured into her hair, kissing the top of her head lightly. He took a moment to remember this feeling before closing his eyes to the world and joining her in dreamless slumber.

[capbucky-0506]

Protecting Their Own (Riverdale CrewxReader)

This fic deals with emotional and physical abuse, so if you're suffering from that, just know that you have the power to stop it. Make sure to tell someone so they can help. Ily guys💕

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Your heels clicked as you walked into Pop's Chock-Lit Shop, searching for your favorite mystery in all of Riverdale: Jughead Jones. You've been friends since birth, your father being best friends with his father. They were both Serpents, so you and Jughead saw each other often. He was more than just a regular friend, he was your brother. Until 2 years ago. After your father died, your Socialite mother decided that Riverdale wasn't a good environment for you. In her words, "A small town like that is an embarrassment for any daughter of mine." So, she made you pack up and move to England with her, attending a stuffy private school. To say you didn't like your mom was an understatement. She left your father after you were born and ran off with some rich old dude that already died, so she was left with all the money. And, to make matters worse, she ripped you from your home and made you move in with her, then verbally abused you ever since you got there. But now, you were back. Your mom decided you were a hopeless case and sent you packing, the best decision she's ever made. You practically bolted to the airport, crying tears of joy on the plane ride. When you got off, you took a good look in the mirror and smiled softly. In the past two years, you've gained a figure, changed your hairstyle, and adopted a British accent. You were no longer the girl with glasses and bad acne. After throwing your bags in your car, the one you left hidden before you left, you started to drive around in your search for Jughead, which is how you ended up in Pop's. You used to work here before you moved. Pop Tate's face lit up as soon as you walked through the door. "Is that who I think it is?" You giggled. "I'm back!" "Y/N!" Pop pulled you into a hug. When he pulled away, he spun you around. "Look at you! What happened to the Converse and the leather jacket?" "Ugh, believe me, I'm changing right back into that later. In England, my mother always made me wear heels until my feet gave out and dresses until I couldn't breathe anymore. I couldn't even eat what I wanted! I'd kill for a burger right now." "Anything for my Y/N. Thinkin' about workin' here again?" "Is my job still available?" "It always has been. I expect you here after school on Monday. But for now, settle down and I'll have a burger with fries and a milkshake ready in no time." You beamed. "Thanks, Pop!" "You got it. And love the accent, by the way." Laughing, you look around until you see a familiar beanie in one of the booths, the only person in the entire diner. Pulling down the sleeves of your long-sleeved dress, you walk over to where Jughead has his back to you and headphones in his ears, typing away on his laptop. You lightly tapped his shoulder. He took out his headphones and looked to you. "One newly British best friend for a Juggie Jones?" He had a shocked expression on his face. "Y/N?" "That's me." He got up from the booth and engulfed you in a hug, spinning you around. "Holy shit, Y/N! You're back!" You laughed out loud. "Just got back today!" He set you down and placed his hands on your shoulders. "What happened? Did you run away? Escape your mom? Why are you dressed like this? What's with the accent? Are you okay? Are you saf-"

"Juggie! Calm down! The Wicked Bitch sent me packing. Apparently, I wasn't meeting her standards for a perfect daughter, which is fine by me! I haven't changed yet, so I'm wearing what she usually made me wear in England. She always said, 'The tighter the better'. And as for the accent, it's just something I've picked up in boarding school." He pulled you into a hug. "The tighter the better? Y/N, you look like you haven't eaten in forever." "I feel like I haven't eaten in forever. Pop Tate is already getting me some food, which I've been dying for." Jughead let you go and you both slid into the booth, sitting across from each other. He took your hand in his. "I haven't heard from you in forever. I thought I'd lost you." "You never lost me, Juggie. She took away my phone and reprogrammed it so I could only call her or any person I met in boarding school that 'met her standards'. It was barbaric." Pop Tate brought over your burger, fries, and milkshake. "It's on the house, Y/N. And if you don't mind closing up as I leave-" You smiled. "I got it, Pop." When he walked out, Jughead took one of your fries as you started devouring your burger. "Y/N, what she did to you is actual torture. You need to tell someone." "I'm telling you?" "I mean, you need to get her arrested. Do you have any proof that she abused you?" You pulled out your phone, which you reprogrammed so you could now call anyone. "I have these messages she sent me. They were...verbally abusive. It won't be enough to prove anything, though. Honestly, Jug, I just want to forget England ever happened. It's fine, we don't need to fight my mothe-" "Y/N, what's that?" He pulled up your sleeve to reveal scars on your wrist. "Juggie-" "What. Is. That?" He pulled up the sleeve on your other arm to reveal more scars. You feel your face start to get hot. "Juggie, please-" "Did she do this?" He was trying unsuccessfully to stay calm. You feel tears forming in your eyes as you mutter out, "Yes." That one word set him off. He grabbed his jacket and he stormed out. "Jughead, wait!" You run out of the diner, anxiety kicking in. You catch up to Jughead opening the door to a truck and slam the door before he could climb in. You snatch the key out of his hand. "JUGHEAD JONES, PLEASE LISTEN TO ME!" "How'd she give you those scars, Y/N? HOW?" You felt tears falling on your face. "I tried to escape, okay?! I tried almost every trick in the book just to get back to you and Betty and Archie! But you know what she did? She found out every fucking time! Finally, she started chaining me to the bed! She would sedate me just to shut me up! That's why I have these scars! I also have scars on my stomach from when she hit me with a belt for getting second place in a goddamn beauty pageant! SECOND FUCKING PLACE! I don't want to face her again, Jughead! I WON'T!" At this point, you were sobbing into his arms. He wrapped his arms around you and wasn't about to let go. A few moments later, he pulled you away and took your face in his hands, wiping away your tears. "We're going to fix this. She's going to pay, because you didn't deserve anything she did to you. You're my best friend and I love you, and I'm going to protect you. She's not gonna hurt you anymore." Without hesitation, you threw your arms around him. In this moment, right now, you've never felt safer. After a few seconds, he pulls away. "Let me go grab my laptop and lock up and I'll drive you someplace." You nod, climbing into the car as he runs back into the diner. After a few minutes, he comes back with his laptop and your milkshake and locks up the place. He hands you the shake as he starts the car and takes off.

"Juggie, where are we going?" "There are a few people you have to see." He parks in front of the Andrews' house and opens the car door for you. You leave the empty milkshake glass in the car and step out, holding onto him as he leads you to the front door. Without even having to knock, the door flings open, Archie on the other side. "Y/N!" "Archie!" He engulfs you in a hug, bringing you close to his chest. You immediately notice how buff he's gotten, and how grown up he looks. He pulls away and leads you both inside. "Jughead told us everything, and we're all here to help." "All?" The boys lead you into the living room and you audibly gasp. In the short time it took to drive over here, Jughead and Archie had managed to gather their dads, Betty, Polly (who was now pregnant?), her parents, Kevin, Sheriff Keller, Josie, Valerie, Melody, Mayor McCoy, Cheryl, a raven-haired girl you've never met before, and a woman who you guessed was her mom. "Y/N!" Everyone who was there gave you a hug. You put your hand on Polly's stomach to feel the baby-or babies-kick and you congratulated her. You found out about Jason and told Cheryl how sorry you were. After greeting FP, you feel a tap on your shoulder. You whipped around to see the raven-haired girl behind you. "Hi, I'm Veronica Lodge," she said, shaking your hand. "My mom and I moved here not too long ago." Her mom stood next to her and shook your hand as well. "Hermione Lodge. It's nice to meet you, Y/N. Everyone doesn't stop talking about you."

You smiled. "It's nice to meet you both." Archie walked up to Veronica and put an arm around her. "Ronnie, Y/N is the girl I was telling you about. My friend since we were in diapers." "Hopefully you have plenty of embarrassing stories about him." You laughed. "Believe me, I do." "Okay, everyone," Mayor McCoy announces. "Let's all settle down now." Everyone took a seat, you sitting between Cheryl and Josie. You notice Betty cuddling up to Jughead and you smile. You've been wanting those two to get together for the longest! Sheriff Keller and Mayor McCoy stood up in front of everyone. Mayor McCoy clears her throat. "Y/N L/N has been the heart and soul of Riverdale for as long as I can remember. She's managed to charm everyone she meets, she's contributed to this town in a way no one else has, and she has been a top student throughout her life." You smile as she says this, resting your head on Cheryl's shoulder. "But she is the daughter of a Southside Serpent and the women who attempted to ruin Riverdale's reputation. That could cause people to gravitate away from her, but it never does. Why? Because she has a kind heart. And while we've learned that the Serpents are not to be judged, especially not her father, may he rest in peace, her mother is still a problem. Sheriff Keller?" He steps forward. "Amelia L/N has been an enemy of Riverdale for a long time, but none of us had ever thought she was capable of this type of abuse. She took away one of our best and hurt her in ways that are unthinkable." Josie grabs your hand as he says this, while Cheryl wipes away a few stray tears from your face. "Amelia used to be one of us before she turned against us. And while I'm only in charge of crimes within the town, I will be the first to fight for justice. Y/N, we are all gathered here today for you. Kevin and I will personally go to England, if we have to. Your mom won't be a problem anymore." The rest of the parents-Fred Andrews, Hermione Lodge, Alice Cooper, Hal Cooper, and FP Jones- all got up and stood next to Mayor McCoy and Sheriff Keller. "We are all here to protect you kids," Fred says. "And Y/N, Y/N is one of ours." "Y/N, I've known your dad for a very long time," FP says. "I've watched you grow up. And I'll fight for justice however long it takes." Hal held Alice's hand as she spoke. "Y/N, you've been so good to Betty and Polly. The past two years have felt so empty without you in our home. I've despised Amelia for years now, and I'll stop at nothing to see her in a jail cell." Hermione spoke last. "Y/N, I've been talking to everyone, and we've come to the decision that, instead of going back to your father's trailer, you come stay with me and Veronica. We have plenty of room." "I can lend you my clothes and help you catch up with current events," Veronica adds. "What do you say?" You stood up, looking around the room. Finally, you spoke, switching back to your American accent. "I'm in." Everyone cheered and you hugged Veronica. "I have a feeling we're going to be good friends."

She beamed. "Me too." That night, you walked out of Archie's house with Veronica, Betty, Jughead, Archie, Kevin, Cheryl, Josie, Valerie, and Melody. "I've missed you guys," you say to them. "We've missed you too." And with that, you all parted with your parents to your houses, yours now being the Pembrooke. When you finally got there, their butler, Smithers, took your bags and went inside with Veronica and Hermione. "Coming, Miss L/N?" "In a minute." When you were finally alone, you held up the leather jacket FP handed you before you left. "Serpents protect their own." Smiling, you pulled it on and looked at the stars. "Goodbye, daddy," you mutter. "I'll tell your story." You finally walked into the Pembrooke, ready to start your new life.

[believe-that-you-can-my-friend]

Love Is Not A Victory March

I’m sorry that this is not a prompt (I promise I haven’t abandoned them) but I had this idea in my mind after yesterday’s episode and I just had to write it. I don’t even know what this is, I’m just an angst addict, so yeah that’s pretty angsty but truly romantic at the end. <3 It basically takes place after the ending scene at Pop’s. Hope you enjoy, babes! <3

Read on AO3

Silver heels clicked rhythmically down the brick steps of Pop’s entrance, halo blonde hair swaying in the wind and a sea of Evening Haze satin leaving a trail of feminine elegancy with every determined step she took. At that very moment Betty Cooper looked like a heroine straight out of a John Hughes movie; effortlessly beautiful, politely innocent and a heartbreaking damsel in distress, ready to be swiped off her feet by her lovely prince charming in the form of the misunderstood high school loner. However, reality was far from that. She didn’t need to be saved. This time, it was the misunderstood high school loner that sought salvation, that needed more than ever a heroine that would grab his hand while drowning and pull him to surface again, away from his demons, away from the darkness that seemed to surround his golden soul. Betty could, would, be that heroine for him.

Two weeks ago when she was picking her dress and Jughead’s suit from the dry cleaner with a pleased smile and a cheerful hop on her pace she had imagined Homecoming as a night to remember.  Walking inside the school gym hand in hand with the boy she was madly in love with, slow dancing with him under the sky of twinkle lights she had personally placed for the occasion, sneaking sweet kisses on his soft lips, sitting with him under the bleachers when the party would start to die out, cuddling and stargazing, while whispering sweet nothings to each other. Her dreamy fantasy never came true though. The night had started ominously and then escaladed to complete chaos, leaving her with a perfectly ironed dress but no boy to wrinkle it inside the intensity of his embrace.

Jughead had run away. And why wouldn’t he? She went behind his back, everybody kept lying to him, including her, the person he trusted the most. It might not have been entirely her fault but Betty was still responsible for not warning him, for not confiding in him about what she did know from her mom and what her true intentions were behind this dinner. But how could see do that? How could she be so cruel to crash his hopes when he had sported a smile like that, a smile so big and utterly euphoric at the mere thought of her mother, the ice-cold Alice Cooper, liking him enough to welcome him into her home and make an effort to learn more about him and his family? It was the first time she saw him smile in content, not smirking, not sardonically grinning, just simply smiling out of joy, an expression that suited so damn much his handsome face. Betty simply couldn’t find it in her to watch that face drop at the realization that once again happiness didn’t pick his side.

She needed to see him, even though he clearly didn’t want to see her or anyone else ever again. He was hurt, she knew that much, but he loved her. Jughead Jones loved her; broken, damaged, insecure Betty Cooper. Even in his betrayed and beat up state he had let her know that she was the most important thing in his life, that he would move heaven and hell just to be with her. He was going to refuse the reconnecting of his family, abandon the stability that all those years he was longing for, just to stay forever on her side, without even thinking twice, without putting himself first, without even daring to imagine a life without her. Just because he had looked through that rain-stained window and saw her waiting for him, saw his whole future flashing before his eyes. And it was the most brilliant future a man could ask for indeed.

Betty didn’t know if they had a future anyone. What she did know was that she had to warn him – she needed to – that the ploys of their small hometown weren’t over, that the arrest of his father was just a façade, a well-orchestrated plan for the tracks of the real killer to be buried in the river’s mud forever. Betty dreaded the state she would find Jughead in. She knew that this was the last straw, that this was the drop that made the glass of pumped up despair overflow, and at a time that he believed everything was going to be fine, at a time he had hope for the first time in his life. His breakdown would be utterly heartbreaking and self-destructive, she was sure about that. That’s why her steps had now a new-found vigor and determination, heels sinking into thick snow but the cold somehow never succeeding in piercing through her bare limps. Maybe because she couldn’t feel anything anymore apart from her heart aching and breaking for the boy that had brought a new meaning to the word “love” in her own personal dictionary of feelings.

She didn’t know what time it was. She guessed it was late from the lack of people in the streets and the night chill that was causing goosebumps to appear on her bare arms. She had searched everywhere for him; the school, Pop’s, his dad’s vandalized trailer, the clearing that overlooked the former drive-in, every single hidden writing spot of his throughout town. Jughead was nowhere to be seen. At this point Betty was starting to get worried. Did something happen to him? Did he do something stupid? Did he do something stupid to himself? Betty’s head was spinning with all the horrific scenarios. She was in a state of shock, running down the road like a mad woman and feeling her eyes burning from the cold and the fat tears that were threading to escape her waterline, rosy lips turned dark and awfully bitten now due to her attempt to hold back her anxiety and keep her calm. The clicking of her heels brought her to her house again, wishfully thinking that he would be there, lurking on her porch like every other night that demanded his fair share of night kisses with a cheeky boyish smirk, this time wanting to talk this over with her and make up with her, ending this awful torture and awful night once and for all. Her porch was empty though and Betty’s heart fell at the sight, dropped to the floor and stopped beating right here and there, useless, since the person it was beating for wasn’t part of her life anymore.

She let her aching body slide down on the brick porch stairs and that’s when the waterfall of tears began, the Hitchcock blonde sobbing silently at her promise of love lost. Her fingers yanked violently the sparkly hairpin off the side of her head, no use for it to be there anymore since her messy tresses had long before broke free and ruined her elegant hairstyle, before she pushed her uncomfortable shoes off her feet with venom, gasping at her slightly bleeding toes that matched her bleeding heart. She didn’t care about anything anymore; not about the cold that was piercing though her scantily clad figure, not about the mud and the melting snow that was staining the hem of her pretty dress, not about its matching pashmina that she had lost somewhere along the way. She only cared about him and the way that awful, hushed “for you” echoed inside her mind, like his ultimate sacrifice and her ultimate blame for the state he was now in. She gasped a louder sob and her hands turned into fists on top of her curled legs, the urge to hurt herself now more prominent than ever and she didn’t even feel the pinch of pain as her short nails broke the already irritated skin of her palms, she only saw the red droplets besmirch the satin over her thighs, exhaling a deep sorrowing sigh out of trembling lips at the image and the darkness of depression that was threatening to shallow her whole.

Wood against wood banging loudly disrupted the calmness of the night and Betty jumped, red teary eyes focusing to the source at her left, the Andrews’ household. A larky silhouette emerged from the shadows, a knitted beanie that she came to love misplaced and in the verge of falling off the head of a running boy, and Betty sprung up from her seat in reflex, easing her fists at the sight of him, the love of her life, in one shape despite his fuming movements. FP’s olive green truck was awfully parked at the side of the house, half on the road, half on the pavement, his driving depicting his inner messed up state, and Betty watched Jughead’s long limps strode towards it, the boy totally blinded from range to notice anything around him. He looked exactly like some hours ago when he had come over for that dinner from hell, his grin reaching his ears at the sight of Betty opening the door all dressed up for him, but his black duffle bag was hoisted over his shoulder, packed to the hilt with what seemed was all his belongings. Betty felt her anger rose in an instant. He was going to flee, run away like a thief in the night; without talking to her, without explaining, without even sparing her a cold and indifferent goodbye. Her hands bawled in fists again but not to hold back her anger this time. Determined, with fury in her green eyes and tight lips, she quickly made her way to him, shoes carelessly forgotten by the end of her porch stairs.

“What do you think you’re doing?” she appeared in front of him and the raven-haired boy bounced back on his heels at the abrupt way he was yanked out of his hazy state. He blinked in shock at her presence but the rage won over the momentary pinch of guilt he felt looking at her puffy eyes, resuming his curt pace and passing her by with a light push against her shoulder.

“What I should have done ages ago.” He was not in a good place and the things that were coming out of his mouth were deprived of logic, the anger in his voice matching his fuming steps as she tried to keep up behind him, peddles cutting right through the sensitive skin of her soles, not that she even noticed. “Riverdale is over for me. I only had my dad and he ended up being a lying dick too so there’s nothing holding me here anymore.” He gave her a side glance, a pointy one, one that was supposed to hurt and it did, bad.

“You might want to hold back before pointing fingers and setting labels.” Betty decided to pay him back the same treatment, throwing the most unfair statement his way. By the glint in his stone cold eyes, this hurt too. “Your dad is innocent. Somebody is framing him.” She informed him, stopping abruptly as he did too, alert and surprised, turning around to fully face her for the first time.

“What? How did you find out?” Jughead demanded, being done with beating around the bush and playing games.

“I didn’t. Archie and Veronica told me about it.” She went on to explain, watching him huff and drop his head to the ground at the mention of their friends’ names. “There was no gun when they searched the trailer. Somebody planted it in the closet after they had left.”

“Of course.” He scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief. “I should have known you’re still conspiring with those two.” He sent her a look so heavily colored with bitterness and disappointment before he turned his back at her, once again starting to walk.

“Don’t you dare walk away from me!” Betty raised her voice an octave and lashed forward, grabbing the strap of his backpack, effectively snatching it off his shoulder. “And I’m not conspiring with anyone. I ran into them at Pop’s while I was scouring the whole town looking for you.” She replied in his language of sarcasm.

“No need.” Furious, he yanked his belongings off her hands. “Whatever this is, I’m done.” He declared in all seriousness, taking a step back but fuming Betty was a more than usual determined Betty.

“No!” She firmly spat, feeling her heart drop at how easily he wanted to end things between them and grabbed hold of his duffel bag once again. He was going to face the music whether he liked it or not. “Are you seriously running away from this? From me?” She couldn’t believe her words. And most importantly she couldn’t believe that the same Jughead Jones that always looked at her like she was the stars and the moon was now giving her a look that could turn her whole being into ice.

“You ran away from me first!” he accused her bitterly. “With all the lies and the secrets you kept and still keep from me. You are the one giving up on us!” His voice was deep, gravely, and Betty actually let a gasp at his tone and his words, not quite recognizing the man in front of her.

“I’m giving up on us?” she breathed incredulously.  “I’m giving up on us?!” she repeated in a high-pitched voice, drawing out the words and pointing out the “I’m” and “us” like he had just accused her of the most horrific crime.  “Me, the one that trust you with all my being,” she unbuckled the flap of his backpack, her voice gradually rising in anger “that went against my mother to defend you,” she made one of his plaid shirts a wrinkled ball and threw it on the pavement out of mean spite, Jughead’s eyes growing wide at the action as her tone continuing into semi-yelling now “that respected your wish not to tell me about you dad” a Kafka book joined his shirt with a loud thud “that stripped emotionally bare” his S t-shirt was next “and shared everything with you that damn night at Pop’s?!” with those last words in a shriek she threw the whole bag viciously to the ground, Jughead’s horrified eyes not daring even blink at her outburst. “I showed you this,” Betty opened her palms “THIS,” she emphasized outstretching her arms more towards him with new tears in her eyes and she watched as he became concerned for a moment, once seeing the fresh wounds against her delicate skin “and you have the nerve to say to my face that I’m giving up on us, when clearly I had no idea what was going on?” her face was stone-cold and matching his own frustration painted one, her jaw clenched at how unfair he was being to her this whole evening.

Jughead had the good sense to not push her further but the pitch black of his eyes remained. “You could have warned me.” He repeated his words from their brief face-off in the school corridor earlier. “Instead, you decided to play the pretty little Stepford wife along with your mom. Was even a single thing of what you said during that dinner genuine or was it all just scripted by Alice Cooper herself, huh?” he desperately wanted to know that this whole night wasn’t just a fraud, one of the Coopers’ manipulative plans to have their way like they always did. He desperately wanted to believe that Betty was better than that. Deep down he knew but his ire against the world and his father and the life he was forced to live was fogging his mind and judgement.

“Do you seriously think that low of me?” Betty’s tone of disappointment pierced right through his chest.

“I don’t know what to think anymore, Betty!” It was his time to snap, pinching the bridge of his nose in an attempt to appear civilized and not go once again on a breaking things spree, the burning urge to indulge in the violent tendencies that discovered he had in him earlier in his dad’s trailer terrifying him.

“I did everything, everything, for us to have a perfect night.” She excused herself and her behavior, holding her ground.

“I didn’t want such perfect of a night! I wanted you to talk to me, goddammit!” He was the one yelling now, arms opening to his sides in exasperation. “After what we shared with each at that booth at Pop’s, after we promised to always confide in each other and communicate,” there was an accusatory tone in his voice, Betty dropping her eyes to the ground under his scrutinizing gaze “it’s like you deliberately erased that night and went again full control-seeking Betty on us, going behind my back with that annoying notion that you can make everything perfect and problem-free without me knowing, like I’m just a weak-willed pawn in this relationship!” He ended with a shout at the top of his lungs, hurt and betrayed, just like he had felt the night of his birthday, his outrage continuing in a blink by Betty’s own shouting.

“I know, alright, I know!” she cried out, making him stop and stare. “I did it again, I made a mistake. And I’m so sorry for that.” The tears ran freely again down her cheeks as she silently pleaded for him to forgive her. “You just seemed so…happy” she breathed the word and sobbed, snapping her tired eyes closed in despair “and all I ever wanted was for you to be happy, for me to make you happy. But I guess I don’t know how and every time I try, I do these awful things and I fail.” As of instinct, Jughead took a step forward; Betty in a mess of salty tears was his Achilles’ heel. Despite how mad he was or spiteful, he could never just stand by and watch when she was hurting this bad and especially because of him, because she couldn’t see how truly happy he made him every day just by holding his hand and saving a dashing smile just for him. But Betty raised a bloody palm and took a step back, putting even more distance between them, bare soles freezing against the cold and wet pavement, but she couldn’t feel anything, just her heart breaking at what she was about to say.

“You should be happy, you deserve it more than anyone in this world and if you wanna leave, you should, I’ll understand.” She sighed heavily, eyes taking in the barely audible gasp of sadness that was his reaction. “This mess, my mess of broken mind and soul, is not yours to deal with every day and it would be so unfair for you to drown along with me. So you should go ahead, seek the life you deserve with your family.” She gave him a free way out, an open window to jump out of the chaos that surrounded Betty Cooper and never look back, not waste his potential for somebody like her.

“Betty…” his voice broke at what she was implying, red eyes getting watery at the thought of her underestimating herself once again and believing that everyone was better off without her. He was only better with her, how could she not see that?

The crying girl in front of him shook her head. “Seriously, you’re off the hook. When I saw you, backpack and all, I thought I would hold it against you but I can’t. I just…” she paused, licking her dry and chapped from the night chill lips, those lips that Jughead longed to kiss right at that very moment and wash away the bitterness of her words “I just wanted to give it a try you know, to maybe succeed in talking you out of leaving. Because if you leave right now you’re going to confirm what everyone thinks about me. That I’m this crazy, broken, unfixable, pathetic girl that nobody cares enough to include in their lives, the one that just stands back watching everyone pass her by, forgetting that she exists. The awful second choice.” She chuckled with no humor at the words, her fake smile turning into a grimace of pain as she looked up at him, vulnerable and broken. “And I won’t bear it from you, Juggie.” She whispered with a shake of her head. “The world is one thing but you… You became the biggest part of my life and if you get inside that truck right now everything is going to snap into a million worthless pieces. This, right here,” her index finger poked the center of her chest “will be empty forever.”

“And I know that’s selfish of me but I just wanted you to know how much of an impact you had in my life, how those months were the best I ever experienced and how much I loved you and still love you and will love you for probably the rest of my eventless life.” Betty confessed without even noticing, words getting tangled up inside deep sighs and sobs and broken chokes. The force and the weight of those three little words made Jughead stumble around his long limps, a gasp spilling out of his parted in shock lips as the atmosphere shifted around them and his heart started fluttering out of rhythm at the declaration. “Go, Jug, now. Leave Riverdale, leave me and create a wonderful life away from all this chaos. Before my will gets bended and I start begging you not to leave me behind cause I don’t know how to live without you anymore, I don’t, I can’t…” she hung her head low, ashamed and beaten, tiny sobs escaping her as the back of her palm came to wipe away the wetness on her cheek.

It was a heart-breaking sight. But his mind couldn’t still work around those magical words of utter devotion she had just spoken for him and only him to receive. “What did you say?” he wanted to make sure that he had heard correctly. That Betty Cooper, the Betty Cooper of his dreams, loved him, the guy he believed was always the furthest thing of an option she would consider.

“That I love you, Jughead. I’m not just falling in love with you; I’m already passed that point.” Betty confessed in all honesty, pleading him with her liquid green eyes to love her even a tiny ounce back.

“You love me…” he breathed, not quite believing it still, blue trouble eyes now soft and examining her stunningly beautiful face even in its teary state.

“Yeah, I really do…” she used the same tone, a breathy whisper, to reply, nodding slowly in confirmation as a tiny sad smile danced for a nanosecond on her lips.

Something started suffocating him in his chest and this time it wasn’t darkness or despair; it was a delicious feeling, a feeling that supplied him with the courage that he could do anything, a feeling that made him feel alive. Jughead let his eyes roam over her for the first time after she stormed to stop him from running away like a coward. She still looked beautiful, even more so, with her stained cheeks, her messed up hair, the signs of her moment of weakness on the skirt of her dress. She looked more human, just a girl standing there in the cold, looking like Cinderella in distress with both her glass slippers missing, off-white toe nails sparkling like pricey pearls against the atrocious cement of the pavement. It was obscure and he loved her even more just because of that.  

He lashed forward again and this time she didn’t stop him, too lost in her sobs to actually refuse him. He hugged her with all his power, tight, secure, lovingly, as if that way he was going to glue all her broken pieces together and ease the burden off her chest. He felt her anchor herself on the material of his jacket on his back and he buried his face in her neck, eyes closing as he took in a rich dose of her addicting vanilla scent. Family. Home.

“Shh, don’t cry. Please, I hate it when you cry.” He started cooing, hugging her even tighter and running his palms up and down her shaking shoulders and back. “Shh, stardust, I got you, it’s okay, I’m not leaving, I’m not going anywhere. I’m here.” He promised her this and many more and kept talking about how much it would cost him if he left without her, until her cries started to subdue, her face nudging against his chest, right above his heart, mimicking his breathing and finding comfort in his personal male scent that reminded her of protection and freedom.

“I’m sorry for not letting you know about the dinner and my mom—” she tried to apologize again in a small voice but he cut her off.

“If somebody should be apologizing that’s me. For not believing in you. For doing the exact same thing I accused you of doing.” He took a deep breath, resting his forehead against hers and letting the pads of his fingers draw abstract shapes over her arms. “I was scared for my dad, scared of being lied to by all the important people in my life and I let my anger get the best of me, I’m sorry. You didn’t deserve this.” He rubbed his forehead against hers in affection, sighing when he felt her leave a butterfly kiss on the corner of his lips, tender and sweet, to ease away his worries.

“And you don’t deserve anything that’s happening to you.” she replied in a heartbeat. “What Archie and Veronica did was unacceptable. But they hold FP’s freedom in their hands, if they go to Sheriff Keller and let him know what—”

“Shh, not now.” Jughead gathered her hands in his, bringing them between their faces and gently pecking each of her fingers, the tiny hints of dry blood making him vow not to leave her side ever again with every pinch of pain the muddy red delivered to his soul. “Please, I just want to be with you like that for tonight.” He hugged her again and they both sighed, getting lost in the presence of each other and the afterglow of their make-up.

“I really wish we had the chance to slow dance tonight.” Betty whispered dreamingly against his shoulder, after what seemed like a century of silence, her freezing hands roaming over the warm material of his jacket on his back.

He wished that too; more than anything in the world.

“C’mere.” He caught himself saying without thinking twice, curling a strong arm around her waist and slightly lifting her off the ground, before letting her bare feet rest against the leather of his shoes.

“Juggie, wha—” she scoffed incredulously, eyes dropping on their feet and then up to his face, the humorous glint in her glassy orbs bringing a small sincere smile on his face.

“Just let me love you, Betty Cooper.” He tugged a strand of hair lovingly behind her ear before whispering, feeling her melt and nudge into his touch, his fingers running from the back of her earlobe down her neck, to her exposed collarbone, shoulder, all the way down her arm until they found her palm, lingering for a minute on her small moon-shaped scars before his long and bony fingers splayed across the expense of her tiny hand, delivering a sensual caress along her own fingers and then settling perfectly on their spaces in between. He started swaying them slightly to some imaginative music, humming next to her ear, as his feet moved timidly to assist hers in moving.

“Now I’ve heard there was a secret chord

That David played, and it pleased the Lord

But you don’t really care for music, do you?

His voice filled the silence around them, soothing and raspy from all the emotions erupting inside his chest. Betty had never heard Jughead sing before but his singing murmur was such a familiar melody in her head, something safe and calm, like a lullaby or a prayer. It was exciting, it was loving, it was all that they both needed right now to mend their broken hearts and make amends with each other, come out stronger and more in love just like every other time.

It goes like this

The fourth, the fifth

The minor fall, the major lift

The baffled king composing Hallelujah

Hallelujah…”

She could feel his fingers move over the satin of her dress on her waist, up her spine, against the porcelain skin of her exposed back. And she could feel him shiver inside her embrace, the words of the song trembling out of his lips but never losing their meaning, a meaning that applied to them individually and as a union, one of her favorite songs, transforming under the magic touch of his articulate voice. In that moment she loved him even more, not knowing if that was possible, but she could feel it, she could feel her heart combust and expand to accommodate this new and immense feeling that she got to experience only with the most unique boy in the whole universe.

“Your faith was strong but you needed proof

You saw her bathing on the roof

Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you

Jughead tightened more the hold around her waist. He was in such a place of utter vulnerability but for the first time in his life he didn’t care. Because he was opening up to her, revealing his whole self to the girl of his dreams. He could feel her soft feminine curves pressed heavenly on his own slender frame, every inch of hers glued to every inch of his. His mind wondered back to the way she looked waiting for him at the entrance of the school gym; showered in moonlight, stunningly beautiful in the sea of satin that she had chosen to wear. She was a dream come true, an ethereal fairy right out of fairytale land, his personal Venus reincarnation. He didn’t have the heart to leave her; he was way much of a coward to do that. Maybe it would be best for her to let her be and thrive away from the iron bars of his weird self but at this point it was physically impossible for him to do so. Once her lips had touched his, the spell couldn’t be broken.

She tied you to a kitchen chair

She broke your throne, and she cut your hair

And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah

Hallelujah…”

To somebody on the outside looking in this would appear ridiculous; two high school kids, dancing in the middle of the street in the wee hours of the morning. But they both didn’t care about labels or empty facades or high school titles of geekiness or honor. They only cared about each other, about what they had. And they silently promised to each other that they wouldn’t let anyone break them again, as they danced in their own silly manor, his long, slightly uncoordinated limps guiding her gracious ones.

“Maybe there’s a God above

But all I’ve ever learned from love

Was how to shoot somebody who outdrew ya

Love was a scary concept for both of them, something that none of them was familiar with, familiar with the purity of it. All they had ever known from their families was to hurt those who hurt them, an eye for an eye, how to inflict pain on anyone that would break their heart. His mother had done it to his father, her father had done it to her mother. It was a vicious circle, a circle that they lived and grew up in, and a circle they wished to change by being true to each other, best friends, lovers, soulmates all in one and never without any of the other. And they would do it because they weren’t their parents, they weren’t their families. They were better than them, stronger than all the white noise around them, and capable to make this work, despite the hardships that were and would be thrown their way.

And it’s not a cry that you hear at night

It’s not somebody who’s seen the light

It’s a cold and it’s a broken Hallelujah

Hallelujah…”

The road would not be easy, love was never easy. They both knew that and they were both more than willing to fight for what they had, for the meaning that their life had taken once they walked to each other’s life. The lyrics turned to humming again, the twirling around turned to lightly swaying from side to side. And something inside his mesmerized by her presence mind snapped, urging him to reassure her with words too, not only actions, that her feelings weren’t one-sided, that this deep and foreign feeling was one hundred present mutual.

“Betty, I—” he choked in a breath, not finding the words, and so he kissed her. Long, passionately, bruising, the kind of kiss that people long to experience in a lifetime if their lucky stars allow it. It left Betty dizzy and breathless, her being the one to exhale against his lips this time from the intensity of it all when they pulled back for air, a needy, trembling exhale that sent shivers down his spine along with the way she was glued to his chest and clinging to his shoulders for dear life.

“You love me back.” The realization hit her in full force and Jughead didn’t know how she had found her voice to speak after such world-colliding connection but he forced himself to answer, wanting to scream at the top of the rooftops how crazy he was about her.

“Do you honestly believe that I would even stand a chance against you, the only girl I’ve ever loved since I can remember myself and the only girl I’m sure I’m only going to love for the years to come? I do love you, Betty. That’s the easiest part of my rollercoaster of a life.” He confessed truthfully, with eyes the calmest shade of blue, feeling the girl in his arms surrender her whole self to him.

“So don’t let go.” Betty whispered against his lips, chest lying against his and fingers creeping on his tie to have him closer.

“I won’t.” was all that Jughead vowed before everything hushed around them and their lips met in a slow dance that lasted all night long.