#sprousehart-stan fanfics

[drink-the-midnight-oil]

Our Eternity

Bughead AU: It’s been a decade since Betty left Riverdale when she was sixteen. Now, the death of an old friend brings her back to the town she grew up in and loved. And along with it, the return of old friends, memories, and a love that has haunted her for the past ten years.

Welcome to Riverdale

The Town With PEP!

The once freshly painted sign now stood old and damaged, the paint peeling. Vines crept up the sides and spread across, like fingers trying to cover the words. 

Betty sighed to herself. It had been ten years. Ten years since she had left the town, trying to get away from the heartbreak and misery. Ten years since she’d last seen her parents before they both died. She hadn’t even attended their funeral after what they had done to her, no matter how much Polly pleaded.  All the drama and chaos had shattered her, causing her to nearly end her life. 

It had been ten years since Polly had helped her run, giving her a chance to start a brand new life. And Betty had done just that. She’d moved to Washington and had gotten a job as a journalist. She had taken down her iconic ponytail as a sign of clearing the slate. She’d just recently gotten a job in New York. And ten years later, there she was, the chief editor of The New York Times. 

But then the phone call had come. Archie Andrews, her childhood best friend had passed away after a terrible car accident. It had come as a shock to her. How could Archie be gone? It had been a month since the funeral but Betty made a split decision on Friday afternoon to head down to visit his grave. And here she was, in her car, heading back to the town of her nightmares. 

The houses that blurred past held a sense of familiarity. Betty still remembered the shops and buildings like it was yesterday. The grocery store, the candy shop, the bakery- a decade had gone by, yet everything still looked as it had when she left. Brightly painted homes lined the streets, the image of perfection. But underneath Riverdale’s flawless façade, lay a darkness that swallowed you whole. You could fight it all you wanted, but in the end you could either succumb to it or be destroyed. 

The mere thought of spiraling back into the hole made Betty’s throat tighten up. Suddenly, there wasn’t enough air in the car and she felt herself choking. Rushing to open a window, she gulped in the fresh air that poured through. A sense of relief flooded through her veins as her breathing slowed. 

Betty spotted a familiar stretch of road, and checked the clock. Just enough time for a quick milkshake. Smiling to herself, she turned and entered the parking lot of Pop’s Chock Lit Shoppe. Parking her car, Betty climbed out and walked up to the door. The bell rang above her head as she pushed it open.

The smell of onions frying wafted to her nose, making her mouth water. A wave of nostalgia hit her and suddenly she was sixteen again, coming to Pop’s with her friends to hang out or do homework. It had been a safe space throughout her childhood. The sound of someone calling her name brought her back to the real world.

“Betty? Betty Cooper?  Is that really you?”

Betty turned to see an old man in a white apron and a paper hat looking at her earnestly from behind the counter. Age spots dotted his face but his eyes still twinkled and he wore a hopeful smile.

“Hi Pop Tate. Yeah, it’s Betty,” Betty replied, glad to see the man. Pop Tate was known to be the nicest guy in Riverdale. He owned the diner that had been around since Betty’s own parents had been teenagers. He had given her vanilla milkshakes on the house when she’d been going through tough times. Once in a while, he would keep the diner open a little while longer so she could sit there. He’d been a friend.

“Why, I never thought I’d ever see you again. How are you?” He sounded so happy to see her, it almost broke Betty’s heart.

“I’m fine, Pop. Doing pretty well.”

“What can I get you?”

“Just a vanilla milkshake Pop, thanks.”

Pop chuckled.

“Ten years have passed and it’s still the same order. We’ve missed you around here, Betty.”

“Me too, Pop. Me too.” 

Betty headed to the back of the diner, and slid into her old booth. Memories surrounded this booth, some good, some bad. Pulling out her phone, Betty switched it on to see that she had two missed calls from Polly. Betty texted her with a quick “Reached safely. Call you later.” 

The ringing of a bell as the door to Pop’s opened, caused her to look up from her phone. A woman entered, dressed in an expensive maroon dress, her five-inch stilettos clacking against the tile floor. Raven black hair fell to her shoulders and Betty saw a string of pearls resting of the base of her neck.

“Veronica?”

The woman turned to see who spoke and spotted Betty sitting in the booth. A series of expressions crossed her face – bewilderment, recognition, shock, and then-

“Betty Cooper? Oh my god, is that really you?”

She walked towards her, and Betty stood up. Veronica engulfed her in a tight hug, cutting off Betty’s air supply. But Betty didn’t care. She hadn’t realized how much she had missed her best friend. Pulling away, Veronica clasped Betty’s hands.

“Betty where have you BEEN? No calls, no texts, not even a note? Ten years, Betty. It’s been ten years. How could you DO THAT to me?”

Veronica started rapidly berating Betty in Spanish, and Betty found this comforting in a way. Veronica Lodge, Riverdale High’s It girl. The daughter of Hiram Lodge, a notorious mobster who had been in and out of jail during their high school years. She and Veronica had had some good times together. Veronica had been one of the few people who Betty had trusted before she ran away.

Now, here they were, back again at Pop’s. Betty looked down at their clasped hands and saw a diamond ring on Veronica’s finger.

“V, is that..?”

Veronica noticed what Betty was looking at and smiled proudly.

“But who-“  Betty was interrupted by the door bell ringing again as a tall, muscular man walked in, wearing a dark blazer. His black hair was combed back and the top of a tattoo peeked out from his collar. He looked around and saw the two women standing. Disbelief registered on his face when he saw Betty.

“Look who’s back, honey,” Veronica said to the man. He cautiously walked over to them, eyeing Betty as if she were a ghost. 

“You and Sweet Pea?” It was Betty’s turn to be surprised. “But Archie-“

“Archie and I decided that it was better if we were just friends. For both of us. And then I met this dazzling prince. Archie was incredibly supportive. He even helped organize our wedding. We would have called you, B, but there was no way to contact you.  No phone number, no address, nothing.”

Betty looked at the couple. Sweet Pea was still staring at her in shock. But it warmed her heart to see Veronica so happy.

“I’m happy for the two of you. Congratulations.”

“Thanks, Betty.”

“Betty Cooper’s back? Who would’ve ever thought?” Sweet Pea shook his head, smiling.

“Shall we take a seat?” He gestured to the booth. They all sat down and Pop came over with more milkshakes and burgers, including an extra burger for Betty. “It’s on the house,” he said with a wink. 

Pop left them to their food and Betty dove right in, inhaling the burger. Ten years gone and not one single place in Washington or New York could match the quality of Pop’s. One person in particular had been known throughout the town for his adoration of Pop’s burgers. But Betty couldn’t bring herself to think about him. She had left his memory behind a long time ago. She had sewn together her torn heart. But the scar still remained. She took a long sip of her milkshake, marveling in the taste.

“So what have you been up to, Betty?” Sweet Pea asked.

“I’ve been writing for the New York Times actually. I started just a few weeks ago.” Betty replied.

“The New York Times, huh? That’s amazing.”

“You ran away to New York?!” Veronica exclaimed. “And you didn’t tell me?!”

“No, V. I went to Boston first. Polly helped me. I just moved to New York a month ago.”

“A month ago. That’s around the same time of Archie’s car accident.” Veronica looked down at her food.

Betty cleared her throat.

“Yeah, I heard about that. I came back to visit his grave. Say goodbye.”

“It was a horrible day. Fred called and told us and we rushed down from a meeting in Greendale. Everyone came. It was like the very soul of Riverdale had died.” 

Sweet Pea put an arm around Veronica’s quivering shoulders. His thumb rubbed against her arm and he murmured soothing words to her.

Betty picked at her burger. A somber silence had filled the diner as the gloom weighed down on her. Veronica seemed to have pulled herself back together. 

“So, we let him go.” She said softly. They sat there, mourning their friend.

“What are you doing nowadays, V?”  Betty asked, desperate to rid the diner of the sadness.

Veronica smiled at her meekly. 

“I’m running Lodge Industries. After daddy got incarcerated, I took over the broken business. Rebuilt it from the ground up.”

“She did more than that,” Sweet Pea said. “She changed it. Lodge Industries became a foundation for children’s homes and schools and helping the underprivileged. It became a beacon of hope for the South Side. It’s what drew me to her. This woman who could get anything she ever wanted used her power to help people in difficult places. It was remarkable, the change. Kids started getting proper educations and got into good colleges. It was a miracle to us South Siders. And she was our angel.”

Sweet Pea was looking at Veronica in awe. It was clear how proud he was of her and how much he loved her. The sight made Betty’s heart clench, reminding her of what she used to have. 

Sweet Pea broke his gaze from Veronica’s blushing face.

“And we ended up like this.”

Veronica smiled.

“How have the others been?” Betty enquired.

“Toni and Cheryl are engaged, and Kevin and Moose are married with a little boy. Josie’s been touring what with her music career having took off. Everyone’s been wonderful.” Veronica stated. Suddenly her expression changed.

“We spent weeks looking for you, B. But it was to no avail. So in the end, we gave up. We figured you had moved on. And so did we. Everyone missed you terribly but we had our own lives to live, Betty. At least most of us moved on. He never stopped looking for you, Betty. He nearly went crazy after you left.”

The atmosphere became tense and Betty knew Veronica didn’t mean Archie. She didn’t know how to respond. Thankfully, a customer entering the diner saved her answering.

“Wait didn’t you say you lived in New York?” Sweet Pea questioned. “Babe, doesn’t Ju-“

He was interrupted with a sharp jab to the ribs, courtesy of Veronica. She gave him a stern look and shook her head ever so subtly.

“So, B. How long are you in town for?” she asked, changing the subject.

“Just the weekend. I have to head back home on Sunday.”

“Oh,” Veronica replied. “Where are you staying?”

Betty blushed and looked down at her lap.

“I don’t really know. Polly said that my parents’ house was sold after they passed. I figured I’d stay at a motel.”

“Nonsense!” Veronica interrupted. “You can stay at the Pembrooke with us.”

“No, that’s alright, V. I’ll be fine-“ Betty tried to say but Veronica wouldn’t let her speak.

“Betty, you are staying with us and that is final.”

It was useless to argue once Veronica had made up her mind. Betty knew that. Sighing, she agreed to stay with them.

Veronica clapped her hands together.

“Wonderful.”

The breeze blew through the trees, rustling the leaves and causing the tree branches to creak. They hovered above the cemetery like claws ready to snatch the souls of the living. She pulled her shrug tighter around her. Her black dress didn’t do much to prevent the cold wind from from coming in contact with her skin.

Goosebumps appeared on Betty’s arms as she stood in front of Archie’s decorated grave. Kneeling down, she lay her own small bouquet at the base of the headstone. The epitaph read:

ARCHIBALD ANDREWS

The song has ended, but the melody lingers on.

May his memory be eternal.

“I’m so sorry, Archie. I’m sorry for leaving without a word. I’m sorry for not contacting anyone. I was just too scared. And stupid. I needed to get away from this town. It wasn’t your fault or Veronica’s, or anyone’s. It was my own. I wish I had been here to hold your hand and say goodbye. I wish I could talk to you one more time. I wish-“ her voice broke. 

“I made it Archie. I became a journalist. I’m working at the New York Times now, just like you said I would one day. I just wish I had been around to see everything that you achieved in the past decade which I’m sure is a lot. You were a wonderful person. Loyal, and kind, and trustworthy. The epitome of good man. And I’m so glad I had the privilege of being your friend. Rest in peace, Arch.”

Betty wiped away the tears and took a few deep breaths to compose herself. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a small tacky ring, the kind you could buy in a gumball machine. It had a blue plastic gem glued on to it. Archie had given her that ring in second grade, telling her that they would always be best friends. And Betty had kept it ever since. 

Now, she took it out and placed it next to her bouquet on the grave stone. A symbol of their friendship. Of their philia. Standing up she dusted the front of her dress and smoothed her hair. She was about to turn around when a voice stopped her.

“He’d like that.”

A sudden chill ran up Betty’s spine turning the tips of her fingers icy cold. She turned around and spotted a man standing but a few feet away wearing a black suit, his hands in his pockets. His ebony hair blew in the wind as he watched her, his gaze piercing.

Recognition dawned on her and images  through her mind- a grey crown beanie, comforting hugs, stolen kisses, whispered words, fingers pressed against her waist, tangled bed sheets, and a pair of striking blue eyes. Eyes that she could never forget.

She felt as if she had been sucker punched, when the man spoke again.

“Betty Cooper. It’s been a while.”

Hi guys! *waves*

I hope you liked the first chapter. I don’t know how regularly I will be uploading but I promise that I won’t take too long. This is a prompt-inspired fanfic so thank you to the anon who sent me the prompt; I sincerely hope you find it interesting.

Also, I’ve been trying to get an Ao3 account for quite a few months now, but I seem to be facing a problem because I still haven’t gotten an email although I’ve applied quite a few times. The waiting list says that I haven’t requested an invite which is FRUSTRATING because that’s what I’ve been doing for almost five months now. Thank you for listening to my short rant. If anyone has any suggestions for what I should do, feel free to message me.

Other than that, I’m really excited to continue with this fic which I PROMISE I will complete. (Or at least do my best to. Writing and I have a love-hate relationship.) Feel free to send me feedback because I freaking love to hear from you guys.

XOXO

Rhea 

[drink-the-midnight-oil]

Our Eternity: a flashback

TRIGGER WARNING: Miscarriage

DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor or anyone educated in the medical field. The symptoms regarding the miscarriage have been written with the help of information from medical websites. The facts may not be completely accurate and it is purely for the intention of a fictional story.

Ten Years Ago

Betty’s hands trembled as her mind registered the two lines on the little stick she held. No. No, no, no. This wasn’t supposed to happen. They’d been so careful. But all the pieces clicked. Missing her period, the morning nausea, and now, the test. She, Betty Cooper, age sixteen, was pregnant.

Her mind shifted to how her mother would react. While Alice Cooper was not a proponent of abstinence, she did believe in what she called the “Cooper Family Curse”. According to her somewhat flawed theory, all Cooper women had been cursed with teen pregnancies. And eerily, the theory had held for three generations. Betty’s grandmother, Alice, and Betty’s sister, Polly, had all been teen mothers. And now, it appeared to be Betty’s turn.

Betty looked at her reflection in the mirror in front of her. She was a mess. There were prominent dark bags under her eyes, her hair was a rat’s mess, and a dribble of vomit was stuck to her chin. Her hand mindlessly touched her abdomen in the spot where the baby would be.

Tears pooled into the corners of Betty’s eyes. How was she going to face the town? She would be mocked and laughed at. A silly sixteen-year-old girl who had gotten herself knocked up. And worse, the father was a Southside Serpent. The child would be a stigma.

And what would Jughead say? Poor, sweet Jughead who loved her more than anyone else. How was she going to break the news to him? How would he be able to deal with this on top of everything else going on?

Questions swirled in Betty’s head, like a tornado’s calamitous winds. A wave of nausea overcame her and she stumbled to the toilet, grabbing the bowl and retching bile. Her empty stomach hurt and her hair smelled. But she had to get to school. Flushing the toilet, Betty turned on the shower and stepped in.

It was going to be a long day.

“So, what did you want to talk to me about?” Jughead asked. School had ended and he and Betty were seated in the Blue and Gold’s office.

Betty’s stomach twisted itself into knots, and she clasped her hands.

“There’s something I have to tell you,” she started.

Jughead looked at her supportively, encouraging her to go on. His innocent face tugged at Betty’s heartstrings. He was always so distressed. Something or the other was always going wrong in his life, and he had told her that she was his safe place. And now, she was about to destroy that.

Betty felt her lower lip begin to quiver. She choked up, unable to speak. Tears brimmed in her eyes, making everything look blurry.

Jughead’s expression turned alarmed.

“Betty? Are you okay?” He came and sat next to her on the plaid couch. His hand started to rub soothing circles on her back.

“Hey, it’ll be alright. What’s the matter, Betts?”

His endearing nickname for her made her cry harder, unable to stop the tears.

“Betty?” Jughead’s voice was concerned.

Come on, Betty, spit it out.

“I’m late.”  Jughead’s hand stopped rubbing her back.

She peeked up at him, scared of what his reaction might be. He was frozen in place, unmoving. His blue eyes were fixated on a point on the wall.

“Jug?” she whispered, afraid.

He blinked and looked at her as if realizing that she was there too.

“Okay, well-”

“I took a pregnancy test this morning. It came out positive,” she blurted.

Jughead looked at her, silent. His blue eyes were sad. Betty’s entire body was shaking, her fears all too real.

“I- I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to-” But she couldn’t complete her sentence.

Jughead seemed to sense her anguish.

“Betty, it’s not your fault,” he said, calmly. “We used protection. We did everything right. Sometimes these things happen and you have to deal with it. I’m not going to make you go through this alone. We’ll do this together, okay?”

Betty nodded.

“Come here.” Jughead pulled her into his lap, wrapping his arms around her. She pressed her cheek against his chest. The slow sound of his heartbeat echoed in her ear. He smelled good, like peppermint and pine needles. It was a comforting scent. She felt him kiss the top of her head.

“So, we’re having a baby, huh? I always thought it was job, marriage, then family. Not all mixed up,” He joked.

Betty knew he was trying to lighten the situation and appreciated his effort. She let out something between a snort and a laugh. Now, she just had to break the news to her mother. She sighed. Alice would not take it well.

Jughead slowly pulled her back and looked straight into her eyes.

“I love you, you know that right? And I’ll always love you, no matter what.”

Betty traced the moles on his cheek.

“And I love you, Jughead. Forever.”

“I guess we should start thinking up baby names, huh? None of the Forsythe Pendleton IV nonsense. I’m not thrusting that horrendous destiny on any child of mine.”

“We still have time, Jug,” Betty giggled. They were silent.

“We have to tell our parents.” A pause.

Jughead gave her a sad smile.

“I know, baby. I know.”

He pulled her back to him and they sat there, wrapped in each other's arms. The next few months would be filled with doctor’s visits and ultrasounds but whatever it was, they’d push through it together.

3 Months Later...

Betty pushed herself up off the couch. She was 17 weeks pregnant and her baby bump was easily noticeable. Walking over to the kitchen counter, she picked up the photographs that lay there.

They were the latest ultrasound pictures that she had received. She examined the little person that was growing inside her tummy. The doctor had determined it to be a girl and Betty had been ecstatic. The baby was due on March 15th, the Ides of March. Due to Jughead’s love of Shakespearian tragedies and the coincidence of the baby’s due date, they had decided to name the child Julia, although Betty hadn’t been too happy about it at first. It was like they were dooming their daughter by naming her after a murdered Roman. However, Jughead had persisted and Betty had finally relented.

Alice Cooper had not been too surprised when Betty had broken the news to her. She had simply sighed. It was bound to happen. Although not pleased that Jughead was a Serpent, Alice hadn’t been too hard on him. But Betty suspected that it was because Alice secretly had a soft spot for FP Jones. Nevertheless, she had willingly taken part in helping Betty through the pregnancy.

The doorbell rang and Betty went to open it. Jughead stood outside, rubbing his hands together for warmth. The fall weather had been cooler and crisper than usual this year.

“Ready to go?” he asked, grinning. His cheeks were pink in contrast to his pale face.

Betty grabbed her coat and pulled the door shut behind her.

“Let’s go.”

Jughead drove up the winding road cautiously. It was pretty narrow and one mistake could mean trouble. Trees lined either side of the road, their leaves orange and red and brown. The beauty made Betty feel happy and less moody. Her pregnancy had been her avoiding any reflecting surfaces and feeling fat and lazy and useless. Even though Jughead told her that she was beautiful, Betty still felt overly large at times. Thankfully, today was a better day. The car carefully made its way through the twisting path and emerged in a flat area at the top of the hill.

Jughead got out and helped Betty get out. He grabbed their stuff which consisted of a blue blanket, a thermos filled with hot chocolate, and two cups. They walked to a nook on the edge of the peak and sat down. Jughead unscrewed the thermos and poured them each a cup. He wrapped the blanket around them and they sipped their hot chocolate, admiring the view.

From where they sat, all of Riverdale was visible. Betty could see the high school and Pop’s and far in the distance, her house. It all looked so small and peaceful from here. Autumn was always good to the town. An array of colorful leaves blew in the wind and covered the roads. The weather was pleasant if not too chilly.

Jughead pulled off his beanie. These few moments that they had alone, in between doctor’s appointments and shopping trips, not to mention school, were precious for Betty. Jughead came to see her almost every day, but they didn’t get as much time as they used to. What with Betty’s volunteering and Jughead’s part-time job at The Register, longer visits were a rarity.

But Jughead would somehow manage to find a way to whisk her away from her hectic schedule and they would go someways private and quiet and sit. Sometimes they would talk, and at other times they would sit in silence, enjoying each other’s company.

“Only a few more weeks left,” Jughead said, turning to Betty.

“That’s right,” she replied. “I hope the baby looks like you. I hope she has dark hair and blue eyes.”

Jughead chuckled.

“I’m flattered, Betty. But it could be a little blond-haired, green-eyed boy just the same. I’m happy no matter what as long as the baby is healthy. I’m just glad that I’m having this child with you.”

“Me too,” Betty said, blissful.

They sat in a comfortable silence, Betty’s head resting on Jughead’s shoulder. The sun set in the horizon, its colors splaying over the town.

Something was wrong. Betty knew it. Spotting was normal for pregnancy, but the rate at which she had started bleeding was not normal.

She clenched her jaw as the cramps rolled in, squeezing her stomach muscles. It was horrible, the pain and Betty suddenly felt weak. She crawled into her bed, clutching her stomach. This wasn’t supposed to happen. These cramps were much worse than anything she had ever experienced.

She squeezed her eyes shut but a few tears escaped and slid down her cheeks. It hurt so badly. This was definitely not normal.

Betty stumbled into the bathroom, throwing up that’s afternoon’s lunch. Her head had started pounding and the pain was getting too much for her to bear. A sudden clenching in her abdomen nearly made her pass out.

There was blood everywhere. Her clothes were soaked in it and the metallic smell filled the tiny bathroom. Betty managed to pull off her pants and underwear and heaved herself onto the toilet, breathing hard.

Then the next cramp hit. This time Betty heard someone let out a guttural scream, only to realize that the sound was coming out of her mouth. Something fell into the toilet and Betty slipped off the seat and her head hit the cold, hard floor.

Her hair was plastered to her forehead with sweat. The cool floor felt good against her cheek. The pain was blinding her. Black spots swam before her eyes. Her breathing sounded too loud.

A vague memory of the bathroom door opening. Alice Cooper screaming. Strangers lifting her up. A woman telling her to breathe. And then, darkness.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Some sort of machinery was beeping. Betty opened her eyes. Immediately, she could tell that she was not in her room. The lights were too bright and everything was too white.

She tried to raise her hand but felt something her arm. Looking down, Betty saw a tube in her arm that went up and connected to an IV next to her bed. She was in the hospital. But how?

“Betty! She’s awake! Polly, call Jughead.” A voice next to her said.

A frightened face swam in front of her, and green eyes peered down at her.

“Mom?” Betty’s voice was hoarse.

“I’m right here, honey. You’re okay. You’re fine,” Alice took Betty’s hand.

“Is- Is everything alright? How long have I been out?”

“A little over a day. They had to keep you under for some time.”

“Wha.... Why are we here?”

“Oh, Betty. I’m so sorry,” Alice said, and that’s when Betty noticed the tears in her mother’s eyes.

“Mom.” Now Betty could feel herself panicking. “What do you mean? What’s wrong?”

The door burst open and Jughead stood in the doorway, his hair a mess, his eyes wild and sleep-deprived. There was a faint shadow of stubble across his cheeks and chin. He was wearing his shirt inside-out, Betty noticed.

“The baby’s gone, Betty. You had a miscarriage.”

Gone? Something didn’t sound right. How could a baby just be gone? Silly Mom, Betty thought to herself. She laughed.

Everyone was staring at her in horror, she realized and stopped.

“She’s in shock.” It was Polly who spoke up.

No, she wasn’t. She was perfectly fine. So was little Julie. Right?

A wave of images crashed into Betty’s mind and suddenly, she was reliving the previous day’s events. The cramps, the pain, and the blood, so much blood...

No. She couldn’t have lost the baby. She just couldn’t have. Tears filled up in her eyes and Betty’s vision went blurry. She felt as if a chunk of her had been torn away, leaving her raw and bleeding. Her Julie, her sweet Julie...

A scream built up in the back of her throat and Betty let it out, horrible and devastating. She hit away her mother’s reaching hands, thrashing and writhing. Through the tears and the crying, Betty saw Jughead still in the doorway, unmoving. Why was he so still? Why wasn’t he upset? Didn’t he care at all?!

Suddenly, nurses were pushing past him and into the room. They restrained Betty’s arms and legs but she tried to fight them off, to no use. One of the nurses plunged a syringe into Betty’s arm and a liquid flowed through her veins.

Betty’s eyelids started to feel heavy, and sleep overtook her.

The last thing she saw before her eyes closed was Jughead turning and leaving the room, not looking back.

Looks like I managed to finish the flashback after all. I know that there are still a few questions that are unanswered but don’t worry, they will be addressed in the upcoming chapters. 

I hope you enjoyed this little bit. Would love to hear your feedback. The next chapter will be uploaded next week as usual so watch out for that. 

Now I gotta go and study some more.

XOXO

Rhea

[drink-the-midnight-oil]

Our Eternity: Part 2

Bughead AU: It’s been a decade since Betty left Riverdale when she was sixteen. Now, the death of an old friend brings her back to the town she grew up in and loved. And along with it, the return of old friends, memories, and a love that has haunted her for the past ten years. 

Part 1

They say that when an earthquake hits, a tsunami follows. It’s a horrible after-effect of what is already a terrible disaster. A tidal wave rushes onto the land, swallowing everything that the earthquake left unharmed. Just when you think it’s over and try to stand back up, another wave crashes, pulling you back under. 

Archie’s death had shaken Betty’s world to its core, the walls separating her past and present, collapsing. She’d struggled to regain her ground. And then the tsunami hit. 

Jughead Jones stood in front of Betty, his expression indecipherable. His beautiful black curls formed a halo around his head as they blew in the wind. His perfect lips parted as he spoke.

“I never I thought I would see you back in Riverdale.”

Neither did I, Betty thought. But here we are.

“I heard about Archie,” she said. “I came to pay my respects.”

“It’s horrible, what happened to him,” Jughead held her gaze. His blue eyes stared at her with a fiery intensity. “But he’s in a better place now.”

“I guess so,” Betty said, uncomfortable.

Jughead pulled a hand out of his pocket and ran it through his hair, brushing it back. A glint of something shiny caught Betty’s eye. As he brought his hand back down, Betty noticed a silver band adorning his ring finger.

So he was married. A miserable feeling rose in her throat. She wanted to run to her car, drive back to New York, and hide for eternity. Unfortunately, that couldn’t be done. So instead, she compromised.

“I would love to stick around and chat Jug, but Veronica is waiting for me at the Pembrooke. You know how she gets when people are late.” 

A sweet smile to accompany a blatant lie.

“Oh, um, okay then,” Jughead answered, a hint of discernable disappointment in his voice.

Immediately, Betty felt bad. They’d barely said three sentences to each other and she was trying to leave already. What was she doing? It wasn’t his fault that she didn’t want to talk. But a person’s initial response to a tsunami is to run away from it as fast as possible and seek high ground. Currently, that was Veronica’s penthouse. 

She sighed, hating herself for feeling so guilty.

“Maybe I’ll see you around?” she asked.

“Maybe,” Jughead replied. “How long are you in town?”

“Another two days and then I’m gone. Back to the city.”

“Oh.” A look of defeat.

“Anyways, it was great seeing you. Bye.” 

“Bye.” A moment of incompleteness.

Betty turned and fled, not wanting to drag it on. She fumbled through her purse, searching for her keys. Finding them, she unlocked the car door and slid in. In the rearview mirror, Betty noticed Jughead looking at Archie’s grave. Maybe she’d meet him again. They might grab a milkshake at Pop’s. 

Betty shook away the uneasy feeling creeping up on her. After all, what was the most that could happen in two days?

He wasn’t wearing the beanie, Betty thought as she jogged down the sidewalk. It was early Saturday morning and Riverdale was still asleep. The sun peeked out from behind the clouds, promising a beautiful day. But all Betty could think about was her encounter with Jughead the previous evening. 

The way he had looked at her, as if he couldn’t believe that it was really her. It had made her own heart flutter, seeing him again. He hadn’t changed much. Still the same beautiful face, just a bit more matured. The same quiet, broody manner about him. Betty remembered his hands and the way they would cradle her face when he kissed her, the way his fingers pressed against her waist when he pulled her close-

Get your head out of the gutter, she scolded herself. He’s a married man.

Betty picked up her pace, her shoes hitting the concrete with more force. The wind whipped around her face and rushed past her ears. But she pushed on, willing herself to run faster, away from her officious thoughts. Her lungs burned and her calves screamed but Betty didn’t slow down.

She ran around the corner and down the path until she finally allowed herself to slow down to a jog and then stop, panting. She bent over, hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath. There was a nagging ache in her side.

Straightening, Betty looked up and saw the sign on her left.

Sunnyside Trailer Park 

Great. Of all the places in Riverdale, she’d ended up here. Just like the rest of Riverdale, the outer appearance of the trailer park hadn’t changed. The welcome sign stood old and rusty. The area was eerily quiet. Cautiously, she entered the park, not sure of whether to proceed or turn back. But her curiosity got the best of her.

Surprisingly, Betty made her way through the maze of trailers quite easily. It had been so long yet even the trailers were in the same places. Up ahead, she spotted a familiar rundown trailer, the home of the Jones family. Betty remembered how often she used to come here to see Jughead and FP. 

FP Jones, Jughead’s father, had always been kind to her and she felt a twinge of guilt for the way she had left without telling him.

A loud clanging noise from behind the trailer made her jump. So someone was home. Slowly, Betty walked around the trailer to see a man in a white tank top and jeans bent over a motorcycle, working on something. The muscles in his toned arms tightened as he screwed on a part. His long, grease-stained fingers worked nimbly. 

She drew in a sharp breath, realizing who it was. She was just about to leave when the man turned around and saw her standing there.

“Good morning, Betty,” Jughead greeted, obviously surprised. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Is that old Bess?” Betty pointed at the motorcycle. Old Bess had been Jughead’s Honda CB550 that he rode during high school.

“Sure is,” Jughead said, giving it a pat. “Just thought I’d fix her up before I went back home.”

“You don’t live in Riverdale anymore?” This was new. But not unexpected.

Jughead shook his head.

“No. After I quit the Serpents, I went to college. I got my major in Creative Writing. Moved out of Riverdale.” 

“You quit the Serpents?” Betty was shocked. Jughead used to talk so much about how the Serpents had been the family he’d never had and how he wanted to live up to their standards. He used to idolize them.

“Yeah. I couldn’t see a future for myself with them.”

Betty was quiet. She regarded the motorcycle, longing to feel the wind in her hair and the ecstatic feeling she used to experience when she was young and carefree.

“I was going to take old Bess out later for a ride,” Jughead said suddenly. “Do you want to come with me?”

Betty tore her eyes away from the beautiful bike and looked at Jughead, startled. It was as if he had read her mind. She would refuse politely and walk away if she knew what was good for herself, Betty thought. But this was Jughead. She had never been able to refuse him. And besides, what harm would a bike ride do?

Jughead was looking at her expectantly. The long extinguished flame within her caught a spark. A slow smile spread across her face.

“I’d love that.”

Betty entered the Pembrooke warily, so as to not disturb its sleeping inhabitants.

But Veronica was wide awake, sitting at the coffee table and reading the newspaper. Her glasses were perched on the tip of her nose and she was nursing a mug of coffee. The sound of Betty entering made her look up.

“Good morning, Betty,” Veronica said, smiling. “Out for a morning run?”

“Yeah. Just thought I’d get a quick jog in,” Betty replied, sitting down at the table.

“Where’s Sweet Pea?”

“Pea’s at the gym. He should be back soon,” Veronica answered, taking a sip from her mug. 

Just as the words left her mouth, the front door opened again and this time Sweet Pea entered, sweaty but fresh. He smiled at the two women, greeting both.

Veronica stood up and kissed him. He went to wrap his arm around her but she pulled away, stepping back. 

“Not while you’re sweaty, babe,” she said. “Go shower.”

He dropped a kiss on her nose and chuckled. 

“Whatever you want.”

“Hey, Betty, do you have any plans today?” Veronica asked.

“Um, yeah actually. I’m going out,” she said, hesitantly. “With Jughead.”

Veronica almost dropped her mug. Sweet Pea stopped in his tracks.

“Jughead’s back in town!?” he asked incredulously. “He didn’t even call.”

Veronica’s eyebrows looked like they were going to fly off her forehead.

“Betty, you’re going out with Jughead? As in Jughead Jones? The same boy you went out with in high school? Where did you meet Jughead?”

“At the cemetery, yesterday.”

“Oh my god,” Sweet Pea said, shaking his head. “I am going to kill him for not telling me he’s back,”

“Well, where are you guys going?” Veronica proceeded, ignoring Sweet Pea.

“Just on a motorcycle ride. He wanted to exercise old Bess and asked me to come with.” Betty shrugged like it was no big deal. “I said okay.”

Veronica was staring at her, jaw open and stunned.

“Oh my god, Veronica. Relax. It’s just a bike ride. We aren’t going to do anything stupid,” Betty laughed. “Besides, he’s married.”

“Married? But I thought-“ Sweet Pea started to say but Veronica cut him off.

“That’s great, Betty. I hope you have fun.” The smile on Veronica’s face was an attempt at genuineness, but it wasn’t quite there.

Betty smiled at them. As happy as they appeared for her, she didn’t miss the knowing glance that passed between them.

An hour later, Betty was back at Sunnyside, a backpack on her back and a hat on her head. She was dressed in a simple white crop top and jeans. A denim jacket hung off her shoulders. Without even realizing it, she had put her hair back into a ponytail. 

The sound of an engine roaring made a thrill go through her and a helmet-clad Jughead rode out on old Bess, now shiny and gleaming. He had changed his outfit, now in a dark t-shirt and jeans, as well as a Sherpa jacket.

Stopping the motorcycle next to Betty, he handed her a second helmet. She traced the small crown symbol carved onto its front. Her old helmet.

“Ready?” Jughead asked, smirking.

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” Betty answered, trying to contain her excitement.

Fastening the straps of the helmet, Betty climbed onto the motorcycle behind Jughead, her arms automatically wrapping themselves around his waist. The contact made him freeze for a moment, but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he revved the engine, making it roar. And just like that, they were off.

Betty grinned as they cruised down the empty road, the wind slapping their faces. Jughead rode fast, and it caused a rush of adrenaline which Betty felt all the way to the tips of her fingers and toes. She laughed, thrilled to be on a motorcycle again. In the side view mirror, she saw Jughead smile. 

They rode past the town, and were soon out on the open road. Farms and fields flew past them, all a green and yellow blur. 

“Where are we going?” Betty yelled over the roar of the wind.

“You’ll see!” Jughead yelled back, and sped up.

Betty tightened her grip on Jughead, her hands tucked against his stomach. She could feel the hard planes of his abdomen underneath her palms. Her mind started to drift, imagining what it must look like, underneath the layers. 

Horrified at herself, Betty pulled her arms away, afraid of her own thoughts. Jughead turned sideways.

“Don’t let go! You’ll fall!”

Tentatively, Betty put her arms around his torso. 

No dirty thoughts, she scolded herself.

Jughead turned onto a narrower road leading straight into the woods. The trees grew denser and wild animals ran around, unafraid of them. 

They pulled up to a clearing and Jughead turned off the engine. Handing her helmet to Jughead, Betty looked around. 

They were in a small opening where the woods met Sweetwater River. It wasn’t a place that Betty had ever come in all the years she had lived in Riverdale. She reached the edge of the river, where the water lapped up against the gravelly banks.

A splash caused Betty to jump. She looked and saw that Jughead had taken off his shoes and socks and waded into the river, his jeans rolled up to his knees.

“Come on in!” he yelled to her.

Betty looked at the river. Who knows what creatures lurked in those waters? But on the other hand, she’d been swimming in Sweetwater River before and it had always been safe. Besides, Jughead wouldn’t take her anywhere she would be in danger of getting injured, right?

Screw it, Betty thought, pulling off her own shoes. Grinning she rolled up her own jeans and ran into the river.

The water was cool and pleasant. She felt sixteen again, laughing and splashing in the river. They waded upstream and came to a small thicket where berries grew ripe on the bushes.

Jughead plucked a berry and tossed it into his mouth, smacking his lips.

“Here,” he said tossing her one.

“Are you sure these are safe to eat?” Betty questioned, eyeing the berry.

“Betty Cooper, do you question my wilderness knowledge?” He feigned hurt.

“Considering that everything you ever ate was either Chinese takeout or one of Pop’s burgers, don’t feel offended if I say yes,” Betty retorted, grinning wickedly.

“You have me there,” Jughead admitted.

But nevertheless, she popped it into her mouth.

They walked along the river bank, skipping stones and splashing each other. Betty realized how much she had missed this, the running wild and goofing around.

After a while, they sat down on a blanket that Jughead spread out and ate the sandwiches which he had packed. The surroundings were quiet, except for the hushed rustling of leaves in the wind. 

“So,” Jughead said, dusting crumbs off of his jeans. “You left in a bit of a rush yesterday. No one waiting for you today?”

Betty flushed, ashamed of her actions from the previous day.

“Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to seem rude.”

“Well, you can make it up to me now. Where have you been the past ten years?” Jughead leaned back on his hands, legs stretched out in front. 

“Here and there,” Betty answered. “I moved around a lot. Washington, Boston, and I recently moved to New York.”

“New York?” Jughead looked confused. “When?”

“About three weeks ago,” Betty replied. “I got a job as editor of the New York Times.”

Jughead’s eyes widened. 

“The New York Times?! Congratulations, Betty. That’s huge.”

“Thanks. What about you? What have you been up to?”

“Writing,” Jughead said. “I finally published my novel. And a few other books. Nothing too big.”

“You did? That’s fantastic, Jug. I’ll have to check it out once I get back home.” 

Jughead looked like he was going to say something but hesitated and then shook his head.

“Sure.” Was his only reply.

A silence grew and it made Betty nervous. Clearing her throat, she changed the subject.

“I didn’t know Veronica and Sweet Pea were a thing. Kinda surprising.”

“I know. It was a bit of a shock when we all first found out. Toni went ballistic,”Jughead laughed, recalling the memory. “Their wedding was fantastic though. Silk handkerchiefs, a ten-tier cake, the works. Made me feel poorer than usual.”

Betty shook her head, smiling. Casually, she pointed to Jughead’s hand.

“So you got married too, huh?” She tried to keep her tone light.

Jughead looked down at his hand and saw the ring.

“Oh, um, yeah,” he replied. “I was married. For three months. We got an annulment about a month ago.”

“Oh,” Betty said, trying to contain her curiosity. “What was her name?”

He didn’t say anything. At once, Betty felt embarrassed. It wasn’t any of her business.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to be intrusive or pry-“

“Sabrina,” Jughead spoke suddenly. “Sabrina Spellman. She was a city girl. Called herself a psychic. We went to the same college.”

“What happened between you two?” Betty pushed carefully.

He pulled up his knees and rested his elbows on them. He wasn’t looking at her anymore. Instead, his gaze was on the horizon.

“We dated for a while. She was a wild and fun-loving girl. I was a stay-at-home-and-binge-Netflix kind of guy. I was with her because I had convinced myself that I loved her. I was trying to put the past behind me. But this one weekend, we went to Vegas with a bunch of our friends. There was some drinking although almost none on my part. She said that she wanted to get married. So in the spur of the moment, we went down to the chapel and got married. But it didn’t work out.” 

“Why not?” Her heart was pounding.

“Because,” Jughead said, finally looking at Betty. “I was still in love with someone else.”

Suddenly, it became hard to hold Jughead’s gaze and Betty looked down at her hands in her lap. Her cheeks grew warm as she fought the urge to scream. This. This was exactly what she had been afraid of. The second wave hit and Betty felt her head go underwater. She was fighting against the current but it was useless. The dark water pulled her deeper and deeper. A vague realization that she was drowning. And there was no one to save her.

An uncomfortable presence settled in the air between them and Betty concentrated on the faded scars on her palms. Ten crescent moons in a line. Her way to regain control. She fought the urge to dig her fingernails into the skin, to find the relief. 

“Why, Betty? Why did you leave?” His voice was soft.

Betty felt her throat block up and her eyes well up with tears. It wasn’t fair of him to ask that. He hadn’t known what she had been going through. She didn’t want to hurt him more than she already had.

She peeked up and saw him watching her, a forlorn look in his eyes.

“Please, Betty. I need to know.”

“You know why,” Betty said, choking up. It was hard to speak and she was on the verge of crying.

“No, I don’t. You left without a word to anyone, not even your mother. No one could find you or figure out why you left. But I have to know.”

“I- I didn’t want to hurt you,” Betty said, wiping her runny nose. Her throat had closed up and she couldn’t swallow.

“Betty, you hurt me by leaving me with no explanation.” Jughead was looking at her, desperate for an answer. “It’s been ten years and I still don’t have any closure. Please, Betty.”

“I didn’t want to cause anyone more pain. I didn’t want my family to have to deal with the repercussions of my actions.  I- I didn’t want to f- fail you, again,” she said, trying her best to not cry.

“Fail me?” Jughead looked bewildered. “What do you mean?”

“The miscarriage, Jughead. I mean the miscarriage.”

Wow. I can’t believe I actually finished that part. And I know a lot of people are going to bash me for ending it like that. Well, I have some bad news. The next chapter won’t be out until the week after next because I have finals. I wish I could just write and write and write all day, but unfortunately, I can’t.

But fear not, I JUST MAY post a coda/flashback part next week because I’m a sucker for writing. Once again, I can’t be sure if I will be able to do that. 

But anyways, I enjoyed getting all your wonderful reviews and am so freaking grateful that so many of you enjoyed the first part. Thank you all so much. I love you to pieces.

XOXO

Rhea

[drink-the-midnight-oil]

Our Eternity

Bughead AU: It’s been a decade since Betty left Riverdale when she was sixteen. Now, the death of an old friend brings her back to the town she grew up in and loved. And along with it, the return of old friends, memories, and a love that has haunted her for the past ten years.

[drink-the-midnight-oil]

Bad boy Jughead keeps embarrassing himself every time town sweetheart Betty Cooper is around

Thanks for dropping by, @gay-for-rey1999 . I finally finished your prompt and I hope I’ve done it justice!

Blonde Ponytails And Leather Jackets

Bughead AU: There is no Black Hood, Jason Blossom was never murdered, and Jughead Jones had always been a Southside Serpent. He was never friends with any of the Northsiders.

It was a hot afternoon and all the students in Mr. Calpone’s class were sweaty and tired. Not to mention bored. Jughead Jones was editing an article for Southside High’s school newspaper, the Red & Black. He looked up from his work for a minute to take a look around the room. Sweet Pea was sitting with his feet propped up on the desk, busy tearing up paper to make spit wads. Toni Topaz was sitting next to Jughead, playing with her pink hair. Most of the other students were on their phones, or napping.

“Okay, guys. Listen up,” Mr. Calpone said, clapping his hands. “Southside High is doing a student exchange program with Riverdale High as part of the town’s collaborative society scheme.

“We’ll be hosting fifteen Riverdale High students for a few weeks so that they can see what school is like here in the Southside. Fifteen of you will be assigned to give them the tour and help them over the course of this program. From your class, Ellen, you have Ethel Muggs. Starke, you have Midge Klump. And Toni, you have Elizabeth Cooper.”

Toni groaned loudly but Mr. Calpone just ignored her.

“The students will be coming here tomorrow so I want you all to be kind to them and actively participate in making their stay enjoyable.”

A few kids started to snicker. Mr. Calpone sighed.

“Just don’t do anything stupid, guys.”

The bell rang and the students ran out of the class. Toni’s shoulders slumped as she walked.

“Why is it always me that gets stuck with tours for new students?”

“Because,” Sweet Pea answered, putting his arm around her shoulder. “You’re such a nice and lovable person with a great personality.” He and Fangs started to guffaw, and Toni swatted his arm.

“What was the girl’s name again? Elizabeth something?”

“Cooper.” It was Jughead who spoke up. “I’m guessing she’s Alice Cooper’s daughter.”

“Great,” Toni sighed. “I’m stuck with the daughter of the monster who prints shit about us in that newspaper.”

Southside High. A school that required you to go through a metal detector before you were permitted to enter. It was a very dingy place, and gave off an unwelcoming vibe. Graffiti plastered the walls, and no one had even made an effort to cover it up. The walls were gray, which matched the gloomy atmosphere. Southsiders loitered in the hallways, eyeing the Northsiders who were on their turf.

Betty Cooper shivered. She felt uncomfortable under their hostile stares as she and the fourteen other Riverdale High students made their way to the office. She wished she could have avoided coming but her mother thought that it was a good opportunity to dig a little deeper in the Jingle Jangle case.

“Betty, look,” Kevin whispered to her, nodding his head in the direction of a group of menacing teens. There were about eight or nine of them, all wearing black leather jackets. As one of the boys turned around, Betty saw the large snake embroidered onto the back of his jacket. Southside Serpents. Riverdale’s infamous criminal gang lead by the notorious FP Jones. They were people you did not want to mess with. Betty wasn’t afraid of them though. Her mother had taught her that they were not people to be feared as it would only give them power over her.

One of the Serpents caught her staring at them. He raised an eyebrow at her, challenging her to say something. Betty quickly looked away, her cheeks flushing. She took a quick glance back and saw the Serpent watching her, his gaze unnerving. He was devastatingly handsome, Betty realized with a shock. He had gorgeous black curls, a chiseled face, and intense blue eyes.

“Betty,” Kevin nudged her arm, pulling her out of her thoughts. Betty craned her neck to see Southside High’s principal, a tall, broad-shouldered man named Mr. DeVilio, smiling at them.

“Welcome to Southside High,” he said in a deep tone. “We’re excited to have you here and we hope that you feel welcome in our Southside family. Without further ado, let’s get you your schedules and show you around.”

Betty picked up her own schedule and looked around at the Southside High students waiting for them.

“Elizabeth Cooper?” a voice behind Betty asked. She turned around to see a cinnamon-skinned girl with pink hair, looking at her.

“That’s me,” Betty said smiling. The girl looked….. friendly enough.

“I’m Toni Topaz,” the girl said. “I’m giving you the tour.”

“Great,” Betty said. “And it’s just Betty.”

Toni gave her a small smile. “Sure, yeah.”

She turned around and Betty inhaled sharply. Toni was wearing a Serpent jacket.

Wonderful, Betty thought. I’m being given the tour by a Serpent.

Jughead sat down at the Serpents’ empty lunch table, biting into an apple. The others were yet to come. The Ghoulies had challenged them to a bike race and Sweet Pea had accepted, thirsty for a competition. All the other Serpents had gone for moral support, but Jughead wasn’t too fond of bike racing. Toni was the only one besides him who hadn’t gone, but that was only because she had to give the tour.

Jughead remembered the girl from that morning, the one with the blonde ponytail and bright green eyes. She had looked at him, at the Serpents, without a trace of fear. It was surprising, considering that most everyone cowered in their presence.

“Hey, Jughead,” someone called. Jughead looked up to see Toni walking his way. But she wasn’t alone. The blonde girl from before was with her, her eyes widening when she saw him. They approached the table, Toni sitting down. Ponytail slowly sat down next to her, placing her backpack beside her.

“Jughead, this is Betty Cooper,” Toni introduced. “And Betty, this is Jughead Jones.”

“Betty Cooper,” Jughead said slowly, staring at her. “Alice Cooper’s daughter, huh?”

“Yes,” Betty answered. “ And you’re Jughead Jones…….?”

“You seriously don’t know who I am?” Jughead was startled. Everyone knew who he was.

Betty shook her head.

“My father is FP Jones,” Jughead answered. He saw the name register in her brain, and her eyes grew large. But she wiped off the astonished expression quickly, replacing it with a icy cool look.

“You’re the Serpent Prince,” she stated simply. He nodded, giving her one of his infamous cocky grins that made most girls swoon. But Betty looked unfazed.

“Do you expect me to bow down or something?”

The smile disappeared, and he stared at her, shocked. No one had ever dared to talk to him like that before.

“Betty-” Toni started, but Jughead held up a hand, stopping her.

This girl was not like any other girl he’d ever been with and he’d been with a good amount. She didn’t give in to his smile or his looks. She wasn’t scared of him, but rather, she was daring. She wasn’t afraid to speak her mind. And that’s what made her interesting.

Jughead smiled at her, a real smile this time.

“Betty Cooper, how would you like to go on a date with me?”

It was Betty’s turn to look shocked. Her mouth set in a firm line.

“I’d rather not go out with someone who thinks he can make the world bend at his will.” And she got up and left.

Jughead sat their stunned, never having been rejected before. Toni was staring after Betty, her mouth in an ‘O’.

Jughead smirked. Betty Cooper was going to be a challenge.

Betty stalked out of the cafeteria, fuming. How dare Jughead Jones try to ask her out on a date? After acting like he was superior to her? She didn’t care that he was the son of Riverdale’s most dangerous gang leader. Or that he had breathtaking blue eyes.

She walked out of the school building, turning at the corner. He was a self-absorbed arrogant asshole who didn’t deserve anyone’s attention. And Betty sure as hell wasn’t going to give him any.

Betty didn’t see Kevin in front of her, and almost crashed into him.

“Betty, hey,” Kevin said, his face red.

“Sorry, Kev. I didn’t see you there. What are you doing?” Kevin was standing behind the school with a Southside Serpent, a boy with long black hair and green eyes. They were both breathing heavily and Kevin’s normally perfect hair was tousled.

“We, uh, well this is Joaquin. And we were just, um-” But Kevin didn’t get a chance to finish. He was interrupted by people shouting in front of the school.

“What the hell,” Joaquin said, moving past Betty to see what was happening. Kevin and she followed him to the school parking lot where a large crowd had gathered. They pushed forward until they were at the front of the crowd and Betty gasped.

A group of boys were beating up the Serpents, who were fighting back. Punches were thrown, blood was dripping, bruises had started to form. And no one seemed to be trying to stop the fight. Instead, the bystanders were cheering them on.

The crowd parted and Jughead Jones appeared, a look of fury on his face. Toni was right behind him but she hung back while he surged forward pulling a Serpent off of a battered boy.

“What the fuck is going on here?” he growled.

One of the boys from the group stepped forward, wiping his bloody nose.

“Why don’t you ask your fellow Sweet Pea, Jones? He’s the one who agreed to the race.”

Jughead turned around and glared at an obviously injured Sweet Pea.

“What did you do?”

“It was nothing, Jones. It’s not my fault the Ghoulies are sore losers,” Sweet Pea replied.

“Oh really? Then why did you scratch my bike?” the boy from before asked.

“I DID NOT SCRATCH YOUR BIKE,” Sweet Pea thundered.

“Enough, Cross. You were in a fucking bike race. Did you really think that your bike wouldn’t take a few hits?” Jughead said to the boy.

Cross looked surprised at Jughead’s answer.

“You will pay for this, Jones.”

Jughead shook his head and turned away. He saw Betty watching him and smirked at her. Keeping his eye on her he called to Cross.

“Hey, Cross.” Cross turned around only to be met with Jughead’s fist connecting with his jaw. He spit out blood and stared at Jughead, furious.

“I don’t know what’s gotten into you, Jones. This isn’t normally how we deal with issues. You’re never violent and I don’t like it.”

And he punched Jughead in the head, hard. Jughead hit the ground with a loud thud while Cross and the other Ghoulies walked away. Toni ran up to Jughead, helping him get up. He straightened up, his ears red. He saw Betty watching him, calculating. His entire face turned red and he walked towards the school building, brushing past the snickering students.

If that was how he was trying to impress her, then it sure as hell wouldn’t work, Betty thought. He had just ended up embarrassing himself.

Jughead spent the rest of the day glowering at anyone who tried to talk to him. His head was throbbing but he busied himself with the newspaper, editing and planning. He loved to write. It was his way of coping with the tough Serpent’s life. He sat in the Red & Black’s office, typing away on the computer even after the rest of the school had left.

After today, he wouldn’t ever be able to face Betty Cooper again. He had acted rashly, punching Cross. As much as he hated the Ghoulies, Jughead and Cross were usually on good terms. And his actions today were unforgivable.

The door of the Red & Black opened and Jughead looked up to see who it was. Toni entered, camera in hand. He glared at her and returned to his work.

“Jeez, Jones,” Toni said. “That scowl isn’t doing anything for your looks.”

“What do you want, Toni?” Jughead asked impatiently.

“I’m the photographer for the newspaper, Jughead. I have a right to be in here,” Toni stated, pulling up a chair and sitting next to Jughead.

“But normally, you want something,” Jughead sighed and looked at her. “So what is it?”

“I just wanted to talk,” Toni said. “About today. What was that whole thing with Cross?”

“I don’t know, Toni,” Jughead answered tiredly. “I saw Betty watching me and something inside me made me do it.”

Toni was hiding a smile. “Were you trying to impress her?”

“Maybe. I’m not sure. All I know is that I ended up embarrassing myself.”

“Wow, Jughead Jones, the Serpent Prince, embarrassing himself for some pink lipstick and bubblegum Northsider? Could it be possible that his Royal Highness is falling in love?”

Jughead looked at Toni. “She’s interesting, Toni, in a way that no girl has ever been before. She hasn’t fallen for my great looks, which is astounding considering that I manage to woo every girl I meet with my dark locks and magnificent blue eyes.” He smiled.

Toni laughed. “Okay, lover boy. I get it. You like her. Have you ever considered being just you? Like real and raw Jughead Jones and not cocky, arrogant Serpent. Because I think she would really like that side of you.”

Jughead sighed. “Yeah, so that I can embarrass myself again? I don’t think so.”

Toni shrugged. “I actually happen to know what girls like, Jughead. Take some advice from a friend. Be yourself.”

With that, Toni got up and left the office, leaving Jughead with his own thoughts.

Betty walked to Southside High from the bus stop the next morning, worried that she would be late. Today, the kids from Southside Elementary would be coming to the high school. They had their school concert coming up and they would be rehearsing in Southside High’s small auditorium. That meant a larger crowd of people on the premises of the school. As she got closer to the school, she noticed a little girl crying near the door. A figure was crouched next to her and talking to her in a low voice.

“It’ll be alright, Suzie. You’ll be fine. He doesn’t matter if he left. What matters is you, your brother, and your mommy. Life will be better without him, you’ll see.”

With a shock, Betty realized that is was Jughead talking to the little girl. He was comforting the crying child, telling her that she would be alright.

“We’re both going to be late if we don’t get going, Suzie. You don’t want to be in trouble do you? Well then, how about we go?”

Suzie nodded, hiccuping.

“Wipe your tears.”

She did so.

“Okay then. You are a strong girl. You can smile for me, can’t you? There we go. Go on then. I’ll pick you up after school.”

Suzie went inside, clutching her backpack straps. Jughead stood up, stretching.

“I didn’t peg you for a softy.”

Jughead whipped around, startled. He saw Betty standing there, his face unreadable.

“Hey, Cooper.”

“What was all that about?“

“That’s Suzie Kemp. She lives at Sunnyside, same as me. Her dad ran out on her, her mom and brother last night. Her mom doesn’t have a job and she was drinking all last night. Suzie’s pretty scared so I tried to calm her down.” Jughead answered. He looked down at his feet.

“Oh,“ Betty replied. "So is her mother out looking for a job?”

“It’s not that easy to find jobs here in the Southside, Betty,” Jughead said looking up at her. His blue eyes were cold. "Why do you think there’s so much crime out here? Because there aren’t enough jobs to go around. People have no choice but to become criminals to feed their families. You Northsiders act as if we do it on purpose but in reality, we don’t really have a choice.“

Betty stared at him. The comment stung but she knew it was true. She’d seen the way that the people here lived, in rundown homes or trailers.

"I’m so sorry,” Betty said. “I there was something I could do.”

Jughead’s expression softened. “Do you have a minute to talk?”

Betty nodded, well aware that she would be drastically late to class. Jughead gestured to a picnic table to the side of the school and the two went there and sat down. Jughead looked out at the horizon and spoke.

“I used to live with my whole family, my mom, my dad, and my little sister Jellybean. My dad had been a Serpent ever since he was sixteen. But being a Serpent doesn’t guarantee you a steady job. So my dad used to work at this construction firm in the Northside. One day, something happened between him and his boss, and the next thing we know, he’s home and unemployed.” Jughead ran a hand through his hair.

“My mom tried to get him to find a new job but he would come up empty handed every single day. No one wanted to hire a Southsider. We we’re running low on money and it was taking a toll on my dad. That’s when he started drinking. Every single night, he’d come home late, a beer in his hand, and pass out on the couch. My mom was doing her best trying to make ends meet, but my dad wasn’t making things easier. They would yell at each other every night. It was awful. And I was only seven years old. One morning I woke up only to find her gone, taking my sister along but leaving me behind to fend for myself with my alcoholic father. I joined the Serpents when I was only thirteen because of him.”

He let out a breath, as if he was relieved that he was finally able to tell someone. Betty sat in silence. She didn’t know how to respond. Here she was, sitting with one of the most dangerous men in Riverdale while he told her his miserable life story. Jughead Jones was much deeper than she had thought. There was a caring, loving side to him that he hid. A boy who had grown up all too fast, and was afraid to love or be loved. And here he was, making sure other kids like him would be okay. He might have been a Serpent, but he was a good man.

Jughead was watching her, she realized, waiting for her reaction.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t know.”

He shook his head. "Very few people do. Do I strike you as the kind of guy to write out my horrible childhood in a ballad? Because I’m not. I’m just a damaged weirdo from the wrong side of the tracks.”

Betty smiled at him slowly. "So, Jughead Jones. How about that date?”

[drink-the-midnight-oil]

Wounds Heal, Scars fade

Summary: Jughead Jones, loner extraordinaire, has possessed a superpower ever since his birth. The ability to heal people’s wounds. But only small ones. So what happens when the girl he’s had a crush on since forever is injured in a way past his known abilities? Will she die? Or will he find a way to expand his gift and save the love of his life?

The sound of an alarm going off woke Jughead up from a fitful sleep. He reached over and pressed the snooze button on his phone, effectively shutting off the alarm. Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Jughead sat up and looked around. 

He was in his sleeping bag on the floor of Riverdale High's janitor's closet. Last night had been a disaster. After the Twilight Drive-In had been shut down, Jughead had gone to his father's trailer, hoping to crash there for a night or two. Instead his alcoholic father had greeted him, an empty beer bottle in hand, by yelling at Jughead and blaming him for his mother and sister leaving. He had then proceeded to throw the glass bottle at Jughead, just narrowly missing him. However, the bottle crashed into the railing and shards of glass found their way into Jughead's hands. He had run straight to the high school, tears streaming down his face, and found sanctuary in the small supply closet. 

Now, as the hot water ran down his back in the locker room shower, he let out a breathy sigh. He had managed to pull out the glass pieces last night but the cuts on his hands still stung. Turning off the water, he wrapped a towel around himself and walked over to the sink. Looking down at his hands, he saw the small crisscrosses that marked them, like little red lines decorating his palms. Jughead closed his eyes and took a deep breath. 

A slight tingling swept through his palms, almost as if someone was tickling them. It flowed through his entire body, warming him and calming him. His tense shoulders relaxed and he felt his aching bones be soothed. The tingling faded and Jughead opened his eyes. The red lines on his hands had disappeared. 

The school bell rang as Jughead hurried down the hallway to the Blue & Gold's office. He heard students talking excitedly about the upcoming winter formal. Personally, he thought school dances were dumb and overrated. It was just another way that society made kids feel left out and unwanted. He wasn't going, no matter what. 

Pushing open the door to the Blue and Gold, Jughead walked inside. A girl was already there, reading something. She was wearing a pastel sweater and her blonde hair was pulled up into a neat ponytail, a signature look for the one and only Betty Cooper. A straight A student, community volunteer, and cheerleader, Betty was Riverdale High's resident golden girl. But she was also Jughead's best and only friend. Not to mention, he'd been in love with her since the third grade. 

Betty looked up and saw him.

"Good morning, Jughead," she said, a distracted frown on her face. 

“Mornin’ Betty. What’s the matter?”

Betty held out the paper she’d been reading. Jughead took it and scanned through it. 

“It’s a police report, Jug. For all those attacks that have been happening for the past few weeks. All those late knife stabbings and muggings. I spoke to Kevin about it and he said that Sheriff Keller thinks the Ghoulies are behind it all.”

“It says here that they are targeting mostly journalists and reporters.” Jughead dropped his messenger bag onto a chair and perched on the edge of the desk.

“Yeah,” Betty started chewing on her lip like she always did when she was nervous. It was a very common habit, Jughead had noticed.

“We got a letter last night.”

“What?”

“My parents got a letter from the perpetrators saying that they needed to back off and stop investigating the Jingle Jangle case. Same goes for us. Otherwise there would be fatal consequences.”

“Did you report it?”

“Yes. My parents went to the police station this morning. My mom said we don’t have anything to be worried about because it’s probably just some kids trying to have some fun.”

“I don’t think that’s fun, Betty. This is dangerous. We shouldn’t be doing this if it’s going to be a threat to your well being. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“Well that’s why I have you,” Betty said, a knowing look in her eyes. Jughead looked away, flushing. He knew that she wasn’t talking about him being the brave knight.

For as long as he could remember, Jughead had possessed the superhuman ability to heal. He could heal cuts and bruises and small wounds, nothing too big. It went against all the laws of nature but Jughead wasn’t complaining. With an absent mother and alcoholic father, abuse wasn’t uncommon at home.  His father would hit him from time to time, with nothing more than his hands though. Jughead would cry himself to sleep when he was younger, scared stiff. In the mornings he would wake up, finding that his eye hadn’t blackened, his ribs weren’t bruised and his lip wasn’t cut. He learned to heal at will and started running away to spend the night somewhere, anywhere but that trailer. The healing was quite useful. His main fear was that Social Services would take him away if people saw him covered in scars and bruises. And as much as he feared his father’s wrath, he still had hope that one day their family would be whole again.

Betty was the only one who knew about his ability other than himself. She was the only one he trusted. She was the light that kept his hope alive in his dark world. And there was another reason she knew...

“Only if you’re absolutely sure, Betty. I don’t want you to get in trouble.”

Betty smiled at him. “I think I can manage that.”

As Betty reached up to smooth her already perfect ponytail, Jughead noticed a mark on her palm. He frowned seeing it.

“Betty, what happened to your palm?” he asked. 

Betty’s face went pale and she dropped her hand to her side, balling it up. “Nothing,” she said, averting her gaze.

But Jughead knew it wasn’t nothing. “Let me see your palms, Betty.”

“No,” Betty said, looking down. Her voice started to shake. “Please just leave it alone Jughead.”

“I want to see what happened. Open your fists.”

Betty looked back at Jughead and he was shocked to see the tears in her eyes. Something was really wrong. Worry built up in his chest as he took her hand and gently pried open her fist. Shock coursed through him as he saw the fresh crescent shaped scars on her palms. He took her other hand and sure enough, there was a line of perfect half moons across it too.

“Why didn’t you say anything, Betty?”Jughead asked, concerned.

“I - I didn’t want you to be upset,” Betty said, her voice cracking.

“Betty, I would never be upset. Don’t ever think that. What happened?” Jughead stroked the scars gently with his thumb, still holding her hand.

“The letter, the investigation, and school on top of that. It’s just too much, Jug. I didn’t think I would relapse, b - but I’m just a weak girl,” Tears were falling freely now. “I - I’m sorry.”

“Oh, Betty,” Jughead pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her. Her body was racked with sobs, and she clutched his shirt. “That’s not true. You know it. You’re not weak. You’re one of the strongest people I know. Don’t ever doubt yourself. We’ll make it okay. I promise. But I don’t want you to hide this kind of stuff, alright? It only makes things worse.”

Betty nodded into his chest. Jughead gently pulled away, clasping her small hands in his. “Look at me.”

Betty looked up at him through sooty lashes, the light reflecting off her watery green eyes. God, she’s beautiful, Jughead thought. Like an angel surrounded by a heavenly glow.

“Let’s fix up your palms.”

This was the reason she knew. He folded her hands between his and willed the magic to do its work. A surge of energy flowed through his hands and into hers. He saw her close her eyes and take a shaky breath, her tense shoulders slowly relaxing. He couldn’t count how many times they’d done this before. Her harming herself and him healing the reminders of those nightmares. It had grown less frequent over the past year after she had started taking the anti-depression medicine. But this sudden recurrence frightened him. 

A wave of sadness suddenly hit him and he knew it wasn’t his own. That was the one downside to his power. Whatever the person he was healing felt, he felt too. It was like he was taking away both their physical and emotional pain. And over the years, he had felt a lot of what Betty felt. The real raw emotion in her that he could feel was what made him love her so much. He didn’t have to worry about her pretending, not when he could sense her emotions like this.

A wave of something else hit him too. An unidentifiable feeling. It was..... happy. Pure. Loving. But not quite. As if she was trying to hold back something which she didn’t want to hold back. Almost like if she - 

Betty opened her eyes and pulled her hands away. It was clear that she had realized that he had felt it. She muttered a thanks to Jughead and fixed her ponytail. A few deep breaths and perfect Betty Cooper was back.

“We have work to do,” she said simply, grabbing her notebook.

“Betty - ,” Jughead started, wanting to ask her what that had been about. But he saw the look in her eyes. She didn’t want to talk about it. And he didn’t want to push her. So he changed his course. 

“How would you like to go the the winter formal with me?”

This was a terrible idea, Jughead thinks to himself as he walks up to Betty’s door. Winter formals are for the weak-hearted and shallow minded, he’s known that since forever. So why did he make a stupid decision and ask her to the dance?

The sight of her delighted face pushes all the negative thoughts out of his mind. She had positively radiated ecstasy when he had asked her to go. The image of her beaming brings a smile onto his face. So maybe it would be worth it.

He rings the doorbell and is greeted by Alice Cooper, prim as usual. She smiles at him and tells him he looks wonderful and come in, Betty’s just finishing up. Jughead waits in the living room, hands nervously shoved into his pockets. He’s wearing one of his dad’s suits and the jacket’s a bit too big on him. He’s much leaner than FP and it doesn’t fit right in the shoulders. The grey beanie is still on his head, though. There’s some things he will not compromise. 

The sound of footsteps coming down the stairs makes him stand up a little taller and adjust his jacket.

Betty enters the room and it’s as if all the air has suddenly been sucked out because Jughead can’t breathe. The Betty standing before him is one he doesn’t recognize. She’s wearing a white gown that clings to her body. It goes all the way down to her calves, the skirt made of satin. The sleeves fall off her shoulders and Jughead can see her prominent collar bone. Her hair is down and falls in loose waves on her shoulders. He always knew she was beautiful, but this? It’s as if someone’s playing a cruel joke on him, tempting him because they know she’ll never love him. She gives him a nervous smile.

“What?”

“I - Uh - Well -,” Jughead stutters. He’s tongue-tied. From somewhere in his conscience he finds the ability to speak. “Shall we leave?”

Betty looks a bit disappointed but she doesn’t say anything. 

“Yeah, let me just get my wrap.” 

Once she’s ready, they head out to where Jughead has parked his dad’s car. It took a lot of work for FP to agree to giving Jughead the car for the night. It’s not the prettiest ride but it’s much better than walking to the dance or asking Betty’s mom to drive them.

They ride in silence for some time, the only sound that of the wind rushing past. After a while, Jughead clears his throat.

“Betty, you look beautiful.”

Betty turns to him, surprised. “Thank you, Juggie. You clean up nicely, too.”

Jughead glances at her and shrugs. “It was the best I could do.”

They arrive at the school and Jughead opens the car door for Betty. They walk to the gymnasium where the dance is being held. Lights have been put up everywhere and a band is playing up front. People are dancing, dressed in an array of gowns and suits. Betty looks radiant in the dim light and Jughead knows that he has the best-looking date there.

“Would you like to dance?” Once again, Jughead has surprised himself. Betty seems to think so too, the way she’s looking at him.

“Since when do you dance?”

“Oh, my dear Betty. I have many special talents. Apart from the ones you already know about, of course.” Where is he getting this confidence from? It’s probably the nerves.

“Well then, yes. I would love to dance.”

So Jughead takes Betty’s hand and leads her to the dance floor. Luckily it’s a fast song. They dance for a while, Betty moving gracefully to the music while Jughead shuffles awkwardly. But she seems to be having a lot of fun and that makes Jughead happy.

The song ends and a slow one starts. Couples around them start pulling each other close, gently dancing. Jughead decides to take the opportunity. He holds out his hand to Betty and she takes it, a curious glint in her eye. He takes her hand and places it on his shoulder, clasping the other in his own. He rests his other hand at her hip and they dance. 

After some time, Betty wraps both her arms around his neck and that’s when the butterflies hit. He places his hands at her waist, tentatively. A love song is playing and Jughead can feel his palms starting to sweat. Her face is so close to his that he can count the tiny freckles across her nose. She’s staring at him in a way that she’s never looked at him before. 

“So... any letters recently?” Great job, Jones. You ruined the moment.

Betty looks away for a moment and then looks back.

“No, nothing recently. My parents haven’t stopped investigating and neither have we but there hasn’t been any sort of communication.”

“That’s good, I guess. Maybe you’re in the clear.”

“I hope so.”

They dance in a comfortable silence. Suddenly, Betty stops dancing.

“Jughead, when was the last report of a letter?”

“I think yours was the last one. Why?”

“That’s funny,” Betty mutters. “It’s been two weeks since I got one. And the letters always come in pretty regular intervals. It’s been too long.”

Betty takes her hands of of Jughead’s shoulders.

“I just had a thought. Come on.” She grabs his hand and pulls him through the crowd and into the hallway. 

“Betty - Betty, where are we going?” Jughead asks rushing to keep up with her.

“The Blue & Gold. What if letters haven’t been coming because the Ghoulies are up to something? I mean, it’s the perfect night.” 

They reach the B&G office and Betty pushes open the door.

“Everyone in town is going to be here, at the formal. Even the Sheriff. It would be a classic night to pull off a drug exchange. And from our last few investigations, I think I know where it’s going to happen.”

“Betty Cooper does it again,” Jughead says, impressed.

“We need copies of the last few letters. I think all the other ones are here. But the copy of mine at home. Can you please find the other letters? I’ll go and get mine.”

Betty grabs Jughead’s keys runs out of the office and into the parking lot. Jughead is shifting stacks of papers, looking for the letters when he hears the sound of a muffled scream from outside. He rushes to the window and watches as two masked figures run away from his car and a girl in a white dress crumples to the ground. Betty.

Time seems to stop as Jughead runs out to her, nothing else mattering at that moment. His blood runs cold when he approaches her and sees her lying on the ground, barely breathing.

The first thing his mind registers is the blood. There’s so much blood. It’s spreading on the front of her white dress from what appears to be a stab wound. He crouches down next to her, his heart beating fast. His hands are trembling as he looks at her pale form on the ground. Her hair is spread around her head, like a halo and her white dress, with the red flower of death blooming on it, it’s tragically beautiful. He’s vaguely aware of him yelling her name, trying to revive her. His jacket is off and pressed to her wound, trying to stop the flow of blood. They shouldn’t have continued their investigation. He brought this on her. She received a death threat and he didn’t stop her from pursuing the case.

Betty gasps and her eyelids flutter open. Her breathing is staggered. She sees Jughead’s horrified face looming over hers. His eyes are filled with tears. This isn’t the type of wound he can heal. It’s too serious. But he presses his hands to her stomach and tries. Nothing. It’s hopeless. He’s going to watch Betty die right in front of him. He can’t even call an ambulance because his phone is inside. And nobody seems to have heard him shouting.

“Betty, Betty, please don’t leave me. Just keep breathing.” He’s trying to reassure himself more than her. She’s losing too much blood. 

“It’s too serious of a wound, Betty. I can’t heal it.” Jughead is unabashedly crying now.

“J - Jughead, you have to go. Ch - Chase down those guys and f - find out where-” She coughs, once. “You have t - to. Leave me and go.”

“NO! I’m not leaving you. I - I’ll call an ambulance. Just hold on, Betty please.” Jughead feels his heart in his throat.

“Jughead.” Betty’s looking at him sadly now. The metallic odor of blood is everywhere and it’s making Jughead’s head swim. But he is not going to leave her. 

Try HARDER, his conscience says. But his efforts are in vain.

She raises a bloodstained hand to his cheek and brings his face down so that their noses are just millimeters away. Her eyes are still bright green but they look so tired. She’s fighting hard, he can see it. Her eyes fill with tears and she gives him a weak smile. And then she kisses him. 

It’s like fireworks have exploded in Jughead’s chest. Her lips are soft on his, tasting of vanilla. And then he’s kissing her back, hard. She is NOT going to die. From a very deep place inside of him, he summons the power.

Energy courses through him, stronger than ever and rushes through his hands into the wound. She pulls away and gasps, her back arching, as the torn tissues restitch themselves. And Jughead can feel the strong wave of emotion radiating from her as the energy gives back. But this time, he sees images.

They’re in third grade and Betty talks to the shy beanie-wearing kid for the first time. She likes his sense of humor. They’re in Archie’s tree house and make a pact to be best friends forever. She knows she will always keep that promise. Fifth grade graduation and she’s so proud when Jughead gets an award for his writing. Seventh grade dance and Betty wants to go with Archie. But he takes Cheryl instead. Betty’s crying and it’s Jughead who comforts her. They go to Pop’s and Betty is happier than she’s been in a while. High school starts and Archie becomes a jock. He barely has time for them anymore. She has too many AP classes and assignments, not to mention volunteering and extra-curriculars. That’s when the self-harming starts. Nobody notices but Jughead who sees her stressed face no matter how hard she tries to hide it. He holds her as she cries. He doesn’t run away when she shows him her scars. For the first time, he heals her them. Archie doesn’t like her back. It hurts. But Betty’s secretly relieved. She only liked the idea of them as a power couple. She spends all of her free time with Jughead. They work at the Blue & Gold. Betty is mesmerized by his way of spinning boring stories into suspenseful articles. He accompanies her to on every investigation, no matter how crazy it may be. He supports her. She starts seeing Jughead as more than her childhood best friend. He’s not a scrawny, scowling boy anymore. He’s a good-looking, talented writer now. She realizes how much happier she is with him. Archie could never make her feel like that. She starts noticing the way he stares at her, entranced. It stirs something in her. He sees her for what she is. Not a perfect, ideal student and daughter. But a real person who hurts just as much as everyone else. And she falls in love with him.

Jughead pulls away his hands, breathing hard. What did he just witness? The flurry of pictures, the feeling, the reality. Could it all be true?

Betty’s eyes are closed and she’s breathing lightly. Jughead sees that the wound has been healed. How did he do that? There are too many questions to be answered. He leans over her face.

“Betty?” A gentle whisper.

Her eyes fly open and she sees him there, anxious.

“Jughead? Wha-”

“Oh my god, you’re alright.” Jughead’s arms are around her and he’s buried his face in her neck. “I though you were going to die.”

“Hey, I’m not dead. It’s okay,” Betty strokes his hair, his beanie having fallen off when he ran to her. “But how did you do that?”

Jughead let’s go of her and helps her sit up. “I don’t know. I wasn’t able to heal you and then you kissed me and that did it. I’m so sorry, Betty. I shouldn’t have let you continue investigating after that threat. It’s my fault. I don’t know what I would have done if you died.”

Betty places a hand on his arm. “It’s NOT your fault, Jughead. It was my own choice. And besides, I’m not dead, am I? We’re okay.”

She gives him a small smile. “So the kiss did it, huh?”

Jughead’s face turns red. “Yeah, I guess so. W - Why did you do it? Kiss me?”

Betty looks into the distance. “Well I didn’t want to die without having done that at least once.”

“Kissed a boy?”

Betty looks back at him and chuckles. “No. Kissed you.”

Jughead’s heart is threatening to jump out of his rib cage now. “Betty.... when I was healing you, I saw some things. Memories. Of us when we were kids. What was all that?”

“You saw that? How embarrassing.” It’s Betty’s turn to blush. 

“What did it all mean? You not liking Archie. And -” Jughead hesitates. “And you being in love with me.”

Betty studies her hands. Her fingernails have dried blood under them. She takes a deep breath.

“Jughead, I’m not going to deny it. I do have feelings for you. All that you saw was real. How could it not be? You’re one of the best people I know, Jughead. And I get it if you don’t feel the sa -”

But Jughead interrupts.

“Betty Cooper, I have been in love with you since that day in third grade when you told Chuck Clayton to leave me alone. I have loved you every day, every hour, and every minute since then. I love you for showing me the brighter part of life, for making me smile when no one else does. I love you for giving me the courage to share my thoughts without worrying about other people’s opinion. You are my family, Betty. More so than my blood relations. I love the way you bite your lip when you’re nervous, I love the way you’re eyebrows scrunch up when you’re concentrating hard, I love how you sneak food at bake sales because your mom won’t let you have too many calories. You are kind, and strong, and beautiful. By God, you’re beautiful. Even a writer like me could never find enough words to tell you how good of a person you are. And without you, I don’t know how I would have gotten through the years. You make me whole, Betty Cooper. You bring out the best of me. And with all that I am, I love you.”

Jughead finishes and his head is spinning. What the hell was that? He’s going to have scared her away for good now. That was too much, too early. He looks a her face, scared.

Betty looks astonished. But a smile slowly spreads across her face. She takes his face in her small hands and looks him straight in the eye.

“And I love you.”

This time it’s him who leans in and their lips meet. He’s flying and crashing and burning all at the same time. His hands cradle her face, and her fingers find their way into his hair. She pulls him close, kissing him hard. Her lips are oh, so soft against his, nothing like he’s ever imagined. He flicks his tongue against her lips and she lets out a moan, gripping his hair tighter.

The sound of police sirens cause them to break apart, but Jughead doesn’t take his eyes off of her.

“I fully intend to finish this later.” 

They stand up, hand in hand and walk towards the noise. Betty’s wearing Jughead’s jacket to cover the blood stains and both that and the shirt Jughead’s wearing are dark enough so the blood stains don’t show too clearly. They reach the front of the building and see Sheriff Keller, still in a suit, talking to a policeman as two others push the hooded figures from earlier into a cop car.

“Looks like they got them after all. There’s going to be a lot of questions, you know.” Jughead squeezes Betty’s hand. She leans into him.

“We’ll deal with that when the time comes. Right now I want a burger from Pop’s.”

“Betty,” Jughead says, turning to her. “You almost just died and we’re covered in blood.”

“I want Pop’s,” Betty replies, simply. She’s looking at him with her big doe eyes and he can’t say no. He shakes his head, laughing.

“Come on, let’s go.”

They walk to Jughead’s car, fully aware that they will have to report their encounter with the masked people and there will be an investigation following it all. There are too many things to worry about so Jughead pushes it all out his mind. He’s with Betty and she didn’t die. He healed her somehow. How he did it will remain a mystery but what matters is that she’s alive. As they head to Pop’s, Jughead realizes that right now, he couldn’t be happier.

This is LONG overdue. And I mean LOOOOONG. I had exams to deal with so I couldn’t write but now I have finally finished it. This one is based off of @frostbite883 ‘s prompt. I really hope you guys like it and have fun reading it. I’ll have more fics coming out soon if all goes according to plan. Once again, sorry for the delay!

XOXO

Rhea

[drink-the-midnight-oil]

Hi, hope that you still take prompts, I have asked this but I don't know 😆 Its an AU fic about Chic giving a hard time to Jughead and Jason whom are dating his sisters, hope that this isn't to much ask! 😚

Thanks for submitting

Storge

Friday night was date night. Jughead pulled up into the Coopers’ driveway, noticing a BMW already there. He straightened his tie and got out of the Lexus. Betty would be thrilled to hear that he was taking her to the expensive French restaurant that had just opened in the posher part of town. She had been wanting to go there for some time now.

He walked up to the Coopers’ front door only to see a red-haired person already there, ringing the door bell. Jason Blossom, Polly’s boyfriend. Jason turned to see Jughead walking up to him and gave him a smile.

“You too, huh?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Jughead replied.

Suddenly the door opened and a man stood there, brushing his messy blonde hair out of his eyes. He was tall and muscular wit devilishly handsome looks and the trademark green Cooper eyes. But his face pulled into a frown as he surveyed them.

“You two must be the boyfriends. Come on in, I guess,” he said, stepping aside.

Jughead felt a little intimidated by the man’s presence as he and Jason entered the living room. The two stood silently, avoiding the man’s intense glare. Alice suddenly entered the room, noticing the boys.

“Oh, hello boys,” she greeted. “Polly and Betty will be down in a minute. You can sit while you wait. Chic here will keep you company.” With that, she left the room.

Jughead observed the man sitting before him as he and Jason took a seat on the couch. So this was the infamous Chic Cooper, the long lost brother. Betty had told him about Chic’s adoption had taken a toll on her mother. He had returned to the family a few days ago, giving them the shock of a lifetime.

Jason cleared his throat, breaking the silence.

“So, Chic. It’s nice to finally meet the brother Polly talked so often about. What do you do?”

“I work for the government,” Chic answered. “I can’t share the details.”

Interesting, Jughead thought. The return of a long-lost brother with a secret profession.

“Okay, look,” Chic suddenly leaned forward, elbows on his knees, a steely look in his eyes. “You may be my sisters’ boyfriends but you’re still a Serpent and you’re still a Blossom.” He pointed at Jughead and then Jason.

“That doesn’t sit well with me. You should know that I love my sisters very much. And if you do anything to hurt or upset them, anything at all, you will be answering directly to me. If you try to ruin the Cooper family name, you will be answering directly to me. If you as much as look at another girl while you are with my sisters, you will answer directly to me. My job may have prepared me to deal with thugs and criminals but don’t think even for a second that I won’t use it to my advantage. My job serves me well in keeping my sisters safe. And that includes making people regret their actions. So think wisely before you do anything.”

Jughead sat there in stunned silence as Chic leaned back, crossing his arms. His job sounded like it was incredibly dangerous, which made him dangerous as well. Chic Cooper was not a man to be messed with.

The sound of Betty’s laughter came from the hallway and she entered the living room with Polly. Chic smiled at the two girls, all traces of the menacing look that had been there just seconds ago, gone. Jughead stood up and Jason followed suit, ready to get out of there. Betty seemed to notice his pale face and gave him a questioning look. Jughead just shook his head at her and smiled.

As they left the house, Jughead allowed himself one glance back and saw Chic standing in the doorway, staring daggers at him. A shiver ran up his spine and he turned away. Being in love with Betty Cooper was going to be tough.

[drink-the-midnight-oil]

Can you write one where Betty is in danger from the black hood and jughead gets super protective of her

Okay, so I’ve done the best I could here. There’s so many ways this could go. But the Black Hood doesn’t want to physically hurt Betty so I don’t really believe that she could ever be in true danger of him. But I wrote a little something just to play around with the idea that he could. So here you go :)

The Turning Point

“The Black Hood’s been CALLING you?! Betty, why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want you to worry Jug,” Betty said, tears pricking her eyes. “You already have so much to worry about. I thought I could handle this myself.”

“So I have to find out from Archie of all people?” Jughead was concerned. “Betty, I’m your boyfriend. Your problems are my problems and I want to help you through them as much as I can. I didn’t think that you felt the need to hide that from me.”

“I just don’t want to be a burden to you Jughead,” Betty replied meekly, tears flowing freely now. “He threatened me. He said that he would hurt Polly and Veronica and you if I told anyone. I didn’t know what else to do. I couldn’t tell the police or my parents. And I couldn’t risk you getting hurt.” She covered her face with her hands.

Jughead looked at Betty and sighed. He gently pried her hands away from her face, wiping her tears.

“Betty, you don’t need to be frightened for me. I can take care of myself and I have the Serpents with me. I’ll be alright. I’m just not sure about you.”

He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her. Betty burrowed her face into his chest.

“I’m sorry for not telling you.”

“Don’t be,” Jughead said. “You were in a difficult situation. I get it. But don’t be afraid to tell me anything. We are going to get through this together, Betty, okay?”

“Okay.”

                                              *            *            *    

Betty walked into the Blue and Gold the next morning to see a familiar looking envelope lying on her desk. Her heart started to beat faster as she picked it up, noticing her name scrawled across it in bold black letters. She opened it and pulled out the letter inside.

Oh Betty.

What are we going to do now?

I told you not to tell anyone about our little calls.

I warned you about what would happen.

Now your little Serpent boyfriend knows about us and that doesn’t sit well with me.

There will be repercussions for this Betty, don’t you worry about that.

But this time around, you aren’t safe either.

If only you had kept us a secret.

- Black Hood

Betty felt numb. She couldn’t feel her hands or feet. There was a faint buzzing noise in her head. The door to the Blue and Gold opened as the buzzing noise grew louder. Archie stood there, a worried look on his face. She saw his lips forming her name but she couldn’t hear his voice. The buzzing noise was too loud to bear now. The world started to tilt and Archie’s expression grew urgent. The last thing she felt were Archie’s arms going around her before everything went black.

                                            *            *            *    

Betty’s eyes fluttered open and she saw Jughead’s worried green eyes peering down at her.

“Betty? Betty! She’s awake!” The sound of footsteps.

Betty blinked and looked around. She was in her pink room, lying on her bed. Jughead was in a chair next to her. His beanie was on her bedside table and his hair was all messed up. The poor boy looked absolutely distraught.

“Wha-”

“Archie called me after you blacked out. We brought you home. What the hell happened, Betty?” Jughead entwined his fingers in hers.

“He sent me a letter,” Betty whispered. “He said he was going to hurt everyone I loved. I can’t do this anymore Jug.” And she started to cry.

“Shhhhh, baby. Don’t cry,” Jughead soothed. “We’ll figure this out. Where’s the letter?”

“I don’t know. I-”

“It’s right here,” Archie stood in the doorway, a paper in his hand. He handed it to Jughead whose eyes scanned over it, his expression hardening.

“He’s going to come after you?!” Jughead nearly yelled. “I’d like to see him try.”

Jughead leaned forward and kissed Betty.

“I promise you, Betts that I won’t let him lay a finger on you. I’m going to make sure there’s always someone with you. I’ll have my Serpents watch out for this man. It’s time we put an end to this.”

“Jug….” Betty stroked Jughead’s curls.

“I want to help too,” Archie said suddenly. Jughead looked at him and nodded solemnly. He turned back to Betty.

“I am going to protect you, Betty Cooper. Don’t you worry about that.”

It was late. Betty had stayed at the Blue and Gold longer than she had originally planned. The sun had set and it was dark outside. She sighed. She would have to finish the article tomorrow.

She walked out of the school and down the sidewalk. She had convinced Jughead that she would be alright without someone around for one night. The Serpents had business of their own to tend to and Archie was at Veronica’s house.

The street was quiet and there were no cars around. It was eerily peaceful. But there was always a calm before the storm.

The sound of someone coughing behind her broke Betty’s train of thoughts. She whipped around to see a figure standing a few feet away from her, all dressed in black. He was wearing a mask.

Betty’s blood turned to ice as his hand moved and she saw something glinting in the streetlight. A knife.

She turned around and ran for her life, not daring to look behind. Her heart was pounding and adrenaline was coursing threw her body. She just had to find someone, anyone before the hooded figure caught up to her.

Something on the street caused Betty to trip and fall, her chin hitting the ground. A bolt of pain shot up her leg and she looked to see the knife had cut it. Betty let out a scream, the searing pain too intense for her. The man was approaching her fast and there would be no time left before he-

“BETTY!!!!!”

The man stopped running. Betty turned her face to see where the voice had come from. She saw Jughead running up to her, a terrified look on his face. He fell to the ground beside her, his flannel already off and pressed it to her wound.

“The Black Hood, the Black Hood,” Betty was saying.

Jughead whipped his head from side to side.

“Where?! Where?!”

But the Black Hood was gone.

“I never should have left you alone, Betty. I’m so, so sorry. He could have killed you,” Jughead’s voice was racked with sobs.

“I’m okay, Jughead. I’m okay,” Betty said. Her leg was on fire but she was struggling to remain calm for Jughead.

“Hey look at me.”

Jughead looked up at her with tear-filled blue eyes.

“We are going to take care of each other. We are going to protect each other. Okay?”

Jughead nodded. “We need to get you to the hospital.” He scooped her up, one arm around her shoulders and one under her knees.  He carried her to his car which was parked outside the school.

“What were you doing here?” Betty asked.

“I came to see if you were still here,” Jughead answered. He set her in the car.

“I swear to god, Betty. I will kill the Black Hood myself once I get my hands on him.”

Betty looked at Jughead. He had changed so much. He wasn’t the wallflower e once used to be. Now she saw a man who would do whatever he had to, to protect the people he loved. And it terrified her.

Betty woke up in cold sweat. She looked at her clock. It was almost 3 am. It had all been a dream. Jughead back with her, the letter, him protecting her, everything. He was still in the Southside. They were still broken up. And he still had no idea that the Black Hood was calling her.

As if on cue, her phone started buzzing.

Lollipop, Lollipop, oh lolly lolly lolly…..

[drink-the-midnight-oil]

A fic post episode 5 where Betty sheds her “good girl” image and goes through an image and attitude makeover. And maybe where Riverdale High and Southside high merge.

Hi there nonny :)

I did the first part like you asked. As for the second part, I don’t think it would go well with what I’ve written as the main focus here is on Betty. I’d love to write another one where it’s just the convergence of RHS and SSH if you want. But anyway, here’s what you asked for. Enjoy!

Reborn

“Every good girl has a bad side.”

Betty sat staring out the window, sobbing uncontrollably. First it had been Polly, then her mom, Veronica, and now Jughead. Poor, sweet Jughead who had been her best friend. The same Jughead that had pulled away from everyone else, yet opened up to her. The same Jughead that had told her he loved her. And she had let him go. The Black Hood had warned her that he would kill Jughead if Betty didn’t obey his commands. But she could never have done it. She could never had looked into Jughead’s sad, blue eyes and told him that she was breaking up with him. The very though of it had almost destroyed her. So, she had asked Archie to do it.

Losing Jughead was too much for Betty. It was as if a piece of her had been ripped away. He was her second half, her anchor. Without him, Betty knew she was eventually going to spiral. The Black Hood’s torturous ways were too much for Betty. She wasn’t some sort of prize, or some indestructible idol of perfection. She was just a girl and at some point, she was bound to break. And that was exactly what the Black Hood was waiting for.

Anger filled Betty as she furiously wiped at the tears. That was it. That hypocritical serial killer was NOT going to control her any longer. It was time for her to fight back. Betty felt a sharp stinging sensation in her palms and looked at her hands to see that she was digging her nails into her skin. Blood had started dripping onto the window seat. But Betty didn’t care. This would be the turning point of it all.

Betty felt something stirring inside her as she stood up, a new overpowering feeling. But it wasn’t the same darkness that had consumed her when she had almost drowned Chuck. That had overtook her senses, rendering her incapable of controlling her actions. This time, she was in full control, and she knew what she was going to do.

Betty walked over to the closet, swinging open the door. She began pulling out her pastel sweaters and throwing them on the ground. No more would she be defined as Betty Cooper, the perfect girl next door. It was time for a change.

Grabbing a pair of black jeans, she stripped down and pulled those on, along with a black bralette. Her mom didn’t think red lipstick suited her innocent girl demeanor? Well then, red lipstick it was.

Last but not least, Betty put on the black wig. It would be a symbol, a statement. She had shed her old skin, like a snake. It was time to show the Black Hood what Betty Cooper was really capable of. She would not allow him to control her. She would fight back.

His fire hadn’t burned her down. It had helped her start her own, a flame of eternal hope. She was reborn, a phoenix rising from the ashes. Betty Cooper was no longer going to be the pawn. This time she would be the player. And the Black Hood was going to pay.

[drink-the-midnight-oil]

Hi everyone:)

Choices got a lot of great feedback and I am so thankful to everyone who read it. As a fanfiction writer, the best thing is when people comment on your fanfics and reblog them because it proves to be a source of inspiration and motivates me to write more. 

I know I left it on a cliffhanger and many of you have been asking about a second part. It was meant to be a oneshot and for now, that is all it will remain. I have another fanfiction coming up soon as well as college work so I’m pretty packed right now. Maybe I’ll write another part in the future, I’d love to, so watch out for that. But for now, there won’t be a part 2. Thanks for reading and commenting though. I love you all.

If you haven’t read Choices yet, read it here 

[drink-the-midnight-oil]

Hi! Can you write Betty and Jughead in a slow dance?

Hi anon!

Great suggestion. I’ve actually written a Bughead slow dance fic already and you can read that here. Tell me what you think :)

[drink-the-midnight-oil]

a serpent in the water

Bughead AU:  Loner Betty and popular Jughead are South Side Serpents. On the day of Serpent initiation, Betty goes to cool off at Sweetwater River, only to encounter an unwelcome surprise.   

Ao3

Serpent initiation. The rite of passage for every girl or boy who wanted to join the infamous Riverdale gang, the South Side Serpents. Betty Cooper eagerly awaited it. All she had ever wanted was the chance to prove herself worthy of the South Side Serpents. Her mom, her aunt, even her grandparents were Serpents. It was a title to be worn with the utmost pride, and Betty craved it. However, the stakes this year were far higher. The Serpents’ leader, FP Jones had decided that only the top participant would be accepted into the Serpents. This was to avoid betrayal after what had happened last time. 

Betty parked her motorcycle on the banks of Sweetwater River. Approaching the water, she pulled off her helmet and shook her blonde curls loose. It was a beautiful day, warm and sunny. She dipped her fingertips in the water, pleased to find it cold. Dropping her helmet on the shore, she stripped down to her black bra and panties and waded into the river. 

Sweetwater River was Betty’s favorite place to go to relax. The spot she always visited was secluded and it was the best part of the river. The water was always the perfect temperature, and bushes grew nearby, ripe with berries. 

She dove down and came back up, pushing her wet hair out of her eyes. The light glittered on the surface of the water like a million twinkling diamonds. Floating on her back, Betty closed her eyes and let the sun warm her face. 

The first round of Serpent initiation was later that evening. The law recitation. Betty had known all the laws by heart ever since she was seven years old. Alice Cooper had made sure of it. Initiation would be harder for Betty than the others. Her father was a North Sider, at least that’s what Alice had told her. He had seduced her mother and impregnated her, running off, never to be seen again. And because of that, for the rest of the South Side, Betty was a stigma. A person with dirty blood.

Betty went through the laws once again in her head.

One, a Serpent never betrays her own. Two, if a Serpent is killed or imprisoned, their family will be taken care of. Three, no Serpent is left for dead. Four, a Serpent never - 

Two large arms wrapped around Betty’s waist and dragged her underwater. Betty tried to scream but quickly shut her mouth, realizing that was stupid. She tried to break free but the arms around her were strong and gripped her tighter. Her back was pressed against a hard chest. Remembering her training, Betty pushed her captor’s hands downward and twisted sideways in his grip, effectively breaking his hold on her. She swam upward as fast she could, her heart hammering in her chest.

She broke the surface of the water, gasping. Turning around just in time, Betty watched as another person came up, laughing and panting. His ebony hair fell in wet strands across his forehead and he pushed it out of his face, still grinning, perfect white teeth on display. His eyes were an impossibly blue color and were complemented by long, dark lashes. A chiseled face with high cheekbones and a strong jawline made him the very image of an Adonis. Realizing who it was, Betty’s eyes narrowed.

Jughead Jones. The Serpent Prince. He was FP’s son, the rightful heir to the Serpent throne. He was known throughout Riverdale for his intimidating demeanor and devilish good looks. Men cowered and women swooned when he walked past. His fame wasn’t because he was the Serpent King’s son, although that played a minute role. Jughead had built his own reputation in town over the years. Brought up a Serpent royal, he had received the best training one could get. Not to mention, he had a way with words that could make anyone believe whatever he said. He could switch from suave to deadly in a matter of seconds, and everybody feared and respected his power. But to Betty, he was the cocky, arrogant asshole she’d known since they were five.

“Jughead, what are you doing here?” Betty asked, annoyed. 

“What? I can’t swim in Sweetwater River? Am I not too a citizen of this fair town?” He smirked at her. 

Betty crossed her arms, unconvinced.

“Okay, fine. I was riding by and I saw your motorcycle parked uphill. I saw you in the water and figured, why not play a little prank? Lighten up the mood a bit, before tonight’s mission. Which, by the way, is in an hour.”

“An hour?!” Betty looked at the sun and saw that it was dipping lower on the horizon. “Shit. FP’s gonna kill me.”

“Ah, don’t worry. It won’t be the first time you were late for something. Besides, that Serpent jacket is going to be on my back by the time this ends.”

“We’ll see about that.” Betty swam for the river bank, Jughead close behind.

“I’m serious, Betty. I don’t want you to cry after you lose terribly.” 

“Says the boy who threw a fit when Sweet Pea won the wrestling tournament.”

“We were TEN. And besides, I could kick Sweet Pea’s ass now.”

Ignoring him, Betty reached the shore and walked to where her clothes lay in the sand. Jughead’s jeans and shirt lay nearby, along with his jacket. Picking up her jeans, she turned around and saw him still in the water, staring at her, an undecipherable look in his eyes. Her wet bra was clinging to her and it was just enough to see the shape and suggestion of her breasts. Also, she was half-naked. Smiling mischievously, Betty jut out a hip.

“Like what you see, Jones?”

Jughead blinked and seemed to see Betty’s cocked eyebrow. He grinned at her.

“Cooper, after all the women’s bodies I’ve seen, yours doesn’t faze me at all.” He walked out of the water, and Betty rolled her eyes.

It wasn’t that he wasn’t good looking. He was gorgeous. Like so many of the other Serpent men, he was built for a fight. Strong shoulders and well-defined arms, a toned stomach. He was tan from working out in the sun. But while the other men were beefy and muscular, Jughead had a more athletic and well-built physique. His boxers were riding dangerously low on his hips, his sharp V-lines, glistening in the sunset. It took some effort to look away from him, and that’s what pissed Betty off. 

“When are you going to realize that your dashing looks aren’t going to affect me?” she said, trying to hide her flushed cheeks.

“Oh, Betty. Don’t try to deny it,” he winked at her as he pulled on his own jeans. 

“As if I would care how you look,” she scoffed, even more flustered. She hate that he did that to her. She didn’t even like him. He was a narcissistic tool, a product of nepotism, albeit his natural talent. It made her burn with both jealousy and awe. And the fact that he was, not that she’d ever openly admit, handsome, just rubbed salt into the wound.

Jughead just chuckled and shook his head slightly as he buttoned up his jeans.

They finished getting dressed and Betty grabbed her helmet. Walking to the place where she’d parked her motorcycle, she saw a similar bike parked next to hers, but with an Ouroboros drawn on its side. The insignia of the Jones family as the head of the Serpents. It served as a reminder of who the boss was, and to respect and obey them. 

“What are you staring at?” Jughead asked as he walked up to the bike, taking his helmet from where it rested on the seat.

“Oh, nothing,” Betty put on her helmet and got on her bike. The only good thing about Jughead, if she had to pick something, was that he never used his position to impose himself on others. In fact, he acted as if he didn’t care for the title of Serpent prince at all.

“Race you to the Wyrm?” Jughead asked her, as he started his bike.

Betty grinned. “You’re on.”

~~~

I’d written this just for fun a few years ago because I liked the scenario. I’d originally planned to turn it into a series because I liked the story concept but I never got around to it. I was going through my drafts and found this, and it put a smile on my face. While I don’t plan on continuing it, I thought I’d post it as a drabble. Hope you liked it!

rhea