#they're frequently shown together there and are quite close to each other

[yuseirra]

minayuka/shuyuka comic

i noticed I might have been spamming the tag but I'm not sorry! I will provide '-')9

I care a whole lot about canon..I often go over the official materials and stuff to see if I'm portraying things right, I'm a little paranoid on that aspect actually and regarding these two, I'm sure it's safe to say at least this much is canon. MC goes out his way to protect yukari a lot and quite eagerly and she really loves him and wants to do the same. They share a really wholesome relationship!

[sonics-atelier]

Whispers in the Library

For @bagginshieldweek24 Day 4 : Bookshops and Libraries + Khuzdul Language

Summary : Thorin Tries Teaching Bilbo Khuzdul and Bilbo proves to be quite the flatterer ( dealing with smaug paid off ) , sweet kisses are exchanged.

a/n : I had lots of fun writing this lmao, Bilbo is menace and thorin is just a simp argue with the wall.

In the heart of the Lonely Mountain, Erebor, the grand halls of the dwarven kingdom buzzed with activity and prosperity. Among the most magnificent of its treasures was the vast library, a labyrinth of knowledge and history, filled with ancient tomes and scrolls.

Bilbo Baggins, now a frequent visitor to Erebor, found himself drawn to this library, fascinated by the wealth of knowledge it held. Thorin Oakenshield, King Under the Mountain, was equally fond of the library. He took pride in the rich history of his people and was eager to share it with Bilbo.

One crisp evening, Thorin invited Bilbo to explore the library together. As they wandered through the towering shelves, Thorin began teaching Bilbo about Khuzdul, the ancient language of the dwarves, and the intricacies of dwarf culture.

"Khuzdul is a sacred language," Thorin explained, his deep voice resonating through the quiet library. "It's not just words; it's a part of who we are."

Bilbo listened intently, his admiration for Thorin growing with each word. He watched as Thorin's eyes sparkled with passion and knowledge, his strong hands gently handling the delicate manuscripts.

"Thorin," Bilbo whispered, moving closer, "you amaze me. You're not just a warrior; you're a scholar too. You're so smart and dedicated to your people's history."

Thorin blushed slightly, his usual stoic demeanor softening. Bilbo continued, his voice filled with genuine admiration, "And your arms, Thorin, they're so strong. You've protected your people with those arms, but you also hold these ancient texts with such care. It's incredible."

Thorin's blush deepened, and he tried to hide his face behind a large book, but Bilbo wasn't finished. "And that beard," Bilbo said, his tone playful yet sincere, "it makes you look so imposing, but I know you're just a big softie inside."

Bilbo's words sent a warm shiver down Thorin's spine. He peeked over the top of the book, only to be met with Bilbo's loving gaze. "Bilbo," Thorin murmured, his voice barely audible.

Bilbo gently took the book from Thorin's hands and set it aside. He reached up, brushing a stray lock of hair from Thorin's face. "You're exquisite, My King" Bilbo whispered, his lips brushing against Thorin's cheek.

Thorin closed his eyes, savoring the tenderness of Bilbo's touch. Bilbo kissed his other cheek, then his nose, his forehead, and finally, with a pause that felt like an eternity, his lips. The kiss was sweet and filled with the unspoken promises of love and companionship.

When they finally pulled apart, Thorin's face was a deep shade of red, his usual composure completely shattered by Bilbo's affection. Bilbo chuckled softly, his eyes twinkling with delight. "I love seeing you like this," he said, his voice gentle. "You're strong and brave, but you're also kind and caring. You're everything I could ever want."

Thorin pulled Bilbo into a tight embrace, burying his face in the hobbit's shoulder. "And you, Bilbo," he whispered, "you make me feel complete. You've shown me that there's more to life than duty and battle. You've brought light and love into my world."

They stood there for a long moment, wrapped in each other's arms, surrounded by the wisdom of ages. In that vast library of Erebor, amidst the echoes of ancient history, Thorin and Bilbo found their own story—one of love, admiration, and the beautiful blending of two very different worlds.

Their journey together in the library became a cherished memory, a testament to their growing bond and the sweet, enduring love that blossomed between the scholar king and the adventurous hobbit.

- @sonics-atelier 2024 , do not repost or reuse in any way , shape or form.

[nonbinaryspy]

Cheren and Bianca are very effectively designed narrative foils. In their BW art, Bianca is cheerfully and somewhat absentmindedly greeting the world, while Cheren is more closed off and contemplative. Their BW2 art showcases their growth, with Cheren looking more open, vulnerable, and earnest than in the past, whereas Bianca looks more capable and comfortable with herself as she embraces the life she wants rather than the one her parents dictated. What I find so effective is that the details of their BW2 designs draw from each other's BW designs, demonstrating their mirrored arcs and their influence on each other.

The thing itching at my brain right now is their color schemes. The shade of blue he wears is directly opposite her shade of orange on the color wheel. Her shade of green and his shade of red admittedly aren't literal complementary colors, but they still complement each other quite well. But while her hair is blonde, Cheren's ranges from a very dark blue to black.

But hm, what's this?

His eyes are close to purple! In fact, this color is directly opposite her hair color. True childhood friends complete the color wheel together.

In BW2, though... He loses his red glasses while she gains a pair, and his tie clip is green, one of her colors. Red has many strong/passionate associations, whereas green is often considered a more healing/soothing color. On top of that, his design has significantly less black than before and has more white, whereas hers has less white than before and gains some black. Other than the obvious title reference, this also feels notable due to his name meaning black while hers means white.

This is to say nothing of him growing his hair out to a similar length/shape as hers (with segments that point down where hers point up), making Lillipup his ace (with Lillipup being the first Pokémon Bianca caught in BW, whereas Cheren caught Purrloin, previously giving him more of a cat-like association and her more of a dog-like association), and taking on a more nurturing mode as a teacher. Whereas he used to be more judgmental, thanks to his growth during BW, he is now shown to have a friendly, encouraging presence toward younger trainers in particular, such as the BW2 MC and Hugh, which is a role that Bianca shares as well.

Meanwhile, as an aspiring Pokémon professor, Bianca has arguably become the cast's resident know-it-all and travels around doing research on legendary Pokémon, quite an ambitious undertaking. The fact that she's now the one wearing glasses fits their stereotypical association with nerdiness/intelligence. Despite deciding not to focus on battles, she still participates in the Pokémon World Tournament. In Pokémas, she gets more serious about battling, in part due to Cheren's encouragement.

All of this despite them not even seeing each other in person between games. Channeling their childhood friend through the ether. Truly they're on some other level.

Jokes aside, none of this comes out of nowhere! In BW, around Icirrus City, he references confiding in her off-screen about his doubts re: his own priorities, and in his endgame speech, he lists her even before Alder as someone who influenced his growth (though of course, Alder's influence is also extremely important, along with the MC and others). As for Bianca, in addition to being inspired by career women(/girls) like Juniper, Elesa, and Iris, she mentions in Pokemas that it stuck with her in BW when Cheren defined strength as the ability to help others. That's spinoff canon, obviously, but very cute!

Another cute spinoff canon detail: in the same Pokemas event, Cheren frequently references the idea of 'taking a new step,' something Bianca values, and he also talks positively about the changes in them both. This despite the fact that in BW2, he mentions he prefers when things stay the same.

For contrast's sake, I want to bring up how the characters are introduced at the very beginning of BW. Juniper says about Cheren: "He can be a little difficult, but he's a very honest person." And re: Bianca: "She's a little flighty, but she works very hard." These descriptions make it seem like Cheren will represent the game's theme of truth, while Bianca will represent ideals, which would make sense with their archetypes. However, Bianca is actually the one who represents truth (the truth of what she can do, the truths she wants to learn about Pokémon), and Cheren is the one who represents ideals (his ideal of using strength to help people, the ideals he passes along as a teacher). Their introductions set up how important role reversal becomes to this dynamic. This Pokemas official art demonstrates this beautifully as well, with their BW and BW2 poses mirroring each other.

Honestly, I could keep making roundabout points, or I could just post Pokemas dialogues where she's talking about trying to keep up a win streak as a Neo Champion while he's talking about how important it is to be friends with your Pokémon.

Speaking of Pokemas, it's also worth mentioning that Bianca talks about how affirming it was to realize that she's her own person, with her own strengths and interests, and doesn't need to compare herself to her friends. <3 And again, these two meet many other people who impact their separate journeys. This is all more to say that as they go through their parallel coming-of-age stories, their influence on each other is so acute that they literally wear it on their sleeves.

So, do I have a point? Well. Mostly just that this, too, is yuri.

[silverselfshippingchaos]

hi ash !! id love to hear abt ff16 ash & vivian !! whats their dynamic like, how did they meet, what does the rest of the hideaway think abt their relationship ? - @dmclr

HELLO!!! :D!

I'm always so happy to talk about my gf V.ivian!

As for like. Irl me, it was love at first sight! I followed 16 really closely when it came out, literally bought a whole new console for it. I remember seeing V.ivian in the State of Play and having an *Oh.* moment.

But as for my S/I, she met V.ivian in the Hideaway after C.id and M.id saved her from the assassination plot in Kanver. I think that Ash was in the Hideaway pre-timeskip too, but she was always a little lonely. It was established that she likes to read and likes to study, but is a bit of a goofball too. She's very close with H.arpocrates and sees him as a grandpa!

But once the new Hideaway comes along, Ash hangs out in the Map Room with V.ivian! V.ivian is a little cold and stand-offish at first, but she had a soft spot for Ash. Ash had a passion for learning, and V.ivian had a passion for teaching.

I'm still deciding about this, but I was thinking that Ash isn't native to Valisthea. V.ivian helps explain things to her and it's not long before they're catching feelings. Ash is kinda characterized by being a bit of an awkward loser, but it's very obvious that she has it bad for V.ivian.

As a result of Ash's general nerdiness, she gets along very well with J.oshua! They're also the same age. She sees C.live as a big brother also.

Pretty much the whole Hideaway is in on it. There's actually a sidequest in which C.live helps Ash pick flowers for V.ivian!

(During that quest, Ash is a party member! She fights with two twin daggers and helped defend the first Hideaway as well. Her combat lines are quite funny.

"Can I say it, C.live?"

"Say what?"

Then she makes her voice all deep, putting on her best British accent.

"T.orgal! Kill!")

Asta frequently teases Ash about her crush on V.ivian too.

"Oh, but the Map Room is so dim! It's only you two there! Surely no one would notice if you leaned in and-"

Anyways, Ash and V.ivian begin to date during the game! V.ivian is a lot softer whenever Ash is around and has been shown to smile quite often around her. They're both people that have struggled to fit in with the world, but they find a home (a Hideaway, if you will BAHAHAHA) in each other. They're also just both total nerds that love studying together.

The Inner Thoughts in the DLC mention that V.ivian stays up very late studying, so Ash is always dragging her to bed and telling her to rest. V.ivian appreciates it a lot.

Ash's inner thoughts mention something about her not feeling like she deserves someone as great at V.ivian, but to V.ivian... Ash is just amazing. She's never quite been a jokester, but Ash's puns make her smile. She loves that happy look in Ash's eye whenever she finds a good book.

They're side characters so there's not too much going on, but you see their relationship blossom throughout the later part of the game and they're super cute methinks!

V.ivian N.inetales the woman of all time!

[swagobservationalpaca]

10 Love Secrets You Never Knew

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Still, Tutor said it's worth putting yourself out there because you never know who your perfect match might be. There now should be five bubbles in a ring with the sixth bubble pushed out to the front. Step 3: Fold the sixth bubble back to the first bubble and twist-lock, as shown. Step 5: Pinch and twist a round bubble. Step 4: Make an ear-twist on the second and fourth bubbles in the ring. When a goal is important, they will work hard to make it come true. The thoughts bounce around in our heads, but because we’re so internal, they don’t make it past our lips. If you don’t think about Miss Congeniality every April 25th, you will from now on. Charging a registration fee will help cover your costs - check out other speed dating events in your local area to see what they are charging as this will help you price your tickets. Check out the other Quilt Border Patterns. The Block Leaf Quilt Border Pattern makes a lovely, nature-inspired border for your quilt. Sew blocks together to needed lengths, alternating leaf angles to create pattern.

They would often paint the same location from different angles and discuss how they painted light and shadow. Step 1: Pour one cup of strong black coffee into each of two clear glass jars. Don't worry if it takes a try or two before your teddy bear looks right -- half the fun is in learning how to twist your way into this shape. The show had three seasons, though the first two seasons are probably the best. I try my best to follow them. Step 4: Use a food thermometer to check the temperature of the coffee in each jar. You'll use coffee to find the answer. We conducted an extensive search to find these sites to support your love quest. Love and War in Intimate Relation-ships: Connection, Disconnection, and Mutual Regulation in Couple Therapy, with coauthor Marion Solomon, available through W. W. Norton's Interpersonal Neurobiology Series. There are a couple of stories about where the hot dog did come from, but we're pretty certain it's Germany. In recent months "things have been heating up," the source says of the new couple. That, or they simply did not have the membership numbers to give you a worthwhile experience. Others, while fictional, spanned from periods as far back as the 2nd century to the time of Greek Gods to as recent as 2010. Many of those which were written a very long time ago have only recently popular because it was adapted into a blockbuster film or a television series, while there are others which will be remembered throughout history.

[sailorwritesstuff]

Poly! Marauders headcannons (gn)

James/Remus/Sirius/Lily x reader

Warnings: nothing really. Just me rambling on about the Marauders being great. edit: so many typos I couldn't go back and correct them all if I tried.

Tunes <3

Meeting:

You met the boys on the Hogwarts Express, first year.

You had been sitting alone as you had shown up early and in wonders a tall boy covered in scars around your age He looked absolutely nervous as he stuttered his way through sentences asking if he could sit with you

Nervously you just shake your little head yes and the two of you sit in silence until incomes another boy your age shorter and chubbier with sandy blonde hair who asks to sit with you as well.

You, Peter, and Remus sat reading books and talking lightly whenever the three if you could utter a word to each other

That is until you heard a rather large commotion coming from down the hallway of the train.

Two boys had been thrown out of their compartments for being rather rude.

When they stopped at your compartment The three of you frantically look at each other begging for one of you to tell them no

"hey can we sit with you every where else is full?"

However, after your train ride it wasn't often that you spoke with the group anymore for your first few years at Hogwarts.

Of course they all saw each other frequently as they became a friend group and infamous when at that

You first met Lily in the library your second year when you were needing help finding us specific book

"sorry dear the last copies already been checked out."

Little did you know Ms Lily Evans was coming to return the very book you were looking for.

In the two of you became study buddies occasionally.

Getting together:

You guys didn't ALL get together until your last year of Hogwarts.

James and Lily were the first two to get together in 6th year

While they were happy with each other Lily always jokingly referred to Sirius as James's boyfriend

To the Potter boy's surprise he didn't seem to mind it it made him feel warm inside

Sirius who was always quite open about his infatuation with People was the first to realize he liked all of you.

Lily had invited you to hang out with the others by the black lake so that you can make friends with her friends.

And wow laying there enjoying each other's companies Sirius couldn't help but wonder what it would be like if you could stay like that forever.

Unknowingly to everyone else Remus was also having this feeling. Except It freaked him out and he began separating from the group.

After coaxing Remus back into being comfortable with the group again so five of you fell into a comfortable rhythm for the rest of your sixth year

And when You left home for summer You all wrote each other picking up nicknames and terms of endearment for one another.

You didn't originally label what it was that you were you were kind of just a group of friends

Until school started back here 7th year and Sirius kissed you excitedly when he saw you on the train telling you how much you missed you.

Which caught you completely off guard

James and Lily looked on in jealousy.

And Remus suddenly found his shoes very interesting.

You all just sort of looked at each other

and then Lily stands up from her seat and walks in front of you perhaps your face and kiss to your mouth and pushes you over to James.

After kissing James he stood in front of Remus who still refused to look at you and push down his book with your finger

You gave him a cute smile and he blushes

Before receiving his kiss to.

No one at Hogwarts really reacted

You guys had been really close already now you just kind of kissed each other.

Cute scenarios:

Sirius likes to see everyone in his clothes (even Remus who is much larger than he is)

James writes really stupid poems They're not bad but he insists that he finds a way to rhyme your name with something

Lily loves helping all of you with your homework She likes looking at how your face is are different when you concentrate

James's eyebrows crease when he's thinking too hard

And Sirius clutches his jaw

And It wasn't often but Remus tapped his pencil when he couldn't understand something

Remus keeps journals of small details about all of you. Birthday, anniversaries, favorite color, favorite snacks, favorite drinks, cute things you do when you feel certain emotions, A description of how your laugh makes him feel.

It's totally cheesy and he never let any of the other boys see it.

He'd rather kiss a dementor

Sirius and James like to sneak into the kitchens to get food picnics. It could be for lunch It could be in at midnight in the astrology tower.

Picnics are their favorite thing to do with you guys.

Remus always scold them for it but no one takes them serious when he's trying to hide his smile terribly

Lily is a really good gift giver.

She plans months in advance.

And sometimes just randomly drops off cute things because she saw them and she thought of you

Study groups!! Where Lily and Remus give you kisses when you get questions right

James writes cute notes to you all every morning.

lily loves to play dress up. Putting you guys in cute outfits to take pictures on her muggle camera

Cuddle piles!!

They're so warm

And so wholesome

Even though sometimes a certain heir of the Black family gets a little handsy

JAMES TRIES TO LEAVE SO MUCH OF HIS GRYFFINDOR CLOTHES SO THAT ALL OF YOU CAN WEAR IT DURING QUIDDITCH MATCHES.

His spare jersey, his scarf, his robe

"I need you to keep it warm for me, Poppet"

He will pout at you if he finds out you where your own scarf to a match

So much hand holding.

Sometimes a random partner will just walk up and grab hold of your hand and you don't even flinch.

Usually you can tell who is who tho

James has very rough hands and they're large

but not as large as Remus whose fingers are covered in paper cuts but still soft

But not as soft as Lily whose hands are the smallest. They're cute and dainty and her nails are always painted red and you can feel the tip of them tap on your knuckles when she laces your hands together

Unlike Lily though Sirius' nails are always painted black. And his hand are firm. It's not his hands that usually tip you off it's the soft subtle smell of smoke coming from his clothes

All in all they really love you

and you really love them

and they really love each other.

Nicknames:

James calls:

You - love, poppet, darling, sweetcheeks

Lily- poppet, lily flower, Lily pad, baby, love

Sirius- babe, pads, padfood, darling, boyfriend number one

Remus- Mooney, honey, dear, boyfriend number two

Lily calls:

You- my love, beloved, sunshine

James- Darling, Jamesy

Sirius- Siri, Dear

Remus- Rem, moonshine

Sirius calls:

You- baby cakes, Angel, sweetheart

Lily- babygirl, sweet face, honey,

James- prongs, stud, Wonder Boy

Remus- Moons, Rem, Pops, big boy

Remus calls:

Firstly he's not one for nicknames

Lily- lils, darling

You- baby

Sirius- Re, Love, "the death of me"

James- Prongs, James.

If you're in a different house:

James places bets whenever your house is go up against each other in matches

You never sit at your own table, You always have a boyfriend come get you anytime you try.

Sneaking into the Gryffindor commons.

You know the password but shhh McGonagall isn't supposed to know

She does know she just doesn't care because you help keep them out of trouble

Lily tries to make friends with people in your house. Even If you're a Slytherin

So much PDA

Cuddles everywhere you can get them

Sometimes when you guys fall asleep hanging out you mix up ropes and ties

and so you'll walk around in the opposite houses robes

and no one will say anything

but everyone will snicker because it's quite obvious who's wearing who's robes.

Hogsmeads trips are like the best part of the year.

After school:

After you graduate you are moving together in a rather large house.

You all have your own room but you kind of all just dog pile in one room most of the time.

It always changes whos room you're in

James and Remus are banned from the kitchen.

Lily and Sirius are the more domestic type.

They do most of the cooking and cleaning.

Sirius doesn't work because he doesn't like it

But despite his inheritance James does work because he likes to be busy. Making him the one who brings in the most cash

Remus doesn't get many stable jobs due to his furry problem

But he does do small tasks here and there tutoring lessons, small cafe gigs, bartending, Even some muggle jobs.

Lily also works. A lower position at the ministry + working with the order.

Y/n stays home with Siriusto keep him out of trouble. And sells art from home.

(I imagine paintings but I know not everyone can paint)

He doesn't say it often but he enjoys having you around throughout the day.

He gets rather lonely very quickly

Like a dog

You will have matching rings.

They're simple bands black and a pale gold in color.

Eventually after you all set her down Lily gets pregnant.

And all of you are Estatic

Harry/kids:

When Lily has baby Harry She insisted he be born in a muggle hospital

She nearly killed James.

Screaming at him the entire time while he stood there pale in the face

"YOU DID THIS TO ME POTTER I KNOW IT WAS YOU THIS IS YOUR DEMON SEED-"

It was in fact his demon seed.

There was no denying that Harry was James's they looked almost identical except that he had Lily's eyes.

Really swore up and down that she wouldn't have another.

But honestly in a few years if one of you guys has to go a second round she would

But she would definitely get a C-section the second time.

Sirius is such a good father!!

STAY AT HOME DAD SIRIUS

James = dad

Lily = mum

Y/n= DeDe

Remus= Papa Remus

Sirius= pops

Sometimes when you're walking Harry around in the muggle world people always stop to ask if he's adopted.

The contrast between you two is just so odd

You share no features.

Remus is scared of baby Harry for the first year and a half of his life.

He refuses to hold the babies.

He scared he'll drop them.

But James and Sirius will toss the babies in between the two of them just to get a giggle from the little things

Lily is a wonderful mother.

Constantly keeping the boys from putting those poor babies on brooms.

Watching out for all sorts of mischief her partners could get into with the children.

Those kids are going to be the most loved individuals on the earth

[sehnsuchts-trunken]

Hi lovely! May i get a sapphic Tolkien(i know, not many options 😅) match up? I'm an nb person (they/them) in my 20s, petite with v pale complexion, long curly dark auburn hair and an ever changing fashion sense. I'm generally quite kind, empathetic and sensitive, a softie if you will, which has definitely gotten me into trouble before, resulting in a lot of anxiety and depression fun times.

I speak five languages, love learning about different cultures, and work as a translator and English teacher in my hometown, sometimes volunteering at a cat shelter.

I like reading, especially poetry, long walks and 'hardcore' music, but also more creative stuff like drawing, sewing, cooking, video editing and whatnot, as they say, jack of all trades, master of none lmao

I'm adaptable and known to get along very well with people who are basically my opposites as long as they're willing to understand me too and look for balance. My biggest flaws are probably my hypersensitivity and forgetfulness, and my love language is quality time.

Thank you sm, even if you don't end up answering this your matchups are so much fun to read!!💕

Have a wonderful day!

hello sweetie! so, since there’s literally only two female characters in the hobbit that play some kind of role and are shown for more than two seconds, i didn’t have many to pick, and out of tauriel and galadriel i ended up going with this one

I ship you with...

Tauriel!

- Tauriel is someone who is able to sense other’s emotion quite well, so she’s very good at handling people no matter how complicated they may seem or be. She knows your strengths and weaknesses and can balance them out wonderfully, knowing that you’re stunningly able to do the exact same the other way round. The two of you argue rarely because of that. You’re very empathetic, you’re patient with understanding her and her views even if they’re different from your own, and she returns the favour gladly. 

- You spend a lot of time together doing everything, anything and nothing at all. You do a lot of creative activities inside while she’s usually more out and about with Legolas, but both of you go out of your way to join the other quite frequently. Together you take many walks that sometimes end only when the sun begins setting, you often read books and poetry to her in more quiet moments, and you teach each other some of your favourite hobbies. While that means you get to learn how to wield a bow and ride a horse, she studies sewing and cooking and quickly finds her own joy in them. 

- Tauriel makes sure to take good care of you and always be there for you, especially when you’re feeling anxious or depressed. She knows that in your past you’ve had to battle both on your own, so now that she’s by your side she wants you to never have to go through that all alone again. In whatever situation that she senses your quickened pulse, she’ll intertwine your fingers and keep you close, wanting to let you feel the safety and security she can provide for you - a wall between you and the rest of the world, if you wish for it to be that way. 

- The fact that you’re so knowledgeable and educated in languages and cultures doesn’t scare her off in the slightest, rather, it intrigues her farther.  Whenever you’re travelling, she’ll ask about what you already know, and if there’s things you want to look into, she’ll gladly go searching for the books and scrolls and conversations you’ll need. When she knows you’re studying once again she’ll often request that you tell her about it, even if it’s just so she can listen to you ramble on and on about it. 

[rosesisupposes]

36. "they're monsters" w brotherly prinxiety?? -blink

@blinksinbewilderment I got carried away

Monsters

pairings: brotherly prinxiety (V is 17, Ro is 16); brotherly losleep (Rem is 18, Lo 16); brotherly moceit (Dee is 19, Pat is 15); background remceit

warnings: mentions of child abuse; allusions to smut (none shown); sympathetic Deceit

word count: 2,285

They never would have all met if it hadn’t been for their parents all moving into the same little cul-de-sac. One quiet street, out of the way of the major roads. Two children per family. Three pairs of siblings who were dichotomous in almost every way.

The first were Remy and Logan. The elder shrugged off concerns like water - other people’s concerns, that is, not his own. He had very few of his own. He slept in late and stayed up later, but managed to scrape together enough money from odd jobs for a motorcycle that he maintained with pride. When their parents complained about the noise or the mess, he’d just give them a look over his glasses and say, “I’ll handle it.”

Logan, the younger of that family, was never going to be allowed to be similarly lax. Their parents never said the words, but the current was there, under every encouragement to focus on his classes and to “make something of yourself.” Unlike your brother. Logan had already been inclined towards regimentation, towards strict study schedules and perfectly-arranged binders. But even still, he loved his brother with as much intensity as he failed to understand him, and struggled for the words to tell Mum and Dad. Remy spent more and more hours out of the house, especially once he hit 18. Logan, only two years younger, was frequently assumed to be the elder as he held in his (to him) incomprehensible frustrations and wore ties as a high-schooler.

Remy found friends and kindred spirits in his neighbors. Dee, who refused to use either his full name or the dreaded “Junior.” Dee who was his own person, not just the copy of the father who’d left them. Dee, whose facial scars held a story locked behind a sneer and sarcasm. Only a year older than Rem and even more independent from his mom. Remy asked once why he hadn’t moved out yet. Dee went silent, and finally said a single word in reply: “Patty.”

Four years his junior, Patton also appeared to be an opposite of his brother. Where Dee had gone closed off and secretive, Patton was open and emotive. He scattered affection wherever he went, to almost everyone he met. To Dee’s smirk, Pat had a smile. A perpetual smile. An unflinching smile. Only 15 and trying to take care of everyone - his friends, his classmates, the stray cats he was allergic to, even his mother. Which is why Dee stayed, no matter what. No kid should have to take care of his parent, no sweet boy should have to swallow his own feelings to try to make his mom less volatile. So Dee worked as a bar back, as a waiter, as anything that would hire him as he saved and saved to get them both out.

Pat didn’t want to know, didn’t want to think about the implications of their family. So he didn’t know. He just knew his best friends, the boys who lived on either side of his house and who were only a year older. Lolo, who needed someone to make him laugh (even when he pretended not to). And Roro, who needed company.

Roman loved performing for his friends and the audience for the drama club. He was a great student when he could get himself to focus, but thrived on hands-on work and presentations, not long lectures or silent exams. His legs jiggled and bounced through classes as he tried to pay attention, all too frequently getting a talking-to from teachers who saw only that he sometimes succeeded, proof, of course, that his failure to do so consistently was just ‘laziness.’ But he took all too much after his parents, pure extroverts whose jobs brought them out of the house night after night. Leaving the house echoing and empty except for his older brother, Virgil.

Virgil was only a year older, but he might as well been from another planet. He was the lone introvert in the family, unable to mingle easily for hours as his family did. Unable to show affection in his preferred ways (a favorite snack, a small gift) and have his family understand it. And so he retreated more and more into himself, seeing himself as the odd one out, the one who didn’t belong. Not like Roman, their parents’ little prince.

Virgil had met the other older brothers on the cul-de-sac by chance as he’d stopped to admire Remy’s motorcycle. Remy, emerging from the garage, didn’t give him time to flee in shame before striking up a conversation and bragging about the repairs and enhancements he’d made. Dee had shown up the minute he was out of school, taken one look at Virgil’s dark clothes and messy eyeliner, and had immediately accepted the slightly-younger boy as part of the group.

The groups moved in parallel, never touching, just rotating from school to house, and the occasional jaunt to town if the licensed among them could be cajoled. Three older brothers and three younger looked across and saw an insurmountable gap. Three sets of siblings looked over and thought, “He’ll never understand me.”

It was a balance, of sorts. Until the scales shifted one day, as Virgil came home from school. He walked past Remy’s garage to see the bike outside, by itself, and the door mostly closed. He frowned, knowing how protective Rem was of his ‘baby.’ Pushing through the door, he immediately blanched and jumped back outside. Rem and Dee were inside, furiously making out against the garage wall.

“Oh fuck, was that Vee?” Rem’s voice asked

“Yeah, think so.”

“Sorry, Vee!”

“No you’re not,” Dee said, and Virgil could hear the smirk.

“No, I’m not,” Remy agreed.

“S’alright,” Virgil said through the door. “Not like this is a surprise.”

“…really?” Dee asked.

“I’m rolling my eyes at you,” Virgil told his friend, still not looking. “It’s been painfully obvious to everyone but you. Patton knew, and asked me about it, two months ago.”

“Oh,” Remy said softly. “I didn’t even know that long ago, not consciously at least.”

Virgil heard a muffled gasp that was definitely another kiss and straightened. “I’m gonna just go. You two have fun or whatever. Use protection.”

He trudged home, fighting the lump in his stomach. Of course he was happy for his two best friends. They deserved to be happy, and they’d been making googly eyes behind each other’s backs for months. He was happy they had each other, and knew they deserved privacy while it was so new. He’d be fine on his own. That’s what being an introvert meant, right?

Except that as he walked into his house, he realized the trio of younger brothers had picked this house as their hangout of choice today. Chatter echoed around the corner from the living room, punctuated with laughter. Virgil suddenly felt even more alone than he had walking over. He tried to make it to the stairs without being noticed, but apparently the snacks ran out at that very moment. Patton came around the corner, head turned as he grinned at his unseen friends around the corner. Turning, he suddenly caught sight of Virgil and stopped.

“Oh! I didn’t know you were home! Are we intruding?”

“Uh, nah, I just got here. ‘s fine, I’ll just be upstairs…”

“No, please, you should join us! I’m sure Ro and Lo won’t mind!” Patton said brightly.

“I don’t think…” Virgil started, but Patton had already grabbed his arm and started tugging him towards the living room.

“Look who I found!” he announced.

Logan was sitting sensibly on the couch, while Roman sprawled on the floor, surrounded by cardboard and fabric that was being coming into life as a posh umbrella, a prop for an upcoming play. Both young men looked up as Patton entered. Logan’s face was impassive, but Roman’s showed clear confusion.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, curious with an edge of defensiveness.

“Just home early,” Virgil said, not making eye contact. “I was just gonna go upstairs-”

“No, then you’d be alone! We can’t let that happen!” Patton insisted.

“Why not?” Roman and Virgil asked in unison. Virgil looked over to see his brother looking away from Patton’s frown, his chin raised in defiance.

“Patton, I appreciate it, but you don’t have to include me just because I’m friends with your brother. Y’all just hang out, I’ll leave you to it.”

Roman seemed ready to let him leave, but then sighed and deflated. “No, you should stay. We were just about to order pizza. Mom and Dad texted that it’s a silent auction night. There’s no other food.”

“I can order something on my own-” Virgil offered.

“It’s fine,” Roman said, cutting him off. “We can save the drivers a trip from town.”

“That’s very sensible,” Logan said with approval. “We’ll be sure to tip well, regardless.”

“Oh, good,” Virgil said, perching on the top of the couch. “They deserve it, living in the capitalist hellscape.”

Logan’s eyes alit. “I was just reading a comparison piece on tipping culture of the US versus other similar countries, it was fascinating…”

The two went off on matching rants, leaving Patton and Roman on the floor to continue assembling props. “Why didn’t you want him to stay?” Patton murmured quietly, when he was sure the other two wouldn’t hear.

“We don’t- we don’t do things together,” Roman said, tweaking a bit of lace back and forth until it was just so. “He hates the whole family, he avoids us constantly. If he wasn’t talking to our resident nerd, I’m sure he’d resent being dragged in.”

“But aren’t your parents gone, like, all the time?” Patton asked, arranging fabric around a parasol handle. He wasn’t quite as precise as Roman, but his eye for color was perfect.

“Yeah. Just shows that he’s avoiding me. I’m pretty sure he’s gonna move out the minute he turns 18.”

“I thought that about Dee, and he didn’t!” Patton pointed out with a bright smile.

“…wasn’t there a reason for that, Patty?” Roman said very quietly.

Patton’s smile wavered.  “I wonder why Virgil isn’t with him and Remy today,” he said instead of answering.

Virgil heard the last part of that sentence. “They’re uh. Busy today.”

“Busy?” Logan asked. To his surprise, Virgil’s dark cheeks turned the slightest bit pinker.

“Uh, yeah. They were… going to a thing together. 18 plus only.”

“That sounds fun,” Patton offered. “Too bad you couldn’t join them, Virge! Next year, maybe?”

“I hope not,” Virgil muttered under his breath. Speaking up, he asked, “Uh, were y’all gonna order pizza?”

“Yes indeed, thank you for the reminder,” Logan said, picking up his phone. “What do we want?”

“Not pineapple,” Virgil and Roman said at the same time. They briefly made eye contact, small smiles flashing across their faces for a moment.

“But I love pineapple pizza,” Patton said, pouting.

Roman immediately relented, unable to resist Patton’s puppy-dog eyes. “Half with and half without, then?”

“Sounds adequate,” Logan said with a small smirk. “I’m sure one of these days, you’ll even follow through on your dire threats against those of us with better taste, Roman.”

Roman turned to his friend and stuck out a tongue. “No one asked you, Tech-It Ralph!”

Virgil pulled out his phone, making it clear he could occupy himself. He was still an outsider here, when the three of them were so close. Brief conversations with Logan aside, he was still one of the older brothers, not part of the group. As Logan got drafted into helping with props, he was left alone on the couch. And that was fine, and to be expected. He was only still here because food hadn’t arrived yet.

When the doorbell finally rang, Logan, the only one able to calculate a tip in his head, answered the door cordially and accepted the delicious-smelling box. He set it down in the kitchen, fixing Roman with a look from a full room away that made Roman sheepishly leave his crafts in the living room. Virgil grabbed a plate, ready to take a piece and vanish upstairs. But Patton had other plans. He patted the seat next to him with a smile.

“Sit here, Virge! I’ve got Roman on my right, I can be in a brother sandwich!”

“I was just gonna-”

“No buts except for the one you put in this seat!” Patton said, smiling brightly.

“It’s best to admit defeat now,” Logan commented drily, sitting across from Patton on Roman’s right. “Once he’s picked you as a target for affection, there’s no escape.”

Virgil conceded and sat. He grabbed a slice of pineapple-free pizza and folded it over, biting from the side. He looked up to see Logan staring.

“What?”

“I… it runs in the family, apparently.”

“What does?”

“That odd way you eat your pizza.”

Virgil looked across the table to see Roman holding his slice identically, while both Patton and Logan held the crust.

Roman blinked, then spoke loftily. “That’s because Virgil and I were raised with class, and eat our pizza in the proper manner.”

“Sorry, kiddo, I think you’re the odd ones out here!” Patton said with a giggle. “Both our families eat pizza like this and like pineapple.”

“Can you believe this?” Roman squawked indignantly.

“They’re monsters,” Virgil said, shaking his head solemnly. He made eye contact with his younger brother, and tried out a small smile.

To his surprise and delight, Roman returned it. “They really are, brother mine.”

And, well. That wasn’t going to fix everything strained and tense in their family, wasn’t going to make them best of friends overnight.

But it was a start.

taglist: @residentanchor @royally-anxious @bewarethegrammarpolice  @jemthebookworm @arandompasserby  @sparkly-rainbow-salt @astral-eclipse​ @thelowlysatsuma @adorably-angsty @max-is-tired @almostoveranalyzed @potestessemagishomosexualitatis @hawthornshadow @mariniacipher 

[jugandbettsdetectiveagency]

Jug finally revealing how he feels about himself to Betty and Betty showing him her scars and what she does to herself was beyond emotional, Juggie completely bare without his crown and it really made for an intimate moment. It's obviously shown they're growing together as a couple and if it's not too much maybe you could write about them having their first time that night of his birthday, the both of them keeping each other's insecurities in mind.

bugheadisperfection: I was wondering if after Jughead kisses her hands and Betty kisses him and she pulls away he kisses her again, but a little more roughly and passionately and later on they go back to her house and snuggle and fall asleep in each other’s arms? Neck kisses too please!

I combined quite a few prompts for this one! I also saw @lostinafictionaluniverse and @jandjsalmon tag me in something to do with Juggie acknowledging Betty’s crown sweater and realising what that means so I’ve included that in here too. I hope you enjoy, sorry it’s been a while since my last fic!

Warning: starts off a bit angsty and then all the smut at the end.

Betty sucked in a sharp breath as she watched Jughead press his cool lips against her trembling hands. The simple gesture was everything. It was him, despite his every worry and every fear, telling her that her imperfections were alright. It was him telling her that he accepted her for what she was, still felt the same way about her as he did before, despite her flaws. All the oxygen left her lungs as the realisation hit her full force. She looked at his soft features, illuminated by the bright neon light of Pop’s sign, heart clenching at the deepening bruise around his eye and the dark gash on his cheekbone. He was still here, he’d heard it all and he was still here. His eyes glanced up, meeting hers with a gentle uncertainty, down-turned at the corners as he tried to absorb as much of her pain through his touch as he could.

It felt like a magnetic pull, bringing her towards him. It had felt like a subtle shift in her centre of gravity at first, tilting her slightly off balance as she tried to find her bearings once more. An almost nonexistent buzzing just under the surface of her skin, so calming that she hadn’t even realise it was there, that he was the cause. And then he’d kissed her and everything exploded. The buzzing turned into full fledged vibrations, taking over her entire frame until she couldn’t think straight. Then the dust settled and everything was better. Everything was brighter, more focused, in a way she had never imagined before. What she’d felt for Archie, she realised, hadn’t even scratched the surface.

But the brightness had only made the darkness more noticeable in comparison. Not more frequent, not more intense, just an ever-present clouding around her peripherals, threatening to engulf her as it always did - now with far worse consequences, she had thought. She’d almost experienced, first hand, what it would be like to have everything taken away and never wanted that feeling, that suffocating void, to flood her again. Her eyes flicked to his lips, set in a frown and slightly chapped as he let out a deflating sigh. She drifted forward, unable to resist placing a hard, bruising kiss against his mouth, trying to tell him everything she was sorry for, everything she was grateful for - she needed him to know that he could have all of her, as much as he wanted for as long as he would have her. She settled against his shoulder, revelling in the feeling of being encircled in his warm embrace as she played sleepily with the fingers holding hers.

Betty knew they needed to say more - that she needed to say more. She cursed her mother in that moment for every doubt she placed into her head. She knew she trusted Jughead with everything she had, always would. He was a part of her, mind and body. Oh… The realisation sent a jolt though her tired frame, simmering beneath the skin like a thousand tiny flames, lighting her up with an unfamiliar heat that she’d never experienced before. She was ready to giver her all to this boy, she was so sure that it hurt. She took a deep breath, trying to release some of the tightness in her chest, slow her pounding heart, as she lay, stone still, in his embrace.

“Juggie, I’m sorry. I didn’t say it before but I truly am,” she whispered, feeling his head turn to gaze down at her but not moving to meet his eyes, unsure that she’d be able to stomach the open sincerity she knew she’d find there. “You were right… what you said about me trying to prove something. But… it wasn’t for Archie or for anyone,” she swallowed, choking out the words as she closed her eyes against the image of Jughead’s face as he’d spat the accusations at her, fingers closing a little tighter around his hands as they barred her fingernails from piercing the delicate flesh of her palms. A shaky breath flew from her lips as she tried to fight past her every insecurity, give herself up to him completely. “It was for myself, I didn’t believe in me. I… I didn’t believe that I could be anything less that perfect, that I wasn’t allowed. Here I was, finally happy with the way some parts of my life were turning out. I had you,” her voice trembled, pitch rising, thick with tears. She felt his heart thudding erratically beneath her ear. She used every last inch of her power to will him to stay. “And we w-were us, it was supposed to be perfect.” She breathed the word, cringing at her own use of the curse. But that’s what she’d realised - she spent so long resisting the label of perfect that in order to make herself something else it was exactly what she had tried to become. The perfect back alley investigator, the perfect sleuthing journalist, the perfect girlfriend to the boy she felt rebellious for dating. “It was so unexpected, so out of the blue - Betty and Jughead. It felt like everything that wasn’t supposed to happen but I needed it. I was proving to myself that I was good at being everything I wasn’t meant to be. And I used you to do it. But…” This was it, it was coming out and she couldn’t stop it. “I love you, Jughead,” she breathed, tension snapping in her chest like an elastic band. Her whole body felt like it was free falling and it was the most exhilarating sensation, she didn’t want it to end. “And I don’t want us to be together for any other reason than we make each other happy,” she finished, voice hard with the firmest conviction she could muster.

Jughead was tense beneath her. She held her breath as she waited, for what felt like an eternity, for his reply. He slipped his hands from hers, moving them to her shoulders to pull her back and force her eyes, swimming with unshed tears, to his. Adrenaline coursed through her veins, cheeks flaming, as she waited for his inevitable rejection. But at least she’d said it now, she wouldn’t regret it. He took a breath, closing his eyes for the briefest of moments. When he opened them again their blue was so deep she felt like she was drowning.

“Betty… Betts, I didn’t mean what I said to you, those things in Archie’s garage. I-I know I told you I was scared of getting hurt, for being who I am. I didn’t tell you that I was scared of who I am. I was trying to pass a shitty hand off as a full house and I thought I was getting away with it. I kissed you and you smiled. We were investigating Jason’s murder and writing for The Blue and Gold and it was enough to silence every tiny voice in the back of my head telling me that it was all one big shitty joke, that I couldn’t have this. Everyone gets left behind, everyone leaves. I was scared that I would be the one to leave you, it’s practically in my genetics,” he scoffed, rolling his eyes. “You don’t need the burden that I could place on your shoulders, so if I could make you leave me it wouldn’t be as bad.” He rolled his bottom lip between his teeth, force leaving stark white lines on his already pallid skin, disappearing as fast as they appeared.

Betty didn’t know when the tears had begun to fall. She reached up with shaking hand, thumbs skimming his cheeks, to card her fingers through his dark waves, finally free from behind his armour. His eyes slid shut once more, sighing in foreign contentment as she eased the ache building up in his skull. He startled as he felt soft lips press against one eyelid and then the other, corners of his lips tilting up in mild amusement. Her voice brought him back to the present.

“You said it yourself, Jug. We are not our parents,” she whispered, the soft spoken words glinting with a sharper edge. “You should believe in yourself as much as I believe in you,” she said, smile creeping into her voice as she thought of all the times he pulled her back from the edge. She pressed a hand against his chest, as if she was checking he was really there. He huffed out a laugh through his nose, eyes settling on her fingertips, following the line of her arm. His eyes came to rest on the bright yellow crown emblazoned on her chest. His smile widened as he reached out a tentative finger to run across the fabric.

“I never told you how much I liked this,” he mumbled, looking at her sweater with mirth in his eyes. He like this side of Betty, her playful side. It was all too frequently hidden away. He looked at his signature, prominently displayed across her front, the realisation knocking him back. She’d put it there, it was her choice. His head spun with its every connotation, he couldn’t help but feel the swell in his chest at the idea of other people looking at it and just knowing.

“I’m yours, Juggie,” she murmured, looking up at him bashfully from beneath thick eyelashes, crystal tear drops still clinging to a stray few. Her thudding heart suddenly made him aware of the positioning of his palm, pressed against her breasts, covering the crown with slightly curled fingers. A scarlet blush bloomed across his cheeks, mouth going dry as he attempted to pull his hand away. She was quicker, placing her own palm over the back of his hand, pushing firmly, keeping him against her. The green of her eyes deepened as she leaned forwards once more, capturing his lips, chests pressed close together, joint hands wedged in between.

Betty gasped against his lips as one kiss turned into two, three, four, Jughead lifting his free hand to the back of her neck, fingers slipping slightly into the tight hair of her ponytail to scratch against her scalp. Her open lips allowed him to swipe his tongue along the inside of her lower lips, eliciting delicate whimpers that he swallowed down like the sweet milkshake abandoned on the table before them. Her hand grasped at his denim-clad bicep, willing him ever closer to her every inch, their proximity never enough to quench the flames of desire that burned in the pit of her stomach. He groaned, the sound erupting from the depths of his chest, as she sucked gently on the tip of his tongue inside her mouth, tasting the remnants of the chocolate ice cream that still lingered there. He pulled away, mind dizzy, to rest his forehead against hers, breath coming in heaving gasps. The sound of the bell above Pop’s door alerted him to their surroundings, the diner all but a faded memory until then, fresh heat coming up to join his already flushed cheeks.

“We should probably…” he breathed, unsure of what he was suggesting to her. He felt Betty nod instantly against him, breath just as ragged as his own.

“We should,” she replied, not knowing what she was agreeing to but agreeing none the less. It didn’t matter, she just knew that she wanted to. She took his hand, pulling him from the booth and not letting go as they began the walk home.

He stood before the Cooper residence, unsure of what was going to happen next but still entirely unwilling to drop her hand. He could feel the tiny, rough edges of her fresh crescent scars rubbing against the smooth skin of his palm, spurring him to grip all the more tightly. They stood before each other, easy silence settling over them, their faces a reflection of timid smiles. Neither made to move, to break the trance that had seemingly swept them up on the sidewalk.

“Do you…” Betty began, pressing her lips shut as he raised an eyebrow at her in question, waiting for her to find the words to continue. “Would you come inside?” she asked eventually, words laden with hints of promise. A fine sweat broke out over Jughead’s entire body, cooling quickly in the frosty night air and making him shiver. Anticipation and nerves fought for dominance as she stared at him with wide, probing eyes. He swallowed, focusing on the way her hand felt in his.

“I want to,” he began, nodding his head in the barest of movements. “I do want to. Betty…” She silenced his concerns with a teasing kiss, lacing it with every intention she had, that she hoped to give him. He pulled back with a chuckle. As much as he’d like to just lose himself in Betty Cooper he’d made a promise with himself to talk, to use his words with her from now until forever. “I want everything with you, Betty. I just need to know that you’re sure, that it’s not just because of everything that happened tonight. Because we’re both scared…” he trailed off, brow furrowed. His fingers twitched by his side, aching to touch every inch of her, to know every part of her inside and out. She smiled easily, caressing his cheek with the lightest of touches.

“It is because of everything that happened tonight. But only because that has made me realise that this? This is everything I’m ever going to want. That we know each other completely. I want to feel it, Jughead. I’ve never been more sure.” He studied her eyes, nothing but clear, and nodded, firmer this time.

“Me too.”

An entirely new feeling coiled like a spring low in Jughead’s stomach as she led him up the stairs, walking him into her room with her bottom lip tucked between her teeth, half hiding her pretty smile. He cupped her face, coaxing the plump flesh back out so he could capture it with his own in a series of light, tender kisses. Betty left out a soft moan as his hands travelled down the slope of her neck, tilting her head to give him more access as his mouth followed, planting butterfly kisses along the almost translucent skin, breathing in deeply as he became drunk on the warm scent of strawberries that rose from her being. Her fingers clutched at his hips, spurring him to seal his mouth over her pulse point and suck gently. He smiled against her neck as he felt her pulse flutter, breath leaving her lips in a shaky gasp.

Betty walked them backwards, pushing his jacket off his shoulders and letting it fall discarded in a heap to the floor, until her legs hit the edge of the mattress. She broke away from him to crawl to the centre of her bed, sitting back on her knees and beckoning him towards her with soft eyes. He slipped off his boots and slid next to her, not sure of his next move, whether he wanted to do everything or nothing at all. His fingers flexed around empty air, catching her eye as she moved to a stroke a soothing hand through his hair once more. They were both damaged, both fractured, building up so many layers of protection around their hearts that is seemed impossible to break through. But here, in this moment, Jughead could feel the constant glow that poured from ever fibre of Betty’s being melt away the cold, hard wax of his facade. She pushed him back with steady hands until his head was resting against her pillow, her sheets wrapping him in the comforting scent he had grown to love. She draped herself along his side, following his descent until she could rest her lips over his, drawing out long, languid kisses as a more confident hand came up to push her hips harder against his own. A low growl that surprised even himself left his lips as her thigh brushed intoxicatingly against the slowly forming bulge in his pants.

Betty sat back, now straddling one of his thighs, chest heaving deliciously in front of Jughead’s face for just a moment as his tongue came out to wet his lips subconsciously. She ran the pads of her fingers down his clothed chest, eliciting a shiver that ran straight down his slightly bowed spine. She regarded the layers covering the boy below her. She knew how heavily he relied on swathing himself in a thick fabric of armour, never letting anyone get close to his surface without pulling away, shutting down. She needed him to know that it was okay to bare themselves completely before one another, happy to take the first step if it would tip them over the threshold. Steeling her nerves, teetering on the edge of excitement, she dropped her hands to the hem of her shirt, ready to pull it and the sweater off in one fluid movement. His firm gaze on her every movement incited a confidence in her, flinging the bundle of fabric in her hands onto the floor to join his jacket. High on exhilaration her hands went to the clasp at the middle of her back.

Jughead leaned up, hands gripping her wrists as he halted her actions. Her chest deflated, eyes looking everywhere but into his as she crossed her arms protectively over her front. His eyes widened at her distress, peppering kisses over her cheeks, neck, shoulders, anywhere his mouth could reach as he tried to reassure her.

“I just wanted to say, before anything else happens, I need you to know that what you said earlier… I do too. I lo-” She cut him off with a hard kiss.

“I don’t need you to say it right now, Jug. If you feel like you have to because…” she trailed off, gesturing between them. His expression remained determined as he placed both of his hands on her shoulders.

“I love you, Betty Cooper. Every inch, every flaw. Whether we’re in a booth at Pop’s or… in your bed,” he laughed, innocent embarrassment colouring his cheeks as she giggled prettily from her place in his lap, utterly dishevelled and the picture of everything but innocence. “I know, for sure, that I love you,” he finished as happy tears trembled along her waterline, fingers caressing his cheeks. He turned his head, picking up her wrist and placing a feather-light kiss against the veins near the surface. He continued his actions, pressing further kisses to each and every one of the scars that had found home on her palms, promising her, and himself, through his lips that he would do everything in his power to get her through this. His hands slipped down her arms, coming to rest at the opening of her bra. His eyes met hers, shy but sure. She nodded, taking a breath as she felt his fingers fumbling with the foreign object a few times until eventually the elastic slackened, straps falling down her arms and bringing the lace cups tumbling to their laps.

Jughead held her gaze for a while longer as new parts of Betty’s body were revealed in his peripheries. Dropping his eyes he finally took in her bare chest, at a loss for a moment as to what to do with the perfection that was presented before him. He’d never understood the fascination his male classmates seemed to have with female breasts, but watching Betty’s shift slightly with each anticipatory breath she took, bare from the waist up, sitting in his lap… he wished he could capture the image forever. His hand moved up, skimming the smooth skin of her waist with backs of his fingers, to pull the band out of her hair, letting it fall in loose waves over her shoulders. It framed her face, shining silver in the dim moonlight that crept through her curtains, transforming her into the picture of ethereal. Jughead smoothed down some of the silken strands, smiling as she leaned her head into his touch slightly. This was his Betty, without the intruding barrier of perfection, free from the cloying restraint of expectation. She was simply here, looking like something altogether new, yet intensely familiar. She was home. His hand drifted lower, cupping the firm mound of her breast, delighting in the sounds of her pleasurable moans that filled his ears while he squeezed softly, testing the new waters. He did it again, wanting nothing more than to keep those sounds a permanent fixture in his head, hips jerking upwards as a well-positioned swipe of his thumb across her hardened nipple had her body circling against his lap.

Jughead took a steadying breath, trying to calm the overstimulating sensitivity of his skin at her every movement, knowing that he wanted this experience to last for as long as he was capable. He leaned towards her, focusing all of his attention on Betty in an attempt to steady himself, leaving a trail of wet, open-mouthed kisses along her sternum as she cupped the back of her head, forcing him closer towards her until he was gasping for air. He wanted to reach more, to uncovered everything. With a firm hand on her back he twisted them, both giggling at the uncoordinated fumblings of inexperience while limbs tangled ungracefully, until she was laid out before him, golden halo splayed around her on the white sheets. Trembling fingers trailed down her stomach, muscles clenching as he made his way closer to the waistband of her jeans. Betty licked her lips, glossing them with moisture, highlighting their already swollen appearance, as she raised her hips in silent permission. Every motion was slow, popping the button, pulling down the zipper, the first glance of the periwinkle blue of her underwear… Jughead shook his head, trying not to get lost in the thoughts of what hid beneath. Sensing his hesitation Betty took control, pulling the denim over her hips, shimming them down her legs until she could kick them off her ankles. The room felt overwhelmingly hot as Jughead took in the sight before him, a sight that only he was allowed to see. Miles of smooth, tanned skin. Sheer panties settled neatly against her hips. Her legs fell open slightly under his gaze, inviting him to move closer.

He couldn’t bring himself to cover up the view with his own body to kiss her lips, choosing instead to drop sweet kisses over her neck, her breasts, her stomach. The bottom edge of his lower lip caught on the waistband of her panties as he dipped even lower, pressing one last kiss above her heated flesh. Her thighs rubbed together beneath him, fingers grasping at the sheets as she waited for his next move. He was aware that she was almost fully naked beneath his clothed body, needing to make this moment about her more than himself, needing to feel her come undone. Betty knew, out of the two of them, he was feeling more vulnerable in this position than her, in this moment. He sat back, hands resting either side of her waist. She picked one up, fingers cool against his feverish skin, bringing it to rest against her core tentatively. His fingers twitched as they met damp fabric, Betty’s thighs widening slightly at the sensation, breathy whine leaving her throat. Jughead’s head snapped up at the noise, focusing intently on the way her eyelids fluttered closed and she repeated the sinful sound once more as he pressed his fingers more firmly against her centre. Her entire frame shook as he circled his fingers over the bundle of nerves at her core, another rush of wetness against his hand sending sparks throughout his body, making him even more aware of the desperately growing pressure straining against his zipper. Something snapped inside of him, surging up to press his lips against hers, deep groan rising from his chest as he sent every emotion inside of him into her, tongue delving into her mouth as his fingertips left bruising impressions in her skin, clinging to her body for dear life.

The dam was broken, there was no turning back. His hips thrust into hers wildly, gasping into her mouth, stealing air from her lungs to breath, as he tried to ground himself on this crashing tide. He tugged at his shirt, getting it stuck over his head as they struggled to get the offending item off between their closely connected bodies. His jeans followed, moving back from her embrace for what felt like too long to kick the garment away before falling back into her welcoming arms, now just the thin fabric of her panties and his boxers separating them. Jughead stilled, hot breath fanning over her chest as he brought himself back from the edge. Her hands were against his back, drawing small circles over the flushed skin as she waited for him to come back to her, patient and understanding. She’d made him completely forget himself, made him throw his vulnerabilities to the wind as the only thought he could discern was the need to be connected to her, as close as he could get, before his heart gave out. It was primal, an instinct he’d never known before, to protect her and be protected in return. There was nothing that had ever come close to this feeling - he didn’t think it ever would. He could feel her heat against the front of his underwear, drawing him closer.

“Are you alright, love?” she whispered against the shell of his ear, voice soothing and controlled. His huffed out a laugh, brushing his nose against the dip in her collarbone, following it with a lingering kiss. It was incredible, she was incredible. She could make him forget and find himself all in one moment, emerging a new, better version of himself, deep blue cracks filling up with her golden glow. He moved to rest his forehead against hers.

“Yeah… yes,” he whispered, dropping his lips over hers once more. She fiddled with the elastic at his hips, leg hitching higher to wrap around his thigh, eliciting a shaky exhale from the boy above her. “I love you,” he told her again, just because he could, because the world needed to hear it. She grinned, bright smile illuminating the darkened room for him.

“Good,” she replied, cheeky smirk slipping onto her face as he laughed at her antics. She would always know what he needed. Her eyes lost their teasing as he hooked his fingers around her panties, dragging them slowly down her body. He could finally take her all in now, spread out before him, sneaking a glance at her most sensitive areas before his mind could short-circuit at the overwhelming vision that was Betty Cooper’s naked body. His hands moved to his own underwear, removing them while still high on the view she presented. They were equals now, he felt it. All barriers torn down, all secrets uttered. He finally felt at one with another person, ready to meet her at every step of the way. Her eyes crept over his exposed body - that’s what he was now, fully exposed, and he wasn’t afraid. Her hand rest on his hip, fingers drifting over the clenching muscles of his abdomen as they moved to trail down the dark hair below his navel. He captured both her hands in his, unsure if he could stand any more of her delicate touches, bringing them to his lips to place an all too familiar kiss against her knuckles before locking their fingers together above her head. Their bodies aligned perfectly, each curve fitting like pieces of a long lost puzzle. Jughead suddenly started, cheeks darkening.

“I, uh… I don’t have protection,” he stuttered out, still an inexperienced teenage boy despite his newfound freedom. She hushed his worries, wrapping her legs around his hips.

“It’s okay. Mom put me on birth control the second she found out about us, after Polly…” she trailed off, squirming as she remembered the conversation. Jughead’s blush travelled to the tips of his ears as he thought about Alice Cooper discussing their, until now non-existent, sex life. He went to protest further but she cut him off with a roll of her hips. “And I’ll go to the pharmacy in the morning, don’t worry. I don’t want this to stop,” she added, pupils blown wide with desire, conscious of every sensation that was coursing through her body. Jughead searched the sincerity in her eyes, blinking up at him with nothing but trust, and he nodded.

“Okay,” he whispered, lining himself up against her entrance, biting his lip at the feeling of her wetness nudging up against his tip. He took a deep breath, calming himself down before tilting his hips forwards just an inch. Her body tensed beneath him and he stilled, eyes glued to her features, taking in her pinched brow and pursed lips. “Do you need me to stop?” he managed to get out, every muscle in his body tight. She shook her head instantly, angling her hips up to find a more comfortable position.

“No, just go slow,” she reassured, pulling him in to kiss her in distraction as her walls stretched around him. His hips finally pressed flush with hers, nothing but the sound of heavy breathing surrounding them as he waited for her direction. “You can move now,” she murmured a while later, shifting her hips experimentally.

He knew nothing would compare to the feeling of being inside her as he pulled his hips back before pushing in again, starting off slowly before he couldn’t take it any longer, skin slapping against skin in a newfound frenzy. She was gasping and trembling beneath him, fingernails digging into his biceps as he picked up his pace, still messy and uneven. He knew he wasn’t going to last long, trying with everything he could muster to stave off the inevitable as she clenched deliciously around him. A fine sheen of sweat was coating the both of them and Jughead dipped his head to lick a few rogue drops from between the valley of her breasts, eliciting even more despicable sounds from the beauty that had taken him into her body, her heart.

He didn’t want to reach the end without her, slowing his thrusts as best he could so he could bring her to the edge, trailing a hand between them to rub small quick circles over her clit with his thumb. It was slippery and he was uncoordinated, hands shaking with the effort to hold himself back, but he needed to give her everything she deserved. He found a rhythm eventually, pride blossoming in his chest as he felt her respond to his every touch, bottom lip tucked between her teeth, head thrown back, thighs quivering, soft whimpers drifting through the thick air.

His hand was cramping, his forearms weak, but he was determined to get her there before he finished. Her bruised lips dropped open and her back bowed in a perfect arch, breath stopping altogether as her pleasure crested, reaching the peak before exploding behind her closed eyelids in waves that consumed her. He couldn’t hold off any longer, planting both hands by her head as he fell over the precipice with her, keeping his eyes open, afraid to miss a single second of the expressions dancing across her features.

He collapsed on top of her, too tired to hold himself up anymore after the nights events. How far they’d come, he thought with an internal laugh, enjoying the feeling of her arms encircling his body, her heart thumping against his ear. He didn’t realise he was crying until small fingers were wiping beneath his eyes.

“Shh, it’s alright, Juggie. I’ve got you,” she soothed, pressing tiny kisses to the top of his head as he tried to catch his breath. She tucked him close once he finally found the energy to lift himself off her, resting her chin on top of his head as their legs tangled together beneath the sweat-dampened sheets.

Nothing was perfect, it was never going to be. But as she held him tightly against her warm body, humming soft melodies into his ear as they drifted into slumber, he couldn’t help but think this was pretty damn close.