The blankets did little to provide additional warmth to my shivering body, scrunched helplessly with my knees to my chest. The morning light seemed desolate, despite hitting various gloriously decorated areas in the room. It lacked its usual boost of brightness each morning that I'd just began to gain from it.
I could make out the soft clinking of dishes downstairs, along with gradual shuffling, but no manmade noises were within earshot. I contemplated sitting upright in bed for another hour, more than willing to avoid the awkward, disappointing atmosphere that would form as soon as I stepped foot onto the bottom floor, but I'd been putting it off long enough.
I guess I could only hope that he might've still made me one of his extravagant breakfasts for me. He wasn't exactly obliged to do that, especially not after everything.
With a defeated huff and a groan of unpleasant anticipation, I hobbled out of bed and to the bathroom to freshen up before I slinked down the stairs.
The creaks they made failed to mask the sniffles from the kitchen, followed by a brief, pitiful cry before he gasps for fresh air and scrambled to gather his composure, like he did my eggs.
It was heart-wrenching.
I wanted nothing more than to run over at the sight of him leaning over the counter sobbing and throw my arms around him, holding his head against my shoulder as I calmed him as he'd done for me so many times, but my chest hurt as it dawned on me that doing so might make the situation worse.
I heard another sob harmonize with his, and it took me a moment to realize that I had been the source.
"Betty...", Jug croaked, furiously wiping at his face.
Betty? Not Betts? Not gorgeous? Beautiful? Damn, I've grown too attached and it's only been a month, I thought.
"Don't cry, Betty. I-I'm fine. This isn't your fault".
I scoffed, the wet saltiness on my lip becoming more apparent. I tried to draw my attention to the taste, to focus on something else, but I was too absorbed and produced more of the same against my will.
"I-It is though.", I retorted quietly. "I must've done something to upset you. I'm sorry, Juggie-uh, Jughead. Please forgive me.".
"N-No, it's not that. I-". He paused, choking yet another sob, muffled by his palm pressed firmly against his mouth in resistance. "This isn't your fault, Betty. I promise you. I just... I just feel incredibly guilty and sympathetic towards you and your entire situation. Adding onto that, I thought I'd been helping, but it seems that I've made it worse since. I-I'm just so s-sorry, Betty! I just want to take your pain away, b-but I can't!". His palms twisted against his eyes, nearly swollen shut and his face puffy as he continued to blubber quietly. I rushed over, going against my better judgement as I draped my arm over his shoulder and leaned against him.
"Jug, you have no idea how much you've helped. Your efforts have done tremendous things for my benefit. You can help me, but I need you to get me the rest of the way there.
Can you do that?", I asked, shaking him, trying desperately to fling an answer out of him and to hush his cries.
He peeked his reddened eyes from his hands, bottom lip trembling, his eyebrows beginning to relax, and I observed as his mouth rose into a straight line from its downward stance.
"O-Of course, or at least I can t-try... I j-just don't want to watch you get h-hurt, Betty.". He reciprocated in wrapping his arms around me securely, and I could feel him inhaling sharply against my neck, hoping to find traces of tranquil scent, but only finding a lack thereof, and he began to quake. His skin went cold, his breath uncertain.
"I need to clear my head, Betty.", he stated abruptly, followed by a heavy, hesitant silence.
"I-I understand. I'll just finish my-".
"Can you come with me, Betts? Please, if it's no trouble for you?".
"Oh, Jug...", I whispered with a tearful, small smile, full of sorrow, wanting to reach out and find him. "It would be my pleasure. Let's go.".
