Always & Forever | Bughead Oneshots

The World Is Not What It Seems

inspired almost completely by garbitchh's oneshot "chaos" from their story 'bughead one-shots' which y'all should DEFINITELY read. anyways, enjoy!!

TW: psychedelic drug use, hallucinations 

Song Credit: "Myth" by Beach House

He made sure she was in her safe space before letting her start. Jughead decided it'd be for the best to stay grounded while Betty tripped, knowing things could go south incredibly fast. He watched as she slowly slipped up into delirium, her eyes widening and looking around, watching everything around her change.

"Woah," she said, giving an open lipped smile as she looked up at the trailer's roof. "It's like an ocean," she said, her hands gracing the waves she saw. "And you're," the blonde paused, just staring for a moment before laughing, falling onto her back and staring up at the ocean ceiling.

"I'm what?" Jughead asked with a laugh, laying beside her and moving some of her hair out of her face. "Your...your hair's all flowy," she answered, her hand reaching up and fingers brushing through his hair. 

She laid back down with a sigh, staring at her personal beach. "Do you ever think," she paused, eyes still wide open. "That one day stones are gonna fall from the sky?" "No, Betty, I have never thought about that," Jughead answered with a laugh as Betty only rolled her eyes as if to say, "Wow, thanks." 

"Clearly you've never read 'Carrie'," she replied before shooting her chest up, sitting up with a smile, and saying, "Jug! Let's go outside!" His face dropped as he replied, "No, you are not ready for that," remembering how the first time he tripped outside, the tall trees became the most sinister beings that still haunt his mind.

"Please? Just out in the back?" she pleaded, her eyes still wide. He thought for a minute, knowing that he could bring her back in if her trip took a turn and console her. "Fine," he replied, standing up and helping the blonde to do the same. 

He fixed her coat over her shoulders before holding her hand and saying, "C'mon, I'm giving you five minutes." As soon as she walked outside, Betty's jaw dropped and eyes widened, exclaiming, "It's so beautiful!" 

It was a trailer park at 11:00 at night. 

He only chuckled as she looked up, her eyes showing her a bright sky and nearly tangible clouds. "I love this grass," she said softly, her hands swooping down to touch the imaginary greenery. "It's so tall and bright." With a giggle, Betty turned around, her arms going up in a 'T' before she closed her eyes and started falling back.

Jughead rushed to grab her, his arm under her back supporting her weight while his other hand grabbed hers. "Betts, are you okay?" he asked, worried. And in that moment, her garden oasis became a ballroom, and her jaw dropped slightly as she said, "Dance with me," her tone drenched in tearful happiness.

"Betts--" "C'mon! Dance with me!" she cheered, hands trying to get them in the right position to slow dance. He sighed and gave in with a smile, answering with a simple, "Okay." Jughead was sober, but as the two of them swayed, he and Betty shared a vision; gold curtains and grandiose chandeliers, marble pillars and large, arched windows. One of Betty's hands left his shoulder to come to her side, holding up the hem of her invisible ball gown.

In the moonlight, they were illuminated until Betty looked up, catching glimpse of the moon and just staring. "What? What is it, babe?" Jughead asked, looking over his shoulder at the moon. "I never saw the man in the moon before," the blonde said slowly. "But I see him now."

He figured her ballroom had faded and could only wonder what she was seeing now. "Oh my god, look at the trees!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide and voice bubbly. "They're so," she paused, taking in the hints of pink and blue in the leaves. "They're so beautiful!"

Jughead wondered why he couldn't have seen whatever the hell Betty was when it came to those damned trees.

"Yeah?" he asked with a small smile, his hand on her shoulder blade as they looked around at the trees that guarded Sunnyside Trailer Park. "They're, like...fluffy," she answered before shivering and saying, "I'm cold."

They walked back inside, Betty immediately laying on her back on the floor. "Where'd the ocean go?" the blonde asked, pouting her lip slightly. "It's right there, see?" he asked, his hand waving over her sight as she stared at the ceiling. As if he were magic, those waves came back. Betty felt as though she was laying on the ocean bottom, looking up at the water rushing over her. She felt weightless.

He walked over to the kitchen, getting himself a glass of water and keeping a close eye on Betty, whose arms were outstretched upwards, alternating as her fingers brushed the air. "Is that water?" she asked, rolling into her stomach and looking at the ground with a simple, "Woah." "What's 'woah'?" he asked before taking a drink.

Betty's voice quieted as she pointed to the ground and replied, "It's the grass! The grass from outside, but it's here!" Jughead only nodded in amusement before Betty was rolling back onto her back, one hand reaching for the waves and the other running through the tall, fluffy glass. "I feel," she paused, her mouth running dry as she said, "Infinite."

"Infinite?" he asked, placing one hand on the counter. "I am...never gonna die," she replied definitively. "I, right now, have decided that I'm just...not gonna die." "So, that's it? You just dropped acid and decided you're immortal?" he asked with a small chuckle. She looked over st him like he was stupid and said, "Uh, yeah," as if it was the obvious answer.

He shook his head with a smile, looking down and remarking, "Betty Cooper, you are going to be the death of me." She rolled onto her stomach and pointed at him as he stood behind the kitchen counter. "Nope, I'm not, because I decided," she took a second to breathe deeply. "That you are not going to die either."

"Wow, I'm so honored you'd include me in your coronation of immortality," he smiled. "I had to," she replied with a shrug before laying her head on top of her folded arms. "Yeah? Why's that?" "Because it's you and me forever," she answered dreamily. "Forever, forever," the blonde specified.

Even when she wasn't high, she meant that sentiment with her whole heart.