𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐋𝐒

𝐗𝐈|𝐉𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐉𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐒: 𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐍𝐘 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒

Watching Veronica sleep half naked in his bed may just be the greatest scene Jughead has ever taken part of. He has no idea how he got here, how he got this right. She's the most gorgeous thing in the world. Seeing her finally at peace brings him some peace. Damn the aches and pain wrapped around him like a second skin. Damn the underlying worry of an incoming police investigation. This here, this here is all worth it. He's going to do this the right way. Hiram has got to go. Someway, somehow. Any way, any how. To see her burden free without the weight of sins that aren't hers. She looks so young. That thought strikes him the hardest. She really doesn't deserve any of this. Last night he'd told her every truth he'd ever known. Except the major one. He is nowhere near good enough for her. And somehow she doesn't realize that. She deserves more than to be a dirty secret hidden in the soft glow of morning. He will do everything in his power to either be worth it, or to get her out. Even if it's without him, she needs to get out. He might not deserve her, but she definitely does not deserve Hiram.

Jughead traces her perfect cheekbones softly with his thumb. If only he could keep her here in this room forever. He has no idea what the world holds for them outside of this trailer. Only chaos, he presumes. He can't help himself. For as long as he has permission he doesn't think his lips could leave her skin. He kisses along her neck lightly, trying not to wake her. She moans his name into the pillow and that lurches his heart.

"Jughead."

Even in sleep she wants to be here, with him. How? It might never make sense. But he had promised right? To wait. Until it makes sense. She promised too. He knows without any doubt once or ever that he and Veronica together would be able to figure it out. She has got the sharpest mind he's ever seen. Antagonizing her and debating her every opinion has always provided him the sweetest joy. Someone smart enough to push back. Then that thought leads him to Betty.

He is absolutely done for. He tried not to take it too far with Veronica last night, but he failed epically. He's a cheater. Just another sin to wear right? Just another sign he's not good enough for either of them. Secrets never stay secret long. Not here, not in Riverdale. He's also pretty sure he doesn't want to keep this a secret. She deserves better than to be some shameful secret. Hiram has to go, but so does Archie. And Betty is going to catch the stray. Every time Jughead lets himself want something, people get hurt. He needs to find some shitty way to do this right. Him and Betty? Surely that's over now. He can't walk back past that line. She has so much to be dealing with. Her family life is in shambles. Her dad left like his grandfather. He's seen first-hand what that does to a person. Her mother is certifiable. Alice maybe belongs in a white jacket. Polly got out. Chic maybe needs to disappear. That is a lot on someone's plate. To add this? To break her like this?

Veronica turns in his arms. He got to hold her all through the night. Even if every time she moved the slightest he felt it along the bones under his chest. He thinks maybe a few are broken. He knows the feeling well enough. He can't help but question the irony of finding a beautiful girl in his arms every time he gets beaten to shit. Like some weird karmic apology. He won't deny this blessing.

"I'd ask a penny for your thoughts if I thought I could afford them Forsythe." She teases, her lips ghosting against his. He smiles into the kiss. He never thought his first name could sound so sweet. His hands slide down her sides to her waist. He lets his own hips press into hers right where it feels good.

"They're kind of expensive." He breathes when they pull apart for air.

She feels like every dream he ever had. Everything down to her scent to the way she taste feels like his dreams. He feels as if he's had her here before. His imagination is too vivid even for himself. He dreamed the dark freckles scattered across her sternum. He dreamed the exact color and shape of her nipples. It's all so eerie. It's kept him up all night. Since he and Veronica found themselves dozing off even between lazy kisses and light words. They had kissed and explored all night, both too stubborn to give in to the sleep calling so sweetly. They both knew their time together was limited and fragile. But even after she had closed her eyes for that final time, he had stayed up letting the pain dance along the front of his brain as his gut told him he was forgetting something important. Something telling him he couldn't of dreamed her up so perfectly. He wishes he could keep her here and build a wall to protect her from everything outside. He wishes he didn't have to deal with anything outside this room himself.