ACROSS THE UNIVERSE - A Petrigrof AU! (Simon Petrikov x Betty Grof)

I Love You

It had been a few days since Simon's date with Betty, but the experience they had that night and the morning after was still fresh in the man's mind. There was something so exhilarating about this woman to him. He missed her.

Even so, he felt a large amount of guilt for this whole escapade, if you could even call it that. In his eyes, what he was doing was cheating. He'd never forgive himself for this, and he was sure his Betty wouldn't either if she were to find out.

Even still, he couldn't make himself stop. His heart belonged to Betty, forever and always. Maybe that's why he was so drawn to this Betty, she was her after all. She was... she was her.

For the time after their first date, they'd been calling each other every day. Betty had mentioned wanting to set up another date with Simon before going on her tour since it'd be a month without seeing Simon. She said he could pick the place this time, and he knew just where he wanted to bring her.

But today was different. Today Betty hadn't called yet.

Simon knew she probably wanted him to call first, but it wasn't that easy for him.

This must be cheating, right? Not only on his Betty, but on this world's Betty as well. She had no idea she wasn't the first her he's had, and that wasn't fair to her.

But she couldn't know. She could never know.

And he hoped that his Betty would never know either, he hoped she wasn't somewhere out there watching him. The weight of the guilt he felt from what he was doing was already eating away at him, he didn't need anything to add onto that.

He opened up his flip phone and fidgeted with it in his hands, hesitant to open it. Then, he did after a few seconds. He scrolled through his contacts until the little arrow landed on Betty.

He couldn't press that call button, it was all too much... what would he even say? He was nervous... what if his voice cracked and she thought he was some wimp, then hated him for it?

So he decided to just text her instead.

"Hey, Betts! How are you, love? <3"

Was it... too formal? Too casual? He wasn't sure how it'd come off, his brain was all fogged up...

He stared at the words for a good two minutes before finally sending them, then closing the phone immediately.

His heart was beating out of his chest now. How did something so menial get him so worked up?

He needed a drink...

**BETTY'S POV**

Betty was alone for once. Babette was usually with her, but today... she was alone.

And she was starting to get a little pissed off at Simon. Why wasn't he calling her? Or texting at the very least?? She knew she was usually the one to do it first, but would it really kill him to make an effort for once?

She missed him, though. She couldn't deny that. So she picked up her phone and immediately saw that he did text her... whoops!

"heyyy b, not much going on, miss u xoxo"

She sent the text and turned on her ringer, which she hadn't realized was off until just now. She felt stupid.

Simon texted back almost instantly.

"I need to see you" the message read.

"It's about time, you dork..." Betty said to herself out loud before texting the man back. "Right now?"

Then, she heard a knock on her door.

**READER POV**

Simon was standing on the other side of the door, and he was drunk. When Betty opened the door she could immediately tell. "Simon!" She said, surprised. She wasn't expecting him to already be there.

She looked around. There was no car parked in her driveway other than her own, and it wasn't on the street either.

"Did you... walk all the way here like that!?" She asked concernedly as she pulled the man into her house.

"It... *hic* It's no big deal, Betts. Just wa...nted to see you, that's all." He slurred, stumbling into the house.

"Simon, you're drunk," Betty said matter of factly, to which the man giggled... drunkenly.

"Ehehehe..."

Betty helped Simon to the couch and sat him there, where he immediately flopped over like a drunk noodle.

"You... you're Betty." He said, looking up at her with all the adoration and love in the world.

"That's right, I'm Betty, and you're drunk as a skunk."

"Ehehe.. skunk... it... *hic* rhymes... ha! You're so funny..." Simon giggled.

Betty sat down, repositioning Simon a bit so his head was in her lap. He stroked his hair, and he looked up at her.

"Betty..."

"Yes, Simon?"

"I love you."

These words caught Betty off guard. He loved her?

"No, that's just the alcohol speaking for you, silly..."

"No... I-I... I love you." Simon tried to speak as clearly as possible to prove a point, but it somehow only made him seem more drunk.

"Maybe we should have this talk when you're all sobered up..." Betty said. "I'll get you a glass of water, alright?"

She started to get up, but Simon took her hands before she could go.

"Stay..." he said.

"I'm not going far, just to the kitchen and back..."

"Okay..." the man replied. "I'll come w..ith you, then.."

He stood up, then immediately fell back onto the couch.

"Jeez, Si... how much did you have to drink?" Betty asked, still as concerned as she was before.

"Not too much, I...I'm fine, love..." he smiled.

Betty left to get some water for him and came back as quickly as she could. She wasn't sure if Simon was anything like how she was when she was this drunk, but if he was, she didn't want to leave him alone for long.

"Here, drink this up." She handed him the glass of water and he drank it all up.

"I feel better already." He said, wiping a bit of water off his lip.

Betty sat next to him again. They were both silent for a few seconds.

Then, Betty turned just slightly to face Simon.

"Hey, I know you're drunk as hell so you won't remember this, but I still gotta ask... is it alright if I tell you something?" Betty said.

"Of course, anything. What is it, dear?"

"I love you too."

The words confused Simon... why was she saying this? He didn't remember what he'd confessed to her a few minutes ago. But the words were meaningful to him nonetheless. Very meaningful, he wouldn't be forgetting them any time soon.

"Betty...—"

Before Simon could say whatever he was about to, Betty silenced him with a kiss. He tasted like alcohol but she didn't care.

Simon was caught off guard, but found himself melting into the kiss almost instantly. In that moment, all of his fears and reservations were gone.

Because he was in her arms again.

In Simon's mind, for the first time in over a thousand years, everything was calm and he felt fine. More than fine... he was happy.