hungry | bughead

Crisp Chips

  An audible tapping was heard on Jughead's window. Only a few hours ago was he outside holding Betty in the moonlight as she cried into his chest. The memory of their contact made his stomach flutter, he felt himself blush slightly before turning his attention back to his window. The tapping continued and he sat up in his bed. He squinted as he turned on his phone. 3:30am. He groaned loudly as the taps continued and he threw his sheets off his legs and went to the window.  Jughead opened the window to see a familiar blonde ponytail flowing in the wind.
  "What do you want Cooper?" He said in a sarcastic tone. Betty peered up and pouted, she threw another pebble at him, which he figured was how she made those sounds since his room was on the top floor.
  "I couldn't sleep let me in!" She continued to throw the pebbles at him as she giggled. Jughead closed the window and ran downstairs. He didn't really care why she couldn't sleep, but he always wanted to do as Betty wished.
  He quietly opened the backdoor, "Hurry up I'm tired."
  Betty beamed and rushed inside while he closed the door behind her. She was wearing no shoes and leggings with Jughead's over sized "S" sweater resting on her shoulders. He wore no shoes either, grey sweatpants and a baggy black T-shirt. She raced to the stairs and ran up making small taps with her bare feet. Jughead ran after, making noiseless steps in his socks and his tiptoed motions.
  When he arrived to his room he slowly closed his door and turned his lamp light on. Betty had found herself comfortable in his bed, eating the half eaten bag of chips left next to pillow.
  The taller teen snatched a chip from the bag before questioning her, "So Betty, how may I help you today?"
  She smiled softly and sighed before turning to him, "I don't know what to do..."
  His eyes widened as a frown painted her pink lips.
  "About what?"
  She looked down at his sheets and traced her finger along the cottony material, "About me."
  Jughead furrowed his dark brows, "What do you mean?"
  The blonde looked at him more pleadingly than anything and held his shoulders, "Me Juggie. What do I do without Archie. People only ever knew about me for notoriously being Archie's sweet seconds girl but now..."
  The brunette ran his fingers through his hair as he bit his tongue to keep his words from slipping out Betty, look at me, look at me. I want you to be happy. You can be happy with me.
  Betty's blue eyes searched his black ones for answers, but she gave up and slumped into his chest. His familiar scent of happiness and comfort flooded her thoughts. Jughead. I think I think about you too much. She softly joked in her head and Jughead felt her smile against him. He ran his fingers through her hair and played with her soft blonde curls.
  Betty, although consumed in Jughead, was distracted by her thoughts of being someone's again.
  "I know there's Adam and Jason. But will they still want me when they know I'm only there because I don't belong to Archie anymore?"
  Jughead felt his chest tighten at the mentioning of those names. Dammit, I forgot about them. They can't take her though. They can't amount to me. Although Jughead felt slight regret thinking that, it was true. No one knew Betty like him, not Veronica or Midge or Nancy or anyone. He was always there to comfort her, not Jason or Adam, they only knew her on the surface, but Jughead knew the inside, the ugly places and the beautiful places he loved about her.
  Jughead lifted her head and pressed his forehead to hers, ocean blue eyes staring right at him. He stared at her deeply through half lidded eyes and hoped and prayed she understood his motions.
  "Betty, you can go to anyone but, I want you to remember the one person who has never left you alone." His heart beat at his ribs. Was this is way of confessing? He scorned himself for being so sudden and less romantic than he wanted it to happen, but Betty didn't seem to mind.
  The blonde felt all the lost puzzle pieces in her heart fall into place. Jughead. Jughead never left her side, never broke her heart, never wished anything but success for her, never hurt her. Ever. She felt warm pools form in her cheeks, and she could only imagine the bright red she eminated. The blonde smiled and pressed her forehead back against his. Jughead's breath hitched at the movement and the emotion she expressed. What is this? What is she saying? Did she understand? Is she smiling out of pity?
  Betty laughed. She laughed so hard tears formed in her eyes and slid down her blushed cheeks. Jughead felt his heart drop. She didn't get it. She doesn't feel the same. I knew it. Betty wiped her eyes on the sleeves of his sweater and peeked at him, her bright smiled dropped to a frown. His dark, usually emotionless eyes were glazed over, his gaze never meeting hers, but he never moved his face from hers.
  The blonde cupped his face in her slim fingers and kissed him on each cheek. Jughead's cheeks burned red, his chest tightening and his eyes meeting hers.
  She smiled brightly and rubbed his cheeks with her thumbs, "I know what to do."
  He gave a full smile, which was rare, only appearing when he ate her glorious meals.
  "What are you gonna do?"
  The blonde moved her hands to hug him tight and breathed in his comforting scent. Her heart raced. She had taken Jughead for granted. But now, now she understood why she did. Why he never let her feel alone. And after realizing it, her heart fluttered at his presence.
  "I'll tell you in the morning. I'm sleepy," she spoke softly, like she wanted to calm the air and enjoy this time. Betty then snaked her arm out from his waist and grabbed the chips. They pulled back from each other as Betty grabbed a single chip and brought it Jughead's lips. Of course he ate it and she giddily laughed and she hugged him again and pushed him to the bed.
  They laughed at nothing while holding each other, the sheets entangled in their legs. Betty smiled at Jughead, and he smiled at her, and she fell into his chest, and they fell asleep.