Riverdale One Shots

3. People Like Us

Jughead and Betty sit quietly in the Blue and Gold office at Riverdale High School. They're writing a new article for the school newspaper on the further development of Jason's murder. It's almost eleven o' clock at night, and the office is getting dark and cold.

"Do you think we should head home soon, Betts?" Jughead asks his pretty blonde girlfriend.

"Ya, probably." Betty answers. They pack up their things in their backpacks and lock the door to the office. Jughead takes Betty's hand in his and the couple exits the school together. While walking along the route to the Cooper residence, Jughead breaks their comfortable silence with a question.

"What do... people like us do?" He blurts out.

"People like us?" Betty asks back.

"Like... c-couples? I.... I guess." He stammers.

"Well, they hold hands, go on dates, kiss, have heart to hearts... Things like that." Betty explains.

"Um, do you want to have one of those heart to hearts right now? I kind of want to talk to you about something." He mutters, stroking her hand with his thumb.

"Of course Juggie, you can tell me anything." She assures the green eyed boy. The two stop walking and stand on the sidewalk, facing each other.

"Well... my mom and, uh, my sister... they left my dad and I when my dad, uh, when he lost his job. He kind of, uh, fell apart after that... so I left him." Jughead says clumsily.

"Juggie... I had no idea, I'm so sorry." She wraps him in a warm hug. Their cheeks rest together and Betty feels a tear fall from his face to hers, causing tears to leak from her eyes as well. She looks up at her boyfriend's face to see more tears rolling over his sharp jawline. She pushes up on her toes and kisses each small drop off of his face. Finally, she kisses his lips and he kisses her back slowly and gently. After a few moments they pull apart and press their foreheads together.

"Where have you been staying?" Betty asks in a concerned tone.

"Well, I was staying at the Twilight Drive-In. Now I'm just bouncing around between the Blue and Gold office, the janitor's closet, and Archie's..." He explains.

"Oh my god... Juggie... I don't know what to say. Do you want to stay with me tonight? My parents are going to be working on the Riverdale Register all night."

"Are you sure Betts?"

"Of course. I want you to be safe."

"Well, if you don't mind..." He trails off.

"Then it's settled." Betty decides, reaching up to caress Jughead's cheek. They intertwine their fingers again and finish the walk to the Coopers' house.

Once they arrive, Betty unlocks the door and lets them inside the house. She leads the boy up the stairs to her pastel room. While she is rummaging through her closet for some clean pajamas, Jughead lays down on her comfortable bed.

"It's been so long since I've slept in an actual bed." He contemplates.

"I wish their was more I could do Juggie... to find you a home." Betty mutters.

"I have a home." He declares.

"You do?" She asks, "Where?"

"Wherever you are." He explains.

"Awh, I will never let you go homeless then." She whispers as she crawls into bed beside him. Jughead tugs his beanie off of his head and slips off his t-shirt, exposing his washboard abs. He lays on his back while Betty buries her head in his neck and rests her hand on his chest. They lay together in a comfortable silence under Betty's pink sheets. The lighting in the room is dim and their bodies are warm together.

"I love you Elizabeth Cooper." Jughead whispers into her bouncy blonde hair.

"And I love you Jughead Jones." Betty mumbles to his neck. Jughead kisses the top of her head, then Betty tilts her chin back so that he can kiss her lips. He connects their lips in what starts as an innocent kiss, but progresses to a little make out session. Their lips come crashing together and they roll to face each other. Betty threads her fingers into his curly black hair while and holds her body close to his. After a few moments, the two of them pull apart. Jughead keeps his arms around Betty and she moves her around his shoulders and rests her head against his chest.

"Goodnight Juliet." Jughead whispers softly.

"Goodnight Romeo." She breathes.