delicate [Jughead x Veronica]

the after

Veronica

"Archie, come on, you can't still be mad at me," I sighed, sinking down onto the bed and closing my eyes in protest. "Not after..." Not after you kissed Betty behind my back, your oldest friend and the girl who was in love with you when I first moved to town, I almost said, before biting my tongue. "It was just a stupid kiss."

Truthfully, the kiss between Archie and Betty had been pushed to the back of my mind since finding out a few weeks ago,  but with Jughead finding out about it today it was playing on my mind again. I got that they'd been friends for so long and it was just a slip up, but why did it have to happen in the first place? Because it had been on my mind, I decided to get drunk and kiss Jughead.

Okay - so the kiss with Jughead wasn't premeditated, but I saw an opportunity and ran with it. And Jughead was cute, in a weird, dorky kind of way. Honestly speaking, I'd never even thought about doing anything like that with him until tonight.

And... I don't know. It was kind of nice. He was a good kisser, despite it being the world's most boring and short kiss. And I have to admit, I did feel a little tingle in my lips straight after we pulled away. Maybe in another dimension, Jughead Jones...

"I'm not mad, Veronica, honestly," Archie replied, looking anywhere but me. Sure you're not, Archikins. "I just don't understand the point of you kissing Jughead. So we've all kissed each other now. Big deal."

"Well, you and Jughead haven't kissed," I said pointedly.

"And I have no proof you and Betty did," he raised his eyebrows, a more playful look on his face now which made me relax. "So unless you want to prove it infront of me and Jughead... can we just call it even now?"

"See? We're all so much better for me making out with your best friend," I smirked, and he couldn't help but laugh too, coming to climb on top of me. "But yes, we're even. And we can just forget about this ever happening."

"Good. Because you're mine, Veronica Lodge," he growled, before pressing his lips against mine.

"And you're mine, Archikins. All mine."

~~

"How's the happy couple?" Betty raised her eyebrows at me as Archie and I walked into the living area, still a little breathless from what had just happened in our room. "Have fun?"

"What do you mean?" I questioned, pulling my hair behind my ear in an attempt to look normal.

"Let's just say, the walls are super thin here," Jughead smirked, and I was forced to look into his eyes. The second our eyes met, I felt... something. Something I couldn't quite explain. Like a jolt of electricity surging through me, making me feel warm and tingly from my head down to the tips of my toes. 

"Well, Jughead and Ronnie's kiss didn't threaten me at all, if that's what you mean," Archie spoke, and I was brought from my stupor by him wrapping his arm around me. "We're just as happy as ever."

Archie. The guy I'd been through more ups and downs with than anyone ever before, and now the man I knew was the love of my life. He made me feel happy, happier than I had been in any relationship before, and I knew I wanted to stay with him for the rest of my life. We were only young, and I knew the odds weren't in our favour, but I remained hopeful. 

That's why when I found out about him and Betty, I was crushed. We weren't together and Archie assured me it meant nothing, but I hated the thought of it all, mainly because I remember how in love Betty was with Archie when I first moved to Riverdale. There was always that worry that one day, they would decide they wanted to be together.

However, I knew Betty was in love with Jughead now. And speaking of Jughead, he was still looking at me - I could see out the corner of my eye, and it was taking everything in my power not to look back at him and feel that connection again.

This is Jughead, Ronnie, I thought to myself, feeling stupid. You're probably still high from all the jalapeño margaritas and the steam from the hot tub. Besides... Jughead is obnoxious with a capital O and the definition of a wannabe hipster. Forget about him.

"Well, it happened, and it's over," Betty nodded with triumph. "And now we can move past it all and forget that none of this ever happened. Deal?"

"Deal," we all replied, and I felt Jughead's eyes burning into me again. Unable to resist, I met them and felt the same sensation as before, although this time my gaze dropped down to his lips. Just over an hour ago I had been kissing those lips - such an innocent and fruitless kiss, something which I should have forgotten about immediately but I was now reliving.

I wondered if he felt the same. After all, he did keep on looking at me. But he had Betty - and I Archie. If anything, this was a blip that I would get over. 

I had to.

~~