Watching her through the window was a favourite pastime of his, and not just since moving into Archie's room full time. Whenever Jughead had been hanging out with his best friend his eyes would drift to the glass pane, hoping to catch a glimpse of the blonde girl who'd captured his attention for as long as he could recall.
Sometimes there was nothing. Other times he was rewarded with the view of Betty Cooper, walls down, armour removed. His fingers itched with the desire to run through her loose golden waves, only free from the tight restraint of their hair tie once she was alone and without responsibility. On occasion he'd thank whatever force controlled the universe for a flash of the curve of her ass beneath her skirt, a glimpse at the side of her breast as she pulled her sweater over her head and unclasped her bra before wandering away. Always just out of view, and entirely out of reach.
He didn't think Archie noticed his little viewing parities – if he did he hadn't said anything – but Jughead wouldn't care if he had. He felt as if his need for Betty Cooper was tangible, rolling off his skin in crashing waves, pulling him under the current and crushing his chest with the weight. He was sure that his breathlessness filled the air, that the pounding of his heart rang just as loudly in his friend's ears as it did his own.
It was a Thursday when their timelines merged seamlessly again to allow him front row seats to his favourite show. The purple bruises around Jughead's wrists were still blooming despite his father having been crashed out on their couch for hours now. Fred let Jughead in early, silently noticing the way he clutched at the sleeves of his shirt to keep him in place, telling him Archie would be back from hanging out with his football buddies soon enough. Archie's room was practically Jughead's room anyway, his view was Jughead's view. Only, Jughead was far more interested in what it had to offer. He needed the sweet morphine drip that watching her could give him.
Betty was there, waiting for him behind her raised curtain, audience: party of one. Only she wasn't alone this time. Betty sat on her floral bedspread, long legs curled underneath her as she grasped at Polly's hand in desperation. If Jughead squinted his could see the way her lamplight cause the moisture in her eyes to glisten verdantly, see the way her lower lip trembled, teeth catching the raw flesh in an attempt to still its quivering. Jughead's tongue came out to wet his own lips, wishing he could run it along hers instead.
Polly sat next to her sister, hands gesturing wildly as she explained something to Betty with an excited fervour, eventually settling over her abdomen with maternal affection. Betty shook her head, ponytail whipping her dampened cheeks harshly as it swung with the movements.
His gut clenched with the need to fix it.
***
Jughead remembered the first time he saw that ponytail, golden tendrils perfectly slicked back and curled as the little four year old girl skipped across into Archie's front yard.
"Who's this, Archie?" she'd asked, bold and inquisitive as only children could be. The small boy with the knitted beanie too big for his head looked up shyly, blinking in wake of the brightness she radiated. He didn't think he'd ever seen someone so clean before. She looked as if been primped and preened like a prize pony, ready for her next showcase.
"This is my friend Jughead," the redheaded boy informed her with a grin, passing one of his toy cars off to the quiet boy. Jughead took the miniature Chevy, turning it over in his hands while he avoided her scrutinising gaze. He was old enough to realise that people who looked like this girl usually belonged to parents who crossed the street when him and his dad walked by. He didn't know why yet, he just knew it was a regular occurrence. The next words out of her mouth sent the truck tumbling to the dirt.
"Can he be my friend, too?" Her emerald eyes shone with hope, and Jughead could feel their warmth taking root and sprouting in his chest. Archie shrugged, not noticing the small epiphany happening to his friend beside him.
