This is part 3 .
Jughead liked to consider himself a very clever and perceptive person. So when all of his friends were insisting that (Y/N) returned his feelings for her, he didn't believe it. After all, he was perceptive enough to notice that. He noticed Betty's feelings for Archie, why couldn't he see (Y/N)'s feelings? But because of what his friends told him, Jughead took extra care to pay attention to all of his and (Y/N)'s interactions. He overanalyzed everything she said to him (which was a lot, he realized). He asked himself, Do all friends talk to each other this much? Later, he came to the conclusion that no, not everyone talked to each other that much, but he and (Y/N) were best friends. It had always been like that. Then he started to observe her body language. He noticed that they touched a lot, maybe more than most friends do. She always had her hands brushing up against his, her chin resting on his shoulder, her thigh right next to his. He wondered if maybe this body language meant something a bit more flirty than friendly, but then he reminded himself that he and (Y/N) were always like that, seeing as they were best friends. While he tried to form a conclusion about (Y/N)'s feelings, Jughead realized that all this overanalyzing was making him fall harder. He noticed his eyes lingering longer on her sparkling eyes, her radiant smile, and the lines that formed on her face when she laughed. How can someone be so beautiful? he thought.
"How do you know she likes me?" Jughead stood on Archie's porch at nine in the evening. Archie sent him a questioning look, stepping outside to talk to his friend.
"What?" he asked. "Jughead, what are you doing? It's nine o'clock."
"I know what time it is," Jughead rolled his eyes. "But I need to know. I've spent the past week analyzing every interaction I've had with (Y/N), but I don't see it." He sighed in frustration and rubbed his face. Archie sent him a knowing smile.
"Jughead, I've known since the day you proposed to her," he explained, taking a step towards his friend. Jughead's head snapped up at the mention of the childhood memory.
"We were six," he reminded Archie, but Archie shook his head.
"Doesn't matter," he replied. "What matters is she said yes."
"No she didn't," Jughead countered. "She turned me down."
"She did," Archie said calmly. "But she also accepted, remember? She promised she'd say yes when you're both eighteen. Only three more years, buddy." Jughead rolled his eyes but smiled, and Archie laughed. "I promise you, Jughead, she will say yes. Ask her out." Without a reply, Jughead nodded, turned on his heel, and left.
(Y/N) noticed Jughead's shift in attitude for the past week. Deciding not to comment on it, she figured it was something he had to take care of on his own. Otherwise, she told herself, he would've come to her. Although she repeated this to herself over and over again, she couldn't help but worry for the boy she had fallen for. On a Tuesday night, she found herself sitting in a booth that wasn't her usual booth, and the person sitting across her was not Jughead. Instead, it was Betty that occupied the seat.
"So you wanted to talk, (Y/N)?" Betty asked, interrupting (Y/N) from her thoughts. She perked up and nodded.
"Yeah," she replied, trailing off. "So we've been best friends since, like, as long as I can remember, and I tell you everything." Betty slowly nodded.
"Before you continue," she stopped (Y/N), "is this about Jughead?" (Y/N) bit her lip.
"Yes," she responded. "I know you know I like him, and you and Veronica and everyone else always say that he likes me but..." she paused for a moment, "how?"
"How do I know?" Betty repeated. "Because, (Y/N), he proposed to you!" (Y/N) laughed at the memory. "He lets you wear his clothes and, hell, his beanie! That boy is as smitten as you are." She took a sip of her strawberry milkshake. "Trust me when I say this, (Y/N). Jughead is head over heels for you."
Two days later, (Y/N) sat in a different booth. Her normal booth. Jughead had yet to arrive, and she was anxiously twiddling her fingers in anticipation. The bell on the door jingled, causing her to snap her head to face the entrance. It was not Jughead who entered, but rather Archie, Veronica, Betty, and Kevin. They all smiled and waved at her, occupying a table that was within earshot of (Y/N)'s booth. She groaned at her friends' eagerness to eavesdrop. When the bell jingled again, (Y/N) didn't look up. Jughead sat down in the seat across from her, watching as she slowly lifted her head to meet his eyes.
"Hey, Juggie," she smiled shyly. He smiled back, equally as timid.
"Hey." The two sat in silence, both contemplating how to phrase their newly found revelations. How do you tell your best friend that you're in love with them?
"How's your book coming along?" (Y/N) attempted to make small talk.
"It's good," Jughead answered. "Kinda slow right now since nothing has happened, but I figure it's only a matter of time." They both laughed, and just like that, the tension in the atmosphere cleared.
"This is weird," (Y/N) commented, referring to their seating arrangement.
"It is," Jughead laughed. "Come over here." (Y/N) smiled and stood up, moving onto the same side of the booth as Jughead. She leaned her head on his shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
"Something's different, Juggie," she whispered. Jughead looked down at her and smiled softly.
"Yeah," he agreed. "Things are changing."
"You know, I..." (Y/N) struggled to find the words to explain how she felt. She swallowed, then looked up at Jughead and smiled. "I liked wearing your beanie." He threw his head back with laughter.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it," he rolled his eyes, but his smile betrayed him, "because I was humiliated."
"You were not." (Y/N) lightly shoved him, and he laughed again before they both fell quiet. They sat there like that for a few minutes, Jughead's arm around (Y/N)'s shoulders, her head leaning on his shoulder, his head on top of hers. Each of them were caught up in their own whirlwind of thoughts.
"(Y/N)," Jughead interrupted the silence, causing her to look up at him. His voice caught in his throat. "I-" he didn't finished his sentence, but instead cupped her face and pressed his lips against hers. She sat there in shock for a moment, and then placed her hand on his chest as she kissed back. A few tables away, Archie, Kevin, Veronica, and Betty stood up and cheered. Jughead and (Y/N) pulled apart, laughing as their foreheads rested against each other. Jughead took his beanie off and placed it on (Y/N)'s head. She smiled.
"Endgame!" Kevin yelled, pumping his fist up. Everyone laughed.
"(Y/N), I-"Jughead started, but (Y/N) cut him off with a smile.
"I know, Juggie. I know."
