A week later...
Jug's hands ran up and down my arms, pressing his cheek against mine as I stirred awake. I turned my head to glance at the clock, which read to be past 4 in the morning. He didn't say a word, nor did I while I reminded myself to take deep, steady breaths. The hardcover book Jug has been previously holding lay open on my lap, waiting to be used as an escape at my command, standing idly by while the frantic atmosphere around us began to settle.
"Another flashback?", he whispered calmly and in an unsurprised tone before placing a gentle, reassuring kiss to my cheek. I nodded, my eyes squeezed shut, my teeth grinding against each other. "I'm sorry, Jug. I'm trying to get rid of them, but it's turned out to be really difficult.".
"Hey, don't blame yourself. This isn't your fault, and you're doing the best that you can. Pressuring yourself isn't going to improve the situation, alright? Just give yourself some time. This is still very new and fresh for you, trying to banish your memories that have stuck with you for years. You're going to be okay with time, I promise.".
"How...", I began to say before I interrupted myself with a yawn. "How can you be so sure?".
I felt him hesitate behind me, halting any movements he'd been making for a fraction of a second. "B-Because I myself wish I'd given myself more time. Things could've gotten better if I had. I know that now. B-By that, I mean that I, um... I wish I hadn't rushed myself, I guess...". His statement lacked its usual confidence, which puzzled me. It had been a while since I'd last been uncertain about whether or not he was being upfront and truthful, but I think both of us were far too tired to care. At least I was.
"Have you been awake all this time, Juggie? You don't even seem tired...", I asked, turning around completely and draping my arms tiredly around his neck before I laid my head into his shoulder.
"Yes, of course I have. I don't need sleep anyways. I- shit.".
"What? What's wrong? Did I do something? What do you mean you don't need-".
"I got enough sleep last night.", he interrupted, releasing a prolonged sigh of relieved when my expression softened. "Not to mention the fact that you're working really hard right now with something very difficult, and I want to be awake in any case case where you may wake up and need my help.
I hope it's okay that I continued reading after you fell asleep. I got a little curious after the cliffhanger we left at, and I needed to pass the time anyways.". He smirked playfully and scrunched his nose, his hair falling lazily over his forehead in a false display of shame. His intentions to make me laugh had succeeded, even at 4 in the morning when I had been sleep deprived and had woken up from a recollection of a living nightmare just minutes before.
"This might be selfish... I don't know about you, but I'm really in the mood for some cookies. What do you say, Cooper? You up for making some cookies with me?".
My jaw dropped in utter disbelief, and I had to run his question through my head a few times to confirm that he'd really asked it. "Jughead, it's 4 a.m.! Are you crazy? We both need to sleep.". He over-exaggerated a frown rooted from disappointed, pouting his lip immediately afterwards.
"Please? Pretty please? With a cherry on top?".
"Nice try, Jug, but I don't even know how to bake, much less how to bake cookies. I've never... I've never gotten the chance to, remember? N-Not even when I was growing up. Once again we are faced with more concrete evidence that I'm a loser and haven't had a normal life. I think we should just call it what it is: impossible. I can't just relearn how to do everything that everyone else got to do with their f-families. Jesus, I can't even sleep a full night! What am I, a two year old? My mom would-".
"Woah, woah. Settle down, princess. It's not your fault. None of it is, okay? Like I said, you're doing the best you can, and you're wrong about it being impossible for you to live a normal life. You will get there, and I'll personally make sure of that, alright?". His hands found their way around my back, patting it comfortingly.
"Adding on to that, I'm here to help you, and that includes teaching you how to make cookies. Come on, I'm starving, plus I'm absolutely positive that we're going to make a huge mess in the process. I'll even make hot chocolate to go with them!".
"Fine.", I muttered exhaustedly. "I'm in, but only if you carry me to the kitchen.".
