Jughead stared out the door in front of him. He was gripping the handle so hard his knuckles were turning white.
"What-" Jughead cut himself off not knowing what to say.
"Hey. How have you been." Veronica asked playing with her fingers nervously.
"How have I- Where have you been!?" Jughead practically screamed making Veronica jump slightly.
"I missed you." Veronica said trying to change the subject.
"I thought you were dead!" Jughead yelled. His neighbors would soon come out if he kept it up. "Where the hell have you been? What happened to you?"
"Can we please go inside and talk about this?" Veronica asked looking at the other apartment doors nervously.
Jughead walked in leaving Veronica to close the door and follow him to wherever he was headed. Jughead walked into the kitchen and grabbed a beer from the fridge using it to calm his nerves.
Veronica looked around the apartment as she walked through. Beer bottles and cans covered much of the floor in the living room. The coffee table was littered with pictures. Pictures of her. Pictures of them. Pictures from before.
She felt her chest tighten at the thought of Jughead staying up to all hours looking at those pictures in the dark, falling asleep on the ratty couch beer in hand, pictures in mind.
She didn't want to think about the tear stains that probably covered the silky coating of said pictures. She didn't want to think about all the days he had spent trying to figure out what happened to her. She just couldn't. So instead she watches him sip his beer and waited for his questions.
"What happened? Why did you leave? Why did you let me think you were dead?" Jugheads knuckles whitened around the neck of the bottle.
"I didn't want to hurt you." Veronica whispered.
"You think this is better? Look around Veronica! Do you really think what you did was for my benefit because I sure don't!" Jughead screamed. Veronica took a step back from the counter.
"I needed out and I didn't know how to tell you. I'm sorry, Jug. I knew how important it all was to you and that you'd never leave. I had to." Veronica felt the tears welling in her eyes.
Jughead threw his mostly empty bottle at the wall above the stove letting it shatter onto the burners. He leaned on the sink behind him with his back to Veronica eyes close breathing heavy.
"Jug?" Veronica asked cautiously. Jughead breathed out a laugh. Not a happy one or an excited one, one that showed how much he was hurting. He whipped around to face Veronica head on.
"You really think I wouldn't have left with you? You really think the gang was more important to me than you?" Jughead stepped closer to Veronica.
"I-i don't-" Veronica stammered.
"I loved you Veronica. I'm not even a part of that stupid gang anymore. The moment you left, the moment I thought you had died, I just- i just couldn't do it anymore."
"Jug I'm sorry i wasn't thinking. I know it was stupid and wrong but-" The tears were spilling over into her cheeks.
"Two years Veronica! It's been two years! Why come back now? Huh? Why come back at all? Why not let me keep thinking you were dead and not have to deal with all this?" Jughead motioned around the apartment. Beer bottles, cans, dirty dishes, clothes, and so much more covered every surface to be seen.
"I don't know what you want me to say Jug. I'm sorry I wish I hadn't left but I did. I can't change that but I love you and I'm willing to do what it takes to make this right." Veronica stepped forward placing her palms on Jugheads cheeks. "Please tell me what I can do Jug."
Jughead looked down at Veronica's tear stained face and closed his eyes. "I can't do this." He stepped out of her grip and walked into the livingroom slumping into the ratty couch. Veronica didn't waste any time in following him.
Veronica knelt next to the coffee table and looked through the pictures.
"What are you doing?" Jughead asked and Veronica ignored him. Veronica found what she was looking for and held it up.
"Do you remember this?" She held the picture closer to Jughead's view.
"Ronnie…" Jughead sighed.
"Our first real date." She said matter of factly turning the photo back to herself. "We were at Pop's and you ate your weight in fries" Veronica set that picture down and picked up a new one.
"How bout this one? Our first anniversary. You surprised me with bus tickets to New York City because you knew I was feeling homesick. No one had really done something like that for me before." Jughead stared at the pictures on the table to scared to look up at her.
"Or this one." It was a picture of Veronica standing by the edge of Sweetwater river. It was sunset and the sky cast a halo around her head. She was just staring at the water looking effortlessly beautiful. "We spent all day there doing nothing. That's the day I realised I loved you." Jughead looked up at her on that one.
"I never realised…" His voice was quiet
"You didn't have to. I just want you to realise now." Veronica moved to sit in front of Jughead placing her hands on his knees. "I love you, Jones"
Jughead smiled, looking into her eyes. "I love you, Princess." Jughead leaned down and kissed Veronica. Her lips had a lingering salty taste from the tears but he kissed them away.
With his eyes closed Jughead leaned his forehead on Veronicas.
"Would you like to take a new photo?" Veronica looked up at him biting her lip and nodded her head.
"Yes." She smiled.
"Wait right here." Jughead kissed her forehead and got up from the couch.
When he came back Veronica was looking through the pictures organizing them into neat stacks. Jughead paused in the doorway to watch on with a smile.
"Hey, Ronnie, an I ask you something?" Jughead said walking around the arm of the couch.
Veronica set the pictures back down. "Yes?"
Jughead knelt down on one knee. " Will you marry me, Princess?"
Veronica leaped off the couch and wrapped her arms around Jughead. "Yes! Of course!" She screamed. "Oh my gosh where did you get this?" She asked placing the ring on her finger.
"I got it a while ago. I was uh- I was going to give it to you the day you uh- the day you 'died'." Veronica felt a pang in her chest. She felt horrible. Jughead could sense it. "Don't feel bad, Princess. I'm just glad I'm able to give it to you now." He kissed her. "Wanna take that picture now?"
"Yes." Veronica gave a watery smile. A happy smile.
Jughead grabbed his camera and held it in front of them. The flash went off and all he could think about was another memory to add to the pile.
I thought this up while watching a Sweven (from youtube) video.
Hope ya'll like it even though it's trash.