Authors note: Hello everyone!
I thought that I would share a story that has been spinning around in my head for the past few days. This story is an AU where Betty is deaf and Jason's murder hasn't taken place.
This is a total Bughead fanfic and I just thought I'd try and share it with the world.
"This is oral speech"
"This is oral speech with signing"
This is signing without oral speech.
'this is personal/inner thoughts.
Feedback and constructive criticism is welcome! Thank you!
Jughead watched as Archie and Betty were having a heated conversation and he really wished in that moment, that he knew sign language so that he could have some sort of inkling as to what had upset Betty so much.
When Betty got sick with meningitis all those years ago, Archie didn't hesitate to learn sign language alongside his best friend. He became fluent in the language so that Betty would always have someone to communicate with. While Jughead had wanted to learn sign language, it was more difficult for him. He had to focus on his home life that was falling apart; he didn't have to time to learn another language, no matter how much he wanted to.
But in this moment, Jughead really wished that he knew sign language. Finally having enough of being excluded from the conversation, Jughead slapped the table to get Betty's attention.
"What is going on between you two?" He asked looking at Betty to make sure she could understand him.
Her face flushed a little bit with embarrassment, and she spoke aloud for the first time in ten minutes. "Archie spoke for me in class and I didn't appreciate it." Betty explained.
"What do you mean, he spoke for you in class?"
"I was just trying to help you." Archie said.
"Well stop. I can speak for myself." Betty said defiantly.
Archie shook his head and got up, "I have to go." He said before leaving.
Betty and Jughead both watched Archie walk away and once Jughead looked back at Betty, he could tell she was still upset.
"Betty," Jughead said, touching her hand to get her attention, "What happened?"
She sighed, "We were discussing Crime and Punishment in class and I was bringing up a point that I thought was interesting, but everyone was having a hard time understanding me." She said. "I got a little flustered when Mr. Wells asked me to repeat myself and I think that made me speak worse."
"Betty, that happens to everyone." Jughead said trying to make her feel better.
"I know, but before I could have my interpreter clarify what I said, Archie jumped in and spoke for me. As if I didn't have a voice myself. As if my opinion was that easily taken." She explained.
Jughead reached across the table and grabbed her hand, "I'm sorry Betty."
"It's just, I always have an interpreter speaking for me and I don't need anyone else doing it for me." Betty said.
Jughead rubbed her hand a little bit with his thumb, trying to make her feel better. "Betty, I can't imagine what it's like for you. But I wouldn't want anyone speaking on my behalf thinking they know my opinion and thoughts either."
"Thank you Juggie." Betty said, finally smiling.
"Anything to see you smiling again." He said without thinking, which caused him and her to blush a little. Jughead looked down at the table and noticed that he was still holding her hand. They were having a moment and it scared Jughead, which caused him to remove his hand from hers.
"Lunch is about over, we need to get to class." He told her. "I'll see you at the Blue and Gold later." He promised.
"I'll see you later, Jughead." Betty said, giving him a smile, which he quickly returned before he left for class.
Betty was astounded by the amount of empathy and support that Jughead had showed her today. She knew that he cared about her, but it always seemed like Jughead had something else to worry about; he was always distracted by his home life to really get involved in anyone else's problems.
And their little moment? Had she imagined it? Him holding her hand and comforting her had meant the world to her. Especially because he really tried to understand what she was feeling. Whereas Archie wouldn't even listen to her. He thought since he knew sign language and knew her very well, that he could just take her voice from her.
Betty shook her head. She wouldn't let this one bad incident ruin her day. With that one bad incident, a good one came out of it. She smiled thinking of the way Jughead had held her hand. She couldn't wait to see him later.
Jughead watched as Betty talked to her interpreter outside of the Blue and Gold. He wondered what they were talking about, but he didn't want to spy. That was rude, even though he didn't know what they were saying.
Once Betty was in the room with him, he casually asked her what they were talking about.
"I was telling him that I didn't need his assistance for the rest of the day." Betty said. "I don't really need an interpreter around you."
"No, I don't think you do." Jughead said, giving her a smile.
Both Betty and Jughead went to work on their next edition of the paper. Jughead was covering a piece about the food quality that was being served to them during lunch and Betty was working on a piece that covered the art show last week.
After working respectfully on their pieces, Jughead thought it was time for them to close shop for the day.
"I'll walk you home." Jughead offered and Betty accepted.
On their walk home, Jughead and Betty talked about their day and their classes. Betty hadn't talked to Archie since he walked away from her earlier and she wasn't how to feel about that. Jughead tried to reassure her that Archie would come around, he just needed to take a step back and try to understand things from her perspective.
"You know," Betty said, "I like that you're back."
"What do you mean?" Jughead asked confused as to what she meant.
She shrugged, "You've been caught up in your own world for a while. It's like you're not really with us when we're all together." She clarified. "I haven't seen you this involved since we were younger."
"You're right." Jughead admitted. "Things have been hard and it's been easier for me to retreat into myself. But I'm trying not to break out of that."
"What caused this change?" Betty asked.
Jughead shrugged and smiled at her, "I'm not sure."
Betty smiled and shook her head. She was pretty sure she knew that something or more specifically someone had caused him to be open to the world again. She just hoped that it was her.
"I'll see you tomorrow." She promised once they had reached her house.
"Have a good night Betty." He said before she went into her house.
It was pretty obvious that Betty had caused him to realize how much he had retreated into himself. He knew that he had been a pretty lousy friend for a long time now and he knew where he had to start to begin making up for how lousy he had been.
Once Jughead had gotten home for the night, he downloaded several apps to learn sign language and bookmarked several websites to help him.
He wanted to prove to Betty that he was trying.