You ever...blink and it's been like...six months?
Thanks to my reviewers: LadyxLucifer, kawabara, Dino, Fangirl44, DarthRiddle07, Boris Yeltsin, sophiecambellbower, Getlostak, dezibear57, winterbabyalways, and thechosenpirates!
When Veronica texted Betty that she wanted the four to meet up for brunch, she knew something was up. Jughead had exactly the same reaction. As she spun her phone for him, seconds before Veronica texted him herself, he chuckled.
"Should we be afraid?" Jughead asked, crossing his arms.
"It could just be brunch," Betty offered up weakly.
"Yes, and Veronica Lodge might also one day wear clothes from Walmart. It's possible but very unlikely." Jughead pointed out, "When has she not made some grand set-up with food?"
"Are we going to find an excuse?" Betty asked tiredly, rubbing her eyes. The lack of AC in the apartment was killing her. The idea of putting on public-ready clothes was an undertaking at the moment, and frankly, she could go without this meal. Jughead huffed, as though offended she'd even ask that.
"Hell no. She's paying. I don't turn down free food."
So, despite both of their knowledge, they went to brunch.
For most of it, Veronica acted as though there wasn't a precedent with her calling the four of them together over scrambled eggs and french toast. She talked about next year's classes, about how her mother wasn't added in a Twitter chain started by Cher (apparently, this was a slight against her, though Betty wouldn't have known), and raved about how good Archie was on the football team.
"We're all getting season tickets for this upcoming season," She said earnestly, "And I expect nothing less than full fan attire every game day."
"Can I be drunk for the games?" Jughead asked, who Betty knew hated sports. He tolerated them around Archie, but Betty was pretty sure she knew more than her boyfriend did.
"As long as you're in purple from head to toe, and can cheer still, I'll pay for it if it gets you there. Archikins needs all of our support, isn't that right?"
"It would be awesome to have you all there. I'm starting next season," Archie said, his smile wide and simple. If there was an ulterior motive to this brunch, he sure as hell wasn't aware of it.
As their meals started winding down, Betty and Jughead shared a glance between them. Maybe this entire meal was just a get-together between four friends? Veronica, though sometimes over the top, was always a good companion. It seemed impossible, but they were all busier during the summer than during the year, and Betty realized it had been a few weeks since she'd seen Veronica. In fact, the last time she had was when Veronica had dropped off those handcuffs.
She wrote a quiet note on her phone, reminding herself to return those to her. It wasn't something Betty wanted to keep around.
"Jughead?" Veronica finally purred. Betty straightened her back in anticipation, bracing herself for the reveal of this. It was her tone. It was the tone she used whenever she was plotting something. Betty was selfishly glad it wasn't directed at her, though she was curious as to why Jughead was the person in question.
"Oh, great."
"What?" Veronica asked innocently.
"Nothing, nothing," Jughead waved a hand, "Finish your question."
Veronica looked momentarily put-off for a second before she recovered. She leaned in with a smile curling on her lips.
"Question; am I your Merryweather or Verna Felton?"
Betty raised an eyebrow at Veronica. She looked at Archie, who was scratching her head, then back at Veronica who was brimming ear to ear, and then finally at Jughead- who the question was prompted to- who was looking at Veronica like she'd grown six heads.
"I don't even know if that was English Lodge, so I cannot answer your query at this time," Jughead said after a very long moment, shoving another handful of tater-tots into his mouth.
"Classic Disney Movies?" Veronica asked, looking very put out. At Jughead's shake of his head and equally as confused shrugs from the other two, she huffed, "I was asking am I your fairy godmother, Jughead. And, no need to talk with your mouth full, the answer is obviously a yes."
Jughead swallowed his food.
"Oh, is that right?" He said, leaning back so far in his chair Betty was sure he'd fall over. She nudged him forward, rolling her eyes.
"Positively. Remember the last conversation we had on an airplane?"
"Erm, some."
"You were very clearly doubting my ability to procure the Lodge Industries Jet, and-,"
"Wait, I wasn't doubting that," Jughead interrupted her, "I was doubting if you'd grace us peasants with its glory."
"Don't be so low of yourself," Veronica half-snapped, "Point being, ta-da!" She waved her hands. Archie spun around in his seat to the window behind him, as though half-expecting that it would land among the taxis and busses of the New York streets.
By the time Archie realized she had pulled out her phone and had slid it toward Jughead, Betty was already reading over Jug's shoulder. It was a conversation between her and her father, with Hiram promising that starting this upcoming Sunday Veronica had free reign to take the jets anywhere. He made Veronica promise that wherever she chose, to check if they had a hotel there because it was better than staying at someone else's.
"Fantastic. You're going on another trip."
"God, sometimes I think you're obtuse on purpose," Veronica sighed, "Mr. Naysayer, you get to choose where the four of us are going. Anywhere in the world. I already know that the rest of your summer is free, so," She placed her hands under her chin, "Choose away."
"Anywhere?" Jughead bit his nail, "What if I said Antarctica?" He asked, trying to trip her up. To Veronica's credit, though Betty knew she would loathe it, she just blinked placidly.
"Well, it's somewhere I've never been. Sounds exciting."
"Aw, I just put my coat away for the season," Archie pouted.
"Arch, it's June."
"Yeah, but you know how it gets. You shove it under your bed, you forget about it, you get busy…" Archie waved a hand, "C'mon, bud, I'll freeze there." He complained, as though completely sure that Jughead was serious.
"I wasn't going to pick it anyway," Jughead said, and Archie relaxed, "Betty?"
"Oh, this is all you, babe," Betty said, patting his shoulder. She already knew that Veronica had promised her a 'girl's only trip' over Thanksgiving this upcoming year, and she was interested to see where her boyfriend would pick.
He sat back, rubbing his chin. Veronica gave a quiet hum and a nod, as though this motion told her something Betty didn't see and turned back to her eggs benedict. Archie began to talk, mouth full, about the most recent football maneuver he'd helped create, and while even Betty talked, Jughead just sat with a most pensive look on his face. Never once did he offer up any indication of what was swirling around in his head, only sometimes pulled out his phone and flipped through a couple of pages before putting it back. Betty, while curious, liked the surprise of it more so forced herself not to look.
She knew Jughead and was sure that he was going to go home and research this ad nauseam. So, she was entirely surprised that as the group was paying up and Betty was grabbing to-go boxes for her meal, Jughead cleared his throat.
"Paris."
Veronica looked thrilled, if not a bit smug. Perhaps she could have known. Perhaps she was internally taking guesses to it, and this hit the nail right on the head. Perhaps she was just pleased he picked someone not below zero.
"Ah yes!" Archie fist punched, "Guten tag!"
Betty frowned, unsure if Archie was actually that dumb for a second or if he was trying to be funny. Answer unclear.
"I have the perfect set of clothes for the trip. Paris is one of the fashion capitals of the world, of course. It will give me an excuse to wear that ball gown."
"Ball Gown?" Jughead choked out, "Where are you wearing a ball gown to there, Lodge?"
"Oh, well, maybe just out and about," Veronica said, completely serious, "I could start a trend, perhaps, if I'm lucky." She mused, "Betty, I'm picking you up tomorrow at 9 A.M. sharp!"
"What? Why?" Betty half-whined.
"To buy your clothes, mon Cherie," Veronica said, kissing her on both of her cheeks, speaking a string of french that Betty did not understand other than the vaguest of ideas. She'd seemingly transformed her entire presence to be the French Veronica in a matter of seconds, and her voice had even picked up a slight accent, "This will be simple incroyable."
XX
The remainder of the week was spent with constant little 'pings' indicating a new chat message, mostly from Veronica. She blew up their phones with questions and ideas, to the point where Jughead locked his phone in a cabinet for twelve hours for some goddamn peace and quiet. He didn't dare un-add himself from the group chat; Betty saw the shudder at the suggestion. There was nothing like the wrath of a mid-planning Lodge.
It was obvious Veronica was very familiar with Paris, France. She admitted to having lived there intermittently between the ages of five and seven, which is how she learned to speak it fluently. The others had never been.
It was a constant tug-of-war in the group chat between the remaining people wanting to do some of the more touristy items, followed by arguments from Veronica about the most fantastic 'off the beaten path' store or restaurant or activity. Jughead, when he finally unlocked his phone, argued that they might never go again and it's not as though the touristy things in Paris were even that bad.
Last Betty heard, Veronica was trying to find that middle ground.
Veronica had packed all of Betty's things. When she'd seen the suitcase, worn and with one squeaky wheel, that Betty had planned on taking, Veronica's face had turned white as a sheet.
"Betty," She'd said after inhaling sharply, "That is the size of one of my carry-ons."
"I mean, I'm a good packer," Betty shrugged. She also couldn't fathom in just six days she'd be able to fill something bigger. Veronica was going to prove her wrong.
"It's a private jet, girl! You don't have to worry about fees or luggage size. I'm bringing three!" She said, wearing it like a badge of honor, though Betty thought she was nuts.
She allowed Veronica to help her buy a better, slightly larger suitcase, since...yes, this one was a bit past its date. It had been bought at a flea market when she was like twelve.
Then came the daunting task for Veronica to be able to fit all of Betty's things in just that. Betty found it strange she was completely removed from the process of packing her own luggage. She supposed it would be a complete surprise once they arrived.
On the morning of the trip, they were picked up in a black limo. Jughead was wearing what he always wore.
"Don't you own anything more?" Veronica asked, sighing at his ensemble, "Would you wear that to a funeral, Jones?"
"Hey! This works for everything. Nearly everything," Jughead said in defense of his worn jeans, t-shirt, and flannel.
Archie was wearing sweatpants and a football shirt, his hair already unkempt. Betty had opted for a pair of leggings and an oversized sweatshirt. She never much cared what she looked like going through airports and cared even less now that no one would see them. Veronica, of course, looked like she stepped out of the pages of a fashion magazine, even if she was wearing comfortable clothes. It was the fit of the black tank top, the hug of the leggings, and the absolute oversized teddy-bear jacket that fell off her shoulders. Betty wished she could pull something like that off.
The drive to the airfield wasn't bad. Veronica grew noticeably more excited the closer they came. As they pulled up to the sleek jet, proclaiming 'Lodge Industries' upon the side, Veronica was practically giddy.
"You have procured the jet," Jughead admitted, albeit grumpily.
A flight attendant took their bags and things off their hands, sans the purse Betty kept near her full of hair scrunchies, lip gloss, her headphone and phone, and a few other needed things. Veronica danced up the steps, rubbing the plane like it was a beloved pony.
The inside was everything Betty expected and nothing; Veronica gave them the tour. Betty expected it to be like an average airplane and the tour to consist of 'well, here's the seats, 'but it was hardly like that. There was an 'entrance area' where the flight attendants would sit during the flight when they were not needed. The first area was a dining space, set with fine linens and china already. There was the gallery just beyond that, and Betty could smell something delicious already.
The old adage about airplane food did not apply here.
Beyond that was a few singular recliner chairs, backed up against a 'family room', or a long couch with a T.V.
"We have all the titles. Think Netflix, mixed with Amazon Prime, mixed with Hulu," Veronica winked, flipping the remote in her hand.
Past there, another 'conferencing area', with chairs facing one another. There was a chess set between one, which Jughead zeroed in on right away. He nudged Betty and she grinned, completely ready to whoop his ass later.
At what Betty thought was the back, Veronica opened yet another door to reveal…
"Is that a bed?" Archie said, far more excited by this than anything else he'd seen so far.
"A queen size one! And there will be no Mile High Clubs here," Veronica scolded at Betty and Jughead specifically.
"Are you telling us or telling Arch?" Jughead asked, raising an eyebrow, "I'm pretty sure we're not the ones who can't keep our hands to ourselves." He pointed out. Archie at least had the proper reaction to blush as red as his hair, whereas Veronica just blinked at him.
"I am just making a general statement. It's a short flight anyway. Not the fifteen-hour ones where it's actually needed." She said, waving it off.
Finally, they came to the bathroom, which was equipped with a shower. At Betty's incredulous face, Veronica just laughed.
"Well, you can't very well show up for a business meeting in Singapore smelling like bad B.O."
"Oh, no," Jughead said, "Can't have that."
Beyond that, which wasn't terribly interesting, was their luggage hold in the back of the plane instead of underneath. At least it was close, so there would be no luggage mix-ups on this event.
By this time, they were ready to depart. An attendant came around and got them all settled in with drinks immediately; Betty and Veronica popped some champagne, Archie got a beer, and Jughead got a whiskey and coke.
"Let's all head to the living room," Veronica said after they'd taken off and had reached their flight altitude.
"The living room. God, it's so pretentious and fantastic. I hate that I love this." Jughead choked under his breath, "This is nicer than our apartment, Betty!" He stressed.
Veronica had a slide-show queued for them with their activities. Betty did have to admit; she'd found a proper balance between the usual tours, such as the Eiffel Tour or the Louvre, but then she'd added in her own twists and things she wanted to show them. They also were not scheduled to be together every second of the day. There were trips for just Betty and Veronica/Jughead and Archie, as were there times for just the couples.
"I mean, I adore you all," Veronica said to Betty and Jughead, "But it is the city of romance and we'll still have a fabulous time during the day."
"I have no doubt. The itinerary looks fantastic, V."
Betty didn't need the flash and glitter Veronica was making such an effort to put in; she'd be happy just exploring the streets with Jughead, ending up at a small corner cafe, and watching the people pass.
XXxxXX
They arrived later in the afternoon. The only plan for their night was to get dinner at the restaurant of an 'old friend' of the Lodge's before calling it a night, getting a full sleep for the next day. They checked into a hotel-apartment owned by the Lodges, and Veronica flashed two suite-cards with a wide grin.
She handed one off to the pair, blowing a kiss and threatening them that they better be back down in two hours, wearing something 'nice' and ready to eat.
"Oh, you don't have to tell me that. I'm always hungry. In fact…" Jughead's eyes had caught a crepe stand near the hotel.
"C'mon, let's see the rooms! We have time for food later," Betty said excitedly, motioning for the valet to follow. She could have brought up her own things, and Jughead only had a duffle, but Veronica had looked horrified at the idea.
They were on the second to the top floor. Veronica had the pent-house, no surprise. Betty hardly needed that. She would have made do with a closet-sized room, just glad she was in another country.
It was hardly that.
The suite had that old Parisian feel; the creams and yellows and pinks with the baroque patterned on heavy fabric, the gilded and slightly antique store feel furniture, the cleanness, and the marble finishings, and the wide-open spaces. There were floor-to-ceiling windows, complete with French Doors and Juliet balconies, save one that had a sitting area. They had their own living room, kitchen, and...one bedroom.
It was silly, Betty supposed. They were a couple, after all. They'd only slept in the same bed twice at this point, and neither time she'd wanted to make a fuss about it. She was unsure if Veronica had noticed they'd taken different rooms at Lodge Lodge or if she had and she was making a statement. Either way, it would have been weird for them to not share a bed. She hadn't thought about this likely scenario until, well, right now.
Betty could not gauge Jughead's reaction to this. He just shrugged, dropped his bag from the luggage cart, and wandered into the bathroom.
Five nights of sleeping next to Jughead...Betty felt a smile creep up her lips.
She unpacked her things into the cabinets, shoving her suitcase and carry-on under the bed. Then, she picked one of the least fancy outfits that Veronica had insisted upon getting for her. They took turns showering since they both smelled like planes and sweat. Betty had been tempted to invite him in, but she feared they'd never make their dinner reservations. Jughead let Betty go in first and she almost died upon feeling how heavenly this shower was. Who needed romance when you had a bathroom like this?
They passed each other as Jughead took the shower and he grabbed her ass.
"Hope you left some hot water for me."
"Nope, freeze."
By the time Jughead had finished she had dried her hair to appropriate dampness and was curling it carefully, fully dressed. Jughead looked her up and down, as though minorly disappointed she wasn't stark naked.
"Later," She said, kicking his shin with her toe, "Go, get dressed! You know Veronica will have no issues with barging in and making us stop in the middle of sex. She'd probably just pull us off each other and hand us our clothes. She's very serious about this welcome dinner."
"Okay, okay. Yeesh, mood-killed and point made," Jughead agreed, shuddering.
While she stood in the bathroom and did her makeup, Jughead dug and found a button-down shirt and a pair of khakis, about all she could expect him to wear, to be frank. It felt very domestic; Jughead dressing in the bedroom, calling out to Betty as she stood in front of the mirror, applying lipstick and eyeliner.
"What, do I have a stain somewhere?" Jughead asked. Betty realized she'd been staring quite obviously, studying really.
"Nothing." She said quickly, "I just can't believe we're here."
Jughead came out, his tie undone and Betty paused her makeup to do it for him.
"I hope Veronica has warned the chef because I'm going to eat through Paris in its entirety," Jughead teased, "It was between this or Rome."
"Well, if we stay in Ronnie's good graces, I'm sure Rome isn't off the table," Betty said, kissing Jughead and leaving a lip-gloss stain on his cheek, "Now, food."
XX
The first five days in Paris were the most exhausting yet amazing hours that Betty was sure she'd ever spent doing anything. Veronica seemed to be able to get them into nearly anywhere with just a flick of her wrist or a conversation with someone at the desk. She spoke fluent French, and Betty could pick up some here and there of what she was saying, but a lot of it went right over her head.
It hardly mattered; they had premiere guides for every museum or location they entered.
"Damn, Lodge, I always heard it was packed," Jughead said, squinting and looking face-to-face with the Mona Lisa, "Not sure I get the hype."
"Oh, I agree. There's so much to see," Veronica said, "And usually, yes, but we're on the private tour, of course. After hours." She winked, grinning happily to their tour guide.
"She gives me the creeps. Where are her eyebrows?" Archie said, shuddering. As they passed, he put a hand up to block his view, "I swear, she's like...following me with her eyes."
"While normal kids have fears of the bogeyman, Archie's gonna think Mona Lisa is in his closet...just waiting."
"That's not funny, man!" Archie huffed, clearly unsettled, "When you have nightmares of her just staring at you, don't come crying to me!"
Most of their outings followed a similar pattern; Veronica would wave her magic wand (the Lodge name or money) and get them a private, behind-the-scenes tour. Jughead and Betty would be enamored. Archie would miss the point entirely and say something really dumb, but almost lovable. Jughead was writing them down when Archie wasn't looking. Though all the memories may one day bleed together, Betty was sure she would never forget how much her sides hurt all the time from laughing or how her face hurt from smiling or how her brain felt too small to possibly soak up all this fantastic information they were given.
"Now I know what I can dress up as next year at Halloween to scare the living shit out of you," Jughead continued, not letting up.
"My personal favorite was Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss, " Veronica interjected, pushing Archie's fries closer to Jughead in hopes of distracting him. They were underneath the Louvre right now in the little food area. Archie had gone straight for McDonald's, but Betty was hardly surprised. You can take the boy out of America but you can't take America out of the boy, "I've seen it a million times, but oh, the way the sculptures meet…" She kissed her palms, "Perfection."
"I like the battle one."
" Liberty Leading the People? " Veronica asked, pulling it up on her phone.
"Yeah," Archie said, but made no further explanation as to why. Betty wasn't sure Veronica wanted to pry, lest he gives an answer such as 'the colors are cool' or 'men fighting is legit'.
"I'm always a sucker for a good Carrivago, though this is the first in-person one I've seen," Jughead said, and turned, "Betts?"
"Oh, that one...I think it was called La Jeune Martyre, " She was sure she was butchering the French pronunciation, "The colors, the desolateness, the theme...it's just really stuck with me."
"All fantastic choices," Veronica said proudly, as though a school teacher asking for student volunteers, "Who's ready to go to the Arc de Triomphe?"
XX
There was one thing about the trip thus so far that was not as perfect, but Betty only thought of it in the moments right before falling asleep or as she woke up, and this was that it was not quite as...sexual as she might have hoped.
She got it. This wasn't a trip about sex, this was a trip about the sightseeing. Still, perhaps she'd been naive to think that because they were sharing a bed, it would be different. And they had a pretty intense sexual schedule back home.
She perfectly understood the causes of why they hadn't been having sex, and none of it was having to do with either of them not wanting it. In fact, more than once they'd been inches away from starting before just falling asleep. She also knew that Veronica and Archie were having a lot of sex, so part of her couldn't help but feel extremely frustrated.
It was a balance though, and looking back, she supposed she wouldn'' change a thing.
During most of the day, the group of four spent hours in museums or in the streets of Paris or wandering into shops. Then, when Veronica let them off between or after dinner, Betty knew this is when her friends retreated to their penthouse suite and went at it.
Veronica had lived here and been back so many times that seeing Paris felt so 'ho-hum' to her, as though it was her backyard. She wasn't jonesing to get out and wander around. And Archie? Well, he tried to appreciate things, but Betty had a feeling if they were on a more athletic vacation he'd be happier. So neither of them had much interest in the city outside of the time they spent with Betty and Jughead.
Jug and Betts though? Well, they both agreed that they had no idea when they'd ever come back to Paris again so it would be foolish to not spend every second exploring and going to other places that Veronica hadn't set up for them. They even took the train to Versailles one of their afternoons and wished they had time for other day trips. Most of the time, they got back to their hotel room so exhausted that they fell asleep with their day clothes still on.
So it wasn't like they had all this free time and they weren't doing it, and it was only once Betty looked back that she realized she hadn't gotten off in five days. Which maybe that was better; she would have no regrets going home in three days, or she wouldn't feel like she missed out on something to have sex with Jughead.
While she loved it and it was fantastic, they had all this other time and the rest of the summer to do that. They only had a few precious days in France.
Still...
She wondered if it was a thought on Jughead's mind as well?
Sleeping in the same bed also was different than expected. Yes, they'd fallen asleep a few times, but this was different. She tried to snuggle next to him but found out something about sleeping next to another live human very quickly; under the covers, it was really warm. The other person worked as a space heater and it was just unrealistic to cuddle the whole night.
She'd have to apologize to all those bad trashy romance novels she had once made fun of, the ones where the lead and his heroine 'shared body head' by getting totally naked because, yeah, that would warm you up for sure.
At the end of the day, she did feel a closer connection to Jughead by sleeping in the same bed, because you learned a lot about a person like that. Like, Jughead teased her and said that she kicked his back during the night. She retaliated by pointing out that Jughead mumbled and if you asked him a question, he'd answer in his sleep with a nonsensical answer like 'oranges arrow marmalade the shark sneaker?'
She also did not want to bring up her desire for some sexual healing because Jughead seemed so thrilled with each day. She'd hate for him to choose to not go out and explore on her behalf, because he admitted to the group he thought he'd never get the chance to travel to Europe, so in a way, this felt very unreal to him.
It was fine, she told herself, perfectly fine. She just would make sure she could jump his bones the second they opened their apartment door back home.
XX
Betty flopped down on the bed, kicking off her sneakers with her toes and sighing into the silky sheets. She'd just arrived back from a girl's morning with Veronica, complete with a full brunch, a spa with mani/pedis, and a shopping spree. Veronica took to the morning with gusto, having done this jaunt many times, whereas Betty underestimated exactly how exhausted it would make her! It was just after lunch, as they had grabbed some crepes as their last activity, before heading back to the hotel.
Betty wasn't usually one to nap during the day, but damn, this might be worth it.
She fell into a light slumber until a text chime woke her. It was Jughead, she read blearily, telling her that he was stopping off at a store to find a gift for Jellybean and he'd be back from his 'men's morning' soon.
From what she'd heard, they were going to a famous cafe here where Hemmingway not only used to frequent but apparently read the manuscript of 'The Great Gatsby' for the first time. She knew that Jughead would probably have an orgasm just even stepping foot inside; to imagine that he was in the same place that one of his favorite authors had been was totally exciting. Not so much to Archie. For him, they were visiting a fancy cigar and whiskey bar afterward and then heading to an old-time fancy barbershop.
The light was dappling the sheets and her phone told her she'd killed about four hours in glorious slumber and felt pretty refreshed. As she came to, yawning and rubbing her eyes, she realized that Veronica hadn't left her off with any reminders (read; threats) about times and punctuality for their night activity. She hadn't said anything about it, to be honest.
Betty pretty much relied on Veronica just telling her what they'd be doing, but for the life of her, she realized that she had no idea what the afternoon held.
She dug out a thick binder from under the bed, sitting at one of the couches in the living room and started to open it.
Veronica had made all of them an itinerary for the whole trip. And, it wasn't just a half-assed one-sided list on a spare piece of printer paper. Oh, no, no. She'd gone the extra mile and assembled possibly the most impressive itinerary that Betty had ever seen. Each page was laminated and sprayed with her favorite Parisian perfume so that whenever anyone shifted the binder, the smell of Paris Veronica wafted up through the hotel room. In the front was a list of what they had needed to bring, which Betty had been grateful for. In the back was a list of common courtesies and customs that differed from America.
In the middle was their daily schedule.
And it was not just 'meet here at this time'. She'd taken the time to put pictures in of each location, along with a google maps image. She had a description of what they'd see there, and finally, she had an anecdote about someone celebrity she met or had some event with at each location.
Jughead commented that she'd found a whole new way to flex her status if they ever were to forget that Veronica rubbed elbows with famous people, and while it was almost annoying, he appreciated her ingenuity of it all.
But, as Betty realized, she'd had little use since arriving here for this. She'd just followed whatever Veronica told them they'd be doing next. She wanted to see if she had time to take maybe another quick cat-nap or if she should start getting ready now, since dinner was always a big event, at least it was when the four were together.
To her utter surprise and shock, the area after Girl's/Boy's Morning was just...blank. Not even 'free time' or 'find your own food' written, as it was in other places, as Betty flipped to some of the previous days. It was just a gap in the schedule, a big blank space on her light purple paper.
She went to Jughead's binder, in case the ink was wonky on hers but found that there was nothing in his either.
Well, this had to be a mistake!
This was Veronica they were talking about. Veronica, who on their day to Disneyland Paris (Archie's one request) had timed out how to hit all the rides in the most logical order and put it on an excel spreadsheet with their bathroom breaks penciled in. And she'd made them stick to it.
Jughead had joked that Veronica had a bigger problem with control than Betty did, but she was far more annoying about it. If there was a chance for Veronica to stick her fingers in an activity and sway the outcome, she'd have her whole hand in it.
Therefore, it seemed impossible for her to have just forgotten to fill in space. The only reason Betty could come up with was that she had a mini aneurysm mid-typing or that there was some grand trick to it, like that it was in secret ink.
Betty grabbed her binder and went up to the floor above to where Veronica and Archie were staying. She knocked three times and on the other side, it sounded as though something was knocked over.
" Laissez-le dehors et donnez-vous un pourboire de 100 euros!" Veronica said, in between giggling and a very high-pitched 'Archie!'. What followed was what sounded like a...growl? And a thump?
"Uhm...it's me...Betty?" Betty said, wincing. She should have just spoken up, to begin with.
There was more commotion on the other side and Veronica flung the door open, tying a robe snugly around her waist.
"Aww, we thought you were our dinner," Archie pouted. He was behind Veronica on a couch, completely naked, sans a very elaborate embroidered pillow over his lap.
Betty averted her eyes immediately.
"What, B?" Veronica said.
"Uhm, I think you made a mistake. With the schedules." Betty said, now feeling stupid, "There's not...well…" Clearly, if Veronica and Archie were not just having a quickie, but it seemed like a whole dang production, they probably were getting their own dinners.
"Betty, have you talked to Jughead today?" Veronica said.
"He's still out, why? What's the plan?"
"I'd ask your boyfriend."
"Jughead knows...and I don't?" Betty echoed.
"Yep."
"Wha-is it...are we eating together?"
"No."
"Then where are we-,"
"Betty," Veronica clapped her hands together, "As much as I'd love to play 20 Questions with you, I am right in the middle of a very intense role-play and I feel like I'm going to lose the essence of my character if I don't get back to it." She leaned forward, booping Betty on the noise, "Mon cherie, ask your boyfriend."
Before Betty could grill her anymore, Veronica closed the door. She turned and caught a few of Veronica's words as she started to head back toward the elevator.
"Oh, yes, ride me like a magic carpet, you rapscallion!"
Betty shuddered hard, equally curious and horrified by whatever the hell she just heard.
Jughead was pushing gift bags into his suitcase when she returned.
"Juggie, please tell me what our dinner plans are," Betty groaned, "And before you try to make it a big surprise or something, I'll just have you know I had to interrupt and overhear some of Veronica and Archie's weird-ass role play to try to get answers out of them."
"Wait, Veronica didn't say anything, did she?" Jughead said, scowling.
"No, annoyingly."
Jughead waffled before rubbing the back of his neck, giving a quiet laugh, "Well, we're getting dinner, Betty."
"Yes, food is necessary for survival. I assumed," She said, pulling a chair out to sit.
"No, I mean like…" He licked his lips, "We haven't been on a date, you know?"
"What?" Betty tilted her head, squinting, "Sure we have!"
"With Archie and Veronica, double-dating, sure. Loads. And we hang out in the apartment a lot too or grab Chinese but I haven't taken you out yet on like a proper date. With nice clothes and wine and shit." He said, his voice growing unsure by the end, "Thought it was about time."
Betty opened her mouth, sure that Jughead was mistaken because they obviously must have...but no, she realized, things had happened between them in such a weird, unorthodox manner that they actually hadn't done an honest-to-god date. Not even a quirky outing to a bowling alley, or going one on one to see a movie, or get all dolled up, as he was referring to now.
"Well, that's...sweet." She realized, standing to kiss him.
"I wanted to do it myself," He admitted, "So, uh, if it's not as fancy of a place as you've been used to the last couple days, I'm sorry. I mean, Veronica offered, of course, but I wanted it to be just about us."
"I wouldn't want it any other way. Even if it's a hole in the wall, I'll love it," Betty assured. Jughead laughed.
"Famous last words. It's really nothing special."
"Well, it's our first official date, you know, so it will be special for me." Betty insisted, "So, nice dress?"
"Nice dress." Jughead said, kissing her cheek, "Arch is supposed to text me when he's done, uhm, exploring Veronica's 'Cave of Wonders'…" He had a visceral 'ugg' reaction when he said that, "so I can get ready up there so I don't see you. Then I'll pick you up at the door at 8, flowers in hand, like a real gentleman."
"Aww, you gonna promise my non-existent father you'll have me home by 11?" Betty teased.
"I'm not that much of a gentleman," Jughead said, a wolfish grin appearing. His phone chimed, "Well, that's my queue. I'll see you at 8, darling."
"Can't wait," Betty replied and realized as he left, that she felt jittery, as though it was their first outing as a couple, instead of basically the thousandth. She felt warm butterflies in her stomach, and as she pursued through the fancy dresses she'd not yet worn, she hoped she'd always feel that sense of joy when it came to Jughead.
XX
Betty sat drinking coffee on the veranda deck of her hotel room, grinning like an idiot into her mug. She caught a glimpse of herself in the reflection of the dark glass sliding door and chuckled at her reflection. The morning was warm and welcome, and the sunlight on her uncombed and bed-tossed hair looked almost like something she'd seen in a Vogue magazine or on a runway. She was curled up on a little couch, surrounded by plants galore, only wearing Juggie's button-down shirt from the night previous, which she'd carefully picked up from the floor and tiptoed outside.
He'd been so apologetic at their arrival to the restaurant; it was nowhere near the classy places Veronica had been bringing them to, but it felt more Paris than anything else she'd been to yet. The charm of it was undeniable. Yes, Veronica probably wouldn't have stepped foot inside once she saw the dirt on the tile floor as they stepped inside, and perhaps Archie would have been put-off by the crooked wooden table they were sat at, but Betty was enchanted. It felt like something out of a movie.
"It's fine, Jug, I love this," Betty cut Jughead off as he said sorry for the umpteenth time. The menu was quite a bit less expensive than what they'd been eating and between them (even if Jughead insisted quite ferociously on paying for her food) the most expensive bottle they could rationalize spending was a thirty dollar champagne, but Betty felt a protective sense about this location. It wasn't hers and Veronica's and Archie's and Jughead's...no, it was just her's and Juggie's. It was their secret little place, off the beaten path that served the best raclette Betty had ever had. The entire atmosphere was jolly. Betty felt like she was part of something and more than one person commented on how adorable they were as a couple.
"It's our first date," Jughead said almost coyly to the waiter, which wasn't untrue.
"Ah! Desert on the house. May you both have many more fortunes your way!"
After dinner, they'd wandered around the nights of Paris together, admiring the architecture and the way the lights glittered on the cobblestones, wet with afternoon rain. They discussed their previous 'first dates', though between them it had been few and far between.
"In High School, the only guy I ever dated, I didn't even realize it was a date," Betty recounted as they'd walked along the Seine.
"What? For real?"
"I mean, he just said 'let's go to Pop's'. Everyone goes to Pop's. Sure, you go there for dates too, but I mean," Betty winced, "I just thought it was a burger between friends."
"What clued you in?" Jughead asked, holding back laughter at Betty's face, screwed up as she recalled how flustered she'd felt.
"He said something along the lines of 'man, I never thought you'd say yes'. So I asked 'why'...and it sorta...yeah."
"What did you do? Break his heart right then?" Jughead teased.
"No. I was far too shy. I stayed the rest of the time, sorta feeling weird because I didn't like him romantically, and that was sorta it. I just said I 'didn't feel sparks' or something afterward, though I felt bad about it for ages." Betty groaned into her hand. That had been true, her only date. Her and Sweet Pea hadn't really dated if they were being specific.
"I went on a few 'dates', though it was entirely with the intention of losing my virginity," Jughead admitted rather brazenly, and Betty punched his arm, "Ow!"
"Way to be an ass to those girls then!"
"Oh, they knew," Jughead laughed, "It was more...transactional really. I buy them dinner, we go back to mine and Archie's dorm, I put a sock on my doorknob…" He shrugged, "I was young and stupid and wanted to see what Arch was on about. He helped me. Not with the sex, ugg, I mean, finding girls on Tinder that seemed like they'd agree."
"Young and stupid, what, two years ago?" Betty snorted.
"I'm a wiser man now," Jughead replied cheekily, "But as it was, I knew I wasn't interested in any of them beyond just sex. No one expected anything more, so no broken hearts on my end either. One offered to sorta be friends with benefits, but I dunno. It was exhausting doing it all the time. I knew eventually I'd want to settle and actually date." Jughead squeezed her hand, "And sure, in my wild imagination, I thought about it being you, but I'd never...sometimes all this feels like a dream. If you'd told Freshman Jughead that one day he'd be strolling through the streets of Paris with the girl from his Intro to English class that he had a massive crush on, I'd think you were joking."
Betty paused, leaning on the stone wall next to her, "English 103? Since then?" She blinked quickly. She'd heard from Jughead he'd had a crush on her, but she hadn't been sure how long. Even she couldn't claim that far back. She'd found him endearing when they'd met at Orientation, and she'd noticed him as a friendly face in English 103, but it wasn't until they moved into the same apartment that her feelings had begun to surface.
"Like I said. I never thought it would happen."
"So when I gave you your birthday present…"
"I mean, I figured...I'd hate myself if I said no to your offers. Plus, even if I had a romantic crush on you, you were also in my wet-dreams quite a lot," He said frankly, "And I wasn't looking for something serious, but I also wasn't not, if that makes sense. So when it grew into this? I guess... I just keep waiting for the other shoe to drop."
Betty kissed his lips sweetly, pulling him into a hug.
"It won't," She whispered into his hair, a quiet promise.
In present, Betty traced her fingers down her neck to the necklace he'd given her for Christmas. Her new bracelet, a present from him given to her as they ended their walk, tinkered against the metal.
They'd had sex last night, finally, after a long week. It had been sweet and caring and gentle and had felt more like reaffirming something than getting off and eliciting that sort of dirty pleasure she'd begun to associate with him. It had been unlike the norm, and something nice.
"You're a vision, Betts."
Betty opened her eyes lazily to see Jughead leaning in the threshold, wearing only his boxers.
"Coffee's on," She said, holding up her mug, face blushing at the compliment.
Jughead darted inside to grab a cup and came to sit by her. Since they were on the second to the highest floor, and it was a premiere suite, they were mostly hidden from the street. The thick plants obscured most the vision and they were pretty high up. Still, Betty wasn't sure if she'd sunbathe nude out here or something, but Jughead seemed confident enough shirtless...and pantless.
For a little while longer they just sat in silence, drinking their coffee. Today was their last day, tomorrow they'd be going home. Veronica had a bash planned, of course, and it would take at least another cup to prepare for...whatever she had in store.
The silence was welcome. Jughead read a book he'd picked up at a famous bookstore and Betty read the news from an English version of the Paris daily newspaper. It felt picturesque and dreamlike. It was the sort of scene you'd find in a romantic movie, where the filter would be slightly washed out and the pinks and golds would be highlighted.
Betty shifted on the chair to sit on her thighs and she caught Jughead's eyes flicker up at the movement. She saw over the edge of her paper that they stayed paused on her for a second, and as she glanced down, his shirt had ridden up to reveal the curve of her hip and her black lace undergarments.
"Nice outfit there," Jughead said, voice sounding slightly parched, "I approve."
"Just noticed?" She teased. Boys were so blind sometimes.
"I'm really now appreciating it," He shot back, and Betty wiggled to give a better view, pulling the shirt she was wearing as a dress, up over her stomach, before settling back on the arm of the chair to keep reading.
Jughead had put his book down.
"Not interesting enough for you? Bummer," She clicked her tongue.
"There's just more interesting things in front of me," Jughead said, trailing a nail up from her ankle to her mid-leg. She shivered at the contact, "I feel as though I've been...neglecting you."
"Jug, we've spent loads of time together. Probably more so than when we're back in New York," Betty rolled her eyes, thinking about how until the designated boy's and girl's day, they truly hadn't been separated for very much.
"Not like that," Jughead said, and it was just a quick glance at his face to know what he was talking about.
"I haven't minded. I didn't want to detract from our experiences here," Betty said quietly.
"Oh, I agree. Still...we have a few hours until whatever Veronica is going to drag us to. How many people can say they've properly had hot Parisian sex?"
Betty was tempted to point out that Veronica, Archie, and well anyone in Paris probably, but she got the point. Plus, she wasn't going to argue. She stood, grabbing her mug.
"Where are you going?" Jughead knit his eyebrows.
"Uhhm...the bed?"
Jughead grabbed her waist as she passed, grabbing the mug in one hand before it fell and sheltering Betty's body from an unfortunate trip to the ER with his other.
"I don't think so," He said, "Why walk all that way, a whole length of a room when we're perfectly fine here."
Betty swung her head around wildly, "Here?" She echoed. She could hear the sights and sounds of Paris quite well; the honking of cars, the people chattering on the streets below, the sound of footsteps. It was one step away from public indecency. She wasn't even sure Veronica and Archie would be so bold.
"Why not?" He said, kissing her soundly, backing her up against the railing. As he kissed her, Betty leaned back just enough so that out of the peripherals, she saw the street below them. No one was looking up. There were vines upon vines covering the spaces in the metal railing. And Jughead was already slipping two fingers underneath her underwear.
He moved Betty back to the lounge chair which was pushed against the metal railing, kissing down her neck as his other hand popped open the buttons to his shirt. He didn't take it off entirely, but let it pool around her sides and start to slip down her shoulders, leaving her skin exposed to the direct sunlight and wind.
As much as she enjoyed the feeling of being worshipped, she was more than a bit itchy for something...more.
She slipped her hand down Jughead's boxers and when he was distracted, arching his back upwards and groaning as she slid her hand over him, she pulled him down beside her. Then, she slung a leg over him, coming up to sit on his lap before he could blink.
"Oh, hello there," Jughead chuckled, "That was unexpect-," Before he could make another little comment, she'd started rubbing him up and down. Jughead, as though momentarily stunned, seemed unable to move. Betty gently took his hand and led it to the v of her legs, reminding him of his goal.
He scooted upwards to sit more comfortably and Betty's legs fell on either side of his thighs, knees pressing into the orangish cushion. She lifted her leg enough to slide her underwear off, making sure to place it on the table (the worst thing would be for it to fall to the streets...not only was it an expensive pair of underwear, but it would be completely mortifying) and helped Jughead shimmy his boxers around his ankles.
As Betty licked her palm to help slide him inside, Jughead leaned forward and flicked his tongue around her nipple, causing Betty to sigh happily. His hands gripped her hips and he pulled her down as soon as he was inside, and for just a second, they sat there, connected.
Betty's hands started at his shoulder, but after a few thrusts against him, she realized that she had better leverage if she reached right where his head was and grasped the top of the metal railing, pushing down onto him with a sense of vigor. Jughead groaned quietly, trying to let her do her thing, though his hands kept almost grabbing to move her. They settled at the dip in her backside, his clipped fingernails digging ever so slightly into the soft skin there. His head fell against her shoulder and the little breathless puffs that he was making drove Betty on.
She felt sweat collect as she continued and pressed her own forehead to the coolness of the metal. Through a patch in the ivy, she could see straight down. She stifled a laugh, badly, wondering what the people below would say if they knew what was happening just a few floors above their heads?
"What?"
"Just…" Betty exhaled, "This was a good idea." They'd flirted with nearly getting caught in public places before, and she supposed if they tracked their more kinky moments, one could say they both got off on it a bit. It hadn't taken much to win her over for this, that was for sure. Yeah, it was mostly Juggie initiating, but as far as kinks went, she was pretty pleased with this one.
"You're telling me," Jughead agreed, placing a soft kiss right below her collarbone, and then another, and finishing with a gentle bite.
By the time they had finished, both had worked up quite a sweat, as the heat of the morning had broken to something truly muggy and warm. As Betty slid off, she felt her skin peel away from his and she wasn't sure where the flush from the sex or the redness of a developing sunburn started and ended.
"I thought I was supposed to be pleasing you," Jughead said, basking in the afterglow, running his fingers through his hair.
"You did," Betty assured, "And the morning's not over." She added, grabbing her underwear but not putting it back on, "There's a very cool shower in a large bathroom that I think if I do say so myself, is practically calling to us."
So I just want to take this time, even if the story isn't quite over yet, to sincerely thank all of you. Not long after the posting of the last chapter, this story won Best WIP in the Bughead Fanfiction awards and I'm honestly so blown away. I started this around this time last year as just a cute little smutty story and had no idea that it would ever get so popular. I am consistently shocked and awed about how much you guys love this! I'm often thanked for writing stories and I always respond that I should be thanking all of YOU! I can write to my heart's content, but it's just floating alone on the internet until some lovely person decides to take a chance and click on it :)
As for some notes within the chapter, if you're interested in a vide of Veronica's jet, look up the Youtube Video 'Embraer Lineage 100E Private Jet'. This is what I modeled it on!
This was also the last 'poll' chapter! It's interesting to hear your thoughts; I was originally going to set this location somewhere like Barcelona, but Paris won and I can't imagine the group going anywhere else now.