Chapter Two: Archie Andrews and Bailey
It was a fine summer day. A red-haired young man and his Daemon was planning to spend a day at their favorite diner, Pop's Choc'Lit Shoppe. His dad took the car with him, leaving the boy to walk all the way to his destination.
"You're feeling guilty."
"What? No! What am I guilty of?"
"You and Jug not being friends for quite a while now."
It was very uncommon for Archie Andrews and his Daemon Bailey to talk about his feelings. Usually, they'd keep their issues buried deep and enjoy the finer things in life, such as music, milkshakes, and football. But even an outgoing young man could not repress his issues for too long.
"Why… why are we even talking about this? Sophomore year is starting soon and I want to, you know, make myself anew. Leave the past behind…"
"But it's not right. Jug was, and still is, your best buddy!"
"Is he, though?" Archie questioned his Daemon, not wanting to discuss it any further.
"Don't you want to try and reconcile with him?" Archie ignored the question, his eyes wandered off from the Daemon.
Bailey swooped down from his shoulders and held his ground before Archie, turning from a sparrow into a big dog. He wasn't being scary or whatever, but something about his behavior stopped the young man in his tracks.
"You're lying."
"No! Why would I?"
"Yes, you are!"
What was going on with Bailey, Archie thought to himself. His same-sex Daemon had never antagonized him like this before, so why now? The boy decided to try and be truthful, if only to shut his Daemon up.
"Okay, okay, fine. I'm a very bad liar. I don't know if I should talk to him again or not."
Bailey nodded, waiting for his human to continue, "I said a lot of things that Jug would never forgive me for. For all I know, our friendship is over, like, completely beyond repair."
"You missed him, right?" The Daemon barked softly.
The red-haired boy could only nod solemnly.
"I wish I could… you know, take back all the things I yelled at him."
"We're just starting Sophomore year, so why don't you try to reconnect with him? Bring him hamburgers or, I don't know, bake him a birthday cake?"
A birthday cake? Archie chuckled at his suggestion, remembering that Jughead was such a big eater he'd down a birthday cake in one gulp. Still, it wasn't like he wanted to poison Jughead for abandoning their friendship. It's just… there was no way of knowing whether the dark-haired friend would accept it or not.
"I saw him eyeing you now and then, Arch. It wasn't a hateful gaze, I assure you."
"So he missed me, like, so very much?"
"True. And I know you missed him so very much," the Daemon wagged his tail.
Just then, Archie looked down and realized Bailey had changed. Before, he was a big and fluffy golden retriever; now, his features began to resemble a wolf. Grey and white fur, fierce yellow eyes, firm stature… yep, he's a timber wolf now.
"Bailey, are you… Settling?"
"Wait, am I?"
Archie's eyes widened as the recently Settled timber wolf Daemon examined his new features, chasing his own tail in an attempt to look at it closer. So, a wolf, huh? Not a bad form, Archie thought, even though he preferred Bailey to Settle as a hawk or anything with wings.
The boy felt himself becoming more springy and more confident as they approached the diner. He opened the door and let bailey walked in first. Archie was planning to buy himself a big chocolate milkshake when his eyes met Jughead's. Was he here waiting for the red-haired boy?
A big smile formed on his face. Maybe Bailey was right; he ought to start reconciling with his best buddy right now.
