Come Undone

My immaculate dream,

Made of breath and skin,

I've been waiting for you,

Signed with a whole tattoo,

Happy birthday to you,

Was created for you

Come Undone (Cover) - My Darkest Days

September 2019 - The Surprise Party

"Damn, Cooper's looking mighty fine tonight. If I knew she'd look this good back in high school, I'd have tapped that a while ago," Reggie slurred, leering at Betty as she danced with Kevin, making Jughead's jaw clench tightly.

Theoretically, he knew this was a side effect of keeping their relationship a secret, but it still bothered him. Even when they'd turned it into a game, it still irritated him when their guy friends would eyeball her like she was a piece of meat and he couldn't do a damn thing about it.

He wanted to yell at Reggie, punch him in his stupid smug face, and then crush his lips against Betty's to show everyone around that she was his. The thought of throwing caution to the wind started to overwhelm him but before he could do anything stupid, Archie started yelling instead.

"Hey, man! Don't you ever say that kinda shit again! You know Betty is off-limits, Mantle! Even think about going near her and I'll break your jaw myself," he growled, roughly bumping Reggie with his shoulder.

"Calm down, man! I'm just saying, she's fucking hot. You can't blame me for looking, dude."

"I mean it, Reggie. Back the hell off," Archie spat. Jughead winced slightly at his tone, imagining just how Archie would react if he knew all the things he and Betty had done together, multiple times in fact.

He could still clearly remember how extremely Archie had reacted the last time he even suspected that Jughead had a thing for her.

June 2017 - Sweetwater River

Jughead couldn't help but stare at the scene in front of him, jealousy filling his heart as he watched his brother's friends joking around in the river. Even here at Sweetwater River, where the lines of the town blurred, there was a clear separation between the two sides of Riverdale.

While the Northsiders messed around in the water, playing chicken and splashing each other, the Southsiders were relegated to the shadows, lounging on a rock under the maple tree several feet away. Stretched out next to Jughead, her barely-there bikini showing off her toned body, was his girlfriend of six months, Toni Topaz.

Toni was the girl that had helped to patch him up after his initiation, the one who he'd met when he first transferred to Southside High and had helped him reopen the Red & Black. She was sexy, mysterious, and an all-around badass - the 'perfect' girlfriend for the new Serpent King.

However, somehow she still wasn't the girl that he wanted to be with. That girl was currently reclined on the bank of the river, her blonde hair fanned around her as it dried in the sun. He watched her toes tapping to the rhythm of the music coming from her headphones, the rippling of her calf muscle drawing his eyes to her shapely legs. He'd spent the last year pining over her from a distance while remaining indifferent to her when they were forced to be around each other.

No one could know that he dreamt of her almost every night, fantasized about doing dirty things to her while he–

"Earth to Jones?" Sweet Pea said, tossing his wet towel at Jughead's head. The brooding teen turned and glared at the tall Serpent.

"What the fuck, dude? Why are you throwing shit at me?" Jughead growled.

"Well, if you were paying attention I wouldn't have to throw things at you. We just wanted to see if you were ready to jet and head to the Wyrm? What has you so intrigued anyway?" Sweet Pea looked in the direction where Jughead had been staring just in time to see Betty Cooper flip over, untying the strings on her bikini top in order to get sun on her back.

"Duuuude! Tell me you are not ogling Princess Peach over there?!" an appalled Sweet Pea shouted, loud enough for everyone around them to hear. Jughead's ear's tinged pink and he scoffed, trying to play it off as best he could.

"What? No! I was just thinking about the trial coming up. Plus there's a lot of other shit going on at home, I just got distracted. Besides, why the hell would I be checking out my brother's girlfriend when I'm dating the hottest girl here?" he replied seductively, smiling down at Toni while stroking her thigh.

"Flattery will get you everywhere, Jones," Toni winked, giving him a quick kiss, "But seriously, even you guys have to admit that Cooper is packing a banging body underneath all those Granny sweaters. Hell, even I'd hit that. God, with legs like hers, I would happily wrap them around my face anytime."

"Well now, there's quite an interesting image," Jughead chuckled, doing his best to play it off by flirting with his girl– even if that was a scenario that he would be using when he had some alone time later that evening.

They all had a good laugh and went about their business, teasing each other as they gathered their things and made their way to their bikes, never noticing the Northsider who'd overheard their conversation.

~~A Few Hours Later~~

Jughead parked his bike out in front of the Andrews' home, thinking about the very serious conversation that he and Toni had before he left the Wyrm. He was in no way prepared for the turn of events that stemmed from her comments at the river that afternoon.

Toni confessed that she wanted to break up with him.

She told him she'd been trying to figure out how to tell him for a few months and finally explained that she was more attracted to girls than boys. She said she always knew she was bisexual, but she didn't realize just how much she liked girls until Peaches joined the gang.

She begged him not to hate her -not that he ever could- and told him she didn't want to hurt him. He ended up hugging her and telling her that everything was going to be alright, that they were better as friends anyway.

He was actually relieved in a way. He felt that it was unfair to Toni for them to be in a relationship when he was harboring major romantic feelings for another girl. That was something that was more Archie's style and he wasn't like that at all.

Archie.

God, he loved that boy like a brother even before the adoption, and he'd never do anything to hurt their relationship, but he sometimes wished that Betty was his girlfriend instead.

He had this recurring dream that she would admit she felt the same for him as he did for her. Then they would ride off into the sunset together and leave Riverdale and everything else behind them.

But those dreams always made him feel like a complete asshole. Because in order for that to happen, he would have to betray his best friend and the only family he had left. That was something he never wanted to do, ever.

Maybe it was better if he were alone for a while? That way he could work out his feelings for Betty on his own.

Just as those thoughts entered his mind, he looked up to see a stoic looking Archie waiting for him on the front steps. From the look in his eyes, he could tell something was up but he just wasn't sure exactly what it was.

"Hey, you good?" Jughead didn't need to wait for an answer, the look in Archie's eyes told him everything he needed to know. "What's wrong?"

"What's going on with you and Betty?" Jughead's eyes grew large at Archie's words and he swallowed hard, trying to keep his nerves in check.

"What? What are you–"

"Do you think I'm that stupid? I heard your little conversation with your new friends, Jughead. You know, the one where they made lewd comments about my girlfriend while you were all drooling over her at the river? Ring any bells? So, I'll ask you again: What's. Going. On. With. You. And. Betty?!" Archie spat, poking Jughead in the chest to emphasize his point.

"Nothing, dude. There's nothing going on between us!" Jughead shouted back, shoving his hand away. He wasn't sure what crawled up Archie's backside but he wasn't in the mood to deal with it right now.

"Come on! I see the way you look at her, Jug. You think I don't notice, but I've seen it with my own eyes!"

"You're talking crazy, Arch!"

"No, I'm not. You look at her the same way you look at a double cheeseburger from Pop's. So what, do you like her now? Are you trying to steal my girl from me– from your own brother?" Archie asked angrily.

Jughead was fuming and would've been more offended if it wasn't partially true. Yes, he did like Betty -more than liked actually- but he would never steal her from Archie. He wasn't that much of an asshole.

"How the hell could you even ask me that, dude? I don't have any interaction with her outside of hanging out while you're around, and I would never do something like that to you.! For God's sake, I just got dumped 'cause my girlfriend wants a girlfriend, I don't need this shit from you tonight!" Jughead screamed, pushing past Archie and heading up the stairs to his bedroom, slamming the door behind him. Within seconds the door flung open behind him, a now calmer looking Archie standing in the doorway.

"Toni broke up with you?" he asked, concern lacing his voice for the first time that evening.

"Yeah, she did. So, could you stop this macho bullshit and quit trying to piss on your territory? I'm not in the mood," Jughead snapped, annoyance taking over.

"Damn, Jug. I'm– I'm sorry, man. I heard you guys at the river and got in my head about it, I guess. I shouldn't have come at you like that," Archie tried to apologize.

"You're damn straight, you shouldn't have. I mean, do you really think so little of me that you'd think I'd try to steal your girlfriend right from under you?"

"Of course not... I mean, I guess I just got a little nuts when I heard you guys talking about Betty is all," Archie paused, scratching the back of his neck. "You swear you don't like her?"

Jughead swallowed thickly, hoping to sound convincing, " Yeah, I don't like her, Archie. Besides, your girlfriend is not my type and I'm not the kind of guy to mess around with girls who are already taken."

Archie laughed at first but then grew serious after a moment, "Good, I'm glad. Cause even if we ever break up someday, if I find out you tried to make a move or did anything with her, I'll beat your ass and then disown you. Got it?"

"Uh, yeah, got it. No messing around with Betty Cooper, ever."

He shook his head and tried not to think about that, ignoring the sinking feeling in his gut. Instead, he watched Betty and smiled as she moved around the dancefloor in her tiny outfit. Even though things were precarious at the moment, she had a way of making his fears fade away. He knew as long as they had each other, everything would be okay.

Suddenly she caught his eye, licking her lips seductively and making his dick jump as he thought of all the things he was going to do to her tonight. Just wait till I get you home, Cooper. I'm gonna bend you over and fu–

"Jug!" Jughead was jerked from his fantasy by someone calling his name. He growled and reluctantly dragged his eyes off of where Betty was dancing, turning to see Veronica approaching him with a determined look on her face.

Oh, Lord... he thought with a grin.

"Yeah, Ron? What's up?" he asked, smiling at her knowingly. He could tell from her sway that Veronica had already had a few too many drinks and it made him chuckle.

"Do you think you could be a gentleman and give Betty a ride home? You're the only sober person here and you know I don't like the idea of my Bettykins taking a cab alone," Veronica stated with a wave of her hand, stumbling a bit.

Jughead briefly acted put out by the whole exchange but finally nodded before walking towards his giggling lover. While everyone else was otherwise occupied, he took advantage of the darkened dance floor and surprised Betty by pulling her firmly against his chest, rubbing his semi-hard erection against her as he leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"Ready for round two, Duchess? Your bestie wants me to 'be a gentleman' and take you home. How can I say no to that? Especially if..." he lowered his voice and whispered huskily, Betty's eyes darkening at his filthy words. "Would you like that, baby?"

Her panties were already soaked and she nodded, biting her lip before turning to say goodbye to Kevin and Joaquin. She tripped slightly as she headed towards the bar where Archie and Veronica were standing with some of his friends. She just hoped she could play off her flushed cheeks as too much alcohol consumption.

"Veeeeee, what's this about m-me needing to get a r-ride home from less cool Mad Max-x?" Betty slurred her speech more than necessary, making sure to lay it on thick. She wasn't actually drunk, just tipsy.

However, she knew if she thought she was, Veronica would make sure someone she trusted got Betty home safe. And Jughead being her boyfriend's brother, he was always at the top of that list. In fact, this surely wasn't to be the last time Veronica would make Jughead be Betty's personal chauffeur.

"B, I don't like you going home on your own at this time of night. And since Jug is the only one who's actually not drinking tonight, he once again gets the honors. Now Jones, if you don't mind?" Veronica said, pushing a swaying Betty into his arms.

Archie glanced at the pair warily, uncomfortably watching the way Jughead's arm went around her waist to keep her upright. He tried to ignore the feeling he got, clearing his throat as he went back to nursing his beer – all the while keeping his eyes glued to them suspiciously.

"Alright Duchess, let's get your drunk ass to the jeep... But, for the love of God, don't puke in my car again! I'll make you walk home this time, I mean it!" Jughead scolded, winking at her when no one was looking.

Betty stuck her tongue out as she gripped onto his waist tighter, purposely dragging her feet and stumbling more. After she almost tripped him for the third time, he was forced to pick her up in order to carry her out of the crowded bar.

Archie watched the interaction between them, a strange feeling twisting in his gut at seeing his two best friends leaving the bar together. Even though Jughead swore that he never liked Betty, there was something about the way he held her that didn't sit right with Archie.

Maybe it was the care he took when he picked her up or the way she giggled into his chest as he carried her over the threshold of the bar door. Either way, he didn't like it, at all.

For two people who supposedly hate each other, they seem to be awfully close... Archie thought to himself, sipping his beer and half listening to Reggie and Veronica argue over the newest reality show they'd all been watching.

Something's going on with those two, I know it. And I'm gonna find out exactly what it is...

September 2018 - The Talk

Betty stood frozen in place, not believing that Archie would actually have the nerve to show up at her apartment and ask to talk after everything that happened yesterday. All the joy she'd woken up with was sucked out of her as soon as she saw him standing in front of her. She clenched her jaw, remembering her negative feelings from the night before.

"What the hell could you possibly have to say to me, Archie? You lied to me! About a hell of a lot more than I thought, apparently. So what makes you think I want to talk to you ever again?"

"Please, Betty. You're my best friend–" Betty jabbed him in the chest with her index finger and glared, stopping his words.

"Don't. You. Dare... You don't get to call me that, not anymore! You broke up with me a week ago saying you needed to be single and figure things out. You didn't want to talk then, but conveniently after I catch you with your tongue down another girl's throat, now you want to talk? Tell me, Archie, did you really want to come here today or are you just here because your new girl is forcing you to be?"

Archie didn't answer her, only hanging his head in silence. He looked up at her with an ashamed look on his face that had Betty's blood boiling.

How fucking dare he? Who the hell does he think he is that he can just come here and act like nothing happened? Like he didn't lie to me about why he wanted to break up?

"That's what I thought. Goodbye, Archie. Get the hell out of my building and don't come back here ever again..." Betty scowled as she replied, attempting to close the door in his face but Archie threw his arm out to keep it open.

"Wait! Please Betty, just... wait. I'm sorry, okay? But this isn't just about me and– it's about us. Betty, we've been friends for the last two years and I don't want to lose that," Archie stammered, giving her a sad, pleading look, almost like a puppy being scolded.

"Please, just give me five minutes to explain why I did it and if you don't like what I have to say, I'll leave and never bother you again."

The hurt and angry part of Betty wanted to tell Archie to get fucked and slam the door in his face. But another part of her -the inquisitive part- wanted to know what he could possibly have to say for himself. Her curiosity ultimately won out and she begrudgingly agreed to hear him out. "Five minutes, that's it. And I swear, Archibald, I will throw your sorry ass out of here if you cross me even once!"

"Deal," he replied quickly. Betty stepped to the side to let him in, closing the door behind her. She moved to the kitchen to make some coffee before following him into the living room where he was already seated on the couch.

Betty placed her coffee on the table and sat with her hands clasped together tightly, trying to keep her bandages hidden from Archie. The last thing she needed was for him to finally notice her terrible habit and start questioning her about it now.

It's too late for him to care about that... she thought bitterly.

The air surrounding them felt heavy and stifled, the awkwardness growing palpable with each passing second. They sat in uncomfortable silence for a few more minutes before Betty finally cleared her throat and announced, "The clocks ticking, Archie..."

Archie began to fidget nervously, trying to find the right words to say. He stopped and started several times before he settled on, "I never meant for any of this to happen, Betty. I really didn't... You have to believe me. I never, ever wanted to hurt you. I just– when I met Veronica, I realized that it was unfair to both of us for me to keep being with you when I felt the things I did for her."

Betty scoffed and narrowed her eyes, "Then why didn't you talk to me? Just tell me that you were having feelings for someone else so that we could end things on good terms. Or, here's a novel idea, maybe at least break up with me face to face like a real man and not some fucking coward!"

She didn't intend to start yelling at him, but the fact that not only was he confessing to lying about why he wanted to break up, but the knowledge that he'd been -at the very least- mentally cheating on her allowed her anger at the situation to just take over. She could tell that her outburst had Archie visibly frustrated too as she watched him run his hands through his hair repeatedly.

"Because I chickened out, okay? I had every intention of coming over to break up with you that night but I couldn't do it! So, instead, I went to tell Veronica how I felt, to see if there was even anything there!" he shouted, his voice cracking as he looked at Betty with sorrowful eyes. He hung his head, his shoulders slumped forward remorsefully while he stared down at his fidgeting hands.

"I know that I should have talked to you first, Betts. And, yeah, it was selfish of me but... Betty, I just couldn't bring myself to do it. To see the look in your eyes that I knew would be there the minute I broke your heart. I really do care about you. You're my best friend," Archie paused, his voice barely a whisper, "I knew if you found out about Veronica, I would lose you... And I didn't want to lose you completely. I know it was a messed up way of thinking, but I just didn't want to lose my friend, Betty."

Betty paused for a moment, her emotions raging as she took in everything he was saying. She was still angry and hurt by what he had done -and how he had done it- but strangely, part of her understood. Just last night she was feeling things for someone else that she'd never once felt with him, so was she truly any better? Especially given that Jughead and Archie were family and she'd been secretly crushing on Jughead ever since the moment they'd met, she was just too scared to admit it before now.

She wouldn't cry over Archie's actions anymore, not now that she realized she didn't feel as strongly for him as she thought, but she did have to know, "I'm not going to ask if you were intimate with Veronica that night, I'm pretty sure I already know that answer... But I do have to ask... did you ever loved me or was I just someone to pass your time with? I just need to know, for my own closer..."

"Of course I loved you, Betty. I just– I could never give you the love you deserved," Archie replied, tears in his eyes as he finally turned to face her.

"Can I ask why not, Archie?"

"Because Betty... You're just so perfect and I've never been good enough for you. I'll never be good enough for you. You deserve someone who will love you the way that you're supposed to be loved. I just couldn't be that guy," he explained with a sad smile.

Betty wanted to believe that he was being sincere but she didn't know what to think. Truthfully, she hated that he'd put her on this pedestal of perfection when she was obviously far from perfect. It just proved to her that Archie never looked past her outer facade to see who she really was on the inside.

"You know, I really hate that word. I'm not perfect, Archie. I never was. You just didn't take the time to see it for yourself," she paused and took a breath, collecting herself.

"Regardless, that's neither here nor there now. The thing is, Arch, it hurt more that you didn't think you could come to me and talk about how you were feeling. If you had just talked to me, I would've understood. Yeah, it still would have hurt me, but I can almost guarantee it would have been a hell of a lot less messy."

"I'm sorry, Betty. I swear, I'm so damned sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen," Archie sobbed, crying into his hands. Betty awkwardly laid her hand on his back and began patting softly. She was still pissed at him but she wasn't so cold that she wouldn't give him comfort, even though he caused all of this to happen.

"I know you are," she sighed, letting him cry it out. "I know."

"Do you think we could ever go back to being friends?" he asked after his tears slowed, looking at her with hope in his big brown eyes.

"I know I'm supposed to say, 'Yes, of course, we can'... That's what the polite part of me always says, but I can't give you the answer you want right now. You broke what trust we had and for now, there's nothing else I can say to you. I'm going to need some time, Archie. Can you understand that?"

"Yeah, I understand. Take all the time you need, Betty. Just let me know what you decide, either way? Alright?"

"I will, Archie. Goodbye."

October 2018 - The Birthday Gift

It had been two weeks since Archie had shown up at Betty's apartment to explain his actions, asking if they could still be friends. Unfortunately for him, she really wasn't sure how to answer that question yet.

But if she were being honest, Archie and their friendship status had been the furthest thing from her mind lately.

She did actually mean it when she said she'd consider it. However, it was kind of hard to think about Archie and how she felt about being friends again when so much had happened to distract her.

First off, the week after she'd walked into Pop's and saw him with another girl, she was shocked to be approached by the very same girl while studying in the library.

"Hi, you're Betty Cooper, right?" Betty stopped reading her paragraph, looking up at who was addressing her.

The last person she expected to see was the girl she now knew was named Veronica, watching her with hesitant eyes. Betty couldn't help but stare at her as if she'd grown a second head for a moment before finally snapping out of it.

"Oh, uh, sorry. Yes, I'm Betty. And you must be..."

"Veronica Lodge," Veronica replied, holding her shaky hand out with a hesitant smile on her face. Betty shook her hand, trying to figure out what this was about.

Before she could question her though, the girl spoke up again, "I wanted you to know, I had no idea he was dating you. If I had, I wouldn't have agreed to a date with him at all. I'm not out here trying to steal anyone's man."

Betty could see the apprehension in the girl's chocolate brown eyes, her brows furrowed as she looked at her. This girl wasn't being malicious or catty; she was being completely honest– that much she could tell. Betty smiled and offered Veronica a chair.

"I believe you, Veronica. I have no hard feelings toward you, Archie's the one at fault here. He's the one who lied– to both of us, might I add. You couldn't have known that he was going to do something like that," Betty felt sympathy for this girl and could sense that this situation had been weighing heavily on her. She watched as Veronica breathed a sigh of relief and visibly relaxed.

"Oh my God, thank you, Betty. I've only been in Riverdale for a few months and I don't want people to think I'm the new town homewrecker or anything. I told Archie that until things were settled between you two that he and I were done. I liked him but I don't feel right about going out with him knowing what he did to you."

"Oh, you don't have to–" Veronica lifted her hand to stop her.

"Yes, I do. He needs to get himself straight and I... well, I was wondering if you might want to hang out sometime? I know it may seem weird but I don't really have many girlfriends here and I feel like maybe we could be friends? Maybe bond over the fact that the Ginger Judas lied to the both of us for who knows how long?" Veronica asked timidly.

"I think I'd like that, a lot."

After that, she had spent a lot of her free time hanging out with Veronica and getting to know the ex-socialite turned social warrior better.

Honestly, the brunette wasn't at all what Betty had expected, but she had a passion and fire inside her that anyone could admire. She enjoyed spending time with her new friend and they had grown to be very close, fairly quickly.

And of course, then there was her favorite distraction of the last few weeks: Jughead Jones.

Their newly developed camaraderie had been a breath of fresh air for her and she loved getting to know him on a deeper level. And needless to say, her fiery crush on the brooding boy from the wrong side of the tracks only continued to grow the more time they spent together.

She'd learned things about him that she never knew before and it felt good, like they could truly trust each other. Right now, he was the only person she fully trusted (no offense to Veronica). He'd just been there for her and seen her darkness and he wasn't afraid of it. He told her he had a similar darkness inside him too, so he understood what she was going through.

They talked about how upset he was with how Archie handled the breakup and how things were weird between them currently. Strangely enough, Jughead seemed to be more enraged with how Archie ended their relationship than Betty did.

But maybe that's because, in retrospect, she could see just how wrong she'd been about how she really felt for Archie. She put up with things that she never should have and she was happier now.

She learned that he and Archie had grown up together, been friends all their lives. But when Jughead was much younger, after his mother left, he'd begun to act out, starting fights, and getting into trouble at every turn. Their brotherly bond started when Jughead was eleven.

He and Archie had been playing with matches outside Riverdale Elementary when an accidental fire started. Knowing how differently kids from the Southside were treated, Archie took the fall for Jughead instead. Archie had literally saved his life, kept him out of juvie, and from being labeled a firebug.

Then later when Fred saved him from being homeless and adopted him, it just solidified their status as brothers. He admitted to her that part of him felt like he owed Archie for all that he had done for him, even if the other part wanted to smack Archie for being a douchebag half the time.

Another of the many things she'd learned over their time getting to know each other was that Jughead absolutely hated his birthday. Betty could still vividly remember talking to him about it a week earlier.

"How can anyone hate their birthday?" Betty asked, completely shocked at his statement.

"I just do, okay? It's a completely pointless day that just reminds me of all the bad memories from my childhood," Jughead griped, trying not to snap at her, but feeling like he was failing miserably.

Betty's face softened and she timidly laid her hand on his forearm. Jughead jumped as he felt electricity shoot through his body, simply from her touch. He smiled and wondered if she felt it too.

"I'm sorry, Juggie. I didn't realize... I won't push you on it, but do you think it would be okay if I– I mean, I could...?" she trailed off, tugging her bottom lip between her teeth.

"Could you what, Betts?" he asked quietly.

"Do you think I could get you a gift at least? Would that be alright?" she asked with a hopeful smile. Jughead took one look at her wide eyes and smiled, knowing that he'd never be able to deny her anything.

"Yeah, I would love that."

Now that his actual birthday was finally here, Betty couldn't stop thinking about what his reaction would be when he finally saw the gift she got him.

She had originally thought about buying him a new laptop, given that the one he currently had was ancient and ready to give up the ghost. However, she worried he wouldn't like whatever one she picked out so after she spent hours searching the internet for ideas, she finally found the perfect gift.

She had come across a fully restored vintage Underwood typewriter and instantly knew that he needed to have it. She got a great deal on it and even used some of the money that she'd made from reselling the Jag-Stang to make sure it could be express shipped.

She knew it was cutting it close but the gift finally arrived the previous morning, just in time for her to box it up and hide it in the back of her closet. She'd fully intended on giving it to him the night before when he came over for the un-birthday dinner she cooked for him, but then he'd gone and shown up on his motorcycle and ruined that idea.

Since he had no way to get it home, she figured it would be best to give it to him the Monday after his birthday before their shared class. That, along with the flannel he'd left on her couch again – the one that she was currently wearing while she made herself dinner.

Betty couldn't explain why she'd done it, but something had possessed her to strip down to just her panties and spend his entire birthday lounging around in his clothes. Maybe it was because it was comfortable or maybe it was because it smelt like him. Either way, she didn't want to take it off.

Every now and then she would lift the collar, inhaling his scent and hum to herself. It was probably stupid of her, torturing herself this way, but she couldn't stop. She missed him whenever he was gone and having something of his made her feel better.

Betty looked at her phone for what seemed like the hundredth time, hoping that there would be a message from him, but there was still nothing new. She wanted to give him space, but it was already dinner time and she couldn't stand the thought of not talking to him on his birthday.

She wasn't sure if he would be going out with any of his other friends or not but she decided to shoot him a text anyway.

Betty: Hey Juggie, I know you hate it but I wanted to wish you a happy birthday anyway!

Butterflies fluttered in her belly when she saw the three bubbles appear instantly, dancing on her screen until his reply finally came through. She smiled at his use of the personal nickname he had given her years ago. He used to use the name to tease her about being -well, herself- but now it was more of a term of endearment and it had finally grown on her.

Jughead: Thanks, Duchess 😘

Betty: Any big plans for the night? I know you are kinda weird about your bday so I wasn't sure.

Jughead: Betty, I'm weird about a lot of things, my bday is only one of many haha. But no, I don't have plans. I usually go to the movies but not really feeling it this year.

Betty: Why not?

She watched the bubbles jump and stop, then jump again and stop. She knew whatever he wanted to say must be big if he had to keep rewriting his message. Once he finally hit send, her heart dropped into her stomach and guilt washed over her.

Jughead: Well, I used to go with Archie every year but tbh, I didn't want to see him... I mean, you already know things have been kind of strained between us. It just didn't feel right to continue the tradition this year after the shit he's pulled lately.

Betty: Oh, I guess I can understand that. But Juggie, I don't want to cause problems between you and Archie. I know we have gotten close but I don't want to make you choose.

Betty: I mean, we've never discussed if he even knows we're friends now or not. I just don't want my issues with him to be the reason that you guys drift apart...

Jughead: There's more to it than just what happened with you. But I do hate what he did to you, Betts. Especially since you and I have gotten closer and I can see what a beautiful person you are, inside and out.

Betty: Juggie That's so sweet...

Jughead: I'm just speaking truth, Betts ❤️

Betty chewed her lip, failing to hide her smile as his words made her blush. She honestly wondered what he would say if he could see how she was walking around right now. Would he go crazy if he knew what she was thinking about doing to him or even what she wanted him to do to her? She braced herself and decided today was as good a day as any to test the waters...

Betty: I think you're pretty great too, Juggie... If we're being honest, there are so many things I wish I could tell you...

Jughead: You can tell me anything, Betts... You know that.

Betty: But what if I showed you instead? 😘

Betty took a deep breath and before her nerves could get to her, she sent Jughead a picture of herself lying in bed, posing seductively. All she had on was a thin pair of lavender colored lace panties covering her sex and his flannel, leaving it unbuttoned and just barely covering her breasts. From the angle, you could clearly see the expanse of her skin all the way down to her mound. It was risque but still tasteful.

After a few awkward seconds of no response, Betty's phone started to ring, Jughead's picture popping up on the screen. She took a steadying breath, swiping the answer call button, and holding the phone to her ear.

"Hey..." she whispered shyly, trying to keep her erratic heartbeat under control. She didn't know where the confidence to send that picture came from but she really wanted to know what he thought of it.

"B-Betts– Um, did you send that to me on purpose?" he stammered, his voice low and rough. She could tell the picture at least had some effect on him, but she wasn't sure if it was in a good way or a bad one.

Betty worried her bottom lip between her teeth briefly before she answered, "Of course I did, Juggie. Let's just call it part of your birthday gift..."

"Oh, that's just part of it? And what's the other part of my gift, Elizabeth?" Jughead teased, trying to break the tension. Betty's breathy giggle on the other line sent a shockwave straight to his cock, making him grow even harder than before.

Is this really happening right now? he asked himself as he fought the urge to palm his growing erection.

"Well, we're both adults, it can be whatever you want it to be, Jug..." she replied, her breath hitching when he growled on the other line. If she wasn't wet before, she most certainly was now and she really wanted to see how far she could take this.

"Anything I want?" Jughead replied in a low voice, forgetting everything else and imagining all the things he would do to her if she allowed it. He'd wanted her for so fucking long, had so many fantasies of her in his head, that he couldn't pick just one. He hummed as he stared at her picture, "Do you really mean that?"

"Yes..." Betty murmured, her breathy tone conveying her desire for him.

"Do you know what you're getting yourself into, Betts? Because if we decide to open this door, I don't think we can close it again. I don't want to just be a rebound."

"No!" Betty exclaimed, hoping he didn't believe that's what this was. She wanted him for more than just a fling, "You aren't a rebound... At least I don't want you to be... I want this... I want you ... Honestly, I have for a while now."

Jughead stopped to take in what she was telling him but then images of Archie and their friendship filled his head, along with the warning he'd given him, all of which made him pause on his lustful thoughts.

God, Archie even cockblocks me when he's not around, he groaned, rubbing his eyes in frustration.

"Fuck. It's not just that, Betty. Look, I know he and I aren't in a great place but Archie's my brother and I don't want to hurt him. I promised him–"

"Oh! God, yeah. No, I completely understand. Say no more," Betty replied quickly, reclining onto her pillows in mortification as she thought, Oh my God, what was I thinking?!

She hesitated for a longer beat than normal, the thick silence between them making Jughead nervous. He was telling the truth when he said he didn't want to ruin his relationship with Archie, but he also didn't want Betty to think it was because he didn't want her. Because he wanted her in the worst possible way.

He just needed her to under understand...

"Betts? Please don't think it's because I don't want to, it's just Archie pretty much threatened me and–"

"No, no, it's okay. I get it, Juggie. Archie's family and that's too important to you... for us to... well, for there to be anything more than friendship between us. It's okay," Betty interrupted, not wanting to embarrass herself any more than she just had. She was already struggling to fight the ghost of her mother's voice as it was...

...Boys don't like loose girls, Elizabeth... No one wants a whore...

...You're not special, Elizabeth. You will never be anyone's first choice...

"Really, I promise it's alright. I understand, Jug..." Betty trailed off, laughing nervously before trying to clear the lump in her throat. She didn't exactly take rejection well to begin with but this was even more humiliating than normal and she just wanted to crawl in a hole and hide for a while. She coughed awkwardly and said, "Anyway, yeah, I should probably go. I think I have just about filled my quota of humiliation for one day."

"No! Please, I didn't–" Jughead floundered and she just chuckled uncomfortably again. Jughead could tell from her voice that he had hurt her.

God, I'm so fucking stupid! he scolded himself.

"Seriously, it's really okay, Juggie. We can just add this to the ever-growing list of reasons why you hate your birthday and go about our friendship as if I didn't just pathetically throw myself at you, only to epically crash and burn. I don't think my ego can take it if we brought this up ever again," Betty tried to joke, her voice cracking as her eyes filled with tears. She felt so stupid.

Did I misread the signals? Maybe he was just being nice and not actually flirting with me?

...Stupid, stupid, Elizabeth. No man will want you the way you are...

"No, Betty. Wait... please," Jughead begged, feeling like the world's biggest jerk for upsetting her. Truthfully, all he wanted to do was give in, go over to her place, and have her just like he'd always wanted her, regardless of the consequences.

"Seriously. It's completely fine, Jug. I just want to be friends and forget this ever–"

"Touch yourself," Jughead spoke over her, his voice demanding and confident, his need to show her how he felt finally winning out.

"Excuse me?" Betty choked out, stunned by his sudden change in demeanor. She shook her head, wondering if she misheard him, "But you said... I mean, what about Archie?"

"You said anything I want for my birthday, right? Well, all I've really wanted for the last two years is you. So I want you to come for me, Betty."

"Jug, are you serious–"

"Elizabeth," Jughead's raspy voice cut through her like a knife, the deep tone sending heat pulsing through her veins. "I said I want to hear you get off for me. Now, be a good girl and do as I say."

Betty shivered at his demanding tone, quickly doing as she was told. She slowly began touching herself, trying to stifle her moans as she gradually circled her throbbing clit with her fingers until she heard Jughead clicking his tongue in a scolding manner.

"Louder, Elizabeth. I need to hear exactly how much you are enjoying yourself," Jughead growled, giving in and stroking himself over his pants.

Betty's cries grew louder as she gasped his name, running her fingers through her slick folds. His change in mood was tantalizing and she wondered how different it would sound if he were here with her, whispering those words into her ear while pushing his fingers inside her.

"Are you touching yourself like I asked, Elizabeth?" Jughead demanded, pulling his cock out of his boxers, already painfully hard just hearing her in gasps simply from his commands.

"Y-Yes..." Betty breathed, rubbing her clit faster. She'd never experienced phone sex before, never really wanted to, but something about doing it with Jughead was thrilling. Hearing him pleasure himself while she rode her fingers at the same time was by far the hottest sexual encounter she'd ever had.

"Mmm, that's my good girl. Tell me, are you wet for me, baby?" Jughead questioned, slowly working his shaft while he listened to her breathy moans. He groaned, knowing for sure that he could listen to the sounds of her in ecstasy forever and never grow tired of it.

"Oh, God... I'm so, so wet, Juggie," Betty replied while plunging two fingers into her swollen cunt, curling them inside for added pleasure. "I just wish you were here to see for yourself."

"Me too, baby..." Jughead groaned, stroking himself faster, squeezing the base with each pass and imagining Betty thrusting her fingers into her pulsating core for him.

"I-I always get so wet when I think about you, Juggie," she whimpered in admission, placing her phone on speaker and dropping it beside her. She tugged on her nipples roughly, fucking her fingers and imagining that they were his instead.

"When do you think about me, Betty?" he asked, nearly exploding at the knowledge that she had touched herself while thinking of him.

Betty could feel herself reddening, all the most recent times she'd made herself come jumping to mind. "At night, when I'm in bed alone... Or in the shower... And when– when I use my vibrator..."

"Elizabeth, you naughty girl. Do you fuck yourself and imagine that it's my tongue that's buried in that tight little pussy of yours? Or maybe you pretend your fingers are mine?" Jughead growled, stroking faster, "Does it get you off to think of all the dirty ways I could touch you? Do you think about all the ways you want me to fuck you?"

"Oh God, yes! I think about having you in my bed, thrusting into me so hard that I can't think straight. I think about you coming over just to bend me over the side of my couch and pound into me until I scream so loud that everyone knows what you do to me. I think about you every night when I make myself come," Betty choked out as she sped up, her rapidly approaching climax leaving her a panting mess.

"Do you want that, Elizabeth? Do you want me to fuck you like you're mine?"

"Yes! God, yes! I want you to fuck me so bad. Do you want that too, Juggie?" Betty pleaded, desperately wanting to hear him say he wanted her just as much. She needed to hear him say it.

"You have no idea, Duchess. All I think about is having you under me, writhing while you come undone," he paused, debating with himself for a moment before continuing, "Switch to video so you can see what you do to me, Elizabeth..."

Betty picked up her phone and did as he asked, only to be greeted with the sight of him rubbing his cock, a pearl of pre-cum beading at the head. Betty gulped at the sight of his thickness, working herself faster while she watched him pump his length.

"Fuck Juggie, are you trying to kill me? You are so fucking hot," Betty whimpered, adjusting her phone to make sure the camera had a great view of her fingers working in and out of her cunt. Jughead grunted as he watched her fingers slide inside her wet heat, desperately wanting to bury his face into it right now.

"I could say the same, Elizabeth. Fuck, I can't stop thinking about what it would feel like to be buried deep inside you, fucking you from behind while I pull your hair," he moaned, his hand working faster on his shaft. Betty preened, crying out at the thought of him tugging her hair while he surged into her.

"Oh? You like that, don't you? My naughty girl wants me to be a little rough with her? Press my fingers into your hips so hard that you'll see the bruises for weeks and think about how good I fucked you? You'd like that, wouldn't you, Elizabeth?"

"Y-Y-Yes... Juggie, I-I- I'm so close..." she groaned, feeling her orgasm hanging just out of reach.

"You know I'm gonna have to fuck that pretty pink pussy of yours now, right baby? Just think of how good it will feel to have me buried deep inside you, fucking you senseless. Making you scream... making you mine ... You want that, don't you? You want to be mine, Betty?"

"Yes!" she screamed, screwing her eyes shut as she ground the heel of her palm on her clit. Jughead could see that she was right on the verge of exploding and all he wanted was to see her come apart for him.

"You're mine now, Elizabeth. Say it... Say you're mine..."

"I'M YOURS! FUCK!" Betty cried, her body lifting from the bed and spasming as her climax crashed over her. She desperately gasped for air, coming harder than she ever had before.

"That's my good girl... So good for me," Jughead praised her as he came undone as well, shooting hot ropes of come across his bare stomach and chest. Their eyes never left each other as they came down from their highs, both panting heavily while trying to catch their breath. Jughead was the first to break away, grabbing a shirt to clean off his chest before pulling his boxers back up.

"Juggie?" Betty whispered, covering her chest with Jughead's flannel.

God, I am never washing that shirt ever again, he thought as his eyes met hers.

"Yeah, Betts?" he replied, holding his breath and waiting for her to tell him she regretted what they had just done.

Instead, she smiled at him, leaning towards the camera as she whispered, "Happy Birthday..."