Smile
Summary – Betty loves Jughead's smile.
BPOV
Jughead has always had such an amazing smile. As a kid, when we would play in Archie's back yard, I lived for those smiles. His whole face would light up, eyes sparkling like fireworks and my heart would flip-flop. But as the years went on, Juggie stopped smiling. Too many things happened, too many hearts were broken and he lost that carefree, happy part of himself. For years, the most anyone could get out of him was that little smirk, or dry laugh when someone said something funny. It shattered my heart to see such an amazing soul lose its light and joy. But now here we are, together at last. I never in a million years thought that he would ever feel this way about me. We're polar opposites; light, dark; Northside, Southside; optimist, pessimist. We're also so alike it's almost scary. Our souls connect on a level that I never thought was even possible. But it is. When I see Jug, my heart soars and all I want is too see that smile again. The one that's been dead for the better part of ten years. Every once in a while, he smiles not smirks but his eyes never light up and dance the way they used to. His expressive, beautiful, steely blue eyes refuse to smile and my heart clenches painfully as I study his sharp profile. His lip twitches into the smirk and I wince.
"Staring is rude, Betts," Jughead tells me, jokingly. I lean into his side on the worn sofa in his father's trailer.
"I miss your smile, Jug," I whisper. He pulls back to fully look at me, confusion knitting his brow tightly.
"I smile sometimes," he grimaces, realizing how little he shows happiness.
"Not like you used to," I explain, sadly. He looks into my eyes, the harshness in his evaporating to tenderness.
"What do you mean?" he asks, still not understanding.
"When we were kids, you smiled with your whole face and now I have to fight to get you to smile with your whole mouth," I try to elaborate, knowing that it must sound silly. Something sparks in those beautiful eyes though, and before I know it, Jug is laughing. I swat at his chest playfully.
"Don't laugh at me!"
"I'm sorry, Betts," he says between laughs. "You just look so annoyed and it's adorable."
"Whatever, Jug," I cross my arms over my chest. "Just forget it."
"Betty, come on," Jug takes my hand and I glance over at him. "I'm sorry I laughed. I know I'm not the same kid I used to be but I still love you and I always will. Isn't that enough? Even if I can't make my whole face smile anymore?"
"Of course you're enough, Juggie," I whisper, facing him fully. "I just miss your smile, that's all. I love you so much." I plant a soft kiss on his lips and when I pull back he smiles, softly at first but then it grows and fireworks light his piercing blue eyes. I beam back at him and throw myself into his arms, pushing us both back against the couch so I'm lying on top of him. I pepper his face and neck with kisses. I love Jughead's smile.