Jughead kept a close eye on Betty over the next week. While he had untied her wrists for more freedom, he only untied her ankle when she needed to go to the bathroom, which wasn't often. One of the things he noticed about Betty was the fact that she never really ate. She would go a couple of days without eating and then he would practically force-feed her. It didn't sit right with him that she never ate and he wanted to talk to her about it, he just didn't know how to bring it up. He watched her one day, standing in his doorway as she looked out of his window. "You know, it's okay if you're hungry."
She looked down, not saying anything as she shrugged a shoulder, and his heart hurt. Pushing off the doorframe, he walked into his room, going to pull up his desk chair next to his bed. Looking at her, he continued talking a moment later. "I don't eat every day. I've noticed that."
"Come on, Jughead," Betty sighed, closing her eyes. "Let's not do this."
"What has your mom said to you?" Jughead asked quietly, heart hurting when she whimpered.
"Nothing worth repeating," she muttered.
Jughead knew when not to press but how he so desperately wanted her to feel like it was okay to eat. He knew that Betty's mom had obviously said something to her. Something that made her think she was less than. He hadn't ever expected to feel sympathy for the woman he had helped kidnap, but then again, he hadn't ever expected to kidnap someone like Betty Cooper. "Do you want something to eat?"
Betty lifted her chin defiantly, jutting it out a fraction of an inch. "No, thank you." Her voice was cold and Jughead sighed, nodding the next moment.
"I can't force you to eat, but if you get hungry, please let me know," he murmured. He stood to his feet, heading out of the room before her voice stopped him.
"Why do you care, Jughead?" Betty asked, voice quiet.
He turned around and looked at her. "It's important to care about people."
"You kidnapped me though," she said, shaking her head. "I literally do not understand you."
Jughead ran his fingers through his raven locks, heading back towards the desk chair he just vacated not a moment before. Sitting down, he smiled at her gently. "I know you're confused. I know the rest of the Serpents and myself aren't doing things that make sense, and for that, I am sorry."
Betty scoffed. "I don't need a fucking apology."
Jughead sat down in his chair, still smiling at her. "Has anyone ever apologized to you?"
She opened her mouth, perhaps to pop off an angry retort, and then she softened. "Now that you ask, I don't think so."
Jughead's heart hurt. "That's not fair to you, and I'm really sorry people don't treat you the way you deserve."
Betty watched him, looking at him for a moment in a peculiar fashion. Then she offered him up a small smile, and he'd gladly take it. "You're nothing like I'd have thought you'd be like."
"I know that I kidnapped you, and you have every reason to hate me," Jughead murmured, trailing his thumb alongside her wrist, "but please know that I am deeply sorry we had to involve you in this at all."
Betty softened her outer edges, softening her exterior. "I believe you."
Jughead smiled at her, dipping his head down low. A blush kissed his cheeks, and he didn't know what he did to deserve her honest sincerity, but he'd take it. "You sure you don't want something to eat?"
"Maybe - maybe just half a sandwich," she said.
It wasn't much and her stomach looked painfully thin, but he'd take what he could get. He smiled at her, and held up a hand. "I'll be back in a few minutes."
Walking out of the room, Jughead headed into the kitchen to start making the sandwich. His apartment door opened and he knew it was either Sweet Pea or Toni; neither of them ever knocked. Turns out, it was both of them, with Fangs trailing in behind them. Fangs shoved his hands in his pockets, and looked at Jughead. "How's she doing?"
He licked his lips, knowing better than to drop the hint that she might have an eating disorder. "She's better today. Actually talked to me."
Fangs smiled a bit. "That's better than yesterday."
"A vast improvement," Jughead agreed.
Sweet Pea swiped an apple and looked at him. "Lunch for you or her?"
"Her," he said. "She's hungry and wants a sandwich."
"Can we see her?" Sweet Pea asked, and Toni snickered.
"She's not something you ogle at the zoo, Sweets," the petite woman said.
"No, I'll get her out of my room for a little while," Jughead replied, thinking that Betty might actually enjoy that. "Sweets, finish making the sandwich while I go get her." He walked back into his room, smiling at Betty. "You're getting to get out of the room for a bit. Hope that is okay?"
"More than," Betty replied with a smile. "But, uh, I don't think I can walk on my ankle yet."
"Don't worry about that," Jughead assured her, going to cut through the zip tie with his pocket knife. He picked her up, carrying her out into the living room. Settling her down on the couch, Fangs was quick to set a pillow underneath her ankle as Toni and Sweet Pea brought the food over.
"Hey, here you go," Sweet Pea offered the plate with a smile.
Betty smiled back slightly and took the plate, picking up the foldover Jughead had originally started making. He watched her as she ate a bite, then another, feeling better. Things were starting to feel better to him. Too bad, it wouldn't be staying that way.