Asher and Jerome woke up the next morning with a mix of excitement and a bit of nerves—the Christmas talent show was tonight, and Riverdale's town square would soon be packed with locals eagerly waiting to see their performance. But the show wasn't until the evening, and they had the entire morning to themselves. Jerome stretched, feeling the first rays of sunlight peeking through the curtains as he nudged Asher beside him.

"Morning, star," Jerome said with a smile, giving Asher a quick kiss on the cheek. "Big day today."

Asher smiled, blinking awake. "Can't believe it's actually here. Shirtless Mariah, lights, fake snow. It's going to be wild."

Jerome chuckled, rolling out of bed and slipping into the kitchen. "First, let's start with breakfast. We'll need all the energy we can get."

Asher followed him into the kitchen, still a bit sleepy, as Jerome started prepping their morning spread. Jerome had a mischievous gleam in his eye as he grabbed a pitcher of freshly squeezed orange juice he'd made earlier that morning. As he poured it into two glasses, Asher was busy setting up their toast and eggs.

"Here you go," Jerome said, placing a glass of his homemade orange juice in front of Asher with a playful smile.

Asher smiled back, picking up the glass and taking a big sip. Almost instantly, he paused, frowning as he lowered the glass. "Uh… Jerome?" He raised an eyebrow, his voice suspicious. "What… exactly did you put in this orange juice?"

Jerome bit back a laugh, his eyes twinkling. "It's my secret ingredient, babe. Just a little… personal touch."

Asher's eyes widened, and he put the glass down, his face contorting as he began to piece it together. "Oh god. Jerome… did you—"

Jerome burst out laughing as Asher stared at him, horrified. "I mean, come on, babe. It's just a little extra flavor."

Asher gagged, quickly pushing the glass away. "Jerome! That's—okay, I love you, but that is way too much. I'm going for cranberry juice instead," he said, grabbing the bottle they'd bought from the grocery store.

Jerome was practically doubled over, unable to contain his laughter. "Oh, come on! It's not that bad."

Asher glared playfully, shaking his head as he poured himself a fresh glass of cranberry juice. "Not funny, Jerome. You might think you're a master mixologist, but that was not the surprise I wanted with breakfast."

Jerome held his hands up in mock surrender, still chuckling. "Alright, alright, I'll stick to regular orange juice next time. But hey, you've gotta admit, I've got the right to add a twist every now and then."

Asher softened, a reluctant smile breaking through. "Yeah, yeah. Just… maybe give me a heads-up next time." He rolled his eyes but leaned over, giving Jerome a quick kiss. "I love you, but please, no more 'surprises' in the juice."

They settled down to finish breakfast, laughing and joking as the morning sun filled their kitchen. Just as they were finishing up, a knock at the door interrupted their peaceful breakfast. Jerome glanced at Asher, surprised.

"Wonder who that could be?" Jerome mused, getting up to answer.

As he opened the door, he was greeted by Veronica, looking effortlessly stylish as usual, and beside her stood her husband Gabriel, holding a tray of freshly made French crepes, each one beautifully golden and thin as paper.

"Bonjour!" Gabriel greeted them warmly, flashing a charming smile as he held out the tray. "Veronica thought you two might like some authentic French crepes to start your big day."

"Oh, wow!" Asher said, stepping forward with a grin. "Come on in, you two. These look amazing!"

Gabriel and Veronica entered, and Jerome cleared a space on the table, setting the crepes down with an appreciative smile. "Thank you, Gabriel. These are a lifesaver—especially after my experimental orange juice didn't go quite as planned."

Veronica raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Experimental orange juice? Should I even ask?"

Asher rolled his eyes, grinning. "Let's just say Jerome went a little overboard with his 'personal touch.' But these crepes are exactly what we need to cleanse the palate."

Gabriel chuckled, taking a seat beside Veronica. "Well, lucky for you, these crepes are classic. No hidden flavors. Just butter, sugar, and a little love from Paris."

Jerome laughed, grabbing a crepe and taking a bite. "Now this is the perfect breakfast. You've outdone yourself, Gabriel."

They sat together, sharing the crepes and enjoying the easy, relaxed company. Veronica glanced over at them, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"So, you two ready for the big show tonight?" she asked, nudging Asher with a grin.

Asher exchanged a look with Jerome, smiling. "I think so. Nerves aside, we're ready to bring the Mariah magic."

Gabriel looked intrigued. "Mariah Carey? You're singing one of her songs?"

"Oh, not just singing," Jerome replied, winking. "We're going shirtless, with fake snow, lights—the whole works. It's going to be… memorable."

Gabriel raised his eyebrows, impressed. "Wow. Riverdale's not going to know what hit it."

Asher laughed, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. "That's the goal. And hey, with our resident social media queen here," he nodded at Veronica, "I think we'll be well-documented."

Veronica held up her phone, smirking. "Oh, don't worry. I'll be live-streaming every second. Riverdale won't just see you—they'll remember you."

They all laughed, the mood light and full of anticipation for the night ahead. As they finished the last of the crepes, Veronica and Gabriel said their goodbyes, leaving Asher and Jerome with a renewed sense of excitement for their big night.

As they closed the door, Jerome turned to Asher, a playful smile on his face. "Well, we survived breakfast, we've got crepes in our bellies, and we've got a talent show to prepare for. Ready to go down in Riverdale history?"

Asher smiled, taking Jerome's hand. "Ready as I'll ever be. Let's make this Christmas one to remember."