Author's Note:

I'm going two-for-two on my Riverdale season 2 episodes-to-fanfics ratio. We'll get to the dirty stuff in the second part of this story (which I'll try to post this Sunday), but for now, please enjoy some B & V girl talk and blatant innuendo!

XO ForASecondThereWe'dWon

"Don't you think that might be too much glitter?" Betty raised her eyebrows doubtfully at Veronica, who was confidently sliding a huge plastic container of craft glitter across the table towards her. They were still outside, seated opposite one another as they had been since Jughead and Archie left to take care of their unenviable errands at the Sheriff's office.

Veronica shrugged.

"We need to get people's attention somehow and shiny stuff always works." She crossed her arms on the table. Betty could see the point was not up for debate.

She glanced down, examining the poster they'd hastily, but lovingly constructed to tape to the wall in the student lounge. It had all of the information on it that they'd been able to add at this point; the specific date and time of the event at Pop's could be written on later. Right now, they just had to get as many eyes on their message as they could. Betty figured the fluorescent green Bristol board they'd used would only help the cause.

"It doesn't exactly fit the theme," Betty said, eyeing their creation sadly.

"Look, B, I love a consistent colour scheme with matching marketing materials as much as the next girl," Veronica made a limp-wristed hand gesture to accentuate her statement, "but the theme on this project is 'Desperation,' and everyone knows it. Now just bite the bullet and bedazzle the damn thing."

Veronica sat up off her seat and fished around in the box of supplies Betty had retrieved from the Blue and Gold office. She pulled out a fat glue stick and held it out to Betty with such a serious expression on her face, it was as though Veronica were passing her the Olympic torch. Betty sighed, her shoulders collapsing and reached her hand out. Veronica yanked her arm back at the last second and Betty knew she was about to be taken advantage of for her moment of weakness.

"Do you think Jughead's going to help you put the poster up?" Veronica inquired, her tone light.

"Why?" Betty snorted. "Do you have somewhere to be?"

"Just curious." Veronica's eyes roamed the table and Betty felt her mouth purse. Her friend was definitely up to something. "You two have been joined at the hip lately."

"And that's a bad thing?"

"Of course not. It's just… seeing you walking down the halls holding hands, watching him put his arm around your shoulders when you sit next to each other." Veronica gave her a conspiratorial smile. "You've gotten very…" Her eyes lifted, skimming the clouds. "…close. Seems like you do everything together."

"Ok," Betty said in a voice meant to halt Veronica in her tracks. For good measure, she held up her hands, palms towards her friend. "I can see where you're going with this."

"I'm curious!" Veronica grinned. "You told me at the hospital that nothing happened―"

"Besides Jug saying he loved me," Betty cut in, "which was a big deal, by the way!" She leveled a finger at Veronica and the girl nodded pacifyingly.

"I know that, Betty, and I internally squealed over that news as much as I'm sure you did when he said it!" Betty's eyebrow lifted and Veronica amended her words. "Ok, probably a little less. But still! I need updates!" Her hand smacked the metal table. "All of this public canoodling has to be translating into something. If I'm starting to go nuts from the second-hand sexual tension, I can't imagine the toll it's taking on you and Jughead."

"So this is an intervention. For the sake of my health." Betty's eyebrows drew together as she tossed a dubious look at Veronica.

"Yours and mine!"

Betty started laughing so hard that Veronica had to join in, reaching across to hold her friend loosely around the wrist. Betty sighed.

"Nothing's happened."

"Nothing?"

Betty shook her head.

"So no… anything?" Veronica looked disappointed and Betty laughed again.

"I don't know if I should get into that."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, telling you that Jughead and I have," Betty dropped her voice to a whispering hiss, "slept together, would be one thing…"

"Momentous and shopping-spree-worthy," Veronica contributed, nodding.

"But you can't expect me to fill you in on every detail in between now and when that happens."

"So there are… details then?"

Betty felt her cheeks getting hot and directed her gaze towards the poster until the vibrancy of it made her eyes hurt.

"Aren't there always?"

Veronica laughed, though not disparagingly.

"Archie and I pretty much went zero to sixty, bar a few instances of making out."

Betty's face scrunched up.

"I don't understand you, V. I really don't need to hear details."

"But I do! Take pity on your friend who's totally obsessed with your relationship!" Veronica pouted dramatically, making it impossible for Betty not to roll her eyes, then give in to a laugh.

"Sorry, but I'm not going to kiss and tell."

"I wasn't born yesterday, Betty. I know it's not kissing you're hiding from me." Veronica narrowed her eyes.

Betty ignored her, stretching out her hand again for the glue stick.

"Let's get back to work. This is just one small step in a big project."

"Don't I know it. I saw you making a list." Veronica exhaled in exhaustion. She uncapped the glue then paused, catching Betty's eye. "How about I glue and you sprinkle the glitter?"

"I don't think this is really a two-person job, but alright." Betty carefully popped the lid off the shimmering canister. "I'm right behind you."

Veronica didn't lower the glue stick, however. She held Betty's gaze and twisted the glue up once, then twice, then three times, continuing on until the sticky cylinder stood a precarious several inches out of the tube. Betty's eyes shifted from the intentionally phallic flaunting of the art supply and gave her friend a dead-eyed stare.

"Are you done?"

"Just let me know if you feel suddenly inspired to tell me anything." Veronica gave her an innocent smile. Betty groaned in frustration, though she couldn't fight the smile on her own face.

"If that's supposed to be my dick, you're going to need a bigger glue stick."

Betty spun around, eyes wide, to see Jughead approaching their table, his face just on the amused side of neutral. He always looked handsome to her, but this afternoon it hit Betty even harder than normal since the conversation with Veronica had brought her latent sexual thoughts about her boyfriend to the front of her mind. Her eyes trailed up Jughead's body until she was squinting at his face, the sun bright just behind his silhouette.

"Not at all," said Veronica. Betty turned back to watch her friend tucking her dark hair behind her ear with total composure. "Apparently two girls can't make a poster around here without having lewd accusations hurled at them."

Jughead shrugged good-naturedly, putting his hand on Betty's shoulder. She reached up automatically to lay hers on top. His skin was soft, warm. Betty stroked over his fingers without thinking about it. It was easy, and a little surprising, to see how much Jughead and Veronica's friendship had improved. Caring for Archie after Fred had been shot had really brought them all closer, and Betty was thankful for it.

"If you don't mind, I'm going to knock that down to one girl. I need to borrow Betty."

"Everything alright?" Veronica was suddenly anxious, but Jughead put out a hand to calm her.

"Fine, I just want to talk some stuff over with her." He looked down at Betty, smiling gently.

"Do you mind finishing it without me, V?" Betty asked her friend seriously. She didn't like dumping work on anybody, even when she knew she had too much on her plate.

"Not at all!" Veronica said, brightly and quickly, smoothing her hand over the large neon sheet. "Like you said, it's not really a two-person job anyway. Besides," she gave Betty a meaningful look, lowering her voice, "Jughead wants you."

Betty scrambled up, blushing, to see Jughead holding her bag already. Their eyes met and she stared a little too long, probing the vibrant blend of green and blue. Aware that Veronica's gaze was on them, Betty went to take her boyfriend's hand, but his arm went around her, grasping her hip and pulling her into his side.

"See you later, Veronica," said Jughead, offering the girl a nod. She smiled perkily, giving a little wave. They started away from the table, but Betty looked back over her shoulder anxiously.

"Let me know if you need help or you want to start―" Betty began.

"I got this, B," Veronica assured her. "You go… take care of things." She raised her eyebrows evocatively.

Betty sighed and turned away. She leaned into Jughead a little more as they walked and his grip tightened. Even through her coat, she could feel the firm press of each of his fingers.