Veronica catches up to Betty at the end of the hallway, just in time to see Jughead jump and turn to Betty, pulling his shirt on quickly.

"What?" he says warily, eyeing Veronica over Betty's shoulder.

Crossed arms and looking irritated Betty starts in on him. "Were you listening to my conversation with Archie?"

Jughead pales slightly and lets himself sit hard on the sofa. "Betts-"

"You did, didn't you?"

He just nods at her and Veronica is just trying to keep up.

"Why, Jug?"

"Betty, come on, you know why."

"I did what you said, Jughead!" Betty almost shouts at him, making him wince. "And now you're here-"

"Do you want me to go?" he asks in a quiet voice and Veronica can hear the pain in it.

"No," Betty tells him and he visibly relaxes. "And yes. Sometimes I want to throttle you, Jug."

"I know," he tells her with a somber face. "I did this to us, I know that."

"But why? It was never necessary!" Betty finally raises her voice, seemingly having forgotten Veronica was standing behind her.

"It was!" Jughead declares. "You would have stayed with me in Riverdale until I could get out and that wasn't going to happen."

"Instead you just pushed me away," Betty states, her head falling forward. "You never even listened to what I wanted."

"I knew what you wanted," he says, eyes on her face.

Veronica is watching their byplay, feeling like she's intruding on something painfully personal but she can't move. She's not even sure she can breathe.

"It didn't matter though," Betty insists, wiping the tears that had fallen off of her cheek. Jughead looks like he wants to go to her but he catches Veronica's eyes and clenches his fists as he seems to make himself stand still.

"It mattered."

Betty laughs. "Really? It's not like we managed to keep our hands to ourselves anyhow, so why couldn't we just have been together that whole time?"

"Are you unhappy, Betty? Do you regret going to school and graduating college, getting yourself the job you always wanted and living in the city? Can you look at me and tell me you didn't want this for yourself?" Jughead is almost begging her to tell him what he wants to hear, his eyes glassy.

"I wanted all of that with you-"

"No," he interrupts, shaking his head. "I couldn't have given you that, I was stuck in the Serpents, Betty. I barely graduated and where was the money for college going to come from?"

"We could have figured something out!"

He laughs. "I have no doubt you would have killed yourself trying but I never wanted that life for you. And look at you! You're successful and beautiful and it's everything I ever wanted you to have."

"Don't patronize me, Jug. You took my choices, you always take my choices!" Betty yells, clenching her fists and Jughead's eyes focus on them. "I wanted to be with you, you said no. I wanted you to come with me, you said no. I waited for you, you said no."

Veronica wants to cry at the pain in Betty's voice. She'd spent many nights listening to her best friend pour her hurt out over the boy she grew up with and fell in love with.

"Wait," Veronica says, "You slept with him again over Christmas break?"

"Yeah," Betty shrugged, playing with her ponytail. "I know I shouldn't have, not when he can't give me what I want from him but, V, I love him."

"And does he love you?" Veronica asks, skeptically.

"I know he does," Betty tells her quickly. "That's never been the problem, it's always been this idea he has that I'm somehow worth more than him."

Taking her hand and squeezing it in comfort, Veronica catches Betty's eyes. "Are you? Is he right?"

"No," she answers decisively. "He's always been worth everything to me."

It goes on like that over the years. Betty goes home and comes back a little more broken each time. Veronica always wonders if Jughead is just as broken in their neverending aftermath.

"I wasn't saying no," Jughead says. "Have I ever, in my whole life, been able to truly say no to you?"

"It sure sounded like no," Betty says, fists still clenched with angry eyes on Jughead.

Jughead closes the distance between them, prying her hands open with his own before lifting them up to look a them, seeing little red crescents on her palms. Veronica internally sighing in relief when they both see the skin hasn't broken.

The weight of the realization hits her so quickly, she speaks without thinking. "Every time he tells you no, B, he's showing you that he loves you."

Betty jolts in surprise. She must have forgotten Veronica was there since she spins around out of Jughead's grasp so quickly she almost wobbles before regaining her balance, Jughead's hands on her arms making sure she's upright. "But-"

Raising a hand to stop her, Veronica just looks at Betty. "You two need to deal with this once and for all, okay? No matter how this cycle ends, it has to end. And I know you know that."

"V-"

"Bettykins, listen to me," Veronica says, putting her hands on her shoulders and looking directly into her eyes. "I have watched you play tug of war with him for years. I thought it might have finally been over this last year and I had hoped you'd move on if he wasn't willing to be with you but he's here, right here, right now. He's moving here. And I bet if you ask him, he'll tell you it's all for you."

Betty turns back around to look at Jughead.

"Is that true? Did you do this for me?" Her voice is small and unsure, the heartbreak on Jughead's face plainly visible at her insecurity.

"You know it was, Betty," he tells her, pulling her into his chest.

Betty's arms hang limply at her sides and she starts to shake her head at his whispered words."It was all for you, the good choices I've made, sometimes even the bad ones, it's always all been for you."

Veronica gently squeezes one of her hands, "I'm going to go, B, I'll talk to you later, okay?"

Betty just nods into Jughead's chest, the clicking of Veronica's heels on the floor fading until she was out the front door.

Arms wrapped around her, Jughead sighs into Betty's hair. "Betty-"

Cut off by being pushed back he's confused until he sees Betty's angry face as she crosses her arms in front of her.

"What are you-"

"I am so mad at you, Jughead!"

"Okay, I can see that and I don't doubt that I deserve it but can you, maybe, clarify why at this exact moment?" he asks, trying not to flinch as she glares at him.

"You were listening on my private conversation with Archie!"

Jughead thinks of all the things she could be mad about that she's picked a weird one. "Really?"

"Yes." Her stance is even more stiff than before.

"No, wait," Jughead tells her, running a hand through his hair, his beanie still sitting on the table where he put as he was changing, "seriously?"

Betty takes a step forward and he fights the urge to step back. "I have put up with a lot of things from you, Jughead Jones, but listening in on my private conversations-"

"I feel like you're focusing on a small part of a whole right now," Jughead says, hands out in a placating manner.

"You think so?"

Jughead shrugs. "Betty, come on, of all the things you're mad about, is this really the hill you want to die on?"

Poking him in the chest with each word she tells him, "Maybe I do. And if I want to, then that's my choice you indecisive asshole!"

"So, that's what this is about?"

"What?"

"Your choices. You thinking I'm indecisive."

Betty nods at him. "Sure, why not? You can't control everything and if I want to be mad at you for a stupid reason, then I damn well will be!"

"Are you done?"

"No," she retorts, kicking him with bare toes in the shin, surprising him.

He feels like he's going to burst out laughing at her pouting face and angry kitten demeanor. "Kicking me, now? Are you five?"

"Shut up, Jug," she demands, spinning around to walk by him when he grabs her wrist, spinning her back around before tossing her over his shoulder, making his way back to her bedroom as she slaps at his back, telling him to put her down.

"Look, Betts," Jughead starts calmly, "we need to deal with this. Now."

"You deal with it," she mutters.

He almost drops her at the sharp pinch she gives his side before getting all the way through her bedroom doorway.

"Elizabeth!"

"What?" she says with far too much innocence in her voice for what she'd just done.

"Stop that."

He's got to grab the backs of her thighs tighter so she doesn't topple over as she starts to try and wiggle off of his shoulder. Before thinking, he slaps ass in one hard slap, causing her to stop moving immediately.

"Did you just spank me?" she asks, breathless.

Pulling her gently over his shoulder and setting her down onto her bed he just stares down at her before smirking. "From what I remember, that used to be one of your favorite things."

Betty flops backwards across her mattress. "You're impossible."

"Have you calmed down now?"

"Bite me, Jug."

"Gladly," he says, pushing her over until there was room for him to climb on the bed next to her. "But not before we talk about a few things."

"God, you're such a girl," she moans out, trying to roll over onto her stomach even as he's tugging on her, making his way to her headboard, settling her between his legs.

"Are you gender stereotyping me? I'm offended."

"Good," Betty answers petulantly. "You offend me."

He sits back against the headboard, his arms coming around her as she huffs at him. "Do I?" Leaning forward just enough to put his mouth next to her ear he whispers, "Do I really?"

Feeling her shiver, he's pleased with himself even as she ignores him.

"Oh, you're not talking now?" He chuckles to himself as she shakes her head. "Okay. Fine. I'll talk first then."

Settling back, he makes himself more comfortable, positioning her further between his legs, arms sliding under hers to settle around her waist.

"I think you've picked up some of Veronica's traits, you know. Bad ones. For instance, my Betty would never kick me."

Betty scoffs at him, staying quiet.

"See? My Betty has never given me the silent treatment either."

She makes a hmph sound as she crosses her feet, her ponytail swinging as she moves her head to look around her own room.

Jughead presses a kiss to the crown of her head. "In fact, I'm not even certain you're not Robot Betty, sent to gather-"

"You're ridiculous," she huffs out at him.

"There she is! I knew I could get you to talk," he says arrogantly. He can see the small smile on her face in the mirror hanging across from her bed. "Besides, my Betty would never think I didn't want to be with her. Isn't that right?"

Turning her head to the side, she lifts a shoulder.

"Isn't that right?" he murmurs into her ear, tightening his hold on her.

"You've got a funny way of showing it," is all he gets as a response.

"You're so stubborn," Jughead declares. "Where is the Betty that knows I love her more than anything else in the world? The one that knows, without a doubt, that we're meant to be together?"

"Maybe she lost her memory," she tells him, "waiting for you to pull your head out of your ass."

He smiles to himself. "Don't tempt me like that, Betty. You know how I feel about your sass."

She adjusts herself, wiggling closer to him and relaxing into his front. "Don't worry, I'm un-tempted enough for the both of us."

"That's right, baby, talk dirty to me," he says, flexing his fingers into her sides, making her laugh out loud. "I might just come in my pants if you start getting sarcastic."

"Like that time when you-"

"Hey, now," Jughead interrupts, "I thought we agreed to never bring that up."

"I never agreed, I only kept quiet to soothe your fragile male ego."

"Ahh, there's my girl, always willing to sacrifice for the greater good."

Betty twists her head to the side so she can look up at him. "If I recall, didn't you make it up to me?"

Sliding down further into her bed, he tugs her up higher, moving them both until she's laying next to him, her head on his chest and a hand running through her hair as he looks up at the ceiling. "If I remember right I made it up to you three times."

"Don't feel so smug," she says, "I've got something that only needs batteries, doesn't want to talk, and does exactly what I ask it to do. Every. Single. Time."

Jughead groans at the thought of her in the spot he's currently laying in, hands between her thighs, nothing but the sounds of her moans ringing through the room. "Are you trying to kill me?"

"Yes."

"Yeah? Alright then, keep going."

"No, I don't think I will, you don't deserve it," Betty informs him.

"I don't?"

"No."

"I think I do," Jughead says, pulling her closer. "After the month I spent sleeping on your sofa, watching you prance around-"

"Prance? Really?" Betty interrupts with a laugh.

"Yes. You pranced around in your little pajamas, showing off your legs and teasing me with them. The almost see through tops?Torture. I'm pretty sure that's a crime."

"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about," Betty replies with a casual shrug of her shoulders.

"Oh so it was for me?" he asks, smirking.

"Of course not," she tells him, "I've been trying to catch the eye of Mr. Jordan for months."

Jughead swallows down a laugh. "Have I been getting in the way of your need to seduce the eighty year old retired mailman across the hall for a month now?"

"Yes," Betty sniffs at him in disdain. "He gets me hot, Jug, what can I say?"

Burying his face in her neck, he softy bites her skin, making her twitch. "You're such a liar."

"Acting like everything I do is for you is incredibly arrogant," she informs him, snuggling further into his side. "You don't own me, Jughead."

"And yet," he starts, his hands moving down to grab onto her hips, fingers pressing firm into her skin, "you're mine just the same."

Betty scoffs at him. "Really? Where was that in high school or even a year ago? Or how about two years ago when you insisted I try dating someone else? Was that just so you could do it too?"

Gripping her hips even tighter, he rolls over her until she's on her back and he's leaning over her. "Are you saying you think I touched any other girl but you? Did you let that loser touch you, Betty?"

"Jug-"

"Because I think we both know you're the only girl I've ever touched," he interrupts, almost growling at her. "You may have dated some nameless moron two years ago but you've always been my girl, Elizabeth."

"You told me to!"

"I did," he agrees, sitting up on his knees. "Of all the things I tell you to do that you blatantly ignore, that's the one you pick to actually do?"

Betty nods at him with a defiant look in her eyes. "Yeah, that's the one I picked."

"Why?"

"You know why."

Jughead runs his hands down her legs, gripping the backs of her knees, pulling her until her legs are resting over the tops of his thighs. "Were you trying to make me jealous?"

"I don't see how that's possible seeing as I was just doing what you asked me to do."

"Playing coy are we?"

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean."

Leaning over her, making her legs spread so he can fit further between them, he looks down at her big green eyes, challenging her. "Did you kiss him?"

Betty blinks at him twice before answering. "In what way?"

He almost smiles at her. That's my girl, he thinks. Always pushing her limits. Bending over just enough to gently press his lips to hers he forces himself to pull back right when he hears her breath hitch. "Like that."

"Yes."

He knew that but he's not thrilled with having it confirmed for him. "Is that the only kind of kiss you let him have?"

"There are other kinds of kisses?"

He shakes his head at her, amused. She's biting her lip and staring up at him and he wants to kiss her again. Or punish her. Or both. Moving his hands until each palm is flat against the mattress next to her head he puts more of his weight on top of her, kissing her again. At her barely audible groan he slides his tongue against her own softly before pulling back, nipping at her bottom lip before letting go completely.

"Did you let someone else taste you, Elizabeth?"

Her eyes are a little glazed over as she whispers, "No."

"Why is that?"

"You know why."

Bringing his mouth next to her ear, he sucks lightly on her earlobe before murmuring to her, "I do. But I want to hear you say it."

"He was a terrible kisser," she tells him as primly as one can with swollen lips and mussed hair.

"A terrible kisser?"

"Mmhmm," she hums out in agreement. "Not that I have the best to compare him to-"

"That sass," he says, cutting her off, "it's going to get you in trouble."

"Doubtful."

"You think?"

"I do. I think you've gone soft."

Pushing his pelvis firmly against her, he rolls his hips into hers, ripping a moan from her mouth. "Does that feel like I've gone soft to you?"

"I couldn't possibly tell," she lies, running her tongue across her bottom lip.

"What did I tell you about that mouth of yours?" he asks, running his nose along her jawline, taking in her sweet, clean scent, laying soft kisses as he makes his way to her neck.

"I can't recall."

"Is that right?"

Biting the juncture of her neck where it curves into her shoulder he feels her shudder under him, breath catching.

"Jug," she whines out, her head turning to the side to give him better access even as she's trying to keep her stubborn nature.

"What?" he asks, running the tip of his tongue over the bite he'd made, soothing it. "I don't think I heard you."

Her fingers are flexing into his the skin of his arms, the slightest of pinches each time her nails dig into him. "You know there's only you."

"But there wasn't, was there? There was some nameless, faceless, totally pointless guy you let touch you, isn't there?" Jughead rolls his hips into hers again as he brushes his thumb under her chin, pushing it up and to the side to hold her in place as he explored more of her neck.

"I didn't want him," she almost gasps out, her legs coming up and locking around his waist. "You told me to move on."

"You still let him kiss you, didn't you?"

Betty whimpers out a little moan. "You didn't seem like you were interested in doing it any longer."

"These lips," he starts, running his thumb across her lip, "are mine, Elizabeth. Aren't they?"

"That depends."

"On what?"

Twisting her hips, she's trying to get a better position for friction as he grinds against her. "On if yours are mine."

Breathing out slowly, the warmth of it giving her goosebumps he turns her head to look at him. Meeting her eyes, he gives her a soft, slow smile. "Always."

He sees her eyes water and stops all movement, pulling back in concern.

"Betty?"

Jughead feels her take a steadying breath, her chin giving the barest hint of a wobble before she swallows it down.

"You left me all alone, Jug. You broke my heart and if you do it again-"

"Hey, hey, none of that," he cuts in. "Everything I do now, all the choices I'm making, it's because if I've learned anything over the last year it's that there's no history of me without you and there's no future I want that doesn't have you in it."

"You hurt me," she whispers, wiping a hand under her eye.

"I know I did and I'm sorry. I'd prefer it if you let me spend the rest of my life apologizing for it but if you don't want-"

"Of course I do, you idiot," she interrupts, slapping him on the shoulder. "Why are you so dramatic?"

"Just born that way, I guess," he quips at her, getting a small smile in return. A success, he decides. "But I'm still your idiot, right?"

"Jug," she groans, rolling her eyes.

"I missed you," he tells her. "Every day."

"I missed you too."

"You know what else I missed?"

Betty sighs. "Really?"

Ignoring her, his fingers take a path across her collarbone, along the collar of her shirt, over the soft fabric and across the swells of her breasts. "I missed...your snoring."

Offended, Betty glares at him. "I do not snore."

"You do, sweet girl. It's the cutest sound, too," he informs her, pulling the hem of her shirt one handed, while leaning on the other for leverage. "Like a little engine."

Laughing at him, she pushes his hand away from her shirt. "You think that's going to get me to take my shirt off?"

Pushing the shirt up again, he gets it past her breasts, staring down at the white lace. "No, I think if I tell you that good girls get to come, you'll take it off faster than I ever could."

"That's not fair," she says, breathless at the implication. "Using things you know I like against me like that."

"I think it's more than fair after you teased me for a month."

"I wasn't-"

"Don't lie to me."

"Fine, I was, but only a little."

He huffs out a laugh. "A little?" Tugging her shirt until it's up and over her head, he pulls on it until it's free of her arms, tossing it to the side. "You were almost cruel, Cooper."

Shaking her head, Betty is grabbing a handful of his own shirt, yanking on it until he reaches a hand back to the collar of it, helping her pull it off of him.

Seeing her bite her lip as she looks him over, he can see her insecurity start to surface.

"Hey," he says, taking her chin with his fingers, causing her to look into his eyes. "I love you."

The smile that lights up her face makes his heart skip a beat.

"I love you too."

"That's my girl." Leaning down over her, he takes her lips with his own. Her hands caressing his back as he lays himself on top of her send shivers up his spine. The soft glide of her tongue against his sends his senses reeling, his hands moving up until they're in her hair, gripping it tightly and tugging on it until she moans into his mouth. "Aren't you?"

"Yes," she whispers.

"And are you still my good girl?"

Betty's thighs clench against his sides. "Yes."

"What do good girls get again?"

"They get to come."

"That's right. Now, here's the question," he says, sitting back on his knees, fingers ghosting across her stomach until they reach the button of her jeans. "Are you gonna be good?"

Gazing up at him with wide eyes, she nods.

"Look at my girl being so good even after all this time."

Flicking the button open, he pulls the zipper down with one hand as the other grabs the waist of her pants, tugging them down her legs, leaving her panties on for the moment. Working them off of her long legs is almost muscle memory to him, he's got them off and on the floor in less time than he thinks even she could have done it.

"It wasn't that long ago," Betty says with a roll of her eyes.

Jughead takes a foot in his hand, running his thumb over the arch, making her shudder at the sensation. "A damn near a year ago, I'd say it was close to forever ago."

His hands move up her calves, pulling her legs open as he moves up them, eyes on the lacy material sitting on her hips before moving up to look at the matching bra she still had on. Shaking his head, he reaches for the straps, pulling them off of her shoulders and down until they get caught on the bend of her elbows, trapping her arms as her breathing increases.

"I can't believe I haven't seen these pretty tits in almost a year."

"There are plenty to look at on the internet if you were so desperate you know," she informs him with a smirk, amusing him.

"None like these," he responds, leaning forward to catch her breasts in his hands, pushing them together and mouthing at her nipples, his tongue moving over one then the other. Sucking softly on her, he feels her back start to arch, pushing her breasts further into his face.

"Did you miss this?" he asks her, pulling back and sitting on his knees again.

Face flushed, she nods at him.

"What do good girls say?"

"Thank you," she says quietly, her knees coming up and locking onto his sides.

"Oh no, I don't think so," he tells her, reaching for the waist of her panties, tugging them down her thighs until they reach the backs of her knees. Pulling on the elastic of them, he tests their stretchiness before pushing her knees together and catching one of her hands, yanking the fabric and wrapping it around her wrist, keeping her in place while he tugs on her other hand, giving it the same treatment until both hands are settled and tied between her knees.

Pushing her knees towards her stomach, he moves down, arms stretching to hold her still as he runs the tip of his tongue through her slit, making her jump at the feeling.

Sitting up, he pulls Betty's tied legs and arms to the side so he can see her face. "Did you not like that?"

"I do," she murmurs to him, toes curling in anticipation.

"And you know why I tied you up, I assume?"

"My mouth."

Jughead nods. "That's right, I told you your mouth would get you in trouble, didn't I?"

"Yes."

"But you're such a good girl, aren't you? Letting me do what I want to you, knowing how good I'm going to make you feel in the end, don't you?"

Betty is biting her lip, the pink flush of her skin contrasting prettily with the sheets of her bed, looking at him with wide eyes.

Smacking the underside of her thigh in one sharp slap he stares at her, waiting for an answer.

"Yes," she finally responds, her voice a whisper in the quiet of the room.

"You're so good for me, sweet girl." Leaning back down, he uses his thumbs to hold her open so he can lick her clit, his tongue sliding down, teasing her before moving back up to flick back and forth. Sucking her gently into his mouth, her loud moan and tense legs make him smile into her thigh, pressing a soft, biting kiss before moving back to her little bundle of nerves. Slipping a finger into her, he almost groans at how wet she is.

"Is this all for me?" he asks, adding another finger at the sound of her heavy breathing. At her silence, he nips the inside of her thigh once more, a little harder than before. "Elizabeth."

"Yes," she gasps out, her fingers curling where they're trapped between her knees, trying to reach out for him.

"You're so pretty like this," he says, letting his tongue circle her once more before sitting back up, smiling at her as she lets out a disappointed whine. "I think I should keep you like this for a while for all the trouble you caused me."

"Jug-"

"But if you promised to be my good girl, I wouldn't have to, now would I?"

Shaking her head, she's pulling her legs up and clenching her hands, trying to stay still for him while trying to get free so she can grab him.

"Is that a yes or no, pretty girl?"

"I can be good for you," she whispers, looking thoroughly debauched with swollen lips, knotted hair, all tied up with her bra and panties.

"That's what I wanted to hear. You please me so well, don't you?"

"Yes."

Tugging on the elastic holding her hands in place, he frees her wrists before pulling her panties down and off of her legs. Tossing them to the side, he starts unbuttoning his jeans, pushing them along with his boxers off his hips and down his thighs until he has to crawl over her to kick them the rest of the way off.

"Are you still on the pill?" he asks, laying himself between her now open thighs.

"Yeah," she replies, her arms going around his shoulders, pulling him down onto her.

"You want this?" He's pushing against her, teasing her with himself.

"Please, Jug," she whimpers out, her legs going around his hips as he slides into her wet warmth making him groan as her breath catches.

"Do you feel that?" he murmurs into her ear. "Do you feel how we're made for each other?"

It's all she can do to nod at him as she moans into the skin of his neck, pressing sucking kisses anywhere she can reach as he moves in and out of her.

He's moving harder with each roll of his hips, making sure he hits her clit with each pass, making her gasp and moan and shudder, building her orgasm slowly as he whispers how much he loves her, how good she is to him, for him, how much they belong together before he loses coherency.

The heat building in his abdomen, the tingling at the base of his spine, the feeling of her fluttering around him as she squeezes him, moaning his name into his ear and murmured words of love send him over the edge first, Betty following close behind.

Both panting, the slick sheen of sweat covering them giving them goosebumps as it cools in the air of the bedroom as he moves out and off of her, falling to the side on her mattress. Bringing her into the circle of his arms, her face on his chest as he runs a hand over her hair she's tapping her fingertips on his chest when she asks, "This time it's forever, right?"

Tightening his hold on her, he tilts her chin up so her eyes meet his. "It was always forever, Betty. This time it's together."

Two Years Later

Veronica Lodge is watching her best friend spin around the dance floor with her new husband and she couldn't be happier for them.

Even if she still thought Jughead was a pretentious pain in the ass.

Betty was the happiest she's ever been and that was all that mattered in the end. Despite being pushed out of wedding planning by the groom. Was it too much to ask that Betty have the best options available to her? Veronica didn't think so.

Traveling to Riverdale for the first time for the wedding had opened her eyes to the way that Betty and Jughead had grown up. How they could have gotten so close and stayed that way in such a small town. She figures it must be true love if Betty got out of her little podunk town and still couldn't stay away from him.

The last two years had opened her eyes to their relationship. She knows now that Jughead loves Betty with everything he has. She watched him make her a priority, work himself to exhaustion to make sure the book he sold kept him close to her, to make sure there was another one in the works to help start their lives together.

Veronica had watched him move off of the couch and into Betty's bed, questioning the speed at which they were moving which caused some friction between herself and Jughead at first. The loyalty he'd shown her best friend endeared him to her. But just barely.

As long as Betty is happy, she tells herself every time they get into yet another argument on their ever clashing life views.

Leaning against the bar, Veronica is people watching when she sees Betty approaching out of the corner of her eye.

"Are you having a good time?" Betty asks, moving her dress out of the way so she can hop on a bar stool to rest her tired feet.

"I am," Veronica tells her. "You look like you're having fun."

Betty smiles. "I am. I've never been happier."

Following her line of sight, she sees Betty is staring at Jughead who is talking to some tasty treat with red hair and broad shoulders. "That's all I ever wanted for you, Bettykins."

"I know," she responds, reaching out and grabbing her hand with affection. "What about you? Any plans for your own happy ending anytime soon?"

Staring at the red head before catching sight of another red head walking their way she just looks over at Betty and shrugs with a grin. "Tell me about the red head."

Looking between the guy Jughead is talking to and the woman in a crimson dress still walking towards them, Betty meets Veronica's eye with confusion. "Which one?"

"Both."

A/N- Just finishing this up, happy Monday!