[ because can we talk? is far too ominous a message and he does not want veronica lodge thinking ohgodohgodwhat the whole way to pop's. it's also not really the conversation material to hash out in the living room at betty and jughead's apartment. ]
[ there's that word again. love. she loves all kinds of things now. cool. NOT THAT HE'S MAD.. at her. he's upset with himself, at the situation, at how happy she is and how he's going to tear that down. ]
as soon as you can, yeah. it's not life or death, or anything. i just need to see you.
Speaking of which, order me a chocolate shake if you get there before me, okay? See you soon.
[ no, she doesn't expect anything. why would she? she thinks he just wants to see her after the time they spent sort of apart, in that insane world. it wasn't even that long, but it sort of felt that way. so yeah, she was itching to see him, too. to hold his hand again. talk about something normal, maybe. make him smile. y'know, the ush.
so she seems perfectly fine when she walks into pop's and heads for their usual booth, heels clicking, cloak/cape/coat thing swishing. it's only once she's sitting down across from Archie that her shine dims just an itty-bitty bit. she doesn't notice if there's a shake there for her or not. ]
[ of course there's a shake ( extra whipped cream and a cherry on top, too ) waiting for her when she arrives! there's not one in front of him though, which is uncharacteristic. he has a mug of coffee between his hands, warming them, half-full. almost as if he's been there for a lot longer than she has and not solely because he beat her to pop's. why, it may even appear as if archie's been camped out there with the small graveyard of empty coffee creamers and sugar packets beside him. every sentence he's formulated, every beginning of a plan, or a speech dissolves like sugar in his coffee when she sits down and immediately notices that he's not himself.
he forces a smile that's too tight around the edges. ]
Yeah. [ he agrees eventually; he's not here in this booth to keep omitting the truth. ] Something is. ..Was? I don't know. I just- there's something I have to tell you. Something that happened at home. I should have told you when we first ran into each other. I couldn't tell you when we were in Panultima. It was too dangerous. [ excuses, excuses, excuses. they stick in his throat. good. they should feel uncomfortable. that's what he tells himself, anyway. ] I'm telling you now.
[ he grips the mug firmly in his hands, willing them not to shake because he's getting these words out, one way or another. ]
Betty and I kissed. [ not she kissed me or i kissed her back. ] It doesn't even matter why, but I'm going to tell you what happened. We were broken up and so were Betty and Jughead. Everything from that night was so intense and crazy, chasing down the Black Hood, trying to save Mr. Svenson... [ archie's trying to explain something that can't be made to make sense with reason, not where feelings are involved. he leans forward, trying to catch and hold her gaze, to make sure she's listening to him. she doesn't have to be. she has every right to slap him and walk out. he's not done, but he kind of needs to know she wants to hear the rest. ]
[ veronica likes to compare her life to movies sometimes, drop a cool reference when the moment is right, but she's never quite had a moment like this. filmmakers got it right, that whole- things somehow slowing down in your mind, when you're hit with bad news you weren't expecting. it's not quite the same as when the police arrived at their apartment in manhattan to take daddy away for all the crimes he committed, but it's- similar. time slows. archie's voices dips out of range for a moment. she can hear that he's explaining himself but it all blurs for a little bit while her brain tries to process the first bit ]
You and Betty kissed?
[ still working through it. it's- well. it hurts. it hurts a lot. it's confusing. they were broken up. but it's betty. but she really did break his heart. but that was so soon after. but they were broken up? they were. it's not her fault, she knows she didn't push him to go kiss somebody else, but... yeah. it's confusing. she wants to ask when and why and how but he's already done it. his words are sinking in. ]
That's- [ she's trying to buy some time maybe, for herself and maybe archie too. not wanting to just leave him in silence after he explains himself. her eyes shut as her brow furrows, breath even. she's really, really trying to be calm. this might've rocked her confidence a bit, but not her confidence in him. that's what she has to focus on. ] It's. [ pause. huff. ] It's okay. I just need a second?
[ a few seconds, actually. but her eyes open again at least, so she can look at him while she thinks about what he's just told her. she just needs a moment to think ]
Yes. We kissed. Just once. [ he doesn’t want to repeat it any more than she wants to hear it again, yet he will. for veronica, he’ll deal with the guilt that’s chipping away at him. it’s something he should’ve said before they made up and reunited - something he should’ve put out there to let her make an informed decision. but kissing betty doesn’t change anything about the way he feels for her. part of the reason he’s so scared of having this conversation is because he’s afraid it may enlighten veronica to the fact that she doesn’t love him. that she couldn’t love someone that could do that to her.
broken up or not.
archie reaches across the table, hand pausing a few inches from her, like he wants to comfort her but he can’t be the one to make it okay. she has to. it’s up to her if she wants anything to do with him. when she says that she needs a second, he nods in understanding. his fingers curl inward in a closed fist on the table because he’s trying to be patient and he doesn’t want her to feel obligated. it’s a crappy situation. he’s hurting because she is, because he’s the reason that she’s in pain at all.
it’s not okay, he wants to remind her, because she can’t just decide so hastily. can she? he bites his lip and starts to withdraw his arm from the table altogether. ]
[ she's reaching for his hand almost too quickly after he starts to move it back, away from her. she curls her fingers over his, holding on. not too tight, just- there. it's not good news, not in any way, shape, or form. and she's not glad that he told her, but- ]
It's okay. [ she sounds more confident this time, less shocked. she meets his eyes, and she can't get herself to smile as bright as she normally does, but she tries to give him something other than sad eyes. she will not be reduced to a wibbling mess because of something Archie and Betty did when they were about to do something that could possibly get them both killed. plus- ] We were broken up. And it sucks, but you decided to own up to it and tell me instead of trying to keep it a secret forever. That's what matters.
[ she squeezes her fingers around his, takes a breath ]
Now this doesn't mean you're off the hook, but I'm not mad. I promise. I'm a little- shocked, but not mad. And I don't blame you for waiting until now to tell me, this place has been so crazy. [ another quick pause, sighs another breath. man, she was really worked up for a second. ] I'm just glad you're okay. I thought you were going to tell me something really horrible happened.
[ there! a flash of hope. her fingers are covering his and while it may be the level of contact they’re usually on, it’s more than he expects. archie doesn’t stir, not an inch, afraid that if he does that he’ll jar her out of wanting him around at all. that’s silly, of course, because this is veronica and she’s not going to dart away at the first sign of trouble. if so, she’s had plenty of chances.
exactly, a little voice named doubt whispers. she’s given you enough chances.
and then she just- forgives him? he cocks his head to the side, searches her face for a way that this can be okay. yeah, it’s the answer he wants. the one he’s hoping for. he doesn’t want to jump at it too soon, like this is her putting on a brave face and sweeping it under a rug, and that’s not what he wants. he wants her to be honest with him. as transparent as he’s attempting to be. his lips part when she squeezes his hand and he shuts them as quickly as they opened once he sees she isn’t through speaking. ]
It’s okay if you are. [ she doesn’t have to put up a front for him. she seems genuine but a part of him feels like he doesn’t deserve it. ] You can be mad. I would be. [ not that he’s encouraging her to get worked up. ] It’s never going to happen again. I can tell you that. You’re the one I want to be with. [ he clutches her hand back because maybe she doesn’t want to hear it, maybe she doesn’t believe him, but he needs to say it. ] I love you, Ronnie.
[ he lets out a bitter laugh at that, more at his own expense. that he was going to tell her something horrible happened. isn’t this? ]
I guess we've all had to redefine horrible lately. [ god, what a life. ]
[ which is the truth, and it's why, even if this bit of news shakes her up a bit, it doesn't make her doubt him. not really. they were on a break, and things were insane. and she's not stupid. she hasn't just conveniently forgotten their history - but the Barchie backstory doesn't intimidate or worry her. maybe if she were less confident it would, but she knows what she has with Archie is special. special. what a ridiculous word. but it is, she knows that. it's what made her swallow her fears when it came to those three little words.
so they kissed. so what? that doesn't change what Archie means to her. it doesn't change what Betty means to her, either. ]
And I trust you. I trust that if it was something more than that, more than just a kiss, you would tell me. So that means you should trust me when I say it's okay. Alright?
[ because his guilt is so transparent, and she can't just ignore that. she won't let this eat at him, just the same as she won't let it eat at herself. they're stronger than that. ]
[ there's a ripple of relief that shoots through him, though it isn't enough to soothe him completely. he wishes that were the end of it, that he had no other secrets to throw at her. he shifts in his seat, straightens his back in the booth because there's one more thing he needs to get off his chest in order to stop feeling guilty. ]
There's something else. [ and ( if possible ) he looks even more uncomfortable about this. ] When we were in that prison world, Jughead and I had to kiss to keep up our cover. [ he holds his hands out, palms up, not as a means of withdrawing from veronica but to show her that he doesn't know what to say about that. he's not hiding anything else. ] If it makes you feel any better, neither one of us enjoyed it. That's it. That's everything, I swear.
I do trust you and I want you to keep on trusting me, which is why I'm telling you all of this. I really hope this city doesn't have anything else up its sleeve.
[ she laughs, but it’s the kind of laugh that sounds like he’s knocked the wind out of her. her hands are back in her lap, eyes wide as she watches him because.. what?
We spent all night putting up posters that Jughead made to try and get people in Primus to revolt against the system, change sides, help get Servus out of the arena. Someone caught us in an alley. I had a backpack full of posters, cans of adhesive, tape. I don't even know what kind of equipment Jug had on his person, but if they caught us, reported us, we were done. So, yeah. We had to.
[ that's really the entire story. he supposes they could have tried to run and honestly, that'd been his first instinct. to flee the scene of the crime. but what if they hadn't been a passerby? what if they called the entire militia or police force down on top of them? it wasn't like riverdale! a one sheriff town with slow-moving police work where teenagers somehow played better detectives. ]
Other than that, we slept in separate rooms. It wasn't like that. I'm just-- I'm glad it's over.
[ well, she doesn't doubt his words. he sounds too sincere to really question it. it's just- timing. what she's feeling is not quite whiplash, but it sure is something. her brows are still lifted and her expression is still a little bewildered, but it's not- negative? she doesn't look pissed. so there's that. ]
I'm glad it's over, too. And I'm glad you're both okay. I- [ she sighs again, shakes her head with a smile that's accompanied by a scrunched nose because this is all so weird. ] I'm still not mad. Shocked, but not mad. Why am I not mad? [ it's not a real question, but she squints her eyes at him anyway, accusatory and a little silly ] You've made me soft, Archie Andrews. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to forgive you for that.
[ the snarky commentary doesn't meet her expression quite as much as it might normally, no smarm to her smile, but she's trying. she doesn't want this to sit heavy between them. so she's reaching for his hand again, with both of hers, holding onto it as she just watches him for a moment ]
Is there anything else you want to get off of your chest while I'm still processing? I mean that sincerely- now is definitely the time.
[ there are things about that planet that are going to stick with him for the rest of his life, perhaps not directly on the forefront of his mind, but haunting his nightmares. at least the arena had gone down, people were freed from that madness, and they're as close to back to normal as they can be until they're finished here. if they finish here.
his brows are pinched. somehow, she's smiling. it's not perfect. this whole ordeal is a huge mess that archie's trying to neatly sweep up. he doesn't find anything particularly funny about their conversation, yet he laughs because there's too much nervous energy not to release it in some manner. the sound isn't joyous, it's tense. not because he's waiting for her to yell psych! and shout at him, but because this all feels as though it's happening to someone else. not him. not them. ]
Probably because it's completely ridiculous. [ those actions belong to him and he still can't believe it. ] No matter what side of the table you're seated at, it sounds crazy. [ but she's reaching for his hands and he won't turn away her forgiveness. he wants it too much. more than anything, he's confessing to her because he wants them to get back to good and stay there. ] That's everything, Ronnie. I swear.
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ᴅᴀᴇᴍᴏɴ: ᴅᴇᴠᴏᴛᴇᴅ » ᴛᴇxᴛ | backdated to after the event's end
[ because can we talk? is far too ominous a message and he does not want veronica lodge thinking ohgodohgodwhat the whole way to pop's. it's also not really the conversation material to hash out in the living room at betty and jughead's apartment. ]
no subject
[ she needs some hometown familiarity right now. ..not that riverdale is technically her hometown. it feels like it, though. hm. she's okay with it. ]
Right now? I'm available now.
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as soon as you can, yeah. it's not life or death, or anything. i just need to see you.
i need to talk to you.
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Speaking of which, order me a chocolate shake if you get there before me, okay? See you soon.
[ no, she doesn't expect anything. why would she? she thinks he just wants to see her after the time they spent sort of apart, in that insane world. it wasn't even that long, but it sort of felt that way. so yeah, she was itching to see him, too. to hold his hand again. talk about something normal, maybe. make him smile. y'know, the ush.
so she seems perfectly fine when she walks into pop's and heads for their usual booth, heels clicking, cloak/cape/coat thing swishing. it's only once she's sitting down across from Archie that her shine dims just an itty-bitty bit. she doesn't notice if there's a shake there for her or not. ]
... Something's wrong.
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he forces a smile that's too tight around the edges. ]
Yeah. [ he agrees eventually; he's not here in this booth to keep omitting the truth. ] Something is. ..Was? I don't know. I just- there's something I have to tell you. Something that happened at home. I should have told you when we first ran into each other. I couldn't tell you when we were in Panultima. It was too dangerous. [ excuses, excuses, excuses. they stick in his throat. good. they should feel uncomfortable. that's what he tells himself, anyway. ] I'm telling you now.
[ he grips the mug firmly in his hands, willing them not to shake because he's getting these words out, one way or another. ]
Betty and I kissed. [ not she kissed me or i kissed her back. ] It doesn't even matter why, but I'm going to tell you what happened. We were broken up and so were Betty and Jughead. Everything from that night was so intense and crazy, chasing down the Black Hood, trying to save Mr. Svenson... [ archie's trying to explain something that can't be made to make sense with reason, not where feelings are involved. he leans forward, trying to catch and hold her gaze, to make sure she's listening to him. she doesn't have to be. she has every right to slap him and walk out. he's not done, but he kind of needs to know she wants to hear the rest. ]
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You and Betty kissed?
[ still working through it. it's- well. it hurts. it hurts a lot. it's confusing. they were broken up. but it's betty. but she really did break his heart. but that was so soon after. but they were broken up? they were. it's not her fault, she knows she didn't push him to go kiss somebody else, but... yeah. it's confusing. she wants to ask when and why and how but he's already done it. his words are sinking in. ]
That's- [ she's trying to buy some time maybe, for herself and maybe archie too. not wanting to just leave him in silence after he explains himself. her eyes shut as her brow furrows, breath even. she's really, really trying to be calm. this might've rocked her confidence a bit, but not her confidence in him. that's what she has to focus on. ] It's. [ pause. huff. ] It's okay. I just need a second?
[ a few seconds, actually. but her eyes open again at least, so she can look at him while she thinks about what he's just told her. she just needs a moment to think ]
no subject
broken up or not.
archie reaches across the table, hand pausing a few inches from her, like he wants to comfort her but he can’t be the one to make it okay. she has to. it’s up to her if she wants anything to do with him. when she says that she needs a second, he nods in understanding. his fingers curl inward in a closed fist on the table because he’s trying to be patient and he doesn’t want her to feel obligated. it’s a crappy situation. he’s hurting because she is, because he’s the reason that she’s in pain at all.
it’s not okay, he wants to remind her, because she can’t just decide so hastily. can she? he bites his lip and starts to withdraw his arm from the table altogether. ]
Yeah. As long as you need. I'm right here.
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It's okay. [ she sounds more confident this time, less shocked. she meets his eyes, and she can't get herself to smile as bright as she normally does, but she tries to give him something other than sad eyes. she will not be reduced to a wibbling mess because of something Archie and Betty did when they were about to do something that could possibly get them both killed. plus- ] We were broken up. And it sucks, but you decided to own up to it and tell me instead of trying to keep it a secret forever. That's what matters.
[ she squeezes her fingers around his, takes a breath ]
Now this doesn't mean you're off the hook, but I'm not mad. I promise. I'm a little- shocked, but not mad. And I don't blame you for waiting until now to tell me, this place has been so crazy. [ another quick pause, sighs another breath. man, she was really worked up for a second. ] I'm just glad you're okay. I thought you were going to tell me something really horrible happened.
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exactly, a little voice named doubt whispers. she’s given you enough chances.
and then she just- forgives him? he cocks his head to the side, searches her face for a way that this can be okay. yeah, it’s the answer he wants. the one he’s hoping for. he doesn’t want to jump at it too soon, like this is her putting on a brave face and sweeping it under a rug, and that’s not what he wants. he wants her to be honest with him. as transparent as he’s attempting to be. his lips part when she squeezes his hand and he shuts them as quickly as they opened once he sees she isn’t through speaking. ]
It’s okay if you are. [ she doesn’t have to put up a front for him. she seems genuine but a part of him feels like he doesn’t deserve it. ] You can be mad. I would be. [ not that he’s encouraging her to get worked up. ] It’s never going to happen again. I can tell you that. You’re the one I want to be with. [ he clutches her hand back because maybe she doesn’t want to hear it, maybe she doesn’t believe him, but he needs to say it. ] I love you, Ronnie.
[ he lets out a bitter laugh at that, more at his own expense. that he was going to tell her something horrible happened. isn’t this? ]
I guess we've all had to redefine horrible lately. [ god, what a life. ]
no subject
[ which is the truth, and it's why, even if this bit of news shakes her up a bit, it doesn't make her doubt him. not really. they were on a break, and things were insane. and she's not stupid. she hasn't just conveniently forgotten their history - but the Barchie backstory doesn't intimidate or worry her. maybe if she were less confident it would, but she knows what she has with Archie is special. special. what a ridiculous word. but it is, she knows that. it's what made her swallow her fears when it came to those three little words.
so they kissed. so what? that doesn't change what Archie means to her. it doesn't change what Betty means to her, either. ]
And I trust you. I trust that if it was something more than that, more than just a kiss, you would tell me. So that means you should trust me when I say it's okay. Alright?
[ because his guilt is so transparent, and she can't just ignore that. she won't let this eat at him, just the same as she won't let it eat at herself. they're stronger than that. ]
no subject
There's something else. [ and ( if possible ) he looks even more uncomfortable about this. ] When we were in that prison world, Jughead and I had to kiss to keep up our cover. [ he holds his hands out, palms up, not as a means of withdrawing from veronica but to show her that he doesn't know what to say about that. he's not hiding anything else. ] If it makes you feel any better, neither one of us enjoyed it. That's it. That's everything, I swear.
I do trust you and I want you to keep on trusting me, which is why I'm telling you all of this. I really hope this city doesn't have anything else up its sleeve.
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[ she laughs, but it’s the kind of laugh that sounds like he’s knocked the wind out of her. her hands are back in her lap, eyes wide as she watches him because.. what?
what? ]
You had to kiss?
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[ that's really the entire story. he supposes they could have tried to run and honestly, that'd been his first instinct. to flee the scene of the crime. but what if they hadn't been a passerby? what if they called the entire militia or police force down on top of them? it wasn't like riverdale! a one sheriff town with slow-moving police work where teenagers somehow played better detectives. ]
Other than that, we slept in separate rooms. It wasn't like that. I'm just-- I'm glad it's over.
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I'm glad it's over, too. And I'm glad you're both okay. I- [ she sighs again, shakes her head with a smile that's accompanied by a scrunched nose because this is all so weird. ] I'm still not mad. Shocked, but not mad. Why am I not mad? [ it's not a real question, but she squints her eyes at him anyway, accusatory and a little silly ] You've made me soft, Archie Andrews. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to forgive you for that.
[ the snarky commentary doesn't meet her expression quite as much as it might normally, no smarm to her smile, but she's trying. she doesn't want this to sit heavy between them. so she's reaching for his hand again, with both of hers, holding onto it as she just watches him for a moment ]
Is there anything else you want to get off of your chest while I'm still processing? I mean that sincerely- now is definitely the time.
5,000 years later oops
his brows are pinched. somehow, she's smiling. it's not perfect. this whole ordeal is a huge mess that archie's trying to neatly sweep up. he doesn't find anything particularly funny about their conversation, yet he laughs because there's too much nervous energy not to release it in some manner. the sound isn't joyous, it's tense. not because he's waiting for her to yell psych! and shout at him, but because this all feels as though it's happening to someone else. not him. not them. ]
Probably because it's completely ridiculous. [ those actions belong to him and he still can't believe it. ] No matter what side of the table you're seated at, it sounds crazy. [ but she's reaching for his hands and he won't turn away her forgiveness. he wants it too much. more than anything, he's confessing to her because he wants them to get back to good and stay there. ] That's everything, Ronnie. I swear.