Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Tree Hill, North Carolina. Home to Betty Cooper and Sweet Pea Jones, her best friend and partner in crime. They were starting their sophomore year of high school and Betty was content to fly under-the-radar as much as she could. Veronica Lodge and Valerie Brown were the co-captains of the cheerleading squad and Betty wanted to avoid those girls as much as she could. She wasn’t in much of a mood to be seen by the popular crowd. Just then, Sweet Pea walked into his mom, Karen’s, diner and smiled at Betty. 

“Hey, Betts,” he said, going to give her a hug that the blonde returned just as strongly. “Ready for the first day of sophomore year?”

“I’m ready for tests and homework; studying and flashcards,” she laughed. Betty was well on her way to being the student with the highest-grade point average in Tree Hill high, something she was immensely proud of. Sweet Pea laughed at her.

“You’re a nerd,” he said fondly, and Betty laughed. 

“I know,” she agreed with a sigh, smiling slightly all the while. Karen walked out just then, relieving Betty of her morning shift before school as Sweet Pea kissed his mother on the cheek. 

“You guys have a good day today,” Karen said, and Betty smiled at the woman she viewed as a second mother. 

“We will, Karen,” she replied, picking up her backpack from where she had it sitting down on one of the stools at the coffee bar. She looked at Sweet Pea. “Are you driving today or are we taking the bus?” 

Sweet Pea looked at Karen, who nodded. “I don’t need the car today. Just make sure you drive safely, Sweets.”

“I will, mom,” he replied, slinging his backpack onto his shoulder, and turning to Betty. “Come on Betts, I want to beat out Jughead and the rest of the basketball team before their practice is over. Can live without seeing my half-brother today.”

Karen sighed. “Try to be nice to him.”

“FP and his son are both dicks. I don’t know how Gladys puts up with them,” Sweet Pea said flatly, then bumped Betty’s shoulder. “Let’s go, Betts.”

Betty waved to Karen, slid her backpack on her frame, and headed out of Karen’s Café with Sweet Pea. She’d be working her afternoon shift straight after school so it wasn’t like she wouldn’t see the other woman later. She worked there practically every day to help Karen out. Getting into the car with Sweet Pea, Betty sat down in the front seat and watched on as Sweet Pea backed out. She started laughing and Sweet Pea looked at her curiously. 

“I’m just remembering how last year; I had you pretend to be my boyfriend so I wouldn’t be bothered by the jerks of our school.”

“Best fake girlfriend I ever had,” Sweet Pea laughed, driving down the familiar roads to their school. Betty was nervous about how this school year would play out. She knew that Sweet Pea wanted to avoid running into Jughead as much as he could, and Betty didn’t blame him. Jughead was a class A asshole who had everything fed to him on a silver spoon. It sucked that FP abandoned Karen and Sweet Pea and went and married Gladys, a rich woman on the other side of the town. FP had made a comfortable home for Gladys, Jughead, and himself. Rumor had it, Jughead had a little sister in elementary school too who was pretty well off. Sweet Pea didn’t envy them for being the perfect family, but Betty knew he was hurt that FP hadn’t wanted to stick around and find out about him when Karen gave birth to him. Betty was fiercely protective of Sweet Pea and would throw punches if Jughead and the rest of the stupid basketball team said shit to him. Sweet Pea pulled her from her thoughts. “What are you thinking about so hard, Betts?” 

Betty sighed. “I just want this year to be easy. I don’t want Jughead and the team to do anything to us to bother us.”

“Relax, Betty,” Sweet Pea smiled at her gently. “It’s not like I play basketball anywhere other than the river court and Whitey doesn’t want a bunch of hoodlums from the river court on his team.”

“You guys aren’t hoodlums,” Betty sighed as Sweet Pea pulled into the parking lot and parked. Just then, boisterous laughter filled the air and Betty looked up. Jughead Jones and his best friend, Archie Andrews, were leading the other basketball players off the bus. High off a weekend win – and busted for drunk driving that FP Jones smoothed over, and Betty was disgusted with the lot of them. She rolled her eyes as Jughead made eye contact with Sweet Pea and Sweet Pea’s knuckles clenched.

“I hate that guy,” he muttered.

“I hate that he’s your brother,” Betty sighed.

“Half-brother,” Sweet Pea corrected her, getting out of the car as Joaquin, Skills, and Mouth came up to them.

“Hey Sweets,” Mouth said, giving a clap on his back as Joaquin and Skills leaned back against his car, taking in the school. 

“Hey Mouth,” Sweet Pea replied, bumping fists with Joaquin and then skills. “Sophomore year.”

“Yeah,” Skills agreed.

“Two more til graduation,” Joaquin added, and Betty laughed. The long-haired friend of her's was already ready to graduate. He turned to look at her. “You already got all of your new school supplies, Betty?”

“Be nice,” Sweet Pea warned, and Betty laughed again. She hugged her best friend goodbye, going to make her way into the building. She could feel someone’s eyes on her and looked up in time to spot Jughead staring at her. Creepy. What did the dick want? 

She rolled her eyes, shaking her head as she made her way inside of the building. She had other things to do than worry about if Jughead Jones was staring at her or not. She heard laughter echoing down the hall of Tree Hill high and looked to the left of her, spotting Veronica Lodge, Valerie Brown, and the rest of the cheerleaders all around their lockers, laughing at something Veronica had said. Things never changed, it seemed. Sighing, Betty made her way to her first period where she agreed to tutor Jimmy Edwards – although why he needed her to tutor him, she didn’t know. He was one of the smartest guys she knew. 

XXX

After school that day, Betty rode to the river court with Sweet Pea and Joaquin, Skills and Mouth saying they’d meet them there. This was their time to be away from all the clichés of high school and just unwind. Betty sat at the table with her books, doing some of her homework before she had to go back to the café and help Karen. Sweet Pea, Skills, Joaquin, and Fangs were playing two-on-two on the river court and Mouth was commentating the game. She laughed at her friend, smiling warmly at him. Mouth had always wanted to be a news broadcaster and would often have running commentary on the games the guys played at the river Court. Betty didn’t understand the first thing about basketball; didn’t know how to make a touchdown with the ball and what the points meant but she was happy her friends had things to do. Just then, the sound of cars pulling up could be heard and Betty looked up, eyes narrowing as Jughead and Archie got out of their cars, Veronica, Jughead’s girlfriend, trailing behind them somewhat hesitantly.

“See you losers know where you belong,” Jughead commented mildly, and Veronica winced, throwing an apologetic look at Sweet Pea. Betty stood to her full height – which wasn’t saying much – and pushed herself next to Sweet Pea and Joaquin, who were glaring at Jughead and Archie.

“Why don’t you pretty rich boys go back to daddy?” Sweet Pea snapped. “And leave us the hell alone?” 

“At least daddy wants me,” Jughead grinned sharply, and Betty pressed in front of Sweet Pea to stop him from decking the other guy. 

“Get lost, Jones,” she snapped, and Jughead furrowed his brow at her.

“Do I know you?” Jughead asked in a slightly softer tone, but Betty was too incensed to care. 

“No,” she snorted. “And with a little luck, this is the last time we’ll cross paths. You guys have Whitey and the school team. Leave the River court to us. We weren’t bothering any of you.” 

“Betts, it’s okay,” Sweet Pea said quietly and Jughead’s eyes flickered back and forth between them, as did Veronica.

“This your girlfriend or something?” Jughead demanded.

“What’s it to you?” Betty hissed, folding her arms across her chest, and trying to ignore the way she liked his oceanic orbs. She couldn’t afford to like anything about him.

Jughead looked down at her in surprise. “Nothing. Just stay where you belong.” 

With that, they got back into their cars, Veronica and Sweet Pea sharing a look with one another as they did so. Betty recognized the look in Sweets’ eyes. The taller had always harbored a crush on the dark-haired girl. She didn’t blame him, but she still wasn’t in much of a mood to be nice to them. 

She shook her head. They were in for a long year.

Chapter Text

Jughead Jones and Archie Andrews walked down the hallways to their first period after a morning of running drills with Whitey. Jughead was in a foul mood because his bastard of a half-brother got invited to join the team after Jughead was busted for drinking and driving after the last away game. It had been Archie’s idea and Jughead was stupid enough to go along with it. He sighed, catching Sweet Pea talking to the blonde girl who was often by him. 

“Hey, Archie, who’s Sweet Pea’s sidekick?” 

Archie laughed. “That’s Betty Cooper, his best friend and one of the school's tutors.”

“I’ve never seen her around that much,” Jughead commented, watching as she laughed at something Sweet Pea said. Jughead and Veronica had just broken up this past weekend and Jughead wasn’t in any huge rush to date someone again, but he was wondering how he could get Betty on his side and away from Sweet Pea. The boys on the team were going to haze him out to the point he left the team altogether. It’d be the icing on the cake if he screwed with Betty Cooper, too 

“The easiest way you’re going to get in with Cooper is if you have her tutor you,” Archie said, shutting his locker. “And let’s face it, your grades are good enough to earn you a tutor.”

Jughead rolled his eyes, shoving his friend in the shoulder as the redhead laughed, walking down the hallway. “The best way to get to Sweet Pea is through Betty. And who knows, maybe I’ll have my grades pulled up in the process and Whitey will get off my back.”

“Going after Sweet Pea’s best friend is a harsh move,” Archie laughed. “I’m all for it.”

XXX

Jughead paused at the entrance of the tutoring center, staring at Betty as she pulled something out of the filing cabinet. He wondered if he was going to hurt this poor girl more than she had to be. Then he remembered Sweet Pea’s smug smirk when Whitey said he was starring as the new point guard and decided it was worth it. He tapped on the doorframe and Betty looked up, leaving him slightly breathless when her green irises landed on him. Then they narrowed and he knew he was in trouble. “Can I help you?” 

“You’re Betty Cooper, right?” Jughead asked, leaning against the doorframe, and folding his arms across his chest as Betty nodded. “Then I hope you can help me. You’re my new tutor.”

Betty snorted, shaking her head. “Let me see your note.” 

Jughead handed over the note that said she was his new tutor and she studied it. She furrowed her brow, handing the slip of paper back to him as she shook her head. “I’m sorry but I can’t help you.”

“Can’t or won’t?” Jughead asked quietly.

“Both,” she said simply.

“Why not?” Jughead asked.

“Sweet Pea is my best friend and for the past year you’ve made his life hell,” Betty snapped. “Why would I help you?” 

“Because,” Jughead said quietly. “If I fail my classes, I’ll be kicked off the team.”

“First world problems,” Betty rolled her eyes. “Look, I’ll find you a good replacement tutor but that’s all I can do for you.”

Jughead sighed, nodding his head, and walked out of the room. He did mean that he’d be kicked off the team. Then his old man – who still lived vicariously through his son to experience his own glory days on the team – would be mad as hell at him. FP had already bribed half his teachers to keep him at passing. He glanced over his shoulder to find Betty staring after him with a peculiar look on her face. Then she gave her head a shake and went back to putting things into the filing cabinet. He’d have to get to her some other way. 

Archie was standing towards the middle of the hall, waiting for him. “How’d it go?”

“She didn’t take the bait,” he muttered. “She’s too loyal to Sweet Pea.”

“Speaking of Sweet Pea, are we getting him before the game tonight?” Archie asked. 

“Damn straight we are,” Jughead replied. “Let’s go finalize the plans with the rest of them.”

XXX

A half hour before they needed to be at the gym for the game, Archie pulled up his Tahoe. They had been monitoring Sweet Pea and when he left his mother’s café, Jughead put his plan into action. Pulling out the burlap sack, he hopped out of the car with the rest of his teammates, running after Sweet Pea, who was walking down the street. Jughead threw the sack over his head with Archie pushing him into the car, and Jughead was pressing him down with a knee to his back as he tied his wrists behind him. “Anyone see us, Arch?”

“Nah, Jug, we’re good,” Archie replied, speeding off. The high schoolers laughed as Archie drove, and when they reached the outskirts of their town, they stopped and threw Sweet Pea out of the car, Jughead yanking off the sack. 

“Good luck making it to the game on time,” Jughead laughed. “Trust me, I’ll make sure we look good playing tonight. Get settled in because until you realize where you belong – that Whitey made a mistake putting you on the team, Sweet Pea – you’re going to be in for hell. I’ll tell Betty you say hello.”

“Stay the hell away from my best friend!” Sweet Pea yelled, working on untying his wrists. Jughead just laughed and they got back in the Tahoe, speeding off to make it to the game on time.

XXX

Jughead’s doorbell rang a few days later and he went to answer it, receiving a slight surprise when he saw Betty Cooper, of all people, standing on the other side. “I’ll tutor you.”

“Just like that?” Jughead asked after he schooled his expression, smiling at her softly.

“With the condition you leave Sweet Pea the hell alone. I mean it Jughead. No more hazing. He told me what you guys did to him the night of the basketball game,” she sighed.

“So you’re doing this for your best friend?” Jughead asked.

“If it means you guys lay off him, then yes,” she said. “Tomorrow morning, the docks.”

With that, she turned around, pigtails swinging behind her as she walked off and Jughead was left staring after her, feeling slightly guilty that she only agreed to tutor him to make him less of a dick.

Sunday morning came around and Jughead met Betty at the docks, spotting her sitting at one of the tables as she took notes. He sat down across from her and smiled. “I didn’t think you were going to show up.”

“Well, I need you to back off Sweet Pea and I need to know you’re passing your classes,” Betty sighed. “Even if I don’t give a damn about whether or not you make a touch down.”

Despite his best attempts, he laughed. “That’s football.”

“Look, math doesn’t care about sports and neither do I. You need to fix your grades,” Betty said firmly, and he nodded, opening up his box of crackerjacks. He spotted a bracelet in the box – just the prize they give people – and Jughead paused, smiling at Betty.

“For you,” he said, putting it on her wrist.

“Jughead…,” Betty trailed off with a sigh.

“Look,” he said. “You and I can be friends. I’ll even back off Sweet Pea.”

She studied him, taking in his earnest expression before nodding.

“Let’s get to work.”

Chapter Text

Betty met up with Jughead every morning before school by the docks. She stuck true to her word about tutoring him as long as he left Sweet Pea alone. When it was just her and Jughead, Jughead wasn’t so bad one-on-one. He had a sense of humor and was smarter than he gave himself credit for. She did not envy his home life – having to live with FP Jones sounded like a nightmare and she knew Sweet Pea, on a small level, was relieved that he didn’t have to grow up with him as a dad. He got to grow up with his Uncle Keith, someone who was like a father-figure to Betty, too. She sat across from Jughead, detailing the notes of his study guide for his upcoming quiz when he asked her a question. “How long have you and Sweet Pea been best friends?

Betty lifted her eyes from the study guide and looked at him. “Since we were kids.”

“Doesn’t it get boring having the same friend?” Jughead asked.

“Doesn’t it get boring bullying him?” Betty muttered underneath her breath, pushing over the study guide a moment later. “Okay, so here’s where you need to study the most. Put as much effort into your schoolwork as you do basketball and you’d be passing with all A’s.”

“That’s doubtful,” Jughead snickered, and Haley frowned.

“You don’t have to put yourself down in front of me, you know,” she commented quietly. “I don’t think you’re dumb.”

“Everyone thinks I’m just a dumb jock,” he snorted, and Haley looked at him sympathetically.

“I don’t, Jughead,” she said softly. “I see your potential. You’re more than just basketball.”

Jughead opened and closed his mouth a few times, before finally settling on a small smile and quiet, “thank you”. He looked down to his paper, filling out some of the questions with his pencil. Betty studied him for a moment before going back to her own notes. She still hadn’t told Sweet Pea she was tutoring Jughead; what good would it do? But Jughead wasn’t as awful when he was just by himself. He didn’t seem to want to be pleasing anybody or showing off.

And, he had gotten quieter since he and Veronica had broken up. Betty sometimes saw him looking at her when she was sitting next to Sweet Pea and her other friends during lunch, and he had this – jealous wasn’t the right word but some type of look on his face. Like he wished he could be laughing with them. She smiled at him softly, going back to her work and they worked in companionable silence for about fifteen minutes before Jughead cleared his throat. “Want to get some coffee?”

Betty nodded. “I never say no to coffee. Karen’s?”

“Yeah, I know Sweet Pea is running drills with Whitey so he wouldn’t see us,” Jughead replied, and Betty chewed her lip.

“I’m not embarrassed to be seen with you, Jughead,” she assured him softly.

“I know,” he promised. “I also know Sweet Pea would be on your case if he saw us together and I don’t really care for the guy so best to avoid places we could run into him.”

Betty sighed but nodded her head, nonetheless. She had to tell herself she was tutoring Jughead for Sweet Pea; that he was backing off him while she was helping him. She didn’t want Jughead to think she was embarrassed to be seen with him. Over the course of the past few weeks, she had gotten to know him a little better and realized that his dad put a lot of pressure on him to do a good job at basketball. FP Jones thought that if he didn’t play basketball, there was no point to anything, and Betty didn’t agree with that in the slightest. She wanted to tell Sweet Pea he wasn’t missing much by not having a father figure in FP Jones, but she knew that’d upset him and that was the last thing she wanted to do.

Her and Jughead drove over to Karen’s, laughing slightly as Betty watched the scenery pass by. She knew that she was walking a fine line by tutoring Jughead; that all of this could blow up in her face but for the time being, she didn’t care. Karen threw her a look when she walked into the café with Jughead, and they took seats at one of the tables. “No Sweet Pea?” Karen asked as she came and filled their coffee mugs.

“He’s practicing with Whitey,” Jughead said, not looking at Karen and Betty frowned.

“You’re FP’s other boy,” Karen said, and Jughead reddened.

“Yeah, he’s my dad,” he muttered.

“At least he’s a dad to one of you,” Karen murmured, smiling at Betty before walking away.

Betty sighed. “Maybe this was a bad idea.”

“Karen has a right to be mad,” Jughead said quietly.

“What do you mean?” Betty asked as she looked at him.

“My old man only fathered me, but he parented both of us. Why was I lucky the one?” Jughead asked and Betty chewed on her lip, unsure of how to answer that question. She didn’t know how to answer it because she didn’t know the answer to it. She sighed softly.

“Jug,” she murmured, blushing when she shortened his name but hurried to continue on before he could comment on it. “FP choosing to be a dad to you and not Sweet Pea is not your fault.”

“Even though I hazed him out when he first joined the team, and I made him feel less than welcome?” Jughead asked skeptically and Betty looked at him.

“Are you feeling guilty?” Betty asked quietly and Jughead sighed.

“I don’t know – these past few weeks, with you tutoring me, shows there’s more to my life than basketball. And that I – I don’t want to be the dick I know I can be,” he replied.

Betty sat back in her seat, stunned that they seemed to be having this conversation. She looked at Jughead, taking in his sincere expression and she smiled slightly. “I think you’re on the right path and your first step to correcting your mistakes is apologizing to Sweet Pea.”

“Woah now,” Jughead laughed lightly. “Let’s not get too ahead of ourselves. I’m tolerating him for you.”

“He’s not a bad guy,” Betty reminded him.

“No, he’s not,” Jughead agreed. “But my dad would never let me have a relationship with my half-brother.”

“And why don’t you say to hell with your dad and do something for yourself?” Betty challenged and Jughead laughed dryly.

“You make it sound so easy,” he sighed.

“Sometimes it is,” she murmured quietly.

Jughead laughed but it sounded tired. “It’s not simple, Betty. At least, not the way you’re making it out to be. My dad – he expects the very best from me. I learned long ago that Sweet Pea wasn’t a part of his plan for us, and I’ve just lived by that.”

“But don’t you see, Jughead?” Betty asked somewhat desperately. “You and Sweet Pea could have the potential to be really good friends and brothers if you just set aside your differences both on and off the court. What does FP have anything to do with that?”

Jughead sighed. “He puts a lot of pressure on my shoulders to be the best I can. To be the best version of him.”

“And don’t you want to be the best version of you?” Betty asked quietly, hands cradled around her coffee mug.

Jughead stared at her for a moment. “I don’t think anyone’s asked me that before.”

“Look, Jug, all I’m saying is that there’s more to life than your father’s approval. Maybe, if you give Sweet Pea a chance, you’ll realize he’s not such a bad guy,” Betty coaxed.

Jughead sighed. “I’m not saying I’ll be best friends with the guy, but I will lay off. Completely.”

Betty nodded, soft smile resting against her lips as Jughead smiled back at her in kind. That’d have to be good enough.

Author’s note: If you guys thought I was going to draw out the enemies to friends to lovers do you even know me? Also – OTH has Haley and Nathan (the couple I’m copying for bughead) good friends by the end of the second episode. So, you know, following the timeline here. (Also, for any of you who have seen OTH – an episode like this never happened. I’m taking creative freedom to some extent here).

Chapter Text

Sweet Pea sighed, staring at Veronica. He knew that her and Jughead had broken up; that she was on the market again, but he was too afraid to shoot his shot. He’d liked her for years, knowing deep down that she had the potential to like him too. He shook his head, redirecting his attention back to his homework. Betty was due to join him but ever since she had started tutoring Jughead – yes, he knew about that – her time had been limited. Sweet Pea wasn’t sure how he felt about his best friend spending all that time with his archenemy, even though he and Jughead seemed to be getting along better. Just then, Betty walked up to him, settling her things down next to her. “Hey, Sweets.”

“Hey, Betts,” he grinned, moving over some of his stuff so she had room to sit next to him. “Jughead not need you for a tutoring session?” 

Betty looked up at him with the deer-in-the-headlights expression as she stared at him and he smiled knowingly. “You – you know about that?”

“Betty, look,” Sweet Pea sighed. “I’ve known about it for a while and while I do wish you felt comfortable telling me, I understand why you didn’t. I think you might be the best thing for Jughead. He’s backed off a lot and that makes it easier for me to play on the team.”

Betty smiled slowly. “He’s backed off?”

“Exponentially,” Sweet Pea agreed, own smile resting against his lips. “I think that’s because you probably see the best in him and make him want to be a better person.”

“I don’t know about that,” Betty mumbled, but Sweet Pea shook his head.

“Don’t downplay how much you help us all,” he replied kindly. “We wouldn’t be anywhere without you.”

Just then, Jughead and Archie came over, looking back and forth between Sweet Pea and Betty. Jughead spoke up. “Mind if we sit here?” 

Sweet Pea looked at him. “Sure daddy will be okay with that?” 

He could see Betty frowning from the corner of his eye and knew she thought he was being a dick but he had a point to make. 

Jughead sighed. “Even if he’s not I’m allowed to sit with friends. Well, friend. Betts is my friend. You’re just my brother that I tolerate.” His lips were quirked up and Sweet Pea knew that they had come to an understanding. He nodded his head after a moment, scooting his stuff over so the other two guys could sit down next to them. Jughead looked at Betty. “Made an eighty-eight on my math test.”

Sweet Pea watched as Betty’s eyes lit up, a proud grin stretching across her lips. “Jug, that’s great! I knew you could do it.”

He smiled, somewhat bashfully, and dropped eye-contact as he stared at the table the next moment. “Couldn’t have done it without you.”

Sweet Pea watched as Betty swelled in pride and wondered how hard she was falling for his brother. He recognized whenever she liked someone – which wasn’t often – and he wondered if he needed to talk to her. “Good job, man.”

Jughead’s eyes flickered to Sweet Pea and he smiled at him slightly. 

“Thanks.” Then he changed the topic. “Whitey wants us running drills tonight. Something about the team we’re playing because really good.”

Sweet Pea nodded as Veronica came and stood next to them with Valerie, her best friend. “These seats taken?”

“Nah,” Sweet Pea said, scooching over his stuff once again so there was room for the two girls. Veronica sat down, smiling at Betty as Valerie sat down next to her and smiled at Sweet Pea. Valerie spoke up. 

“So, Sweet Pea,” she said and he turned his attention on her. “You played well the last game.”

“Thanks, Val,” he replied, casting a quick glance at Jughead, who was busy staring at Betty. He’d have to talk to the guy and get his warning across. “You guys, uh, cheered well.”

Valerie laughed, looking at Betty. “What about you tutor girl? You feel up to joining the cheer squad.”

Betty blinked, startled it seemed, and Sweet Pea wanted to shake his head. He didn’t want her on the team; didn’t want her to lose sight of who she was but he realized that wasn’t for him to decide. Betty shook her head slowly. “No thanks, Valerie. I don’t think it’s really for me.”

“I think you’d be great,” Jughead said, looking at Betty. But then he changed the topic. “There is a party this weekend, at my parents vacation home. Basketball team is invited, all of us, and you should come too, Betty.”

Sweet Pea looked at Betty, who looked back at him in kind, and the two friends shrugged. They weren’t really big partiers but if the basketball team was going to be there, then Sweet Pea should at least be there. After sharing one more look, Sweet Pea turned back to Jughead. “We’ll be there.”

“You too, Betty?” Jughead asked hopefully.

“Yeah,” she replied. “I’ll ride with Sweet Pea.”

Jughead nodded, seemingly appeased by that answer and Sweet Pea wondered what it was they were getting into themselves exactly. 

XXX

The party was in full swing by the time Sweet Pea, Betty, Karen, and Keith got there. His mom and uncle were invited because the other parents were there and Keith was the closest thing to a dad that Sweet Pea had. He knew that Betty was nervous about going – that she didn’t think she fit in with the basketball players and the cheerleaders, but he also knew that Jughead was happy she was going. He lost site of her after a little bit but they had agreed to meet back up at his mom’s café when the night was over. 

He spotted Veronica standing next to Valerie, Valerie getting more drunk by the minute, and Betty said she was going to go get a soda from the kitchen, leaving Sweet Pea to find something to do. 

XXX 

Betty’s P.O.V.

Betty walked around the house, trying not to make it obvious she was looking for Jughead. She had set down a study-box for him in his bedroom in the vacation home, just something small she had put together to give him the push to do well on his test. She knew he’d ace it, his studying was paying off, and she was proud of him. 

Just as she walked by Valerie, she spotted Jughead talking to Archie and they locked eyes. “You came!”

He sounded pleased to see her and that left her stomach fluttering madly. She grinned, walking up to him. “I said I’d be here.”

Jughead hugged her, and Betty melted into his embrace. She knew that he wasn’t as bad of a guy as he came across and just needed that gentle reminder to do better than he acted as. Just as she got ready to say something to him, Valerie spoke up.

“Tutor girl, I found your little note to Jughead,” she grinned and Betty knew at once that the other girl was drunk. Watching in something akin to horror, Betty watched as Valerie pulled out the note she had written Jughead and began reading from it out loud. “Half the battle is believing in yourself…that’s sweet, tutor girl.”

A few of the other basketball players and cheerleaders were laughing at her and she looked at Jughead, who looked horrified for her. “Betty…”

“Stay away from me,” she said angrily, swiping at her eyes as she stalked out of the house and made her way to Karen’s café. She didn’t care that she was walking the town at night or that she was close to crying. But she wouldn’t cry; not until she got to refuge. She hurried into the diner, glad that all the lights were off and sat down the floor underneath the bar top, finally crying. 

It was a several minutes later that she heard the door open and she hiccupped, watching as Sweet Pea appeared a moment later.  

“Hey, Betts,” he said gently, easing onto the floor next to her. “Is this spot taken?”

She shook her head, covering her face in her hands. “I’m sorry.”

“Shh, it’s okay,” he said, pulling her in for a side hug. “I heard what happened. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she sighed, wiping at her face. “I just feel humiliated.”

“If it’s any consolation,” Sweet Pea said. “Jughead snapped at Valerie. He feels really bad. But I guess we both had shitty nights. So welcome back.”

“To where?” Betty asked quietly.

“Normal,” he murmured, smiling sadly.

Betty laughed. They weren’t meant to fit in.

Chapter Text

Betty ignored Jughead’s calls all that weekend and didn’t show up for her Monday morning tutoring session with him, either. She was making a point. She didn’t care how popular the guy was; nothing gave him – or anybody – the right to humiliate another person like that. True, it had mainly been Valerie’s doing, Jughead hadn’t put a stop to it. He may have said something to Valerie after Betty left but that just proved what a coward he was when it came to defending Betty and her honor. He couldn’t even do it when she was in the same room as him. Pathetic.

Betty sighed softly, straightening her shoulders from where she had them bent down, copying notes from the blackboard. They had an upcoming test in World History and she wanted to make sure she was prepared for it. She could feel eyes burning into the back of her neck and knew Jughead was desperately trying to get her attention but she didn’t budge. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing he did things to her.

Head still bent, she copied down the notes at a feverish rate, but made sure to write them neatly and legible. She wanted to be able to go back and study them later that evening. When the bell rang, dismissing them for lunch, Betty stood up swiftly and moved out of the room fluidly, trying not to turn around and react to the fact that Jughead was calling her name. She made her way down the hallway, spotting Sweet Pea standing at his locker with Veronica throwing looks at him every so often. Then Valerie emerged and made her way down towards his locker and Betty changed course. She didn’t want to be caught dead next to the other girl. She made her way to the library, going to sit in the peaceful sanctuary. She knew better than to think she could hide out here all day but she could just sit for a respite during lunch. That would suffice.

As she read her book and munched on her apple, carefully glancing over her shoulder lest the librarian caught her eating in there, Haley submerged herself into her book, forgetting real life for a while. She knew better than to think it could last forever, however. The bell rang just then, dismissing them from lunch and she gathered up her things. Taking the back exit, she hurried through the hallways, keeping her head down lest the basketball team see her or, worse, the cheerleaders.

XXX

Later that evening showed Betty standing inside the music store with Sweet Pea, the two friends browsing the shelves. Just then, she heard someone clear their throat and turned around to spot Jughead looking at her with an apologetic expression. “Betty, please talk to me.”

Sweet Pea stood between them, acting ever so much the defender she knew him to be. “You good?”

“I’m good,” she agreed. “Go on, I got this.”

Sweet Pea looked at Jughead for a moment before nodding and walking out of the store, planting himself firmly on the sidewalk where, she knew, he’d wait for her. Betty turned back to Jughead and sighed. “Look Jughead, I don’t know what you expect me to say.”

“I just want another chance to prove I’m not that asshole you and your friends think I am,” he murmured.

So now they were her friends? Did Jughead really care so little about people? She expelled a soft sigh, folding her arms across her chest. “Look, what happened the other night at the party reminded me you and I are from two different worlds, Jughead. You’re ‘Mr. Popular’ and I’m just Betty. Just Betty.”

“That’s good enough for me, just Betty,” Jughead said, tone somewhat desperate and Betty felt herself lose her resolve slightly. Then she thought of the malicious look on Valerie’s face; heard the laughter from everyone at the party, and her resolution grew once more.

“I’m sorry, Jughead, but its not enough,” she murmured. “Not this time. Goodbye.”

She walked out of the store, going to meet up with Sweet Pea while she felt Jughead’s eyes trail the back of her.

XXX

At Karen’s, Betty waited on tables, getting their regulars their normal orders. She was close to locking up when the door opened. “Pick anywhere – oh, we’re closed.” Her eyes fell on Valerie and she glared at the other girl.

“But the sign says open…oh, you mean closed to me,” Valerie smiled embarrassedly, coming to stand in front of Betty. “Look, I royally fucked up. I hurt you when I never had any intentions of doing so.”

“But you did,” Betty snapped, not quite ready to forgive the other girl.

“Betty, I’m a miserable excuse of a person when I drink and I am working on that, but Jughead had no idea I was going to do that,” Valerie said earnestly. “You’ve got to believe me. I have, if you’re willing to accept, a date night planned for you two. Tonight.”

“I’m working,” Betty said despite herself and her growing curiosity.

“So take the night off,” Valerie dismissed with an easy smile. “Come on, it’s a date planned with the guy you like and I know he likes you. Come on.”

Betty sighed softly, glancing behind Valerie outside of the café and spotting Jughead standing there, looking at her hopefully. Betty nodded. “All right.”

XXX

“Order your favorite food, for the other person,” Betty laughed as she read the menu card that Valerie had left at the restaurant for them.

“Any chance your favorite food is ribs?” Jughead asked hopefully.

“Yeah, we eat those a lot in my family,” Betty replied sarcastically, eyes searching the menu. “Ooh, mac n cheese! My favorite.”

“What are you, five?” Jughead laughed.

“Hey, mac n cheese is a gift from the gods,” Betty replied.

“Yeah, if the gods are five-year-olds,” Jughead snorted, and Betty laughed warmly with him. They enjoyed their dinner, taking the time to get to know each other before Jughead pulled out another card with instructions. “Tell the other person a secret you’ve never told anyone.”

Betty sighed. That was tricky. But, she had been having fun tonight, despite her best intentions not to, and she didn’t think Jughead would judge her. “I cheated on a math test last year.”

“Did you get caught?” Jughead asked in surprise.

“No,” Betty shook her head. “But that’s why I became a tutor. For – penance I guess.”

“Why’d you cheat?” Jughead asked softly.

“My mom got really sick and I was the only one around to take care of her,” she admitted. “I didn’t have time to study and swiped the answer key from the teacher’s filing cabinet. I thought – I don’t know – tutoring would be punishment but I’ve ended up really enjoying it.”

“If you’re looking for someone to judge you, you’ve come to the wrong person,” he said kindly. “We all do things we’re not proud of. Like let our dads control our lives for too long or let your drunken cheerleader friend make a cruel joke of someone who has been nothing but a light in your life.”

“I heard you defended me,” Betty whispered.

“And then some,” Jughead admitted quietly. “God, Betts, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay,” she murmured. “I judged the situation too harshly and Valerie said she’s working on her drinking. If anything, that’s the bonus here.”

“Yeah, it is,” Jughead smiled softly.

They leaned into each other slowly, their lips a hesitant meeting at first, before they molded together into one and Betty was soaring. When they pulled apart, she looked at him, laughing gently. “Wow.”

“Yeah, wow,” he murmured, dazed look in his eyes.

Betty’s night was looking up.

Chapter Text

Jughead knew that Betty was slowly changing something inside of him. Gone were the days where he just lived for the love of the game. He wasn’t sure how and he wasn’t sure when - though, their date night seemed like a good starting place - but he was slowly starting to fall for her. When Betty admitted to cheating…something he didn’t ever think she’d do. But he had to admit, it made her seem a bit more human. Like maybe she wasn’t as perfect as she seemed and there was hope for him to be good enough for her. 

Then there was his brother. Sweet Pea was, more or less, starring on the team with him. Whitey had placed him on the team next to him and it wasn’t out of pity or whatever other bullshit Jughead wanted to believe. But it was because Sweet Pea was good. He was a damn good player and would only contribute to them winning this season. 

Sure, FP Jones was mad as hell that Sweet Pea got placed on the team and took it out on Jughead in their verbal sparring matches, but there wasn’t much to be done about it. The Ravens won their last three games and that was because of the dutiful way both Jughead and Sweet Pea played. Also, as far as brothers went, Sweet Pea wasn’t the worst he could have gotten. 

Then there was Betty. She was so beautiful it hurt him to look at her. He got the air knocked out of him every time she talked to him. Like maybe he was worthy of being someone orbiting in her stratosphere. He could only hope. 

Then there was Valerie and Veronica. He had dated Veronica sophomore year. It hadn’t been much because they were not good for each other. Jughead had still been a toxic asshole and hadn’t taken the time to understand Veronica the way she needed to be. But he did see the way Sweet Pea looked at her. And he saw the way Valerie looked at Sweet Pea. It was a love triangle he wanted nothing to do with. But maybe, just maybe, he’d be lucky enough to orbit around Betty. 

Just then, he glanced across the quad and saw Betty walking with Sweet Pea, laughing at something her best friend and his brother said. The old Jughead would have been jealous. He would have demanded all of Betty’s attention. But she had made it her personal goal to change him into a person he was proud of being and now he just looked at the pair of friends like what they were: friends. Sweet Pea and Betty were so close, they were like siblings themselves. And Jughead knew he had nothing to worry about with them, 

The blonde goddess looked up just then, catching his eye, and smiling wider. Sweet Pea followed her line of sight and smiled knowingly at Jughead. Sue me, Sweets, I’m in love with your best friend. Betty said something to Sweet Pea, with the taller nodding. Then the two of them were making their way to Jughead and Jughead felt - ugh - butterflies at the way Betty’s green irises lit up at him. He was becoming pathetic. “Hey, Jughead.” Betty smiled sweetly at him and he just grinned down at her. 

“Hey, Betts,” he said, looking at Sweet Pea the next moment. “Nice blocking technique of Archie in practice today.”

Archie may be his best friend but he was only on the team because Jughead had advocated for it. And between the two of them, Archie definitely had the lesser of the grades. Glancing down at Betty, he briefly wondered if he could get the shorter to tutor his best friend. Archie needed all the help he could get. Then Sweet Pea was replying. “Thanks, man. Archie isn’t a bad guy.”

“Nah,” Jughead agreed. Then he turned his attention onto Betty. “Do you want to do something this weekend?” Well, at least he had no qualms about asking her out in front of his brother. Sweets should know that Jughead planned on dating the hell out of Betty. 

She looked at him, dipping her chin shyly as she tucked a loose tendril of hair behind her ear. “I’d like that, Juggie.”

He smiled softly and then Sweet Pea was bidding them goodbye with promises to see Betty at Karen’s cafe that night. “I’ve promised Valerie I’d see her about a book she wants me to recommend to her.”

Jughead tilted an eyebrow. Valerie had never shown an interest in reading before. Perhaps he wasn’t the only one changing their M.O. about school thanks to their crushes. Ugh, crushes? Seriously, dude? What are you, five? Then Sweet Pea was walking away, leaving Jughead and Betty to stand close to each other. He looked at her, eyes dropping to her lip as he remembered their kiss. “What would you say if I said I really wanted to kiss you again?”

“You do?” Betty whispered, and he nodded, interlocking their hands together as his free thumb found the smooth expanse of her cheek and traced his thumb pad across it. 

“I do,” he assured her quietly.

“Then god, Jug, do it,” she murmured. 

He moved closer to her, tilting her head up just slightly so he could bend down and meet her lips in a tender kiss. Kissing Betty, he surmised, was a lot like tasting heaven. Veronica had nothing on the blonde beauty and not for the first time, it felt like their two puzzle pieces were slotting together, becoming whole. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he lifted her slightly off her feet to bring her closer to him. They kissed for several moments before the need for air became apparent and she pressed her forehead against his. “You make me feel something I didn’t even know existed.”

Yeah, yeah he felt the same. “I know exactly what you mean, Betts.”

It was too early to throw around words that couldn’t be erased but he knew, in the depths of his heart, that she was the one for him. 

And he, for one, couldn’t wait to explore many more adventures with her. 

Chapter Text

Betty woke up to an empty house and a sore throat, not to mention the shivers wracking through her. She tightened the blankets around her, trying to fight off the chill seeping into her very bone marrow. She groaned. She hated when she was sick. Especially since The Ravens had a game tonight and she was supposed to go watch it to support both Sweet Pea and Jughead.  

The brothers were getting along much better these days, and Betty couldn’t be more fucking grateful. She knew that her tutoring Jughead had a lot to do with how he treated Sweet Pea, but Jughead had come around on his own as well. He was no longer listening to FP Jones and what the man thought was best for him.  

Betty snorted.  

FP Jones didn’t know what was best for either of his sons, and Betty knew that. Hell, they all knew that. Well, everyone except FP himself. And she wondered what FP thought about Jughead and Betty spending time together. No doubt he thought that Betty wasn’t good enough for his son. That she came from the wrong side of the tracks.  

It made her teeth grind.  

But she pushed that thought out of her mind for the time being. Right now, she had to find a way to get to school without her best friend and Jughead sending her back home. She sighed. It was going to be a long day.  

XXX 

Walking to school had been easy enough. Well, the not having a ride part. Sweet Pea and Jughead had morning practice, and she evaded Karen long enough to avoid her sensing that she was sick. The walking part, however...that had been a different story. Her whole body ached, and she was flushed with chills and heat alike.  

At the school, she managed to avoid Sweet Pea. She knew his schedule by heart and knew that Valerie was occupying his attention about something or another. For once, she was glad her best friend was infatuated with a cheerleader. It meant she didn’t have to risk him seeing her this sick and sending her straight home.  

Jughead, however, was a different story altogether. She was at her locker, bent over as a coughing fit took over, and she felt a warm, solid hand on her back. “Easy, baby. Just work through it gently.  

Shit. 

Fuck a duck.  

Cheese and crackers.  

Jughead was there, right behind her, and there was no way she could pass this off as allergies. Her body tensed up, spasming as she coughed, and he rubbed a soothing hand down her back. “I-I’m f-fine.” 

He snorted. “I’ll pretend like you didn’t just lie to me if, and only if, you keep breathing right now.” 

That seemed like a tall order to Betty. Her head was spinning, brain sending too many signals to her body that she didn’t know which one to exactly latch onto. But for Jughead, she’d do anything. She forced herself to breathe while she tried to stop coughing, and eventually, she was able to look at him through watery eyes. “Uh. Hi.” 

“Hi, Betts,” he said softly, taking off his letterman jacket and wrapping it around her shoulders. “How did your parents let you out of your house this morning?” 

She smiled sheepishly, tiredly. “My parents are at work. They didn’t see me.” 

He tsked. “As the smartest girl in our class, you should know better than to run yourself ragged. And that’s exactly what you’ve done between tutoring me, school, your job, and your friends.” 

She sighed. Betty knew Jughead was right but still....” I can make it. It’s just one day. And then the game tonight.” 

He tsked again, pulling her in close to his body as he began to lead her down the hallways. “No way in hell am I letting you stay at school today. And you’re sure as shit not forcing yourself to come cheer me and Sweet Pea on.” 

“Sweet Pea and I,” she said weakly, coughing the next minute.  

Just then, Sweet Pea and Valerie walked up to them, Sweet Pea frowning in concern. “Aw, shit, Betts, you’re sick.” 

“I’m taking her home,” Jughead informed him.  

Sweet Pea appraised him for a moment before nodding his head. “Just get her home safe.” 

“Always, man,” Jughead promised solemnly. Betty wanted to laugh at their somber expressions – she was sick, not dying – but her head was pounding too much to let her think properly. Then Valerie was handing her pom poms.  

“For when you cheer with us. After getting well, Tutor Girl,” Valerie explained, winking at her.  

A universe where she and Valerie were friends? Wild.  

She nodded nonetheless, and Jughead guided her to his car. They were leaving campus a moment later. 

XXX 

For the second time that morning, she was back in bed, wrapped up in her covers. The only difference was the fact that Jughead was sitting on her bed, fussing over her like a mother hen. “You shouldn’t have come to school, Betts. You shouldn’t have gotten out of bed at all.” 

“I was feeling fine,” she insisted.  

He snorted. “Yeah, fine. That’s why you looked like a train had run you over. Twice.” 

She winced. She couldn’t argue with him there. But she had a more pressing matter to tend to.  

...” Why do you care so much about me?” 

“Because, Betts, you’ve seeped into my skin,” he replied quietly. “You make me want to be a better guy. I can’t imagine my life without you in it now. That date we went on and the kiss we shared...it’s made me want more from life. It’s made me want to be the type of guy that is good enough to be seen with you.” 

She felt her feverish heart beating even more warmly and ducked her head. “I’ve never had someone care about me the way you do.” 

“Then it’s high time someone did,” he said softly. “I’d be honored to be that guy.” 

“I’d really like that,” she whispered.  

He bent down and kissed her on the forehead, before curling up behind her and holding her in bed. “Just sleep now, Betts. I’m not going anywhere.” 

And Betty, warm and safe in his embrace, did just that.  

She slept.