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[burger_king]

The year is 2018 and the Red Scare is alive and kicking. Worlds collide as we're brought here under mysterious circumstances, given gifts we couldn't dream to prepare for. Trapped without hope for escape we ask ourselves - will we ever see our homes again? Our loved ones? Will we embrace our new lives and is it a question of when - not if - that these powers turn on us? So many questions, and yet the biggest mystery is something else entirely.

Best burger joint. Give me your suggestions. Bonus points for cheap menus.

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[burger_king]

[ Oh Archie. Why do you always have to go full throttle. Jughead makes a noise, a humorless chuckle. ] He said that... that you saw the path I was going down and that you wanted nothing to do with it.

I know why you did it. I get it. It's just... that part's hard to shake.

[perfectible]

Jug, no--[ She reaches for his face, turning it towards hers if it wasn't already, looking at him now.] That isn't true. It's not true at all. And I never told him to say that.

[burger_king]

I know you didn't tell him. [ What she did at FPs retirement party settled that. ] But he's not... wrong. Look at my dad - look at my family. Mom left because of the Serpents.

Maybe it's not a problem now, but it's something we need to talk about eventually. Even if it doesn't matter here, I'm still a Serpent.

[perfectible]

[ She shakes her head at that.] If it's a part of who you are, if it's something you need to explore... I already told you that I'm going to be here for you. And I meant that.

[burger_king]

[ He draws a breath as if to protest, wants to say that this isn't so much exploring as gang activities with all that entails and maybe the reason why he's not taking some time to process and think about what this means is that he won't like what it says about him. He wants to tell her what really went down with Penny, that for a moment, when he had her on her knees, screaming, he enjoyed it and there's another thing he hasn't stopped to think about because what does that say about him?

But he says none of these things. Instead he releases the breath in a sigh, head bowed. ]

Okay. [ He glances up, looks at her in earnest. ] I will never ever blame you if you want out. Okay? You have to know that.

[perfectible]

[ He isn't the only one who has an attraction to darkness. Betty's been going down a road that could lead to her destruction, the way she copes, the desires she has. When he says what he does, she reaches out to take his face in her hands.]

I don't want an out. I love you, Jughead. [ She looks at him in earnest.] I'll take the good and the bad. You've done the same for me.

[burger_king]

[ Can he love her anymore than he does right now? Who knows, but if it's possible it can't be good for your health. He leans in to kiss her, softly. ]

I love you too, Betty.

[perfectible]

[ She kisses him back, letting her hands fall to his shoulders.] I'm sorry. I'm sorry that anything I ever did made you doubt that.

[burger_king]

[ He nods, gently pressing their foreheads together. ] I'm sorry too. Even if it hasn't happened for you yet.

[perfectible]

Just trust me, Jughead. Trust that I love you. [ Her eyes closes.] You are worth loving.

[burger_king]

I trust you. I do. [ And if he has a problem with that last part, that's on him. ]

[perfectible]

I'm not perfect. I have my own things I have to work on, that I am working on.

[burger_king]

You said you were going to therapy..? [ See, he pays attention. There was just so much to react to that first day. ]

[perfectible]

[ She smiles because he did pay attention, he always does. And she nods,] Yes, with Dr. Chilton.

[burger_king]

How, uhm. How do you feel about that? How's it going?

[perfectible]

Alright, I think. [ She glances downward.] My parents would probably hate it. But it's what I need.

[burger_king]

[ He reaches over to take her hand. ] I'm glad you're doing it. Getting help, I mean, if you feel you need it.

[perfectible]

[ She lets him take her hand and smiles a little sadly.] I didn't have any other choice. I couldn't sleep and I didn't want to go back to-- [ She opens her other hand to remind him (and herself) of how she used to cope.]

[burger_king]

[ Yeah, he remembers finding out about that. He brushes his thumb over her hand. ] You're so strong, Betty. Strongest person I know.

[ Stronger than all the white noise. ]

[perfectible]

[ She shakes her head.] I'm not as strong as people think I am.

[burger_king]

Why do you say that?

[perfectible]

I could barely handle everything that was going on. I was so scared of the people I loved getting hurt that I hurt them.

[burger_king]

Betty... that was an extreme situation. No one could've handled it better than you did. I sure wouldn't have. [ More thumb rubbing. ] That you can say this? Be honest about your feelings? That's what makes you strong.

[perfectible]

[ It's hard to hear it, it's hard to accept that sort of compliment when she isn't sure she believes it. But she nods, exhaling a soft breath. Her hand squeezes his.] You're strong too, Jug.

[burger_king]

[ He squeezes it back, makes a noise - not to dismiss what she's saying, he knows that he can handle a lot of crap, but there's so much more to it. ] Maybe.

I've been making a lot of bad decisions lately.