audio > loved

[perfectible]

[ you can't see anything, it's simply audio and there's a rustling before you hear a soft, slightly distressed voice.] No, please don't post it, I'll be fi--- [ the daemon takes over and sounds downright cheery about it.]

Everyone, I am Loved and I'd like to introduce Betty Cooper! She's brand new here and a bit shy! Go check out her Synchr profile, attached below. She needs friends!

[ the attachment is then posted. ]

Comments

[perfectible]

[ while she'd asked the question, a part of her knew the answer before he gave it. it made her stomach twist with nerves. not because she didn't love him, didn't want to be with him (they'd might have gone all the way last night if they hadn't been interrupted) but because now there was a pressure to do it. any apprehension or butterflies could possibly mean the end of their own world.

it's difficult to meet his gaze fully at first (she wonders how far he would have gone if she hadn't come here) but then she does and she's steady. she presses her own lips together and nods in agreement. it shouldn't be the only reason they're together and it isn't.]

Nothing's changed. I feel the same way about you as I did last night, Jughead Jones. [ okay, sure, the jacket is an issue but it feels so small compared to this.] I want to be with you. [ the rest of what she has to say, she'd rather say in private.]

[novelizes]

[ the smile that blooms on his lips is anything but sardonic. rather, it's pleased, glad as he hears her admit what he's known in his heart all along. he cups her cheeks, palms warm against her skin, and pulls her in for a slow kiss. it's not meant to be anything more than a show that he feels the same for her too, but because of what it is, so much emotion can be felt in it. ]

I feel the same way too, Betty Cooper. Thank God you're here.

[perfectible]

[ her cheeks are cold compared to his hands and they feel good against her skin, his lips feel even better against her own. she wonders if she'll ever get tired of the way it feels to be kissed by him. she thinks not. by the end of that kiss, any apprehension she feels has melted away and she has an almost giddy smile on her lips.]

Why? [ she teases softly, letting her hands move to bury beneath his coat, at his sides, to warm themselves.] Did you find someone else to kiss while I was getting here?

[novelizes]

[ that very nearly prompts a scowl on his lips. to think he could ever betray betty. the thought has never once crossed his mind. but he knows that if she hadn't arrived, he'd have had to find some way of rebuilding their world, and that would mean being intimate with someone who isn't her. the thought rankles. ]

Who me? C'mon, Betty. You know I wouldn't get anywhere close to saving our world without you. Hell, my father would still be blamed for Jason's murder if it wasn't for you.

[perfectible]

[ she didn't think he had or else she wouldn't have teased him about it. granted, there was a little voice in her head that told her that he might have. after all, he was incredible. but when he doesn't seem to find the joke in it, her fingers curl at his sides.]

I didn't really think you had, Juggie. I trust you.

[novelizes]

[ noting the way her fingers begin curling, he reaches for them again in hopes of preventing her from possibly harming herself. he knows it's a weakness she has, the occasional doubt. but if she could only see what he sees, she'd never doubt again. she's amazing, fantastic, and it's no surprise he loves her. archie missed out on something wonderful, he thinks. but that's just all the better for him. ]

C'mon. We're almost to my place and you can crash. I'll tell you about the theater I've been working at.

[perfectible]

You've been working at a theater? [ she looks beyond pleased as she lets him start them on their way, one of her hands settling in his. ] A movie theater or theatre theater?

[novelizes]

A movie theater. I'll leave the stage for Archie and Veronica.

[ it doesn't take long for them to reach his flat. it's modest looking, not much in the way of decoration or anything, but it suits him. it's got a bed, a desk, and a small kitchenette for him to make himself stuff to eat. all in all, not much bigger than the trailer, but jughead doesn't need much.

as he opens the door, he waits to let her go in first, giving her the opportunity to check it out. ]

[perfectible]

I don't know, I thought maybe you'd been writing a play or something, [ she says with a soft smile. okay, so he hadn't really done something like that before but betty cooper knew that jughead could hang the moon if he wanted to. and once they get to his place, she's not surprised by the sparse decor and simple living. alice cooper would die.

betty, on the other hand, thought it was pretty perfect for him as she steps inside and looks around, letting of his hand. of course, when she glances towards the kitchen, her stomach growls, a little too loudly. and her cheeks flush.]

Sorry... I haven't really eaten since I got here.

[novelizes]

Well, since I've arrived, I haven't had a whole lot of time to write. I did a bit during that big blowup—the battle. But then my laptop died and, get this, Thor, Norse god? Offered to charge it. I figured it was safer to keep my laptop here so it wouldn't get fried by a far too generous immortal.

[ flashing her a smirk as her stomach growls and sets his bag down by the desk. on the back of the chair sits the serpents jacket, but he makes no effort to draw attention to it. instead, he almost pretends it isn't there as he heads to the kitchenette. ]

In that case, we have two options. There's a copy of Pop's Choc'lit Shoppe downtown we can head to, or you can suffer through my cooking. Unless you want to try a hand yourself.

[ he gestures at the series of small cupboards above the stove where things like macaroni and cheese are stored. ]

[perfectible]

There's a Pop's? [ she looks something close to surprised, relieved and fascinated by this news. her eyes drift to the jacket and she tries not to act like she noticed, instead focusing on his words.] How is that possible? [ she grasping how the world works and yet--]

Or option three, take out or-- [ RECORD SCRATCH.] Wait... Thor? As in the god of Thunder?

[novelizes]

Don't ask me, I'm still trying to figure this place out.

[ shrugged off as he pointedly ignores the direction her gaze goes to. he doesn't really want to talk about the jacket and partially hopes she doesn't ask. for one, he doesn't want to explain and for another, there's other stuff to discuss. like: ]

Yeah. God of Thunder. The god Loki is here too, apparently. There's also vampires and demigods. I'd think it's all straight out of someone's jinglejangle dream, but that would mean it's me who took it and you know how I feel about that stuff.

[perfectible]

I would say it's all impossible but... I'm here. [ and she'd already established she wasn't dreaming with the usual method of pinching herself. she moves to sit on the bed (because it's one of the only places she can).]

So what's the plan? Or should we start making one?

damn you tag fast lady

[novelizes]

[ leaning against the counter, jughead frowns, considering the possibilities. it does seem impossible and if he hadn't experienced so much already ( there's still a bandage on his arm from when he donated blood ), he'd question a lot. his sanity, for one. but with betty here, it's easier to accept this isn't some bizarre dream and that it's real. which leaves even more questions. ]

I'll order us a pizza and then we can get to work on one. [ he pulls out his daemon ( his cellphone ) and calls up the food menu of the pizza place he found earlier in the week. ]

Same thing as usual, Jug? [ it asks in what is clearly archie's voice. jughead gives betty a wry grin and shrugs by way of explanation. ]

Yeah, that'll be fine.

:D

[perfectible]

[ she looks almost startled when she hears archie's voice, waiting for him to finish before she speaks.] Is Archie here? Why didn't you tell me? [ does he work at a pizza place? ]

[novelizes]

No, uh, sorry. That was my daemon. Somehow they made it sound like Archie.

[ he holds it up with an embarrassed expression. ]

Maybe they thought if they took me from my girlfriend, I'd be okay with my best friend's voice following me around.

[perfectible]

[ she looks a little baffled still but... she understands. she moves to point at her necklace. she usually wears something dainty around her neck and now is no exception, although it's got a little crown charm.]

This is mine.

[novelizes]

[ seeing the crown, he draws close enough to reach out and brush his fingertips against it. clearly F.A.T.E.S. knew of their connection. he can't help but grin. ]

How fitting. Couldn't get me out of your head?

[perfectible]

[ she smiles at him, almost shy. her skin flushes where his fingers brush against her chest as he touches the necklace.] Why would I want to?

[novelizes]

[ tilting her chin up with a finger. ] I would hope you wouldn't.

[perfectible]

[ she looks up at him as he tilts her chin that way.] Can I stay here, tonight?

[novelizes]

[ bringing their foreheads together, he sucks in a breath. maybe tonight they'll finish what they'd started. ]

Of course.

[perfectible]

[ her mind goes the same direction, her cheeks flush and she leans up to kiss him.] I'm sorry you were here alone.

[novelizes]

It's fine because you're here now.

[ he's not normally so free with his feelings, but with betty it's easy. she accepts him so readily, regardless of who he is or where he came from and that just makes him love her all the more. so when she leans up to kiss him, he's quick to deepen the kiss, tongue flicking out to graze against her lips and he cups her cheeks. ]

[perfectible]

[ he deepens the kiss and she moves to pull him closer. she wants to ask him more, she wants to talk about the jacket but right now... she doesn't have anything else to worry about. except for the huge thing.]