![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
Prison World #3: Panultima (tw violence, torture, coercion)
Characters: Ensemble Cast, maybe even you!
Summary: The third prison world in Xistentia is a terrifying subdimension where sentient people exploit each other in order to run technology that will fend off D.E.S.T.I.N.Y. The 'ruling' class, Primus, are bound to a system of coupling (see: fake dating!), legacy and nepotism, whereas the Servus are put through an elaborate media circus (see: Hunger Games). You're here to study this world. And perhaps even to free those captured.
Date(s): February 8-20
Warnings/Notes: Violence, torture, coercion
If you thought Earth was a tough neighborhood, welcome to Panultima. Here, life is sweet. At least, as long as you're one of the Primus class.
It's a sprawling city of wicked spires and elaborate canals, covered in a luminous, translucent shield. Rather than a circular planet resting in orbit, instead, it's a flat plane of matter suspended in space, the foundations of the buildings rooted in only a hundred feet of stone and unknown technology. But the vast majority of citizens care little for that. After all, the city has every amenity and experience one might desire.
Restaurants line the streets. Theater is at an apex in development, with a particular focus on integration of moral philosophical themes. Gondolas run the canals, whereas a railway races over the winding laser-track in the air. Fashion is diverse, colorful, characterized by wild shapes, patterns, and accessories. Food imported from worlds both thriving and dying across the multiverse. At the numerous colleges and institutes, premier technology and opera are under constant invention and reinvention.
Primus culture emphasizes couples. Trios. Larger groups of lovers than that, even. After all, with romantic love and loyalty to care for, and survival hanging on it... who has the time or energy to care about justice for all?
Not these guys!
But for the little guy, life is considerably shittier. Welcome to the arena, the fully manipulable bubble reality set up to torture the slave class. The emotions of pain, fear, anguish, and wild, adrenal victory.
But the arena's programming isn't the only threat.
Instead, you have a motley host of macabre killers, other Servus locked up in here just like you. Some have survived in here for years, earning favor from audiences thanks to the amount of pure horror they squeezed out of their victims. Some of the better-known brands are the Bantam Butcher, a fallen angel whose first kills were those who took his wings, and now thrives on torture. The trapmaster seems to have control over environmental factors that rivals the control room. And the baker trio will eat the flesh from your bones if they catch you.
For infiltrators, the challenge is worse. Not only might you need to kill, survive, and explore the arena with your implant— but if you want to save the very same people who are out to murder you, how are you going to do that?
Several days into the mission, and that's when it happens-- the control room shuts down, under attack. And suddenly, there's pandemonium. Within the arena, some of the servus know immediately what this means— and they're willing to make a break for it, cutting each other down, crippling each other if it means that the Primus might have slower-moving people to contend with and allow them to escape. Others seem to have long since given up, failing to respond as the trees suddenly go dark and motionless, the birdsong dying into silence. After all, where is there to go? It's either D.E.S.T.I.N.Y., or to join the system that hates them, isn't it?
Are you inside the arena, or out? Are you there to help the fleeing Servus, or are you merely ready to scramble on home yourself and save your own skin?
Summary: The third prison world in Xistentia is a terrifying subdimension where sentient people exploit each other in order to run technology that will fend off D.E.S.T.I.N.Y. The 'ruling' class, Primus, are bound to a system of coupling (see: fake dating!), legacy and nepotism, whereas the Servus are put through an elaborate media circus (see: Hunger Games). You're here to study this world. And perhaps even to free those captured.
Date(s): February 8-20
Warnings/Notes: Violence, torture, coercion
Panultima
You cursed your gods and died
The Primus Life
If you thought Earth was a tough neighborhood, welcome to Panultima. Here, life is sweet. At least, as long as you're one of the Primus class.
It's a sprawling city of wicked spires and elaborate canals, covered in a luminous, translucent shield. Rather than a circular planet resting in orbit, instead, it's a flat plane of matter suspended in space, the foundations of the buildings rooted in only a hundred feet of stone and unknown technology. But the vast majority of citizens care little for that. After all, the city has every amenity and experience one might desire.
Restaurants line the streets. Theater is at an apex in development, with a particular focus on integration of moral philosophical themes. Gondolas run the canals, whereas a railway races over the winding laser-track in the air. Fashion is diverse, colorful, characterized by wild shapes, patterns, and accessories. Food imported from worlds both thriving and dying across the multiverse. At the numerous colleges and institutes, premier technology and opera are under constant invention and reinvention.
COUPLE STUFF
Primus culture emphasizes couples. Trios. Larger groups of lovers than that, even. After all, with romantic love and loyalty to care for, and survival hanging on it... who has the time or energy to care about justice for all?
Not these guys!
THE SERVUS LIFE
But for the little guy, life is considerably shittier. Welcome to the arena, the fully manipulable bubble reality set up to torture the slave class. The emotions of pain, fear, anguish, and wild, adrenal victory.
But the arena's programming isn't the only threat.
Instead, you have a motley host of macabre killers, other Servus locked up in here just like you. Some have survived in here for years, earning favor from audiences thanks to the amount of pure horror they squeezed out of their victims. Some of the better-known brands are the Bantam Butcher, a fallen angel whose first kills were those who took his wings, and now thrives on torture. The trapmaster seems to have control over environmental factors that rivals the control room. And the baker trio will eat the flesh from your bones if they catch you.
For infiltrators, the challenge is worse. Not only might you need to kill, survive, and explore the arena with your implant— but if you want to save the very same people who are out to murder you, how are you going to do that?
Breakout!
Several days into the mission, and that's when it happens-- the control room shuts down, under attack. And suddenly, there's pandemonium. Within the arena, some of the servus know immediately what this means— and they're willing to make a break for it, cutting each other down, crippling each other if it means that the Primus might have slower-moving people to contend with and allow them to escape. Others seem to have long since given up, failing to respond as the trees suddenly go dark and motionless, the birdsong dying into silence. After all, where is there to go? It's either D.E.S.T.I.N.Y., or to join the system that hates them, isn't it?
Are you inside the arena, or out? Are you there to help the fleeing Servus, or are you merely ready to scramble on home yourself and save your own skin?
jughead jones (open and closed)
[ living in the world of the primus has not been something jughead is getting used to easily. for one thing, finding out he's married to his best friend is weird. finding out his beloved girlfriend is married to her best friend is just as odd. but like any time they've faced adversity or problems, they'll face it together. they've solved murders, overcome so much, they can face this strange world.
which means they have to meet. jughead is quick to shoot a message to betty ( whom he's sure will relay it to veronica ) and then tells archie. it's time to meet and while pop's is inaccessible, he finds the next best thing. a cafe situated on the edge of primus territory. as usual, he's the first to arrive, typing away at his laptop as he waits for the others to arrive. ]
no subject
yes, betty relays the message to veronica. which is why they're walking hand in hand towards the cafe's entrance, playing the part of a blissfully wed couple] This is one of the weirder things we've done.
no subject
the rest of the situation? less fun. when she heard about the lifestyle the people in this city lived, she thought she'd have it down pat. and she does, in some respects. she knows how to walk, how to talk. she knows when to feign interest or disinterest. but it's darker here than it ever was in NYC. there's crime in her home city, of course there is, but this place.. it thrives on violence. not amongst themselves of course, but the other side. those less fortunate. thinking about it makes her sick.
so she's not.
she's thinking about walking close to Betty while they make their way to the diner, holding her hand tight. ]
And I have a feeling it's only going to get weirder the longer we're here. [ she stops to pull open the door to the little cafe once they get there, holding it open for Betty so she can step through ] We just need a game plan, that's all. The four of us. We'll think of something.
no subject
heโd been out exploring when he received jugheadโs message, seeing everything he could possibly see, and no, his brain doesnโt make the jump from best friend to husband when he reads it. itโs odd enough that heโs pretending to be married to a guy, but jughead? like, at least if kevin were here and they were married, itโd make some sense because kevin likes dudes!
( and you know, kevin has never propositioned him for a weird threesome relationship, so thereโs, uh, that. )
all things being equal, he's not going to let an Awkward Moment keep him from what needs to be done. archie comes jogging up just as the girls reach the entrance to the cafe to catch the door before it closes behind them. ] Hey. What did I miss?
[ he's half-listening. they're welcome to answer him, or continue their own conversation, since he's already scoping the place out to locate jughead. ]
no subject
( earlier proposition aside, that had been him being pragmatic, but now that veronica's here, he doesn't have to worry about archie hooking up with a stranger. )
eventually, though, he does look up, even if the scowl on his lips has yet to fade. this whole place irritates him, from the excessive wealth and waste to the way people are thrown in the arena to fight for some sickos who want to get their kicks. it's why he's been working on a tell-all about the world, hoping he can get it out so people can fight it like he is. but more importantly... he needs help, and he's glad to see his three other friends willing to fight like he is. ]
Veronica was just extolling the virtues of our foursome. Come on over, guys. We've got a lot to discuss.
no subject
when she spots jughead, despite his scowl and wry words, she can't help but smile at him, glad to see him, wishing she were married to him instead despite v being a great 'wifey'.
she almost moves to sit next to jughead, hesitating before she does because of what may be expected. but hey, couples sit across from each other, right? ]
Okay.
no subject
then again, people seem to be grouped up in more than just couplings. maybe foursome was a perfectly good word to use just there to describe them, where all can hear it. god, this place is weird. ]
Already writing, I see. I'm sensing a research assignment in the near future. Or at the very least, some light sneaking around. [ she's being quiet, at least. maybe nerves get her a little chatty, maybe she's just feeling bold. she's good at hiding whatever the real reason is. ]
no subject
it's just that he doesn't know what to do with this new development, or not to do. particularly with veronica right in front of him. he slides his foot forward casually, not full-on footsie under the table, though he is trying to get her attention. of course he wants to be with her, next to her, but this isn't forever. his eyes drift to betty, too, to smile at her. nothing weird or heavy, just a typical checking in kind of look.
he's also pretty sure that with jughead already hard at work, there's going to be plenty to do to keep each of them from thinking about anything too much. ] Yeah, what's the deal, Jug?
[ when they're in the heat of it, archie's ready to jump in hands-on and take over, if necessary. his plans are solid when it comes to protecting people he cares about in the moment. when it comes to game plans that take actual fleshing out, he relies on betty and jughead. ]
no subject
finally turning to archie, he presses his lips together and raises a brow. where to begin? he's already made inroads to crashing the system, but he feels like it isn't enough. maybe with his friends here, he'll get further along, but it almost seems like an insurmountable task.
closing hs laptop, he leans forward. keeping his voice low is important because there's no knowing who might be listening. ]
As you may have noticed, I've already been at work. The problem is breaking into the system that keeps the servus in the arena. I've discretely asked around and there are plans in the works, but I still feel like we need to do something. Then there's the issue of keeping up the charade. I don't know about you guys, but being married so young is a bit weird.
no subject
she wants to do what she can to fix this so she plays the game, just like v has taught her to. even if it means resisting the urge to reach across the table and hold jughead's hand, instead she reaches for v's hand, keeping it on the table, giving her wordless support and taking some for her own.
jughead is talking about dangerous things and it's better to make the farce look even more real. ] Everything about this place is wrong, [ she ads gently, looking at her boyfriend. including being married young. somehow it doesn't surprise her that this place would support such a notion. ] What can we do? [ she glances at all three of her companions, not just jughead because it's not fair for him to take the burden of making all the plans. and any ideas at this point are going to be good ideas.]
no subject
she's not sure she's proud of her perspective on all of this, but it's better than feeling hopeless. ]
We'll keep up the charade because we have to. [ she doesn't think any of them are going to forget that, but yeah, she's stressing it. then she's sitting up a little taller, free hand moving to flick her hair back behind her shoulder ] There's nothing weird about knowing what you want, who you want, and keeping it close, right? Especially in a place like this. [ double meaning there, of course, because people probably are listening, yeah. ] As for the arena- Personally, I would love the opportunity to see where the magic happens. Or at the very least meet the people behind it. I've heard it's just a small group of people running the whole thing. Wouldn't you love the chance to pick their brains? [ love. sure. that. and it's a long shot, she knows, but Jughead wants to do something bigger than what he's already done, and so that's where her mind goes - something bigger. which means more dangerous too, but. well. that's kind of their thing, isn't it? ] I bet they know all about the inner-workings of the arena itself.
no subject
[ one eyebrow shoots up at veronicaโs suggestion and his leg jumps restlessly, too quick to be unsettled by the thought of any one of them in the arena, or being anywhere close to it. jugheadโs trying to tear it down from the outside but maybe veronicaโs onto something. what if what they really need is someone on the inside?
he recognizes that as reckless thinking and flicks his eyes over to betty, despite the fact that she hasnโt lived through their last risky adventure, he wonders if the wheels are also turning in her head in that regard. ] What do you think it would take to get a meeting with them? A job interview scheduled for someone with more ideas than they know what to do with? [ he looks at jughead pointedly. ] A puff piece? [ here's looking at you, betty. ] A costume consultant? [ duh, veronica. ]
Or fresh meat for the arena itself?
no subject
so far, archie is making some pretty good points. his ideas sound good, at least until he comes to the last bit and jughead is sure he won't be the only one to object. ]
Hell no, Arch. The other ideas are great but there's no way we're letting you get in that arena as a contender. The people here are crazy powerful. People with actual powers and such. Going into that arena would be suicide.
[ he glances at betty and veronica for support. ]
no subject
No way, Arch. You're not putting yourself in danger just because you're the most athletic of us all. Besides, you're a terrible liar. [ she gives him a tiny smile before she glances at veronica, feeling the truth in her bones.] I think this is something we have to cover. [ because she and veronica are the best liars amongst them. both jughead and archie are not liars, in different ways. archie is very earnest and jughead's emotions play out on his face too often.
veronica would probably agree that betty's ability to lie is good, to play a part is better than good.]
no subject
she sits up a little straighter then, clearing her throat. she needs to focus. ] I like the idea of writing an article. Betty and I can get in, no doubt. [ with charm and grace and a few well-placed lies, yes ] Who better to interview than the [ monsters ] brilliant men and women pulling all the strings? Maybe they'll even give us a tour.
no subject
Veronica, I trust you. And Betty, I've always had faith in you. But how do we know they're going to be honorable? They design murder scenarios. [ he can't just sit on his hands. he tries not to scowl. ] If they're on the inside, where does that leave us?
no subject
[ said with emphasis as he glances at his friends. they're so eager to jump in that he can't help but worry. in this world of people with crazy powers, stepping into the arena seems like suicide for any of them. while they've faced situations that made them feel powerless before, nothing has been quite like this. jughead scowls at his closed laptop for a few seconds, thinking to himself as his mind whirls with ideas. ]
If you're so anxious to get involved, I think Archie should try for a trainer position. Betty, you'd be good on whatever they have for a newspaper, doing interviews and such. Veronica, I can see you giving the makeovers. Maybe we can infiltrate that way and get close to the contenders. None of us are made for the arena, so I think helping the people going in might be our best bet.
no subject
What are you going to be doing while the rest of us do what you said? [ she's not questioning him because she thinks he isn't going to be pulling his weight or that he's taking a coward's route. on the contrary, she's afraid he's going to use their tasks as a distraction to do something reckless or even more dangerous. ]
And who are we going to be helping in?
no subject
The only way I want to help them is helping them get out. Making them look pretty for their death sentence isn't- No.
[ Veronica doesn't mean to sort of study Jughead, but she's sure that's kind of what she's doing as she watches him. Betty's got the same amount of time missing as he does, but Veronica doesn't feel the same sort of.. disconnect between her as she does with Jug. like she has to relearn him, maybe. a little bit. she wonders if he's acting more guarded because he doesn't know he can trust her yet. it shouldn't bug her, but it does. especially with something like this on the line.
but she's not worried. she knows she'll be able to prove herself again. she's just taking time to read between the lines a bit, in a way she can effortlessly with Archie and Betty. they'll get there. ]
I want to get to the people in charge. I think that's- literally the safest place to be. They're untouchable, right? So if we get in with them, we're untouchable. [ her Lodge is showing, she knows. the plans in her head are mainly just manipulation, deception. she plays the long con, the back end. she wants to jump in, but under the radar. there has to be a way to do that, she's sure of it ]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
closed to archie
what he never would've imagined is being married to his other best friend. another from his childhood who is just as close as betty is. but archie is different. before coming to xistentia, jughead had never thought of archie as anything more than his bro, his confidant, his right-hand-man. of course, once he arrived, jughead has had a lot of time to think things over, like the possibility of archie arriving. he's gone through a lot of scenarios in his head about how they would save their world given what's required of them and while sometimes he'd like nothing better than to see parts of riverdale burn to the ground, there are other parts he still feels an affinity to, parts he'd do anything to save. sure, the drive in is gone, but there's still pop's and the school. sanctuaries that jughead has always sought to protect. as a result, he's come to terms with the reality that he might need to do some things he normally wouldn't if it means saving his and his friends' homes.
of course, that had also been before betty arrived and before this crazy world had set him up with archie. now he's stuck, away from his girlfriend whom he loves, and attached to his best friend in the most awkward of manners.
he's trying to play it off as nothing, though. he's been sleeping on the couch of their shared apartment in this new panultima place, allowing archie to take the bed ( only fair, in his mind, since archie's been crashing on his couch ). at one time, they'd shared a room, but still had separate beds. jughead wants to make sure archie is comfortable in exchange for the time he'd lived with the andrews.
of course, it's more than that. there's the potential for a line to be crossed here and jughead isn't sure he wants that to happen. he knows what's expected of primus couples, but he's never been one to follow orders he thinks are unnecessary or wrong. which means aside from the occasional arm slung over shoulders or brush of hands at the diner, jughead has initiated nothing. the last thing he wants is to screw up his friendship with archie after what it took to rebuild it.
so they're friends who happen to have matching wedding bands. gold that glints in the darkness as they trudge through alleys and back ways, looking for places to put up more posters. he's not sure how many hours he's been at this with archie. his hands are cold and his nose feels frozen, but like hell is he about to stop when there are people going into the arena soon. he's on a mission, and thankful that archie is along with him. ]
Here, this looks like a good spot for another.
no subject
this is his first eye-opening event, stepping foot in a world that favors unions between two or more, and battles to the death for those that donโt have the money, or the companionship. it hasnโt yet dawned on him the lengths of which heโs going to have to go for the people he cares about. heโs not enlightened to what this world ( or any other ) will request of them, assuming that he and veronica will figure it out together.
he doesnโt see the potential, if only because he hasnโt had his back against the wall yet.
itโs probably why heโs the one that insists the bed is large enough to share, though he doesnโt push. itโs said once and not repeated again. he forgets about the ring on his finger in private because nobodyโs watching and he doesnโt have to think about it. and heโs not considering it now when theyโre roaming the streets, clinging to the shadows. the bag slung over his shoulder full of posters isnโt particularly heavy, it doesnโt weigh as much as the prospect of getting caught at least. ]
Yeah. [ as good as any. they have a few cans of adhesive spray, tape, and whatever other supplies they may need. thereโs a flashlight in his bag, but archieโs worried itโd hinder more than help them. he reaches over his shoulder, pulls a rolled up poster out like an arrow and holds it out to jughead. heโs spraying a messy zigzag roughly the size of the printed design, maybe a little extra just to be sure. ] There. It should stick.
[ he steps back, not necessarily concerned with being caught staring. they're backlit and that makes deciphering archie's expression difficult. they both have to be freezing their assess off at this point. his knuckles almost feel raw from the cold because they've been out so long. he's checking on him. needlessly, maybe. old habits. ]
no subject
as he slaps the handed poster up on the wall, he ensures it sticks well before stepping back and blowing on his hands. the fingertips are turning blue, but he'd rather ignore his own needs and focus on this than anything else. unfortunately, jughead has a tendency to do that, pushing himself to late hours of the night in order to write or, though he has yet to do it, allowing himself to get beat to an inch of his life in order to join the serpents. what it takes, he'll do it. and yeah, that makes him a bit reckless, a bit foolhardy at times, but he knows that's what he has archie and betty for: to hold him back when he needs to be. just like he can be the voice of reason for archie in desperate times.
in a way, he's missed this. going at it alone can be lonely, and though he's often had betty with him, especially as they investigated jason blossom's murder, more often than not he takes on tasks like this by himself. with archie by his side, he feels more comfortable. like he can ignore the cold for a little longer and not worry about finding a place to rest his head. he's grateful too, that archie hasn't pushed for anything, hasn't complained either. it's like they're just two friends, working together for a greater cause. two friends who just happen to be wearing identical rings.
turning to look at archie, he tries to decipher the expression on archie's face. it's too dark to discern and he frowns, about to say something when a shout echos down the alley. a question of what they two of them are doing on a night like this when most people are partying or basking in luxury.
blue eyes widen and jughead automatically reaches for archie, ready to shield him if necessary. ]
no subject
people are dying. itโs burdensome. it makes him want to put his fist through something when he thinks about sitting inside where itโs warm while names are going off in the sky of people that have fallen in battle. how are they going to help anyone if they get hypothermia? sure, it seems unlikely, getting sick to that degree. heโs probably being dramatic, but it doesnโt stop the protective urge thatโs threatening to take over. he can take the cold and the pain that comes with it. he remembers what it felt like to beat his hands on the ice to get to cheryl ( heโd do it again, break his arm again ) and how icy sweetwater river was. so cold it almost burned. jugheadโs as capable as he is although he isnโt willing to risk harm to him as much as he is towards himself.
we should call it a night, he starts. itโs right there, hanging on the tip of his tongue. but theyโre interrupted ( just as well ) and archie doesnโt have time to snuff the concern. as sure as his hair is red, heโs worried. only now that energy is being focused on the person at the end of the alley. they have two options. they can either run, or they can stick it out. sometimes, archie wakes up and he has to push fredโs bedroom door open and stand there in the threshold until his heart stops racing. itโs not okay, however, it has shown him that heโs never going to let that happen again, not to anyone else he loves.
jughead reaches for him and he mirrors the stretch of an arm, dropping the can of adhesive on a patch of grass once his handโs behind jughead. it looks like all he's doing is slinging an arm around him to tug him close. ]
Trying to find new and exciting, private places to keep our sex life interesting. Why? Did you want to watch? [ archie doesn't wait for the next question. sorry, jughead, he's going to manhandle you back against that poster. 1) to cover and 2) because there are eyes on them and he's trying to make this believable. his guard only drops once he's facing jughead because he's flying blind here. if jughead doesn't push him away, he's attempting to caress his sides. for appearances!!! sorry, dude. he lowers his voice to a whisper, not quite willing to go the extra mile if he doesn't have to. ] Are they still standing there?
no subject
but he isn't prepared to be pushed up against the still drying poster. hell, he isn't even prepared to feel hands on his sides, an intimate embrace from archie. shock settles under his skin, making him tense, but he's aware of the other person looking on and exactly why archie's doing what he's doing. it's clever and a good ruse, so he doesn't push his best friend away. not when they have a cover to keep. still, he can feel the cold of the wall through his coat and it makes him shiver ( it's totally the cold, and definitely not where archie's hands are, or so he tells himself ).
in order to keep up the ruse, he has to play along. so he wraps his arms around archie's neck as he tilts back his own. as if to offer it to archie.
what he's really doing is checking to see if the stranger is still there. he isn't sure how much more of this they can play up with the cold still seeping into his bones. the faster they can get away, the better, and that means getting the other person to leave. except now they're questioning why the two boys are out in an alley, in the cold, of all places to spice up their sexlife. jughead has to suppress a snarling remark. instead, he locks eyes with archie, giving him an apologetic look before responding. ]
Don't worry, he keeps me warm enough.
[ and if archie doesn't pull back, jughead will pull him in for a kiss. not a nice one by any means. it's practically biting because he's shivering still and afraid he'll bite archie's lip. plus, he's thinking of this as just a cover. there's nothing passionate about it because he's only ever shared that with betty. ]
no subject
he feels bad about holding onto jughead like this. heโs not a person that likes the touchy-feely stuff to begin with, unless itโs on his terms, and right now it obviously isnโt. this isnโt an embrace after a rough day. itโs a lot. he knows it is. if they had the time and the guarantee that their voices wouldn't carry, heโd apologize. the shiver makes him keep his hands moving, slow, but with enough motion to try and generate heat. having arms around his neck kind of dampens much movement though, so trying to keep him warm is out. he doesnโt know where to put his hands.
itโs- weird.
he shuts his eyes for a moment, suppressing a grimace. itโs not jugโs fault. there are a dozen ways to reply, and heโd be on it, if jughead hadnโt beaten him to the punch. thereโs no other way to navigate it, he supposes. the words go in one ear and take an immeasurable amount of time to process, like he canโt quite grab onto what jugheadโs looking at him like that for. he narrows his eyes, working it out, and sees it happening before heโs completely grasped it.
itโs fine, you know. heโs. kissed plenty of girl. itโs not any different than that. ...except that jugheadโs a guy and his best friend, and his pretendy time husband. okay, so itโs nothing like kissing a girl. thereโs some resistance out of reflex. just a strain in his neck when heโs being pulled in and it only takes a second or two for him to buckle in and accept that this is happening. yup. okay. alright, doing this. there's nothing soft about it, which is great because he doesn't want to be thinking about this fondly. he's already kissed enough people that aren't his girlfriend, thank you very much. jughead's kissing him like a cornered animal and that's probably a spot on description of what it feels like. good. that can.. appear passionate, even if it's not, since on the receiving end with lips as chapped as archie's are, it kind of hurts.
archie gives it his best try. he sets his palms on either side of jughead, flat on the wall, because he still doesnโt know what to do with them and at least heโs blocking some of the air this way. right, um. be normal. be cool. he presses in closer ( if that's even possible ) and tilts his head to the side in an attempt to obscure the view, as if he can make it look more heated than it really is. their kiss is a press of lips and teeth, and archie's not sure how much longer he can keep kissing jughead without saying ow, ow, ow. ]