picture: high heels on cobblestones

The first time they went out together was seven months ago, back when the winds were chiller, and the christmas spirit lingered on until January, and the world seemed to be wrapped around a snow blanket. They had been going back and forth for over two weeks when their friends collectively threw a triple date idea to the mix. It turned out to be quite larger than a triple date when others found out they were hitting a bar downtown. Fake IDs were made, and James took the lead to talk the security through. That was the first time Betty saw James talk like that, though he was merely following a few seniors' footsteps.

The night crawled on with flowing drinks, flirtatious gazes and debates on the best superhero, and why Peter Pan did more harm than good to children who grew up with his stories. Betty, being the intellect that she is, participated in a rather hearted discussion with their friends, challenging James to disagree with her views, while he just smirked and drank. She knew she had him cornered and he bought her another drink as a prize. A little while later, they excused themselves together from their friends, who sent knowing smirks and shouts of approval at their wake.

"Whatever you do to her James, she'll tell me about it later on. With lucid details! Keep that in mind!" Blake - Betty's best friend since her pigtails days - had shouted behind them, which was followed by a roar of laughter. She turned around and gave her a death stare, but couldn't help a smile slip on her lips.

James had led her out the bar and they simply walked around the street, talking about themselves and enjoying the other's company. They had not gone much far when Betty's faithful ears picked up the tune of her favourite song echoing down the street. When James saw her lifted demeanour, he led down the pathway of the music, and they found themselves in a quite alleyway under an abandoned streetlight.

A few steps ahead, a small speaker was placed on a restaurant porch, humming Kiss Me by Ed Sheeran. James initiated the dance move and Betty picked up hesitantly but delightfully. He pulled her towards himself, and she tangled her hands on his shoulders, behind his neck, in his hair. James spun her around and they danced together under the soft glow of the streetlight, rather gracelessly and out of place, but with their hearts full. Betty admired the way his skin shone under the golden light, dancing with betraying shadows. In his black leather jacket and dark Levi Strauss, she realised she almost had him memorised. Her features lit up as she let the feeling sweep her off reality. And to anyone passing by, they looked like drunk teenagers in love.

And that's what they were.

The inevitable could not have been avoided any longer and Betty couldn't take the tension anymore herself. So when he spun her away from him again, she rolled right back into his arms and placed her lips on his. His hands snaked around her, shielding her from the world and claiming her as his own, as he pulled on her lips. He slipped his tongue over her upper lip, easily colliding with her tongue as they both tasted each other with urgency at first, to make up for lost time. And then slowly because they had all the time in the world. Betty pushed herself against him, not lifting her lips in the slightest, and James' feet moved backwards on their own accord until he was pressed against the streetlight.

They pulled apart together and drew in a single breath, only to meet themselves between kisses again. Betty clawed at the hair above his neck, angling it slightly to deepen the kiss. Just then, James picked her up a little roughly and spun them both around. The streetlight pressed into Betty's back while James' chest was pressed to her front. His hands roamed in her hair, pulling at her curls, when she felt one of them slide down to her waist. He slipped a hand under her sweatshirt, and his warm fingers did wonders on her bare skin.

That's when Betty gasped, recalling something. "My ..car ..digan."

James shushed her by sucking on her bottom lip. "What?"

"My car -"

"We came in my car, not yours." He mumbled against her.

"No, silly." She placed a hand on his jaw, controlling herself from laughing at his innocent, drunk, confused eyes. "My cardigan. The one I was wearing earlier. I left it at the bar."

"That's what you were thinking about while kissing me?" He faked a hurt expression.

"That. Along with other things." She trailed her fingers along his jaw, down to his chin and rested it on his shoulder. "I'll show you, if you walk with me back to the bar."

He pouted. Betty kissed it.

Reluctantly, James agreed to fetch her cardigan. They took twice as long to get to the bar, stumbling their way across the pathway, kissing and touching. James stayed outside while Betty found their friends still seated at their place and released a breath of relief when she spotted her cardigan. She couldn't bear to lose that. It was her favourite.

Apparently, it was obvious from her flushed face that she had made out with James. Friends, being the assholes that they are, cheered and hooted. Blake looked at her with a smirk on her face, and mouthed I can't wait to know the deets. She flipped them a finger, trying to stifle a smile. When she couldn't find James outside, the first pang of worry hit her but she heard a honk a few steps away. He was seated in his car and Betty slammed open the passenger door, giving him an earful about drinking and driving. After another heavy make out session in the car, he agreed to be driven by her.

"Did you get your sweater?" He mumbled with starstruck eyes that stared at her. Her heart couldn't help but constrict at the sight of him.

"It's a cardigan. And yes." She pecked his cheek, "Thank you."

"Can I have it?" When Betty raised her eyebrows, he pointed to the cardigan, "Looks cozy."

She shook her head, and tossed it to him, firing up the engine. She watched him close his eyes and inhale it. James mumbled something slowly before falling asleep, but she heard it in the silence of their heartbeats. It made her old scars hurt a little less each time he breathed.

"Smells like you."

And over time, her cardigan started to smell just like him.

~•~