A few months had passed and their relationship had become more intimate. They hung around each other's apartments often, personal items and clothes starting to collect at their places. They were together everyday and did everything with the other right by their side. They were rarely ever apart.

They were serious and Cheryl pointed out the fact any chance she got. And so did Sweet Pea, Fangs, and Toni. The only person who couldn't see just how serious they were seemed to be Betty. She dodged the conversation any way she could whenever it came up. Adverted glances and incoherent mumbles usually did her justice.

She had walked to his place with him with a plan to stay the night in mind, and he had smirked as he slipped a hand into her hair, kissing her deep and slow. She grinned into the kiss and dipped her tongue into his mouth. He groaned, gripping her backside.

She laughed when he pushed her into the wall beside his door, dropping her head back. She was tipsy, her cheeks were flushed and she could still taste wine on her tongue (though that could also be from Jughead). Their judgement was clouded slightly and they were probably being too loud though they were too lost in each other to care. Her laugh was making her grin hard and she was just grateful to be there with him.

He had used her giggle fit as a chance to unlock his door and he slipped the key back into his pocket, pushing the door open before he kissed her again. She moaned into his mouth and he picked her up.

He backed her into the apartment, holding her up with one arm as he closed the door. A second later he was dropping her on the kitchen counter, her gasp shocked and her giggle sultry.

She slipped her hands under his shirt and he helped her pull it over his head. His lips were on hers again in a bruising kiss and she worked at his belt while he tore her underwear off. She didn't have time to complain since he was pulling the breath right out of her.

She kicked her heels off and wrapped her legs back around his waist, pulling him back into her. He chuckled, picking her up again and carrying her across the apartment to the living room. She let out a bubbly laugh when he stumbled, laughing harder when they fell down onto the couch.

He watched her with a smile, his heart full and his chest warm. His stomach was doing flips and his pulse was racing. He felt complete.

His hand that was holding onto the arm rest above her head tightened as he whispered, "I love you."

She had continued to giggle for a moment before she panted, her brows furrowed in confusion though her eyes were still happy.

"What?" she asked in a breath, folding her arms on her chest.

"I love you," he stated more firmly.

The happiness on her face faded and she clenched her jaw, swallowing thickly. "I should go," she whispered, slipping out from under him.

He looked down at the empty spot in confusion, exhaling quickly when he turned. "Betty-"

"I, um, have a lot of stuff to get done," she lied, pulling on her pumps and scrunching up her face at the torn fabric her panties now were. She dropped them in the trash. "I-I-I... have to get this stuff done." She nodded, sighing. "I'll, uh, see-see you later," she muttered as she left, pulling on her jacket.

"Betty!" he called down the hall and she walked even quicker, taking the stairs to get away faster. "What the hell?" he huffed, closing his door.

She bit her lip as she walked, her stomach churning as she began to feel lightheaded. She stopped dead in her tracks, leaning over into a small patch of grass as she vomited. She coughed and heaved for a moment, digging in her purse before wiping her mouth with a tissue and throwing it in a nearby trash can.

Around the corner a bright light flashed. It was a 24 hour convenience store and she sighed gratefully, walking inside. She gave the worker a wonky grin, walking over to the drinks. She grabbed two bottles of water before making a coffee, stepping up to the register.

He scanned the three items, mutley saying, "That'll be 5.34."

She paid with a smile, waving away his hand when he held out her change, leaving the store.

As she walked, she tried to process what had happened. Jughead had said I love you. She panicked. She left. He's probably upset. Now she's screwed.

You don't have to say I love you back when someone else says it. It's the right thing to do, but that doesn't mean you have to say it. And she's allowed to be worried, she's entitled to feeling that way.

She wasn't sure if she was ready to be in that stage of their relationship where they say 'I love you'. It's a big step and the three little words held a hell of a lot of meaning when stranded together.

Her eyes were huge when she realized where she was, raising a brow. She must have checked out for a little while.

With a deep breath, she knocked on the door, drinking from one of the water bottles.

"Are you serious?" Cheryl huffed and Toni sighed, shoving the blankets off of them. "Why can't they handle their problems by themselves? Bullshit. I would like to have sex without being interrupted."

Toni rolled her eyes, finding Cheryl's dramatics... well, dramatic, but not showing much to prove that fact. Cheryl huffed as she pulled on a shirt, her underwear coming next.

"I should start putting a sock on the door—like college." She laughed, smacking her thighs. "We're in college," she whispered weakly.

Toni grasped her chin gently, kissing her quickly and Cheryl sighed. "Go answer the door," she said, walking off into the bathroom.

There was another knock on the door and Cheryl huffed, stepping over to it. She unlocked it, pulling it open and freezing. "Oh my god," she whispered, pulling Betty inside. "You're not our neighbor. Why are you here? What happened? You look like you should be on a date. Why aren't you with Jughead?"

"He said he loved me," she answered softly and Cheryl's eyes widened. "Yeah," she breathed, chuckling. "I agree."

Betty looked down at her hands, chewing her lip. "You didn't say it back?" Toni asked with furrowed brows. "I was sure you and Jug were in the same boat-"

"I don't think I'm there yet," Betty interrupted and Toni sighed. "I don't want to say it just to say it. I want to... I want to mean it, I'd hate myself if I didn't."

"Betty," Cheryl cut in, setting her mug of coffee aside. "You love him. Nobody who doesn't... you talk about him 24/7, your eyes sparkle and you're so fucking happy when he's around. I know you're scared because of things that have happened in the past, but Toni knows him—she grew up with him—and I think you should probably take it from her that he's worth the risk."

"Jug doesn't say I love you to just anyone," Toni began and Betty looked over at her. "And Jug is the same way. He's scared when it comes to relationships. Him and I aren't as close as we used to be, but he's still one of my best friends and I know him. He loves you, he meant that. You don't see it, but the way he looks at you..." She glanced over at Cheryl who smiled and Toni sighed. "If you can genuinely feel that you love him, you should say it."

"Think about it," Cheryl started with a nod. "Sleep on it. You'll know, trust me."

Betty breathed deeply, looking back down at her hands.

~

"Have you talked to her?" Jughead asked, picking his head up slightly where he was laying along the length of the couch. "She's your best friend, you had to have heard from her."

"I haven't," Cheryl lied, nodding. "She's probably busy."

He rolled his eyes, moving to a chair in the room. "You have to be lying," he stated after a minute and Cheryl narrowed her eyes.

"I am not!" she challenged, huffing. "Rude. How dare you?"

"How dare you?" he mocked and she narrowed her eyes again. "She's talked to you."

"She has not," she stated sternly. Fangs and Pea exchanged a glance. "Toni-"

"Not getting involved," she muttered, flipping a page in her magazine.

Jughead and Cheryl looked back at each other, his eyes questioning and her nose held high. "Cheryl," he tested and she sighed. "Tell me."

"No, there is nothing to tell," she huffed, crossing her arms. "I seriously have not heard from her. The last I saw of her she had just left your place and came to Toni and I's to tell us what happened. I haven't heard from her or seen her since."

He clenched his jaw, his nostrils flaring. He wiped a hand over his face, sighing. "I don't believe you," he stated and she rolled her eyes. "Cheryl, you two are like two peas in a pod. There's rarely one without the other. What has she said?"

"I don't know," she said, her voice firm and hard. "I haven't been talking to her. None of us have. We don't know. All I know is that you said I love you and she left."

"Oh, ouch," Fangs exclaimed, a cringe on his face. Jughead glared over his shoulder and he winced. "Sorry," he whispered and Jughead sighed.

"Do I always have to show up to her place every time she leaves mine?" he questioned as he stood, grabbing his coat. "Listen, I really do love her but Jesus Christ. Can't she give just a little?"

Cheryl shrugged, following him with her eyes as he crossed the room.

"Don't look at me like that," he huffed, adjusting his jacket. "You complain about Toni every 5 minutes—and Toni does the same with you. I'm allowed to complain about my girlfriend."

She rolled her eyes dramatically, looking away from him. He sighed, pulling the door open.

Betty slowly lowered her hand, looking up at him with wide and anxious eyes. She started to twist her hands together, whispering, "Hi."

She bit her bottom lip, looking down when he continued to stare at her, dumbfounded.

"Can we talk?" she asked softly, looking back up at him.

He blinked at her, looking over his shoulder for a moment. He stepped forward out of the room and closed the door behind himself.

She breathed deeply, fixing her shirt and jacket. "Um, I want to say that I'm sorry, first. I haven't... been doing anything or going anywhere besides work and, um... the grocery store if I have to."

He furrowed his brows, not seeing what that had to do with anything.

She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose for a minute, shaking her head. "I have been trying to understand what you said and-and how I feel and... I'm not good with commitment and I love you's. My-My mom has told me that she loves me forever and yet, it's never been true and I know that. And Archie said he loved me and... look where that got me. It's not that I don't trust you, I just have fears—deep set fears."

He nodded and she exhaled slowly. She looked him in the eye and he could feel the anxiety crashing off of her. She was still twisting her hands and taking in deep breaths.

She inhaled, whispering, "I love you too."

The confusion on his face melted away and he raised a brow. She watched him carefully, her lips twisted as she chewed her cheek.

"Jug," she breathed and he started to smile. "Are you going to say anything?"

"Betty, why didn't you just say all of that in the beginning?" he asked and she shrugged. "You're allowed to be afraid, I understand. But hiding for... two weeks? That was pushing it a little."

"I didn't know how to explain it," she admitted, sighing. "I knew what I wanted to say, but I didn't know how to say it and... and then a lot of time kind of passed and I didn't mean to ignore you for two weeks. And now that I say that, I can feel how annoying that must have been. Jug, I'm sorry. I was trying to understand everything and trying to understand how I felt."

"I wish you would have told me," he stated as he stepped closer to her, squeezing her shoulders.

"I know," she breathed, her look sorry. "I love you, though, Jug. I-I mean that. I love you."

He nodded, cupping her cheeks and kissing her quickly. She rested her forehead on his, giggling.

"What?" he chuckled and she shook her head.

"I don't know," she whispered and he laughed, kissing her forehead. "Do you still love me or am I embarrassing myself?"

"I love you," he muttered, tucking hair behind her ear. "You're not embarrassing yourself." She smiled and he kissed her again. "My place or yours?"

"Yours," she whispered and he nodded with a grin.

~

"No," Jughead laughed, steadying Betty's hands. "You're thinking too much into this. 1, 2, 3, 4. Hi hat. Go."

"Which one's the hi hat?" Betty asked and Jughead groaned, dropping his head on her shoulder. "You do one," she said, looking over her shoulder at him.

He sighed, taking the drum sticks from Betty's hands. He cleared his throat, waiting a moment before he began to play the drum beat from "Good Times Bad Times" by Led Zeppelin.

"You do this everyday," she huffed, pulling his hands away. "I can't do that. I can't even reach the foot thingy when I'm in your lap. This isn't fair and you set me up for failure."

He laughed, kissing her neck and shoulder. "Whatever you say," he whispered, and she rolled her eyes. He continued to place gentle kisses to her neck and shoulder until she looked back at him. Her eyes fell to his lips and he cupped her cheek before kissing her softly. When she attempted to deepen it, he pulled back some, keeping the kiss brief and gentle. It didn't hint at much and it made her squirm, his hands holding her hips down so she would still.

Betty whined, trying to press into the kiss and he tsked at her, pulling back. "Jughead," she complained and he narrowed his eyes. "Come on."

He shook his head, tucking hair behind her ear. "You're that worked up over a kiss?" he teased and she whined again, turning her head away from him. He smirked, kissing up her neck and nipping her ear.

He ran his hands up the insides of her thighs and she exhaled slowly, biting her lip. He slowly moved his hands up her shirt and ran her hands over her sides. She pushed back into him and he bit lightly at her shoulder as a silent 'no'.

His hands cupped her breasts and she gasped, holding onto his forearms. He pinched her nipple between his pointer finger and thumb and she bit her lip hard, closing her eyes. One of his hands moved back down her stomach to toy with the waistband of her underwear.

"Do you want more?" he asked softly in her ear and she nodded, leaning back into him.

He slowly moved his hand into her panties, slipping two fingers through her folds. She hummed, letting out a breath.

"Is this okay?" he questioned and she grinned, nodding. "Yeah?"

"Yes," she sighed, her nails digging into his arm when he started to rub her clit.

He kissed over her shoulder, slipping a finger into her. She moaned and her leg hooked around his to steady herself. He added another finger, curling them as he slowly dragged them out of her.

"Oh," she moaned, resting her head against his shoulder.

His thumb began rubbing her clit in tight circles, his pace leisure and slow. She squirmed against his hand, whining and he smirked.

"Jug," she whimpered, moaning when he curled his fingers again. "Please."

"Patience," he whispered, biting her ear. She whined, pushing against his hand. "Needy," he muttered, chuckling. "I should work you up and leave you be."

"No," she whimpered, moaning. "That's not fair."

"Oh, but it'd be so fun to watch," he breathed, and she groaned. "But the thing is," he continued, kissing her neck. "Watching you come undone is the best part."

She clamped her legs together as she moaned loudly and he smirked.

"I'm close," she panted and he worked her clit harder and faster. Her nails dug into his arm as she moaned, her leg starting to shake. "Fuck, Jug," she exclaimed, whimpering.

He continued to work her for a moment before slowing his strokes, Betty whining.

"Jug," she breathed, her hair stuck to her forehead and her chest heaving. "Please," she whimpered. "I'm so close. Just... please."

He rubbed her clit for a second and she groaned, whining.

"Jug!" she shouted and he kissed her shoulder. She pushed back against his hand for something, begging, "Please."

He brushed his thumb over her clit, not enough to really give her anything but enough to get her to squirm back against him.

"I hate you," she seethed and he smiled.

"I love you too," he whispered, curling his fingers.

She gasped, her back arching as he pinched her nipple and began to rub her clit again.

"Yes, yes," she panted, her moans becoming strangled. "Oh my god!" she exclaimed.

Her body stiffened and she clenched on his fingers, her toes curling and her eyes squeezing closed as she cried out. He worked her through it, carefully and gently, his hands easily stroking her as she came down. She panted as she wilted into him, her face burying into his neck.

He pulled his hand away from her, wiping his hand on his sweatpants and wiping hair off of her face with his clean hand. He kissed the crown of her head, holding her close until she sighed and kissed the bottom of his chin.

"Shower?" she whispered and he laughed, kissing her. "Yes?"

"Yeah," he chuckled, smirking as she stood.

~

Betty peered over the top of her book, watching as Jughead stared intently at the TV. A Yankees game was on and they were in the last quarter or inning or whatever they called it, and Jughead was on the edge of his seat trying to figure out who was going to win.

She nudged him with her foot and he swatted it away, furrowing his brows. "Five minutes," he muttered, resting his chin in his hands and his elbows on his knees.

"Jughead-" He muttered noises she couldn't understand, and she sighed. "Obviously the Yankees are going to win. They're up by ten, calm down."

"Psh-sh-sh," he mumbled and she rolled her eyes, sighing. His hands clenched as they threw the ball to home plate, jumping up when one of the players were called safe.

"Ah, what did I say?" she asked and he laughed. He stepped over to her, pecking her lips quickly. "I really didn't expect you to be a guy who got this into sports."

"Listen," he chuckled, walking into the kitchen. "I never played when I was younger and my dad constantly watched the games. I ended up learning the lingo and it's actually kind of interesting when you understand it."

"It's kind of interesting when you understand it," she mocked and he glared over his shoulder, picking up his phone. "Order chinese," she said quickly, sitting up in a criss-cross position.

Jughead winked, pacing the kitchen as he called. She watched him with a small grin and he shook his head, rubbing the back of his neck as he flushed a deep red.

"Stop," he stated when he ended the call, pointing at her with his phone. "Don't look at me like that."

"I can look at you however I want to look at you," she said sassily and he smirked, chuckling. He lit a cigarette and came back into the living room, passing Betty the remote.

"Ooh," she giggled, switching it to Netflix.

He watched the screen as she typed in How, looking over at her with knitted brows when she clicked on How The Grinch Stole Christmas.

"What?" she questioned, starting it. "I want to watch a Christmas movie."

"It's May," he whispered and she frowned.

She shrugged, closing her book as she muttered, "Christmas."