Couple(s) - Veggie
Season - 3
Focus - Archie Andrews returns to Riverdale

Jealous Archie Andrews
Veronica had done everything for Archie. She had stayed in his corner even when that meant turning against her own father. She was his own personal cheerleader and the keeper of his heart and he hers (or so she thought).

But then he left.

She tried to act as if it didn't hurt her strong heart, but if you listened closely you could hear pieces chipping away as it continued to beat in her chest.

Now Archie Andrews had the perfect excuse for running away. He was being hunted by Veronica's father (the man in black). That is what Veronica told herself. He had no other choice.

A month later
Riverdale welcomes Archie Andrews with open arms. He walks across the town border with the wounds of his journey decorating his body.

Veronica was cleaning the Speak Easy when the dyed brunette made his entrance.

Her hips sway to the music playing in her ears. Her heels move back, left, middle, forward and her hips rotate.

Her arms are soon full as she hoists the cleaning bucket on her hip. "Ronnie," Archie Andrews steps away from the stairs. If she heard him then she discounts it as her own memories escaping her head.

He steps closer to her. "Ronnie," his hands reach for the bucket that escapes her grasp. His hands are around her waist grasping the bucket and her head is turned and her eyes on him.

He pushes the bucket back on the clean counters. "Archie," Veronica removes the earbuds letting the cord dangle around her neck. Archie Andrews returned home with that single word. He feels the urge to pull her into a kiss and never let her go, but he knows she is furious with him for the phone call.

"Archie your back," she tears up and she throws her arms around him pressing into him tightly. He groans softly in pain. His chest still sore. "Oh," she hops back. Her eyes look at him concerned. She doesn't look pissed she just looks at him with love.

He leans in to kiss her on the lips. His lips press against something but it's not her lips. He opens his eyes and what he sees shocks him. She has her hand up blocking his lips. "Oh," he backtracks, "I'm sorry," the love in her eyes that was a sign, "I know your mad," there wasn't any sign of it but that had to be it.

Her beautiful eyes close and then open again to meet his. Her hand falls to her side but then is quickly brought back up to stroke his facial hair. "Archie," she cries softly. "I love you and you will forever be my Archicans but I can't..." She stumbles on her words.

"I can't do this now. You just returned from—"She looks at the dark shadows under my eyes and then at my chest. She can't see under the shirt but my groan earlier was enough to tell her "—Hell." I shake my head. All I want is to hug her close. I have been away from home for so long.

"Just tell me Ronnie," I stroke her hair. "I know that what I said on the phone—" she interrupts and for the first time I see the fire on her eyes that I was expecting all along. "You broke up with me! I know, I know that you were and are scared, but so am I. So was I when you were working with my dad. So was I when you ran off to the Southside with a gun. So was I when you formed the Red Circle. So was I when my dad got you arrested. And so was I when I busted you out.

"But do you know the difference, Archie?? I was there! I was there supporting you. Through everything." Tears fall down her cheeks ruining her perfect makeup. "Ronnie—" Archie chokes up as he remembers the knife the bloody knife and Hiram Lodge's body.

He stumbles back. "I'm so sorry," he mumbles. "I know," Veronica looks at him with pity. He tries to hide his hands fearing she'll see the blood. Her father's blood.

"I've got to go," He darts to the door leaving her alone, again. Veronica stands there dumbfounded. She couldn't even fathom what was running through his head.

A little while later
"He was so shaken," Veronica's voice trails off as her fingers draw circles on her lover's chest. "Scared and all he wanted was to be close to me, but I pushed him away." She pushes her body up and stares into the eyes of her lover.

"V," Reggie strokes her hair lovingly, "you loved him and apart of you always will and you still care deeply about him that's okay. That's not cheating babe. That's being human." She sighs, "I just feel terrible. I feel like I owe him-" Reggie interrupts her, "you don't owe anything to anyone."

"I—," she stumbles on her words, "he needs someone right now and I feel selfish because I was always there for him and now—now I'm really happy and he's—" "not," Reggie concludes. Pulling her on top of him he sits up and cups her face.

Their clothes lay on the floor and her beautiful body is on display but all Reggie can think of is reassuring her of how important she is and how much her happiness is worth. "You listen to me V. You deserve all the happiness in the world. You deserve to be loved and to love. Archie will find his way. He has some of the best friends in the world. If you are happy don't feel guilty about that.

"I know that right now I am the happiest man in the world because I am with a woman who has a huge heart. V you love everyone and that's is why I love you. You love the Southside and Northside, the nerds and the jocks, the sane and the insane, your father and your mother, and your friends."

Her heart beats faster. They had never said I love you and he had just said it as if he had thought it a thousand times already. "You forgot someone," she leans into him. Her hair falls around them. A shield from the world around them.

He bites his lip waiting, "who?" He breathes. "You, I love you, Reggie," she seals the declaration with a kiss. "I love you too Veronica," their kiss deepens as he flips her over so her back is pressed into the bed.

The next day
It is 11:47. Reggie and Archie sit in the student area on the couch. Coach had let the boys have the day off (the only one all season). Neither talked during class, but Reggie knew that Archie had to have picked up on the whisperings.

"Reggie I want to talk to you about cheating," Archie begins. "Shit," Reggie groans. Archie is one of his closest friends but if he accuses V or him of cheating he might blow his lid. Archie broke it off with V. This isn't Friends and Archie ain't no Ross.

"She told you?" Reggie decided the best way to go about this is by agreeing that it was a little soon, but in the end, V and he are together.

But that was a mistake. "What?" Archie stares at him in shock. "She told me what?" He thinks back to his previous question and the pieces fit together. "You and Ronnie?" His tone is dangerously stiff.

"Look, man," Reggie throws up his hands, "you broke up with her. She was heartbroken. I was there as a friend, " he explains, "but then...I don't know it felt right. It feels right. She told me about last night man and I understand that you still have feelings—that this is all fresh—" Archie stands abruptly just as the lunch bell rings.

Betty and V walk in and head straight for Reggie but Betty soon notices Archie and walks over toward him. Veronica looks distressed unsure of what to do.

Taking a deep breath she passes Archie and gives his hand a quick squeeze before sitting next to Reggie. "Andrews," Reggie calls his friend who moves to leave but is blocked by the Serpents headed by Jughead. Betty kisses Jug before turning to Archie again.

"I think we should have a study date tonight," she declares. Archie nods his eyes stay on Bughead. Reggie squeezes V's hand telling her that something is up. "That's a great idea B," Veronica states, "why don't you and Archie study and Reggie and I will handle that other thing."

"Agreed," Jughead kisses the blonds cheek, "and I would love to join you both but I have a woman to visit." "A women?" Betty jokes, "Don't get too cozy."

"Let's go get lunch," Jughead eyes Archie and Reggie and he pulls Betty to the cafeteria. The air is stiff with tension. No sound is made except the muffled cries of laughter from the freshman.

"It's alright," Archie runs his hands through his still brown hair. "What is?" Veronica asks. "I know," Archie nods to the new Riverdale couple. "Of course it's alright." Reggie squeezes her hand in warning.

V cares about Archie and worries about him, but that doesn't erase the hatred she has held for being abandoned. "Archie you broke up with me. You left! You were gone." She stands and Reggie follows.

He doesn't dare step in between her and her target. "I can date whomever I please Archie. I don't need anyone's approval. I'm sorry so sorry about what you have been through and what you're going through now, but at some point, you have to own up to it Archie."

Comments
Reggie or Archie?
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