"You should have called." Jughead's voice came out strained, through gritted teeth. His hands gripped the kitchen counter so hard his knuckles stood out white against his tan skin.

"You don't always need to know where I am, Jughead," you said, crossing your arms. After such an emotionally draining night, you really didn't need a lecture right now.

"Did you get amnesia when you went away for college? There was a killer in this town only a few years ago. You could have died, for all I knew!" Jughead threw up his hands in emphasis.

"A killer who was targeting his own son for family business reasons. You act as though Ted Bundy himself came to Riverdale."

"Where were you?" Jughead asked, changing the subject. You've never seen your best friend this hostile.

"Sweetwater River," you replied.

"Alone?" Jughead's voice went quiet. Afraid.

"With Archie."

Something in Jughead's expression shifted. "Since when did you go out on midnight lake trips with Archie?"

"It's a river," you reminded him. "And, since high school."

Jughead's expression went blank, controlled. While they were brotherly, you always knew about the jealousy and tension lying beneath the friendship between Archie Andrews and Jughead Jones.

"I see," Jughead said, with just a hint of passive-aggression.

"Why do you care, anyways?" You asked, eyebrow raised. "Why do you care who I'm with or where I am? I'm an adult, you know."

"You're my best friend, (Y/N)!"

This set you off the edge. Angry tears flowed from your eyes, and you raised your voice twenty decibels:

"It hasn't really felt like it."

Jughead was taken aback by your outburst. "W-why?"

You laughed sarcastically at his question. "Why? Why?"

Jughead gulped, nodding.

"Well for starters," you said, tears still flowing. "I guess I was fired from the coveted role of Jughead Jones's chief editor without even a pinkslip! Hmm, also, my best friend got engaged without even a phone call, and everyone in this damn town has found the love of their lives, leaving me behind." You pressed a hand to your mouth to hold in a sob. "Sorry if I wanted to confide in someone and not ruin the magic of your marriage."

Jughead took in all of this information silently, listening intently. He took a careful step forward, then another, then another, bumping his chest lightly against yours. His arms wrapped around you, like threading a needle. It was gentle at first, hesitant. You went rigid at his touch, but forced yourself to relax to calm your racing heart. Then, his arms tightened around you.

"My Little Lightning Bug," Jughead whispered into your hair. "I've been a really shitty friend, haven't I?"

You nodded, your cheek rubbing up against the rough cotton of his tee shirt.

He pulled away, all too soon. "Stay with me tonight."

Your face reddened. "W-what?"

"Like when we were kids," Jughead said with a smile.

You exhaled. "Oh." You gave him a small smile back, nodding.

The two of you prepared for bed, then you followed Jughead into his and Betty's bedroom. He got under the covers, you slipping in beside him.

You both laid on your backs, staring at the ceiling as if it were the stars. He reached a hand out to you, pinky outstretched. You reached back, linking your pinky with his.

"Like when we were kids," you echoed back.

"I'm sorry about earlier," Jughead said in the darkness.

"I've never seen you so mad. What happened?" You asked.

"You left, and I didn't know if you were coming back." Jughead's voice choked up, though he tried to suppress it. "Even if I haven't been acting like it, you're my best friend. I don't know what I would have done if something had happened to you."

You tightened your pinky around his. He squeezed back.

Then, you shifted towards him, closing the gap so that your head laid on his chest. While you would sometimes do so as kids, the fact that you were both very adult now made it seem... different.

You felt Jughead stiffen under you, and it made you nervous in response. "I'm sorry, is this not okay?" You moved to get off of him.

His arms tightened around you. "No, no, it's fine. Really." Jughead laughed nervously.

Eventually, the two of you calmed, drifting off to sleep together.

"(Y/N)?" Jughead asked through the haze.

"Yeah?" You mumbled back.

"I don't want to lose you, even after I get married."

You didn't reply, pretending to have fallen asleep.

Because you didn't want him to know, but the fact that he'll get married meant that he had already lost you.