In which Jughead realizes how "perfect" the Reader really is.

"Y/N! Wait!" Jughead ran after (Y/N) as she retreated to the closet in the library where they stored the books damaged by a pipe bursting a few months ago. His hand caught the door as she was about to slam it in his face. Archie, Veronica, and Betty stood at a distance, not wanting to intrude but still wanting to express their support.

Glancing at the three somewhat-insensitive teens, (Y/N) hesitantly let Jughead into the closet and shut the door.

"My friends are assholes, and sometimes I am too," Jughead started. "I'm so sorry they said that stuff, (Y/N)."

(Y/N) couldn't decide whether to look into Jughead's foggy blue eyes to confront him, or look away because she knew it would break her. He would break her. She shook her head, eyes closed. "I knew it," (Y/N) said, voice cracking. "I knew our friendship wasn't real."

"What do you mean, (Y/N)?" Jughead ran a hand through his hair under his beanie, exasperated.

"You can stop pretending," (Y/N) said. Tears threatened to spill over. "You can go back to your perfect life now!"

"My life is far from perfect and you know that!" He said, his face heated. "I'm basically homeless, my dad is a drunk and a drug dealer, and I was almost arrested for murder!" He turned away from her, unable to look at someone who could make such a naïve assumption.

He wheeled back on her. "If anything, you're the perfect one." His eyes were narrowed, voice passive aggressive. He was the old Jughead. "At least you have a family! And a house! And you're pretty and nice and smart! You're normal. You're just like Betty!"

(Y/N) inhaled sharply and tears began to flow. Her fists were clenched and for the first time since he'd known her, (Y/N) raised her voice.

"I am nothing like Betty!"

Jughead's eyes widened. (Y/N) took a deep breath, wiping away her tears. "I have had literally zero friends since I moved here, Jughead. I spend every day in the library so I don't have to pretend that no one wants to talk to me." Her voice became clouded by her crying. "I read about people with friends because I have none. You may not have the best family situation or home life, and I'm sorry about that. But there are people in your life that love you, and there are people in your life that make you feel wanted. And in my eyes that makes your life perfect."

(Y/N) then fell silent, and she knew she had lost herself. She remembered Jughead was in the room, but she somehow couldn't see or hear him.

They were right, they were right, they were right.

(Y/N)'s heart pounded and she slid down the wall of the closet to sit on the floor.

You were dumb to think things were ever going to change.

She reverted to how she was when watching that movie, holding herself together by her core. She was sure if she didn't she would fall apart.

You really thought Jughead would care?

Tears streamed freely and her nails pierced into where she held herself. That pain was the only sensation that chained her to reality.

You will never be as good as Betty.

Her breath came out in gasps, like she was drowning in Sweetwater River.

You will always be alone.

Why she gasped, she didn't exactly know, as she didn't even want to live.

Jughead fell to his knees next to her, sitting and pulling her into his lap. "Shh, shh, it's okay." He buried his face where her neck met her shoulder, breathing slowly. "I'm sorry, please, just don't cry." His voice cracked a little.

Rigid at first, (Y/N) relaxed in his arms. He smelled like evergreen, and she unconsciously breathed to his rhythm. Her hands went from clutched around her back to clutching the fabric of his shirt.

It seemed like they had sat there for an eternity. Once calm, she realized how close they were. She stood, embarrassed.

"I'm so sorry I yelled at you," she said sheepishly, rubbing her neck. Her fingers ghosted over where his lips had touched the skin and she flinched. She held out a hand to help him up. Jughead reluctantly took it and stood.

When (Y/N) began to panic, Jughead was terrified at first. He was already shocked from her outburst and wasn't really good with feelings, to say the least.

But holding her, it made him feel a certain peace he hadn't felt in a long time. Not since his family was back together and would go to the drive-in with Jellybean. He didn't even feel that way when he kissed Betty for the first time. Where her body had touched his was now cold, his arms felt empty without something to fill them.

"(Y/N), I'm sorry you had to go through so much at Riverdale alone," Jughead said. "But you're wrong about one thing: There's at least one person here who cares about you and wants you here, the notorious Jughead Jones III himself." He grinned devilishly. "And there are three more people who want to care about you too, if you'll give them the chance."

"Are they going to join us in the library?"

"Oh, God no." He laughed, and it felt like it does when a storm finally passes the shore. "That's our place, remember?" His hand was still firmly ensconced in hers, and he gave it a small squeeze.

She smiled softly. "Yeah, our place."

Jughead emerged from the library closet with (Y/N) in tow. Archie had gotten out his guitar and began to silently pick out his newest song to practice, Betty was working on homework, and Veronica had been touching up her makeup. When the door opened, the three stood to greet them.

"Oh my God, (Y/N), we're so sorry!" Veronica said.

"We didn't mean that stuff!" Archie continued.

"We were being so rude," Betty said guiltily.

The librarian shushed the three of them.

Veronica took (Y/N)'s hand consolingly. "We really are sorry. I guess it's just that since Jason's murder and the big investigation, we didn't really know who to trust. Our little group were the only people we could count on."

Betty added: "But we trust Jughead. And if Jughead trusts you, that's enough for us."

(Y/N) silently smiled and nodded.

"Anyone hungry?" Archie asked.

And the five friends, one new, trekked to Pop's to usher in the beginning of a new era.