So Yeah... Why Can't I?

In which 10 year old Jughead was confused why Betty wouldn't want him... not that he cared of course, he's just... curious.
"Juggie, you're my best friend"
"Archie is also your best friend but you want to marry him and have four kids with him"
"With two dogs"
"So yeah... why can't I?"

Notes:

English is not my first language.

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

Curiosity.

Jughead had been introduced to this word since he was 3 years old.

It was a cold night when he was awakened to the sound of his parents trying to bicker silently to which they failed, obviously.

Trying to be quiet as to not be caught eavesdropping, he tiptoed from the carpeted floor of his bedroom to the cold tiled floor of the kitchen where he saw his father flailing dramatically, spouting adult words to his weeping mother.

Jughead was grateful that he kept his burger socks on for he intended to keep on listening and not the coldness of the floor would stop that.

"... it was not my fault, it was his, he betrayed me. He made me look like a foo-"

"NO FP!" His mother's voice was beginning to increase, her veins almost popping out from crying but then it started to turn into a whisper again, probably afraid to wake Jughead up.

"You are a fool! Fred told me what happened"

"And you believed him?" His father snorted, his face painted with betrayal.

"Rather than you, Fred is certainly more trustworthy" FP sighed, shaking his head and raising both his hands as if accepting his defeat.

"Okay. But believe me, this is not ALL my fault"

"Whatever. It's all done now. Tell me, where will you find the money to pay for all this?" Gladys asked looking around the house, fortunately, Jughead was able to hide even before her eyes landed on him.

"I don't know. Just- just trust me, I'll do anything. Please trust me on this one"

"I always trust you FP but then you always break that"

"I'm sorry. I-i just need another chance" Gladys let out a shaking sigh, her tears welling up again threatening to spill from her tear-dried cheeks.

"This is not the life I want. This is not the life you promised me"

"I know but please-"

Whatever his father wanted to say was cut when Jughead couldn't help but to sneeze out from the coldness hanging around him.

Both of his parents looked at his spot, Jughead smiled guiltily at them, scratching his reddening nape, embarassed at being caught (a habit he got from his father).

"Sorry. I wasn't... but then I heard... and... sorry" Jughead stopped blabbering since there's no definite sentence he could think of.

Gladys shook her head and by the redness of her ears, she was embarassed as well at being caught fighting with her husband by her son.

She kneeled in front of her son, levelling their eyes and smiled shyly.

"What did you hear?" Jughead planned to lie but he remembered that his parents taught him that if he lied, his nose would then get longer.

"About dad..." Jughead looked at his dad who was admiring their floor at the moment "... and Fred? What's wrong Mom? Is it about Archie? Do I still get to play with him?"

The thought seemed to scare him, that cannot happen, Archie is his only friend, his best friend.

"Dear, stop thinking what you heard okay? There's no problem"

"But I-"

"Forsythe, stop worrying okay? Go to sleep. Curiosity will get you no where"

"Curiosity?"

"It's you wanting to know things further than you can handle. It'll just cause you pain Forsythe so stop being curious and go back to your bed"

"So does that mean Archie doesn't want to play with me anymore?"

"I-i don't know..." Gladys was beginning to say which put him in a lot more fear but FP stepped into the conversation.

"Of course not boy, you still get to play with him yeah? Actually, Archie was asking you earlier and he asked me to tell you that he wanted you at their house tomorrow y'know... to play"

If Jughead ever saw his mother looking at his father with rage in her eyes, he didn't mind it one bit for he was too happy. He got to keep his best friend.

But before going back to sleep, his mother's words kept on ringing in his ears.

"you wanting to know things further than you can handle. It'll just cause you pain Forsythe so stop being curious"

Stop being curious...

7 years after, he slightly regrets why didn't he listen on his mother's words.

Curiosity will give you pain. Yeah. Not that he's sure if it's pain he's feeling right now, but it sure as hell feels sucks.

And now, talking to Betty, a green-eyed blonde-haired beauty, one of his best friends he met through Archie, at her family's porch while waiting for the said ginger kid, he can't stop being curious.

Before he can stop his mouth asking the question he dreaded to hear the answer of since he's 7, his mouth blurted it.

"Betty, why do you like Archie?" He looks at her, waiting for her answer.

Betty is blushing down to her neck and is looking at her with wide eyes.

Probably embarassed to be asked the most obvious question.

"Juggie, what are you talking about? O-of course-"

"Save it Betts. It's obvious you know, with your longing glances. Archie is just oblivious and focus on other-" Jughead stops himself and looks at Betty who is now blushing at being reminded of her one-sided love.

"I-i'm sorry Betts... it's not what I meant-"

"No. I understood"

"No no it's not like I'm saying that what Archie is doing is good, you know, because you are Betty, you are better than all of them" Jughead smiles when he sees Betty wearing a big smile and blushing.

"Thanks Juggie, if only Archie would also think that way..." Jughead frowns but immediately shakes the odd feeling settling on his stomach, an odd feeling that's always present whenever Betty's talking about Archie. A feeling he started to feel when he was 7.

But he shakes it off and swerves the direction of their conversation back to the start. To his question. To his curiosity.

"So yeah... why do you like Archie? Even you know..."

"I-i don't really know. I can't explain it but whenever Archie talks to me or looks at me, I always feel nervous. When he smiles, I also want to smile and when he's sad, I also find myself frowning. I-i don't know but it's ridiculous, it's just a fantasy. Of course Archie wouldn't want me the same way and I'm pretty sure it'll go away soon"

Like what I feel for you...

When Jughead doesn't respond, Betty looks at him and finds him with a look on his face like he just realized what his name is.

Betty touches his arm and he jumps away, but not too far away because he doesn't want Betty's hand removed from his arm. He likes the warmth of her palm, though it intensifies the odd feeling, it made it better and almost put a smile on his face.

"Juggie, are you okay?"

"Yeah... yeah I'm okay"

"Okay" Betty removes her hand and places it back to its original position, on her lap.

Jughead immediately misses the warmth but he is too shy to ask Betty to put it back. It's like a creepy thing to ask for.

Betty thinks Jughead's question is over but then he speaks again.

"But Betty, what did you like about Archie?"

"Uhm he's nice"

I'm also nice. I always protect you from Cheryl and Reggie. I give you my food when you don't like yours. I always talk to you when Archie is too focus on the new girl. I am nice. Jughead wants to reason but decides against it.

"And?"

"He's... funny"

I'm also funny. You always laugh at my jokes and Archie... Archie's just laughing.

"And?"

"He's... cute I guess" Betty is once again blushing, probably her mother doesn't want her to think as boys like that.

And before he can stop his mouth, he blurts out, "Why? Am I not cute?"

Betty is shocked and she immediately looks at him. She grasps his face so fast (it almost knock his crown beanie sitting proudly on his head) with her warm hands and Jughead has to contol himself from leaning on them.

"Juggie, of course not. Don't you think like that. You are cute you know?"

"Really?" Jughead gives Betty a smile full of hope. So Betty finds him cute.

"Yeah. I heard Ethel and Val earlier, they were talking about you and said that you're cute"

Jughead frowns, his hope suddenly vanishing into thin air. So Betty doesn't find him cute. She's just telling him what she heard.

"So you don't find me cute?" Betty removes her hands from his face and laughs slightly at his frowning face.

"Juggie, what is this all about?"

Before he can respond, Betty gasps audibly.

"Oh.my.god. You like me!!" Betty shrieks while pointing at him with accusing finger.

"O-of course not, why will you think like that? I-i won't like you" Betty bows her head down and frowns at her hands.

Great. Now she thinks she's not worthy to be liked.

"I'm just teasing you Jug. I know you won't like me" Betty laughs but it's obvious that she's trying to not cry.

"It's not like that Betts. I mean you're gorgeous but I don't like you, not won't like you" Betty must have been satisfied with his answer because she immediately looks at him and smiles.

"So what this is all about then?"

"It's Cheryl"

"What about that red haired female dog?" He chuckles at her words.

"Well, earlier, she told me that no one will like me especially you so I just- you know I just wanna know why you like Archie and not me?"

"Juggie, this isn't about you not being cute or whatsnot because I find you cute"

"So why not me?"

"Because Juggie, you're my best friend" Jughead looks at Betty with confusion on his face.

"So?"

"Well, I'm pretty sure there's a rule somewhere that you can't be with your bestfriend because then, it'll get awkward and if we'd ever be together and then we broke up, we wouldn't speak again to each other and I would lose you and I don't like that. I always like talking to you"

"Archie is also your best friend but you want to marry him and live with him in a big white house with your four kids with him"