Work Text:
Saturdays are always band practice day. Everyone knew that. That meant no cellphones except during breaks and all focus was on the music. Though these rules seemed a little strict to Ronnie, but Betty and Jughead understood why Archie forced these rules. With Jug being hard of hearing, and not always wearing his aids, if someone was on their phone during practice, Jug wouldn’t know what was going on.
On top of all of that, Archie was usually late. It would have to be pretty big for him to not be in his dad’s garage for practice. The gang had waited what was only 20 minutes when Archie came busting in. Jug was already at the drums which the girls were on an old couch.
“Hey! Where were you?” Jug signed and spoke in a whisper. “You’re late.”
“Sorry! Sorry!” Archie signed and said while the girls were getting up from the couch. “It’s because of something big,”
“Are you okay? Is it your mom? Dad? Vegas?” Betty said and signed, having Jughead to get her to correct the sign name for Vegas.
“Everyone is fine. I’m fine,” Archie said. “I was talking to a guy in Greendale. They were looking for a band fora grand opening at their new bar. He like our sound and we’re going to perform our first gig!”
The girls squealed slightly, both of them moving to hug Archie excitedly before Jughead did the same.
“Oh my God! Are we going to be on flyers or anything?” Betty asked, only half signing what she was saying.
“We should get some, but I can’t promise anything,” Archie replied, “But this means we have to do more practices throughout these weeks,”
Jughead, Betty, and Veronica looked at him with a concerned looked. They were able to do weekly and some extra practices, but they all had things after school to do like the girls with cheerleading and Jughead and Betty with the Gold and Blue. They loved Archie, but they couldn’t dedicate all day every to him and the band.
“How many more practices?” Jughead asked and signed.
“Well, we are all off on Saturday and Sunday…” Archie thought and signed, trying to figure out the best days and times.
“I always have to be home for dinner. It’s my mom’s thing now…” Betty said, making sure Jughead could read her lips.
“Well, how about today and tomorrow and then next Saturday and Sunday morning we practice as well? If there is any free time, reach out to me. Maybe we can squeeze in something,”
Everyone nodded in agreement before getting back into position with their instruments. Jughead pulled up his beanie to show that he had his implants in, getting a thumbs up from Archie, before he put up his finger to count down and signed to Jughead what song they were about to play.
Later in the evening, Betty and Veronica had left to go to dinner at Betty’s so it was just Archie and Jughead. They were finally taking a break after Jug had signed to him that his arms were hurting. The two of them were sitting on the couch that the girls sat at earlier, Jughead laying on Archie with his head on Archie’s shoulder.
“Archie?” Jughead signed, looking over at him. “How are you going to tell me what the songs are? It’s going to be so loud.”
“I think you’ll have to wear your hearing aids and I’ll let you know before we start,” Archie said, realizing he hadn’t really thought about it. Archie cautiously let his fingers slightly play with his hair, making Jughead look up at him.
“I don’t want to use my aids. It’s going to be way too loud…” Jughead signed with a small sigh. He tried to hide how much he enjoyed Archie’s fingers in his hair. He knew Archie did this with Betty and Veronica, but with him, it felt like they were the only two in the world.
“You can take them out after the show and then it’ll be silent like you like,”
“I don’t mind some noises…”Jughead said with a small blush growing on his face.
“What do you mean?” Archie asked before the garage door leading into where the band practices. Jughead and Archie sat up, Archie moving his hand from Jughead’s hair.
Archie’s father, Fred, opened up the door and leaned his head in. He spoke an signed slowly “Hey Jughead! Your dad called and said dinner is almost ready so you have to get home,”
“Thank you, Mr. Andrews. I’ll be out soon,” Jughead said and signed, grabbing his things after signing, before waving goodbye to Archie after grabbing his drumsticks and putting them in his back pocket of his jeans.