Chapter Text
Chapter 1
When Archie was a kid he dreamt that when he would grow up he would be like his dad, he would have his own truck and he would have a son of his own. As a teenager he dreamt he would become a rockstar, he would sing his songs and hundreds of fans would cheer for him.
Now, as an adult at age 26, he was fighting to make both dreams come true, but when he closed his eyes he only dreamt of the one, like it was more important than the other.
That night was not an exception, Archie heard the children’s laughter before he saw them, a ginger boy and a blonde girl running around a blanket by the side of Sweetwater River. On the blanket there stood the children’s mother, his wife. She was smiling and her blue eyes sparkled under the sun.
Betty was breathtaking, she always had been.
Unfortunately the trip to dreamland was always short and Archie felt someone shifting beside him pulling him from his dream. He groaned in protest and moved towards the familiar warmth next to him.
But Betty was persistent, she shook his hand and this time he heard her clearly “Arch, you gotta get up.” she said with sleep still evident in her own voice.
“It’s too early.” he groaned and moved himself so his face could hide on her neck.
She sighed and relaxed into the new warmth before remembering that it was important that he woke up.
“Baby you gotta catch your flight.” she tried once more while running her hands through his naked back. This seemed to have caught his attention.
“How much time do I have?”
He had raised his head slightly and asked with only one eye open.
“You have to be gone in less than an hour if you want to be on time.”
“Alright.” he sat up. That means we have time for a shower.” he smiled knowingly at her.
“Didn’t we share one yesterday?” she questioned but came closer to him even if there wasn’t a lot of space between them in the first place.
Archie brushed her hair away from her shoulder. “After today we won’t be able to shower for a week. Or kiss, or hug or even hold hands”
“But we love holding hands” Betty pouted, when Archie chuckled it was Betty’s turn to groan and lean on Archie’s hand that was still on her shoulder.
“I know why we’re doing this. But why are we doing this??”
“Because we don’t want to overshadow Cheryl’s big day and then get murdered by her.” Archie answered easily. “Right?” Betty kissed him briefly but deeply and then quickly got out of bed leaving Archie wanting more.
“So the shower…you’re coming?”
Almost an hour later, Archie was standing in front of Betty with his guitar on his back and a suitcase by his feet ready to say goodbye.
You see Archie and Betty were both invited to the biggest event Riverdale had seen in ages, the wedding of Cheryl Blossom and Toni Topaz. But the people of Riverdale had no clue that after years of angst Betty and Archie were now a couple, let alone that after two years of relationship they were living together. The only people that knew were Archie’s parents and Betty’s brother. They hadn’t planned on keeping it a secret and all of their friends in New York knew about them after a few months of them dating.
But neither of them had been visited Riverdale in a while. Archie hadn’t been there for at least three years, since his family decided that they would spend the holidays in Chicago from then on. Betty, on the other hand, had been at Riverdale that Christmas to spend with her family but before that she hadn’t returned to Riverdale since the moment she left for college, hurt and ashamed of herself for hurting her best friend and boyfriend. Even when she returned she didn’t see anyone except for her family and Pop. So there wasn’t ever really a chance to tell everyone and neither one of them were especially keen of social media. Betty rarely logged in and Archie only used his to promote his work.
Speaking of work, Archie’s uprising singing career was what kept Betty from driving him to the airport. Every now and then people recognized Archie on the street now and there were even some rumors on some gossip sites about Archie Andrews’s muse and although Betty and Archie didn’t regularly hide their relationship they both knew that this week was the worst one for everyone to find out. Cheryl has always loved being the center of attention and she wouldn’t have anything else at her wedding day. And Betty and Archie knew how difficult it had been for Cheryl to finally have a happy and balanced life, they would hate to destroy what is supposed to her happiest day.
Betty closed her arms tightly around her boyfriend and let her lips brush against the spot between his shoulder and neck. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” he told her and kissed her.
“Have a safe trip.” she told him. And soon after Archie was on his way to the airport, leaving Betty to prepare for her trip the next day.
Archie thought he would be nervous to return to his hometown after so many years. And a little part of him did, he was afraid that no one over there would remember him, he would be a stranger, he wouldn’t fit in anymore. He had shared those thoughts with Betty one night and she had confessed to him that she felt the complete opposite, she was afraid everyone would remember her and stare at her without approaching her. She had also managed to ease his fears with a simple statement “If they had forgotten you, you wouldn’t get the invitation. Besides how can you forget Riverdale hero, football star, rock star and boxer Archie Andrews?” she had joked about the last part but it had comforted Archie.
But the bigger part of him felt excitement. As he kept thinking about Riverdale he realized how much he missed it. His house with the sound proofed garage and his room. He remembered when Betty had first came in his room and looked around, she quickly had decided that his room needed a makeover a little more personality, from that point on Archie always had posters and photos of the two of them on his walls.
He couldn’t wait till he could get at Pop’s to taste another one of his milkshakes. He wondered if the taste would have changed. With thoughts like that Archie never realized how fast his trip had ended or how he found himself with his luggage in front of his father.
He was standing there with his hands on his pockets searching for his son, and Archie knew the moment his father had spotted him. Archie walked with purpose now towards his father. “Hello son.” Followed a little “Hi, dad.” And the Andrews men were reunited again with a hug.
Soon after they were both on the road in the familiar truck sharing news and catching up.
“You’re excited for everyone to know about you and Betty?” his dad asked after they had caught up to their everyday lives.
“Actually, about that dad, we’re not telling people.”
“What do you mean you won’t tell people? What are you gonna do? Walk around like you don’t know each other?”
“Basically… look, dad we just think that this is Cheryl and Toni’s week, we don’t wanna steal their light.”
“And you think lying to all the people that you love and that love you will be better?”
“If it makes Cheryl happy, yes. Besides we decided to lie as little as possible.”
“Lying is never a good choice Archie, haven’t you learnt that already?” Archie sighed, he’s dad had a point, but he and Betty had made their decision and he told him exactly that.
“So what are you gonna do exactly?”
“There isn’t an elaborate plan if that is what you’re thinking. We’ll stay close to the truth, I’m just not gonna mention Betty and she won’t mention me.”
“I’m not gonna lie for you.” Fred made it clear.
“I’m not asking you too, dad. I’m just asking not to blow our cover.”
“Not too blow your cover,” Fred repeated “It even sounds wrong.”
“Will you do it?”
Fred huffed. “Fine, I’ll do it. But when things go wrong you’ll both hear an enormous ‘I told you so’ from me.”
“Don’t worry, dad. It won’t come to that.” Archie smiled at his dad.
“I’m dying for a burger from Pop’s.” he changed the subject.
The Andrews men decided to visit Pop’s first and then their home.
Archie wasn’t expecting to be happy, to be this giddy to be back at the familiar town, ride the old roads, see Pop’s sign. He exited the car and headed in without looking where he was going. And that’s the reason he collided with another person.
He quickly apologized and took a look at the person. “Archie?”
He knew the voice before he saw the face. Jughead Jones.
His best friend, well his old best friend, who he hadn’t seen for four years.
Jughead had changed but he somehow looked the same. His hair were shorter and not accessorized by his usual beanie, he had a mustache now and some facial hair on his chin that quite looked like a goat tee but not exactly. His clothing style hadn’t changed. He still wore his serpent leather jacket and black clothes.
“Jug.” Archie let out and smiled a little. He still after these years didn’t know where he stood with his best friend. Archie had tried when he was still at naval academy to make Jughead forgive him but Juggy said he needed time. At some point Archie stopped trying and four years ago, he wasn’t sure what to say, when just like now, Jughead appeared in front of him.
“The prodigal son returns, huh?” Jug said with the teasing voice Archie still remembers. He smiled at his friend. “Well, I couldn’t miss the wedding of the year.”
“The decade.” Jug corrected him.
“I’d love to catch up, Archie. If you want?” Archie was so excited. He had missed his best friend all those years.
“Sure. Of course, me and my dad are gonna go in for burgers if you want to join us.”
“I wouldn’t want to interrupt.”
“You never have, Jug. Join us.”
“Alright.”
As soon as they walked in Pop spotted Archie. “Well, well if it isn’t the prodigal son.”
Archie shook his head and chuckled. “Is that what everyone in Riverdale is calling me?” he asked and Jug chuckled and picked a booth. “How’re you doing Pop?” Archie asked. “I’ve been good Archie, keeping busy. Strawberry milkshake?”
“You know it, Pop.”
Archie took a seat next to his dad and opposite of Jughead.
“So Jughead how’ve you been?” Archie asked.
“You know, same old, same old, serpents keeping me busy.”
“And inspired.” Archie added. “I read your latest novel. Your dad must be really proud.”
“You read my book?” Jug didn’t expect that.
“I’ve read all three of your books.” Archie told him.
Jughead had succeeded at publishing his first book about Jason’s murder, and then went on writing a novel about a guy’s unhealthy respond to losing all his hope in the face of a person. Both Archie and Betty had realized that the book was about her, but when they finally reached the ending and saw that the whole point of the book was that time heals everything and that he’s over that stage and seemed to be good enough to write this book.
The third book just came out that year and it was the story of his father’s life.
“Thanks. I hope you liked them.”
“Of course I loved them, you always had talent Jug.”
“I didn’t see your dad, since I read the book Jughead. Did he like it?” Fred asked.
“He has like twenty copies at the station and gives them away to people so I guess he likes it.”
“How about you hot shot? I’ve heard you on the radio a couple times.” Archie smiled shyly.
“Yeah, things have been good, the gigs have gone bigger.”
“You’re gonna be the next Ed Sheeran?”
“I have two hits, Jughead. It’s very likely I’ve peaked already.”
“Oh that’s nonsense. Jug, you should listen to his album, you can basically listen to his soul.” Archie smiled at his dad. It was so good to see him excited and proud of his son music.
Jug raised his eyebrows. “You have an album?”
“No.” “Yes.” Both Andrews men had different opinions. Jug seemed amused though.
“I’ve been preparing one but it can be undone at any moment.” Archie finally explained.
“He’s been working on it for a year now, Jug. It’s almost done right Arch?”
“Yeah if the next two months go well, I’ll get the final okay and the marketing will begin, and then I have an album.”
They kept talking about Archie’s work, his gigs, his songs, and they compared their careers as artists. “All I’m saying is if there’s not digital world your music will be lost, while the last survivors of mankind could find a copy of my book somewhere. I still could be remembered.” Jughead was saying passionately, Fred had sat back looking at the boys talking as if they had never lost touch, or they had never exchanged punches. “So I’ll put out a vinyl record then. No need for digital world.”
Before Jug could answer Archie’s phone lit up on top of the table. Archie’s eyes doubled the size when he saw a picture of Betty kissing him on the cheek as his lockscreen and grabbed the phone before Jughead had the opportunity to see it. “Give me a moment.” He told them and exited the diner.
He now looked at his phone calm enough to actually read. It was a text from Betty
“U there yet?” since he was out he decided to call her. She picked up at the first ring.
“Hey.”
“Hey, you there yet?”
“Yeah we arrived about an hour before, we’re at Pop’s eating burgers with my dad and Jughead.”
“Jughead?” Betty appeared startled and Archie couldn’t blame her.
“Yeah, I bumped into him, literally and he wanted to catch up. Thing’s going very well for now.”
“I’m glad it’s going good for someone.”
“What happened?” Archie asked.
“Bitchtoria,” If Betty called her boss that it meant she was beyond frustrated, “wouldn’t let me go earlier even though I’ve requested it one week before, and she decided to make my day hell since I’ll be on vacation for a week, and now I don’t think I have the time to prepare my suitcase.”
“Baby, everything’s gonna be okay, I promise. You’re home now so the hell part is over. Will you check the drawer on my nightstand, please?”
Archie looked at Jughead and his dad from the window as he waited for Betty to do as he asked.
“You see the list yet?” Archie asked smiling. “That’s the list I made you for your trip.” Betty declared.
“Yep, and guess what.” He started walking very slowly up and down. “It works for you too. Just take it one thing at a time Betts, you still have time. There’s no need for anxiety, you’ve got this. Right?”
“Right. I can do this.” Archie smiled.
“That’s my girl.”
“Thanks, Arch. What would I do without you?” he turned one last time and looked at his company inside.
“Hopefully you don’t need to find out.”
“Cheeky answer. I like it.”
“I gotta go, I love you.”
“I love you too.” He said and hang up smiling at his own reflexion on the window’s glass, before he made his way inside.
“Everything’s okay?” His dad asked and he tried not to smile, “Now it is.” He made sure to place his cell phone on his pocket this time.
“So what are we talking about?” he asked and Jughead filled him in.
When Fred and Archie had arrived at their house it was with full stomachs and a promise from Archie to hang more with Jughead before he left.
“See, everything went fine today.” Archie told his dad as they were getting rid of their coats.
“Let’s just hope that everything goes as smoothly for the rest of the week then.” Fred simply replied.
In another city many miles away, a woman was removing her pearl necklace and looking herself in the mirror, afraid of the week to come.