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*
A heaving sigh.
Jughead peeks to the side, watching a moody-eyed Archie lean with an elbow propped up, Archie's chin on an opened palm.
"I couldn't even get a date… what's wrong with me…"
"Nothing," Jughead says, going a bit defensive.
Maybe it's because Jughead also didn't come with a date. Trula Twyst offhandedly made a remark to Betty. About Trula herself and Jughead going to prom together. He firmly rejected Trula's advances, pissing her off. His entire locker still reeks like prankster-brand fart spray.
"Nothing's wrong with you, Arch. Don't say that."
Another sigh out of Archie.
They've decided to hang around on the gymnasium's rafters while all of the other students dance below.
Nobody notices.
Jughead is fairly certain he just saw Brigitte Reilly, the newest exchange student to Riverdale High School, kiss Frankie Valdez on the mouth. Frankie's some girl in marching band with an obsession for Ted Bundy, or so Jughead found out. Reggie Mantle shoving, and shoving while laughing, at Moose Manson. Midge Klump scratching the crack of her ass through her bright red tulle gown. She suspiciously smells her fingertips. Ugh, what…
Jughead gets bored quickly of school-spying, picking apart the end of a glimmery pink streamer tied nearby.
The back of Archie's hand thumps his chest.
"Hey, knock it off," Archie says. "If anyone from the Student Council finds out we're up here messing with decorations… we're toast."
"Archie, my friend," Jughead says pleasantly, unraveling the colorful, glimmering streamer anyway, "when have you ever known me to conform to the expectations of society?" At the pointed, confused silence, a grinning Jughead snaps his fingers. "Exactly."
Two of the decorations go fluttering, shining under the gymnasium's lights, draping on top of the punch bowl fountain.
"Dude, think about it for a minute… Betty and Kevin are on Student Council…"
Jughead softly scoffs.
"C'mon," he insists. "Live a little."
Jughead balls up one of the streamers and chuckles into Archie's face, making the other boy snicker.
"Reggie is right freakin' there… you're telling me you wouldn't wanna dump something on his head right now, Archie Andrews?"
"Maybe I should have asked Reggie to prom," Archie says jokingly, folding his arms comfortably around his knees. Jughead thinks that's hilarious. First off, neither Archie (wearing an oversized gray sweatshirt from Mr. Andrews' dresser and blue jeans, and yes, Jughead decided to go out in a dark hoodie) and Reggie (showing off his letterman jacket to the any pretty girl eyeballing him) are up to dress code. Secondly…
Jughead gestures at him dismissively.
"What?"
"He's not your type, Archie."
Archie hhms. "What's yours then?"
Jughead's expression goes faintly frustrated. His cheeks heat.
"I told you… I don't get like that…"
"Yeah, you did. But I don't really know what that means, Juggie," Archie admits.
He knows Archie isn't trying to question who Jughead is… it's just… "I wanna go places with my friends, and only my friends, alright? Not someone I'm not even in love with." Jughead mutters, kneeing Archie's hip, "Romantic feelings aren't my thing, got it?"
"Got it," Archie says with a low laugh, kneeing him back.
Jughead grumbles, rubbing his flushed cheeks.
Archie Andrews, what a guy…
*
They find where Reggie is flirting with Sayid Ali. He's near the south exit doors of the gymnasium and Jughead waits for Sayid to walk off before dumping a leftover bucket of pink-and-turquoise liquid glitter onto Reggie's head. Reggie howls, flailing around.
Jughead laughs his ass off, grabbing onto Archie's sweatshirt when a livid Reggie spots them.
"YOU'RE DEAD!! BOTH OF YOU ARE DEAD!!!"
They hightail it before Reggie's words become a proven fact.
*
Well…
Archie, being the good guy he is, calls up Josie McCoy about Reggie.
And about the liquid glitter mess.
And the streamers.
(He's lectured long enough for Jughead to steal a root beer out of the fridge and change into an extra pair of Archie's pajamas.)
"I guess it went pretty okay tonight," Archie says, breaking his concentration from scribbling on notebook paper. Both of Archie's hands return to his guitar strings. "Minus getting yelled at. Josie wants both of us on the cleanup crew after midnight."
"Sheesh," Jughead groans.
He chows on a grilled sausage stacker. Running out of the school meant running over to Pop's for Jughead.
"Gimme a bite. I'm depressed."
"Depression is a serious mental illness, jerk," Jughead says nonchalantly, taking another bite. "And not on your life or mine."
Archie barks out a laugh, staring back down at his guitar and strumming.
The food in Jughead's mouth suddenly sours.
"Is it okay, Archie… if I don't love anyone like you love Veronica?" Jughead tilts his head, nodding. "Or Betty?" he blurts out, and Jughead squints thoughtfully. "Weren't you gonna go on a date with Betty this week, and take Veronica to the mall next week?"
"Nah," Archie says. "They're ignoring me. Veronica asked Betty to visit New York City for the weekend instead of going to prom."
Jughead snorts.
"Good for them, I say."
"I mean… I guess I'm just bummed everyone else got to do what they wanted," Archie mumbles. "I mean… I didn't even get a slow dance."
There's a hint of misery on Archie's face, and Jughead rolls his eyes good-naturedly. He wants to remind Archie that Archie didn't even really show up to Riverdale High's prom… since they spent most of the night up in the rafters watching everyone else, but…
"You want a slow dance?" He re-wraps his burger, setting it aside, and Archie stops what he's doing. "Get up. Yeah, get up."
Jughead flips on the radio and motions impatiently.
Archie's lips twitch up.
They awkwardly maneuver closer when Archie puts down his guitar, smiling, and Jughead decides he's gonna move wherever Archie decides. "Hey… watch it, Jug," Archie teases, looping his muscular arms around Jughead's neck. "Keep your hands above the waist…"
"You're hilarious, Andrews."
During the middle school-esque swaying, Jughead feels Arthur's chin land heavily on his shoulder.
It's nice.
*