The Exception to the Rule

Part 2

Things couldn't be better. They were still inseparable, working on the Blue and Gold together. Jughead now came over for Cooper family dinners, attended most of the football games to watch Betty as a River Vixen, and took her out on dates like normal teenage couples do.

It was 3 weeks later and the night before Halloween.

Though Halloween was the one of the only holidays that Jughead enjoyed, all anyone could talk about was Cheryl's house party.

Betty had yet to ask him to take her, but normal teenage couples also go to parties together so he knew it was only a matter of time.

He'd have to suck it up, dress up, be there for her, and try to have a good time.

"So Jug, I was thinking" She said to him in their favourite table at Pop's. They were both sitting on the same side of the booth, Jughead with his arm slung over the backrest, Betty with her hand on his thigh resting her body onto his chest.

"mm-hmm"

"Well...I know how you feel about Cheryl, and ThornHill, and Reggie, and well...everything but..."

"You want to go the party tomorrow night?"

"I do" She smiled spinning around to face him. His heart melted, she looked so excited. He would do anything to keep her smiling, so without skipping a beat he said "Anything for you, Betts"

"Really!?" She clasped her hands together in excitement "I thought I was going to have to bribe you or plead my case more"

He smiled, curiously "What were you going to bribe me with? Burgers?"

She shrugged with a smile "No, But I have a few ideas"

His eyes widened "Care to share?",

"If I told you, what would I use when I REALLY need something from you?"

"All you have to do is ask, Juliet"

She looked into his eyes, kissing him gently on the lips "Thank you. I'll make it up to you"

"Oh, I know you will" He said with a devilish grin

She slid out of the booth "Walk me home?" She asked

He followed her out of Pop's after paying the bill, grabbing her hand as they started their walk home. Jughead liked living with Archie and it proved to be extremely convenient. He got to walk his "girl next door" to and from school every day and visit her whenever he wanted in between.

"What are you dressing up as?" Jughead asked after a long comfortable silence, one of the many things he loved about their relationship. They were never uncomfortable. He was never second guessing, silence didn't mean anything negative, and he still felt he could ask anything. They simply could just be with each other.

"I'm not sure I want to say, I kinda want to surprise you" Betty said with a shy smile

"Now who's the mysterious one, Cooper?" He joked bumping her shoulder with his.

Betty giggled lightly and felt her stomach twist up in excitement. She had something in mind for a little while now, mostly inspired by her boyfriend. Since teaming up with Jughead on the school paper and investigating Jason's murder she'd felt a lot like Sherlock and Dr.Watson. Deciding in her head that Jughead was Sherlock, she decided on her costume and the more she thought about it the better it fit. She wanted to blow him away, she wanted to do the unexpected while still staying true to who she was, and who he cared for.

Regardless she knew she wanted to leave good girl Elizabeth Cooper at home and walk in another's woman's shoes.

"Do you have any idea what you're going to dress up as?" She asked turning the attention to him.

"Oh god, No...No idea at all. I'll just have to see what Fred has in his closet, or maybe Mary saved some old Halloween shit in the basement that I can look through"

"You're such a good sport, Juggie" Betty cooed, squeezing his hand lightly.

He stopped dead in their tracks "Don't call me that, unless you mean it" he growled pulling her by the hand towards him.

"Ooh, a little sensitive?" She teased

"You know how I feel about you saying my name like that"

She wrapped her arms around his neck, standing up on her tip toes. "I know that it drives you wild" She whispered against his lips

"mm-hmm" He hummed as he kissed her. Slipping one hand around her waist and cupping her face in the other. She sighed at the gentle touch of his hand on her skin, sinking herself into his kiss. She parted her lips slightly, allowing his tongue to graze hers.

He moaned in appreciation, pulling her firmly against himself. Her hands had found their way to the back of his head, her fingers laced into his dark hair, tugging lightly.

"I have a small request" he whispered in between coming up for air

"Anything" She breathed, eagerly kissing him again. Pulling away, he rubbed his thumb across her cheek and tucked a loose strand of golden hair behind Betty's ear.

"Leave your hair down tomorrow, for me..." She grinned, nodding slightly.

Betty's phone buzzed in her pocket, she flipped it on to see her mom's text "You're late"

"Shit Jug, I've got to go. I'm past curfew. Meet me at Ronnie's tomorrow around 8? We'll all go to Cheryl's together?"

"Sounds like a plan" he said kissing her on the cheek. "See you then"

She turned and ran up to her house, quickly getting her keys out of her bag while taking the porch steps 2 at a time. She glanced back at Jughead still standing on the sidewalk in between the Andrew's and the Cooper's. Betty blew him a kiss and disappeared inside, turning the porch light off.

Jughead turned on a heel and started towards "his own" front door.

What in the hell was he going to do about a costume?  Hopefully Archie was home to help him hash it out. He wanted to look good for Betty, but he refused to be anything but himself as well. He knew Betty would want him to be comfortable so feeling no pressure, he started to think of his favourite fictional characters.