Alone Together | Bughead Oneshots

Mom & Dad

Song Credit: "17" by Jade Bird (not THAT "Seventeen")

TW: parental arguing

It was almost midnight when the front door opened. Betty didn't get up from the couch and set down her glass of Chardonnay to greet her husband as she would have last week. 

"Oh, Betts," Jughead said as he stepped into the living room and saw Betty's hair coming off the back of the couch and the wine glass in her hand. She didn't turn around. 

  "You're still up," he mentioned, thinking by now she would have been tucked away in bed after a few episodes of whatever Netflix original she felt like watching. 

"And you're late," Betty spoke up solemnly, now setting her glass on the coffee table coaster and standing up. "Your shift ended three hours ago, where the hell were you?" she asked, raising her voice and crossing her arms over her chest.

Jughead saw the redness under her eyes and it was evident she had been crying, maybe half an hour earlier. "I know, I know it's late, but the new busser we got broke, like, five plates, so we had to keep cleaning them up, I didn't even leave Pop's until at least 10, and then the traffic was insane," Jughead explained. Betty didn't look convinced.

"Oh, did you think of that little excuse in that 'insane traffic' you went through?" she asked condescendingly. "Betty, I'm not lying to you, I promise," he refuted sincerely. 

"Okay, okay, let's go with the broken plates and slow traffic; why didn't you call me and let me know you wouldn't be home on time?" Betty asked, her voice still raised. "My phone was at five percent when I got in the car and I wanted to save my battery in case I got into an accident or something," Jughead answered, pulling his phone out of his pocket and trying to turn it on. "And now, it's dead," he mumbled, putting it away.

  "A single text to your wife does not take five percent of battery!" she yelled. "Shh, Betty, calm down, you're being too loud--" "And you're being too shady!" Betty shouted. "This is not the first time, Jughead! You've been late every single day this week! And you think I can't hear the front door opening or closing from our room? Do you think I'm asleep? I can hardly close my eyes long enough to blink when you're this late, you don't call, and I have no idea where you are or if you're okay!"

Stepping closer, Jughead reached his arm out for her, which she pulled away. "No, do not come over here and try to make me feel like I'm the crazy one and I'm overreacting because you and I both know that's bullshit!" "

"I don't know what you want me to say! I told you the truth, Betts--" "Don't 'Betts' me. Where were you?" "I just told you where I was! Why don't you just believe me? Do you not trust me?" Jughead asked, frustrated and confused. 

"Why would I trust a man who doesn't call when he's late and doesn't show up until 11:47 at night?" Betty asked, her anger wilding. "Because I'm your husband! I'm the father of your daughter! And I love you both so, so, so much. I would never lie to either of you!"

"'I would never lie to you.' Is that what you say to your mistress?" "Mistress? Betty, what are you even talking about?" "I'm talking about how you're fucking cheating on me!" the blonde yelled, now crying. 

"Where...why, why would you even think that?" "You come home late, you don't answer your phone, you're being all secretive--" "'Secretive'? How the hell am I being secretive? You know what? I'm gonna go plug my phone in, and then I will let you go through absolutely everything on it. All my messages, all my calls, social media, history, everything. I have absolutely nothing to hide. And especially not from you," Jughead replied. 

"I don't want you staying here tonight," Betty said, her voice now down to a regular volume. "Go to The Five Seasons, go stay at Arch's, sleep in your car, for all I care. I won't put myself or my daughter in the middle of this bad tension. It's late, we're tired, we'll talk tomorrow, but right now, I just can't."