Alone Together | Bughead Oneshots

The Name Game

"You're changing your name?" Betty asked, her eyebrows furrowed as she looked at Veronica. "Yeah. Well, kind of. I'm keeping my first name; it's the last I'm changing," Veronica explained. "Why? To what?" Betty asked.

"'Lodge' is a tainted name, B. I was thinking my mom's maiden name, 'Gomez.'" Betty nodded along before Veronica spoke up once more.

"I don't know why you're so surprised, B. I thought for sure you'd change your name eventually," Veronica remarked, moving her hair to the side. "Really?" the blonde asked with her furrowed eyebrows raised. "Why?"

"Well, 'Cooper' comes from your dad, who...well, is the Black Hood, and 'Smith' from your mom isn't much better either, considering how she treats you," Veronica explained, trying her best not to sound insensitive, but coming up short.

"Wow, I guess I just never thought of it like that," Betty replied, her mind going from thought to thought after Veronica's bold statement. "No offense, B," Veronica said with wide eyes, hoping she didn't overstep. "Yeah, no, I get it," Betty replied dismissively.

"Well, what do you think I should change it to?" the blonde asked. "If I was to change my last name." "I don't know, B. Maybe you could change your middle name to your last," Veronica suggested, although Betty simply dismissed the thought, thinking of different last names she'd heard from movies and TV.

"Haven't you ever brainstormed alter ego names when you were a kid?" "No, not really. I was too busy coming up with nicknames for Jug and Arch when we were younger," Betty answered, starting to get frustrated at her lack of ideas. 

"What about something basic? Like 'White'?" Veronica suggested, her eyes widening as she got the idea. "Why, so I can be Betty White?" Betty replied with a small smile and an exaggerated roll of her eyes.

"Oh, I didn't think about that," Veronica replied, inhaling sharply at the unintentional joke before laughing. "It's better than 'Boop'," the girl laughed as Betty's eyes paced back and forth, trying to think of a suitable last name.

"Oh!" Veronica exclaimed with a small jump, grabbing onto the blonde's forearm. "You and Cheryl are cousins; what about 'Blossom'?" "The Blossoms are psychotic, V; not much of a step up from 'Cooper.'" 

"Ugh, you are impossible!" Veronica groaned with an overdramatic drop on her back. "It's not my fault!" betty replied defensively as the two laughed. "Maybe you can get Jughead to help you," Veronica suggested.

"Yeah, you're probably right, V," Betty replied with a sigh. "And if worse comes to worst, that's what the internet is for." 

---

"Ugh," Betty groaned, her head resting on her hand as she scrolled through yet another online list of names. "Brought you some coffee," Jughead said, setting the mug on the desk beside Betty's computer. 

"Thanks, Jug," she replied, looking over her shoulder tiredly. "What're you doing?" he asked, pulling a chair up next to her. "Trying to find a new last name," Betty answered, motioning to her computer. 

"For what?" Jughead asked, his eyes scanning down the list "For me!" Betty replied with a slight whine. "Okay, okay, calm down. Why do you wanna change your last name?" he asked with a supportive hand on the blonde's back.

"Because 'Cooper' is a serial killer and 'Smith' is a lunatic," she answered, her hands rubbing her forehead as she sighed with closed eyes. "Okay, here, I'll tell you what," Jughead began, turning Betty's swivel chair to face him as he took both of her hands in his.

"You'll stay Betty Cooper for now, and then in two months after your eighteenth birthday, I'll make you Betty Jones,"  he offered. "Jug, you...you're serious?" she asked, tears coming to the edge of her eyes.

"Dead serious," Jughead answered with a smile making Betty giggle with tears, throwing herself into his embrace. She pulled away slightly with a smile as he remarked, "I wanna marry you, Betts," sincerely.

She giggled again to which her responded, "Well, you know, only because of the name," with a sly smile, making the blonde lean into his lips with a smile.