"So you're telling me all I need is chocolate, sugar, milk, a whisk, a pan, a stove, and a mug for hot chocolate?". I observed his every movement, intrigued as he compiled the ingredients into the pan, the measurements memorized. He nodded in confirmation, a smirk crawling across his face when I huddled closer to peek over his shoulder to watch. I curled the blanket snugger around my shoulders as a reminded to breathe and to keep myself comfortable. The water from my hair —still wet from the shower I took after our run, which was oddly very calming, as he promised it would be— dripped onto the velvety exterior, but the blanket was too thick for me to feel the effects.
He didn't need to be incredibly focused on the task at hand seeing as he'd made this countless times, not including the several times he's done so for me within the past month. He leaned against the countertop besides the stove, setting the whisk aside and crossing his arms over his stomach. I watched him do this out of my peripheral vision, my eyes glued to the bubbling cocoa in order to avoid confrontation with our first impression of the morning. He, in turn, studied me, unsurprised when I didn't move a muscle, and I found myself unsurprised to hear a huff next to me.
"Betts, is there any way I can help you? I'm trying. I'm trying really hard to help you, but I feel as if I'm missing something or not doing enough. You don't have to tell me anything, but if you have anything in mind that could help you, please-". I suddenly covered his mouth with my hand, the warmth from his lips imbedding into my skin and continued to tingle once I removed the contact. I stared at my hand for a moment before determining I needed to raise my gaze to meet his sooner or later.
"Jughead, don't. You've done a spectacular job thus far.", I said with a genuine attempt of a smile, lifting his back onto his face as well. "You've gotten me to trust you, and you've done so very quickly. I didn't know it would be possible for me to ever trust anyone, so that's already a show of immense progress to begin with. I'm... I've also found myself to be a-a lot happier since this all started. You're doing the very best you can with what I've given you to work with which, granted, hasn't been much at all. Give yourself some credit."
My smile faltered as I, once again, recalled my flashback from earlier. All I could hear was the echo of his demeaning, entitled voice as he hurt me.
"Shut the fuck up, princess. Stop making noise. You can't and you won't stop anything!", he spat at me, grunting in between words as he continued to pleasure himself at my expense and under the payment of my mother.
"I-I'm not ready to tell you everything yet, but I-I think I can tell you s-some things, if you're willing to listen...". His eyes widened with shock and concern, along with interest. The stove clicked off with a turn of the knob, and he moved the pan aside as not to ruin our beverage before he stepped forward and extended his arms. My lip quivered and my chest heaved with labored breaths, but I held onto my strength and threw my arms around him, searching for the lavender scent to calm me down.
Wow, I thought. He really has done a lot for me, hasn't he? Maybe... Maybe this is good. Is this was good is like? Is this was a good person is? He's a good person, I think.
I felt the tingling sensation once again when his lips brushed across my forehead, coming back down to linger for a moment, to allow my soul to absorb that sensation and his presence for a little longer.
"Let's get you and our cocoa situated on the couch. Then you can tell me about whatever you're ready to tell me. Does that sound like a plan to you, or did you have something else in mind?".
I took in one last breath against his chest, astonished when I found myself blushing and placing a kiss of my own onto it before I murmured "That sounds perfect." into it.
