✿
"What's with the doom and gloom look?"
Veronica sits behind her desk. Her appearance has taken a...dark turn with the all black outfit, black veil, and black lipstick.
Mickey continues, "You look like you're going to a funeral. You've always been one for the dramatics, Ronnie."
"I'm dressed the way I feel," she tells her. "I have been given a sentence worse than death. I'm venomous, Mickey."
Her eyebrow arches, confused.
"Percival gave me a gift, and it was full of black widows. Ever since then, I've gained these powers."
"No way," she scoffs. "You got powers too? So what can you do?"
"It's like I said, I'm venomous. My tears, sweat, and breath can cause someone to die. Any physical contact would mean an untimely demise. Dr. Curdle Jr. ran a few toxicology reports. He put me on dialysis. He even said the toxins in my body would kill me."
Mickey's brows snap together. "Oh my God, Vee. That's serious. Why didn't you call me sooner?"
"I didn't think I could. It's not like we've been speaking lately and I really freakin' needed you. I'm going through all of this by myself!"
"Where's Reggie?"
Veronica huffs. "He's too busy trying to construct a hostile takeover of my business. I hate him. What makes me hate him even more is that he was my last meaningful contact." She's on the verge of tears.
Mickey's features soften. "I know we haven't been on the best terms, but I don't want you to die. I don't want you to die alone either."
"Well, luckily, I'm not dying. These toxins effect others. According to Cheryl, I need to learn to control my emotions to control my powers. I just thought maybe this can be a lesson of how precious life is and how we can't spend it being mad at each other."
✿
"Thank you for having me over for dinner."
Mickey wanted company tonight and she decided to order a whole bunch of takeout to set up for her and Jughead. The two of them opted to eat in the living room in front of the fireplace. Their food is spread out on the coffee table, which they're eating at—both of their legs criss-crossed like a pretzel as they sit on her carpeted floor. "I thought we could both have a relaxing night and enjoy each others' company."
"Why? What's been going on with you?" He realizes how time-consuming the Percival vs. Riverdale battle has been, but he never wants to forget to check up on the people that matter to him.
"I'm kind of struggling with how to approach a situation with Veronica," she admits. "Jug, my father's death wasn't orchestrated by some rival. Veronica put the hit on him." It's something she's been wanting to get off of her chest for a while now.
If there wasn't food in his mouth, his jaw would've dropped.
"I've always known she was business-focused like him, and she even has a few of his disagreeable traits, but my father's death..." she shudders, "...really signified something for me. She's in that dark world that I can't put myself back into."
"Is she asking you to do things?"
"No, but when you love someone in that life, there's always collateral." She puts her fork down. "We both live in Riverdale. She's my twin. She thought she was going to die and didn't even call me. I just...don't know what to do."
Jughead places a hand over hers that's resting on the table. "I guess the question is, do you think a relationship with Veronica does more harm than good? And that's nothing you have to answer now. Maybe take some time to figure it out."
Mickey nods. "How about you? What have you been up to these past few days while Tabitha's still in Albany?"
"I've been working with Betty," he informs her. "She wanted me to deep mind read with her to uncover some of her traumatic memories."
"That sounds...intense."
"I saw a lot. Milestones of our relationship, significant moments with her parents...." Just the thought of it forms a pit in his stomach. The darkness that has clouded Betty's life is unfair. "It was a lot."
"I bet it was with a serial killer for a father and a controlling mother like Alice."
He ponders momentarily if he should reveal all. Then he's speaking without filter, not feeling the need to be restricted around Mickey. Just like the last time they were together. "Then something weird happened. When Betty left, I was still having these flashes of our relationship. Every kiss, every touch..."
Mickey holds her hand up to stop him. "That's too much, Jug."
"The point is that I was reminded of how awful that triangle was. The guilt and the pretending. Each time I was with Betty was a time that I hurt you...and lied to you. Not to mention how stringing Betty along all that time, when I knew I wanted to be with you, was disgraceful. All because I couldn't, or didn't want to, sort out my feelings sooner." His stare is intense now. "I never want to hurt anyone like that again."
"Why would you?" She swears that she audibly gulps.
"Because I haven't fell out of love with you," he reveals.
Mickey inhales sharply. "How can you say you spent all this time regretting the triangle, and then say that?"
He blinks as if snapping out of something. "I...don't know. Before I got here, I was feeling guilty about it all, but whenever I'm around you, I don't care to hold anything back."
Her mouth feels dry as she searches for something to say in that moment. "You're with Tabitha. You love her."
"So do you." He leans back slightly, watching the range of emotions crossing her face. Before she can even open her lips to respond, he asks, "I'm not wrong, am I?"
Then both of their phone screens light up with a text from Tabitha.