Part two requested by chayrs. Thank you so much for the request!
TW: mentions of abuse
Jughead's POV
After hearing everything that Chic has been doing to Betty, I was done standing on the sidelines. I didn't tell Betty because I knew she'd try to stop me, but I love her and I was going to protect her.
I braced myself as the door of the Coopers' home opened. It was Chic. "Betty's boyfriend, right?" He asked, his voice monotone. "Jughead, yeah," I introduced myself. "Betty's not here right now," Chic said.
"That's okay, I'm not here for Betty," I said, but he still didn't get it. "Alice? She's at the Register." "No, Chic, I'm not here for her either. I'm actually here to talk to you." "Well," he replied simply, gaining a creepy smile.
"I guess you'd best come in," Chic said, moving out of the way as I stepped in, seeing the familiar surroundings of Betty's house, minus a table lamp and the rug in between the kitchen and living room.
"So, what is it you came here to talk about?" Chic asked as we walked into the kitchen. It took all my might to not punch him in the face after all he's done. But then again, I was afraid his cheekbones would break my fist. "Have you been torturing Betty?" I asked, already knowing the answer.
"Torturing? She's my sister; I only want the best for her," Chic replied defensively. I wasn't falling for it. This was the same man who killed someone...in the very same room we were standing.
"Well then, she must be a great actor. Do you know how many times she's cried over how crazy you make her feel? How she doesn't feel safe with you in the same house as her?" I asked, trying not to yell, but it was pointless.
Chic just chuckled and squinted a bit before saying, "You know, it's funny, you come here asking if I'm the one torturing her and telling me how she doesn't feel safe around me, when in reality, I hear her crying to herself every night about how you abuse her and keep manipulating her."
No. There was no way that was true. I never purposely abused or mistreated her. At least not in my eyes. I knew Chic was lying, but why was it so easy to believe? "Think I'm lying? See for yourself," Chic said, sliding a little brown journal over the couter towards me.
I looked at the book before scoffing and saying, "Betty's diary is white." "Of course she wouldn't tell you about her real one. She's not stupid, even though you treat her like it," Chic fired back, which really made me want to fight him.
I opened the diary and skimmed over the pages filled with words written in cursive. "You're the reason she cuts herself, you know. She relapsed yesterday after getting a text from you sayong you were on your way," Chic said as I read.
I looked up and almost started yelling again. "How do you know about her cuts? Or her relapse?" "Betty begs me for excuses not to see you! She's scared of you, Jughead, because every time she's around you, she thinks she'll either end up beaten or dead!" Chic yelled as the front door opened and closed.
"Hey! Hey! What's going on in here?" Betty asked yellingly as she stepped into the kitchen. "Juggie?" She asked softly as she came over to me and held onto my arm.
"He just came in here yelling about how I'm 'torturing' you," Chic lied (big surprise), putting air quotes on the word 'torturing.' "He told me that you cry about me abusing you and that you're scared that I'll kill you," I replied, rubbing Betty's back slightly as tears filled her eyes.
"Why would you lie about that, Chic?" She asked her brother, voice cracking as she began looking up and facing him. "He showed me this, too," I said, handing her the leather booklet. Betty looked at it suspiciously before flipping it open and reading a page.
She looked up again and her expression was one of rage, sorrow, and confusion all in one. "You forged my handwriting to make a months worth of fake entries so that you could spin a web of lies and play the 'innocent mama's boy' act? Jesus, Chic, how petty are you?" Betty yelled, slamming the fake diary on the counter as tears came streaming down her cheeks.
"I was trying to protect you from your Southside gang-thug of a boyfriend!" Chic refuted yelling. I wasn't really offended by what he said about me; I was more offended that he yelled at Betty. Apparently, Betty was pretty offended too, because without another thought, she leaned forward and punched Chic in the face.
"You do not get to talk about Jughead like that!" I held Betty back because I know how she can get a little out of control when she's mad enough. "You know what? I can't stand you anymore, Chic! I'm moving out, okay? I don't know where, but I am leaving, and I am leaving now!" she yelled, drying her tears and heading for the door, me following behind her.
When we walked out of her house, I turned to Betty and saw her concrete expression. "I'm so sorry, Betty. I shouldn't have confronted Chic like that without telling you, I just--" I started rambling before being cut off by her cupping my face and leaving a lasting kiss.
"Was that to shut me up?" I joked when we disbanded. "That was a thank you for caring about me enough to face my psychotic brother," she corrected me as we began walking side-by-side down the sidewalk. "You know, if you don't want to live with Chic anymore, you can always come stay with me in the trailer, if you want," I offered.
I saw Betty smile and look over at me, reaching for my hand before responding, "I would love to."