I'm Darkness || Archie Andrews and Jughead Jones [2]

Protect You

PROTECT YOU

Jughead Jones was already there, nervous about a lot of things – his Dad, Penny, and mostly because of Eleanor. It left him unsure to not know when they would be ok again, and if they would at all. It was scaring him.

"Want a drink?" Toni offered.

"No, I'm good. I'm just cheking the land." He replied, looking around.

Suddenly his eyes stopped on the entry, Alice Cooper walking in with her daughters. And everything stopped for one moment, Jughead unsure where to put his always, the two blondes calling his attention.

Betty was a breath of fresh air, always smiley, innocent and somehow untouched by that world of his; but Ellie was a different kind of beautiful. Beautiful like oxygen, needed, addictive. She was beautiful for the way she thought, she was beautiful deep down to her soul.

"Uau," Jughead breathed, turning to the woman then, "Ms. Cooper, you're incredible."

"Tell me about it. I couldn't convice Betty to dress properly." Alice replied, turning her back on them, and ordering a drink at the bar.

Jughead chuckled slightly and turned to his girlfriend, "Well..."

"I'll go." Ellie spoke up, calling their attention, "I'll see you later, Betty."

"Can we talk?" He tried, under Betty's confuse look, "Come on, Ellie."

"As soon as I'm two drinks down." She assured him, "I'll find you then."

Jughead would roll his eyes if he wasn't feeling so guilty.

"Girls, what do you want?" Alice turned to them with a smile, "Shirley Temple?"

"I will take tequila." Ellie raised her arm, rushing to her mother's side, "Please."

"You heard my girl!"

The shot burnt her throath but it distracted her from everything for a second.

Eleanor felt a hand on her shoulder then, and turned around, confused. At first, she thought it would be Sweet Pea greeting her, but to her surprise, or not, it was Archie Andrews.

"You came."

"Of course, why wouldn't I?" She frowned.

"Jughead told me you were mad at him, earlier." Archie told her, "Why is that?"

"It's just that I understand you now, everyone doing all the choosing for us isn't good. It sucks, actually." Ellie looked down at her hands, and back up to his eyes, "So, I'm sorry. For deciding for you."

"Nothing happened between Veronica and I. She spent the entire time bubling about how stupid how was for not fighting for you." He rolled his eyes, "I guess I am."

"I know." She almost let out a chuckle, titling her head to the side, slightly, "But really, I'm sorry. And I hate that word, so saying it... it's something."

"Don't be, El." Archie stepped closer, his voice was a low rumble almos touching her, the sound carrying through her body, clearer than any voice around her, "You've got nothing to be sorry for. You were right... Everything you said... Except one, well two."

"What?" Ellie smiled softly up at him.

"That you don't love me, and that I only loved you when you were pretty." He leaned closer to her, "Neither of those are true, and we both know it."

"Hey!" Alice pushed the redhead by his arm, away from her daughter, "Have some respect!"

"Mom," She gasped, "please."