Beloved in the river

Jealous

It started simple enough. Just a shock of blonde hair and the sleeve of a sweater through a beat up Chevy, Betty's backpack being handed to her through the passenger side door, her face leaning closer to press an innocent kiss to whoever was trapped within the cars cheek.
Jughead wasn't jealous, he wasn't angry, he was fine, really. So Betty had a new boyfriend. A boyfriend who dropped her off at school, a boyfriend who, according to the hushed whispers through Riverdales halls, was the very definition of a "blonde Adonis" a boyfriend who made her smile at her phone in chemistry class. It was really fine. That smile? That genuine happiness shining through her dimpled cheeks and perfectly straight teeth? That smile that had always been reserved for Jughead and Jughead only? That belonged to someone else now and that... that was fine. It was totally fine.
He wanted her to be happy, atleast that's what he had told her when she had come to his trailer four weeks ago, tears streaming down her cheeks as she told him about her panicked kiss with Archie. He had been angry, angry at both of them but he didn't have a right too, not when he had kissed Toni, not when he had always assumed this would happen. The all American boy and the girl next door, it was enough for a Nicholas sparks novel. But this? A whole new boy? Someone he didn't even know, he couldn't even assess? It made him angry and anxious and he absolutely hated it.
So no, no it wasn't fine. Not at all.
He had put up with it though, stared at her through the crowded cafeteria from his space with the Serpents, watched as she twirled around with Veronica in her tiny blue and gold cheerleading skirt. He had shaken off Toni's concerned hand when he was caught staring at her in economics class, her pencil between her teeth and a rare loose strand of hair falling into her eyes. He even ignored the burning ache in his chest when Betty laughed at some ridiculous joke Reggie had made in auto class. He had kept his mouth shut and his hands clenched in fists by his side for the past four weeks. But today?
Today he felt his resolve slipping away.
He was sandwiched between Toni and Fangs in the crowded leather booth at Pops, his burger slipping from his fingers when he saw the double doors swing open letting in two customers that made his stomach drop.
Sure enough it was Betty and her new... boyfriend. Jughead felt the sweat build at the nape of his neck. The boy... no, the man.. was definitely everything the girls in the halls had described. This man was tall and blonde, muscles cutting though his lean figure as he dropped a hand to the small of Betty's back gently shoving her towards a table as she giggled and waved her hands dramatically, clearly telling a very passionate story. There was something so gut wrenchingly familiar about this man but Jughead just couldn't place it.
"Woah, that dudes like.. what 20 something right? Shit.. go betty." Sweetpea mumbled over a mouthful of French fries as he stared openly at the tall man tugging on Betty's signature blonde ponytail.
Jughead swallowed thickly, his foot tapping the linoleum tiles.
"It's illegal." He mumbled to himself "that's illegal and it's disgusting. That's... she can't do that. He's taking advantage of her.. she's only sixteen!" The dark haired boy could feel his voice rising, Toni giggled, sliding her over Fangs lap and out of the booth
"Settle down. We don't even know how old he is. He could just look older, I mean do any of us really look sixteen? We all look like we should be in college instead of high school. Let me just go ask." Before Jughead even had a chance to reach out and stop her she was already halfway across the Diner.
"Toni!" He hissed. His face scarlet red as he clutched the edge of the table.
Toni turned around wiggling her eyebrows and slipping into the booth occupied by the two blondes. Jughead slid deeper into his own booth, throwing a handful of straws at a hysterical sweet pea.
Three minutes later Toni came sauntering back over to the boys, a bright and jaw breaking smile cracking her features. She didn't say anything, just dropped down and reached for her soda.
Jughead stared blankly at her for a moment before he burst out
"Well?!"
Toni glanced up, mischief in her eyes
"Oh yeah, he's 26."
Jugheads eyes grew comically wide.
Fangs mumbled
"Well shit."
Sweetpeas smile dropped from his face
"That's statutory, that'll get ya twelve years." He winced.
Jughead growled low and deep
"No. No that's ridiculous. She doesn't know what she's doing. That's ten years older than her! She's just confused. He must be brain washing her."
Toni shook her head, a knowing smile on her lips
"Jug. You might wanna go talk to her, you might wanna go talk to your girl and chic."
Jughead stood up
"Chic?! His name is chic? You're right, I should go talk to chic."
In a gust of confidence Jughead found his feet carrying him towards the table where the love of his life was laughing at this... "chic" before he knew what he was doing he was standing over the two beautiful blondes.
Betty's green eyes flicked up towards him, her smile faltering slightly.
"Jughead?"
Jugheads confidence wavered, his voice dropping
"Hey betts"
They stared at each other for a moment, her eyes soft and warm as she scanned him carefully, his own eyes performing the same actions.
The boy across from her smiled.
"This is Jughead?" He tapped Betty's knuckles
Betty snapped out of her daze.
"Oh! Yes, I'm sorry. Chic this is Jughead. Jughead this is chic my..."
Jughead shook his head
"Chic. 26 year old man. I know who you are. I know exactly who you are." He sneered, his eyes narrowing at the blonde man.
Chic raised a curious brow
"I don't think you actually do." It seemed like he was trying to stifle a smile, his arms crossed over his broad chest. It infuriated Jughead.
"No i do, I know men like you. Men who take advantage of young girls. But not this one. Betty's smarter than anyone I know and she's not going to let you take advantage of her, you might have her a little confused right now but I can promise you that you are not going to get what you want from her, I'll make sure that you don't get Betty into your bed." His hands slammed down on the table, fire in his eyes.
Betty gasped from his right
"What?! Me and Chic... you think... what?!"
Jughead turned to her then
"Betty please, he's 26! I know that you're independent and I know you can make your own decisions and I know I have no say in this but.. it's illegal.. it's not.. you know..."
Betty cut off Jugheads rant, her lips landing on his. Almost on instinct Jugheads hands came around Betty's waist, pulling her closer and squeezing her to his body. It felt like coming home, it felt like Christmas and fresh snow and warm cookies and everything that was right in this world. It was over too soon, her nose pressed against his and a smile on her lips.
Jughead sighed in relief, his arms coming around pulling Betty from the booth, turning to chic.
"We're going. I'm taking her and you stay away from her.
Chic chuckled deep and low. Betty giggled
"Jughead..." she smiled
Chic stood up slowly
"I can't do that."
Jughead gently pushed Betty behind his back.
"I promise you that you can. Atleast you better, you don't know me, don't know what I'm capable of. I'll do anything to protect Betty and if I have to protect her from you then so be it."
Chic shook his head
"No jughead. I can't stay away from Betty because she's my..."
Betty cut him off
"I'm his sister"
Jughead vaguely registered Toni laughing from a few booths away. The beanie wearing boy stuttered
"I...I... sister?"
Betty wrapped her arms around a shocked still Jughead
"Yes, he's my brother. It's a long story."
Jughead stared at the laughing blonde man in front of him
"I think nows the time I get to do my brotherly duties and have a talk with this fine young man.ya know from an old 26 year old." Chic winked and Betty giggled, pressing a slow kiss to Jugheads cheek.
"We Need To have our own conversation later. I promised sweetpea I'd look at his bike anyway. I'll be outside if you need me."
Betty walked over to the Serpent table leaving Jughead alone with the smiling, tall blonde man in front of him.
Oh shit