perfectible | duplicity ic inbox

[ It doesn't take a genius to connect the dots as to what "hang out" could mean in this context, especially when it comes to Nick (or teen boys in general); Reggie notices her hair, the slight mis-adjusted state of her clothes, but he doesn't comment on them, just follows her to the elevator. He doesn't know what Nick did or didn't tell her about their contract, but if she doesn't know yet, Reggie would rather walk her out and then double back rather than let this be the time and place that information slips.

(Granted, there's still one much worse way it could, but that doesn't make this any more ideal.) ]

I bet he did. [ He eases his hands into his jacket pockets, leaning against the wall besides the elevator. ] Look, there's no shame in getting lonely, Bets. I mean we've all been there, so... relax.

[ Granted, she has a boyfriend, and Reggie doesn't entirely know how people in relationships work things out in this place-- or don't, if only one of them is here, but whatever she's doing, he's not in much of a position to judge her for it. He doesn't have enough attachment or loyalty to Jughead in the first place to care either way.

And if he's just jumping to conclusions, he imagines she won't hesitate to correct him. ]

Also, you've got a little-- [ He reaches to carefully fix a sprig of her hair that's sticking up out of place. ] Sorry.

[ This is a nightmare and she doesn't understand why he's following her in her walk of shame, so to speak. She's already trying her best to let herself off the hook for this, that this is what she and Jughead had promised they'd do. And here comes Reggie being... Reggie.

She blinks at his comment and she looks cross as he gives out an excuse, saying that they've all been there like it's so easy to just cheat on someone. Maybe for him it was.] That isn't... [ She predictably huffs, a flush returning to her cheeks.

And when he tries to fix her hair, she bats his hand away.] That isn't what it was. I'm not lonely. [ Yes, she is.] I wasn't going to meet my quota and I made Jughead a promise that I would do that.

[ She gives him a look, half annoyed, half miserable.] And why are you following me?

I'm not. [ He is. ] I was already going this way.

[ He wasn't, but the truth just feels too complicated. Betty's already not reacting like Reggie thought she might-- he thought maybe she'd be relieved he wasn't judging her or asking more questions, but no, she's kind of angry. And embarrassed, but that was probably a given either way.

Maybe it was the wrong thing to say? He doesn't know. He's obviously no expert on dating, or else he'd have a lot better luck with it. ]

I just mean there's nothing wrong with moving on. Jeez, you don't need to take everything so-- [ He pauses, eyebrows furrowing a little. ] So you guys like, actually talked about all this before?

But your apartment is that way-- [ Yes, she knows. Nick told her. And there's not an ounce of judgment in her tone, only the frustration that comes with him making her feel the feelings she's trying not to feel about all of this.

At what he says, she shakes her head.] I'm not moving on. [ How could she? Jughead is the love of her life, that wasn't going to change just because he was gone for less than a month. The Black Hood couldn't even keep them apart for long.]

Yes. We both promised we'd meet our quota no matter what it took. Neither one of us wanted the other in S.L.U.T.

[ Oh. Reggie's lips purse slightly and he bites the inside of his cheek, trying not to react outwardly or let himself feel awkward about it. He scratches the back of his head idly, not sure how to cover for trying to hide it, so instead he just decides not to address the point for now. Whatever.

He raises an eyebrow instead. ]

Okay, fine-- whatever you wanna call it, then, but you know what I mean.

[ Reggie can understand and respect that kind of love and loyalty, honestly -- more than he probably seems like he could -- but for him it's also hard not to resent a little, too. It's a bittersweet feeling. ]

Like, if Jughead's okay with it then there's no problem, right? It is what it is, that's all I'm saying. And Nick's a catch anyway, so you could do a lot worse.

[ Betty, of course, has no idea that there's anything between Nick and Reggie. It wouldn't bother her if she did. Maybe just surprise her. For now, she just assumes they're friends and that's not an issue for her, obviously.

And Betty, perhaps unfairly, assumes that Reggie can't register that level of trust, doesn't understand that kind of love. Maybe he thinks it would be easy for her to cast Jughead aside because he's probably never felt that kind of love. Just given what she's seen from him in the past even with Josie.

She feels raw and vulnerable right now instead of feeling content with a good, no-strings hookup and a couple of orgasms (it's Nick, you know he delivered).

Why is the elevator always so slow? ] Because it hurts, Reggie. Because I miss him.

[ Reggie wouldn't expect or want Betty to assume otherwise, about him and Nick or just his own history; with Josie he'd wanted more, and with Veronica, he still wants more. He wouldn't even know how to talk to Betty about that, though, especially with Archie here knowing nothing about it-- she and Veronica are best friends, he can't imagine what Betty would think or say about it. He doesn't care what she thinks about him or if she thinks he's a heartless player, but in this case he would.

He inhales slowly. ]

Right. Well... [ He looks down, hands still in his pockets. "I get that" hovers on his tongue, but he swallows that down. ] I'm not saying it doesn't suck, okay? I get that. But...

[ Obviously his way of coping with their situation is different, but that's probably no surprise; Reggie compartmentalizes these kinds of things pretty differently than Betty does. They'll always deal with their feelings differently. ]

I dunno. If I had a girlfriend here I'd be worried about her all the time. Like, how is that not even harder?

Because she'd be here and not... [ She looks at Reggie, the depth of his words and the feelings behind them sinking in and giving her pause for a moment before she continues.] I don't have proof that Jughead isn't just locked up somewhere and actually back home. [ Letting out a breath, she can hear the elevator and it whizzes past their floor, clearly it's going one way when she needs to be going the opposite.]

I don't trust anything these people say.

Yeah, but you'd still rather he be home, right? Or would you rather be here together?

[ It's a genuine question; Reggie's not sure what the right answer is, and he's probably in much less of a position to know than Betty would be. Whatever his "relationship" had been with Veronica before, it clearly hadn't been so unshakeable to survive even something as small as Archie coming back home-- and if she ever showed up here he doesn't imagine it would be any different, not that they don't all have bigger things to worry about.

Having bigger things to worry about almost makes it a little easier, though. ]

Anyway, I asked around a little, and everyone I've talked to seems to think people go back home when they go missing. Like sometimes they even get official letters about their contracts being broken. So... [ Not that it's evidence of anything, but. ] You wanna get a coffee or something?

Of course, [ that's an easy answer. As much as she misses him, as much as she wishes she didn't have to hook up with other people (no matter how good the sex is)... ] Jughead is safer back home right now. Given how much trouble he'd gotten in here and the way things are going... I'm not sure he wouldn't have been made an example of sooner rather than later.

[ Reggie tries to reassure her but it's all things she's found out on her own. She just doesn't know how to trust it without knowing for sure herself.] I hope that's true, that it's what happened with him. [ She can't hide her surprise when he asks if she wants to get coffee and she almost accepts out of shock.] I would but... I kind of want to go home and change before I have to go to work. Also, weren't you just headed home?

That sounds like Jughead all right. [ He doesn't mean it in a bad way, though nonetheless a bit bluntly. ] I dunno what's true or not either, but I think you'd be better off not to assume he's still here unless you get more reason to. Cuz if he is then I kinda doubt they could keep it a secret that long.

[ An assumption on his part, but it feels like the kind of thing that couldn't stay hidden, given how many people right now are already on the hunt to expose anything they can about this place. Or maybe someone would escape, even. That sounds like a Jughead move too; he'd probably lead some kind of crazy revolt in there. ]

Um... no. I was going to get some coffee. [ Good. Believable. He clears his throat. ] So I just figured we could go together. Where do you work?

[ Whether he said it bluntly or not, it's true. Jughead doesn't do well with being told what to do and balks at authority. Jughead was heading down a dangerous road before he disappeared. So she doesn't take offense to his words.
]

If the tables were turned, he'd do anything and everything to find me so... that's what I'm doing. [ And she'd do that either way.

Also Reggie, you're a garbage liar.] The library.

At least it's not all you're doing.

[ Heh. Heh... Reggie doesn't even care if that's an awkward joke to make (for a few reasons, even), the set-up was just too good to resist. And yes, he is a garbage liar, but since he thinks he's getting away with it he's not about to stop now. It's not that he particularly wants coffee, he just doesn't want to go back to the apartment until she's gone. ]

The library can't wait like, another half an hour? [ He gestures sweepingly with an arm. ] But I mean, if you gotta go, then...

Edited 2019-04-10 03:33 (UTC)

[ She gives him such a look for that first comment because... well obviously, it deserves a look. ] Why are you being so weird? [ She isn't saying no to the coffee, she just wants to know what his motivations are. ]

You know I don't care if you're contracted with Nick, right?

Um... [ Damn. Called out. Reggie shrugs, trying to brush it off. ] Yeah, of course. Obviously. Why would you?

[ It's hard to break out of the habit of overthinking things, but as much as Reggie likes Nick, he's still a little wary of what assumptions people might make about them upon knowing they're contracted. True or not... ]

I'm not being weird. I, uh, just thought maybe you'd feel awkward if I mentioned it. Not that it's like, a big deal or anything, but, you know.

[ Well, this is a different side of Reggie. She's not sure she's ever heard him fumble over his words like this, seem so nervous. ]

Right. It's not a big deal. [ And she doesn't feel awkward but the thought that there's something more going on here does strike her. But she doesn't push quite yet.

Because she and Archie are contracted and there's nothing on between them. ] Why would I feel awkward?

Because... I live with him and you guys are hooking up. Right? That's not being weird. Cuz like, I'd totally get it if you'd need a little space with that. I can pretend this whole conversation never happened if you want.

[ He needs to find a way to change the subject, but he's drawing a blank. The real pitfall to having almost nothing in common with Betty, except for the very thing he's trying to steer their conversation away from. Reggie clears his throat and quickly continues: ]

Hey, what are the libraries even like here? Is it like, mostly porn? Cuz that's what I'm picturing.

Yeah, I'd prefer that, [ she says, not correcting him on the fact that she and Nick are hooking up, as if it might keep going or that it happened before. She can't speak to the former but the latter is not true. She looks at him, at his questions.]

No, it's a real library with actual books. [ But yes, it has porn.]

[ Subject changed achieved, thank god. At least for now. Reggie relaxes a bit, tension dissipating from his shoulders. ]

I guess it'd have to be for you to work there. But... [ His eyes regard the ceiling a moment in thought. ] Man, this place really makes like, no sense. Some stuff is normal and then everything is like Freak City.

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