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I'm sure we can have that arranged-- [ she grins at him, at his notion of what spas are. it's only fair because she can't imagine he's been to a spa except maybe with veronica and even that is doubtful to her.]

I miss my mom. [ this is the longest she's ever been away from alice in her whole life and she even misses her now.] But I'm glad she's not here. [ for countless reasons.]

Whatever you want, to be honest. [ she doesn't really care, as long as they're hanging out and she moves to plop down on the couch.] Maybe not true crime though.

Yeah, having our parents here? ( mind you, he's not including hal in this ) Eugh. Does it get any easier?

( maybe archie means losing your dad. he won't ever outright ask betty that unless it's something she brings up because it's beyond complicated. the guy might have been a monster but for the longest time, before everything changed and he was inspired by betty's speech, he was her dad. he's okay with her inferring the surface level — alice and mary, although fred's the one archie wishes he could wake up and see stirring around. )

Something light. ( he drops next to her, snatching one of the throw pillows from the middle and resting it on his lap, under his elbow. they don't need dividers. ) They do have regular movies here, right? Not just x-rated versions of The Hangover?

Not really, [ she means about missing their parents but losing parents doesn't get any easier either. her father had been a monster. he'd tried to kill archie, he'd tried to kill a lot of people and sometimes he'd succeeded. he forced her into his game, scarred her. but before that, he'd just been her dad. he'd been her ally against her mother's intense nature. she loved him... loves him. it's all so complicated.

and despite all of that, she knows he's the last person she'd want to see show up here even if it meant seeing him again. and that only makes her think of how she just lost the only people she considered family here, in this city. it makes her jaw tense a little, her eyes close even as she answers archie.]

Okay-- [ she agrees, settling into the sofa as he asks her a question.] Yeah, there's normal stuff. Most of it's not... the best but it's good for shutting your brain off.

Edited (because things happened in game before this that me, the dummy, didn't know until now.) 2021-05-27 06:46 (UTC)

If it's awful, you can change it. ( he can be dense. archie's guilty of getting so wrapped up in his own world that he misses the signs that his friends are also struggling sometimes. he chops it up to being so gloomy and steering the conversation the wrong way, scraping over some sores. he catches betty closing her eyes but he doesn't know what to make of it. she could be lying about being tired.

he settles on what's described as a comedy, figuring they could use something light and mindless. he's not sure whether the feel-good messages hit the right places in this city but it's the thought that counts? ) And if it's not doing the trick for shutting your brain off, you can tell me and I'll talk so much you won't be able to focus on anything else.

( he's not prying but he's curious. )

[She draws in a slow breath, glancing at him and desperately trying not to cry again. She's already cried about this so much. ] I'm just glad you're back. [ She lets out another breath, trying to temper her emotions.]

Bellamy and Emma got sent home. [ There's no doubt that she's told Archie how Bellamy was more than her boss, that has been like the big brother she's never really had. When Reggie was wrapped up in Nick and Betty was without Archie and Jughead, Bellamy and Emma were her family, her support system. ]

They've been here even longer than me. And I thought you were gone, I thought I was going to be alone again.

Edited 2021-05-27 20:50 (UTC)

Betty... ( he turns inward, facing her with one leg planted on the floor. he doesn't care if his knee bumps her thigh. he's trying to show his support for her without treating her like glass. she can handle it, of course she can, but archie wants to help. ) I'm sorry. I know that might sound empty because I've said it so much tonight and apologizing doesn't change the fact that they're gone. That I was.

I can't make that okay. ( and honestly, he doesn't want to force her to be okay. she has to feel what she needs to. he reaches for her hand across her lap, squeezing gently because otherwise he's going to drag her into another hug. ) But I'm here now. You're not alone.

And I am sorry about Bellamy and Emma. I know they were both important to you. I don't have words for that. I just want you to know that you can come find me or you can call me, and you can be sad or you can yell. You don't have to pretend that you're fine with me.

[ the breath she lets out when he takes her hand and gives her support is shaky. she closes her eyes for a moment to try and center herself as he speaks. but she knows it's better to look at him, to show him that she will be okay even if right now she's not. ]

I don't think I could pretend with you anymore. [ not after all they've been through, all that's happened. she smiles softly, sadly at him, scooting a little closer.]

Thank you. I mean it. I don't know what I'd do without you.

You would meet some six-foot-something handsome, mysterious giant and I wouldn't be there to hound him. ( she's betty cooper, she can do it all. he means that. it's his attempt at levity, slightly pushing her out of the turmoil and into something laughable. )

Come here. ( whether she obliges him or not, he's dragging her into his arms in some manner. it could be an embrace or she could roll with it, lean into him. he's not worried about personal space with betty, although for him, this isn't a line they've crossed intentionally and talked about. she's miserable and he hates to see it. ) Neither one of us has to find out.

And why would you hound him? [ as she laughs she lets herself be dragged into arms, moving to settle against him and into his embrace. it just feels nice and familiar. archie will always be home to her. always.

of course, his words aren't true. there have been months she's been here without him. there was almost a year. she knows what life is like without him. and now if he gets sent home, she won't have bellamy or emma to lean on.]

To make sure he's a good guy? ( after he says it, he realizes how dumb it sounds. ) I know that's up to you and you wouldn't talk to someone who didn't have the right intentions.

( he shrugs against her. with jughead he never had to give the hurt her and i'll break your kneecaps speech. he loves betty and he cares about what she feels and who she feels that way about. there's still a part of him that thought they would end up married somewhere down the road. if things had gone differently, who knows? )

This city makes everything, even simple dating, complicated.

[ she laughs a little, finding his need to defend her charming. she knows he means well, that he wants to look after her, look out for her.

she leans against him a little more.] It's kind of why I don't do it here... dating.

So you're just doing what everyone else does? ( maybe this is too candid of a conversation to have when she's pressed up against him in any capacity. ) Hooking up?

( he scrunches his nose after he says it but it sounds better than meeting quota. too technical and oppressive. he'd rather not remind himself that they have to sleep around. )

[ she swallows thickly for a moment, feeling nerves bubble up a little at the answer she has to give here.] Kind of. [ there's a pause.] I don't always meet my quota.

Don't they punish you for that? ( he may not be as successful as he wants to be at keeping the accusatory tone out of his voice. say he manages to control his verbal reaction, she can feel him tense up anyway. )

[ she knew he'd be upset but lying didn't feel like the right move either.] Only once or twice. [ which was true, they didn't always punish her.]

Betty— ( what? what, actually? he huffs out a sigh and squirms, trying to get a look at her while she's leaning into him. what can he do? knowing how she feels or might have felt and everything that comes along with that if jughead or veronica ever show up. not to mention how much trouble they would get into. ) Are you saying they're not keeping track?

[ she looks up at him, a tiny frown on her face even if she deserves it.] They are. [ she just fudged how many times she'd been "punished" ]

What happens if two dominants and a submissive spend the night together? ( he's conveniently glancing at the television when he throws the hypothetical out there. ) Is that still a citation?

No. [ she says with a glance his way, her brow furrowed.] Because there's a submissive... why?

You know why. ( it's either a) he did something reckless and he's asking for what to expect or b) what he thinks she knows because he's already made it pretty clear that he doesn't want anything terrible to happen to her if he can prevent it. but maybe she wants to hear him say it, which brings up his own set of nerves. ) I'm brainstorming ways to keep you from being re-educated or locked in a cage with someone else.

[ she shifts to look at him better than she already is, shaking her head.] I'm not putting you in that position, Archie. [ he made it clear when he came back that he only wanted to be friends, right? that precluded sex, right? ] I'm... I'll be fine. I'm making sure to meet my quota. [ she pauses.] Reggie helps me.

The position I'm in where I also have to sleep with three people a month? ( copping an attitude with her isn't going to get him anywhere, it never has. he's only bristling because he can help ( at whatever cost to himself and betty ) and she's objecting. he doesn't pull away entirely when she tells him about reggie because it's not news, it shouldn't be news. they're contracted. it happens. )

Okay. If you're fine and you ... already have help. ( he's conflicted but he bites the inside of his cheek. )

[ this feels like a dangerous conversation to be having considering the things that happened between them last time he was here. and while doesn't remember them, she does. ]

Do you? Have help? [ pause.] Or... [ her brow says furrowed.] Are you upset about Reggie?

I can find someone. ( he doesn't have people lined up or anything if that's what she means. archie's problem is that they're also dominants. ) No. I don't know. I'm not upset that he's helping you.

( it's that she's shutting him out and it's okay for reggie to help but not for him and he shouldn't even be mad about that. he's the one that said he wasn't interested. he's not sure how to articulate what he's feeling or why. )

[ she doesn't mean to shut him out. it's just... in this place she's had to stop relying on anyone but herself. people come and go so often. even reggie who's been here consistently the whole time she's been here doesn't feel like a sure thing. he's going to move on soon and she'll have to find another contract in a month or two.

she can't offer to find someone for him, that's too awkward. she knows he can find someone himself. he's attractive and kind, he's less reserved than her too, it shouldn't be hard.

she takes a moment to measure her response, however.] Then is that... you want to find a submissive for... us to be with? [ is that it? does he feel left behind or is it more than that? or is it less? ]

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idk if you want a crusty tag but i want barchie things in my inbox

i will always accept them. /brushes off the crust and dust

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