Hey everyone!

So after having watched just three episodes of Riverdale, I have begun to ship Jughead and Betty (smh).

This is just a short oneshot I came up with for this ship. Also, I should probably mention that you will see a shadow of the comics in this, but it doesn't hold true to it.

Also, English is not my first language, so forgive my errors! Thank you for reading and I'm looking forward to your reviews!

Troublesome.

It was all so troublesome.

And he wasn't just referring to the insane amounts of secrets that were being revealed one after the other either.

Since last summer, everything had gone very wrong very fast and the dark haired adolescent disliked vexing emotions more than the wrong sauce in his burger.

Okay, that was debatable.

But unlike food - which had proven to be the easiest form of attachment to him - humans were complicated.

They created strains in relationships by matters that could be avoided without any fussing over. But of course, if the human race had enough sense to quietly settle issues, there would be no stories to tell.

Or in his current predicament, a case to investigate.

Most had mourned the loss of a star pupil or a close friend, but personally the teenager had very few condolences to offer. In all his time in Riverdale High - and being the introvert he was - the boy did not recall talking to him more than twice, something he came to regret not because Jason Blossom was sadly no more, but because he had left very little clues and could not help them from beyond the grave.

Quite a terrible thought to have?

Anybody that had ever held a conversation with the unsocial high schooler would see a cynical, sardonic, human hating piece of trash, but all he could ever observe in himself was somebody who had long since accepted the dark reality of human existence.

And hardly anybody could deny it now.

With the horrors of a brutal murder haunting their sleep, every soul in Riverdale had begun to darken. Fear exposes one's deepest thoughts.

Quite true, he mused.

But he was stupid to not think that everybody meant everybody.

The only person he had ever trusted, the one he thought he'd laugh this off with, ended up being the first person to drastically transform, creating a giant rift between them and their clashing personalities.

He had prided himself over A, who had been his friend since forever and the quiet boy had expected it would be that way.

But he had learnt from his time watching people that no one can assure something they can't even see.

Forever was a lie.

Shoving the entire burger in his mouth, he continued to type away on his laptop, distracting himself from the hustle and bustle of the world outside Pop's.

He was almost always more calm in his own little bubble of reality.

I say 'almost' because since last summer, there was another radicle change.

And this time, it was him.

The cynical teen couldn't place why he would take such an idiotic step, but he had done it. It had happened.

And it was all thanks to a certain blonde woman.

"Juggie?"

That idiotic name. That idiotic name only one person in the whole wide world was allowed to call him.

Having had limited contact with people, it was only natural that he understood nothing about boys his age or the fact that the growing discomfort in the air at her presence wasn't due to a badly burnt burger, but his instincts trying to kick him in the face.

And he chose to ignore it.

Fingers violently typed out a text in nervous energy. Why. Why was his reaction to her always so intense?

"Betty."

He made a slight nod of acknowledgement ,so she went ahead and sat in his booth. He hardly ever looked up from the screen and Betty was no stranger to this, so it was alright to not say anything.

Wasn't it?

Typing a random string of words, he peeked from behind the screen at the girl sitting across him. Silky golden locks were pulled back into a single ponytail, eyes blue as spring rain gazed at the evening sky in silence and her carved pink lips remained slightly open as if she was articulating what to say next.

And he was right.

"Did you read the front page of our newspaper today?"

He dunk his head straight back into work when he realised she was about to turn her head in his direction.

"Does it have anything pertaining to our research?"

He hardly had any attachments to the real world and the cyan eyed beauty knew better than anyone to not annoy him with more information than necessary.

"No," she scowled, turning to look at the counter.

"But it has something to do with Polly."

Her sister was a very touchy subject to Betty, who hadn't seen her since the entire incident. Thanks to her over ambitious mother, the blonde had begun to blame her sister for every wrong that happened in her life, even if they were completely irrelevant matters.

Sighing, Jughead opened another window and browsed the school site. Online publication made everything easier for him, since he hardly ever had to appear in public. Clicking on it, he read the front cover.

"Major exposé : Football team's extra activities."

As he skimmed through the article, his eyes grew wider by the second.

Book. Girl. Count. Challenge.

Realisation dawned on him.

So that's what it was all about.

A small "ah!" had escaped his mouth and caught Betty's attention.

"What?" Her eyebrows furrowed as she eyed him quizzically.

His mind raced back to the memory of a time he wanted to forget.

The only time he ever was in contact with Jason Blossom.

Changing rooms were often the reason Jughead stayed the hell away from physical exertions.

It was one tiny shut prison filled with teenagers showing off their summer abs and other useless things that to him held no value whatsoever. By this time, he would always feel overwhelmed by his cheery peers and leave.

And he intended to do exactly that today too, except nothing worked out in his favour.

"Hey man, let's get another girl down today!"

Chuck Clayton's annoying loud voice got on Jug's nerves, but he remained silent, biting back an insult.

He loved his eyes while they were in his sockets, thank you very much.

"Sure," a softer one replied.

"I'm bored anyway."

Jason Blossom. The boy was an entire bundle of mysteries, but most just thought of him as a nice, outgoing, ideal teenager.

Which was all a façade, Jug could tell.

He held a mountain of secrets behind that happy, good boy face and the sardonic teenager had learnt to stay away from people like that.

Still waters run deep, eh?

"How about Cooper?"

He snapped back to reality at the mention of her, now clearly interested in what these world class assholes were planning.

"Betty Cooper?"

Jason looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Not a bad idea. She looks like a good way to pass time."

The Raven haired boy dug his hands into his pockets, resisting the urge to throw a punch at the disgrace of creation.

They wanted to play around with Betty.

Jughead Jones was never a person to allow human relationships to get to him, yet for some reason one person remained exempt from all his rules.

Elizabeth "Betty" Cooper.

Since they were children, he had no choice but to hang out with her given that she was Archie's playmate. Slowly though, he found himself warming up to the simple girl who hardly ever argued and was never a pain to deal with.

She demanded nothing but companionship and their time, so he gladly sat around watching them with a ghost of a smile adorning his features.

Whenever Archie and he would have even the smallest argument, Betty would come to the rescue sorting it all out and forcing them (very embarrassingly) to shake hands and end it all.

At first, he had thought she felt obligated to stay with him because of Archie, but one day alone with her was enough proof that she considered him a kindred spirit.

With everyday they spent in each other's company, Jug began to feel himself get closer to the girl.

Maybe a little too close.

"Let's make a deal!"

The teen snapped out of his thoughts, raising an eyebrow at the words.

"Whoever wins the next swimming match, will get to ask Betty Cooper out on a date."

Cheers echoed in the changing room at the settlement, the hungry douches clearly excited for the outcome.

Clenching his fists and gritting his teeth, Jughead opened his locker to pull out the headphones he had placed there.

He was leaving, leaving the annoying crowd of teenagers that was an environment he didn't enjoy.

He was leaving them to their own michiefs.

None of this was his business.

None of it at all.

Yet, he found himself near the pool, the light from the Sun shone directly on his face, causing him to squint.

Why would he willingly get himself involved?

"Hey Jughead,"

The boy looked over his shoulder at the much taller teenager smirking to himself.

"Out to swim with the fishes today?"

The sheer stupidity of his words made the boy shake his head in disbelief.

How can anybody's IQ be so low?

"Though I don't think you have enough brain cells to understand, Reggie,"

Jughead slipped the shirt off his head, folding it and carefully laying it on one of the benches.

"You don't find fishes in the school swimming pool."

Clearly red-faced, Reggie snorted and pushed past Jug with his well-built body, winking at the girls that stood nearby.

He didn't notice their disgusted faces.

Jason stepped into the pool, his muscular body glistening in the Sun. He was a master at most sports and swimming, Jughead reckoned, would be just an entertaining pastime to him. Most of the others 'competing' were on the swim team.

Stepping near the ladder that lead into the water, the lean boy stared deeply into the water, letting the calm ripples soothe his angered mind.

Before he could take a step further though, he felt a push, falling flat on the water.

Breaking out to the surface, he could make out the faces of Chuck and his goonies laughing at him.

Why had he gotten himself into this mess?

"Baby Jug wants to swim too?"

Water dripped down every strand of his dark hair that he smoothed down with open palms.

"Like your names says, Chuck,"

Hazel eyes stared daggers at his bully.

"Don't mind me."

Swimming off to one of the tracks, he positioned himself.

"You should stay out of the competition."

Jason Blossom took the one right next to him,dipping to get accustomed to the temperature.

Jug scoffed.

"Your concern is unnecessary. There is one thing I'd like though,"

As everybody prepared to kick-start, Jug glared at the blonde one last time before joining the competitors.

"If I win, you'll stay the hell away from Betty."

Feet violently kicked the water, arms sweeping the length of the pool. It was a usual 50m and many had already got a headstart.

Jason was one of them.

Everytime Jug broke out to inhale, he could sense Jason move faster than ever.

Everybody underestimated the unsocial teen and maybe that was his advantage. Jug had always found the water calming and used to swim alone when Archie would be pre occupied.

Still, Jason was just another level of amazing, his form was like that of a dolphin, as if the water was where he belonged.

Reaching the other end a little later than the others, Jug was slowly losing confidence.

"Juggie?!"

For just a split second, their eyes met. It felt like he was looking into the ocean, as if it was calling out to him. Her beautiful features held a mixture of emotions.

Concern, Fear, Worry, Surprise.

It was all for her.

Pushing deeper into the water this time, he swam with all the force his arms could muster.

He wanted her to see.

Jason popped out to breathe and noticed Jug approaching him with increasing speed.

Just a little more, the raven head told himself, feeling his muscles strain painfully.

Just a little more.

Jughead pushed past the rest, motivated by nothing but the calls of a single woman.

A single woman who was twisting him around her finger.

The next time Jason looked up, Jughead had long since past him and edged closer to the finish line.

Admitting defeat, Jason slowed down, the others were still far behind.

"You won." He said, grinning like a fool and Jug glared.

"I did."

Climbing out of the pool, the champion reached for his shirt, only to be blinded by the white towel that covered his head.

"Juggie!"

He froze, feeling her slim fingers rub his hair with the towel in slow motions.

Sweet Jesus.

"You were brilliant! I didn't know you could swim so well!"

Yeah, because you were always looking at Archie.

As the towel drifted lower, reaching for his bare body, he pulled out of her grasp, taking the towel with him.

"Thanks."

At least twenty other people told him how amazing he was and contrary to their beliefs, it didn't make him happy in the least.

He hated being in the limelight.

"Jughead!"

Jason ran up to him, drying his dusty blonde hair.

"You win. I'll do as you say."

Without paying him any attention, the teen continued out of the arena.

He needed out of this stuffy place.

"Why, though? Why would you fight so hard for her?"

Stepping into the changing room, his classic smug look founds its way on his face.

"Felt like being a good Samaritan for a change."

"Juggie? I'm asking you something!"

The train of his thoughts rammed into a wall as Betty waved her hand in front of his face.

Pop's was empty and his burger had gone cold.

"Did you know about this?"

Jug cocked his head to one side and quirked his eyebrows.

"I have no interest in human interactions. You think I would care?"

Betty heaved a sigh of relief.

Unbeknownst to her, so did Jug, glad that he had taken action that day. Had he not stopped them, Betty would have been in her sister's place.

Even having to do something he disliked the most, if it was for her, he would probably walk through a desert singing songs without a drop of water.

These emotions were troublesome.

"I was wrong, you know," Jug said out loud. Betty looked up from the stacks of research paper she'd been viewing with a raised eyebrow.

Seven billion people in the world and the one I had to fall for was you.

"You really are a pain."

I hope you liked it ! Location forward to your reviews. Thank you for reading!