[ meanwhile, jughead is used to silence. the quiet of the diner on late nights, the silence of the trailer while his father sits in jail. the emptiness of the school when no one is around to know that he slept in the janitor's closet. silence has been his companion on more occasions than he can count. but he knows it doesn't suit archie. archie is made for boisterous noise. and for all the troubles they've had, including this new news, archie is still his best friend.

when archie sits, jughead stands again. but this time, it's not to curl his fists at his sides. it's to settle next to the redhead, leaning back into the couch with a pained sigh. ]

Arch- You have to realize. We might not have a choice in this. It's just the three of us and I know you wouldn't come between me and Betty. Not willingly. Still, we need to consider our options here. This place is crazy. Crazier than Riverdale, and even though I know half the place hates me, I still want to save it.

[ he glances over at his best friend, taking in his features one at a time. from his ruffled hair to the curve of his brows and down to downcast brown eyes. his gaze doesn't stop there because this is archie, the boy he skinned his knees with, the boy who he got slivers with in the treehouse they shared. he'd do anything for archie and he's said it before. ]

Maybe we can work something out between the three of us.

[ it already sounds crazy in his head, but he pushes on anyway. riverdale is at stake; the blue and gold, the real vegas, fred andrews, all of their friends. will he really let a bit of jealousy stand in the way of protecting that? is he really so bitter and cold that he'd shut either of them? no, he doesn't want to be that way. ]

I know it sounds... you know. But we've done crazier things, haven't we?