( you know the weirdest part about seeing penelope every day after those text messages? they haven’t kissed.
archie gets up in the morning with the giddy confirmation that the girl he has a crush on likes him back and he takes her for milkshakes after school like he promised, and he even walks her up to her front door because it’s the gentlemanly thing to do. he regrets not kissing her. he hates being the guy giving mixed signals because he has been that guy before. has said he wanted one thing and did another. of course, fred and val were both right. they were speaking volumes about separate aspects of his life, sure, but he overcommitted to both of them at one point or another. and he doesn’t want to do that with penny, it’s just. you know, a thing. a thing he didn’t want to start because he was trying to respect her insistence that he heal first. only now it feels like maybe he’s an idiot?
so he’s trying to ride this line between friendship and dating because, as mentioned, maybe he’s an idiot. an idiot who means well and is trying to do right by her, but still.
it’s not awkward exactly, though something feels off now. he can’t tell if she’s upset with him because she hasn’t said she is and frankly, he’s bad at subtext. if he’s learned anything from growing up next door to betty cooper and having her as a best friend, it’s the not talking that tells him when he said something dumb again. they all sit together at lunch and before classes in the lounge room, so neither one of them is ignoring the other. he’s also not so self-obsessed that he can’t imagine it having to do with something else.
when the last bell rings for the day, he’s practically jumping out of his seat and jogging out of the hall and down the steps to find her. archie slows to walk, trying for casual ( he isn’t fooling anyone ). ) Hey, Penny! Wait up. Can we-? Can I walk with you?
[ it’s been wild, trying to adjust to life in riverdale. small town, no arcade, fewer food options (penny’s going to miss vasilis’ gyros so much), really good milkshakes (archie wasn’t kidding). the entire vibe of the town is different from new york, even in comparison to the smaller microcosm of her neighborhood. the whole ‘stop and talk with people at the grocery store’ cliche turns out to be true. and there’s not really much in the way of skyscrapers. she’s noticed.
archie’s been great, showing her around, treating her to milkshakes, being chivalrous in a non-creepy way that she didn’t even think was possible anymore. and it’s not like she wasn’t telling the truth when told him how attracted she was (really, completely, honestly telling the truth), but she also wasn’t lying when she wanted to wait. at least until the bruises healed.
but then he just…didn’t say anything? maybe it was just that late-night horniness, when your brain’s all fuzzy with sleep and thirst. only she doesn’t think that archie’s the sort to totally drop it like that, and now penny’s all confused and stressed that she’s reading too much into it, so there’s just this weird holding pattern. they went out on like, the most chaste date in recorded history, they laugh with his friends during lunch, they bitch about homework over text. but they don’t talk about that.
by her last class of the day (american history), penny’s usually antsy to get out. today, she’s also tired, in a way that the canned coffee she’s been drinking hasn’t helped. (unrelated, but the ghoulies have been having a lot of trouble with some masked figure who’s too agile and strong to nail down). she’s already thinking longingly about a nap, about more coffee, about turning her brain off with some old movies, and then she hears archie’s voice. and as confusing and weird as the last week has been, she can’t hide the way her face lights up. ]
( life in riverdale is not without its ups and downs. for as many small town charms, there are woes. unfortunate dark secrets that archie had been blind to when he was younger that won't stop crawling out of the woodwork now. he wishes that penny had moved here before jason blossoms' death rocked their sleepy, little cradle and shocked some of them awake for the first time in the history of ever, but it is what it is now. the crime rates rose, nefarious moves were made behind the scenes to scoop up property and after one murderer was discovered, it seemed like the blood was never going to stop. still, in comparison, archie doesn't know what it's like to be uprooted and placed somewhere else, to start over and figure out how to begin again.
and he feels like, more than most, he just wants her to see what's good about riverdale like his dad did. like he does. like the townspeople used to believe. he wants penny to find a place here.
which is not any kind of excuse for dropping the ball and chickening out, after jumping the shark with shirtless photos and risqué texts. he doesn't get to put their friendship in the balance by telling her that she's on his one track mind and then get cold feet about it. nothing's changed. there's a dumb grin on his face the second she enters his line of sight and if it's possible, he's been thinking about her more every day since they both admitted the attraction was mutual. she doesn't deserve the whirlwind that comes from second guessing and doubt because archie likes her, he meant it. it wasn't him passing the time or using her for attention, which is a relevant distinction. )
Okay, yeah. Cool. ( cool??? he hears it, too. ) Are you headed home?
( small talk that's leading somewhere, he swears. but if he's going to get into it, he at least wants to be sure she has time to and not that she's rushing to get elsewhere. the walk back to her place is long enough to work up the nerve to unpack everything he's bottled up this week. )
Because I wanted to talk to you about ..not talking to you? ( no, that's not right, they've talked every day. ) About anything real.
Probably pretty soon, yeah. [ the nap, or at least vegetating in front of her computer, is looking more and more appealing. penny stops fully to turn, backpack slung over one shoulder, math workbook in one arm. she doesn’t make any effort to get out of the way of the throng of students making their way out of the building. having everyone around her, passing her without slowing down, it’s as close to the foot traffic in new york as she’ll get.
she raises her eyebrows when he start. talking, right, they’ve been doing that, same as always. ] Real? I mean, school is pretty - oh. [ little bit of a delayed reaction there. ]
Do you still want to - because I do. I mean, only if you do! But you were still hurt and all, and I didn’t want to push you, especially because I was the one that wanted to wait in the first place, so it’d just be like, super hypocritical if I changed my mind on that. And then you didn’t say anything, so I didn’t say anything, and I figured - well, uh, I dunno what I figured, really.
[ she tends to get rambly when she’s got a lot on her mind. and also when there’s nothing on it. ]
( beating around the bush doesn't do much for helping her balance out in the awkward flood of words. he doesn't mind her rambling. archie likes hearing her talk. she isn't blunt but she has a way with blurting out whatever's on her mind and it makes him feel less like a disaster because he has a tendency to do the same. he'd be more specific with his own word choice if the crowd around them wasn't made up of people he's known since elementary school. he doesn't want to embarrass her, himself, or anyone else around them. )
Yeah. Yes, of course I do. I felt like I would be pushing you. I was the one who didn't want to wait. When you said we should, it made sense. Except somewhere in the week, I got in my head about it. Like — ( he shrugs, already turning a bit pink at how dumb he probably sounds. ) I don't know. We were doing it backwards? So I didn't kiss you goodnight and not because I didn't want to. I did. And I convinced myself tomorrow would be perfect, then the next day, and I didn't actually stop to ask you if you needed it to be.
( don't mind him swiping a hand across his face and playing it off like brushing his hair back. )
[ there’s something faintly hilarious about both of them getting tied into knots with uncertainty, so hyperfocused on what the other wants. It’s sad and kinda pathetic, and it’s all penny can do to not dissolve into nervous hysteria on the spot.
but she doesn’t. just listens to archie babble and take quick note (and appreciation) of how cute he looks when he’s blushing. ] Oh, I do. About everything, all the time. It rubs off, sorry.
[ she’s really tempted to make a joke about rubbing something else on him, but now’s not the time. later. penny considers for a moment, bouncing a little on the balls of her feet. ]
How about we walk? And talk about real stuff. I think I remember you having some opinions on skirts.
Don't be. ( the good news is every conversation passing between them won’t be like this. they need to get through it, past it, and see where it leaves them standing because right now, his issue it not being confident with his footing. how do they fit together? are they friends? just friends? are they more? is he screwing this up by being too forward or by not being forward enough? it’s a whole run-on sentence of panic, consoled and silenced by penny’s proximity and candidness.
she’s not running away from him, that’s a great sign.
archie flashes her a grin and it’s easy like it was before he went and put his foot in his mouth. he holds out his hand for her, palm up. she doesn’t have to take it, he’ll walk beside her regardless.
flustered, tongue-in-cheek, there’s a bark of laughter spurred on by surprise as he moves down the steps to get them moving. ) Yeah, they look good on you. I wouldn't call that an opinion though. It's a fact.
( he knows what penny's referencing but now he's just thinking about her straddling him like she said. )
Oh, a fact, huh? [ she glances down as if to check what she's wearing. it’s a dull red, knee-length, not particularly tight. ] I mean, if we’ve moved up into empirical facts, I dunno. We might need to do some more tests.
[ and huh, that could be fun. trying different things on, seeing what garners the biggest reaction from him. not that penny’s dressing for archie’s approval, she hasn’t worn skirts every day since their mutual crush-fession. but still, could be handy to know. ]
One sec. [ she takes her backpack off and kneels down to adjust the straps and put her mathbook away. when penny stands, she shoulders her bag in the same motion and grabs archie’s hand. ] So, [ she starts, tugging him towards the sidewalk. ] Talking?
Trust me, you don't need to run tests to see the effect you have on me. ( is that an overshare? it feels like an excessive giveaway as much as it isn't; penny's been transparent with her attraction to him and he wants to be able to do the same, but he's testing the boundaries. what's okay and what's going to make her uncomfortable? or is she actually as crazy about him as he is about her? what a concept. ) Doesn't explicitly have anything to do with what you're wearing at the time.
( his voice is conspiratorially low because hey, it's an odd thing to announce to the courtyard while she's not eye level with him, even as it's much sparser than a few minutes ago. most people have practice, projects, or procrastination to get to.
he bumps into her playfully with his hip, then lightly swings their hands once he falls into step at her side. )
I don't want to dance around the subject. And I don't want to just mess around with you. I want to be your boyfriend and if you don't want that, then, I don't know? We should probably figure that out.
Okay, but. I want to? [ because yes, penny’s the sort of nerd who’ll have a blast trying to note just how much archie’s pulse quickens or cheeks redden when she’s in a skirt that goes to her thighs vs a pair of tight jeans. she’s a scientist, give her a break. ] Yeah. Or not wearing.
[ though she’s not the sort to go without anything important just on a whim, and definitely not right now. but if archie’s going to tease, dropping his voice into his lower register in a way that makes the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, then penny’s going to do her best to keep up. (better luck than physically keeping up with him at full tilt, her legs are only so long.)
she grins up at him, hand swinging at his side. ] Yeah, I want that too. Let’s start with a date. An official one. And maybe some kissing, and go from there?
Oh. Oh. ( registering what she's getting at, he pulls at his collar with his free hand. he tips his head back for a brief reprieve, looking skyward ( are you kidding right now? she's going to KILL me ) and then dispels a breath like exhaling the influx of anticipation is a thing he's capable of doing. ) If you want to give me a fashion show and see how long it takes for me to break or grab one of your pillows for my lap, go for it.
( of course now that his mind's wandering, he sweeps his gaze over her. a date, a real date, they're going on a date but god, she's the one that put the visual in his head that now has him thinking about what she's wearing under her skirt. )
Maybe somewhere more official than Pop's? ( somewhere that friends won't get the idea that it's okay to slide into the booth with them. ) I'll pick you up and everything. But, um, if it's okay, I don't want to wait that long to kiss you.
[ and there’s the penny dropping. she laughs a little - she just can’t help it. there’s something about getting him worked up that’s innately rewarding, like having a math problem come easy to her, or making a long jump between two buildings. ] Maybe, [ and her smile is incredibly satisfied, bordering on coquettish. penny reaches up, brushing a thumb against archie’s cheekbone. ]
You’re cute when you blush.
[ it’s an honest compliment, delivered soft. learning these things about him, discovering them, it’s all new and a little wonderful. ] Are there places other than Pop’s?
[ here she thought it was the end-all be-all of riverdale cuisine. not that it’d be a bad thing. ] That sounds good. And, uh. You don’t have to wait. [ notably, she hasn’t removed her hand from archie’s face. ]
( wait until she discovers how easily riled up he is, she'll be walking around with that cat that got the canary smile for the rest of her life. assuming she doesn't get tired of him. thankfully, it's not an intrusive thought he dwells on, what with her thumb on his cheek. he grins at her, nervous but happy, more sheepish than knowing. probably, she's going to torture him. he's disturbingly okay with that conclusion. he leans into the light touch, shaking his head minutely at the fond observation. )
You must always think I'm cute when I'm around you, then.
( he turns towards penny, slowing their progression towards her place. )
Kind of? But they're not casual drive-ups or anything. There are a few restaurants. A pizza place. They're not as infamous as Pop's but our friends won't start picking off of your plate there.
( he's noticed. her hand is still on his cheek and honestly, he's crowding penny. all that safe personal space that was between them? swallowed up by tiny steps, inch by inch, until archie drops her hand to reach for the back of her head. it starts as a sweet pet, a brush of hair, but then he's assuredly using it for the advantage it is — curling his fingers at the nape of her neck while he leans down. she can meet him the other twenty percent of the way or they're just going to hover perpetually, with archie staring at her mouth, pleading quietly. )
[ eighty percent of being spider-girl is waiting. lurking on a low rooftop, watching an arms deal or gang meetup, waiting for the right time to strike. waiting for that moment when her instinct tells her to let go of her web. waiting to web somebody up until she’s sure she’s not going to do any serious damage. ]
Sort of, yeah.
[ and ever since she got to riverdale, it feels like she’s been waiting for everything to click. she’s picked up on a few things - like how pop’s is the hangout for everyone, slackers and honor roll alike. If there’s another place they could go, quieter and more intimate, it’d be nice.
penny rolls her eyes, fond. ] You can say Jughead. Honestly, I don’t know where he keeps it all.
[ not that she’s exactly one to talk, having demolished a burger, malt, and veritable pile of onion rings earlier that week. ever since the whole spider-bite, her metabolism’s gone into overdrive.
archie clicks. penny tilts her head up to meet his eyes. and she knows twenty percent when she sees it. with both hands, she grabs archie’s face and pulls it the last, scant few inches. she’s not shy about kissing him, not entirely chaste, either. ]
( once upon a time, archie was waiting for something to happen in riverdale, something to change, something to give, and then his mom left. the death of jason blossom was an even larger catalyst, setting off a series of unforgivable crimes in a town the world forgot. he doesn’t wonder where he fits now because he knows it’s here, he knows riverdale is his home, these are his people, and all of the good that fred taught him, he’s meant to continue that legacy of kindness. it’s what made him walk up and sit with penny during her first day during lunch time, but it’s not why archie hasn’t left her side.
is it any wonder? archie has yet to master the skill of unstitching his heart from his sleeve.
he wants to laugh, admit yeah, okay, it’s jughead, except jughead is not someone he wants cropping up in his mind when the girl he likes is giving him the green light to kiss her. the lofty dreams he has about being a gentleman bloom and wilt, surviving all of two seconds. penny’s hands are on either side of his face and she’s kissing him. he realizes then how much he’s underestimated his desire to taste her. right there in the middle of the street. his mouth gives against hers and he tries to part her lips with his tongue, about the same time he grasps at the small of her back, pulling her into him by her shirt.
he'll say something eventually when the choices are take a deep breath or die. )
[ it’s been wild, making the adjustment to riverdale. on the one hand, people are kinder here than in new york. penny never actually believed that you’d stop to talk to the cashier at the grocery store, or that strangers would ask about your day and mean it, but here? It’s real. but on the other hand, jughead jones sat her down and explained the murder of jason blossom, the gang struggles between the serpents and the ghoulies, the drugs that flooded the street and the ring of murders.
new york might be a bit of a disaster, but at least it’s honest about it.
time to grapple with that later, especially with how archie’s pulling her close, how she can just about feel the smile on his face as she tilts her head up. his mouth is as warm as his heart, and she wants - she wants more. penny moves one of her hands back, from his face to the back of his head, sliding a hand into his hair. she wants this to last, wants to stay like this forever, a perfect moment of -
there’s the honk of a car’s horn, and then another. penny jolts back. ] Oh, shit.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lmk if this is okay, i took some liberties but i can adjust obvi
archie gets up in the morning with the giddy confirmation that the girl he has a crush on likes him back and he takes her for milkshakes after school like he promised, and he even walks her up to her front door because it’s the gentlemanly thing to do. he regrets not kissing her. he hates being the guy giving mixed signals because he has been that guy before. has said he wanted one thing and did another. of course, fred and val were both right. they were speaking volumes about separate aspects of his life, sure, but he overcommitted to both of them at one point or another. and he doesn’t want to do that with penny, it’s just. you know, a thing. a thing he didn’t want to start because he was trying to respect her insistence that he heal first. only now it feels like maybe he’s an idiot?
so he’s trying to ride this line between friendship and dating because, as mentioned, maybe he’s an idiot. an idiot who means well and is trying to do right by her, but still.
it’s not awkward exactly, though something feels off now. he can’t tell if she’s upset with him because she hasn’t said she is and frankly, he’s bad at subtext. if he’s learned anything from growing up next door to betty cooper and having her as a best friend, it’s the not talking that tells him when he said something dumb again. they all sit together at lunch and before classes in the lounge room, so neither one of them is ignoring the other. he’s also not so self-obsessed that he can’t imagine it having to do with something else.
when the last bell rings for the day, he’s practically jumping out of his seat and jogging out of the hall and down the steps to find her. archie slows to walk, trying for casual ( he isn’t fooling anyone ). ) Hey, Penny! Wait up. Can we-? Can I walk with you?
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archie’s been great, showing her around, treating her to milkshakes, being chivalrous in a non-creepy way that she didn’t even think was possible anymore. and it’s not like she wasn’t telling the truth when told him how attracted she was (really, completely, honestly telling the truth), but she also wasn’t lying when she wanted to wait. at least until the bruises healed.
but then he just…didn’t say anything? maybe it was just that late-night horniness, when your brain’s all fuzzy with sleep and thirst. only she doesn’t think that archie’s the sort to totally drop it like that, and now penny’s all confused and stressed that she’s reading too much into it, so there’s just this weird holding pattern. they went out on like, the most chaste date in recorded history, they laugh with his friends during lunch, they bitch about homework over text. but they don’t talk about that.
by her last class of the day (american history), penny’s usually antsy to get out. today, she’s also tired, in a way that the canned coffee she’s been drinking hasn’t helped. (unrelated, but the ghoulies have been having a lot of trouble with some masked figure who’s too agile and strong to nail down). she’s already thinking longingly about a nap, about more coffee, about turning her brain off with some old movies, and then she hears archie’s voice. and as confusing and weird as the last week has been, she can’t hide the way her face lights up. ]
Oh, Archie, hey! Yeah - yeah, totally.
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and he feels like, more than most, he just wants her to see what's good about riverdale like his dad did. like he does. like the townspeople used to believe. he wants penny to find a place here.
which is not any kind of excuse for dropping the ball and chickening out, after jumping the shark with shirtless photos and risqué texts. he doesn't get to put their friendship in the balance by telling her that she's on his one track mind and then get cold feet about it. nothing's changed. there's a dumb grin on his face the second she enters his line of sight and if it's possible, he's been thinking about her more every day since they both admitted the attraction was mutual. she doesn't deserve the whirlwind that comes from second guessing and doubt because archie likes her, he meant it. it wasn't him passing the time or using her for attention, which is a relevant distinction. )
Okay, yeah. Cool. ( cool??? he hears it, too. ) Are you headed home?
( small talk that's leading somewhere, he swears. but if he's going to get into it, he at least wants to be sure she has time to and not that she's rushing to get elsewhere. the walk back to her place is long enough to work up the nerve to unpack everything he's bottled up this week. )
Because I wanted to talk to you about ..not talking to you? ( no, that's not right, they've talked every day. ) About anything real.
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she raises her eyebrows when he start. talking, right, they’ve been doing that, same as always. ] Real? I mean, school is pretty - oh. [ little bit of a delayed reaction there. ]
Do you still want to - because I do. I mean, only if you do! But you were still hurt and all, and I didn’t want to push you, especially because I was the one that wanted to wait in the first place, so it’d just be like, super hypocritical if I changed my mind on that. And then you didn’t say anything, so I didn’t say anything, and I figured - well, uh, I dunno what I figured, really.
[ she tends to get rambly when she’s got a lot on her mind. and also when there’s nothing on it. ]
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Yeah. Yes, of course I do. I felt like I would be pushing you. I was the one who didn't want to wait. When you said we should, it made sense. Except somewhere in the week, I got in my head about it. Like — ( he shrugs, already turning a bit pink at how dumb he probably sounds. ) I don't know. We were doing it backwards? So I didn't kiss you goodnight and not because I didn't want to. I did. And I convinced myself tomorrow would be perfect, then the next day, and I didn't actually stop to ask you if you needed it to be.
( don't mind him swiping a hand across his face and playing it off like brushing his hair back. )
I never used to overthink this much.
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but she doesn’t. just listens to archie babble and take quick note (and appreciation) of how cute he looks when he’s blushing. ] Oh, I do. About everything, all the time. It rubs off, sorry.
[ she’s really tempted to make a joke about rubbing something else on him, but now’s not the time. later. penny considers for a moment, bouncing a little on the balls of her feet. ]
How about we walk? And talk about real stuff. I think I remember you having some opinions on skirts.
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she’s not running away from him, that’s a great sign.
archie flashes her a grin and it’s easy like it was before he went and put his foot in his mouth. he holds out his hand for her, palm up. she doesn’t have to take it, he’ll walk beside her regardless.
flustered, tongue-in-cheek, there’s a bark of laughter spurred on by surprise as he moves down the steps to get them moving. ) Yeah, they look good on you. I wouldn't call that an opinion though. It's a fact.
( he knows what penny's referencing but now he's just thinking about her straddling him like she said. )
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[ and huh, that could be fun. trying different things on, seeing what garners the biggest reaction from him. not that penny’s dressing for archie’s approval, she hasn’t worn skirts every day since their mutual crush-fession. but still, could be handy to know. ]
One sec. [ she takes her backpack off and kneels down to adjust the straps and put her mathbook away. when penny stands, she shoulders her bag in the same motion and grabs archie’s hand. ] So, [ she starts, tugging him towards the sidewalk. ] Talking?
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( his voice is conspiratorially low because hey, it's an odd thing to announce to the courtyard while she's not eye level with him, even as it's much sparser than a few minutes ago. most people have practice, projects, or procrastination to get to.
he bumps into her playfully with his hip, then lightly swings their hands once he falls into step at her side. )
I don't want to dance around the subject. And I don't want to just mess around with you. I want to be your boyfriend and if you don't want that, then, I don't know? We should probably figure that out.
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[ though she’s not the sort to go without anything important just on a whim, and definitely not right now. but if archie’s going to tease, dropping his voice into his lower register in a way that makes the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, then penny’s going to do her best to keep up. (better luck than physically keeping up with him at full tilt, her legs are only so long.)
she grins up at him, hand swinging at his side. ] Yeah, I want that too. Let’s start with a date. An official one. And maybe some kissing, and go from there?
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( of course now that his mind's wandering, he sweeps his gaze over her. a date, a real date, they're going on a date but god, she's the one that put the visual in his head that now has him thinking about what she's wearing under her skirt. )
Maybe somewhere more official than Pop's? ( somewhere that friends won't get the idea that it's okay to slide into the booth with them. ) I'll pick you up and everything. But, um, if it's okay, I don't want to wait that long to kiss you.
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You’re cute when you blush.
[ it’s an honest compliment, delivered soft. learning these things about him, discovering them, it’s all new and a little wonderful. ] Are there places other than Pop’s?
[ here she thought it was the end-all be-all of riverdale cuisine. not that it’d be a bad thing. ] That sounds good. And, uh. You don’t have to wait. [ notably, she hasn’t removed her hand from archie’s face. ]
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You must always think I'm cute when I'm around you, then.
( he turns towards penny, slowing their progression towards her place. )
Kind of? But they're not casual drive-ups or anything. There are a few restaurants. A pizza place. They're not as infamous as Pop's but our friends won't start picking off of your plate there.
( he's noticed. her hand is still on his cheek and honestly, he's crowding penny. all that safe personal space that was between them? swallowed up by tiny steps, inch by inch, until archie drops her hand to reach for the back of her head. it starts as a sweet pet, a brush of hair, but then he's assuredly using it for the advantage it is — curling his fingers at the nape of her neck while he leans down. she can meet him the other twenty percent of the way or they're just going to hover perpetually, with archie staring at her mouth, pleading quietly. )
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Sort of, yeah.
[ and ever since she got to riverdale, it feels like she’s been waiting for everything to click. she’s picked up on a few things - like how pop’s is the hangout for everyone, slackers and honor roll alike. If there’s another place they could go, quieter and more intimate, it’d be nice.
penny rolls her eyes, fond. ] You can say Jughead. Honestly, I don’t know where he keeps it all.
[ not that she’s exactly one to talk, having demolished a burger, malt, and veritable pile of onion rings earlier that week. ever since the whole spider-bite, her metabolism’s gone into overdrive.
archie clicks. penny tilts her head up to meet his eyes. and she knows twenty percent when she sees it. with both hands, she grabs archie’s face and pulls it the last, scant few inches. she’s not shy about kissing him, not entirely chaste, either. ]
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is it any wonder? archie has yet to master the skill of unstitching his heart from his sleeve.
he wants to laugh, admit yeah, okay, it’s jughead, except jughead is not someone he wants cropping up in his mind when the girl he likes is giving him the green light to kiss her. the lofty dreams he has about being a gentleman bloom and wilt, surviving all of two seconds. penny’s hands are on either side of his face and she’s kissing him. he realizes then how much he’s underestimated his desire to taste her. right there in the middle of the street. his mouth gives against hers and he tries to part her lips with his tongue, about the same time he grasps at the small of her back, pulling her into him by her shirt.
he'll say something eventually when the choices are take a deep breath or die. )
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new york might be a bit of a disaster, but at least it’s honest about it.
time to grapple with that later, especially with how archie’s pulling her close, how she can just about feel the smile on his face as she tilts her head up. his mouth is as warm as his heart, and she wants - she wants more. penny moves one of her hands back, from his face to the back of his head, sliding a hand into his hair. she wants this to last, wants to stay like this forever, a perfect moment of -
there’s the honk of a car’s horn, and then another. penny jolts back. ] Oh, shit.