I love this chapter for the scene where Jughead won't punish her. He's so dark in his head and also worried about his monster, and then his girlfriend is begging for sex and he turns her down, because he can read her and knows it's a bad idea, and then checks in on when her next appointment is so even if he can't help her deal with it, he's making sure someone is. I love all these moments where they're worried about the worst of themselves and realizing the other isn't judging and is there for them. Punishing herself with rough sex isn't the answer for Betty here, but it is all about context because it is the right choice for Jughead in a few chapters, and Betty can read the situation. Betty unjustly feels that she deserves pain, Jughead wants someone that cares for him taking his control away and in a way, keeping him safe from the outside world. I love seeing how good they are at directing each other's self destructive instincts, especially when compared to Jug encouraging Cheryl to beat him in this chapter, because like Betty he has guilt for his father's actions. I gasped at "You hit like your brother." Amazing. Betty is lucky that Mr. Klump seems like a decent (adult) human being that isn't going to take out his grief out on Betty, even if it sends her into a spiral. I cringed at her clutching the dirty floor of a supermarket bathroom- no one deserves that, Betty. It's so nice seeing the growth from here, that in this chapter Betty is worried about her "monster", that Jughead won't want to see the ugly parts of her unless they're sexy, and then later on having Betty realize that Jug loves all parts of her. I love her thoughts about how he makes her feel safe because he knows when to stop, especially because we know Jughead is worried about this part of him. The start of their physical relationship in the past is very sweet, and I love that Betty makes the first move because she realizes the time will never be right, and I love how innocent Jughead's library study date fantasy is. It's a great contrast when she's all giddy about the kiss and then the Black Hood calls for the first time. Poor Betty. I love all the different themes you have going and how you're connecting them and building on them.
Other things: loved "no one steals from the poor", Jughead asking multiple times after the gummy worms, Alice being an awful parent as always, Betty standing under overly hot water in the shower and it being called back by Jug doing the same thing when he drops after their scene
These lines were great: "When she flinches, she has enough momentum, enough substance, the sensors notice and the doors open, yet her feet will not move forward the six inches it would take to be out of the line of fire." "She’s been so good lately, no major mishaps. The linoleum is cold against her palms, grimy. She can feel it building up in her nail beds as she digs her fingers into the tile, filth that would get inside her if she let instinct dictate her actions." "She needs the ache inside her head to be reflected physically. The pain kinks every thread of thought until her whole mind is shot, gnarled beyond comprehension. She needs him to twist her up, bind her, manipulate her, take control of her body so she can control the pain of her thoughts. If she can make the pain real on the outside, then maybe it wouldn’t feel so surreal inside her, an imagined misery. If she can put the hurt where it needs to go, on her person, then maybe it will help the guilt bleed away. “Please, Juggie.”" "All the impetus from before drains away. She can feel it between her legs. She is horny with agony, and he is flaccid with worry." "“Stop being cute, Cooper.” He kisses her hard on the side of her head when the opening scene unfolds on the screen. “Did you get the sour gummy worms?”" "She didn’t think it was possible to love him more until he said no, and it surprised her. " "Awful for asking, awful for putting him in that position, and awful more still for the inevitable resentment she would have felt towards him, towards herself for making him complicit in how she harms herself." "“My father,” she corrects. They were one and the same, but he was her father first and she will never think of one without the other again." “Your compassion needs limits, Betty.” She hurts herself because she hurt others. She hurts herself so she won’t hurt others. “And you need to show yourself some compassion.”" "“You punch like your brother.” And her features fracture into a blind rage. He wants to crack her like an egg, incite her to liberate every ugly thing she has bottled up inside. He needs to feel it, the brunt of her anger, her grief because he doesn’t understand his own. He doesn’t feel entitled to his own disordered emotions, but she deserves this. He deserves this, more than this." "“Jug, just come home, okay. We’ll figure it out,” Archie tries, standing in front of the bathroom door so no one can walk in on their moment, but Jughead is not in the mood for a foster brother hallmark moment with Archie Andrews." "He thinks he would do anything to keep her smiling, but he needs more practice. His track record this past week has not been great." "He didn’t know why he ended up being the one holding them all together, but he was honored that he could, terrified but proud that his arms could reach wide enough." "The universe is not as indifferent as it would have Archie believe. For Archie, there is no such thing as coincidence, and he would do anything to prove it." "Gutter water seeps through the canvas of his hi-tops, and he spreads his legs out along the blacktop to avoid the worst of the puddles. He shifts his shoulders to get more comfortable with his hands cuffed behind him, accidentally knocking into Betty." "“Teenage nightcrawlers? Don’t you have anything better to do on a Friday night?” “Oh, you know, date night.” The officer snorts at that, and Jughead smirks but feels Betty’s sneaker digging into his ankle." "Her lips muffle the last syllable, and Jughead feels all the blood drain from his brain at the same time every nerve ending in his head short circuits with a shower of sparks." "Veronica is a good conversational fisherman, but Betty is learning the moves. First, she throws bait about Archie, something shiny and eye-catching but expected, then she casts something living, squirming, something Betty will struggle to wrap her head around." "There are lingering hotspots on her body where his hands touched her, and she doesn’t make it through the door before he has her again, making sure those hotspots stick." "He is touching her in places other boys have, Archie particularly, but it feels different, worlds away from the platonic natural affection of her oldest friend. It feels like he has been wanting to touch her like this for a while, that he was only waiting patiently for her approval." " What crooked things could be hidden behind that reverent smile, the one he saves just for her?" "Her math test starts in thirty minutes, but she isn’t sure she will make it that far before her mother, probably stalking the streets of Riverdale right now, lassos Betty into the station wagon and hogties her in her bedroom for the remainder of Betty’s young life." "Her shower lasts twenty minutes, half of which is spent with her forehead pressed to the tile as she turns the dial closer and closer to the tiny red sun." "She says all of this so quickly as if all her thoughts were backed up inside her and someone just pulled the drain plug. Jug tries to play catch up with her train of thought, but it’s her turn to scramble his head again with another thankful kiss." "He always preferred the corner slot at Thanksgiving because it gave him better access to more side dish options, but this year Fred assigns him a seat to show him how to carve the turkey. " "He feels the need to insert himself between Alice’s judgments and Betty’s anxieties, feels the need to defend himself, always, for being the one Betty chose, and it still stings that Alice doesn’t find him worthy." "When he finishes the breast meat, he offers the knife and fork to Jughead, prompting him to stand at the head of the table with him. Jughead isn’t sure why this gives him crippling stage fright. He has known each person at this table, except Veronica, since he could barely walk, and maybe that is why. Carving the turkey for his family, for the family he chose, or more accurately that chose him, he feels the need to show he can walk. He can act."
This iteration of Jughead has been a confusing character to write for me sometimes, and I want the readers to be equally as conflicted about him. He is such a good boyfriend in so many instances, but then it’s always there in the back of the head that he has some very unhealthy habits with Betty.
I’m really glad that came across, too, the differences between when Betty asks him to hurt her here and in a few chapters when Jughead asks Betty to take control. Here it is because Betty wants to be punished, but in chapter seven, it is because Jughead needs to be centered by dom!Betty through their play as well as know that Betty loves him anyway, despite whatever he does that he thinks and feels is wrong.
Unlike Mrs. Klump, right? Going after Fangs in canon with a gun. Damn woman, but grief makes us do crazy things.
That “no one steals from the poor” line is actually from a personal experience from, wow, more than ten years ago now. My high school best friend lived in a trailer park, and leaving her home once, she left it unlocked. I was scared about someone breaking in, and she delivered that line. It still comes back to me even now.
Sorry, I'm going to respond to each one because I think if you are kind enough to take the time to let me know what you think, it's only right to respond. But more than anything, I really love your takes on everything. It's great encouragement, so thank you :)
Comment on the devil's daughter
redcirce on Chapter 4 Thu 15 Oct 2020 04:58AM UTC
Comment Actions
meditationonbaaal on Chapter 4 Sat 17 Oct 2020 06:16PM UTC
Comment Actions