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In retrospect, he really should have known better.
In retrospect, it's fucking obvious, honestly.
But at the time nothing is making sense anyway so Jason Blossom offering to give him a ride home at 2 am from Pop's barely ranks on the scale of what is his life.
It's awkward silence at first and the music on the radio isn't helping.
Jason smiles, "What kind of music do you like?"
He laughs awkwardly, "Uh, jazz?"
And then cringes because he phrases it like a question and how embarrassing can you get.
But Jason fixes the mega watt Blossom smile on his as he shifts, "Jazz? You are full of surprises."
And he knows Jason is dating (?) Polly Cooper. Or at least he knows Polly Cooper thinks they're dating but he thinks Jason might be flirting with him.
Jason does manage to find a jazz station but it takes forever.
"I'm startling to feel like you got lost just to keep me in the car."
"Would I do that?", Jason smiles.
If he were Betty Cooper or Midge, probably.
But Jason does find his house eventually.
"Hey, Jughead.", he calls leaning over the seat to stick his head near the passenger window. "I'll see you around!"
They go to the same school. It doesn't mean anything.
(His heart is pounding anyway.)
In retrospect, he'd gone to the same school as Jason for the last ten-ish years and never heard Jason use his name before that night.
But he's not thinking about anything other than finding another way to turn Ethel down.
And if the next three times he goes to Pop Tates he runs into Jason, well, he's too busy staring to realize that can't be a coincidence.
It's one of those long meandering drives home when Jason kisses him for the first time. He's not sure sparks fly but it's nice, he supposes. Jason does something with his teeth that feels weird and kind of makes him gasp.
But he's not sure he gets the fuss.
But they haven't gotten any further than some furtive kisses in Jason's car in the alley.
He thinks Kevin knows, he's seen Kevin give him some really concerned looks when Jason walks past.
He works up the nerve finally, heart pounding in his throat, cheeks flushed, to ask Jason to come in, maybe, watch a movie?
"Like Netflix and chill?", Jason says with a smirk.
He pauses. That's what he wants right? He's watched enough porn to have an idea how this is supposed to work.
"Yeah, like Netflix and chill.", he says finally.
Jason nods, slowly, "Yeah, sure.", and this smile is different, slow and sexy. He swears he's seen that smile in porn.
He's 15 and he's nervous because he's a virgin and he's nervous because it's Jason Blossom. That's why he's nervous.
They end up watching a bit of the new Batman show sprawled on his bed, and Jughead is resting his head on Jason's shoulder.
Jason's hand slides up his face, "C'm'here."
And he pulls himself up and lets Jason kiss him. It's still weird, the feeling of someone else's spit slick lips against his but he likes being around Jason so much, it's still hard to even put into words.
Is this what love feels like?
He tenses when Jason's hands push up under his shirt.
"Hey, relax, Juggie.", Jason whispers, between slow, sweet kisses. But he can't.
"Hey, I have an idea." And Jason rummages through his bag and pulls out a two-six. "You just need to relax."
It doesn't work.
"I'm sorry.", he mumbles, "I'm just not..."
He's not sure how to finish that sentence. He wants to date Jason, yeah. Objectively he's interested in the idea of Jason being naked, of Jason experiencing pleasure. He's just not sure where he fits in that.
"Christ. Kevin would have put out by now.", Jason mutters.
That feels like Jason hit him, "What?", he manages to choke out.
"You're frigid, Jughead. Cute but frigid."
And he's just ... stunned. As Jason drags himself off the bed, long and slow like he's stretching.
"I'll see you around.", Jason says like every time when he drops Jughead off but there is a cruel twist to his lips and coldness to his voice.
In retrospect it's fucking obvious as Jason makes the briefest of eye contact with him as he walks by with his football buddies.