♡ reggie . 

_{“ don’t act like you’re not enjoying the free show, cooper. ”  he’d thrown out the blase remark before he’d even stopped to think about it, and reggie fought to keep his smirk from falling into a frown. so easy to put up the usual obnoxious front, to be thoughtlessly cocky, arrogant. the jock shook his head hard, to dispel those pointless thoughts ( he was an asshole, this wasn’t news to anyone — least of all him ), then cast a curious eye in betty’s direction.}

_{it was all he could do to hide the way his breath hitched.}

_{betty had always been beautiful. Reggie had always scoffed to himself when the girls would whisper about how plain the blonde was, because clearly, they’d never actually looked at betty cooper. and right then – flushed from her shower and maybe just a little embarrassment ( or something else, a little more fun ), hair loose and still damp, wash-worn sweater hanging down over her hands? reggie really didn’t stand a chance.}

_{feeling his sudden flush spreading down his chest, reggie was quick to fumble with his t-shirt, struggling for a moment to get it over his head and yank it down to cover himself, grimacing at the way the fabric clung. any other time and he’d have relished in the effect that would undoubtedly have on betty, but not when he was about to be subjected to a family dinner with mr. and mrs. cooper — because there really was no way to refuse alice once she’d set her mind on something. reggie had to grab for the borrowed jeans when they slipped down his hips a little more, huffing in frustration. he should’ve asked to borrow a belt as well.}

_{“ uh, hope your parents won’t mind bare feet, ‘cause my sneakers are like, soaked. ”  reggie didn’t think mrs. cooper would mind ( he was praying that he was still that nice young man who’d helped carry her groceries inside and clean the gutters after hal had thrown his back out ), but betty’s father was another story entirely. reggie had never managed to make a good impression on the man, and he didn’t think wearing his son’s clothes without shoes at his dinner table would help with that. reggie’s stomach growled, and he wrapped his arms around it, smiling sheepishly. “ so, what’d your mom make? ”}

               _{Betty smiled, keeping it to herself. She could still feel the blush from before like a sunburn} soaking _{into her skin, though, thankfully nowhere as painful.} “ _{I’ll get you a belt on the way downstairs.} ” _{She dutifully kept her eyes off the contours off his chest, outlined through his –– Chic’s shirt, but even then, could hardly stop herself from quietly noting that there probably wasn’t a freaking thing Reggie couldn’t pull off. It was just an observation, like noticing that the sky was a different shade of blue in Summer, or stating that blind-baking a pie was the devil. Nothing to it.} Nothing_{. Just one friend, noticing how} hot _{formally attractive another friend was.} 

_{She brushed her bangs out of her eyes and behind her ear neatly.} “ _{You think my mom wants you leaving trackprints like a villain out of Scooby Doo?} ” _{The question came with the rhetorical raise of both brows and an ironic quirk of her lips. Her mom could be pretty strict about dinner rules when it came to them in front of guests, but there was no} DOUBT _{in Betty’s mind that she wouldn’t say a thing to Reggie except that he really ought to come over more ––– like before. Betty would silently agree ––– or maybe} not so silently_{. Her dad would likely pop a blood vessel before the night was over but… that wasn’t her problem.} 

_{Unless dinner took a turn. Then she’d have to have a serious talk with him. She was} not _{looking forward to that.} 

_{But Reggie wasn’t} the bad guy _{everyone made him out to be. Hell, the bad guy} he _{made himself out to be. It had taken Betty some time to learn that, just like her dad would, if he looked past the exterior… and wasn’t that what they’d always taught her? To judge others based on what was on the} INSIDE_{, rather the outside ––– or if, she could help it, not at all?} 

_{Out on the landing, she took a quick detour and returned with the belt.} “ _{Mom made… baked mac and cheese, salad… and grilled chicken.} ” _{She’d probably start fussing on Reggie the moment he stepped into the kitchen, in so many ways the archetypical next-door-mom… something on which she} thrived_. 

_{Lo and behold, the second they stepped forth, Betty was chopped liver, watching as Reggie was embraced and then tutted over. She made a face when her mom remarked that Reggie needed a haircut ––– she kind of} liked _{the way his damp hair fell into his face… it gave him a} softer _edge. 

_{Finally pulling away, she instructed them to set the table ––} “ _{Reggie, dear, help yourself to whatever drink you’d like from the fridge} ” _{–– and went off to gather her husband.} 

“ _{I’m just warning you. Mom might try to adopt you. Don’t sign anything she gives you… just in case.} ” _{She winked.}