[ Not the question he expected. Somehow it's almost harder to answer this one, even though he's shared it before-- but no one's ever actually asked him.
Weird. Hearing that from Jughead, hearing it at all. Reggie doesn't disagree, nothing about how his parents have raised him has impacted his ability to develop a strong sense of self-esteem -- just something of an inferiority complex and the proclivity to overcompensate -- but that doesn't mean he ever really anticipates sympathy. And usually that's fine, because Reggie hates feeling pity, but this isn't that, either.
He doesn't reply for a while, but taps at the keys occasionally just so Jughead knows he's still there, that he hasn't abandoned the conversation, but what the hell do people say to things like that? ]
[ Jughead doesn't do pity. Avoiding pity used to be one of his strongest motivators to not talk to people about whatever shitty thing he was going through and that hasn't really changed. People mean well but in the end it always feels like he has to comfort them or pretend that whatever golden solution they've cooked up is actually something he's willing to do and if that's the case, he might as well not bring it up. He figures Reggie might be in a similar position. ]
yeah.
[ He continues to type. This was awhile ago now and it feels only fair to elaborate a bit - Reggie's shit is ongoing, his has been over for almost a year. ]
closet at riverdale high. before that, projector booth at the drive-in, until they tore it down.
don't tell betty, I'm pretty sure she still doesn't know.
[ Yeah, it's pretty much the same for Reggie. Pity makes him feel weak, it grates and humiliates him, and it doesn't solve anything. Maybe it's a moot point, too, in a way, because when he does mention it people tend not to say anything. Just being acknowledged at all is kind of... something. ]
sure dont sweat it its not like me and betty talk that much anyway Im not just gonna randomly bring u up
[ Truthfully it's more the kind of thing Reggie would fling out casually and cruelly during a fight or to make a point rather than "tell" anyone, or at least... the kind of thing he would have done a year ago.
Still, it's useful to know, just in case. He's not always the best at keeping secrets when he doesn't know they're still secrets. ]
fyi i dont care if u tell anyone or not nick and ronnie already know and betty doesnt yet but she will so like it doesnt matter
I'm not going to bring it up w anyone. that's your thing to talk about.
[ This could so easily end here. They've touched on the important stuff, tested the waters, figured some shit out. Had an actual, real, personal conversation about stuff that isn't weird porn. That's a big fucking win when it comes to them but Jughead still feels a need to cement something that's been nagging at him. These Riverdale kids suck at talking to each other. He doesn't want to contribute to that bad habit if he can help it. ]
and if you want to hang out or talk or whatever, it wouldn't be the worst.
[ They do suck at it, and Reggie has been trying to make more of an effort nowadays since they're really all each other has. That and he's learned it doesn't always suck, actually, to vent a little and be heard.
Reggie never has trouble making himself heard in general, frankly it's usually harder just to get him to shut up, but about certain things? Certain things don't even come up, because that either people will care way too much, or not at all. ]
lol talk about what tho? what can u and me possibly have to talk about is there anything?
[ ... Yes, but Reggie isn't gonna be the one to bring it up. ]
but sure yeah same to u we can hang out or talk about whatever
[ Jug knows there's something and even more so he knows that Reggie knows there's something. If he could deny that fact he wouldn't have started this conversation in the first place and while he still wouldn't necessarily call them friends they're something.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
does your dad hit you
no subject
yeah sometimes
not like every day or anything
no subject
you deserve better than that
no subject
Weird. Hearing that from Jughead, hearing it at all. Reggie doesn't disagree, nothing about how his parents have raised him has impacted his ability to develop a strong sense of self-esteem -- just something of an inferiority complex and the proclivity to overcompensate -- but that doesn't mean he ever really anticipates sympathy. And usually that's fine, because Reggie hates feeling pity, but this isn't that, either.
He doesn't reply for a while, but taps at the keys occasionally just so Jughead knows he's still there, that he hasn't abandoned the conversation, but what the hell do people say to things like that? ]
yeah
thanks
did u rly live in a broom closet
no subject
yeah.
[ He continues to type. This was awhile ago now and it feels only fair to elaborate a bit - Reggie's shit is ongoing, his has been over for almost a year. ]
closet at riverdale high. before that, projector booth at the drive-in, until they tore it down.
don't tell betty, I'm pretty sure she still doesn't know.
no subject
[ Yeah, it's pretty much the same for Reggie. Pity makes him feel weak, it grates and humiliates him, and it doesn't solve anything. Maybe it's a moot point, too, in a way, because when he does mention it people tend not to say anything. Just being acknowledged at all is kind of... something. ]
sure dont sweat it
its not like me and betty talk that much anyway
Im not just gonna randomly bring u up
[ Truthfully it's more the kind of thing Reggie would fling out casually and cruelly during a fight or to make a point rather than "tell" anyone, or at least... the kind of thing he would have done a year ago.
Still, it's useful to know, just in case. He's not always the best at keeping secrets when he doesn't know they're still secrets. ]
fyi i dont care if u tell anyone or not
nick and ronnie already know
and betty doesnt yet but she will so like
it doesnt matter
no subject
I'm not going to bring it up w anyone. that's your thing to talk about.
[ This could so easily end here. They've touched on the important stuff, tested the waters, figured some shit out. Had an actual, real, personal conversation about stuff that isn't weird porn. That's a big fucking win when it comes to them but Jughead still feels a need to cement something that's been nagging at him. These Riverdale kids suck at talking to each other. He doesn't want to contribute to that bad habit if he can help it. ]
and if you want to hang out or talk or whatever, it wouldn't be the worst.
no subject
Reggie never has trouble making himself heard in general, frankly it's usually harder just to get him to shut up, but about certain things? Certain things don't even come up, because that either people will care way too much, or not at all. ]
lol
talk about what tho? what can u and me possibly have to talk about
is there anything?
[ ... Yes, but Reggie isn't gonna be the one to bring it up. ]
but sure
yeah
same to u
we can hang out or talk about whatever
no subject
Maybe he needs something. Maybe they both do. ]
alright. I gotta go do damage control.
see you around, mantle.