I need someone in the show to bring up how similar Agent Drake looks to a fem!Jughead. Please. For the lovely Betty chaos that isn't super traumatizing for her
If we're lucky, one of the characters will make a comment about it. You know, the same comment as about Betty's haircut. So I'm not expecting anything here, sorry.
Betty will “open up to Agent Drake about her ability to see auras.” It’s unlikely that this will be a “just because” conversation. It seems more likely that Agent Drake, an expert on supernatural phenomena, will offer some valuable insights about Betty’s new skillset and how to best use it.
Drake’s help aside anyone up for the ship Cooper-Drake.
Dear Anon, I actually received another message along these lines last week, so it appears you've got some company aboard the E/V (exploration vessel) Agent Drooper!
Where there's two, there's likely more. Although I'm hopelessly devoted to Bughead, I also wouldn't mind seeing Agents Cooper and Drake enjoy a fling (imo, Agent Drake seems like she'd avoid forging lasting ties to Riverdale residents, lol). And goodness knows, Betty deserves better than what she's getting from her current partner...
Anyhoo, I'd encourage you go ahead and write a story for the ship, if you're so inclined. If you end up doing so and let me know you did, I'd read it. 😊
I'm also putting it out there to those who might be reading this—anyone up to write a fic or create other content for this pairing?
Hey bestie! Thanks for the ask and sorry for taking ages to get to it.
This piece is really long, so I'll put it under the cut: But long story short, it's set after Betty kills TBK in the musical episode.
I hope you enjoy <3
“Betty? What’s going on?” Drake asked into her phone, pulling it from her ear and hastily rechecking the caller ID.
She hadn’t left things in the best place with the other Agent, with her spontaneous questioning earlier intensifying the already uncomfortable mood between them. After leaving the casino she’d been certain she wouldn’t speak with her unrequited crush until they returned to work after the weekend- by which time she would have planned out her apology.
She hadn’t left things in the best place with the other Agent, with her spontaneous questioning earlier intensifying the already uncomfortable mood between them. After leaving the casino she’d been certain she wouldn’t speak with her unrequited crush until they returned to work after the weekend- by which time she would have planned out her apology.
That was why now, finding herself talking with Betty two whole days before expected, she felt as though the blood was draining from her body.
“There’s been a new development in the TBK case,” she said, her voice calm, unwavering, “Would you be able to come over to my place?”
Drake ignored the rush of butterflies that began fluttering in her stomach upon hearing those words, pushing the unwarranted thrill they sent down her spine aside and standing up.
“Yeah of course, I’ll be there in ten.”
And with that, she heard the sudden beeping noises indicating that her co-worker had hung up.
…
Maintain distance, be respectful. She’s probably straight.
The whole drive over, Drake repeated these words to herself like a mantra, praying that once she arrived, she’d be able to find the will to keep distance between them. She’d never considered herself a romantic person, but something about the blonde left her feeling flustered, disoriented, as if she’d spun around in circles and been asked to walk in a straight line.
When she arrived, she found Betty’s house brightly lit, with what sounded like muffled yelling emanating from within the walls. A small part of her was begging to walk away, jump back in the car and return to her apartment for a night of TV. But another part could sense that for whatever reason, her friend needed her.
As she approached the door the sounds of a confrontation became clearer.
“What else was I supposed to do? He tied you up, mom.” She heard Betty scream.
Drake’s blood ran cold. TBK? In the house?
Against her better judgement, she pressed her ear to the red timber to listen.
“Sometimes I wonder whether you have a heart. You know I can’t believe I raised you to be so stupid! I could have been killed!”
In that moment, Drake figured she had heard enough. Her heart ached for Betty, all the tales she’d told her about her mother’s cruelty seemingly playing out before her.
She lifted her hand to the door and knocked sharply.
It took a minute for any response, the voices inside quietening to an inaudible whisper before eventually, the door swung open.
Betty stood before her, looking flustered and still wearing the same sweater she had been earlier that day. Her hair was slightly tousled- in a cute way, not a messy way- and, as she was holding a gun.
“Hey,” Drake said awkwardly, “You called.”
The other woman closed the door behind her as she wordlessly stepped inside, gesturing for her to pass over her leather jacket so she could hang it on a nearby coat stand.
“Yeah,” She replied, her voice carefully neutral. You’d never be able to tell the state of fury she was in mere moments beforehand. “I’m sorry if you had to hear any of that.”
Drake figured the best play here was to feign ignorance.
“No, nothing at all.”
Betty cast her a tight-lipped smile that was equal parts gratitude and incredulity. It made the butterflies in the Agent’s stomach do somersaults, and she swallowed, trying to hide her nerves.
She led her into the kitchen, where Alice paced backwards and forwards, anger radiating from her. On the opposite side of the room, Charles sat on a stool, watching the scene with a dutiful expression on his face.
When she walked in, he gave her a knowing smirk, causing her to blush and look down.
“Jillian,” he said coyly.
“Charles,” she responded.
Drake bit her lip, suddenly feeling outnumbered. Her relationship with Betty was on thin ice, she’d only known Charles for a day and Alice was staring at her as though she was an intruder- none of these people were likely to have her back in a confrontation!
She swallowed. “So, what’s going on?”
“While we were at SlaughterCon, TBK broke into the house. He tied up Charles and mom in here, and prepared this, fancy dinner, in the garage. When I got back, he tried to make me sit down with him, and well, it’s probably better if you see for yourself.”
Suddenly, Drake felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach as she followed the blonde through a door down the hall.
Immediately once she entered the garage, she was his with the smell of rotting meat, motor oil and a Sunday roast- the scent nearly made her gag but she plastered on a blank expression.
“Over here,” Betty said.
In the corner of room, where the other Agent was gesturing, was the corpse of TBK, a bullet wound directly through his chest with ruby red blood seeping out from it, staining the tiled floor.
“He told me-“ for the first time that day, she heard Betty’s voice waver, “he told me that I’d either have to sit down to dinner with him, or shoot him with my dad’s gun. I chose the latter.”
For a second, Drake was speechless. She didn’t know what to say. Should she give her condolences? Say congratulations? Or simply offer to help dispose of the body.
In the end she settled on, “Are you ok?”
She watched the other woman’s face change with the question. She’d spent enough time acting as her “impromptu therapist”, as they’d liked to call it, to know that Betty Cooper put up a facade- and that no matter how she appeared to be reacting on the surface, there was usually a lot more going on inside her head.
With the distance that had formed between them she was fully expecting her to lie.
“Honestly? I’m not sure right now,” she admitted.
Drake was. She could see the fear, the guilt, clear as day in her eyes. But she didn’t press.
“What can I do to help?” She asked instead.
Betty exhaled deeply before taking a step towards the doorway.
“If you could grab some gloves and help me get rid of this food, then get the body to the morgue, that would be great.”
She smiled, pleased to have been given a concrete task, “Always happy to help.”
…
A few hours later, the two women stood, staring at the corpse of the serial killer, lying on a bench in the morgue.
“Job well done, Drake,” Betty said, eventually turning around and pulling her gloves off, “Thank you so much for your help. I didn’t know if you wanted to after…”
She trailed off, looking down.
“Betty, I just wanted to apologise. For being unprofessional, confessing my feelings, and then making things weird again this afternoon. Honestly, if you want me to transfer out of Riverdale, I’d completely understand.”
The blonde looked up, her green eyes searching the other agent’s face in a way that made Drake feel both vulnerable and exhilarated.
Eventually, she said, “I’ll admit, you caught me off guard, but in hindsight, I should have seen it coming a mile away,” she replied, “And I won’t pretend that I don’t feel something when I see your face. I’m honestly just confused as to what that is.”
The blonde choked back a laugh, and Drake could see tears brimming in her eyes. She wanted to reach out and grab her hand, but managed to resist the urge.
“That’s ok. How you’re feeling is ok.” She said gently, “I’m still figuring my own feelings out too. I think we all are.”
Betty stepped forward, brushing her hand with the brunette’s. Drake’s mouth suddenly felt dry, and she swallowed nervously.
“Maybe we can do it together?”
“Yeah. Yeah, that sounds nice.”
...
Thank you if you read all of this! Comments and reblogs appreciated.
here's my situation: i'm not a barchie, or bughead. i'm honestly a little confused by ships and am not 100% sure of what i like.
i will say tho, i love your takes on the betty/drake situation, and you're right, there is a double standard. thanks so much for talking about this! your insight has been great to read
Thank you for stopping by, Dear Anon! I'm glad to hear that what I've posted about the subject has resonated with you. The show's treatment of Jillian Drake (e.g. how they've used her character, how other characters like Veronica responded, etc.) has been really disappointing. There wasn't a need to use her character in this way. If they just wanted to have an outsider's perspective or a way to bring about the BA scenes, they easily could have—and should have—kept things entirely platonic, especially since poor Betty could really use a wise friend right now.
You'd think they'd know better after being called out in the past for queerbaiting and problematic treatment of LGBTQ+ characters. It's hard to imagine that no one in that writers' room noticed issues with this storyline as written. I can only hope they don't do Agent Drake any dirtier than they've already done in the five remaining episodes of the season, and that they send her off on a high note. I guess we'll see how it goes.
