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all-of-the-imagines-for-eve · 3 years

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United We Stand ~ S. (part 1)

A/n: Finally got started on the next series I'm rewriting! Finished with Jughead, onto Sweetpea. Hope yall enjoy!

Word Count: 6400+

MASTERLIST

Alena Sawyer was a loser. It wasn't something she was ashamed of, it was just fact. She didn't have many friends and the popular kids always rolled their eyes when she got closed to them or they had to interact with her. She had gotten her fair share of shoulder checks from the cheerleaders in the hallways, and the Bulldog boys either ignored her or laughed at her. It was Riverdale, it wasn't like she was being bullied or anything. She was still a Northsider, and the really nice people like Betty Cooper and Archie Andrews were pleasant to her. That didn't mean she didn't have friends though, or spend lunches hiding in the back of the library. By herself.

It was probably because she was quiet. Or maybe because she was kind of average in a school full of bold and bright so striking it blinded you to the people who... weren't. Alina didn't have Veronica's striking, dark beauty or even Betty's bright pastel softness. She didn't have the hard lines that made up Archie's jaw and shoulders, or the dark curls that danced across Jughead's forehead. She didn't even come close to Cheryl's striking red hair and the power she moved around with.

Alena was just... Alena. Light brown hair and grey eyes. She was shorter than a lot of the Riverdale population, and often got lost in a crowd because of it. She didn't have signature colors or a voice that calmed your nerves or a smile like honey or a spark in her eyes. She had charcoal smeared on her face, and pencil smudged on her hands and arms, and paint on her clothes. She daydreamed a lot and was smart enough to get by despite it.

The closest thing she had to a friend was Jughead Jones, and that had only happened when Archie had left Jughead hanging one Summer, when they were supposed to go on a trip. Jughead had ended up on Pop's, which was loud and crowded during Summer. They had ended up in the same corner - the only one that was quiet. It had happened again and again, several days in a row, until they'd eventually had to share the same booth when all the others were full. Alena had offered and Jughead had smiled in appreciation. They existed around each other peacefully enough, but didn't know each other well or even talk.

The one thing Alina could claim to be special about her was that she was an exceptional example of what every adult whished their high schooler would act like. she didn't cause drama or gossip. She was a listener, and even when she was zoned out she had a knack of being able to passively save what was happening in her mind so she could reference it if asked a question. She got good grades because she turned all of her stuff in on time and paid enough attention in class to know the basics, even if she had to google stuff here and there. She was pleasant enough to sit near; she wouldn't bother you or eat loudly or interrupt you. Other high schoolers saw her as painfully boring, but adults absolutely loved her.

She was easy to deal with, to put it easily. She didn't require help or attention. That unfortunately also meant that no one did pay much attention to her, and if she wasn't getting judged or dismissed, she was often getting completely ignored. It was something she quite enjoyed actually. No one could mess with you or ruin your day if they didn't notice you. It was peaceful - something almost impossible in Riverdale.

Her peace shattered when Southside High shut down and her school suddenly didn't have enough room to hide in. It had always seemed too small, but now it felt impossible to be alone. Day one and Alina already found herself unable to hide in the library during the mornings because there was a bunch of kids in the back where she usually hid, trying to dodge the Serpents who were supposed to come today.

That was how Alena had found herself in the main hallway as Cheryl strutted down the stairs, face set and blazing as she made her way toward the Serpents, Reggie Mantle at her side. Alena leaned against the wall, her arms crossed over her chest as she watched the commotion from a distance. She had known that the little welcome wagon was going to go wrong the second she'd seen it set up this morning, but actually seeing it go wrong was something else entirely. It was horrible. She wished it would go quiet again. She wished everyone would just get along.

Her eyes moved across the crowd, landing first on Jughead. They hadn't talked much since school had started again, and when his dad had gone to jail and he'd been transferred to the Southside, they had lost touch completely. Seeing him again was nice, and she found herself sort of drifting closer. She could go on all day about how she loved the peace and quiet of being alone, but she didn't like the loneliness itself and it had been nice to have somewhat of a friend for once.

It was easy to move around the group, sliding silently along the wall as she ended up across the hall from the Serpents, watching the showdown as she waited for her turn so she could talk to Jughead. Her eyes eventually drifted to Cheryl, where a small scowl was pulled to her face. Deep disapproval curved her features as she bit back what she was thinking. She didn't need the wrath of Cheryl Blossom on her back, or all of the people who were determined to hate Southsiders - even if the nonsensical loathing was a waste of energy and time that Alena wished was being used productively.

There was a growing feeling on the side of Alena's face, and she tuned back into the real world and away from her thoughts as she realized someone was looking at her. She scanned the crowd again - this time trying to pin who it was. A task that was a lot easier than it might have been usually, as the person who was currently staring at her was ridiculously tall, towering clearly above almost everyone else in the hallway. It was one of the Serpents, his arms at his side, hands curled at his sides. His hair was slicked and dark, his eyes a grumpy brown. He had the face of someone who scowled a lot, but right now all he did was look at Alena, intrigue in his eyes.

He had been looking at her for about fifteen seconds before his attention was pulled back to the argument happening between the aggressive Northsider cool kids and the new Southsider students. His scowl, which had eased while being aimed at Alina, was deep now. It slipped into a glare as a comment that hit him the wrong way set him off and he surged forward. It looked like a fight was about to break out before Jughead caught him, and the tall boy stopped dead in his tracks. He silently seethed, but the fact that Jughead had been able to stop him dead at all was surprising to say the least. There was no way Jughead was stopping him physically - the short beanie boy couldn't have even if he wanted to. Alena might have had a better chance.

The thought of Alena taking on a Serpent as tall and broad as this one was so funny that she snorted quietly. Most of the kids in the hall ignored the quiet sound, but the tall Serpent didn't. "Something funny, Northsider?"

All eyes turned to Alena and she froze, eyes widening in surprise. She wasn't used to being looked at by this many people. "Uh..." She mumbled. Her nails dug into her arms as she felt anxiety rise in her throat from being put on the spot.

Cheryl smirked. "Alena, my dear." The red head pushed from the front of her little crowd and moved to Alena. Her arm went around Alena's shoulders and to say that the brunette didn't know what to do or say with Cheryl's bright red smile aimed at her in such a way was an understatement. "You seem like you're coming undone," Cheryl cooed. "How dare you talk to her like that? She wasn't doing anything to you."

Using the interaction as a way to villainize the Serpents further didn't sit right with Alena, and without meaning to she rolled her eyes and pulled from Cheryl's grasp. "Oh please," she scoffed. "Don't act like you actually care. It wasn't like he insulted me. He's in new territory being terrorized by your groupies and probably feels threatened. Which he should." Alena shook her head, her eyes moving away from the group as she mumbled to herself. She rarely filtered what she said, used to no one paying attention when she spoke. Now was no different. "Just because most Northsiders like to pretend that we're better than Southsiders because you're classist doesn't mean I'm going to let you make a part of that too." She scoffed again, this sound softer and full of amusement. Her eyes drifted back to the people around her and it occurred to her that they were all still listening.

Alena felt her throat close as every single pair of eyes was wide with shock. Alena had not only spoken up for the Serpents, but had dragged Cheryl Blossom and every single person that supported her. In fact, she had insulted every Northsider other than herself. She swallowed, and was only saved by Betty stepping forward and coming to the recuse. "Why don't we just give them a chance?" Betty asked, and everyone looked at her instead. Alena took the moment to slip away, racing as fast as she could without breaking into a run.

As she went though, the same Serpent watched her go. Sweetpea wasn't even distracted by Betty, or the argument that rose up again as Cheryl tried to take control back after the girl who was now fleeing the scene had verbally ripped the red off of her thrown with a few sentences.

Maybe there were some things that Sweetpea was going to really enjoy about the Northside.

“Hey watch out!” Sweetpea stopped short when the brunette girl from earlier that day popped up again. They had both swerved violently, barely missing each other as they'd been coming around a corner from opposite directions.

Alena's irritation pushed her eyebrows together. "I can't watch where I'm going from around a corner," she snapped back. Her voice was quiet though and if he wasn't paying attention he would have completely missed it. That surprised Sweetpea. He had a lot of nasty comments recently, but that wasn't what had Alena biting back at him. It had been his own rudeness and accusation that had driven her to make a pretty fair point, if he had to be honest.

"My bad." She looked up at with a raised eyebrow and they looked at each other before she shrugged and just turned away, continuing toward wherever she had been headed. He watched her for a moment before shaking his head and continuing to where he had been going as well. He didn't need to get involved with Northsiders, even if they were interesting. He had his hands full enough with Jughead.

He saw her the very next class though. He ended up sitting right behind her, and she didn't move or glare at him or act really awkward or anxious like everyone else did when he sat near them. Instead she completely ignored him, her eyes focused outside the window. It wasn't a cold shoulder like he'd seen before, just disinterest. Something he had seen a lot in Southside High - not judgement or hate or any of the other hateful emotions he'd experienced at this new school. What really took him by surprise was when she was called on later and snapped to attention, her eyes skimming over the board quickly before giving the answer.

The teacher sighed, obviously disappointed he hadn't been able to expose a student for daydreaming instead of paying attention. When he turned away she mumbled a, "Nice try though," under her breath. It was the first nasty thing he'd heard her say, and even that was full of smug amusement that sounded more like teasing than hatred. Sweetpea looked around the room, but no one seemed to have noticed what she'd said. It was a shame, as her attitude had actually been the funniest thing he'd seen all day. It managed to pull a smile from him and he had to struggle to push it down.

The next time he saw her was at lunch. She was grabbing her food right as a boy was shoved backwards and knocked into her. Sweetpea was too far to hear the comment she made, but her lips moved and her eyes rolled and he knew she was making one. The boy looked back at her for a second before giving some passive apology and she just turned away from him. He seemed to have been dismissed and went on his way, immediately forgetting her. After seeing numerous teenage boys drool over girls and use any reason to talk to them, it was a wild exchange to witness. He had seen it in Southside High, and Riverdale High all the same. What was it about Alina what had everyone's gaze sliding off of her so much?

It was the end of the day when he found her again. Unfortunately, it wasn't from a distance or passively - it was because her shoulder hit him in the gut as she was bumped into and stumbled. Their eyes locked and her gaze widened. "Uh- sorry-" She didn't seem terrified, just guilty. It was such a normal reaction that Sweetpea found himself unable to be angry at her.

“Just watch where you’re going next time,” he offered grumpily. “Maybe if you weren’t always daydreaming or looking at your feet?"

Her eyebrow rose, but it wasn't in the attitude she so often showcased. It was as if she had been taken by surprise. "I-" Her head tilted for a second before she looked away. "Fair enough." Then she continued on her way and Sweetpea found himself watching her go again. This time she did look back and when she caught him staring he looked away quickly, feeling his face burn. He tried to convince himself it was because he had been caught, and not because the smile that split her face at seeing him in the same place made his stomach twist.

There was a rage rising in Alena that stopped her dead when she saw the Serpent poorly spray painted across the Riverdale High symbol on the school's floor. Her eyes fell back and forth across it as she debated for a moment if the Serpents were really that stupid. Immediately she knew that they couldn't be. They were defensive and short tempered from what she'd seen, but that tall Serpent - whose name she had learned was Sweetpea - seemed chill enough. And Jughead was part of the Serpents now. He was a proud member. He wouldn't have been if they were truly moronic or liked to cause problems. This was something that Cheryl level of chaos brewing.

Just then Reggie walked up with the Sherriff and Principal Weatherby. Behind the adults trailed the Serpents who now went to Riverdale High, a look of confusion on their faces. If they hadn't given it away, a final blow came in the form of Reggie Mantle's cocky grin, shining only when he was faced away from the others. Immediately Alena knew what was going on and the glare that rose to Alena's face would have murdered him if looks could cause actual damage.

Without even thinking, Alene stepped into the argument, her eyes locking on Sheriff Keller’s. “Sheriff.” Eyes turned on her and all were surprised to see Alina standing there. Sure she was quick witted, but she never got actively involved in problems. In fact, she avoided them... except now she wasn't. "You know that the Serpents didn't do this," she accused. "They're just not that stupid. It would be like waving a gun around - no one would be that obvious. If they wanted to lash out like that it would be easier to just not come to school than actively start problems. As if they aren't facing enough as it is. Her arms crossed over her chest and her expression was hard and unyielding.

For a moment, Sherriff Keller actually seemed to consider it. "I think you may have a point Alena." She smirked, but it was immediately ruined by Weatherby exploding, going off about how his school was defaced and how it was a snake so it was obviously the Serpents and blah blah blah.

Alena went to protest, but the second she began speaking a hand wrapped around her shoulder. Alena looked over and felt the very blood in her veins go cold as she saw Cheryl standing there. Her nails were as red as her lipstick, and when she looked at Alena her eyes held a warning. "I'm sure she's just confused, Sherriff. We all know it was the Serpents, don't we Alena?" Her nails dug into Alena's shoulder.

In Cheryl's eyes was two options. Alena had already spoken out once, and it had resulted in more attention from the other usuals at Riverdale High - all negative. She had gotten tripped a few times. Things had gotten thrown at her - small but still startling. She had gotten her tray slammed to the ground and had her books stolen. PE had been a nightmare. Cheryl silently promised her it could either all go away... or it could get worse. Alena hung her head, eyes falling to her feet and she just waited for it to be over. The chaos continued, and not even Alena stepped in to try and stop it this time.

Sweetpea watched her, trying to get a read on this weird girl he didn't know how to feel about. He had noticed her torment for the last while, and was honestly touched that the backlash from her fellow Northsiders hadn't bee enough to get her to back down. It was only a threat from Cheryl that had gotten her to hold her tongue. Not even take back what she'd said, or support Cheryl, or apologize. Just stop talking.

Alena had guts, and it was bizarre to see a Northsider that did. One that had no connection to Jughead, and had never met a Southsider, but still treated them just like any other person. There was no obligation to do what she was doing, and she was even getting active social punishment, but she persisted anyway... Sweetpea wondered why. The curiosity killed him, enough to solidify his decision to stay at this school. No matter what happened, he wanted to learn more about the girl with her brown hair and grey eyes and blazing attitude and strong moral compass and firm sense of fairness.

He was invested now.

Sweetpea had been noticing Alena a lot since that first day. He slowly began to see her more and more as he actively sought her out. That increased even more when she had stood up for the Serpents against the Sheriff. His attention manifested in small ways. He would snap at someone who bumped into her, or would pick up something if she dropped it or it was knocked out of her hands. He held the door open for her, or laughed at her comments that everyone else missed. One day he found her hiding in the library before school and asked if he could sit with her. They ended up sharing a table, and continued to do so every single day before school.

They became... acquaintances. Most definitely more than any other south and northsiders were pulling off.

The rising connection between them reached a new level when Alina was late for their preschool coexist. She had always gotten there before him, so when he showed up and she wasn't there he immediately knew something was wrong. So he left the library, wandering the halls and keeping his eyes open. He spotted her in the parkinglot, slipping out of a car from the passenger side. Her face was red and puffy, tears still making tracks down her cheeks. Her head was down and she got immediately lost in the crowd. Even if he could have kept an eye out for her, she was small and moved through the crowd quickly, where his much bigger frame slowed him down a lot more. Especially because he was a Serpent, no one was willing to make it easier for him. Even covered in the blue and yellow Riverdale High colors, he was still an outsider and they would rather glare at him or actively get in his way than just let him go.

He stopped trying when she dipped behind a corner and he knew he wouldn't get there in time to know where she would go. So instead he looked back toward the car she had booked it from and saw that in the driver's seat there was an older man. He had the same light brown hair Alena did, but his eyes were a deep brown. His face was red and twisted, but it seemed he was more calming down from yelling than he was breaking down like Alena had been. Sweetpea figured the man was probably Alena's dad and wondered what they had been arguing about.

It was really none of his business, and he tried to keep that in mind as they went about the day. He saw her in all the usual places, but she was quiet and drained. Her shoulders slouched and her eyes glazed over a lot more. Now when a teacher called on her, she didn't have the answer. She didn't even try - she just shrugged in defeat. It was hard to resist as he realized he'd gotten a bit protective of the girl, and the idea that her dad had brought her to tears and upset her to such an extent that it affected her the rest of the day didn't sit well with him.

After school he walked out with Toni, Fangs and Jughead. He was lost in though, a scowl on his face, when a small body brushed by him. He looked over and sure enough it was Alena. Her head was down again and she had a death grip around the books she was holding. She looked exhausted.

Sweetpea's face set and he started after her. "Where are you going?" Fangs asked.

"Don't wait up for me," he answered, dismissing the question and moving away from them. He didn't wait for a response, keeping his eyes locked on Alena and speeding up when the crowd thinned. She was already outside of the gat and he didn't want to lose her again. God she moved fast. He had long legs though and caught up to her easily once he had the room to do so. “Alena!” He jogged a bit before finally closing the distance and slowing to a stop as she stilled, turning to look at who had called for her.

For a second she had a wide eyed look on her face; it seemed he had startled her, and his face donned a sheepish expression. For a second his mind flashed with a worry that she might be scared of him specifically, but that didn't make sense. She had been facing away from him and they didn't know each other well enough for her to recognize him by voice. When her features relaxed upon realizing who had said her name, Sweetpea knew that it wasn't him who had shaken her. She had, it seemed, been anxious about the idea of someone calling her name - the way she had jerked, like had been about to slap her, left no room for question - but it wasn't him.

He slowed as he reached her and she seemed to orient herself, relief melting away to make room for confusion. "Sweetpea?"

There was an odd rushing in his chest. "You know my name." He tried to play it off, his eyes narrowing and his head tilting slightly, a smile playing on his lips. He tried to seem playful and unthreatening. Teasing. Anything but the emotion that was bubbling in his gut when she smiled back at him.

Alena's eyes warmed and softened and Sweetpea felt like he had accomplished something. “Of course. Who doesn’t?” she asked, and Sweetpea noticed that her voice had been very tight before, almost squeaky. But now it was a smooth flow.

Sweetpea thought about her question for a moment though. "I mean, I thought I was less talk than maybe Jughead or Toni, if I'm being honest," he admitted. "What with Toni getting involved with Cheryl of all people and Jughead being some sort of traitor." They scoffed in amusement at the same time and he melted upon hearing her laugh off the idea of Jughead being a traitor same as he did. His ease shifted though as he realized she had settled her gaze just left of his eyes, not quite meeting him. His eyebrows came together. "Why do you do that?"

"Do what?" She asked, looking down at her hands suddenly.

He pursed his lips, considering. "You'll do this thing where you keep your head down a lot, or avoid looking directly at me - like just now. And at first I thought it was a me thing - a lot of Northsiders don't want to be around me or talk to me let alone meet my gaze. Like it'll send me into a frenzy or something. But I've seen you buckle in front of Northsiders too. But then you'll flip around and stand up for me and my friends, even against Cheryl Blossom. And you'll make the snarkiest comments under your breath in class and roll your eyes when no one is looking. Like everything annoys you, and you have strong opinions, but you're terrified of anyone else actually hearing them unless you literally can't hold it in anymore."

Her fingers danced around each other. "I think you answered your own question."

"But why?" He pushed.

She sighed, shrugging. "I was really bad at hiding what I thought and felt as a kid. In Riverdale that doesn't... last. Disagreeing with powerful people gets you into very bad situations. At least on the Northside."

That made sense. Hadn't Sweetpea seen that in action, up close and personal? "Fair enough." He slowly moved closer and when she didn't move away he closed the distance, taking the place at her side. "You're different."

He expected her to maybe panic - different seemed so bad on this side of Riverdale - but she just smiled. Shy, almost like it was a secret. "Thanks, Sweetpea." Her eyes raised again, but jerked to the side, still not making it to his face. For a moment he debated bringing up what had brought him over here, but then she asked before he could think of a conversation changer. "So did you come over here just to say hi or...?"

Well, here goes nothing. "I saw you get out of that car, with that man. You were crying." Her face darkened and her eyes fell to her feet again. It was like she was trying to work up to actually looking at him and every time she got upset, she would fall again and have to start over.

This wasn't like before though. Her eyes had widened and her skin was drained of color, her hands freezing as they squeezed each other until her skin changed color under the pressure. "I- well, it- you don't have to- we were just-" Her breathing was uneven and she closed her eyes, squeezing them shut as she tried to orient herself.

Sweetpea reached a hand out slowly, fingers brushing her shoulder for just a second, giving her the option to pull away if she needed space. He'd seen plenty of Serpents with anxiety and knew that some thought touch to be a grounding thing, and some thought it an upsetting thing, so he placed it as an option but not a requirement. She hesitated, but then didn't move away so he placed his hand more firmly on her shoulder. "Hey," he whispered. "You don't have to explain anything to me. I just wanted to know if you were okay."

Alena's eyes opened and she looked up at him, their gazes finally meeting. It was the first time it had happened in a one on one setting, and it felt much more personal than when he'd first gotten here and they had kept catching each other looking, or the accidental times when they'd sweep over the crowd and attention caught on the other person at the same time. Something seemed to melt between them and she relaxed again, her shoulders dropping and her eyes widening into a more natural expression. "You're different."

Sweetpea couldn't hold back a snort, his eyes closing as his chest jerked forward a little. When it passed he opened his eyes again, looking back at her and they were both smiling much more brightly. He let his hand drop away from her. "I should get to know you better," he stated, nodding as if it was some big conclusion.

"How do you figure?" Alena asked, tilting her head.

"Most Northsiders are the same," Sweetpea began explaining. "They have slightly different shades, but they're all the same color. They pretend to be nice and innocent and sweet and such but underneath they have this ugly, writhing thing that's made of something terrible. And instead of admitting it and trying to fix it or face it, they just... turn it on the first thing they can." He shook his head, suddenly scowling. It melted off when he looked at Alena again though. "You don't have that. You don't have that rotten middle and sickly sweet covering on top. You're just normal, in a way. You're quiet and under the radar, but if someone does see you they see all your weird facial expressions and hear all your biting comments. And none of it is... dangerous or anything. Like sometimes I hear Jughead talk about Archie and Betty and I feel like their dark sides some with sharp teeth and claws, but you're just... funny." It was a much more in depth explanation than he usually gave, but it came easily as Alena patiently waited for him to finish, soaking up every word and taking each one at a time.

Usually when people listened to you, it was only to form a response. They took what they wanted and then ignored all the rest. Alena didn't do that. Instead she seemed to soak in his entire sentiment, and deemed it both true and flattering. Her smile was gentler, like a beam of light through a thick cloudy sky. It fell on him and he realized that his stomach had tied into knots the second she'd made eye contact with him and had not undone itself. They just stared at each other for a moment, his eyes softening as time passed and her shoulders relaxing as she stayed in his presence.

He found himself getting lost in her eyes as the silence stretched. They were a silvery metal color, but speckled with vibrant green. It was beautiful. She seemed to see something in him too, but he didn't know what. "Maybe we should get to know each other," was all she offered. Before he could get too excited though, she turned away, beginning to walk the way she had been heading before. He easily kept up with her. "You might be disappointed though."

"I'll be the judge of that," he dismissed.

Alena sighed, shaking her head. "I don't really make friends."

"First time for everything," Sweetpea continued, unbothered.

"People don't usually like me," she continued anyway. She didn't want to tell him to go away, but there was a sadness to what she was saying too. Like she was watching him stare at fool's gold with shining eyes and wanted to warn him what it really was but was guilty of crushing his joy. The fact that she saw herself that way didn't sit right with Sweetpea.

He rose an eyebrow, looking at her with a smirk. "That a challenge?" He was unphased, not having to call her out to tell her that he thought she was wrong about herself. She looked back at him, meeting his gaze a lot easier than before. She seemed a mix of tired and doubtful, bordering on snarky. Even with her exhaustion she had an energy about her, as if meeting his confidence and surety and power with her own. He wondered how much of an impact she'd have if she wasn't so drained. Without her having to say anything, he just settled on, “Challenge accepted.”

She rolled her eyes and they went quiet, eventually reaching a point where their paths branched away from each other. But he saw her lips twitch in the corner the second she thought he couldn't see her anymore. When he turned toward home, he knew he'd made some kind of progress today. He hoped the smile he'd peeked before her face had been out of sight stayed on her face as much as the smile she'd give him stayed on his.

Jughead was in the room with the rest of the Serpents in his little club, trying to figure out what to do with the head now that they had it secured from the Junk Yard. “I was thinking about giving it to the Lodges.”

“Great idea Jug, but… how do you suppose we do that?” Toni inquired, boarding on sassy. “The second you walk anywhere near the place you'll be noticed and when they realized what's in the box it'll be traced back to us. I didn't think you were a fan of full out war with the Lodges."

He just sighed, looking back at her with an almost bitter expression. “I’ll deliver it the night of Veronica’s confirmation. She’s already accepting gifts and colorful, pretty boxes are expected-“

Toni rolled her eyes. “Delivered by some broke, shady looking teenage Serpent? Jug come on. They’ll peg you just by bias before-“

“I’ll do it.”

All eyes turned to the doorway, where a girls stood, sounding just as soft and small when she had spoken before as she looked now, standing in the doorway awkwardly. Someone began to laugh and Jughead raised a hand to silence them. "Alena?"

Alena's hands were clasped into fists at her side. “I’m usually…” Her expression contorted as she struggled with words, her eyes trained on the ground. Sweetpea pushed off of the table, arms falling to his side from where they'd been crossed over his chest before.

Jughead exchanged a look with Toni. “We know," was all he said.

Sweetpea didn't like that no one had shut down her offer yet. "I don’t think-" he began.

Alena jumped over him, her gaze locked on her hands as they moved quickly as she spoke. “No one will suspect me.” Her eyes up jerked from her hands to Jughead’s chest. “I’m small. Quiet. People ignore me easily enough at school and really in Riverdale ale as a whole." Her eyes swept to Sweetpea for a second and she actually smiled. As if thinking about him being the exception to that rule. When she looked back at Jughead, she met his eyes. Her body was tense and her words were awkward, but she seemed to be more confident. "The most that will happen is they'll notice the big shiny gift but then I'll tell them who it's for and they'll dismiss it. I'm a Northsider, no one will question me at all."

Her conviction had grown, and Toni was looking at Jughead as if she had already been convinced. "What do you say, Chief?"

Jughead actually looked at Sweetpea. The tall Serpent glared, not liking what he was about to say. The second they made eye contact though, a sigh slipped from him and the dark expression melted away. "She's right," he admitted begrudgingly.

Toni's eyebrows rose again. "Okay," she began with a false casualness, like she was trying to play off the wildest thing she'd ever seen. "Sweetpea gets behind a Northsider. I don't think we could get a stronger reason to trust her." She looked around the room but Sweetpea’s affirmation seemed to be having the same reaction across everyone as it had Toni. A widely agreed ‘sure’ was echoed.

Nodding, Jughead sighed again. He wasn't going to hesitate too much before but if everyone was in on it then he wasn't about to argue. “Okay then. Meet us after the confirmation and we’ll give it to you and you can give it to her.” Alene nodded, and the blazing determination in her eyes made him almost smile. If he had to put something like this in an outsider's hand, he wasn't regretful that it had to be her.

Dressed in a tan, long sleeved sweater and jeans the color of gravel, Alena showed up to the little corner that Jughead was waiting for her in. She didn't seem nervous but she wasn't looking at him again, her gaze instead watching the street around him. As there was no one to watch, it was obvious she was dodging his gaze and it made him hesitate just a little. "Why are you helping us?"

Alena shrugged. "I was passing by the room and heard you guys talking. You sounded upset - it wasn't like you did much to hide your nefarious plan." Her tone twinged with humor. "I like helping the Serpents." The way she said it sounded a little off. Like the statement was true, but there was a deeper meaning to it as well.

If Jughead said that answer didn't intrigue him he'd have been lying. "Why would you care about helping the Serpents, let alone be driven to do it?"

As if the question had offended her, she met his gaze in a snap, a fire blazing in her silver eyes - making the color swirl like molten metal. "I like you guys." The words were soft for the ferocity in his expression, leaving no more room for doubt. There was still something more. Something she wasn't saying that was an extension of what she had, but she wasn't lying at least. "You need my help. Stop asking questions when the answers don't matter.”

Jughead’s eyebrows came together but he pushed his curiosity aside for a second and handed the gift over to her. “Good luck.”

She smiled, turning away from him. “I won’t need it.” Watching her go, unsure what exactly to think about her, Jughead thought to himself that he could easily believe that.

#sweet pea #sweet pea riverdale #southside serpents #serpents #riverdale #jordan connor #sweet pea x oc #southside serpents x oc #riverdale x oc #jordan connor x oc

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all-of-the-imagines-for-eve · 3 years

Text

A Heart, A Brain ~ J.J. (part 2)(final)

A/n: I loved rewriting this so much oh my god. I hope you love reading as much as I loved writing!! This series featured a super toxic pairing and I hope that I fixed it. It feels better to me, let me know what you think!

Word Count: 5800+

MASTERLIST

After Jughead’s realization, the entire world seemed to turn on its head. Y/n came back to school, her emotions mostly under control but her awkwardness and anxiety active around Jughead for the first time ever. As if her stiffness had been a signal, Jughead began shy and displaced, as if being around Y/n had lost the ease he once had taken advantage of. Now everything was so hard and complicated for both of them and it was murder. For the first time, Y/n and Jughead were scrambling to keep the single biggest secret from each other, and neither of them knew how to hide something now that it had been revealed. Now that it had been said.

How did you pretend something wasn't there when it sat smugly in front of you?

For Jughead, it felt almost like a sin. You were the sun, and he was the moon. Both worked together, but he only shone when he was reflecting you. Otherwise he was just a piece of rock floating in the sky. He wasn't... special. You were special. He couldn't shake the idea that maybe you did deserve someone like Archie, even after the red head told him a million times he'd only said he liked Y/n to get Jughead to admit his feelings. It seemed cruel to Jughead, when it was so obvious to him that Y/n could never and would never like him back. How could she?

Y/n came from the angle that they were too close to each other. They had always been together, and knew everything about each other. Y/n had been there for most of Jughead's birthdays, and knew first hand why he hated them so much. They had seen each other's awkward phases and cringey obsessions. They were childhood best friends, and had spent very little time without being confident they could depend on the other. Wasn't there a point you just knew too much about a person? A point you'd been there too long? No art was still beautiful if you were looking at the individual strokes instead of how they came together. They saw each other under a microscope; how could that be a good thing? Betty tried to point out that Y/n was in love with Jughead despite all of this, but it did nothing to convince Y/n that Jug could feel the same.

What actually kept them at bay was the fear. They had found safety and comfort in each other. Home. Putting that at risk was terrifying, and since both of them were unsure, they'd leaned back on convincing themselves it was impossible.

Veronica was the one to come up with the next step. They'd lost track on which exactly they were on, but it was obvious the next thing they needed to do was convince the two that either there was hope, or that the risk was worth it. Unfortunately, talking down from strong feelings that refused to be ignored was something Y/n had perfected, so if they were going to get anywhere with this, it would have to start with Jughead.

Betty had taken this one, sitting down with Jughead and slowly pulling out his reason why he was so sure nothing could go anywhere with Y/n. He had broken even faster than they'd thought, which was saying quite a bit. Now he was looking outside the Blue and Gold office, watching the wind push and pull at the greenery outside.

"She's so amazing, Betty." He scowled. "And I'm..."

"Crazy smart?" Betty offered. "Loyal? Protective? Driven? Strong? Dependable? Kind? Accepting? Passionate? Talented?"

Jughead shot her a look. "Weird."

Betty raised an eyebrow. "And? We're all a little weird, Juggy."

That seemed to set Jughead off. "I'm not just a LITTLE weird Betty, I'm the goose in the duck nest, okay? I- I'm from the South Side originally, for starters. I mean I might have grown up in Riverdale, but both of my parents are staple South Side people. They belong there. There home is there, and even if they ended up here it doesn't mean that people don't look at me and think of the South Side. See some moody emo kid and see some creepy dangerous little weirdo. I mean, Reggie might have been the first person to accuse me of killing Jason but there was no way he was the first to think of it. I am a smear on the otherwise perfect canvas that is Riverdale High, and most people would love it so much better if I wasn't here at all."

"Y/n doesn't care about any of that," Betty shushed, a glare growing on her face.

Jughead breathed sharply out of his nose. "And then there's the fact that we're in high school. Those relationships never go anywhere, and usually when they do then it gets icky. You grow up and become new people and-"

"And your relationship changes, but your love doesn't," Betty interrupted. "Yes, most love fails. But that's because most love in high school is superficial. It's silly and underdeveloped. It's puppy love. Meaningless and nonsensical. You and Y/n are so different, Jug. It's real and full and large and strong. You're apart of each other. You mean everything to each other."

"Can you imagine what would happen if we got together? What it would be like if we failed? If we messed it up?"

Betty smiled. "If," she mused.

Jughead glared. "When," he corrected. Betty rose an eyebrow again and Jughead swallowed. "I... I want her in my life forever, B. There's something so easy about what we have right now. Familiar, simple. Why complicate it with love? Why mix it up with nonsense and new territory and chaos? I mean, there's something irreplaceable about friendship. She will always be my best friend. We will always have a special friendship, like you and me and me and Archie and me and Veronica. None of those are the same. Each one is vastly different and special and amazing, and don't overlap. Veronica is the person to go to when you want some information, or some fun. You go to Archie for someone who's going to help you, even if it's to hide a body. You're the one to go when I'm lost with someone. The person who asks the right questions and refuses to back down. Y/n is the one I go to when you need comfort and grounding and a gentle touch and a warm smile. I can't... replace that. But, people replace partners all the time."

A very tender look crossed Betty's face. "Juggy, you're not insignificant as a boyfriend. You're just as amazing. And I know that probably doesn't mean much coming from me, considering all we've been through. But... I mean it's like how I am with Veronica and Archie. The things that used to be special with Archie; the reasons I turned to him and feel in love with him. It's different than how it is with Veronica. Different love might have different flavors, but they're all the same kind of treat. It's like chocolate cake and vanilla. Some people prefer chocolate, or hate carrot cake or don't like cake at all, but it's still cake. There are some things I can't do with Veronica, because it reminds me of Archie. Some things I can do, but it's not the same because Veronica doesn't care about it like Archie did. Separation is hard, no matter what shape that love takes. But I've learned that if you are both willing to grow and change and adapt as you go, there's no love you can't fix. It's always hard, but never impossible. Always worth it though."

Jughead picked at his nails. He didn't want to say what he was really thinking. Betty could tell he was holding something back so she reached out, placing her hand over his. He looked up at her, and there was a tenderness in his eyes as he did so. "Betty I-" He closed his eyes, hanging his head.

"Go ahead," she encouraged. "Talk to me, Juggy."

Jughead sighed, pulling his hand from hers. "You know when I realized I liked you, it made so much sense." Betty's lips pressed together, uncomfortable with the subject change but knowing that Jughead brought it up for a reason. "Growing up, people seemed to see the world differently than me. Like they were watching a different movie, or living life with a different filter. Even Y/n... The questions I had. The things that irritated me. How hard I fought. My generally sarcastic, pessimistic disposition and the doom and gloom storm cloud that I tend to be in every social situation. Even Y/n... I mean we balance each other out a lot, but it's only because we're so opposite. She's warm and comforting and bright and positive and encouraging. I'm..." he shrugged. "I don't fit in, and neither does Y/n. Not really. But she could if she tried, and that really made a difference between us very early on. If not for me, she might have even been popular.

"You were the first person who got it," he finally concluded. "You were confused and intrigued by the same things I was. You fought for answers just as hard as I did. You were open minded and didn't care about reputation more than you cared about people. Someone gave you an easy answer and didn't just accept it like SO many people in Riverdale do. And... you understand darkness. You don't shy from it, even if it terrifies you."

Betty's eyes find Jughead's. "What's the point of this, Jug?"

Jughead sighed. "When I... when you..." He shook his head. "We had a really good thing going. Our group was solid and worked so well. You and me especially. It was amazing. When I made a move on you, it was never the same after that. You saw it with you and Archie when he realized how you felt. There's this slight distance. Slight hesitance. The way it was so awkward to be alone so long after that night, or the way that Veronica still pulls you closer whenever we get too close together or get too excited about something, as if seeing you engage with me and get close to me makes her nervous. Makes her need to remind me who you chose. There's that hesitance even now when you kiss Veronica, like it's going to hurt me. And I mean that was months ago, and I had a minor crush on you for like a week - I couldn't care less. If anything, seeing you happy is awesome. But that... space. It's still there, and in one way or another it will always be there. I mean, I don't know about you but I've seen the way that Archie used to look at Veronica when you two first started dating. Like he was realizing that..." He stopped, but he didn't have to say anything.

Veronica had long since called Archie out for being an idiot. He had turned down Betty because he saw her as perfect and unattainable, not because he didn't love her. When Veronica and Betty had started dating, Veronica had set Archie down after the red head had shot them jealous looks and had to swallow comments he knew he had no room to make. The Lodge girl was too good at spotting competition and too good at shutting it down as soon as possible. Things were fine and Archie had moved plenty on, but it had never gone quite back to normal. Not even between Veronica and Archie, who had their seven minutes in heaven and a few stolen looks and longing sighs before that as well. The only ones who had their shit together was Veronica and Jughead, and then Archie and Jughead, who'd never felt any attraction for each other.

Betty sighed. "And you're right, it's different-"

Jughead shook his head. "You don't understand, so much has already happened. Everything has already shifted so much just with you guys trying to get me to admit I like her, and then it spiraled completely when you were successful. Everything's weird now. Stiff and impossible and, just, OFF. I can't have this with her. She's my home. Losing that would... I would lose everything if I lost her. The easiness we have, it's the closest I've felt to any kind of family since my mom left. Even then, when my family was here we fought so often and struggled so much. Y/n is the only place I haven't had to struggle or fight or trek some uphill battle I'm eventually going to lose anyway. Everything else, everyone else, has been the bolder that Sisyphus was pushing up the hill, and I was the idiot stupid enough to keep trying when the bolder hit the bottom of the hill for the millionth time. With Y/n..."

When he grew quiet, Betty placed her hands on the table, interlacing her fingers. "Here's the question Jughead. The only one that matters. Do you want to spend the rest of your life pretending that you're fine with what you have now, and let it destroy you in the future? Or do you want to take the chance now and try for something new? Because you can't go back, and that's for the better. You were both suffering. And one day, she would have tried for a romance with someone else. Or you would have found someone who wasn't already dating someone else, and then the relationship would have crumbled as both of you agonized... So what you might have now may be familiar and easy, but at the potential of so much more - what you've both wanted for AGES, isn't a little risk worth it?" Jughead wouldn't look at her, especially once she added, "It may not have been worth it for me and Archie, but it was worth it for me and Veronica. It may not have been worth it with me, but I guarantee it'll be worth it with her."

Jughead didn't have anything to say to that.

It was days like today that denying his feelings for Y/n became absolutely unbearable. She sat across from him, reading a book as she slowly ate the fries and shake she’d ordered. Jughead had his computer out, trying to write and for the first time in a while being absolutely unable to. It wasn't that he had writer's block - Jason's case had brought out the endless inspiration that Jughead had never been able to access before. No, right now it was the fact that he was endlessly distracted by the way Y/n smiled at whatever scene she was reading. The way her fingers would sometimes trace her lips as they always did when she was holding in laughter.

She was so devastatingly beautiful that Jughead felt himself suffering. He realized that he'd felt this feeling a hundred times before but had always dismissed it, writing it off as a bad day at school or home, or general displeasure with the world. Now he couldn't lie though. All he could do was close his laptop and pinch the bridge of his nose, trying to orient his mind enough to just angle away from thinking of her. If he couldn't stop the thoughts completely, perhaps he could just... direct them slightly to the left a little.

His attempts were abruptly shut down as Y/n looked up from her book as he closed his laptop, her smile fading at the stress etched into every detail of his face. Worried, she had put her book down and scooted to Jughead's side of the table they sat at, moving to his side as she reached out, gently running her nails over his back in a way that had always calmed him before. "You okay, Jug?" She asked with a soft voice, full of love and care and worry.

God he was going to keel over right then and there.

He looked over, going to reassure her and brush it off. He was distracted though by Y/n's wide eyes and lips parted with concern. Her nails on his back sent shivers down his spine as his eyes first locked onto Y/n's lips and then quickly shot up to her eyes, trying to escape the urge to kiss her. Unfortunately, her eyes were just as beautiful as her lips were tantalizing - making them equally as distracting.

How had he ever existed next to Y/n before now? How had he never melted under her touch? Sizzled when her gaze touched him? How had this ever been normal and okay? How had he not come undone at the sound of her voice? He had done it once. He couldn't remember how now, but he had.

When Jughead froze, lips parted to speak but no words coming out, Y/n frowned, growing even more worried. “You’ve been weird ever since you went on that hang out with Archie…”

“I’m fine,” Jughead lied.

Y/n rose an eyebrow. She hated it when he hid stuff from her. Usually it lead to break downs or blow ups. They hadn't lied to each other in ages. Y/n couldn't remember the last thing he'd hidden from her. Hell, she'd known when he left his dad's house. That FP was a Serpent. She was the one person he trusted more than anyone, sometimes even more than himself. She couldn't even imagine what he could be hiding from her after all they'd been through. All she knew was it made her anxious.

Whatever had him so nervous must have been ground breaking, and although she wouldn’t push too much because she respected his space, the protectiveness she felt made her want to be a little nosey. A little pushy.

“You know I love you, right, Jug? You’re my best friend…”

Jughead smiled shakily, his heart ramming at her words, which felt so different to his ears that heard things so differently than he had before. “Yeah. I know.” She nodded and faced forward, returning to her book. He would feel guilty for lying to her, but this way he would come to her a lot more easily, in his own time when he was ready. She had always been patient enough to wait for him, and that was no different now.

It was Veronica who convinced Jughead to actually try to see if Y/n liked him back. Her argument was that if she did and he wasted the opportunity, then they'd both suffer for no reason at all. All he would have to do is just... try. Pay attention, from an outside perspective. No clouded judgement, or personal bias. Not to see how they were as them just being them, or for him to dismiss things for whatever reason.

His challenge was mostly to compare his relation to Y/n to his relationship with Archie. A challenge he accepted, always willing to collect proof one way or another. He really did try, opening his mind and constantly thinking of the way he interacted with Archie at the front of his mind when he analyzed the things that went on between him and Y/n.

It began one day when he was sat at Y/n's kitchen table, working on his book. From his position, he had a perfect sight of the mirror in the bathroom since the door was open. Usually Jughead was immersed in his book, and he had been a few moments ago until he'd felt eyes on him as a movement at the corner of his vision had pulled his gaze to the mirror, where he could clearly see Y/n moving around as she leaned from a upright position, where she'd been reading, to leaning sideways as she leaned her cheek on her hand. She was watching him, her eyes tracing his shoulders and back and arms almost... admiringly. A smile rose to her face, sweet and giddy, before she returned to her book.

The smile did not leave her face the rest of the evening. He asked her about it but she dismissed it as a scene in her book. Knowing that it was because of him brought to light the blush that came to her cheeks, something he would have dismissed as a cause of the book as well if he hadn't known better.

Another day, he was talking to Betty about the case, trying to pull together some pieces that were dancing just out of reach. As it grew quiet to leave space for him and Betty to consider new questions and evidence, Jughead noticed that feelings of eyes on him again. He didn't hesitated to look over at Y/n. She was looking at her hands, but that same smile was on her lips... His brain registered suddenly that there was a piece of hair swinging, as if she'd jerked her head suddenly, and he suddenly found himself wondering if he'd just missed her stealing glances at him again. He looked back up at Betty and she nodded. Yep. Y/n had been admiring him again, while he was talking.

He caught that smile again and again, more as he began to really look for it. At night he went over it, trying to figure out exactly which emotion caused it. He could say there was maybe some admiration, or it might have been just her being lost in thought. He would have dismissed it as teasing, or shyness at some romance happening in her novel. But that's not what it was, he knew that now.

When he finally placed the exact look on her face, he found himself blushing. She had looked at him... dreamily. Even when she was looking at something else, she wasn't seeing it. Her eyes were unfocused, her smile sweet as her mind wandered. Wandered to him. Wandered through daydreams. Daydreams about him.

Jughead began to notice other things too, like how touchy she was. Had she always been that touchy? That close to him? There was no concept of personal space between them, and no matter how many tests he ran with subtle hints, she just didn't pick up on it. Even if he completely moved his position, she would find some reason to get up and then find herself sitting right next to Jughead again. They were always within touching proximity, whether it was their arms or shoulder, waist or hips, thighs or calves or feet.

On top of the passive bumping or brushing, Y/n seemed to take any and every opportunity to grab Jughead's arm or mess up his hair. Her hands always seemed to find him, even if it was to grab his arm or tug on his wrist or shove his chest or tap his shoulder. Always playful and seemingly meaningless, but ever present nonetheless. Jughead had lost count of how many times she had wanted to show him something or introduce him to someone or bring him somewhere, interlacing their fingers before tugging him after her as she shot off to drag him somewhere.

The most startling observation wasn't how Y/n was with him, but how he reacted to her, without his permission or him meaning to. How contagious her laugh or smile was. How much he loved all the ways she found to touch him. feeding off of it more and more as he recognized it. How no matter what he was feeling or how bad the world got, Y/n could always make it better. Brighter. Lighter. Her expressions were always so engaging for him, flawless and beautiful. She could just sit there and t would take his breath away. The little ways she cheered him up, and how it always worked even if he was aware of it.

The scariest realization was that he had never felt like this before.

Not even with Betty.

Noticing all of that begins to drive him crazy, and he finds a need for her growing in his chest. Anytime he sees her he wants to be near her, nearer than he is. He wants to hold hands and stare at her while she talks. He wants to get her to laugh. He wants to hug her and cuddle and god he wants to kiss her so badly. He wanted to hear her say his name and talk about all the stupid things that had made her feel little blooms of warmth in her chest. He was whipped, drowning in her and only finding himself wanting more. It was driving him crazy, crazier than he'd ever been driven before.

He was coming undone.

Y/n did not miss the new way Jughead engaged with her.

Every time he was around her, he was hyper and jumpy. He’s over aware of everything, and she can’t even lay her head on his shoulders without him clearing his throat, let alone lay her head on his stomach like she used to be able to without him jerking underneath her. All her touches make his breath hitch. Every time she looks over to check on him and catch his little moments, he’s already looking at her as if he knew she was going to look over. Every time she comes in contact with him, he either relaxes and melts into the touch, or tenses and clears his throat before pulling away.

Jughead becomes unpredictable, switching from soft and warm and affectionate to distant and awkward and stiff. Sometimes she'll get too clos to him and he'll get shy and quiet and start blubbering and blushing. Sometimes he'll go rigid and then melt, becoming a pool as he pulls Y/n even closer. The way she was never sure whether he needed space or craved closeness was making things between them a game of touch and go, and walking on eggshells was getting tiring.

Did he want her to go away or to stay close?

Of course, her mind started to spiral into overload. Had she done something wrong, but he didn't want to bring it up? Had she made him uncomfortable and he was trying to play it off? Maybe she'd done something that had gotten under his skin, and he was trying to brush it off and go back to normal but was finding it impossible to move around. That made no sense though. What could possibly get between them after all of the things they knew about each other. There was only one thing she hadn't told him...

Shit.

The thought that Jughead had pieced together that she liked him and was either trying to ignore it, or trying to find some way to let her down gently drove her insane. It wasn't long before she finally snapped. "Jughead, we need to talk."

The dark haired boy felt his heart squeeze in his chest. He hated that sentence. "Okay, what's up?" They moved away from the crowd of teenager, toward the end of the hallway where no one would pay too much attention to them.

Y/n took a deep breath. "Everything seems to kind of be falling apart," she began. "You seem to be awkward around me, as if balancing between pushing me away and pulling me close. I feel like..." She sucked in a breath. "I feel like I'm losing you here, Juggy." She had always been blunt with him like this, and usually Jughead loved it but right now he wished the Earth would open up under his feet and swallow him whole.

Veronica, Betty and Archie, who had hid around the corner the second they'd seen Y/n and Jughead branch off from everyone, exchanged eager looks. As much as Jughead didn't appreciate this moment, they sure did.

For a second, Jughead tried to play it off. Tried to avoid this moment for just another day, because god she looked so gorgeous right now and he was feeling more insane than ever and goddamnit Veronica why had she started him on this whole challenge to begin with? "What do you mean?" He played it off well, surprisingly, but even his fairly good acting couldn't hide the weirdness he'd expressed these last few weeks.

“What did I do?" If she had asked anything else, Jughead might have been able to ease into it. Talked himself out of it, even. Been able to play it off. But she hadn't asked something else, she had asked that. She had seen something was wrong and blamed it on herself, and her voice was so full of regret and desperation that it ate at Jughead's heart.

"Y/n you didn't do anything," Jughead reassured soothingly, his hand resting on her cheek.

She seemed to take comfort in his touch, allowing herself to fall silent for a few beats. Her eyes closed and she sighed, as if in relief. This moment was so far from platonic that Jughead's heart picked up in his chest. After her minute though, her eyes opened and she looked at Jughead with insistence. "Please talk to me. I'm worried about you. About... us," she added hesitantly. "What's going on? What am I missing?" She didn't lean away from his touch, and it made Jughead realized that this girl would put herself through anything. Pining, settling for daydreaming, yearning, stealing looks. Wanting what she would never allow herself to reach for.

Anything so that she wouldn't lose him.

It was that final realization that made it really click in Jughead's brain. The others were right, this had gone on too long. The torture that Jughead was going through, the insanity and hesitance and confusion and tip toeing and aching... Y/n was going through it too. It had hurt him, but more importantly it had hurt her.

Seeing him get lost in thoughts, Y/n reached out and gently rested her fingers atop the hand Jughead still had on her face. "Jug?" she whispered, leaning slightly to draw his eyes back to her. "What's going on in that head of yours? I can't read you like this. That's... new for me. I can usually always read you. What's going on, Jug? You can tell me, I promise. You can tell me anything, it'll be okay. We'll figure it out."

Those words reach into his gut and hit some kind of chord. Whatever it is, his body surges with adrenaline. Adrenaline and courage. Courage like when he'd had the guts to kiss Betty, except so much stronger than that moment because there was so much more behind it. He almost laughs at how he once thought what he felt then was love. That pales in comparison to this, in every single way. Down to every single detail. From the adrenaline that runs through his veins, to the absolute euphoria that replaces it when their lips actually touch. His hands are on her face and her hands are grabbing his shirt and they're pulling each other as close as possible and there's no room for air or thought or function other than them, in the hallway, lost in this moment forever. Neither wanted it to end so they both drown in the other.

Y/n melts into Jughead, whose weak knees offer no help as he leans back with her. Luckily they were in a corner and his back falls gently against the wall behind him. They are pulling each other again, her pressing him into the wall until her body and his body become one. Their body.

It's a whole new feeling. An amazing, wonderful feeling. It's a rush that touches them time and time again in waves, each wave bringing new energy that makes them feel even more alive than before. Suddenly there's so much light and energy and life between them it feels impossible, and then suddenly there's even more. It creates this weird sensation that before this moment, they were just ghosts. Half alive, drifting. Now they are on fire, alight and animated and blazing.

Her hands move from his chest to his hips, and another sensation arises. One that's as if they're really touching for the first time. As if they'd never really experienced contact before, not until now. Not for real. Not completely. Not like this.

Before it was nothing, and now its everything all at one and it's overwhelming and amazing and wonderful. She's grinning and he's vibrating. There are explosions and a rushing sound in their ears and it's so loud and vibrant that anything else pales in comparison. They can't focus on anything other than each other. There is only this space, their bodies pressed together. Them, here, now. It's all that matters. Nothing else. No one else. Nowhere else.

It seems centuries before they lean away. A string of eternity, but compressed into a single second. Rushed. Gone too fast, too soon, leaving them wanting desperately for more. They stand there, stunned, looking at each other with wide eyes. There's a beat as time comes into its proper conception and the world and people come back into color again. Finally, they look away from each other, trying to orient.

The first thing they notice is Archie, Veronica, and Betty literally jumping in celebration. Their whooping and hollering and cheering is so loud that everyone else in the hallway is looking, and Jughead and Y/n both go extremely red in the face.

Before Jughead can get distracted by their friends, he reaches out and interlaces his fingers in Y/n's. She looks back at him, her eyes soft and her face glowing. "I love you, Y/n." It's so simple and gentle that Y/n feels her heart swell. The sincerity in his voice is so undeniable that she cannot question or dismiss it, and the urgency in that instance is so much that she cannot take it as anything other than what it is. His eyes are lit up so bright it's electric, and his lips are curved in a smile. Lips that had just said the words she’s been wanting to hear since they were eight, and she realized that she didn’t see him as just a friend. Since she was thirteen and she realized she was in real, scary love, and that it wasn’t going away anytime soon.

There is a sudden messiness to her. An untamed wildness as she releases the feelings and thoughts she has so fervently controlled and guarded until this moment. “I love you too.” Her voice is so full of emotion that she has to suck in another breath. “I’ve loved you all my life.”

With nothing else to say, he kisses her again, softly and shyly. This one is quick and soft and when they pull apart, the others finally run out of patience run over. They pull the two apart completely and Archie is busy messing up Jug’s hair and smiling like a proud big brother while V and Betty are hugging and squealing over Y/n, who is laughing happily. Then Betty is grinning while Veronica swings Jughead's hands, singing about how she told him so, and Archie is hugging Y/n with such firmness and joy that Y/n laughs.

That night some people would have said there were five people.

But I was there.

And there were four.

A blonde girl with a shining smile, a red lipped beauty with eyes that saw all, a redhead jock with a heart that spoke in lyrics, and a being of something magical and amazing.

A being made of a heart, and a brain.

#jughead jones #cole sprouse #riverdale #south side serpent #jughead jones x reader #serpent #jughead jones imagine #south side serpent x reader #south side serpent imagine #cole sprouse x reader #cole sprouse imagine #serpent imagine #serpents x reader #riverdale imagine #riverdale x reader

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all-of-the-imagines-for-eve · 3 years

Text

A Heart, A Brain ~ J.J. (part 1)

A/n: Ah yes the other Jughead series I started and... never finished. Here we go!

Word Count: 5700+

MASTERLIST

Betty and Jug walked side by side as they made their way home. They walked closely and Jug noted to himself that their hands brushed every once in awhile. He was sure now more than ever. Betty had asked him to walk her home, and the tension between them was unwavering. She liked him. He was sure without a doubt that he could make the move he'd been hesitant to make previously. He'd been doubtful before, but now... Now he was sure.

"Do you believe him?" Betty asked, trying to fill the silence. Jug was knocked out of his daydreaming, trying to get his courage up to stop them and talk to her about what was going on both with them and Riverdale, when she did it for him. They stopped moving forward as she stepped in front of him to gain his full attention.

"I do," He admitted, a little more serious now. He sighed a bit as he spoke the words, and Betty pursed her lips, then nodded. She paused and stepped closer. Jughead was pleasantly surprised that she was making all the right moves, and even further convinced himself that she really did like him. He couldn't wait to get home and share the happenings tonight with -

He let the thought drop, holding his breath as some kind of crazy courage took hold of him. His hands moved to cup her face and he leaned forward, his eyes closing and a smile slipping onto his lips. In that moment, he was full of excitement. It was like going cliff diving and standing on the edge, looking down at the water which seemed so insanely far below. That fear that makes you stay in that one spot for so long, unable to get the courage to leap off into empty air. The moment after when that burst of courage hits you and certainty courses through your veins and you jump.

Betty leaned away from him, her eyes wide and he thought of the metaphor he had just thought of. How the way his body responded to this was very close to the moment after the jump. The moment when you are suspended in empty air and you hold your breath and the certainty goes away and you instinctively reach out to stop yourself. Your foot already left the solid ground and it's too late to listen to the terror that has returned and you start falling. Your stomach drops and your heart rises into your throat as you fall.

They stood there, and it was like the second before you hit the water, where you have already jumped and now you can't go back and you regret it. That moment before you hit the water and you tense in anticipation. That moment before you're submerged safe and your confidence comes back again.

Then her mouth is moving and her eyes are full of pity and Jughead thinks of that moment when you're in the water and you pop back up again to take a deep breath of air, smiling like an idiot. But he wasn't smiling and neither was she. He had fallen, except when he had landed he'd immediately lost where the surface was and now he was just... drowning.

And he was drowning. In terror, humiliation, and regret.

She stepped back and there was heavy silence as Jug stood back up straight, almost robotically. As if his joints had frozen but his brain was still working. It felt like his body was balancing on the edge of functionality, and was quickly falling apart in panic. Neither knew what to do.

"Did you just try to-" Betty began.

"No." Jug rushed. He shook his head to rid the emotion away and threw his walls up, his face blank and his body relaxed and loose. He wasn't sure if he pulled it off, too distracted by his mind racing and his heart aching like never before. Why had she leaned away? The question hung in the air like an elephant on their shoulders, heavy and about to topple over and cause chaos. Nothing good was about to happen between the two.

Betty began to say something but then stopped, silently pursing her lips. It's so awkward between them it's hard to speak. "I didn't know you liked me, Jug," Betty mumbled softly. Jughead shrugged nonchalantly, his hands in his pockets as if he didn't care. But Betty already knew. He was a fantastic actor, but no amount of acting could hide how he felt. The proof was in the action he could not take back. "I'm sorry, Jug," Betty tried weakly. "I'm... I don't feel that way - about you. I'm... I'm with Veronica." Jug looked at her, pain and surprise and even horror in his eyes. Betty felt ashamed and looked at her feet, wanting to fold into herself and disappear under his demanding glance. "We didn't tell anyone because so much was going on, but... I really like her, Jug. More than I liked Archie." Her smile that risen up thinking about Veronica shook as she realized that her experience with Archie was just like now, except that the places were reversed.

Now she knew what Archie had been thinking, going through. The pain he'd felt, having to tell her that they were only ever going to be friends. Even despite the fact that Jug wanted so much more - yearned for it - as she had. Betty understood Archie's silence and awkwardness that night. She tried to figure out how to tell him that she just wasn't that into him. Not like that. Not ever like that. Not for her. Not between them. They were just friends. Had been. For so long.

"No, don't worry," Jug tells her calmly, hurting her more because she knew he was hurting but didn't feel comfortable enough to talk to her about it. It hurt her even more, knowing that he wasn't being himself around her anymore, because of this. His feelings totally ruined their dynamic, because she didn't return them. It would go back, the same way that she and Archie had, but not for a while. It had taken HER a long time... How long would it take Jughead? "You can't control your feelings. I don't blame you for that." As she tried to respond - tried to make it better, somehow - he turns around and begins walking away, leaving her there alone. The only thing she can do is close her mouth, watch Jug until it doesn't seem to have a point anymore, then turn back onto the path and walk herself the rest of the way home.

Jughead doesn't know where he's going. His head is so clogged with thoughts and feelings as he glares at the cracks underneath his feet and walks into oblivion... or wherever his feet decide to take him. He can't tell anyone what just happened. Betty would, but he couldn't. Archie would know how Betty felt and try to explain it to Jug, taking her side and trying to fix it so the group wouldn't have even more to handle than they already did. He would support Jughead, but not in the right way. Veronica would be on her side too, as her girlfriend. Honestly she would also be a little bitter that he tried to kiss Betty. He would rather see ANYONE than Veronica right now anyway.

No, he needed Y/n right now.

Just as he got to this realization, he looked up to see where he was so he could find his way to Y/n's house - to find that he'd subconsciously made his way to Y/n's front gate. Of course his feet would take him here. Y/n was more his home than even the drive-in had been.

Y/n was Jughead's best friend. His everything, really. He told her everything, and Y/n always knew what to do. What to say; how to react; what to do; how to figure it out. She always knew what he was feeling without him having to tell her about it, and she was always available just when he needed her. It was always impeccable timing that he asked for her when she was free. And she always was, for him. She was never too busy to help him. Just then his emotions start to register as what just happened sinks in and he gets antsy, his eyes locking on her dark room - she wasn't home yet.

"Jug?" He spun around to see Y/n standing there, confused, and the second she saw how upset he was, she knew what had happened. They met in the middle, Y/n waking and Jughead practically running. He embraced her, his bigger build almost toppling her over. "Betty?" She asked softly, remembering back to how Betty had asked him to take her home. She'd been disappointed, as she loved their walks home together, but happy that he got the chance to be alone with her. She was as convinced as he was that Betty liked him the same he liked her. What could have gone wrong?

"She didn't... She doesn't... Veronica and her..."

Y/n's eyes went wide and she immediately realized what had happened, as if she could read into Jug's mind itself. She soothed him with soft shushing, rubbing his back gently and holding him tightly. "Breathe Jug, it's okay. It's okay, I'm here. I'm here." He breaths choppily in her ear, his feelings rising in his throat, as if suffocating him. "Jug you need to calm down," Y/n tells him. "Can you breath for me?" He's never put himself out there like that, and it had gone very wrong. Betty not only didn't like him - she was with someone else. Was with Veronica Lodge. It all feels... icky. Like he's covered in dirt and grime or like he hadn't brushed his teeth.

How badly had he just fucked everything up between everyone?

Slowly but surely Y/n walked him through the panic and got him to breath calmly and steadily. She walks him into her room. Her parents are on a trip as usual, leaving the house empty, as usual. She takes off his jacket and lays him in the bed, taking off his shoes as he pulls one of her pillows into his chest. She grabs a pair of pajamas and changes in the bathroom before putting her hair back, out of her face. She climbs into bed with Jug and immediately he ditches the pillow to pull her close, burying his face into her neck and hair. He lets his senses fill with her, allowing the smells and touches and darkness to fill his senses so all he can focus on is her. His center in the storm. His calm in the chaos. His sanctuary in the war. His safety in the danger. Doing this made him feel a million times better and he completely relaxed, letting her adjust so that his arms loosely wrapped around her as her head rested on his elbows and his head was hidden by her body.

Eventually he even calmed down enough to fall asleep, deep even breaths echoing in her ear and fanning her neck.

She can't sleep, though. Even after he is calm.

Unbeknownst to Jughead - to anyone - Y/n is head over heels in love with the beanie boy. She'd cared for him so long she can't remember a time she didn't, some way or another. They were friends since before even Betty and Archie. She had been there when he was lonely and sad and she had sung to him in her tiny, high voice. Random noises and words, just so he could hear her. If not that, then she would tell him stories directly from her imagination. Later she would read to him instead. On days he just needed to get something off his chest, she had listened to him talk. For years, until she knew him better than his parents did. He had always leaned on her.

Even now, years later, she cared for him more than she had ever care for anyone. It was her instinct to seek his happiness. He liked Betty, so she had tried to help him. Encouraged him. Guided him. Even as she found herself to even begin to look at someone else, she was happy for Jughead as he talked about Betty. The two could have been happy together, and who was Y/n to get between them? Veronica had first, but that wasn't the point. She was genuinely okay with him not liking her. As long as he was genuinely happy. His sorrow hurt her, and she found herself staring at the ceiling as the night passed. Her heart ached for the boy in her arms and didn't find sleep for a very long time.

Before she could fall asleep, she pulled her phone out and texted the others to make sure they knew Jug was okay and with her, fast asleep and calmed down. She organized a way for this to work out. Veronica and Betty would stay away from him and give him space to figure it all out. Kevin would stay with them, as he wouldn't help Jug any. Y/n would stay with Jug so he wouldn't be alone, helping him move on, and Archie could pop in every once in awhile to see how Jug was doing and report back to the girls. Any of them could ask Y/n anything and she would update them so everyone knew where he was.

Of course, they agreed. Y/n knew Jughead best and if she said he needed some space and time, they would give it to him.

Finally she could fall asleep, assured that it would all work out.

In the next week, it all went as planned. Archie gave the girls updates, the girls stayed away for the most part, and Y/n helped Jughead situate his emotions and move on. She cracked jokes and told stories, read books, sat with him as he wrote, and even sang to him at night when he would get really sad. They would have classes apart and Betty and Jughead still worked together at the Blue and Gold, but Jughead found that it was weirdly easy to let go of the blonde. He saw how happy she was with Veronica for the first time, and if he got a little wistful now and again he just had to see Y/n smile and everything was fine again.

Jughead finally ran into Betty and Veronica in the hall together. The two had ditched pretenses and had gone public about their relationship. They shared a kiss right as he rounded the corner. It was just a peck but Jug froze, frowning to himself as he didn't feel the jolt he expected to. Feeling eyes on them, the two girls turned to see Jug standing there. There was awkward between them for a second but then he just smiles at them, and they seem to melt in relief before smiling back. He continues on his way and that's the end of it.

When Betty and Jughead begin to talk about Veronica f=during hours at the Blue and Gold, they agree that it's time to reunite everyone. Jughead melts back into his place with ease, having only left it open for a few days - just over a week. It's so fast that Betty voices it to the others when Jughead and Y/n aren't around.

"You know when Jughead tried to kiss me he looked..." She thought of the word as everyone looked at her. "I don't know, he genuinely looked really upset. I don't know, I've never seen Jughead like anyone before. Does he move on fast?"

Archie shook his head. "No when we like ten he had a crush on that guy across the street from my house. Do you remember that?" Betty immediately nods, eyes wide as she recalled it. "He was a mess for months."

Veronica rose an eyebrow. "Then, what? He didn't really like you?"

Betty shook her head. "I don't think it's that either. I mean I saw him those first two or three days. He was... heartbroken. Less so very quickly, but the first time he saw me he couldn't even look me in the eye. It was like with Tristen but in super fast forward. You think he's just... better at moving on these days?" Everyone shrugged and then dropped it. For now.

The conversation stays to the front of everyone's mind though. First it's Archie, who notices the soft expression and warm smiles he once secretly aimed at Betty were aimed somewhere else now. Then it's Veronica who is least used to Y/n and Jughead's way of being that she sees the touches and glances and constant contact and knows exactly what she's looking at. Kevin is next, noticing the way that Veronica smiles at Y/n and Jughead. Then there's Betty, who needs to have it brought up out loud to put it together.

"They're just like that," Betty argues. "They always have been." Archie nods slowly, but doesn't defend her. He's lost in thought, rethinking every interaction they'd had since they were kids.

"No one is just like that," Veronica says, shaking her head and holding up a finger. "Something is happening and neither of them realize because they're too used to it. Like you guys."

Put that way, it's pretty hard to argue.

One day V, Betty, and Archie walk into Pop's and notice Y/n and Jughead are there. The pair in the booth smile and wave the others down, scooting over to make room for them. It's slightly reminiscent of how Betty had tried to play of her feelings for Archie when she'd initially gotten rejected, but there's an ease to Jughead that Betty didn't have. He doesn't flinch at Veronica showing Betty affection, and even teases them right along with Kevin. He doesn't stop touching Y/n, and even talks more than he usually would. Archie feels like a fifth wheel as Veronica and Betty chat and laugh and get along with Y/n and Jug, who sit close together and are acting like...

"Are you two dating?" Archie asks, motioning between Jug and Y/n. The two look at each other and bust up laughing, but V and Betty just share a silent look.

"No," Y/n sighs, amused. "That's ridiculous."

"Agreed," Jug agrees. "Not us. Never." He takes a sip from his drink and Y/n swallows hard. She loves Jug after all, and every once in a while she is reminded that she also has feelings, just as anyone does. This millisecond of weakness, before her face returns to happy and unbothered, does not go unnoticed even in the slightest by the other three, who are now hyperaware the rest of the night.

Everything is back to normal, and it's more obvious than ever that something has to change.

Archie, Betty, and Veronica team up after that for "Plan J". Step one: implant the idea.

Archie starts to text Y/n more. She doesn't mind at all and even loves the interactions, but as she begins to have inside jokes with Archie and make plans with him and not be able to hang out or anything because she's busy, Jughead starts to get a little irritated. Not enough to do anything. It's not like Y/n is only his, and watching his friends get along is great. There's just something about Archie making Y/n laugh like that, and him spending time with her. Something about charismatic, heart throb, suddenly ripped and musically talented Archie Andrews that just... doesn't sit right with Jughead.

When Archie asks Y/n on a date, everyone knows it won't end with the two actually going out. They also know that Y/n still won't turn him down, and only Jughead is surprised at how much it bothers him that the two are getting to a place like this. It crosses a line, he thinks, but he's not sure exactly what line it is that's been crossed. The night ends pleasantly but with it obvious that there's no moving forward, just as was predicted. The overall goal is accomplished too; suddenly Jughead is acting weird, and he'll be left along to wonder why. The idea had been implanted.

The next step is to get Y/n to admit out loud that she liked Jughead.

This is the next step because until she admits it out loud, when she can't just ignore it or deny it or push it away or bury it, nothing will ever happen. Not from Y/n. Jughead will never see it with how good she is at covering it up and putting it away when he's paying attention. It needs to be impossible to blend in. Impossible to cover up. Not only for Jughead's sake, but for Y/n's. She needs to acknowledge her feelings and take them seriously.

It takes a week for Veronica and Betty to get Y/n into just the right place. The entire time they wore her down and prodded her gently here and there, staring with how she felt about Archie and slowly working from there. They nudged her more and more until she finally blurted, "None of these guys could ever catch my interest okay? Stop trying to set me up with them!"

"Why not?" veronica asked, eyes wide with interest.

"Because I'm in love with someone else!" Y/n tells them. "Please god don't set me up on a date with Reggie it'll be actually painful." From there it's simple to keep going, asking endlessly who it is, and it's almost too easy to get Y/n to buckle.

"Okay well if it's not Dilton - which, honestly you can do better so that's a relief - and it's not Reggie for sure?" Y/n nods tiredly, her eyes closed and her forehead being rubbed by her fingertips. "Well then it has to be Jughead." Y/n's eyes shoot wide and she freezes. "Oh my god it IS Jughead?" Veronica gushes, her grin wide.

Y/n rushes to shut her up. "Ronny I need you to listen to me very carefully." Veronica nodded, resting her chin on a fist. "You can never, NEVER tell Jughead do you understand me?"

Veronica grins. "Only if you admit it out loud."

Y/n closes her eyes again, sucking in a breath through her teeth. The swear words she swallowed are tangible in her expression as she spits out, "I'm in love with Jughead. But he will never feel the same and I am perfectly fine just being friends with him so I need you to let this go, do you understand?"

"Perfectly," Veronica says, obviously unsatisfied. "I've exhausted you, so I'll go. I promise I won't tell Jughead, and neither will anyone else. Only you can tell him, I swear." Y/n shoots the dark haired girl a panicked expression, but she's already gone before Y/n can say anything. When Betty and Veronica discuss what happened, they both agree that Y/n just admitting it out loud isn't enough.

She knows she loves Jughead. She needs to be open to the possibility that he could love her back.

So came step two and a half.

Unfortunately, Y/n seemed to have panicked and - drowning in her emotions and panicked over what she might face at school - had ditched. She usually let the gang know when she needed a day off, but today they didn't realize until they got to school and Y/n wasn't there. It was then, faced with all of the weird feelings both Y/n and Jughead had been feeling and trying to ignore, that a very jarring truth was revealed.

Jughead and Y/n weren't just best friends - they had more of a connection than just that. They were two halves of one whole. The had learned to work as a machine; in sync, together. When things ever got scary or complicated, Y/n had been the one who stayed and helped him figure it out. That unity became more than just habit. It was instinct. Jughead was the brain; he figured things out and put the puzzle pieces together. Betty might have been his partner in figuring out Jason's killer, but that didn't hinder Jug's role to navigate him and Y/n out of any tight spot. In their personal life, Jughead was the problem solver. Y/n's role was opposite, but just as important. She was the heart; the comfort and warmth that made home; the arms that held and protected him, the eyes that saw more than was there and the endless forgiveness and good advice and holding accountable and building up that Jughead so lacked since his mom had left.

Jughead was the one who had the great idea to make a place at the Twilight Drive In when he didn't have anywhere to go. Y/n had been the one to make it home.

Now that flow was messed up and everything was out of control. Misplaced. Distorted. Riverdale High felt unfamiliar and cold without her by his side. It was more that she wasn't answering his messages. Hadn't even given a head's up. For once he felt no connection to her and the day stretched for eternity as he waited impatiently for school to end so he could drop by her house and fix whatever had broken. Make it better again.

The day wouldn't end though, and Jughead's misery was obvious. Eventually Archie had to say something. The girls already felt bad, thinking they may have pushed Y/n too far. With them opting out, Archie took the lead here. "What's up, Jug?" The redhead asked the moping boy during lunch.

"Y/n's not here today," Jug tells him resignedly, a frown on his face as he speaks.

Now, everyone knew how Jughead and Y/n worked. It was like talking to your parents - you knew which to ask for advice, and which to ask for comfort. Which offered better direction, and which made right where you are feel right. Sometimes you needed guidance, sometimes you needed grounding. Jughead being the brain and Y/n being the heart wasn't just the way they acted, it was a running joke through out Riverdale as a community.

Even knowing that though, this seemed odd. The two could be apart. They had been several times, and it had never seemed this... painful.

All Archie could think to do was crack a joke. "Missing your heart?" Jughead actually scoffed at that, a smile almost tugging onto his face. It seemed Archie's attempts had landed as intended... but it doesn't ease the way Jughead seems run down. They both think about what Archie had said and suddenly it becomes less funny; Jughead really does look so much like how a brain would without a heart to power it.

Jughead sighed. "I've never... I mean she didn't even let me know she wouldn't be here. She hasn't given me any message to let me know why she isn't here. I almost think something's wrong. I'm worried about her. And I mean I've haven't had to do anything completely without her in a very long time. Even when she was sick she would always..." His voice drifts off as that realization hits him. "She would always make time to give me her input."

Archie tries not to smile. God these two were oblivious, and it was killing him. "Y/n and Jughead... it's like peanut butter and jelly. Yin and yang. You must feel..."

"Incomplete," Jughead mumbled quietly.

"At least it's temporary," Archie reassures gently. "She won't be gone forever. She might have let her phone die, or been feeling really crappy and decided to take a break. I'm sure she's missed messaging you back before."

Jughead looks up at that. "This might sound weird Arch, but, no. She never has. Is that insane?"

Archie considered it. "Well, she cares about you, and she must love spending time with you. I'm sure it's just that. Betty was the same way for a long time, before her and Veronica got together."

Jughead shot Archie a look. "Betty was in love with you, of course she never missed a message." Archie took a bite of his food, giving Jughead just a second to mull over what he'd said. And he did, his eyes slowly widening as the gears visibly turned at super speed in his head.

Mercifully, Archie pulled him out of it before he could melt down into a complete spiral. "You planning on going to check on her when school's over?" Jughead nodded, clearing his throat as he pulled himself out of his thoughts. "If she is sick, is there anything you usually do that you need to prepare for before you head over? I'll help you."

"Well when she's sick I usually get her some noodle soup from the store because I have no cooking skills whatsoever," Jughead began, sighing around his words. Archie snorted. "Then we watch some combination of Barbie movies and Ben Ten." When Archie shot him a surprised look, Jughead grinned. "It's been our method for ages. I don't know if the shows are actually good or it's just the familiarity of the habit or maybe nostalgia or something, but it's really comforting. We each have our favorite Barbie movie, and yes me too." Archie bit his lips as Jughead began blabbering on, talking about all the times they'd watched the movies and shows and all their favorites and their theories and opinion they always discussed and updated with each watch as they got older.

Something extraordinary happened after only a few minutes of talking about Y/n. Jughead seemed to light up like a Christmas tree, his hands moving as he became animated and the world around him growing brighter as his grin was wide and bright enough to seem to create light around him. Without Y/n in sight, her affect seemed to hit him nonetheless, as simply the memory of her was enough to set him off into the most blissful he'd been all day.

Archie actually found himself growing jealous of how just a memory could have such an effect on Jughead. How just thinking about her could make Jughead smile like he was. Jughead of all people, smiling like he was now, just at the thought of the girl who was more apart of him than even his friends had realized... There was so much love there. Archie wished he could find something even half as much as that. It was more than he'd ever seen. More than when he'd been with Valerie, more than he'd seen between Betty and Veronica. Hell, this put whatever had been between Archie and Miss Grundy to shame. More than.

Seeing Jughead this happy made Archie realize just how much he wanted to get the two so called best friends together. He'd been hesitant, not one to interject himself into the lives of others. But now, he was all in.

Love like the kind they had should never go wasted.

"Hey Jug," Archie prompted one day. Jughead's eyes moved from the book he was reading and Archie continued. "You know how Y/n and I went on that date a while back?" Jughead nodded, his mood obviously changed. They had gone to Y/n's the previous day after school and found out that she was just sick and had slept all day. Or that's what she had said at least. She had missed today too and Jughead was more at ease, but still a bit in a sour mood. His odd thoughts about Y/n were on the edge of something new and it left him in a weird place.

"Why do you ask?" Jughead prompted when Archie paused for a moment.

"Well I was wondering if you'd give me some advice," Archie lied. He still wasn't into Y/n genuinely, but the jealousy that flared in Jughead's expression immediately was perfection. "Listen I know you're basically like her brother-"

"I'm not her brother," Jughead rushed, wondering why it bothered him so much that someone saw them that way.

Archie raised his hands in surrender then continued after a moment. "I just mean I know you're protective and you should be. You're both close and she means a lot to you. But you know me, Jug. I would treat her well. I would keep my hands on her back, and spend plenty of time with her. Pay for the dates and give her rides when I get my license. I would give her all the affection she needs. Any time she needed something, I'd be there, I promise. You won't have to worry about her so much anymore - you'd have me to help. Who else could be better, you know? Who else do you trust as much as you trust me?"

Jughead swallowed. "I don't know Arch."

It was impossible not to smile, so instead Archie tried to aim it to be eager and lean into his excitedness, steering away from smugness that might set Jughead off. "I just figured, since you know her so well, maybe you could give me some advice? Maybe put in a good word for me?"

Finally Jug couldn't contain it anymore. "No," he grunted. It didn't make sense. Archie was right, he would be perfect for Y/n. Just what she deserved. Jughead couldn't get himself to be in the least okay with it though, or shake how much it pissed him off to picture them together.

"Why not?" Archie asked evenly.

"Because no."

"But WHY?" Archie pushed. There was something boiling behind Jughead's eyes, and Archie was pulling at the lid.

Suddenly Jughead could see Archie and Y/n, driving to school together in the morning. Going on dates. Cuddling at night. Watching movies. Eating meals at Pop's. He could see V and Betty next to Archie and Y/n, all cuddled up and cooing. He saw a late night coming home, where Archie would lean in as they both smiled. Archie would put a piece of her hair behind her ear. He would lean in and kiss her. So passionately that Y/n would get lost in him, her eyes fluttering closed and her body leaning against the door. They'd stumble in after the door opened, never breaking away from the heated kiss. They would go into the empty house and close the doors...

Seeing Jughead beginning to shut down, Archie rushed to push harder. "Why? Not? Why can't I date her Jug? Why can't I love her? Give her what she deserves?"

"Because it's MY job," Jug seethed through gritted teeth. He shot to his feet, slamming his hand on the table as he snapped, "Because I love her, Archie." Archie sat back, satisfied with himself, a smug smirk on his face. The anger faded from Jug's mind and his eyes went wide as he realized the truth he'd been trying to deny these last few days. The truth that he couldn't hide anymore. He loved her.

Shit.

#jughead jones #riverdale #south side serpent #serpent #cole sprouse #jughead jones x reader #jughead jones imagine #south side serpent x reader #south side serpent imagine #cole sprouse x reader #cole sprouse imagine #serpent imagine #serpent x reader #riverdale x reader #riverdale imagine

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all-of-the-imagines-for-eve · 3 years

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Misunderstandings ~ J.J. (part 3)(final)

A/n: I am once again publishing an unedited part to a fic, but whatever am I right? Gives me something to revamp in three years when I decide to redo the stories on my blog and finally take on series I've abandoned completely. Onto the next!

Word Count: 5400+

MASTERLIST

Being back at his dad's trailer was... not a great feeling.

He knew he was in the right place though when he saw the bike that Y/n rode to school everyday, leaning against the side. It was probably once a shiny teal, but had faded into a pastel light blue, rust and scratches blocking out the bubble letters on the side that would have spelled out a brand. The basket on the front was usually where she placed her lunch, not wanting to put it in her backpack where it might get squished. Despite himself, Jughead smiled upon thinking of her peeling into school at the last second, not even bothering to lock up her bike before running inside. Y/n's had it for YEARS, if anyone was going to steal a bike, it wouldn't be hers. Not only would anyone know immediately who it actually belonged to, it was honestly a piece of junk.

Sighing to himself, Jughead walked past the bike and up the steps to knock on the door. He could have just walked in. He had, a million times. But... well Y/n was in there now. This wasn't exactly where Jughead had grown up, and the last time he'd come here it was a reminder of the ruin his dad had brought himself to. The ruin that had broken his family apart. So he knocked.

FP answered the door. Jughead just about bolted, if it wasn't for the fact that seeing his dad not absolutely plastered was such a shocking experience that it cemented him in place. "Dad."

"Jughead," FP greeted. "Y/n said you might be dropping by. She's using the shower so I've been waiting in the living room to give her some privacy." Jughead nodded and they stood there a moment in silence before FP offered, "Wanna come in?"

Jughead tried to think about a way to escape, just for a second. But then his shoulders dropped and he just nodded. "Sure." His dad moved aside and he entered the trailer. The first thing he noticed is that it didn't stink. The second thing he noticed was that it was clean. The living room and the kitchen weren't just tidied - they were scrubbed down and organized. "You clean up?"

FP scoffed in amusement, closing the door as Jughead moved further into the living room. "Uh, I wish. No, that girlfriend of yours actually did it for me. Told me where she put everything and even went through the fridge and got rid of all the out of date stuff. Replaced a few things for me. I don't know how but..." he shrugged. "I tried to stop her but she insisted. Something about rent."

Jughead smiled. "Sounds like something she'd do."

For a moment, FP just looked at his son. "She's... interesting, huh?" Jughead nodded. "Isn't that the girl you've hated since you were knee high?"

Jughead's hand shot to rub the back of his neck sheepishly. "It was more like I'd had a bad reaction to my crush telling me she liked me back and then I just. Never addressed it, so I kept acting like a stupid kid pulling pigtails instead. But worse." His hand dropped into his lap as he frowned. "Honestly I feel like sometimes she's settling for me. I don't ever really stop apologizing. Turns out I can actually be the worst sometimes."

It was a bit of a shock to see FP just listen. A refreshing surprise. "Relationships are hard, especially one like your guys'. That's a lot of history. Take it a day at a time, and try to see things from her point of view as much as possible. She's been through a lot. And she's not perfect..." His eyes drifted back toward his room, where the shower could be heard running distantly. "She handles much more nonsense than she should, that's for sure."

He shouldn't have asked. He almost didn't. But then he did. "What's up with you two?" FP looked back and Jughead frowned. "She's living with you since when? And then there's the way she defends you so vehemently. It's like you're HER dad or something."

Immediately FP shook his head. "Our relationship isn't like that. If anything, it's more like she's my mom." He huffed in amusement at the look of bewilderment that crossed Jughead's face. "I don't know, one day she came here going off about how I should have done better and how I was wasting my life and how it was ruining everything for me and my family and I just remember asking her how she would do it any better, because I was shocked that this little fifteen year old had come to my trailer just to tell me off. She wasn't even mad or judgmental. She was crying." He swallowed. "It reminded me of how you looked at me the night you left." Jughead's eyes didn't move from his hands in his lap. "When my question was followed up by several plans and solutions not just for my home and family but the Serpents... well I was drunk, so I didn't react how I probably should have and I just listened."

Jughead interlaced his fingers together. "And then you let her stay with you?"

FP shrugged. "I sort of tipped over about halfway through her speech. She helped me into bed, still ranting the entire time. I can't remember exactly what about but I remember it had to do with you, and I remember thinking she sounded like my mom. When she had breakfast made the next day she admitted that it was because she'd crashed on the couch and felt bad because she hadn't had my permission. It was so bizarre. I asked her if her parents were worried and she explained she didn't have any. Where she was staying, and who she was. I offered her the couch if she'd like to stay there and she agreed. The night before last she came home in tears and deep cleaned the entire place the entire night. Slept all day yesterday. We talked today about what happened... I'm assuming that's why you're here?"

"She missed school." Jughead swallowed. "Today too."

A nod from FP. "Yeah. I told her to take a shower after she made a comment about needing one. That's when she told me you might be by."

"I guess we can add that to the list of things I'm never wrong about." Both men turned to see Y/n standing in FP's doorway, hands rubbing her hair dry with a towel. "Good evening gentleman." She picked up a stained, green duffle bag and threw it over her shoulder before tossing the towel on the back of a chair and pushed her hair out of her face. She seemed ready to go somewhere. Which is when Jughead remembered what she had said before.

"Y/n-"

"Save it," Y/n sighed. "Thank you for letting me crash for a while, Mr. Jones. Tell the others that I'll be back at the train if they need anything."

FP went to say something, but it was Jughead who got to it first. "I'm sorry." She looked at him, folding her arms across her chest. "Look, I know I've been needing to say that a lot more than I have been, and I'm sorry for that too. Just... you and my dad seem to have been having a good influence on each other. Stay, if you need to. Being homeless is... it's not great. And it's getting cold. If this place offers you some kind of solace and safety then okay. I only ever wanted you to be safe, and you're safer here then in the middle of the woods by yourself. I'm sorry."

Y/n sighed, running a hand through her wet hair. "I don't want to make you uncomfortable-"

"Me being uncomfortable is not what matters here," Jughead interrupted. "If you think that you're safe enough here, all I ask is that you start letting Archie give you rides like I do, so that I can at least make sure you get here from school safe and sound. And if you need anything-"

"I'll call you," Y/n reassured. Jughead nodded in agreement, and that seemed to make him relax a lot more. "So this doesn't make anything between us weird?"

Jughead's amusement leaked into the awkward half laugh he gave. "You're living with my dad while I ran away to live with my best friend. It's... complicated. And a little weird. But okay. It's okay, if it's what you need." Y/n smiled, the relief in her body so tangible that a pang of guilt hit Jughead in the chest like a wrecking ball to the ribs. How much anxiety had it given her that Jughead was bothered by this situation? He thought about how FP had said she'd come home crying...

Jughead knew fear. He knew the fear of having nowhere to go and no one to turn to. He could picture all too clearly the terror that had gone through her that night. She might have cleaned the house to destress, or to keep herself busy or to keep herself awake, since she'd been leaving the next day... how many times had she cried that night, all for him?

Stepping closer to her, Jughead sucked in a silent breath before reaching up to cup her face, pulling her gaze up to meet his. "Y/n, I need you to listen to me." She nodded, hesitant. "You can't... sacrifice things for me. I need you to not do that for any reason okay? Don't put yourself in a bad place for me, not for anything. I know there's probably... a lot behind that." He swallowed, and her eyes darted away from him. "You know that it's not gonna go back right? I'm not going to..."

Seeing his inability to face it, she just nodded so he wouldn't have to say it out loud. "That's one of those things we'll have to work on," she said gently. Because she had reacted on a gut instinct. She had given up the good things she had here without a second thought because the fear of losing the happiness she had with Jug, it was greater than the fear of losing the trailer. The fear of returning to that cruel smile and mocking laugh. She was so ready to one day wake up and realize it had all been a dream, and she was more ready to do absolutely anything to prevent that happening than she'd realized. She hadn't even realized until she'd had a bag packed and FP was begging her to understand that she didn't have to go.

When she went to step away, Jughead grabbed her hand. "I'm sorry I made you feel this way. It never should have started. It never should have... gotten this far." He choked on the guilt, realizing for the first time just how bad it had gotten.

Y/n took a breath. "Please don't make me say it's okay."

His eyes found hers, his expression on of shock. "That's not what I meant. Y/n, it wasn't okay and I know that. I just hope you know that I know that. Even if you go against what I want, even if this burns down in flames - that's never happening again. I need you to hear me say it, even if you don't believe it yet."

A smile found it's way to Y/n's face, weak as it was. "Thanks Jug. I-" She paused. "You weren't a monster or anything. Don't beat yourself up or anything. I just... it was mean. A drop in the bucket."

He nodded. "But I know how fast a bucket overflows first hand. And it wasn't okay." Amusement colored his tone. "You would have preferred me to Cheryl though, right?"

Y/n's eyes sparkled with amusement. "I don't know..." He scoffed, mock offended and she tried to swallow a laugh as she continued. "She is prettier-"

"Hey!" Jughead protested. Y/n laughed, making Jughead grin, his expression softened as he took her sunny smile and felt the fullness of her laughter wash over him. When she calmed down, they sat there for a second, watching their hands as Jughead began to play with her fingers. After a few minutes, he sighed. "I should go."

She sighed. "Already?" He nodded and they both stood, their fingers interlacing as they walked to the door and outside. She closed the door behind her, leaning against it. "Let me know when you're home okay? That you're safe." He nodded, taking steps slowly as they began to separate, their arms rising as the distance between them increased but their hands didn't let go. Finally they were out of reach and their arms fell to their sides.

"See you tomorrow?" She nodded and he turned, his hands slipping into his pockets as he began to head toward Archie's. She watched him as long as she could, always there whenever he looked back until he turned a corner and they couldn't see each other anymore. She smiled to herself before going back inside.

The second the door was closed Y/n jumped upon seeing FP. He was sober, standing to his full height and his eyes narrowed. He radiated a silent threat. A danger. It was in moments like these that Y/n remembered he was the Serpent King. "Does he know?"

Y/n tugged on the bottom of her shirt nervously. "No," she told him honestly.

"And he never will." It wasn't a question so Y/n didn't give an answer. She just nodded and he turned away and went to his room. Y/n plopped onto the couch, sighing to herself. There was still a secret that she would take to her grave. A secret she would never share with anyone, not even a South Sider. One she kept not because of FP's threats or forced promises, or how it would be the scapegoat for the North Side or even because she didn't want to see FP nailed down for something he didn't do like she knew he would be if that secret got out.

She kept it to prevent the pain it would cause Jughead. A reason that, to her, was better than any other.

Y/n was pacing. Her heart raced in her chest as her quick back and forth path began to wear into the very concrete. She covered her mouth as her mind raced, searching for answers. Any answers. Any way out of this.

Everything had been going so well. FP had been getting his act together. He was working again, and sure he was still doing Serpent stuff on the side but he was being honest again too. He was coming through for Fred Andrews, and for more importantly - Jughead. Jughead was going to move in again. Things were going to be good. They were going to all live together. Or, that's what Y/n had last heard. She hadn't heard about Toledo yet.

Then there had been the gun that Y/n knew wasn't in the trailer. A gun that couldn't have been there, because that was the blanket cupboard and she had gotten lazy on the washing recently. Washing that FP had gotten very used to Y/n doing, so there had only been a blanket or two in there. Hell, she had seen that cupboard EMPTY several times before and there had never been a gun in there. She knew what had happened that night. She knew...

When Clifford Blossom paid Y/n a visit, she knew it was over.

Her pacing had stilled and now she and FP were sat in the cell together, neither having to speak a word to know what was about to happen.

Y/n had been involved because she'd lived in the trailer, and her up close knowledge of FP left her as the only person who could save FP's life. Who could know what had really happened. And she had known. So she had spoken up, and it had gotten her carted away too. Either as a possible accomplice, or a voice for FP's character.

Now she could only damn him.

When the sheriff came in for FP's statement, the older man passed Y/n on his way out. She caught his arm and their eyes locked. "I will always know what really happened," she told him. There was so much in her words, in her expression, even in the way she touched him. There was respect. There was pain that matched his. There was apology and agony. There was love, too. Not only for the time they'd been together and what she would never tell another soul, but also over the one thing they both had in common. Their love for Jughead.

He nodded, his eyes watering as he felt seen and understood and safe for just one second. One person in the entire world would know the truth. One person... she couldn't help him, but knowing that was enough to give him the strength. The strength to give up.

When FP confessed to the murder of Jason Blossom, everyone looked to Y/n to speak against it and fight and scream. They looked to the only person who could save him, and fell to their knees in despair when she confirmed his story. She wasn't an accomplice - she'd had to survive. She was homeless, and had to do what she did to stay in a warm, safe place. FP had threatened her very place of living for her silence, and as much as she was to blame for it, the sheriff covered it up and let her out.

She wished he hadn't. She wished that he had let it get out everywhere. That she had been shipped off with child services... but her dad was a respected North Sider. They would drag Jughead, but not Y/n. Not when it would smear the good name of the North Side. For that, they would ignore Y/n's plight and let her go and pretend everything was okay. A situation she didn't mind if it didn't mean that she had to walk out of the police station and right up to Jughead, whose eyes were wide with betrayal.

Of course he got her in a room alone. He needed the truth. He always had. "Is this what you kept from me? This situation, is it what you wouldn't tell me and Betty before? What you refused to tell us even when we were all friends?" Y/n just nodded. It was true enough. Jughead stood from their position on the floor of the trailer. Betty was there too, looking at Y/n with stunned silence. Veronica sat next to her, their fingers intertwined. She didn't focus on them long though as Jughead turned on her after running his hands through his hair. His beanie had been discarded. "Why wouldn't you tell me that?"

Y/n swallowed, her eyes welling with tears. "Because it hurt you," she whispered, her voice cracking. "Because of this, all around us, right now."

Jughead shook his head. "You're telling me my dad is a stone hard killer with no mercy or remorse or reason and you felt safe enough to live with him?" Y/n covered her face and Jughead kneeled in front of her to pull her hands away. "No," he stated firmly. "You don't get to hide from me." She gave a shuddering breath, her eyes closed as tears ran down her face. "You need to explain to me right now."

"Please, Juggy-" Y/n begged, her lips quivering.

"Don't call me that after you lied to me for months," Jughead snapped.

They'd finally gotten over the bad habits and gut reactions, which was the only reason she didn't pull away from him. Even now he wasn't cruel, just angry. And he had every right to be. She thought of, just for a moment, telling him the truth. Then she pulled every bit of strength together. She knew what she had to do next. "Okay, you know the truth now." She swallowed her tears, clearing her throat and yanking her hands out of his grip. She stood, standing above him as he stayed on his knees, now looking up at her with eyes that begged her. "You started this relationship because you wanted to know my secret, well here's the real kicker. I only continued it because I had to be sure you didn't ever learn it. Your dad sent me. And maybe I fell for you along the way, but that was a mistake."

"Y/n-" Jughead began.

"No," she bit, her tone hard and broken. His expression turned cold and it burned her insides to see it. "I should have never done this. I should have never lead you so far along. I'm sorry."

"Sorry it happened or sorry you got caught?" Jughead snapped.

Y/n braced herself. "I'm sorry I ever met you." She walked past him, storming from the room. The second the door was closed behind her she took off running, tearing through the South Side and straight into the forest. She didn't stop, not even for a second. Not until she got to the train car, where she promptly collapsed to the ground and broke into body wracking sobs.

Once again, she was alone. She had lost the family she was finding, the home she was forming, and the love that she was creating. Overnight the first good things she'd ever had were ripped from her all in one go, like it was nothing. It had been too fast, too easy. Men like Clifford Blossom had too much power.

It wasn't fair.

The worst part was when Cheryl Blossom saw Y/n at school. Y/n had been trying so hard to keep her head down as she waited for her transfer papers to go through - especially after the showdown between Cheryl and Jughead. It was two days before she was supposed to transfer to South Side High that the red head found Y/n anyway, despite getting some out on Jughead and despite all of Y/n's efforts.

"I heard that you're transferring schools." The hallway went silent as Y/n went stiff before slowly turning around to face Cheryl. The red head looked pissed, her hand on her hip and her eyes blazing so fiercely that Y/n could feel the heat tangibly. Y/n didn't respond, just nodded very slowly. Cheryl scoffed. "You're so pathetic you can't even speak to me... Good." She took a step closer and before she even raised her hand Y/n braced herself.

The back hand slap rang through the silent halls, but unlike with Jughead it didn't lead to an onslaught of attacks. Cheryl just grabbed Y/n's collar and shoved her against her locker. "You want to be Serpent scum, BE Serpent scum. Run to your little shitty friends, and you never look back. You never come back. You never even THINK about North Side again. You even step foot inside Riverdale - even in your scummy little dreams, and I will find you and I will take the few things you have left. You got lucky this time. That stupid little train car of yours won't even exist anymore. Your lying tongue stays in your mouth and you stay where you belong. Little rat amidst snakes." She scoffed. "Wonder how long you'll last."

To say Y/n snapped was an understatement. "You Blossoms all threaten with the same words," Y/n croaked. It stopped Cheryl cold, her confidence wiping off her face faster than a blink of an eye. Y/n reached up and ripped Cheryl's manicured fingers from her shirt, forcing them to Cheryl's side. Not a single word was said after that. Y/n just left.

Whatever Y/n had said had been too quiet for anyone to hear. Rumors started like wild fires that Y/n had threatened her somehow. Because as Y/n had left, Cheryl hadn't just looked stunned or silence. She looked terrified. No one knew what happened... and then Y/n was gone.

When the word got around that Clifford Blossom had been the one to kill Jason, and that FP had only had to clean up the mess, Y/n was once again dragged back to the North Side.

"Why did you lie?" Sheriff Keller asked.

Y/n was different. Her haircut was uneven. The bags under her eyes were deep and dark. Her skin was pale and she was quiet and still. Not necessarily beat down, just... controlled. The South Side had left a mark on her, deep and dark and impossible to ignore. Without even meaning to, even the Sheriff looked at her differently than he had before. His voice was harder, deeper, and more authorative.

Y/n sighed through her nose before looking up at him. "The Jones' are my family," Y/n responded simply. "FP took me in when I had nowhere else to go, even after I told him I knew what he did. Came to his door and threatened him." She scoffed. "Called me out for being the scared kid I was." Was. Past tense. "He offered me food and shelter and understanding, and he did it because I had done the same for Jughead. He wasn't guilty, or dangerous, and I was desperate. So I accepted. When he went down, Clifford Blossom not only threatened a grown man - he threatened a little girl too." Y/n scoffed. "The North Side being twisted and dangerous - straight up villainous. Well, I'm used to that though aren't I? You going to cover this up too?"

Sheriff Keller felt a bad feeling settle in his stomach as Y/n glared at him. "You could have told us the truth."

"And then Jughead would have been dead," Y/n deadpanned.

"We would have protected-"

"You wouldn't have protected shit," Y/n seethed. "You're under the Blossoms' thumb. Even if Jughead had been a North Sider you would have let him drown in the face of the Blossoms, but a South Sider? The son of the Serpent King? You would have watched him burn and you would have gotten over it in a day." When Keller went to argue she leaned forward. "Tell me I'm wrong, Sheriff. Look me in the eyes and tell me I'm wrong."

After years of watching Y/n drown for the Blossoms kept him silent. Since Y/n’s dad worked for the police department, they couldn't even begin to speak to her about what they would have done to help Jughead. They both knew the police department wouldn't have done anything.

"I'm sorry."

Y/n's head turned, eyebrow quirked before she even saw Cheryl's face. "Why?"

Y/n was leaving the station, and the last person she wanted to see was this girl. Cheryl looked at her with watery eyes though and a side of Y/n showed itself that few people saw these days. "Because I... that day, you said..." She swallowed. "Did I sound like him?"

It was almost regretful to say, but Y/n was tired of lying. "Yeah. You did." She knew that Cheryl needed to hear it, so she said it firmly without room to doubt. Cheryl flinched and Y/n moved closer, wrapping her arms around the red head. Cheryl jumped, but then melted into Y/n after a second. She just let herself be hugged, for the first time in a very long time. The first time since Jason had died. "I forgive you," Y/n whispered.

After a second, Cheryl leaned away. "I... thank you." she wiped her eyes. "I've had to deal with a lot from people recently. Mostly since Jason went missing, even before we knew he was dead. No one's forgiven me since JJ died." She sniffed. "I want you to have something." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a necklace. The chain was silver, ending in a red pendant that had an odd symbol on it. "JJ made it for me years ago. It's a secret language we made up. It means together. One. In you, there is me, and in that I'm never truly gone." When Y/n hesitated to take it, Cheryl reached forward and took Y/n's hand, pressing the necklace into her palm. "In me, there is you, and in that you will never be truly gone. Can I ask the same of you?"

"Of course," Y/n said, almost whispering. Her eyebrows came together and when Cheryl went to leave, Y/n caught her arm. "Listen, I owe you a favor now. I've seen your family at their worst, and I can't imagine what growing in that house was like. If you need... anything..."

Cheryl nodded. "Likewise." Then she let Y/n release her, waiting, before nodding once and offering the smallest of smiles before turning and disappearing.

There did seem to be something new to Y/n. The weight of the necklace in her hand had moved to her stomach, settling as a pit. An ugly, boiling pit of acid that screamed something very, very bad was about to happen. Something Y/n couldn't stop even if she wanted to.

Y/n had not expected to be the person contact when Cheryl was admitted to the hospital. The fact that she of all people had been Cheryl's emergency contact was jarring to say the least. To see Jughead, Betty, Veronica and Archie in Cheryl's room when Y/n got there was an even more unexpected.

Y/n had been considering bolting and coming again later before Cheryl noticed her. "Y/n!" All eyes turned to the girl in the doorway, who pushed past all of them to reach the red head's side.

"Hey," Y/n greeted quietly. Her smile was warm. "Since when am I your emergency contact?"

Cheryl offered the smallest of smiles in return. "Since you told me that if I ever needed anything you would be there." Cheryl shrugged. "I'm only glad you kept the phone I sent you."

That made amusement mix into Y/n's features. "Yeah well being on the South Side gives you the very clear lesson to never disregard any kind of gift, especially if you don't know who it's from. I never used it, but a box in front of my trailer car isn't going anywhere without me knowing."

Cheryl nodded, pleased with that knowledge. She went to say something, but then stopped, her eyes falling to the pendant that rested against Y/n's chest. "You kept it."

Without realizing it, Y/n reached up and fiddled with the pendant. "Well this gift came from... a friend." She said it hesitantly, relaxing when Cheryl nodded. "You definitely don't get rid of those gifts. Not when you have so little that means anything - even sentimentally."

Veronica was the first one to interrupt the interaction once it seemed to be getting quiet again. "Since when are you two friends?"

Y/n chuckled. "I have no idea actually." It seemed to have come out of nowhere, but looking closely it did make sense. Cheryl probably saw a lot of herself in Y/n. And... a lot of who she wished she was, too. Their families were similar - corrupt and powerful, with dark secrets that poisoned your life and your mind and your heart. They'd faced hardship at school from opposite sides of the spectrum, and had watched everything they cherished get ripped away. Y/n had come out of it stronger, fighting harder. Cheryl had come out of it... well, in the hospital. It might have sealed the deal when Y/n had forgiven Cheryl, even as Y/n hadn't deserved the treatment she'd gotten. At the time it had been deserved from Cheryl's perspective, but there was something about Y/n's forgiveness that had formed something between them. Something that had solidified with Y/n's kindness and comfort. Something that had become unbreakable when Cheryl had given her that necklace and said those words.

However unlikely, this is where they were now.

After the visit ended and it was determined that Cheryl would stay the night before going home in the morning, everyone left the hospital together. Archie got a ride from his dad, Betty and Veronica slipping into the back. Jughead passed up the opportunity, instead chasing after Y/n.

Now they walked next to each other in silence. It had been about ten minutes and neither of them knew what to say or where to start. After ten minutes though, Jughead just jumped in. "Clifford Blossom made the same threat to you?" Y/n just nodded and Jughead mimicked her, acknowledging that he understood. "So you went through the torment and the showdown with Cheryl and the grilling from Keller and the shame. You lost your home and your safety and security and everything... for me?"

Y/n sighed. "I hate to add onto the guilt you're going to beat yourself over the head with, but there isn't anything I wouldn't do for you Jug. I love you."

Jughead froze, and Y/n took a few steps before slowing, turning to face him. It was quiet for a moment before Jughead surged forward, grabbing her face and pressing his lips to hers. The hardness and coldness in both of them seemed to melt, all the lies slipping away and the pain vanishing. None of that could hold a place between them in this moment of warmth and tenderness and love.

When Jughead leaned away, they had to take a moment to catch their breath again. "From now on," Jug whispered. "Can we deal with life altering, reality shattering, Earth shaking stuff together?"

Y/n laughed, only then realizing she was crying. "I promise, as best I can."

Jughead smiled. "I can work with that."

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all-of-the-imagines-for-eve · 3 years

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A Heart, A Brain ~ Jughead Jones

One, Two.

#Jughead jones #riverdale #south side serpent #serpent #cole sprouse #jughead jones x reader #jughead jones imagine #south side serpent x reader #south side serpent imagine #cole sprouse x reader #cole sprouse imagine #serpent imagine #serpent x reader #riverdale imagine #riverdale x reader

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all-of-the-imagines-for-eve · 3 years

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Misunderstanding ~ J.J. (part 2)

A/n: Might do something similar to do this with a different take, or a different character... we will see.

Word Count: 5000+

MASTERLIST

Jughead and Y/n got suddenly very flirty. They'd already crossed the line, making it impossible for a friendship between them. Neither of them saw the need to pretend they didn't both know it. They would get into the most ridiculous arguments, smiling and teasing each other the whole way through. Random, lasting touches. Long held eye contact. More smiling and hovering and hanging out together. Blunt, obvious flirts and pick up lines and winks and giggles.

The chemistry that so suddenly started developing between the two did not go unnoticed by the rest of the gang. Kevin went out of his way to hang out with Y/n in order to see what she was all about. Veronica and Betty talked to Y/n about anything, anytime, anywhere. They would just plop down next to her and talk about whatever popped in their head, no matter how stupid. Archie even made an effort, asking her about music once they found out she could play piano. The two would have jam sessions together.

Very slowly, then suddenly all at once, Y/n entered Jughead’s friend group. This worried him, because it seemed his friends were getting attached to her. He didn’t say anything about it though, not yet. If he was being honest with himself - which he wasn’t - he liked it. He liked her presence. Her laughter. Her jokes. He liked how she always sat next to him and how she would have to press up against him when they went to Pop’s because the booth was too small but Veronica was determined to make them all fit. He liked her sarcastic comments and her thinking that was so like his. He liked that the more she was around him, the more he learned. The more he learned about her, the more he liked. And he discovered something odd.

Reasonless hate cannot reside where there is understanding, and so his hate started to melt away, and he stopped understanding why he’d hated her in the first place. The way she made you feel when you were younger scared the shit out of you, his subconscious would try to remind him. He made a habit of ignoring his subconscious.

It was easy when he could focus on how their arguments were the cutest little flirt fests. Y/n was very good at getting answers, but being careful about it. She could dig deep but not put herself in danger, and Jughead and the gang had yet to learn her ways. One night while Betty decided to go undercover, Y/n was against it. Jughead, the one who had the idea, had gotten into yet another flirgument (a flirting argument, as Veronica had explained to the others). Archie, Betty, Kevin, and Veronica sat back and watched, sharing knowing smirks.

These two…

“Let’s NOT listen to the one who has the most experience,” Y/n was saying sarcastically, her hands on her hips and her feet shoulder length apart, her body blocking the door so Jug couldn’t leave through it. “That’ll go well!” She’d told them her father had been a detective, so she really did have far more experience in both doing and observing than the others did - combined.

That didn’t stop Jug from ignoring her. “Oh sorry,” Jughead responded, even more thickly sarcastic. “Did you expect me to listen to you?” He smiled though, his arms crossed over his chest.

“It’s like I didn’t train for years to be the best,” she scoffed.

“Well, I guess you better keep training, Princess.” Jughead smirked as her eyes slit. She frowned, but they all still knew she wasn’t really mad.

“Whatever, Jughead,” she scoffed, moving away from the doorway to grab her backpack and leave. “Be careful, Betts. I have to go.” She offered a small smile and an even smaller wave then left the room, shaking her head and smiling, highly humored. Jughead smiled, leaning against the wall, his eyes lingering on the door as it closed and she rounded the corner, disappearing from sight.

Archie coughed and Jug looked over. Everyone was smiling at him, and he was immediately on guard. “What?” He asked, defensive.

Everyone shook their heads as if to say nothing, but their facial expression gave them away far too quickly for him to believe that. “I have to go, too,” Betty said. She looked at Veronica as the red-lipped girl joined her side, their fingers intertwining. “Veronica and I have things to get to.”

“That’s so gay,” Kevin commented, as if he was extremely happy about being able to say it. (He was.)

The two girls laughed and exited, Archie stepping up next to grab his bag then leave. “Gotta go work on some songs,” he threw behind his shoulder before he too slipped out the way the three girls had gone. Kevin left too, leaving Jug alone. He sighed, picked up his bag, and decided to go to Pop’s to type up more of the case that they’d found out.

The gang would all meet up later tonight to get Betty ready, then Archie would drive her to the bar, where she would go in. Alone. Archie would be just outside, ready to jump in and help, and everybody else would be at Archie’s house, trying to not freak out as they killed time until Betty and Archie were back and safe. Jughead doubted the stay at home would be successful in keeping their minds distracted and anxieties cooled, though, as Veronica was Betty’s girlfriend and Y/n was a complete worry wart. With the two girls being the most commanding of the group's energy, it was pretty much guaranteed to go wrong.

Despite all of that, Jughead found himself excited for tonight. Not excited that Betty would be putting her neck on the line, but that he would get to spend the whole night with Y/n. They would get to watch movies and cuddle and no one would notice because they would pick a good movie and it would be dark. She could lay across from him, his arm wrapped around her, their legs tangled up, while Kevin and Veronica either chatted or got lost in the movie in order to distract themselves from Betty’s danger.

Time passed slowly as he tried to ignore his guilt, knowing that he should have been focused on how worried he was about Betty like everyone else. It didn't help that he was so busy trying not to focus on why he was so excited that he didn't have many thoughts about what was going to be happening outside of Archie's house.

Eventually the meet up time came and Jughead was first to show up at Archie’s. He stood in the room, trying to go through the plan again. They would all be spending the night over here, which Mr. Andrews was okay with. Should he shower? Should he freshen up in some way? Should he change his clothes? Should he be acting like this was a date and be worrying about this stupid stuff while Betty was going out into a very dangerous situation? He rubbed his face in frustration, feeling weird.

Deciding to just relax and take a shower, he found himself soon clean and went back into the room to grab an outfit to pull on. As Archie was downstairs setting up for tonight, he was caught off guard to see there was someone else in the room. Jughead stood with hair wet and messy, wearing nothing but a towel secured tightly around his waist, as none other than Y/n turn around to greet him. Both of them froze.

“Greetings,” she managed to get out passed the lump in her throat. Her eyes shamelessly scanned his exposed torso and ran over his hair, across his face and shocked expression. When she realized what she’d done, she frowned and blushed, looking away. “Sorry for coming in, I didn’t realize - Archie said you were up here and I - I’m sorry I’ll just leave.” She moved towards the door but Jug reached out, snagging her wrist. The action had become a habit between them as she so often tried to flee and he would stop her each time.

“Don’t worry,” he told her, trying to ease the awkwardness and realizing he was simply making it worse. “I didn’t tell Archie, it’s my fault, please-” She looked at him, and they both froze again. They were so close together… “Please don’t, uh… Be mad.” He swallowed hard and her eyes were drawn to his adam’s apple as it moved. His hand slid around her waist, pulling her closer, and Y/n’s chest touched his, her hand flattening against the bare skin next to her shirt. She gasped as his eyebrows crinkled, as if confused by his own actions. “S-sorry,” he whispered ever so softly. He hadn't been sure why he did it, but he could say confidently that he wasn't sorry.

Y/n managed a shy smirk, her eyes locking on his as she spoke. “Sorry doesn’t sweeten my tea,” she responded.

His eyes light up, searching hers as his lips tugged into a dreamy smile. “God help me,” he whispered.

“Is the infamous Jughead Jones asking God for help? I mean, asking help in general, but, God?”

Jughead chuckled. “Only he can help me at this point,” The boy sighed, his eyes still admiring her features as his gaze fell across her face, that soft dopey smile still on his lips.

“You look so lovey-dovey, Jones. What happened to the depressed emo boy that pouts in the corner at Pop’s and rants poetically about all the worst parts of existing?” Y/n joked, trying not to fall under the spell that Jughead had long since succumbed to.

“Just tell me you don’t love me anymore,” Jughead responded, playing offended.

Y/n rolled her eyes, but her smile was huge and goofy. “I can’t tell you that,” she admits, smiling faintly. A dusty pink blush tickled her skin, and it made her look like she was glowing.

“You look so lovey-dovey, Y/n,” Jughead teases. “What happened to the loner girl who glares at me and has no emotion?” He meant it as a joke but it seemed to hit a nerve. Y/n was immediately out of the moment, pushing him away and walking to the door. Jughead’s smile drops and he watches her before grabbing her arm again. “Y/n what-”

“We can’t hang out anymore,” Y/n interrupts, snapping. Jughead let’s go of her wrist in shock, stepping back. “I don’t like you, Jughead Jones. Not even as a friend. We have never gotten along and we never will. Tell Betty that I’m sorry I let myself get too into the group. Don’t worry. Everything will be back to normal soon. I’m sorry I messed everything up.” She left the room, pulling the door closed sharply behind her. Jughead was left opening and closing his mouth like a fish, desperately searching for a response. Finally he snapped out of it, rushing to get dressed and then running downstairs.

“Where did Y/n go?” He asked Archie, who stood next to Veronica and Kevin, all who looked as surprised as Jughead felt. Y/n had obviously blown them off, too. Veronica pointed silently at the door, which was still cracked. It seemed Y/n had rushed to leave and not made sure it was closed all the way. Jughead shot past it, running into the streets and looking everywhere for any trace of her.

Just then he realized he didn’t know where she lived. Not where she was supposed to live. What if she went somewhere other than the train car, knowing he would know to look for her there? He didn’t know if she had a car, never mind what it looked like. Weirdly, he realized he couldn’t remember Y/n being anywhere outside of school - except when she was at Pop’s or that one day he had followed her home. Would she go there now? No way. She was too smart for that. He would look there, and she knew that. He didn’t even bother to consider that as an option.

He felt his heart drop, sinking into his toes. It didn't surprise him as much as he would have liked.

The night had gone all wrong. Betty was in danger. Y/n had pushed them all away. Jug didn’t know where she was, or even where to start looking. Above all, in all the chaos of things he had realized that night, Jughead came to a conclusion that both scared and thrilled him. He had a crush on Y/n. A very big, completely undeniable, crush. He'd really known the whole time but now he could admit it, just in time for her to disappear.

Was it too late to make a comeback? I mean, Y/n was still hiding something. That had been the reason he'd started all of this, right? He wasn’t supposed to fall for her, but he had. Now the idea of going back to the mutual hateful relationship they’d had before broke his heart and he still didn't know what was going on with her. What she had refused to tell them, even after all this time and how close they had gotten.

He looked back and forth again, running his hands through his hair.

How would he get himself out of this one?

Y/n didn’t break her promise to Jug or the others. Jughead found out later that she’d hastily promised to stay out of all their lives in the future, apologizing just as she had to him before for intertwining herself in their lives at all. Jughead had gone over what happened between him and Y/n again and again with the whole group, as well as running through it himself, and none of them could understand why she had been so upset about his comment. Jug and her had insulted each other plenty of times, especially recently. It had been all joking in recent times and never before had she been affected by anything he said. Something about her being emotionless hit her like nothing else anyone ever told her had. She was hiding something major, and Jughead was determined to find out what. Because he cared about her, this time, not for any other reason. He had admitted it to the others and everyone was so happy for him, wishing him luck.

When Monday came around, Jughead looked for Y/n everywhere, but it wasn’t until he found her makeshift red room at the end of the day after school that he had any luck. The red light was on and when he opened the door, the clanking of something falling over and someone inside being startled by the door opening gave her away. “Who’s there?” A female voice demanded. Jug smiled. It was her.

He walked into the room, just for his eyes to go wide. There stood Y/n, eyes puffy and face blotchy. Her face looked red too, but that might have been the light. Considering she’d most definitely been crying, it might have just been her actual face. The thing that really shocked him though were the pictures hanging up. They were of the gang. Betty, a smile on her face. Veronica, raging through the hall like the storm she was. Kevin, talking to Joaquin and smiling shyly. Archie, guitar in hand. Jughead was the majority of the pictures. Him writing. Him arguing with someone. Him walking through the hall, looking stressed. A small smile on his lips as he sat in Pop’s. Little moments. Big moments. Jughead was everywhere. “J-Jughead?” Y/n stuttered. She looked at the pictures. “I tried to hide them but they’re not dry and you’ve already seen them so… oh well.”

“What is this?” Jughead asked. He found himself less angry and more curious.

“I followed you guys around for a while,” Y/n admitted sheepishly. “I found an old camera with old film, back when I needed information that I suspected you weren’t giving me. It was before Betty and I started working together. It’s creepy, I know. I’m sorry.” She shrugged, seeming to be sincere but low on energy.

Jughead offered a teasing smile. “Not creepy. It’s... almost cute.”

“How so?” Y/n snapped, her sass instantly back.

Jughead felt accomplished. “Your crush on me. Take a picture and it lasts longer, right?” He chuckled. Y/n's eyes went wide, and he dared to guess she was blushing badly - the lighting in the room hid any chance he had to confirm if that was correct or not though.

“I don’t like you,” she argued passionately. “You’re annoying and - not my type. Seriously. In your dreams, though.” She crossed her arms.

Jug leaned against the doorframe, chuckling. “Don’t be ashamed, Y/n. It’s okay.” She rolled her eyes and shook her head but he sighed, dropping the flirting and teasing. He approached her, placing one of each of his hands on each of her shoulders. “I need to say something, because if I might actually go crazy and I can’t do that.”

“What’s so important, Jug?” Y/n asked with a voice half timid and half tired.

Jughead pursed his lips, tilting his head. “Do you ever feel-”

He didn’t even get to finish. “Can’t relate,” Y/n sarcastically interrupted, crossing her arms again and throwing her hip out to communicate her sassy attitude. “I don’t have feelings.”

“Y/n, you know I didn’t mean that." His voice came out stern. How could she have ever doubted that?

“You still said it,” Y/n grumbled stubbornly, looking away. There was something behind the way she leaned away from him and tried to avoid this touch that made him think it might have been more than that.

His sigh was so heavy and tired and almost painful as he hooked his finger under her chin to guide her eyes back to meet his, that she didn’t resist. He was hurting. Why he was went over her head. He was quiet for a while, his eyes locked on hers, and she melted under his gaze. “The truth is… I love you,” he whispered. “I-I’m pretty sure. I don’t know, maybe it’s puppy love. Maybe it’s a lost cause because we’re in high school and I’m a mess because I’m saying all of this, but I do. You’re one of the most important people in my life. You’ve become a part of me and losing you now..." He shook his head. "Please don’t push me away, Y/n. What happened the other night? What went through that pretty little mind of yours?”

Y/n looked scared. No, terrified. As if she was expecting Jug to yell “GOTCHA!” any second. But he didn’t and after a beat, she broke. “Did you know that when I was younger, my mom was in the military?" Jughead shook his head slowly, letting her step away from him this time. If she needed space he could respect that. "My parents were always busy, and even when they weren’t they didn’t have time for me. Time to raise a daughter. They never really taught me how to control my emotions - which was big for them. The soldier and the detective. They used to say: No emotions, no weakness. My mom was often gone, so it was my dad who really had to drive it home. And he never could… until you. He was glad when I met you."

That didn't make Jughead feel great, but when she stopped he knew that he needed to know what she'd meant. "Why?"

She looked guilty as she continued. "Well I was a really soft kid. I wandered around without getting lost and would come back with stories of how beautiful the world was. I met this boy who was kind to me and made me giddy and red in the face and it made me fumble and I got awkward and gushy and loud and warm..."

Jughead felt his chest constrict. "And then I completely turned on you."

Y/n only nodded. "It was easier to get me to listen after that. Under his guidance, I learned how to be cold and pull away from people and keep a distance. I became hard, but also strong. Self reliant. At first..." She gave a sigh that seemed to shake in the air with the weight of her emotions. "Then he got sick, and depending on myself became a need instead of a luxury. He never taught me how to handle emotions, or act with them, just how to lock them up. That was okay with simple emotions, but they got more complex and you got meaner and I didn't have anyone to hide behind anymore. On top of that, I was suddenly adrift. My dad had passed away and it ruined my mom. She wasn’t just cold - she had become distant. Like a ghost. Or a machine. All she did was travel as far as she could get to not think about her lost husband. When I ran away there wasn’t even a single poster or police who knew my name. The only difference was that she stopped paying rent. I couldn’t even go home. I only had time to get everything out, tuck it away until I had somewhere real to put it. I was hopping from place to place, random spots, until I could get something together. Eventually I found the train car and it worked."

“Why didn’t you ever… tell anyone? Didn’t the school notice?” Jug asked, suddenly horrified at the idea that Y/n had so seamlessly disappeared and no one had noticed. Not even him.

Y/n shrugged. "My grades were good enough that I passed, but average enough that no teacher felt the need to brag about me. My house phone like was dead so they couldn’t call the house, and they never really had to. I didn’t miss school, and they knew my dad had passed away and that my mom was busy with the military. I told them my aunt had moved in but that she was a recluse and agoraphobic and they just let it slide. No one gets paid to care about kids in this town, especially not with the insanity of Jason Blossom’s death being the only thing anyone cares about. He was popular and his death was dramatic. I’m good at fading into the background. Who would care about the unfeeling ghost in the corner?” She scoffed. “The only time anyone took notice of me was when you were ripping me apart - and even then it was only ever to laugh.”

Jughead flinched. “I knew Riverdale was bad, but-“ but he couldn’t finish that thought. After all, Riverdale wasn’t the problem this time. It was him.

Y/n shrugged. “It gave me drive. Something to focus on. Hating you became my reason to pull myself together. I finally went to therapy - group thing at the local church. Undid a lot of what my parents had instilled in me and what their loss took from me. Now I have my own place and something interesting to fill my time with and I’ve… move on.”

“Grown up,” Jughead voiced, thinking about how sad she had sounded in Archie’s car with him during the stakeout. She’d had so much on her shoulders… she still did. And after all his torment and all she’d went through, of course hearing someone call her emotionless hurt like it had. Especially when it didn’t just come from any person - it had come from him. The look Jughead gave her was heartbreaking. "Y/n I'm... I'm so sorry."

Y/n just shook her head. "But that's not even the real problem, because it was for the best. The problem is that hearing you say that... what they used to say... it reminded me that this is stupid. That I let years of torment go because secretly I am still that lost little girl who wants to depend on someone to carry her. That you can't be that person, because what you say actually hurts and I never admit it because I want to please you too much. There's baggage and there's mess and-"

"And I love you," Jughead whispered.

Y/n closed her eyes. "Tell me that you didn't suddenly flip the script after all these years because you wanted something. I've been thinking about it these last few days. Betty asked me that day, and then the next week you were suddenly all distant and then you were polite. Enough time that I didn't put it together, but... I mean it came out of nowhere. And that' the only thing I can even imagine would make you put aside everything between us."

She wasn't wrong, and he wasn't going to lie. "Okay it did start out like that," he admitted. Before she could go off again, he rushed to explain. "But I didn't flirt with you or like you to get information. It was supposed to just be a cordial things. We weren't even supposed to be friends, let alone anything more than that. I know we'd have a lot to work through and if you need time I get it, but you're more than what your parents did and you're more to this friend group than just what you are to me. At least... don't leave the others for my sake."

"And sit across from you as you look at me with the most love sick eyes I have ever seen a teenage boy have for one person?" She shook her head. "Jughead we can't be friends and you know it same as I do."

"So that's it?" His arms dropped limply to his sides. "Years of being at each others' throats and months of falling in love, and now we're just gonna stop there and pretend not to notice the other in the hall or in class? Just, cold shoulder? Nothing? I don't even get to argue with you anymore or hear all your ideas or how you make sense of all the things I've been trying to say for years but never communicated quite right? It stops at absolutely nothing but memories and regrets and giving up?"

Instead of answering she just stared at him, her eyes falling across each and every feature he had to offer for her to see. The quiet got heavy and lasted too long but neither of them made a move to break it. Instead, they just looked at each other. Went through the timelines in their heads, trying to see where it might have gone differently.

And it all started at Jughead not being such an idiot.

Well, if it began with Jughead being an idiot, hopefully it could restart that way too. He surged forward, hands holding her face as he smashed his lips down onto hers. He had seen the hesitation in her eyes, and it had been all he needed. She didn't even try to fight it; she just kissed him back. It was a burst of feelings, swirling through her stomach and chest and into their veins. They clung to each other, surprised at the need that was there.

When they broke apart, it was slow and hesitant. They didn't give each other much room, just enough to breathe. When she spoke, he could feel it against his lips. "This isn't fair."

"I know," Jughead responded, his voice tight. "I'm sorry. I just thought... maybe if I couldn't tell you I could show you." Y/n sighed, leaning her forehead against his. "I know it's complicated," he admitted. "I'm not asking for you to erase or forget anything. Just maybe... try? I just want to see if we can get to somewhere new. Because we've been taking peeks at it, and I know there is so much we'd have to work through but just... just try. With me. Please."

Y/n sighed again. "Why did you turn on me all those years ago?" If he could admit it...

"Because I was terrified of the way you made me feel," Jughead answered without hesitating. "Because I liked you too, and life is weird and complicated and I was... am. I am stubborn. And instead of ever questioning it, I just pushed you away as hard as I could and made up this version of you in my head to justify it and I was wrong and I'm so sorry."

Maybe people could change.

Y/n leaned away. "I'm willing to try," she said slowly. "But you have to be willing to take things at my pace, and there has to be a lot of communication. And no more insults or anything like that. I want something different. Something better. Something good."

Jughead nodded eagerly. "We can take it one day at a time."

"We'll take it one day at a time," Y/n agreed. "If you're sure."

"Positive," Jughead rushed.

She almost smiled. "There are so many girls at this school... probably easier."

"Less worth it." He looked at her and she couldn't help but blush, just a little. Jughead looked at the door. "Everyone's sort of waiting to know what's going on. Told them I'd come back with news." He began stepping backward, away from the room, nodding for her to follow. So she did, and when he turned and began to lead, she watched his empty hand swing at his side only a moment before deciding to take it. They exchanged soft smiles.

Then they all met up at Archie's like they had a few days prior to wait for Betty. The atmosphere was a bit awkward before Y/n slowly explained why she had run out and where things were settled now. With a lot less detail than she'd given Jughead - just enough that they got the gist. It got a lot easier when Veronica began to make friendly jabs at Jughead for being an idiot. When they were done talking, only one question remained.

"Where have you been?" Archie asked. "We looked everywhere for you. Went to school records. We looked up where you lived and..." He got quiet. "I'm sorry if you didn't want us to know."

Y/n shook her head. "No it's okay. I actually found someone willing to give me a room." She said that very slowly, making everyone raise an eyebrow.

"Who?" Betty pushed a little, concern dripping from her words.

That seemed to make Y/n hesitate. "Remember when you asked me if I knew anything about Jason's murder, Betty? Before..." Her eyes drifted to Jughead and Betty nodded. "Well I did. And I looked into it, and the person that I suspected... well it turned out to be a different story. I had his back on something and in exchange he gave me a place to stay when he found out that-" she cut off, her eyes almost wandering to Jughead again before jerking away.

Jughead knew immediately what was up. "Please tell me you're not staying with my dad." His voice was tight and low. From the way Y/n wouldn't look at him, he didn't have to wait for an actual answer. “Y/n, you can’t stay with him.”

“Why not?” She demanded immediately.

Betty's eyes widened. “Jug lives with Archie for a reason. He doesn’t feel safe there. For you to live there would be a bad idea, especially if - well I mean-” She looked at Jughead.

"He's a Serpent," Archie reminded uselessly. "The head of the Serpents."

"And there's more to him than you realize," Y/n almost groaned, running her hands through her hair.

"What don't we know?" Jughead demanded, his voice protective instead of harsh.

Y/n pursed her lips, leaning back into the couch she sat on. "I... can't tell you." Everyone's mouth opened to argue but she spoke over them. "I promised I wouldn't. At this point it doesn't matter, I know what I'm doing and who I'm dealing with." She looked at Jughead. "I should have told you in better circumstances. I didn't even think before I said it. Just... I can explain later, okay?"

"Can you?" Jughead asked. Y/n sat for a second, mouth moving like a fish as she tried to come up with some kind of response. Jughead scoffed. "That's what I thought." She leaned away from him at his harsh tone, her eyes taking in those around her. Each of her newly formed friends looked at her with expression that matched Jug's almost perfectly.

She stood. "Fine. I'm sorry I made something work instead of being homeless. I'll be out soon, just for you Juggy." Then she turned away and stormed off. No one followed her, their faces newly formed into looks of regret. They hadn't thought about it like that.

Too late to go back now.

#jughead jones #riverdale #south side serpents imagine #cole sprouse #cole sprouse x reader #cole sprouse imagine #jughead jones x reader #south side serpent x reader #jughead jones imagine #riverdale x reader #riverdale imagine #serpents #serpents imagine #serpents x reader

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all-of-the-imagines-for-eve · 3 years

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As I rewrite things I’ll be reformatting my masterlist so if it looks messy... trust the process.

#trying to completely redo your blog and make it more organized takes so much energy help

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all-of-the-imagines-for-eve · 3 years

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Misunderstandings ~ Jughead Jones

One, two, three

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all-of-the-imagines-for-eve · 3 years

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Misunderstandings ~ J.J. (part 1)

A/n: You have never seen this before I don't know what you mean. This is definitely a completely new thing and not a rewrite of an old fic inspired by a Riverdale rewatch that has reignited my love for Jughead... (sarcasm) lol, enjoy!

Word Count: 7300+

MASTERLIST

Y/n Y/l/n was not a troublesome person. She did not pick fights or start problems. She did not seek trouble or cause drama. That being said, when any troublesome things presented themselves on their own, she was also not one to back down. She knew when to stand her ground, but otherwise she usually kept to herself and tried to be as chill as possible. The one exception to this rule was her craving for adventure. Not necessarily some story book knights and princesses and dragons, or coming of age story. Just... exploration. Seeing new things. Going new places. Maybe even going places you've already been before and seeing it from a new vantage point. Sometimes she'd just get restless and would decide to on a walk and her feet would just take her places. Usually it was fine but sometimes... well sometimes it got her in trouble.

Again, usually she stayed out of any kind of nonsense, but when Jason Blossom died she felt that familiar need itching in the back of her head. She felt it stronger than before, driving her to pursue answers and understanding.

Riverdale had never had a mystery like this before, and when she and Jughead started working together to fit the pieces together and try and figure out exactly what was going on, Betty wasn't surprised to realize that Y/n was doing the same thing. The other girl wasn't clever like Betty or driven for the truth like Jughead, but Y/n did have a gut instinct that never led her wrong and a habit of being where she wasn't supposed to be - a skill that often lead her to answers no one else would have had. If they were going to go full send on this whole investigation, they would be dumb to not at least ask if Y/n had any hunches or ideas, if she had seen something or knew something major. Which is why Betty found herself outside an empty classroom that was completely dark, red light coming out from the window. She knew Y/n was in there, developing photos like she always did after school hours.

"Y/n?" Betty called into the room as she opened the door. The girl responded to her name, jumping in surprise before quickly spinning as the blonde entered the room. There was an emotion on Y/n's face that Betty didn't have enough time to decipher before Y/n forced her expression blank and neutral. If it hadn't been that Betty had caught it before Y/n had it under control, she wouldn't have had a second thought. Y/n was a good actress. But, that wasn't the case. Betty knew something was wrong. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Y/n responded nonchalantly, as if it was such an obvious question it didn't even require her to waste energy. "Need something?" She asked, putting on a smile and placing her hand on her hip. It was so smooth and natural that Betty was genuinely surprised.

"Uh..." Betty pushed her worry away. Y/n wasn't her friend, and if the other girl was anything like most emotionally repressed teenagers - and let's be honest, who wasn't in Riverdale? - then she wouldn't open up no matter what Betty did. "Do you have any update on the Jason Blossom case?" She asked instead. They both knew the other was working on it. They'd seen each other around a few times, and Y/n had been very engaged in the Blue and Gold articles that had been released. Betty had only waited this long to officially ask because Y/n had been reluctant to offer any help. Y/n and Jughead didn't exactly... get along.

Listen, Jughead could be a jerk at times, to say the least. Not on purpose - he just came off that way due to his bluntness and sarcasm. On top of that, his humor required a certain taste, you could say. It was dry and often dark. Sardonic, as he had said a few times. His awkwardness often played as condescension and arrogance - a sort of Holier Than Thou attitude. Many people thought he was just an asshole and left it there. That was how he always acted though. With Y/n, it was even worse. Jughead had gone out of his way multiple times to be rude to her. He had singled her out and attacked her in several ways, over quite a few years. Betty could recall classes where Y/n would have a presentation and Jughead would make cracks at them, mocking as Y/n stood there, humiliated, as the class suppressed their giggles.

So, easily said, Y/n was generally pretty "opposed" to helping Jughead in any way, for any reason. Opposed as in how a claustrophobic man might be "opposed" to be shut up in a small box where they can barely fit, by the way. Not a casual opposed. One might say she'd rather get run over by Archie's truck or gone on a date with Chuck Clayton.

On the other hand, Y/n liked Betty, so she may ignore the fact that Betty worked with Jughead and give her information. This hope that Betty had been holding onto pulled through when Y/n hesitated, but then sighed and answered all of Betty's question with only a slight bitterness every time Jughead was even hinted at being mentioned.

After that, the two girls had a deal. They would meet in the red room when there was any major thing going on and would have a run through of everything they knew. Essentially they'd compare notes - Y/n giving what she knew in exchange for Betty giving Y/n what they knew in turn. In this roundabout way, they all worked together and by some miracle it hadn't ended in flames and chaos... yet, at least.

One day, Y/n was acting a bit weird. She had always been hesitant in the beginning, giving in after a few begging looks from Betty. After a while though, she had eventually grown comfortable with the blonde and they had formed a comfortable flow. An understanding. They only talked about Jason's death, but even with just that, both girls had learned each other's body languages and hidden looks. They'd learned how to read unsaid words. So when Betty slipped in and asked for updates and Y/n wouldn't look at her, Betty knew something was wrong. It was when Y/n's hands wrapped around the bottom of her shirt, fiddling like she always did when she was anxious, that Betty knew.

She had something.

"No," Y/n said finally. "I wish I could help, but, I don't. I'm sorry." Y/n looked back and Betty was honestly surprised. Maybe she'd just been guilty for not having anything? "If you could please get out that would be nice. I'm sorry to be rude but I'm really busy right now so..." Her words drifted off, but there was a guilt in her eyes. She'd been pretty transparent in the last while that they'd been talking, so to see her so hidden and filtered was... weird.

"Of course," Betty rushed anyway, turning to leave. "I'm sorry." She was weirdly flustered, unsure how to exactly handle something so different than any interaction the two had before. It was what Betty heard as she was leaving that really made the blonde pause.

"Don't worry, Betty. It's not your fault."

"What do you-" before Betty could finish her questions the door slammed closed and the sound of a lock turning into place hit her ears. "Mean?" She finally ended, her hesitation turning the word into a question. She almost waited, a little concerned about Y/n. But they still weren't friends, and Y/n's state of upset might not even be about Jason. Betty would feel terrible if she pushed when Y/n wanted to be alone and forced something into the open that Y/n wasn't ready to face. So instead she left, sighing and headed back to the Blue and Gold where Jughead was waiting. Y/n's behavior followed Betty the whole way. She didn't know what to do with it. A part of her wished that she had Jug's keen sense of people reading; it would make more sense if she could have read Y/n like he could.

"Did she have anything?" Jug asked as Betty entered the room, typing away on his laptop as per usual. Betty sighed and plopped down in a chair a few seats from where he sat.

When he looked up, ready for news, she almost felt guilty to only be able to offer a simply, "No." Betty sighed in defeat. She was still unsure about if there had been something up with Y/n, and now she debated whether we should tell Jughead. I mean, would he even care? Would he go poking because she might be withholding something about the case? Would he find something that drove him to jab at her even more? Would it get worse from there on? Or would he find nothing, and knowing all the hard work and the lengths he would go to to find out if there WAS anything, be grumpy about it?

"What are you hiding?" Jughead asked and Betty slouched.

She couldn't lie to him. "Y/n was acting weird," Betty admitted.

Immediately he was intrigued, his head tilting in interest. "How so?"

"Why do you care?" Betty brushed off, hoping he's just drop it. She still didn't know if she should tell him. He wouldn't consider and give Y/n space like Betty had.

Unfortunately, his prodding and poking had already been activated. "If she's hiding something, it could be about the case. We need to know everything. If she decides not to work with you anymore then fine, but she's under the microscope instantly."

Betty almost groaned out loud. "Maybe she's just going through something personal, Jug. Imagine if the case brought up something that you didn't want anyone to know?" Betty rose an eyebrow and she noticed how Jughead shot her a worried look, then looked away.

Wait. Was he hiding something?

"It doesn't matter," Jughead mumbled, glaring at his lap. "If it's necessary, no secret can stay that way forever. Secrets usually don't stay that secret for long in general anyway." She shot him a look that was some mix between a warning and deep concern. He had the audacity to smile in response. "Don't worry, Betty. I do have tact."

Betty had never doubted a statement more in her life. Normally he was barely cordial at best, but with Y/n? She searched for a way to get him to understand how much he needed to absolutely not do this, and felt terrible when she came up with nothing. "Is there anything I can do to get you to not do this?" Her voice was almost whiny.

Jughead's smile was so smug Betty almost laughed. "Nope." Well, there it was I guess. All Betty could do was hope Y/n was prepared to handle Jughead's bullshit after all these years. If anyone could, it would be her.

Betty worried.

Jughead had gone over and beyond to find out what Y/n was hiding, and he'd done it in a way that no one had seen coming - even Betty.

First, he'd stopped talking to her for a full week. An event that wasn't exactly bad, actually. In fact, it had been good. He didn't go out of his way to insult her or provoke her. Hell, he didn't even take the chance when it presented itself and Y/n cringed, her eyes flickering toward the dark haired boy as she awaited his comment. Only it never came. Without him nitpicking her every move, other people started to notice her confidence start to rise a little. Without him there to nitpick her and rip her apart at the edges, she finally had room to get her feet under her. She stood taller and smiled more, even though her smiles had been pretty nonexistent before. Other people started to push her around to make up for it - the jocks, mainly - but no one had the effect on her that Jughead had.

Next was a very slow, careful shift from leaving her alone to slowly, smoothly transitioning into actively engaging with her again, but this time in a positive way. Holding doors for her when she came early and was walking behind him, or letting her go first if they were headed the same way. Never did he go out of his way, but he did take the opportunity when it came. Like before, but now to be kind to her, instead of to tear her down.

Jughead's next step came as a surprise to everyone when Reggie was being especially rude, and slammed his shoulder into Y/n, making her trip and drop her books on the floor. She'd just snagged them from her locker just as the bell rang, so she had been in a rush and hadn't taken time to slip them in her bag. "Watch where you're going!" Reggie shouted, stepping closer to her. Previously lost in her own thought, she flinched, her head snapping to the side as if to block him from hitting her. Reggie's eyes went wide. He was a jerk, but he would never hit her. He was all talk when it came to girls. He liked to see them squirm, maybe, but actually hit them? Never. He... honestly didn't know what to do.

"Picking on helpless girls now, Reg?" A new voice spoke up. Y/n looked over to see none other than Jughead Jones, arms crossed over his chest and a single eyebrow arching. "I didn't think you could hit any lower, but I guess you're just full of surprises."

Reggie's fists clenched. "Why do you have a problem? You used to basically bully her."

Jughead shook his head. "Not bully. I might have been harsh, but only to a point that she could take. I don't bully people. I leave that to the professionals. Like you."

Y/n had a lot of emotions about that and she didn't know which to show more. I mean, she was definitely confused as to how he had figured how hard to push her and how much she could take to begin with. But then she was also offended that he didn't consider it bullying when she used to spend nights, sometimes early into the morning, crying her eyes out and wondering what she'd done to deserve his constant torment. Then, most odd, Y/n also felt... thankful. He was standing up for her. No one stood up for anyone anymore, especially against the popular kids. Locked in several emotions, she simply stood there silently, watching the two go back and forth until Reggie stepped forward. On some weird instinct she stepped between the two boys, extending her arms either side to place on either boy's chest, pushing them apart. "I'm fine," she snapped. The late bell rang and she sighed. "Get to class. We're all late."

Reggie scoffed. "Oh look. Freak has a boyfriend." He laughed loudly and obnoxiously, then turned and walked away, the same laugh echoing in the halls.

There was a pause as she avoided looking at Jughead, her arm still extended to touch his chest as she processed. Or, tried to. It was hard when she felt his eyes burning into the side of her head. "Why did you get between me and Reggie?" Jughead asked after it seemed she wasn't going to be the first to talk.

"Why did you stand for me to Reggie?" Y/n shot back immediately.

Jughead shrugged. "Why not?"

Y/n's eyes finally landed on Jughead. "I could answer the same way." Her eyes spoke of the confusion over the sudden change in him. He was gentle just now, calmly having her back against Reggie. The way he looked at her... it was almost kind. Cautious even, like she could break any second.

Was this Jughead why had she so intuitively jumped in to separate him from Reggie? The one who held doors for her and defended her and spoke to her with a soft, low voice and looked at her with caution and care? She knew that she used to have the biggest, sickest crush on the beanie boy, but that was a long time ago. Back then she might have put herself in front of a huge boy who could easily beat the crap out of her to protect Jughead. He had been a lot like this Jughead. Quiet. Calm. Soft spoken. He had been lighter then. She would have done anything for him, but now? Why did she even care? He might have been nice this last week, but the Jughead that had once made Y/n's heart clench in her chest had turned into a monster and she couldn't imagine what this weirdly placed image was. Her caring for him, him caring for her. That was elementary school. Since when had they gone back? Why hadn't he at least warned her?

A part of her demanded that people didn't change like this. They didn't flip overnight and suddenly become caring when they'd been hateful before. A smaller, shier part of her brain insisted that he had before. They'd been close once. Nice to each other. Why not now? That first part of her brain, the one that was defensive and wanted to hate Jughead, argued once again that she couldn't take that chance. He had done this once before and it had taken years to recover. Even then, she had never really gotten over it. That bitter part of her brain even dared to say that maybe it might have even been satisfying to see him get messed up after years of hurting her in ways he would never know.

But then she thought about that. Him, on the ground, hair messed up, face bloodied, eyes blinking hard as he tried to get rid of the blurry vision. No, she didn't like it at all, that quieter voice whispered. She didn't want that. It was confusing to say the least. Y/n had never really been a hateful person, but hating Jughead had become a defense. She'd had to protect herself from him. Had to change her feelings for him very quickly. The only way to change from crushing and adoring so quickly was to cut directly to hate. And she had hated him. She hated everything about him! His stupid, sarcastic comments, and his rude, hard stares... The way all his soft edges had hardened and his kind words had become poisoned and weaponized against her specifically for no reason whatsoever. She had hated him for years, she was sure of it, and she had every right to hate him.

Right?

"I have to get to class," Y/n mumbled, looking away to glare at the lockers. Her hand dropped and immediately Jughead caught it, pulling her to catch her attention and get her to look at him again. He had an unreadable expression on his face so she froze, not sure how to respond.

"Are you doing anything after school?" Jughead asked. Y/n rose an eyebrow, silently asking why he was asking. "Would you come to Pop's with me, if you're free?"

Y/n was convinced this was a prank. Or he had something that he was trying to get out of her. But she wanted to say yes. She wanted the opportunity to hang out with him at Pop's, sitting with him in his booth instead of seeing him from far away and hoping he didn't notice her and ruin her peace. She wanted to be alone with him and talk about what he was always so busy typing out on his computer and why he was so invested in this case. She wanted to sit there and look at each other as she asked why he'd always been so horrible to her and get some answer that made everything better, making them friends. She wanted to be able to do that. Which she didn't like. "What do you have there to tempt me?" She asked instead of voicing her thoughts or just agreeing.

"Coffee or Milkshake?" Jughead offered, a very attractive grin on his face. No wait. Not attractive. Annoying and mocking. Or... she didn't know, cocky. There you go. It was a cocky grin, because he knew he'd won. Cockiness wasn't attractive.

"Yes," she simply responded. She turned away from him, seeing an amused glint in his eye before she couldn't see him at all. She didn't look back, but she did wonder how years of defenses and disdain and crappy feelings had melted in moments. In one action, in one week, he had undone every part of her that she had created to battle against him.

It shouldn't have come as such a surprise though, and she knew that. Jughead had always known exactly what to do to land something exactly where he intended to. A warm smile and a kind look had always made her feel warm. A soft touch or a look across a room had always made her heart race. A biting remark or twisted glare had always stung most when it came from him. He had always had power over her. She felt a little fear tickle at the tips of her finger tips as she wondered if he had realized that too...

God she had a bad feeling about this.

"You can't eat all of that," Y/n accused, her eyes on the food in front of him. Jughead smirked, his eyes accepting her challenge. And, right then and there, right in front of her, he proved her wrong. Then ordered another shake. "You're a beast!" Y/n exclaimed right before both of them busted up laughing.

Calming down, Jug and Y/n smile at each other. Their gazes met and Y/n feels warmth swallow her face, so she looks down into her drink and takes a long sip. The cool, thick drink cools her mouth and gives her something to focus on. She did not like this boy. That was ridiculous. He'd been relentlessly rude and generally just mean forever. Ever since he'd found out that she liked him when they were in fourth grade. Fourth grade!

That boy didn't seem like this boy, though. The one in front of her was so much like how he'd been before the torment and the bitterness and the snark and rudeness. It was so easy to let her guard down with this boy - the one she had known. The one she hadn't realized she'd missed. Because if Y/n was honest, she never really learned how to hate Jughead Jones. She had just pretended that he was someone else. It was easy to hate someone when you separated all the good from them. She had no guard against the boy she'd had a crush on. The boy who had been nice to her. She had no hate for him. More than that, there was a yearning to at least try and make this happen. To let that boy she'd once known come back. Maybe this time he'd stay, if she just let him.

Fortunately, there was still some rational thoughts in her mind. Now more than ever she was realizing that the good and the bad were both the same boy, and if he had once been good, and was good again, that could easily mean he would be bad again too. Sure he had changed, but why? Why so suddenly? She still didn't know and it confused her just as much as when he had suddenly flipped on her all those years ago.

Out of nowhere that small, shyly happy boy was back, and she felt just as drawn to him as she did when she was young. It felt as if she'd never stopped liking him, only smothered her feelings and morphed the pain and heartbreak he caused her into fake hatred. Some kind of shield to keep him at arm's length where he had seemed content to be... until now. And now, after only a week, it had all come crashing down around her.

Her mind was racing and she couldn't make sense of it. Every time he made her smile, her thoughts would start up again - she couldn't get peace. "Why do you hate me?" Y/n asked in a soft voice. She didn't want to kill the mood, but this is what she had really come here for. Answers.

"I don't hate you." Some of that harshness came back, but it was more confusion and offense than it was nastiness. It was incredibly frustrating that even as he argued with her he was still so docile. So unlike how he had been every single day until a week ago since fourth grade.

"Yes you do," Y/n disagreed, looking up at him. Both of their smiles were gone. "You've hated me since fourth grade when Betty told you that I had a crush on you. You've gone out of your way to prove to me time and time and time again that you hate me. Why?"

"I was in fourth grade," Jughead explained, shrugging. "I don't know how to deal with feelings now, but back then? A cute girl that I had a crush on liked me and my young mind could only find one way to respond: be mean. It's much easier to humiliate someone than admit you have feelings for them." There was a pause as Jug took a deep breath. The stunned expression on Y/n's face gave him a second to realize he'd actually admitted all of that out loud. His voice got quieter and he looked at his shake. "Once I started it came easily, and I didn't know when to stop. I figured that after a while you had grown to hate me, especially since Betty was most likely wrong and you just thought I was an asshole kid being an asshole kid just because I thought you liked me. I was sure you hated me, and that made it worse, so I didn't stop. And after a while it seemed that I didn't know how to stop. The only way I could talk to you or be around you without you glaring at me or seeming to accuse me of wanting to mess with you was to actually upfront mess with you. So that's what I did." Jughead shrugged and Y/n stared at him. "I-I don't like you anymore, of course. It just became habit. I do want to be friends though."

That was... so much. The thought that all these years had been some emotionally stunted brat retaliating in the worst way possible? That he had panicked and taken it out on her just for liking him back? It twisted the image of that little boy she had once loved so much. "Friends," she whispered. As the image of who he used to be burned, the reality of the situation hit her like a train. He had been such a shitty little kid. He had taken his panic out on her because he'd thought Betty had lied to him. He'd been gentle because he'd liked her, then turned cruel when he was called out for it. He hadn't even been mad at the person who had called him out - he had been mad at the person he had feelings for. And then he had just... kept being a jackass. And now he wanted to be friends? God what was she DOING here?!

"Are you okay?" He asked, worry creasing his eyebrows.

"Yeah," she managed to strangle out. Y/n cleared her throat, shook her head, and blinked. Hard. She stood up, slipping money out of her back pocket to pay for her portion of the check. She went to step away but Jughead stood up, grabbing her wrist to stop her, just like earlier. The touch made her stop again, just like it had before.

"Where are you going?" He asked. Had he upset her? Did he actually give a shit? He was doing all of this so he could get close to her in order to find out what was going on. It had been true, what he told her, but he had grown to not like the way that she just dealt with his shit. She didn't stand up for herself or anyone else. She just ignored everybody and everything, never stopping no matter what. She only ever worked by herself and for herself, never willingly offering a hand or a care for anyone else. He'd stopped liking her once he realized how she really was, then started to more find disgust in her. Why would he be opposed to hurting her feelings?

"I have some case stuff to work on," Y/n lied. "I had a really good time though and I'm glad that we finally talked or whatever, but I have to go."

"I can help you. We're friends now, right? We can work on the case together."

Y/n felt sick. She wanted ANYTHING to happen but that. He could never know what she knew. She knew something that she would rather die than have him know she knew, and she didn't want to be friends with him either. Not like this. It was too fast. Too much. "No I have other stuff to do as well. This is important to me. Plus..." she looked at him, slowly pulling her wrist from his grip. "You can't be nice to me for a week and undo everything that's happened. I don't know why I thought you could." That seemed to upset him. She hated that his turmoil made her stomach twist.

"Well then... I'll see you later I guess."

She nodded shortly then turned and left. She crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes focused on her feet, as she quickly walked to her home. The further she got from the diner and the closer she got to safety, the better she felt. She had learned that a real home had that effect on people.

Not to say that she had a house. Because she didn't.

She wasn't exactly homeless either though - she was just a runaway. She had a house to go to if she had wanted, but even with its stairs and tilted roof and wifi and huge bed and multiple rooms, that house she had once lived in didn't live up to any part of her home.

House or not, it was better here where she felt safe. Wrapped in blankets, curled up in a train car on a railway that was on the very edge of town, just to the side of the woods, she felt more at home than she ever had with her parents. She had blankets and clothes and the one thing that if she ever lost, she would lose her mind. A book. One book that kept her sane. Above the bundle of blankets she used as a bed was a bunch of pictures and papers and sticky notes attached to the metal side of the train car, tape and staples keeping up strings that mapped out everything going on with the case. In safety, she got comfy, letting the stress over Jughead roll off her shoulders.

Thinking of Jughead made her eyes wander to the investigation map she'd made. In the center was a picture of a tall, older Serpent with strikingly dark hair and eyes. The picture caught him mid argument with Hermione Lodge, whose back was to the camera. Y/n stared at the dark haired man, thinking about a similarly looking dark haired boy she had just talked to. "FP..." She whispered under her breath. "FP Jones."

Jones. FP, Jughead. Father and son.

FP's son had followed Y/n though, convincing himself the whole way that he did it because she was acting suspicious and not because the twisted, distraught look on her face had made his heart twinge with worry. Now his heart twinged again, but this time he knew the panic too personally, too well, to mistake it from anything other than what it was. He heard her say his father's name, and he knew his worst fear had come to fruition. She knew who his dad was.

What else did she know about him?

"Am I too late?" Y/n whispered, her head poking into the open door as Jughead unlocked it and looked over at her, eyebrows scrunched in playful annoyance.

"You're finally here!" Jughead announced loudly as she slipped in and closed the door. "It took you like... ten days?" He offered, his tone dark but his smile giving him away. It had been... hard to be mad at her after finding out about her being homeless. He didn't know if he should confront her it, first off. He didn't know how he would even if he decided to. One one hand, he had been there. Was there, technically. Before living with Archie though, he'd lived alone in an empty place that was never meant to be lived in, surviving off of anything one could get together and hoping for the best. This meant that she and him were very similar. On the other hand... he shouldn't care.

The thing was, Y/n had been very different up close than she had seemed from far away. All his assumptions and opinions he'd been so sure about when this whole thing had started, were slowly being ripped apart and proven wrong. All the things that had made him think she sucked exposed themselves to be very similar to why people often misjudged him.

She was awkward and quiet and socially inept and her tendency to get out and random aimlessly and come upon things people didn't want to get out made her enemy number one for no reason of her own. She couldn't control coincidences. From her being often misinterpreted to her living on her own as a sophomore in high school to her reluctance to talk about her family to a lot of views she had on the world... she was a lot like Jughead. A scary amount like him actually. Eventually, he started to see himself more and more in her, and eventually he got this feeling that he was fucking with himself.

Even now she pulled a bag of trail mix out of her backpack and he thought of his package of beef jerky in his own bag.

"I'm ten minutes late," Y/n argued, rolling her eyes dramatically. Her voice pulled him back to what was happening and out of his thoughts. "Don't be so dramatic. That's my job." Her smile was bright and he found himself needing to look away as a warmth bloomed in his chest. "Now, did I miss anything important?"

"Not really," Jughead admitted, sighing. This was a lot easier to focus on. "I borrow Archie's car to do a stakeout and you left me by myself! It's been painfully boring and it's all your fault."

Y/n smiled. "You want me here that badly?" She asked, looking over at him teasingly.

"Only for entertainment benefit," he explained jokingly. His dead tone hid his humor.

"Ah," she responded, nodding her head. It was quiet for a while. He realized that she had mistaken his comment as a jab instead of a jest. If only he could smile like her. Ease you with a look. It was one thing he didn't have that she did. She might have stumbled upon things no one wanted her knowing, but she also had this... calming aura...

"I saw you yesterday," Jug blurted, pushing the first thing he'd thought out of his mouth to push the weird thoughts and feelings he was having about her out of his mind. If he was being honest, he really had to know, too. He had to ask. "I followed you home, because I was worried," he added the last part in a rush, hurrying to excuse himself for his actions. She looked at him, eyes wide, looking a little off put. Great job, Jughead. She's been here for two minutes and you already admitted that you stalked her yesterday. Smooth. Really smooth.

"Okay," Y/n finally told him, not sure what else to say. "So now you know I'm houseless." She shrugged then turned her attention forward, watching the bar. She didn't feel bad. She knew that his dad was probably in that building, just past those doors, so she really couldn't be mad that he knew something she didn't want anyone to know about her. She knew his secret too.

"Aren't you mad?" He asked.

"Seems a bit pointless, don't you think?" She answered. "To be mad? So you know. Does it change anything? Do you think less of me? Are you going to try and sweep me off my feet and ride into the sunset to find a new life? Are you going to stop being my friend? So suddenly?" A wry smile grew on her face and Jughead noticed that she finally called him her friend despite himself. "Although, you seem to do things very suddenly, so you never know."

"Hey, I explained why I did what I did in the past."

It was obvious that his answer then had not satisfied her. Her smile dropped and she looked back at the bar. "That's why I'm not mad." It was a lie. Or, at least not the whole truth. Something was bothering her.

Jughead frowned. He felt her displacement in his own chest like a pressure. Although, that might have been the suddenness of it all. He'd be lying if he didn't say it was startling. "So what do we do now?"

"You could still sweep me off my feet and ride into the sunset on your white stallion," she drawled without thinking. "I'll sit behind you, wrap my arms around your torso as I lean my head on your back and you smile. We'll take off onto the path of a better life." Her voice was dead, distant. Almost like how she had said his dad's name yesterday. He found himself wondering about that too, wanting to keep track of exactly how much she knew about him. But... he didn't want to mention his dad. Not so close to the White Wyrm.

Once again he found himself speaking to distract from what he was thinking. "Wow. Need a reality check much?" Jughead tried to get her to laugh. The tension only thickened and he cursed his inability to be light and charismatic like Archie or Betty.

"I live in a world of fantasy," Y/n pointed out. "Reality has no place for me." This sounded more genuine, less like a joke or mockery. It was perhaps that which made Jughead's eyes go so wide.

"Woah. Dismal much?" He mumbled.

"Sorry," Y/n apologized, emotion suddenly back in her voice. "I'm a little off. I'll be more lively. I am only here for entertainment purposes." She winked but he felt guilty.

...He felt guilty?

God this sucked. So much.

"Have you ever lived on your own?" Y/n asked after a very long pause.

"Yes." Jughead found himself responding honestly, trying to return to a more genuine and easy air. Also in a way, trying to level with her. Let her known he understood what she was going through. Mostly because if she kept being so similar to him and only he was aware of it he might go mad.

His answer didn't seem to ease her though. "It's not right," she sighed. "For a child to live by themselves. Living by yourself requires an amount of growing up that a child shouldn't have to go through. A maturity that someone of our age shouldn't have to worry about for a while. Growing up is irreversible and childhood is so precious... Childhood is so fleeting that it'll be gone eventually. It's tragic when the magic of youth leaves." She frowned at the top of the car, lost in thought. "It's almost a lonely feeling."

Jughead didn't want it to happen. He still didn't know what came over him, looking back. He would live to regret it for a long time, too, but not in the way that most people would. No matter what brought him to do it, or how much he wished he could take it back for a while after, he did it.

His fingers slipped under her hand, which lay on the hand rest, and intertwined their fingers. She looked at him, eyes teary, and he was suddenly breathless. "You're not alone," he told her. "I'm here." She looked surprised, but smiled. She leaned her forehead on his shoulder and he rested his head on the top of hers. She chuckled quietly and then she moved, looking up at him. Instantly they were so close they breathed the same air. Air which was thick with tension and nerves and hyperness. Air that was heavy with anticipation and undone action. He kissed her forehead then sat back, needing an excuse to get away from how close they were. Her mind was blank and her body was on fire, so she leaned back as well. Both of them looked out the window, covering their smiles.

She accepted that she was smiling. She accepted that she liked him. That she was opening up to him and him to her. She was okay with it. He seemed to have really changed into someone that was worth liking and she liked him. A lot. If there was anything to be said about his current actions and sudden softness, more so by far than when he was a child, he felt similarly to her and she was leaning very well into a world where she could forgive him. They had a lot to work through but maybe giving him a second chance wouldn't be so bad.

He, on the other hand, tried to fight the smile he could not get rid of. He was supposed to be just trying to get information from her. She was horrible. She was mean and used people. She only cared for herself, and he could never be with someone who was like that. He couldn't even imagine it. He didn't let go of her hand, though. And she didn't let go of his. For some reason, he was glad of that. Everything else burned in his mind and made his stomach twist.

This was bad.

The rest of the night was uneventful and quiet. As the sun rose up, Jughead and Y/n finally let their hands drop as he used both hands to start the car. Her hand didn't move from the middle arm rest, though, as if waiting for him to come back and grab it again. He started driving and, just as she had wanted, he did take her hand once more. There was a moment, between them. Something that sealed their fate. There was no going back now, no matter how much they wished it would.

They would never be friends. Not after tonight.

Jughead understood that now, once he got the information, solved the case, it would be over. Soon enough they would agree that they were not actually feeling for each other, but using each other for information on the case, and he knew they wouldn't get along. Not in the slightest. They knew too much. He would hate her, scared that she would tell someone something that could be used against him, and she would be the same. They had immaturely thought he other was attractive once, and now they knew better.

After an almost kiss and tension charged by curiosity and mistaken for attraction, there was no room for friendship. They'd skipped over that. It only made sense that they would date, or they would be enemies.

Jughead was decided on one, and had convinced himself that when the time came, Y/n would agree with him.

Y/n though, was starting to settle on the other, her mind filling with possibilities and daydreams and her faith in him growing to make room after years and years of hesitation.

It could really only get worse from here.

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