At home at night, old words he remembers reading in one of the poetry books that used to sit on the same shelf as family pictures and albums, his mother’s preferences for literature bleeding with children’s books that his sister was just starting to find interest in. It’s how he feels now, as he stalks across the park, swings idle in the stillness of the night. He walks without necessary direction, through the playground to the opening at the woods he knows so well. A habitual short cut that will take him home.
The back yards he cuts through when he finally comes along the row of houses that will lead down to his are dark too, safe for the faint flicker of television sets in windows. He keeps his hands in his pockets as he navigates the property lines with familiarity, only to cut into a yard that isn’t quite as empty as he’d thought. He spots the other boy, knows him from school, and pauses guiltily, wondering what his reaction will be. It’s not like he and Steve Harrington had ever been terribly close, but then, he’s alone instead of armed with the bullies who’d taken turns making Jughead’s life difficult as much as they wanted to.
Sarcasm, dry wit, is his best defence. “You’re not going to shoot me for trespassing, are you?”
IT ‘ S NIGHTS LIKE THIS WHERE STEVE THINKS HE SHOULD KEEP HIS SPIKED BAT BESIDE HIMSELF AT ALL TIMES —- when strangers are creeping into his yard and steve has little protection besides his fists . his eyes shoot open at the voice , closer than steve would prefer any unexpected noise .
HE FEELS A LITTLE GUILTY WHEN HE IDENTIFIES THE INTRUDER , knows what he ‘ s said about him in the past . he ‘ s not friends with the guy , nor does he plan to be . things were better when people like them didn ‘ t cross paths . that ‘ s just the way it is in high school . stick to what you know , and all that shit .
HE LIFTS THE JOINT FROM HIS LIPS BETWEEN THUMB AND INDEX , glances down to himself , before back to jughead . if steve hadn ‘ t been through hell and back , if he hadn ‘ t fought demon dogs , been involved in government conspiracies , then maybe , just maybe , he would have a more severe reaction to the intrusion in what he liked to consider his “ me time ” . but as it stands , he can ‘ t bring himself to care too much about a student from his high school .
❝ no , but i can go get the gun if that ‘ s what you want , dude . ❞
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