i'm a wanted man. @sxrpxntjones - Tumblr Blog

b-c00per:

Sleepover at The Pembrooke! It had been a declaration, not a question when Veronica found her hunched over in the library during her free period. The brunette tended to do that when she was concerned about Betty’s health–both physical and mental. She’d insist they have a girl’s night, even if it was in the middle of the school week, and then force her to put away her never ending to-do list and get some sleep. It wasn’t uncommon for her to pass out for eleven, twelve hours on these nights. She used to think Veronica was slipping something into her drink to make her sleep for so long, but she’d since come to realize that she was just more at peace curled up in Veronica’s satin sheets than her own cotton ones. It was true that Adderall was usually what was keeping her up at home, but even on the nights she desperately tried to rest, sleep evaded her. The knowledge that her mother was only feet away and could barge in at any moment made it impossible for her to relax enough to drift off. Things had always been prickly at home, but ever since Polly had left for college the year prior, what was once a shared horror show was now all hers to survive.

As she sat across from her two best friends in their regular booth at Pop’s, she wished they’d hurry up and finish eating so Archie could drop them off at the lavish apartment building–where she’d pretend to argue with Veronica over going to bed so early for about five minutes before caving and crawling into the California queen bed. Although, the glint in Veronica’s eyes whenever their gazes met told her she might have to answer a few questions about her little scene with the Serpent Prince in the hallway today before they could proceed with their regular routine. She’d been brushing off curious looks and whispered questions all day in favor of planning her move the next time she saw him. An experience that came sooner than she had anticipated when his voice washed over her from behind.

“I am so glad that you asked,” she replied, not missing a beat. The thrill that shot up her spine was enough to make her all but forgot that just seconds before she’d been ready to pass out in her strawberry milkshake. The adrenaline bringing her back to life in a similar fashion as her beloved orange pills. In all of the scenarios that she’d been running through her head, she’d been the one walking up to him–but here he was, walking up to her on his own volition. She’d caught his interest enough that he was breaking his own rule not to socialize with Northsiders. Once the gate was open, the flood would come. To say she was giddy would be an understatement. He’d given her a point, likely without even realizing it. “Looking back at my inspiration boards, I discerned a huge oversight on my behalf. I planned all of our events at hot spots on the Northside when the new students would most likely be much more comfortable at familiar haunts in their own neighborhoods.” Two distinctly different shoes slammed into her shins at the same time, but she ignored them, pressing her ribs harder into the table to get closer to the boy looming above them. “A disco night at the Whyte Wyrm? –I was planning to introduce myself to the owner later tonight,” she lied, “but perhaps you could introduce me instead?”

“I think disco went out of style about thirty years ago,” Jughead remarked dryly. There was no way in hell anyone from the Northside would be stepping into the Whyte Wyrm. He looked over as Pop called out his name and held up a finger. “Excuse me one second, preppies.” His eyes rested on the polished pearls wrapped around the brunette’s throat, let out a snort, and then rolled up to the heavens as he walked back over to the counter. “Thanks Pop,” Jughead nodded his head and pushed a ten dollar bill over but Pop Tate wasn’t going to let him get away so easily. “Don’t you be botherin’ Miss Cooper now, Jughead.” Pop was rarely stern with anyone he spoke to, and Jughead knew he had a soft spot for the other side of the tracks. He never acted as if Jughead wasn’t allowed in the diner just because he wore hand me down clothes and he had given him more free meals on the house than Jughead could count. So the Serpent in question knew this was serious. “She’s a nice girl and her mama isn’t.” He raised a greyed brow at Jughead and Jughead put his hands up in defense, before swiveling around to look back at Betty’s table.

The idea of Betty speaking to Tall Boy was not only laughable, but incredibly dangerous. Tall Boy was a monster of a man from his height down to his defensive posture. There were rumors Sweet Pea was his son and if so, Jughead wouldn’t be surprised because the two shared not only height but rough mannerisms alone. Maybe Betty could handle Sweet Pea’s temper but could she handle Tall Boy’s? Doubtful. Not only would this be entertaining to see, it’d get Betty off his back about joining the two sides of town together. She’d take one look at the locals and be begging redhead over there to pick her up in his trusted truck.

“Hey Cooper,” he called out to her. “You coming or not?” Ignoring Pop’s burning gaze on the back of his head, Jughead jerked his thumb towards the door and strode out to his motorcycle. She could either take it or leave it but Jughead was heading back to the Wyrm one way or another.

#p1.

b-c00per:

She’d pegged Sweet Pea as more of a barker than a biter, so she was slightly surprised when he gained on her so quickly–but the surprise fizzled into excitement. People quick to anger were some of the easiest people to pick apart because they unintentionally wore their hearts on their sleeves. Her comment had been a stab in the dark, but his severe reaction to it had affirmed to her that she’d struck a real insecurity of his. The pleasure that brought her should scare her, and three years ago it would have, but, now, it only brought a smile to her face. Words laced with poison filled her mind and lungs, but before she could unleash them, Jughead put an end to their duel… and he did it with little more than a hand gesture and a look. It only confirmed to her that he was definitely her roadblock. “I tried the nice way. Six events,” she reminded him. “They were thoughtfully crafted to appeal to everyone who walks these hallways, and my olive branch was blatantly ignored. Clearly by your decree, your majesty.” Betty brought her index finger within an inch of his knitted crown and traced one of the points.

Her hand fell to her side and curled into a ball as he denied her once again. “You give me too much credit. You’re just a cliché.” She paused at the top of the entryway steps, him at the bottom, pleased to be taller than him for a moment. She also wasn’t sure she’d make it down them without a knee buckling. Betty couldn’t be sure if it was the lack of sleep or the new diet her mother had her on, but she was suddenly light headed and dark spots littered her vision. “Still cute?” Blinking the spots away, she stared down at him, pasting on her sweetest smile and toying with the edge of her blue and gold cheer skirt.

A defeated breath fell from her lips as the bell for their next period rang above her head. Part of being skilled at games of strategy was knowing when it was time to draw back, regroup, and reevaluate. “Jughead–” she called out to his retreating form, unable to resist one last parting comment– “next time Sweet Pea gets in my face, don’t intercede. He’d make a lovely scratching post for me.”

Jughead arched a dark brow as Betty stared down at him regally from the top of the stairs, like she was the Queen addressing a mere peasant such as himself. “Adorable,” he countered back with a pleasant smile. He had a feeling Betty Cooper didn’t enjoy being associated with an adjective to describe bunnies and puppies. His eyes flickered up at the sound of the warning bell, and he knew that not even sparring would him was tempting enough for Betty to miss class. This was the perfect chance for him to make a clean getaway, especially since he could care less about whatever was waiting for him in Math class. He saluted her with two fingers against his temple and started to make his way to the end of the steps before she called out his name sweetly.

Her comment made him utter a loud laugh. He couldn’t help it - Betty Cooper was funny. “Hey Betts,” he answered, unable to let her have the last word. It was the writer in him. “If you want to scratch somebody up, my back is yours for the taking.” He hoped she stewed on that comment all day and the image of him shirtless with nail scratches on his back was conjured. He chuckled again and finally turned around to make that last step and headed for his bike. What a morning.

The rest of the day was uneventful. Jughead played a few rounds of pool with Sweet Pea and Fangs before that turned boring and decided to head to Pops to pick up dinner. Pop Tate himself always had a bag full of burgers and fries waiting for him as the clock turned 6 and in return, Jughead forbade the gang from starting fights on the territory or vandalizing the quaint little diner. As the bell rang, signaling his arrival, heads swiveled to see Jughead step in and stomp his boots on the welcome mat. He ignored the stares and placed his hands on the counter. “Hey Pop,” he grinned at the older gentleman. “Can I get a coffee banana malt too?” He turned around to survey the scene and his face lit up as he saw Betty in a booth, sitting with a redhead and a brunette.

“Elizabeth!” His voice rang out cheerfully and he walked over. The redhead’s fists had closed and the brunette was gaping at him like a fish, her eyes sliding over Betty’s before resting on him again. Jughead gave them both a smirk in greeting and then turned his attention back to the blonde. He reached for a fry on her plate, making a face at the fact that it was now cold. “Come up with any more events to get me at?”

#p1.

b-c00per:

“Sorry, the survey isn’t for background characters.” Betty spared the comically tall boy only the briefest of glances before refocusing her attention on Jughead. The blonde folded her arms over her cheer uniform to disguise the slight tremor in them. An unfortunate side effect of going on three days with no sleep. She’d blown through a month’s worth of Adderall in just the past two weeks drafting and planning events that she hoped would draw the Southside crowd into their community. So much of her time, energy, and concealer could be saved if she could just get the Serpent Prince to suck it up and rub elbows with the Bulldogs for a night. Once the gate was open, the flood would come. The older students might never get along, but the younger ones still stood a chance. She was sure of it. It surprised her that she genuinely seemed to care. Perhaps it was because she was leaving Riverdale soon and wanted to leave something behind that actually mattered.

“There’s been a record breaking six events since the start of the school year and, yet, you haven’t been to a single one,” she carried on regardless, spine straightening just the slightest bit at the observing gaze. It seemed as exhausted and frustrated as she was, her body still preened at the attention of an attractive boy… and Jughead Jones was an attractive boy. He managed to pull off a rugged, brutish demeanor with an almost doll like beauty, it was truly remarkable. “I’m sure doing coke off strippers tits at the Wyrm is fun and all–but surely you can pull yourself away for one evening of school spirt?” Betty pulled a small notepad seemingly out of thin air and clicked her pen against it. “A pig roast? A pie eating contest? A Hitchcock film fest? What do you want, Juggie? I can make it happen, so long as you and your goonies promise to make a cameo.” She swirled her pen around in the air, nearly catching Fangs in the face.

If Betty was trying to get a rise out of the Serpents - it was working, especially for Sweet Pea. The fuse for his temper had always been short and her little comments clearly got under his skin. He was at Jughead’s side in a flash, his usual mischievous expression forming into a grizzled snarl. “Why don’t you come let us do coke off your amazing tits, Blondie?” He snarked and Jughead held his hand up against Sweet Pea’s chest, giving him a warning glare. The last thing they needed was Betty Cooper telling her parents that the Whyte Wyrm was a drug den just so Sheriff Keller could randomly inspect it and board up their one source of income for many members of their community. “Pea, why don’t you take everybody home? I’ll meet up with you later.” There was no room for argument in Jughead’s eyes and Sweet Pea visibly deflated, but not before casting another angry glare at Betty. He mumbled, “Sure thing, boss,” and waved his hand for the rest of the members to follow him.

Once they had all left, Jughead let out a low whistle. “For being head of the event committee, you’ve sure got a welcoming way about you.” He closed his locker - this time without fearing the loss of his limbs, and glanced over to give Betty a smirk. He wouldn’t tell her this - ever - but he was impressed at how she had stood up to Sweet Pea. Rarely anyone did, for fear of meaty knuckles heading towards their face. Sweet Pea would never hit a female but that didn’t mean he didn’t inspire fear in them when stalking past. Betty, however, was a fiery little thing and not at all what he expected.

It was kinda - actually, really hot. But Jughead still wasn’t willing to fold. He had forbid the Southside kids from attending the events purely as a form of protest. They could limit funds to their town - they could shut down their school, local hangouts, and even businesses - but they couldn’t steal their souls. Attending Riverdale High’s school events with blue and gold face paint and cheering for the Bulldogs was most definitely an attempt to wash away the sins of the Northside to the Southside. Jughead wasn’t having it and not even Betty Cooper could sway him.

“My answer’s still no,” he told her and began to walk, not carrying if she followed him. “Though it’s cute you know all my favorite things.” Jughead turned around to give her a wink, and then pushed the double doors open to the sunshine outside.

#p1.

b-c00per:

The right side of the hallway was littered with shades of black and green while the left side danced in hues of pink and blue. The divide between the students was stark and unwavering, and Betty’s cheeks burned with the feeling of failure. As head of the party planning committee and vice president of Riverdale High, Principal Weatherbee had bestowed the honor of acclimating the new Southside transfers onto her already weighted shoulders. She hadn’t assumed the task would be an easy one, but it was proving to be more of a thorn in her side than she had anticipated. Every failed attempt to get the Southside students involved in their new school made her angrier and angrier. She knew it wasn’t because her ideas were bad. She was a chess campion, debate master, a prime investigator and problem solver. Nobody excelled at strategy like she did, not even student council president (and best friend) Veronica Lodge or HBCI (and cousin) Cheryl Blossom. There was something she was missing and, as she stared down the hallway at a particular cluster of leather jackets, she felt she could almost put a name to it…

Hierarchy.

Suddenly it was clear as crystal. She had sensed the younger students were interested in the events she put on, the s’mores cookout at Sweetwater River and the Halloween movie marathon at the cemetery in particular, but couldn’t understand why none of them had shown up… It was because of the seniors. If the seniors deemed something unworthy, the juniors followed suit, the sophomores on their heels, and the freshmen (with little choice in the matter) rounded out the bunch; All of them spitting on her hard work and creativity. If she was to fulfill her promise to Principal Weatherbee, she was going to have to go to the top. Luckily for her, he was easy to spot with a literal crown on his head.

Her friends’ confused voices vaguely registered as she made quick strides towards her target, but, she ignored them, a woman on a mission now. Betty easily slipped through the small crowd around him and slammed his locker shut, narrowly avoiding smashing his long fingers in the jam. “Jughead, right?” It was a redundant question, of course. She knew who he was. He was in almost all of her classes. “I’m Elizabeth Cooper, vice president and head of the planning committee–you have a second to take a student survey?” Her glossy smile was sweet as icing, but irritation swirled like black tar in her eyes.

This morning, Jughead had stepped out of the restroom at school only to find himself blocked by Fangs and Sweet Pea. The two boys had their arms crossed and directed menacing glares towards Reggie; it seemed the Bulldog and his cronies had made plans on cornering Jughead before class and hadn’t thought to consider that Jughead was a fucking gang leader. He had people watching his back constantly. Reggie ended up with a black eye and a busted lip while Jughead had whistled a tune as he wandered away from the fight and to his English class. That was just how the Southside Serpents operated - if you attacked one, you attacked them all. Being the Serpent King’s son and all, Jughead got highest priority when it came to protection which meant that he rarely, if ever, got a moment alone without somebody by his side.

So where were his bodyguards now? “Fucking useless,” he mumbled, shooting glares at a smirking Sweet Pea and Fangs. Jughead had seen Betty coming over but before he could run, she was standing in front of him. He had been planning on hightailing it out of there but had only narrowly avoided his fingers getting broken. “What the fuck,” he cursed, shaking them out dramatically and grimacing at Betty Cooper. What had he done to her? Apart from outperform her in English class. Jughead avoided Betty and her group of Northsider friends like they were the plague, and they did the same to him and his side of the tracks. It was just how Riverdale operated so why was she disrupting the peace?

“Get lost, Blondie!” He heard Sweet Pea shout in the background and Jughead gave a little smirk at this before directing his attention back to Betty. If her ponytail was pulled any tighter, she’d probably be cracking out the aspirin tonight for her splitting headache. Jughead didn’t know how she could concentrate or breathe with as wound up as she always seemed. “I really don’t,” he answered her before rolling his eyes and opening up his locker again. He had been in the middle of switching out his books for class. “So fuck off, yeah?” He shot her another look and this time, surveyed her from head to toe. It was an actual shame how hot Betty Cooper was because if she didn’t exude everything he was against..pep..school spirit..perfect girl next door aesthetic..he’d be bending over backwards to get her on his bike. But sweet cheerleader Betty went for All-American quarterbacks like Archie Andrews and wouldn’t give people like Jughead Jones a second look. Not that he cared.

#p1.

pastelbetty‌:

Nobody can know about Polly, the words echoed in her head. She’d known when he’d spoken them to her that they were a naïve hope. If pep was the heart of Riverdale, gossip was the blood that ran through its veins. News of the eldest Cooper daughter being questioned at the police station spread even as they sat across from each other in the cosy corner booth. Their words were hopeful, their smiles reassuring, but their shoulders drooped with the unspoken knowledge of what was to come if her sister was guilty. A possibility that was looking more and more likely since Jason was also brought in Sunday afternoon and Thornhill Manor was scheduled to be searched Monday morning.

Betty was a barely contained nervous wreck in her first two periods; her knee bouncing, nails digging into her desk as she impatiently waited for news from Kevin. Kevin, who had feigned sickness so he could hunch over his dad’s police radio and send live updates to her burner phone. The looks of pity from students and staff alike were doing nothing to help her mental state. It appeared the fact she’d been the one to report the muddy shoes and cellphone under Polly’s bed hadn’t been leaked yet. The guilt was eating away at her insides. She was a terrible, awful, horrible sister. Her parents were barely speaking to her. She had gone from being the golden child to being Judas himself overnight. The worst part? How could she blame them? Polly was also their daughter.

Lunch finally rolled around and with still no news from Kevin, she started to breath slightly easier. Surely they were finished combing through Thornhill and, if they hadn’t found anything else, maybe it was all a misunderstanding. Still, Betty smoothed down the plaid pencil skirt Veronica had loaned her as she waited for Jughead underneath the bleachers. After being snubbed by her parents all of Saturday and most of Sunday, she’d raced her bicycle to the Pembrooke and collapsed into the arms of her best friend. Veronica stroked her hair and allowed her to stain her expensive silk pajamas with tears. If Polly was innocent, she might have to move into the Pembrooke permanently. There was no way her sister was ever going to forgive her, and rightly so. She’d made a snap decision out of fear and shock and Polly suffered because of it. “Okay,” she breathed as a familiar knitted crown ducked into view, “I know this place is grimy and reeks of pot, but it was the safest place I could think of for us to meet.”

It had been weird to drive to school without Betty’s arms wrapped securely around his waist. Jughead could swore he felt their phantom presence and her everywhere he went. Their interactions had been limited to text messages because Jughead knew any sign of the Coopers around Serpent territory would be met with unrelenting force. It hadn’t taken long for news of Polly and Jason’s possible involvement with Ricky to reach the Whyte Wyrm and FP had taken particular pleasure in spreading it around. If Jughead didn’t know any better, he’d think his dad was almost happy that the golden Cooper reputation was being tarnished. FP had also immediately swooped in on Jughead along with some elders and demanded to know if he had known anything - if he was covering anything up - if his relationship with Betty was more nefarious than pure. Jughead had spent the entire weekend stoically answering his brothers and sisters in arms and trying not to think about the growing dread in the pit of his stomach. This was not good..not good at all.

Jughead didn’t blame Betty because it was clear she was just as shocked as him. As much as he loved conspiracy theories, there weren’t any when it came to her. He remembered how terrified she had been in his arms, shaking and crying and you’d have to be a sociopath to fake that. Betty was the furthest thing from it. She was good and kind and pure and strong and - A shove interrupted Jughead from his thoughts as he stood by his locker. He could see Archie and Veronica across the hallway with their heads bent together and whispering but no sign of his blonde girlfriend. Was she okay? Was she at school? Her last text had been a ‘goodnight’, simple and to the point and Jughead chewed on his bottom lip as he debated biting the bullet and just asking Veronica. However, the shove in question had come from Sweet Pea and his dark eyes were boring into Jughead’s to repeat a question. “Will we see you at lunch?” There was an underlying threat in his tone, Jughead knew it. Her or us, man. Your brothers or your girl. Nobody had said it outright to Jughead but he knew the minute he walked with Betty, his loyalties would be to the Coopers and Ricky’s potential killer in their eyes. It was a thin line and he was about to topple over it.

Jughead was still their leader though, and he had earned it in his own ways. He gave Sweet Pea a steady gaze back and answered in a clear tone, “We’ll see.” Sweet Pea bowed his head and then stalked down the hallway, his tall stature and imposing stance enough to make the rest of the students sweep away as if he were parting the Red Sea. Jughead looked over at Veronica again when his phone buzzed in his pocket and he pulled it out. It was a text from Betty asking him to meet her under the bleachers at lunch and there it was, his lunch plans decided. He agreed and pushed his phone away, shutting his locker door and making his way down the hall himself.

There were a few football players on the field deciding to skip lunch and get in some practice but no Reggie or Archie - thank God. Jughead’s boots crunched through the dead leaves until he ducked under the steel seats and saw Betty’s hunched over form waiting for her. All thought of being cool and composed were out the window when he saw her, Jughead immediately rushing over and pulling her into a hug. “Hey,” he breathed out, his lips pressed against her scented blonde hair. “It smells like home,” he joked and then cleared his throat, only letting go of her to let his hands grip her waist. “How are you? I’ve been worried about you all weekend.”

#p010

pastelbetty‌:

The feel of Jughead’s hand, cold from the early morning air, brushing against her cheek had her releasing a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. For a moment she could almost erase the past twelve hours from her mind, convince herself that they’d spent the evening in her bedroom making out and watching Alfred Hitchcock films instead of going to his father’s birthday party. The reprieve was short lived, though, as the worry in her boyfriend’s eyes brought her back to reality. “I’m fine,” she dismissed quickly, her nails digging into her palms underneath the table to keep the guilt, and anger, and heartbreak she felt at bay. Now wasn’t the time to let her emotions get the better of her. “I found my phone in my sister’s room. You know… the one I dropped in the woods the night Ricky died. It was in a box underneath her bed along with some muddy shoes. So, it’s… possible or, I guess, probable Polly had something to do with his death.”

Betty stayed silent for a few beats as she let Jughead process her words. She hated not knowing how he was going to react. Would he break up with her on the spot? Afterall, how would it look to the other Serpents if he continued to date the girl whose sister (possibly) killed one of their own? The Southside Serpents had been his family since long before they’d even met. As much as it hurt to think about, they were more deserving of his loyalty than she was.

Was losing her boyfriend a trivial thing to be worried about when her sister might be a murderer?

“She’s at the police station with my parents right now.” Betty turned her head to look out the window of the diner, willing back the wetness building at her tear lines. “My parents looked at me like I was a traitor for calling Sheriff Keller, and maybe I am, but if Polly is innocent the police will prove that… Right? And if she isn’t–” The blonde’s voice cracked– “My love for Polly shouldn’t stand in the way of justice, should it?” Turning her watery gaze back to Jughead, she searched for validation that she possibly didn’t deserve.

Whatever Jughead had been expecting Betty to say..it certainly hadn’t been that. He had picked up a menu, never one to will himself to not be hungry, but the plastic dropped between his fingers as she said her sister’s name. Polly Cooper. Jughead didn’t know much about Polly Cooper, apart from the fact that she looked like a younger version of Alice Cooper. That was it. They ran in different crowds at school and whenever Jughead saw the Coopers in town, Polly always seemed like she was one step away from them on the curb. She was always a little out of reach. Trying to picture Polly Cooper shooting one of his Serpents was like trying to picture Archie Andrews standing head to head with Principal Weatherbee..in a Serpents jacket. It just didn’t seem visually or physically possible. “There’s gotta be a mistake, right?” He finally spoke, sure that his slack jaw was showing exactly how he felt about this. “Maybe..maybe she thought you did it and is covering for you.”

But why wouldn’t Polly go to Betty? They were family. Blood is thicker than water or - Jughead was forgetting all the best metaphors for this moment, too wrapped up in this new development. His head shot up as Betty confessed she had turned Polly in. He tried to think of Jellybean, if Jellybean had been caught with evidence..He wouldn’t turn her in. He knew he wouldn’t. He wasn’t wired that way, but that didn’t mean Betty was a bad person for turning in Polly. “Hey,” he reached for her hand to hold. “Betts. Let’s..not panic, okay? You did the right thing. If you had withheld it, and they found out you knew about it, it would’ve made you look suspicious. It’s best to just clear Polly now. This can’t be Polly. Why would she..” Jughead trailed off, shaking his head.

Ricky. Dead. Jughead standing over his body, holding a shaking and whimpering Betty. Another Cooper running through the woods with muddy sneakers and Betty’s phone, ready to hide and pretend and forget. The Serpents, roaring up for a fight against the Northsiders. His father, promising justice and revenge. Alice Cooper, ready to fork over as many dollars to Sheriff Keller to hide what Polly did. Jughead’s eyes closed. Would he get justice for his fallen brother? Would Betty have to choose between him and her sister?

“We can’t tell anybody this,” he spoke lowly, bending his head to meet Betty’s eyes. “Not until we know more. Okay, Betts? We’ll figure this out but..” He exhaled, knowing it just got more dangerous. “Nobody can know about Polly.”

pastelbetty‌:

“Did you know?” Betty asked her mother’s back, watching her pull on a gray pea coat over her pajamas. It was just past 2:40 AM, and Sheriff Keller had left with the black box from underneath Polly’s bed less than ten minutes ago. His parting advice? Hal and Alice should leave for the police station now if they wanted to be there before Polly. Apparently they were so eager to question her sister that they couldn’t wait until a decent hour to drag her from the Blossom mansion, then again, she hadn’t waited until morning to report what she’d found either.

Betty Cooper was many things, including a hypocrite.

Alice slammed the coat closet shut, turning towards her with a look of exasperation. “Don’t be ridiculous.” Under less serious circumstances, she might have pointed out to her mom that that wasn’t exactly a denial. “Haven’t you caused enough trouble tonight? Just go to bed, Elizabeth, and if any police officers show up while we’re gone, don’t let them in unless they have a warrant.”

“What? No!” Betty’s already stiff, tense posture straightened even further. “I’m coming with you.”

Her mother’s eyes narrowed, but before she could rip into her, her father strode out of the kitchen with two to-go coffee cups in his hands. “Really, Betty, do you think your sister is going to want to see you right now?” And with that they were gone, leaving her alone in the house with the red painted door that she hated now more than ever. Why was she being treated like she’d done something wrong? If Polly was innocent, then the evidence would prove that. If Polly wasn’t innocent… then didn’t she need to be brought to justice?

Betty had to keep repeating that to herself to keep the guilt of betraying her sister from crushing her completely.

She had just barely fallen asleep on the couch when her phone buzzing on the coffee table jolted her awake. It was 5:30 AM and her parents still weren’t back. She wasn’t sure if being questioned for so long was a good sign or a bad sign. Of course, it was also possible the interrogation was long over and her parents were refusing to answer her calls or texts just to torture her.

But at least Jughead was finally calling her back.

The elation that usually came with seeing his name flash across her screen was replaced by unease. If their relationship was complicated before, it was about to be blasted into the stratosphere. “It’s okay. I hope you’re feeling better,” she rasped, “I have some news about Ricky’s case. Can you meet me at Pop’s?”

Luckily it was still quite early, so the diner was empty. She tucked herself into a corner booth while the night manager quickly filled her drink orders. Her parents would be pissed if they arrived home and she was gone, but she figured they’d be less furious than if they arrived home and the Serpent Prince was sitting on their couch. She couldn’t put off this conversation for a better time because it wouldn’t be long before news of her sister being questioned spread, and her possible involvement in Ricky’s death was something Jughead should hear from her. Betty silently pushed the straw in her orange juice around until the bell above the door jingled. The rumble of Jughead’s motorcycle outside was a dead giveaway, but she was certain she would have known it was him even without it. In the few months that they’d known each other, her body had become hyper aware of his presence. He changed the air around her. Normally it thrilled her, but right now all she felt was a knot in her stomach and a burning sensation behind her eyes. She really really didn’t want to cry. “I got you a coffee.” She gestured to the steaming cup across from her.

As soon as Betty mentioned Ricky, a cold shiver went up Jughead’s spine. In all of his happiness with Betty, his settling in with the Northsiders, finally feeling like he had some sort of future and place within this town..Jughead had completely forgotten about his friend, who was currently rotting six feet underground thanks to some faceless killer still running amok. Shame crept over him - some leader he was. If he was Ricky’s ghost, he would’ve been rattling chains and haunting Jughead every night to avenge his death. The boy deserved better and Jughead bit down hard on his cheek as he nodded, even though Betty couldn’t see. “Absolutely. I’ll see you there in twenty.”

When he hung up, Jughead’s hand swept towards the door entry and he smacked it in frustration.

The honeymoon period was drawing to a close.

Jughead stilled his bike, kicking the handle and propping it up as he removed his helmet. He tucked it underneath the bike and ran his fingers through his hair, seeing the back of Betty’s hair in a booth far away from the window. His stomach rumbled nervously. Animals could sense storms coming and ever since he was little, Jughead had been able to as well. It was a change in the air - it stilled. He always knew when his parents would fight because there’d be a crisp stillness and the silence would be deafening before the thunder erupted. It was about to pour on him and Betty and Jughead stilled himself to prepare himself for it.

“Hey,” Jughead greeted Betty lowly and took her in as he sat across from her. She looked..exhausted. Beautiful, but exhausted. She clearly hadn’t slept the night before. Unable to help himself, Jughead reached over and tucked a spare blonde tendril behind her ear. “Thanks for the coffee.” Jughead pulled the hot cup towards him, a Pops logo on it and took a sip. It burned his tongue but it was just the taste he needed. He waved a hello to Pop and Jughead then twisted his hands in front of him. Why was the air so uncomfortable between them? Betty didn’t know what Toni said, did she? Did Toni tell her something before she had left? Was Betty upset he bailed without a goodbye?

What was this about Ricky?

Clearing his throat, Jughead took another drink and then pushed the cup away from him. “So what’s up? You said you had news?” He then peered at her, unable to stop himself from commenting on her appearance out of concern. “Are you okay, Betts? You look like you haven’t slept. Did something happen?”

When Jughead woke, it was five am.

It was still pitch black outside. His eyes had fluttered open suddenly, as if waking from a bad dream but he couldn’t remember anything. Not even wisps of the dream stayed with him and instead, all he could feel was a strong urge to relieve himself. Closing his eyes again, Jughead marinated on how badly the urge was before letting out a disgruntled groan and sitting up. It was bad enough that he couldn’t ignore it. His head pounded and felt heavy, like it had been knocked around the night before but Jughead knew that it was just the pressure from the emotional breakdown he had had in his bed. All alone, of course. Nobody could see the Serpent Prince of Riverdale crying into his pillow, looking every bit like the little boy his mother had left behind. Nobody could hear the cries or the hiccups or the mumbled “Oh God’s” that Jughead tried to muffle with the fabric of the pillowcase. Jughead had succumbed to his darkest thoughts last night and the hangover reminded him why he usually didn’t. His face felt itchy too. Reaching a hand up to rub at his eyes, Jughead felt the dry discharge and flicked it away from him. He needed a shower. He needed a piss, a shower, and some food and maybe he’d feel okay enough to attempt today with his usual emotionless mask and indifferent armor.

Thirty minutes later, Jughead was rubbing at his wet hair with a towel when he plopped back down onto his bed. He may have been cleaner but he still felt shitty. All he wanted to do was go back to sleep but he knew that wouldn’t happen. Securing the knot on his towel, Jughead leaned back against his sheets and felt his pillow grow damp underneath him as he pulled his phone further to him. There was a missed call from Betty, some texts, and a voicemail. Toni had told him she’d left and Jughead, too wrapped up in his own self pity and insecurities, hadn’t fought her. The party was over. He had just gone home, cried himself to sleep, and apparently slept through her attempts to reach him. Nothing seemed to be amiss but he pressed the speaker to hear her voice anyways.

Nope.

Something was definitely amiss.

Shooting up, Jughead could clearly hear the notes of worry and fear in Betty’s voice. To anyone else, she sounded like she just had a casual concern to discuss with him but Jughead knew Betty. Something was wrong and he had just been..sleeping, leaving her to deal with it herself. Knowing he was going to need to explain himself for yesterday and not caring, Jughead started pulling on some clothes while dialing her back. Hopefully she’d pick up, but Jughead suspected that once the sun rose in Riverdale, so did the Coopers if Alice had anything to do with it.

Jughead listened to the ring and once he heard a connect, spoke before Betty could answer. “Shit, I’m so sorry. I was asleep when you called. Betts, is everything okay? What’s going on?”

The Whyte Wyrm was always crowded, but it was particularly stifling tonight. There were so many people in the bar that it was hard to breathe air that wasn’t tainted with cigarette smoke, body odor, or spilled beer. Still, Jughead was happy. He was seated at the bar with a high vantage point of all that was happening in what the Southside Serpents deemed their headquarters. The occasion for this raucous party? F.P. turning a year older. Jughead knew that his dad cared about as much for birthdays as his son did, but he also never turned down a reason to drink. F.P. Jones was the center of attention in a crowd around him as he held his beer bottle high in the air and fed off their energy, a slightly manic look in his eyes to toasting to another year his liver survived him. Jughead sometimes wondered what his dad had been like in high school - he had found a Bulldogs letterman jacket shoved underneath some boxes in a closet one day and trying to picture F.P. as some jock who ran up and down a field after a tiny ball was usually hard but..tonight, watching him participate in an actual kegger chugging contest, Jughead could see he was watching the path F.P. shouldn’t have taken.

Normally, this sight would’ve been hard for Jughead to swallow. Normally, he wouldn’t have even come. There was no want to subject himself to the visual of why Jughead’s childhood had been so fucked up as he had seen it many times through the years of his life. This year was different, though. This year..she was in his life. Betty had heard of F.P.’s party and had been excited, and then disappointed when Jughead claimed he wasn’t going. Betty had this ability to see the best in everybody and she was wholly convinced that Jughead just had to stick it out through F.P.’s struggle, so certain he would find his way again all because he had a son who loved him and wanted him to get better. With the stars in her eyes and the pureness of heart she gave him as she told this to him, Jughead didn’t want to tell her that F.P. had been promising Jughead he’d get better for him all his life and that he had only a smidge of faith left in him. A smidge that Betty reawakened with her sweet voice and warm squeeze to his hand. He’d do this for her, for him, for them, and maybe he’d actually enjoy himself. It was also another way for Betty to get to know his friends, she reminded him. Jughead tried to keep his girlfriend as far away from his less than legal part of his life as much as possible but it was still a part of him and she wanted to know all of him. So there she was, in the middle of a conversation with Veronica and Fangs and Archie, all four of them laughing at something he didn’t know about but the sight of it made Jughead smile regardless.

“Jughead.” A voice broke the observant teen out of his thoughts and he turned around to face Toni. There was a surly look on her face and all warning bells went off in his mind that he was face to face with a moody woman and he needed to get the hell out of dodge. Especially when it was a moody Serpent woman. He liked Toni, he cared about Toni, he respected Toni but..he wasn’t sure if he could handle her tough as nails attitude tonight and her need to bring everybody down around her when she wasn’t feeling well. She liked to spread her mood as if it made her feel better to infect others and Jughead wanted to stay in his happy bubble tonight. Despite all this, his moral side won out and he knew he’d feel bad if he had ignored a friend in pain. He cleared his throat and pushed away his glass of soda. “Yeah, T. What’s up?”

Toni pushed back some of her pink hair and glanced around the room, sliding closer to him. “Can we..talk? I really need to talk to you about something.” His curiosity piqued, Jughead nodded and he stood up to follow her to wherever she led him. He assumed she wanted a quiet place and connecting eyes with Betty, Jughead smiled and held up a hand to signal that he’d be back in a little bit. All he got was his girlfriend was a wave and a nod. Turning his attention away from her, Jughead realized Toni was leading them into F.P.’s office and his brows rose as she shut the door behind him. He had hooked up with Toni in this very office a year ago and he really hoped she wasn’t looking for a repeat. She was with Cheryl, but Jughead knew Toni was more of a person to follow her impulses rather than logic. He leaned against the desk and folded his arms across his chest, hoping to create the look that he was closed off both physically and emotionally when it came to her. “What do you need to tell me?”

“Cheryl and I broke up.” Well. Whatever Jughead was expecting, it certainly hadn’t been that. His arms fell from his chest and he straightened up, a sympathetic look crossing his features. He hadn’t paid much attention to the couple as Cheryl wasn’t the sort of person he enjoyed spending time with but he had thought the two girls were a really good fit together. They both matched each other in defiance and Jughead couldn’t count the amount of times he had walked in on them in the process of getting it on. He had threatened to ban them from several rooms if they kept it up. To hear that they weren’t together was a shock and from the expression on Toni’s face, Jughead didn’t think it had been mutual or her idea.

“I’m..really sorry, T. What happened?” Jughead asked softly, his hand reaching up to squeeze Toni’s shoulder. She stiffened for a second but then relaxed, and he could see her defenses weakening. Toni wasn’t one to share her emotions easily but Jughead could tell this was really upsetting her. He didn’t want to scare her away by getting physical but he also wanted her to know he was there. She had listened to a lot of his rants about his dad and even when he wasn’t in the mood to talk, she had been there to sit by him so he wasn’t lonely. This was what he could do to pay her back for that solidarity and friendship. Toni sighed and reached a hand up to brush away a tear that had started trailing down her cheek. “Cheryl told me we just didn’t belong,” she began in a flat voice but Jughead could hear the emotion quivering underneath the monotone she was trying so hard to maintain. “She said she loved me, and that I’d always be special to her, but she had an image to uphold and come graduation, she’d have to get serious about marrying somebody who fit in with her family. Some white boy with a name like Daniel or Phillip who could match her income.” Toni’s hands were shaking and she had clenched her fists to the point where her knuckles were white. Jughead recognized this as a coping method that Betty sometimes did but his urge to smooth out those fingers didn’t come with Toni like it did with Betty. Jughead just kept quiet and let Toni talk it out.

“I’m sorry. That had to be hard to hear. But maybe Cheryl did a good thing for you. It doesn’t sound like she wants to fight too hard to keep you,” Jughead tried to say as gently as he could. He didn’t want to hurt Toni any further but this only further cemented his belief that Cheryl was cold, cruel, and had no heart. Who said that to somebody they claimed to love? Who treated a relationship like it had a value in dollars? Jughead couldn’t even try to begin to imagine how he would feel if Betty told him she was too above him and had to seek higher. It was an insecurity he still tussled with but the more time they spent together, the more it faded away and stayed only in the deepest, darkest corners of his mind. Betty loved him. Betty chose him. Jughead was so, so lucky that Betty was not Cheryl.

“Don’t you get it, Jughead?” Toni asked, her eyes narrowing. She sounded disgusted with him and Jughead cocked his brows, immediately defensive at the tone in her voice. She may be heartbroken but Jughead wasn’t going to let her stand there and spout verbal abuse at him. He was only trying to help and be a good friend, and she didn’t get to make him her punching bag. Nobody did anymore. “What do you think it’s going to be like when Betty graduates? Her and Cheryl are from the same family..God, they’re cousins. You think Mrs. and Mr. Cooper won’t be whispering in her ear like Cheryl’s mom does? You think Betty’s going to choose trailer life and gang life over a good college and a chance to get out of this hell town? You’re stuck here, Jughead. You’re a legacy. Betty has nothing tying her to Riverdale and you have an entire gang. You’re the leader and you don’t get to leave.”

Toni must have seen something on Jughead’s face because her own softened and she stepped forward, putting a hand on his arm in a move meant to comfort him. All Jughead could feel was numb. There had been so much venom in her voice, so much disbelief that he hadn’t realized all these things, and it was as if the demons in his head finally had a face and a voice to speak all the dark thoughts to him. “Jughead..” Toni said softly. “I just don’t want you to get hurt. You’re in so much deeper with Betty than I was with Cheryl. You don’t want to get attached to these people. Your Northside friends..your Northside princess..they’ll all leave and you’ll be here, just a memory. They’re not going to stick around for you. They’ll leave. It’s time you face that instead of acting like both of your worlds can merge. It’s time to grow up.” Toni shook her head, like she couldn’t believe she had had to be the one to deliver the bad news. In her mind, this was her giving Jughead some tough love. Somebody had to shake him out of his delusion.

Jughead remained stock still, not moving. He heard a loud buzzing in his ears and he couldn’t even slap off Toni’s hand. His insides curled in anger at her voice, her face, her whole being but he couldn’t make a sound or a move. All Jughead could do was stand there and watch a montage inside of his head what his future would look like. He’d be wearing his Serpents jacket and watching Betty pack up her life as she hopped into a convertible with Archie and Veronica, not looking back and excited for the bright future she deserved and earned. Archie would not make the burger dates he promised when he was on break from school. Veronica would ignore his texts about movie recommendations and predictions for Oscar night. Lines would be drawn and Jughead would always be Southside.

Toni took his silence for acceptance and she sighed, a pitying noise that made Jughead’s skin crawl. “I’m sorry, Jug,” she whispered and she genuinely did sound sorry. This was what Toni believed the world to be like. “I’ll go let Betty know you’re not in the mood to party. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.” Jughead watched her go, every instinct in his body screaming at him to run after her and refuse to let her dictate his thoughts or feelings but all he could do was stand, frozen. His demons had been released and they were purring and snapping in delight, wrapping him up and torturing him with images and thoughts until Jughead was brought down to his knees and struggled to breathe.

#self para 001.

bughead

#( musings. )

bughead

#( all snakes have a soft underbelly. she's yours. bc. )

Betty,

This is the first Christmas I’ve ever looked forward to and that’s all because of you. Every previous Christmas has consisted of the same bullshit - to me, it was just another day that the Whyte Wyrm got a little more rambunctious and the only perk was that I got to talk to my little sister and ask her how she liked her gift.

Now I have you. The best gift ever. You can mock me later for that cheesiness, but it’s true. Just like with everything else, you’ve made a day I’ve not cared about become a day I look forward to with bated breath and hopeful anticipation. I don’t know if I believe in God or the whole ‘reason for the season’ - but I do believe in the power of you and having a day to hold you close and feel thankful for everything you’ve given me.

Merry Christmas, Betts. Here’s to many more.

Fang’s grandma knitted you a beanie. I tried to talk her into some other colors, but she insisted you wear Serpent colors. It’s pretty hard to argue with a 90 year old and I didn’t really want to get whacked by her cane. You’re always stealing mine so I figure it’s time you get your own..that I’ll probably try to steal too.

(ignore the girlish handwriting okay asdfghjkl)

I’m sorry that I can’t get you much, but I can write and I know that life isn’t always easy for you, Betts. I can’t always be around either, as much as I would like to be. You’re my first priority though so if you ever need me and I can’t physically be there, I’ve written you a bunch of letters to open in place of. And then you call me right after and I inevitably end up where you are anyways because you’re my soft spot.

Don’t think of this as a promise ring, if that freaks you out. Just think of it as a way for you to know I’m always yours. No matter what.

#( christmas 2k18. )#( all snakes have a soft underbelly. she's yours. bc. )

goldscoyne

#babies dancing at a christmas party #( all snakes have a soft underbelly. she's yours. bc. )

pastelbetty‌:

She winced as Veronica’s already firm grip on her hand tightened further. To an outsider, it probably looked like Betty was a prison guard, dragging the raven haired inmate to the electric chair; Her eyes were wide, her palms sweaty, and her chest was moving up and down faster than normal. On one hand, she understood her fear of the unknown. She was fairly certain Veronica had never even driven through the Southside, let alone stepped foot into the bar the Southside Serpents called home base. On the other hand, she was slightly annoyed that after two weeks of spending time with Jughead and some of his Serpent pals, her best friend was still acting like they were going to flay her alive the moment they stepped through the door. Perhaps it was easier for Veronica to be open minded when they were on their side of town (where she felt safe and comfortable). If they weren’t already running late, she would have pointed out how the Serpents probably felt the same way. Despite the fact she was shaking like a frightened puppy, V did deserve some praise. She’d invited Kevin to the little party Jughead was throwing for her, and he’d turned her down by claiming his dad would ground him until he turned eighteen. A likely story, she thought. She didn’t pressure him, though. She knew he’d come around eventually. Jughead could be moody, but he was also incredibly charming. He’d won Archie over without even trying. One afternoon, Jug had bailed on their new tradition of milkshakes at Pop’s after school to take care of some business and Archie was in the foulest mood the rest of the day. If she didn’t know he’d already picked out the names of his and Veronica’s future children, she’d wonder if he was in love with her boyfriend.

Boyfriend. It was still trippy to say, even in her head… which also happened to be the only place she’d said it. It was basically town wide knowledge that they were romantically involved at this point, but neither of them had actually said the B word or G word out loud. Was it because it made their relationship even more real? Was it because they were both nervous and waiting for the other to say it first? It was probably a combination of both.

Pulling open the door to the Wrym, Archie was the first person she spotted. He stuck out like a sore thumb with his red hair and letterman jacket. He looked at peace, though, happy even. No doubt it was because he was plastered to Jughead’s side. Veronica had told her Archie called Jug his best friend yesterday. How quickly she’d been replaced–then again, hadn’t she done the same thing when Veronica moved to town?

“I’m here,” she chirped, politely shoving people aside so she could reach the boys. It was only when Veronica was close enough to tuck herself under Archie’s arm that she finally let go of her hand. “Sorry we’re late–” Betty stood on her tiptoes to place a chaste kiss on the corner of Jughead’s mouth– “My parents took us to a restaurant an hour outside of town. They ordered appetizers and dessert, and refused to leave until we all finished our drinks. They also reminded me my curfew is 11:00 sharp, which, of course, is in an hour.” The blonde took a deep breath, trying to push down the irritation she was feeling. She supposed she should just be grateful her parents were letting her come at all, but, truthfully, she was afraid. Alice had yet to confront her about her relationship with the Serpent Prince and Betty wasn’t naïve enough to believe she was having a change of heart. That she just wanted her daughter to be happy. She was planning something, and every day that passed without Ricky’s murderer being caught, she grew more terrified. She’d like to think her mother wasn’t wicked enough to frame Jughead or, god, hunt down the killer and blackmail him into taking Jughead out–but she couldn’t 100% rule the possibility out. “Thank you for this, Juggie, seriously. It means a lot to me that we’re celebrating with your friends in your home-away-from-home. We spend most of our time on the Northside.” Betty could feel her cheeks burning as she recalled the all the nights he’d sneaked into her bedroom at midnight since they officially got together.

In addition to Betty being a part of his life, Jughead seemed to have adopted some of her friends. Particularly, a redhead named Archie Andrews. Ever since the fight with Reggie in the school hallway, Jughead and Archie had spent more time together. It seemed one of the key things Archie valued in a person was loyalty and chivalry which Jughead had demonstrated, in Archie’s eyes, the minute he was willing to throw fists at any ill word against Archie’s best friend. At first, Jughead had been unsure. He was picky and selective with the people in his life - the Serpents had earned their way there through brotherhood, and Betty was there because..well, Jughead didn’t have enough hours in the day to talk about how much Betty meant to him. As Jughead quickly learned though, Archie wasn’t one to be shaken off easily. Jughead had met Archie’s dog, Vegas, and found the two shared endearing qualities of persistence, ability to make you smile, and an adorable puppy dog pout when things didn’t go their way. After a few shared video games and one memorable night at Pop’s when he beat Archie in a milkshake drinking contest (Veronica still was threatening to sic her dry cleaning bill on Archie after he had barfed on her shoes), Jughead found it easier and easier to trust Archie. He wanted to let him in a little. He could always see Sweet Pea in the background, scoffing and shaking his head like he believed their junior leader had lost his mind but Betty’s pleased smile at her two worlds fitting seamlessly together made his initial unease worth it.

He liked Betty’s world. He liked Archie’s dad and the way he could always barter an extra pizza for free on the phone. He liked Veronica and her shared vehemence with him that Natalie Wood’s death was a murder, and Robert Wagner obviously did it. He even liked Kevin Keller, though he could tell the boy didn’t really trust him and only stayed around to shoot flirty glances at Fangs. He especially liked the smell of Betty’s sheets and the trick drawer she had found to house some of his left over shirts there. Somehow, some way, he was fitting into this world and still managing to exist in his old one. He was seeming to have it all.

Which was why he refused to think about what would happen to him when it inevitably blew up in his face.

Tonight, though, was all about Betty. Jughead knew he wouldn’t be invited to the Mama Cooper approved birthday soiree, so Jughead had put together a little bash of his own. He cleared out the Whyte Wyrm for the night by promising Mustang he’d bar tend for two weeks straight for free and it was filled with Betty’s friends and the younger Serpents, all mingling together and only being slightly uncomfortable by their societal class differences. It had been going on for about two hours now and the birthday girl had yet to show but Jughead wasn’t too worried. She had been sending him texts throughout the night venting her frustration about her mother’s interference and Jughead couldn’t be surprised that Alice Cooper was doing everything in her power to ruin her daughter’s eighteenth birthday. It was very on brand for her.

That didn’t mean a sigh of relief didn’t pass his lips when he saw her enter the door though. She was dressed in an ‘approved’ outfit but Jughead’s eyes still scoured down her form affectionately and he was smiling as she gave him a chaste peck. “Happy birthday,” he told her warmly. “We’ll just have to make the most of this hour, won’t we? Hey, Veronica.” He greeted the brunette as Betty said hello to everyone and when he got his moment to interrupt, Jughead tugged on his girl’s hand. “C’mere.”

Leading Betty to a corner of the bar that was quiet and free of people, Jughead gestured to two wrapped presents sitting on a table. The hand that was holding hers dropped as he rubbed at the back of his neck nervously. “Sorry for the Christmas wrapping paper, it was all we had at the trailer,” he chuckled and swallowed as he watched Betty reach for her gifts. Inside was a copy of Betty’s favorite book, Beloved, by Toni Morrison where Jughead had added his own inputs and circled sentences he particularly loved and the smaller box resting on top was a copy of a key to his trailer. Jughead wasn’t always there but he knew Betty needed to..escape sometimes. He wanted to make sure even when he couldn’t help her, he could still help her. Jughead’s birthday meant shit to him - but today, the day Betty Cooper was brought into the world, was the best day. “Hopefully these are girlfriend approved,” he added, his tone low as he tried out the word but the smile remained on his lips.