Description: The night before the drug raid with Jughead and the other Serpents, Sweet Pea confronts his feelings for his best friend.
Trope: friends to lovers
A/N: The moment I saw this scene in 3x17, I knew I had to write a prequel to it.
- - -
You could tell something was off with Sweet Pea the moment he walked in the door. Normally so calm and composed, your best friend was fidgety and off.
“Alright, something’s wrong,” you said, unable to finally take it anymore. “What is it?”
“Nothing,” Sweet Pea maintained, not keeping eye contact. “Just forget about it.”
“Does this have anything to do with the Serpents now working under Sheriff Jones?”
“No.”
“Does it have something to do with the Serpents?”
“N-No.”
If you didn’t know Sweet Pea like you did, you wouldn’t have been able to detect the barest hint of a stutter of uncertainty in his voice. “No more games, Sweet Pea,” you growled, upset at his caginess. “Either you tell me or I’m kicking you out.”
Sweet Pea let out a defeated sigh, shaking his head. “It’s…a raid.”
“A raid? But I thought Tent City was raided a while ago.”
“No, it’s not that. Jughead has organized a raid to rid Riverdale of Fizzle Rocks and whatever else the Gargoyles are selling. That’s all I can tell you.”
“Are these orders from the Sheriff?”
“No. And you can’t say anything to him or anyone else.” Sweet Pea ran a hand through his hair. “I shouldn’t have even told you.”
You reached out, placing a hand on his arm. “I’m glad you did. This seems to be weighing on you and I want to be able to help. What about this raid has you spooked?”
“We’re outnumbered. Sure, we’ll have Archie and some of the guys from El Royale, but we don’t really know exactly how many Gargoyles are out there. Or if they’re armed.” His eyes met yours and you could see the fear in them. “Hell, we don’t even know if we’re all going to make it out alive.”
“You will,” you reassured him, with more certainty than you felt. “You and the Serpents have done way more dangerous shit than this and made it out alive. This won’t be any different.” Without thinking, you launched yourself into his arms, hugging him tightly. There wasn’t much else you could do to comfort him, but it was the best you could do in the moment.
Sweet Pea was still clinging to you when you started to pull away, an intense look in his eyes that you didn’t recognize. The way he said your name tugged at your heartstrings and you looked up at him, transfixed. “Just in case I don’t make it back, I want you to know something.”
“Don’t talk like that, Sweet Pea. You can tell me after you get back.”
“No.” Sweet Pea shook his head. “It has to be tonight.”
“Then what is it?” You were utterly confused, but your racing heart told you that you knew deep down what he was going to say.
“I love you.”
“I love you, too, Sweet Pea.”
“No, I love you,” he said, desperation in his voice as he said your name again. “I have for a long time, I’ve just been too chicken-shit to say something.”
“Are you telling me this because you think something bad is going to happen to you tomorrow night?” You took a step back, looking at Sweet Pea in shock. “Tell me something, Sweet Pea: if this raid wasn’t happening tomorrow, would you have ever even told me this?”
His look away told you everything you needed to know. You felt like you’d been sucker-punched in the gut for the second time that night.
Sweet Pea started to say your name again but you cut him off with a glare. “I’m going to need you to do two things for me.”
“Anything - name it.”
“If you really feel this way about me, you’ll come back tomorrow and tell me this so I know it has nothing to do with this raid.”
Sweet Pea nodded. “And the second thing?”
“Leave.” You didn’t want to be so harsh on him, but you needed time to process everything that had just happened.
You could barely look at him as he gathered his things, making a point to leave his flannel behind.
“I’ll be back tomorrow,” he promised, giving you one last longing look as he shut the door behind him.
*~*~*~*
You fidgeted with the sleeves of Sweet Pea’s flannel that he’d left behind, trying to take comfort in his scent and its softness. With every second the clock ticked past eight, you couldn’t help worrying. Maybe something would happen to him tonight and you turning him down last night was your only chance to actually be with him - hell, you hadn’t even kissed him last night.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
You tried to do anything and everything to distract yourself, but you hit a point where your house was spotless and there wasn’t anything more to stress-clean. It was impossible to focus on any tv show or movie, your thoughts always leading back to Sweet Pea.
The knock at your door had you jumping, your heart starting to race as you ran for the door, yanking it open after confirming it was Sweet Pea. “You’re here,” you gasped, hurling yourself into his arms. “You came.”
“Of course I came,” he chuckled, more sure of himself than the last time you’d spoken.
“How did the raid go?” You asked, stepping out of his embrace and sucking in a breath when you saw the state of his face. “Oh my god, Sweet Pea - your eye!”
“Raid went okay, but I was hoping you could fix my eye?”
It was your turn to laugh as you took his hand and led him to the bathroom to fix him up. “Of course.”
The air was thick with a tension neither of you were ready to acknowledge as you got out your first aid kit and began patching him up. Although he tried not to show it, Sweet Pea winced as you cleaned his bruised and bloodied knuckles.
It wasn’t long before he was all cleaned up and sitting on your couch, both of you giggling at the irony of Sweet Pea holding a bag of frozen peas to his face to help with the swelling on his newly-forming black eye.
“Here,” you said, still giggling as you reached over to adjust his ice pack. “How do you feel?”
“Like I got in a fight with some Gargoyles,” he sassed, groaning as he shifted to a more comfortable position on the couch.
“Is there…anything else I can do to help?” You asked, making sure the flirtatious lilt in your voice was evident.
Sweet Pea reached for your hand, entwining his fingers with yours as his thumb ran over the back of your hand. “About last night…” he started, gazing into your eyes so you could see the truth held in them, “I meant every word I said. Yes, it might’ve been brought on by the fact that I was nervous about tonight’s raid, but it didn’t make it any less true. I love you.”
“I love you, too, Sweet Pea,” you whispered, bracing a hand on his shoulder so you could straddle him. You took his face in your hands as you leaned down to kiss him for the first time.
Both of you were smiling when the kiss ended, Sweet Pea’s hands resting on your hips. “So,” he began, sliding his hands up underneath the flannel of his that you were still wearing, “when do I get to take you out?”
“Whenever you’d like,” you smirked, leaning in for another kiss.
Summary: Reggie beat’s up Y/n and Sweet pEa isn’t ok with it. Neither is Fangs and Toni or FP. BUt Jughead her brother thinks there must of been some type of misunderstanding. Which makes things wrose between him and the Serpents. Y/n’s been one of them way longer than him.
“This is going to far.” Sweet Pea shakes his head trying to control his anger.
“Agreed.” Fangs stated crossing his arms.
“They hurt Y/n. I don’t know about you but I want revenge.” Toni all but growled in defense of her friend.
“I’m right here Toni.” Y/n smiled gratefully at her best friend before turning her attention back to everyone. “And I want revenge to.” Y/n stated from her seated position, still hurting all over from the beating.
“We’ll get it princess. We will. We all will.” FP promised his daughter as he walked over to her, he leaned down and kissed the top of her head.
Seconds later the door to the Wyrm burst open and in walked the beanie wearing teen that everyone had been trying to get ahold of.
“What happened?” Jughead said once she was fully in the bar. As he looked around he noticed pretty much everyone was there.
“Where have you been?” FP turned to his son, fuming in rage.
“I was with Betty, we had to look into something. I came as soon as I could.” Jughead shrugged his shoulders, not getting the urgency.
“We called and texted you hundreds of times.” Toni spoke up glaring at Jughead. How could he just ignore everyone trying to get a hold of him.
“Not to mention hours ago.” Fangs joined Toni in glaring at the beanie wearing boy.
“Sorry. I was busy.” Jughead furrowed his eyebrows in confusion on why everyone seemed so passed at him.
“To busy to come to the aid of your bleeding sister?!” Sweet Pea yells enraged, he took a step forward. How could he not care about his own sister then again Sweet Pea felt he shouldn’t be surprised. Jughead always seemed to only care about his Northsider friends, more than he cared about anyone else.
“We had to take her to the hospital.” Fangs added, he to stepped forward off the wall. Fangs stared at Jughead, pissed off. “You didn’t even get here till she was already discharged.”
“Do you even care?” Toni narrowed her eyes as she put the question out there.
“Of course I care.” Jughead scoffed looking over to his sister seeing her all bruised and bandaged, cut’s littered her face and neck. He could only imagine what was under her clothes. “What happened anyway? Who hurt you?”
Jughead’s lack of concern on his face and in his tone were shocking to everyone.
“Reggie and the rest of the bulldog’s. That’s who.” Y/n spat at her brother. How could he be so nonchalant about this?!
“Are you okay?” he asked although there wasn't any concern in his voice. That’s obvious.
Do I look okay?!” Y/n yelled not believing her brother just could stand there in front of her looking at her all injured and not seem to care at all. “I’m hurt, bruised, bleeding and broken. I’m in pain and one of the people I wanted here for me was my brother and he couldn’t even bother!”
“Why’d they attack you?” Jughead asks, pointing at his sister.
“Why?” Sweet Pea copied Jughead’s words while clenching his fists.
“Yes, why? I’m sure it was a misunderstanding.” Jughead himself narrowed his eyes at the taller serpent.
“They targeted me, Jughead.” Y/n spoke up, getting more upset with her brother by the minute.
“Did they think you were someone else?” Jughead was trying to find a solution as to why the Bulldogs would do this.
It shocked and amazed all the serpents and not in a good way that Jughead instead of seeing his sister and caring or wanting revenge he would try to defend the one’s recognizable for almost killing his own sister.
“Stop trying to make excuses for them!” Sweet Pea yelled, slamming his hand down on the nearest table. Which happened to be the table Toni and Y/n were sitting at.
Y/n reached for Sweet Pea’s hand, hoping to calm him down. To reassure him she was there. Before Y/n turned her gaze back to her brother.
“They followed me, they conquered me and they attacked me. They knew it was me, I was the intended target for their attack… And you don’t even care.” Y/n had tears welling up in her eye’s at recalling what had happened to her and that it seemed her brother could care less about her.
“What happened to my son that loved and protected his sister? Cause that’s not what I’m seeing.” FP shook his head, eyes filled with disappointment.
“Dad-” Jughead start’s with wide eyes at his father’s words.
“They hurt her and you're defending them, trying to find an out.” FP stated raising his voice, anger and pain obvious in his words as he spoke. “Get out Jughead.”
Jughead loaded at his dad like he was crazy. He wants him to leave! “What?”
“Get out of my home. Get out of my serpent den. Till you can care about your family again, get out.” FP had made his decision. He didn’t recognize his son right now.
Jughead looked around seeing how no one is opposing his fathers statements of kicking him out.
“Not that you care but they did this to send a message.” Toni tells Jughead before he turned to leave.
“They left a letter with me when they left me to wither in pain and almost die. It was a threat, and doing this to me was only the beginning.” Y/n told her brother with anger and sadness in her eye’s. Letting out an unamused laugh shaking her head. “Hope you enjoy your Northside friends Jughead. Since you apparently care more about them than your family.”
A tear ran down her check as she looked at her brother like a stranger.
The blue and red lights burned through your eyes, even as you tried to shield yourself from them - your least favorite colors, especially when they flashed in quick succession like that. Music still poured out from the bar that you had just left - adding more to overstimulate you in the morning.
One boot came out of the cruiser, then the other, and then there he was, with that stupid hat - the one that rivaled the little Pop’s hat he used to wear. “Well, well, well. What do we have here?”
“As if you didn’t know, and that’s the whole reason you came rushing down here … Sheriff,” You retorted, crossing your arms over your chest.
A few seconds later, he chuckled, and then leaned against the brick wall of the bar. “Maybe I heard you were back in town,” He drawled.
“Or maybe I was just doing my job.”
“Doesn’t it suck being the sheriff?” You asked. “According to the song you’re always getting shot. Maybe you should have stuck to Pop’s.”
“Then we wouldn’t have these conversations. And I wouldn’t get to see how you look in these.”
He pulled handcuffs out of his waistband, a smirk on his face, fully knowing that if you tried to run, he’d be able to take you down, easily.
“Please, you’ve been dreaming of me in those since you first saw me,” You gave in, turning around, putting your hands behind your back. It was a fair reaction - you had just caused a fight inside, after all. But you weren’t worried. You’d be out in no time.
“Can’t deny that,” FP muttered, securing your wrists together.
“Can’t deny that I’m glad I get to watch over ya all night, either.”
“Like old times,” You hummed, letting him maneuver you to the car.
“Like old times,” He repeated.
Synopsis: You return to Riverdale to find your best friend Jughead has joined a gang he said he never would. A certain member of said gang takes an interest in you in return
A/N: This was a draft from years ago. It's set when the Serpents join Riverdale high (a throwback) but also somehow their senior year....
This is very long, apologies.
Pt. 2 Pt. 3 Pt. 4 Pt. 5
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You piled your books into your locker, the Monday dew still cascading the halls. Groggily going about your business but happy to be finally back in Riverdale High. You had moved back on Friday night with your family and had already seen most of your friends that same night. After moving around so much with both your parents in the army it was nice to finally replant your roots.
“Ah yn, how I have missed you standing there" Archie threw himself against the locker smiling.
“I missed you too Archiedoodles, do you think we can go see Jughead today?” Archie had decided to keep you away from Jughead for as long as possible, he didn't quite think you'd want to see who had become.
“Emm I don't know, he's kinda busy lately”
“Too busy for me...did you hear that?” It was like a scene from a film. The banging of the hallway doors and entered the Serpents, their new school. You and Archie looked to see the swarm before Archie could see who was leading them.
“Oh hey YN look at this locker door” he turned you against the lockers by the shoulders.
“Archie what the hell” you laughed pushing against him to turn and see Jughead striding past you
“Juggy!”
“Yn!?” You ran over to him, interrupting his new hard core image, giving him a giant hug.
“What the hell are you doing back?” he smiled greatly shock still colouring him.
“Mom's done with the Army so she moved us back, dad still has a few more years but that's okay, I'm back! What are you doing here Arch said you moved schools?”
“School moved us”
“Us?” It was then you noticed the sward behind him and the leather jackets they wore. You took a step back, all of them eyeing you.
“Oh….umm” Archie joined your side, the group glaring at him harshly.
“I thought you said you'd never jo-”
“-uh yn this isn't the place for this conversation” Jughead interrupted you.
“Well then make it the place Jughead” a chorus of oohs from behind him followed.
“Come on yn let's go, you must meet Veronica” Archie wrapped an arm around you breaking the stare off you and Jughead were having.
~
The day flowed on and you avoided Jughead as much as possible, until the final bell rang and he cornered you outside your car.
“Yn we need to talk”
“I'd love to talk to Jughead, let me know when you see him will you?” you opened the car door but he closed it again, almost catching your fingers in it. You sighed loudly at his action.
“Yn it is still same the Jughead-”
“Really?! I remember a Jughead who hated the Serpents and what they did to his dad and how they're basically the reason his family is in two! I remember a Jughead who promised he'd never get caught up in that world! Because you sir, are not him!” you jabbed your finger into his chest.
“Hey Jones you coming?” A tall serpent called from across the carpark.
“Just a second! Yn this shouldn't be a big deal, so I have a family now, it doesn't matter!”
“You have a family now?! What am I then?! And Archie and Betty?! We were your family, your friends….” you looked down at the ground and he looked desperately at you, the tall Serpent called him from the background again before beginning to stride over.
“YN, I don't want to have this conversation in front of the Serpents, I have to keep a strong front for them” you rolled your eyes at him as Sweet Pea reached his side. You couldn't help but glare at him and he gave a small laugh.
“Jones, who's the attack dog?”
“Listen here Snake Brain-”
“YN, leave it!” Jughead cut across you earning another laugh from Sweet Pea, you began to seethe at your old best friends defence of his new family member.
“Just call me when you feel like being yourself again” you breathed out the words until your lungs nearly emptied, moving to open the car again to be stopped by Sweet Peas voice
“i think the snake skin is him Princess-”
“Don't you have some drugs to deal to children or something -” you cut across him this time.
“And what is that supposed to mean?” Sweet Pea raised an eyebrow, smile now long gone. Jughead looked between the two of you
“I meant what I said, or is the leather jacket cutting off the blood flow to your ears”
“Listen I don't know you Princess but you're not exactly making a good impression-”
“I don't give a fuck what you think about me, you seem to care a lot about what I think about you though” more Serpents seemed to join around, panic began to rise in Jughead, his attempted to stop Sweet Pea but Sweet Peas voice came harsher.
“You're seriously misguided Princess”
“And you're seriously what's wrong with Riverdale” you said through gritted teeth, receiving scoffs from the gathering Serpents but Sweet Pea stated unreadable eyes fixed on you.
“Guys just relax, YN I'll call you later” Jughead reached for your arm but you moved took a step back.
“Don't bother”
~
For the remainder of the week you avoided Jughead and the rest of them, instead spending time with your friends you missed so much. Catching up with all the chaos that had gone down since you left 3 years ago, and there was a lot. It was nice to feel like a senior around your friends, how it should be. You were shocked that for the most part everyone was understanding of Jughead joining the Serpents, you couldn't really understand it. Jughead continued to try to text or call you until you had enough. You needed a break from it, leaving your phone turned off on your dresser before putting on your runners.
You tried to process how you felt as you jogged through Riverdale, trying to remember your old route. You were zoned out of the world as your legs took you from a jog to run, the burn growing from your thighs down to your shins. You had been out for an hour or so now and by the third wrong turn you landed out of your subconsciousness and back to the world in front of you. Lost. How could you forget the town you grew up in. Suddenly you became very aware of the dark night that had closed around you. You looked around for anywhere still open, only a gruby bar was in your sights. They probably had a phone you thought, walking right past the fading sign of the Whyte Wyrm.
Upon approach you noticed the large amount of motorbikes outside the door. Then the amount of Serpents jackets and their owners flowing in and out of the bar. Shit you thought. You turned to leave back through the carpark you just walked through and instead crashed directly into an older Serpent and his pint of larger, sending it all over him.
“What the fuck?!” He half yelped at the cold hitting his chest. You stuttered apologies as you moved to walk past him. Instead he caught your wrist with bone crushing force. Without realising what you were doing, you sent the heel of your hand straight up and into his nose, contorting it completely. He shouted before releasing you and you moved from his shadow, other Serpents witnessing the incident and gathering quickly. You begged your tired legs to bring you running back to the main road as some began to follow you shouting.
Sweet Pea walked around the wall of the car park boarder and was immediately confused by the several Serpents beginning to run towards his direction. You didn't even take notice of him as you ran past, your leg then spasming, sending you my into the pavement. He didn't know where to look. You pulled yourself cursing behind the pillar of the entrance, resting your head again the cement of its support, preparing to get mangled by Serpents.
“Sweet Pea!” An older woman shouted his name bringing his attention from you and your attention to him.
“Ehh yes Penny?”
“Did you see a girl, Y/C/H, this tall or so” the woman made a guestimate of your height with her hand. You held your breath as Sweet Pea fought every instinct to not look down at you.
“Emm I did see someonel go over the hedges towards the back there, maybe thats her?”
“Great, she just broke one of the Seniors noses, girls dead meat” shock painted Sweet Peas face and he tried not to laugh at the thought. The woman then gave a wave before running off with the others in the direction he sent them. He exhaled loudly, looking at where you once were sat, now empty. Sweet Pea looked quickly to find your shadow hobbling down the road you think you came down. He gave a small laugh, rolled his eyes and began to jog to catch up with you.
“Guys I have to leave in a bit” I say looking at the clock in Pops diner
“Oh come on YN you can’t leave yet” Fangs says holing Kevin’s hand
“She’s going cuz Sweet Pea ain’t here” Cheryl says
“No I’m not. I didn’t come here to see him”
“What you come for then?” Cheryl frowns
“I came because I was invited” I reply crossing my arms
“Cher I invited her” Toni says to her girlfriend
“I don’t know why. Isn’t Sweet Pea supposed to be like your best friend”
“Yeah but I like YN”
“Oh you do?”
“Jesus Cheryl what’s gotten into you this evening?” Betty asks
“Nothing”
“I think I’m just gonna go” I say standing up from the booth. As I do I see Sweet Pea walking into the diner “yeah definitely going to go”
“YN!” He says as I walk passed him and out the shop. What the hell do I do? I think as I make my way home. Yes I want to be with Sweet Pea, but we’re just 2 different kind of people.
That night all I can think of is how I’m, well me. Making my decision I phone up Cheryl and head over to her house the following morning
“So you want the boy” she says with her hands on her hips “let’s get started. Toni hand me a brush and my curlers we’ve got a lot of work to do”
“Hey!” I pout making Toni chuckle
“Cheryl takes fashion very seriously. So clothes wise what do you want to wear?”
“I wanna wear a Serpent’s Jacket” this stops them in their tracks. Toni and Cheryl look at each other then at me
“You’ll have to go through initiation”
“Which is?” I ask looking at Toni
“You can either choose the Serpant dance which is basically a strip tease or….”
“I’ll do it”
“No wait YN. You have to do it at the Whyte Wyrm” Toni looks at me worriedly “it will be in front of men 3 times our age”
“Wait” Cheryl says with a twinkle in her eye “does it have to be, or can it just be in front of us, Veronica Betty, Kevin and Fangs?”
“Well I guess there’s no rule against that”
“Then let’s do it!”
“Well if your sure”
“I am” I eagerly nod my head
“Let’s get you ready”.
“Hey Sweet Pea!” Toni shouts as she makes her way towards the boys at the fair. I’m hidden behind Kevin, Betty and Veronica “we’ve got a surprise for you” I then walk to the front where a shocked Sweet Pea looks me up and down
“YN? What… how? You look…”
“I know”
“Toni let you borrow her jacket?”
“Nope it’s mine. I did the dance”
“You… Toni you let her…”
“No not at the Wyrm. She did it in front of us”
“So your a Serpent now?”
“That’s is if you want me”
“Hell yeah I do” Sweet Pea then lifts me up and kisses my lips before putting me back down “will you be mine?”
“Yeah course” this time I’m the one to initiate the kiss
Hi, guys! This is a little introduction and masterlist post! My name is Jen. I'm not consistent as a word of warning and I tend to stop stories for a long time because writer's block is hard to get out of. I just write for who I want to.
