The Game Princess - Jughead Jones III
The game made him crazy, but not as crazy as you did.
Gryphons and Gargoyles, referred to by those who played it as G&G, had taken Riverdale by storm. It seemed everyone was playing the illusive game, some even bringing it to real life. And honestly, the whole thing weirded you out. Those who played it did so religiously, abandoning the real world in favor of the game. It was like a drug, and everyone was always itching for their next fix.
Ethyl Muggs was jittery all through Spanish class, obviously not paying attention and tapping her pencil loudly on her desk next to you, withdrawal apparent. You werenât very close to the girl, but you did know that she was one of the victims of the game.
Yes, you called them victims. It only seemed fitting, considering what it did to them.
Unfortunately, one of the latest casualties was your boyfriend, Jughead Jones. Heâd said that he wanted to see what it was all about, figure out who the Gargoyle King was so he could end his reign. You had to watch as him and all of your friends got sucked into it.
Jughead had asked you to stay out of it - not to play no matter what. You readily agreed - just because he was sacrificing himself to some game didnât mean that you had to. You wished he would have stayed out of it with you, but he was far too stubborn for that.
âHere you guys go,â you passed Cokes to each of your friends seated around the game board. You hated being the Snack Mom and resented feeling so sidelined, but it was the best way you could keep an eye on your idiot friends and boyfriend.
âThank you, Game Princess,â Cheryl popped open the can. âI promise to always protect you from the wargs whilst you sleep.â
âWhatever,â you sighed.
You didnât remember when they started calling you âGame Princess,â but now it was all they ever called you. You werenât sure if it was a real character, or they made that up because you were dating the âmasterâ and always brought them food.
Looking at your watch, you didnât hesitate to interrupt their game. âJug, you ready to go?â
âHold it, Game Princess,â Sweet Pea stopped you. âWe still have to get past this tricky protection spell.â
âIâm sure it can wait until tomorrow,â you snapped. âJughead. Itâs nearly two in the morning and we have school tomorrow. Can we please leave soon?â
âGive me a few more minutesâŠâ
âYou said that three hours ago!â
Jughead stood up, pounding his fist on the table. The comparison youâd made between G&G and drugs earlier? Anger issues could be added to that venn diagram. âWe need to get past this barrier and into the orc base! If we donât, Toniâs deception spell might wear off and-â
âFake! Itâs all fake!â you cried, running your hands through your hair. âIt can wait until tomorrow, but we have to get back to whatâs real! This whole town has to!â
âYou donât understand!â
âDamn right I donât understand!â Everything youâd been feeling from the past few weeks of watching your friends lose themselves to some game that nobodyâs played in years bubbled to the surface. âI have to sit here, watching you all ruin yourselves! You said that you were playing this to find the Gargoyle King. We could be interrogating our parents, looking into the history of it, but no. I have to bring you guys food because you would forget to eat if I didnât. I have to remind you all to drink water or you wonât because youâre so sucked into this! Iâve had to confiscate all of your pointy objects! And when Cheryl found that chalice, it didnât go missing - I smashed it into a million pieces.â
âYou did what-â He looked angry, which only made you more so.
âIâm trying to keep you asshats alive, Jug! Iâm tired and I want to go home, but if I leave you here youâll try teaching Fangs and Pea to fire an arrow again, and Iâm not taking Hotdog to the vet again.â
He clenched his jaw, and you wished that you could drive it into his thick skull that you were right about this one. But on top of his stubbornness, he was riding on the high that the game brought, and there would be no changing his mind.
You picked up one of the pieces and threw it at the wall, everyone flinching at the surprisingly loud noise it made. âIâll go wait outside,â you muttered expressionlessly, turning and walking out.
He watched your retreating back, something inside him saying that he should go after you. But he looked back down at the game, and the players all waiting for him to continue narration. They already seemed over your outburst, and he peeled his eyes away from the bunker door as it shut.
âAlright,â he continued, rubbing his hands together. âYouâre stuck outside the wall surrounding the orc base, and your failure to break through has alerted the orcs to your presence. Theyâre coming! Quick - you can either retreat and try again later, or stay and fight a match that will certainly end in your doom. Which do you choose?â
Cheryl hung her head in disappointment. âI guess we have to retreat.â The others groaned.
âAre we in agreement?â Jughead clarified.
âYes,â Fangs said as the others nodded their head.
âThe warriors retreat back into the forest, safely away from the orcs. They gather around to devise a new plan, when the elder whom Mistress Topaz helped earlier appears. He tells them that their only way to get inside the base, is-â He pulled a card from the deck, flipping it over. His blood instantly ran cold.
âWhat? What is it?â Toni leaned forward.
âNothing,â he dropped the card as if it had burned his hand. âItâs nothing. Guys, we have to stop playing the game.â All of the elation heâd felt seconds ago turned to sobriety as fear laced his veins.
Sounds of protest arose from the group, but he ignored them.
âWhereâs Y/N?â He stood taking his jacket off of his chair and putting it on quickly.
âWhat, you worried about her little blow-up earlier? Sheâs just letting off some steam - Iâm sure you two will be-â
âNo, Sweet Pea!â Jughead shouted, heart drumming in his chest as he picked up the card and showed it to them.
âSo?â Sweet Pea furrowed his brow. âItâs the game, and sheâs not even playing. We just kill off her character.â
Cheryl, who had gone white, shook her head. âThe Game Princess isnât a character⊠Thatâs just a nickname we came up with for her.â
Jughead nodded. âSomeoneâs been watching us. Someone slipped this card in my deck, and that someone wants Y/N dead.â
Everyone was standing. âLetâs go get her.â
You were standing outside the bunker, breathing in the chilly night air as you waited for his stupid boyfriend and your stupid friends to finish playing some idiotic but surprisingly dangerous murder game. Technically you could take his motorcycle and drive yourself home, but as pissed as you were, you werenât going to leave them all alone. Hotdog didnât need another arrow grazing his back.
You startled as the bunker door flew open, emerging Jughead and the others close behind.
âYouâre still here,â he said, standing close to you and putting a hand on your arm. He looked you up and down as if checking you over.
âNo shit, Sherlock.â You rolled your eyes. âWhatâs gotten into you guys? Did you finally finish?â
âWeâre done with that game,â Jughead said, surprising you.
Your eyes widened. âYou⊠are?â
âWeâre burning that game, and every game in Riverdale. Weâll find the Gargoyle King some other way  but Iâm not playing anymore.â
âWhat happened?â you asked, concerned.
âSomeoneâs threatening you,â Toni explained. âNow can we all go home?â
You froze, comprehending what she was saying. âWhat? How?â
âIâll explain at home, but we need to go,â Jugheadâs grip on your arm shifted as he led you over to his bike.
âWeâll head to Popâs,â Cheryl said as Toni nodded. âWe just need to talk about everything⊠Want to come?â
Fangs and Sweet Pea agreed, but Jughead said that he wanted to go back to his trailer and talk to you privately.
The ride home was quiet, as you thought to yourself. You werenât overly concerned about being threatened - being a Serpent tended to put you in varying amounts of danger on a semi-regular basis, but it also granted protection.
Inside his trailer, you sat cross-legged on his bed. He sat across from you.
âAre you really done playing that game?â You broke the silence.
âYes,â he assured firmly. âAbsolutely.â
You nodded slowly. âWhat changed? When I left you guys were so engrossed in it that it almost felt like you thought it was real life.â
âWe found a card in the deck.â He grabbed your hand. âThe instruction on it was to kill the Game Princess.â
âSo?â You asked. âI wasnât playing, anyways.â
âThere is no Game Princess. It was a name Sweet Pea made up for you because I was the game master.â The hand not linked with yours pulled his signature beanie off and ran a hand through his hair. âThe game⊠It has a way of creeping inside you, of making you believe that whatâs happening is real. I think that whoever put that card in there was hoping that we were in deeper than we were, and that we would - erm - actually do it.â
Your eyes widened, lips parting around a silent gasp. âYou- would you have-â
âAbsolutely not,â he shook his head, reaching forward to brush a strand of hair behind your ear. âI would never. But someone wants you dead; thatâs what you should take away from that.â
You gave a low whistle. The room went silent. âWhen did our lives get so crazy?â You laughed. âI mean, serial killers are one thing, but murderous roleplay?â
He snorted. âHow are you laughing?! You. Are. In. Danger.â He said each word slowly, trying to get you to understand.
âThen we better go investigate, huh?â
âA woman after my own heart,â he grinned, leaning in to kiss you.