| ᴶᵁᴳᴴᴱᴬᴰ ᴶᴼᴺᴱˢ |

The young Jones had been cooped up in his hospital bed the last few days, ever since the beat down from the Ghoulies, much to his dismay. But with the injuries he had, the nurses had told him he was lucky to be standing on his own two feet so alas, he caved. That and he was sure FP would probably give him an ass kicking if he did anything else then get himself better. It had mainly been FP or Betty in his room, the occasional visit from Archie and Veronica together, or even Mr Andrews which he didn’t expect in a time like how things were with the election going on. So to see Veronica come in alone to visit was a bit of a surprise.

 “Hey...” He called over softly, adjusting himself up in his hospital bed as she came through the door. “Surprised to see you here. Archie not join you this time?” 

layeredserpent:

She considered his words for a minute, head resting against his chest, the dark of the night surrounding them in his room and she sighed. No, nothing was easy. Not since Jason Blossom had been murdered. It was like that one tragedy woke up the under seeded belly of Riverdale and honestly with the way things had been going Betty couldn’t see an end to it.

She pressed her face into Jughead briefly and tightened her grip on him. “Doesn’t seem like it. Honestly Jug, I’d think I’d be going crazy if I didn’t have you,” she admitted knowing there was definitely some truth to it considering the brief break up earlier in the year and how terribly things had gone after. “We’ll figure this mess out together - I know we will.”

“Well I’m glad my strange and well, peculiar self, can be of some help to you. Can’t say I am to most people, though I don’t really blame them...” Always one to defuse his crippling self doubt with awkward and self deprecating humour, he never really could help himself. The times they were cornered with didn’t necessarily help the situation at hand. For such young kids, they felt as if they had the weight of the world on their shoulders. And they deserved better then that.

He nodded along to her. letting his fingers loosely intertwine with her blonde locks, curling perfectly around his digits. “We’ve figured out the rest of Riverdale’s mysteries, or at least it feels like that. What’s one more us as a team can’t figure out?”

layeredserpent:

She slid her arm around his midsection, relaxing into him. She considered his words and honestly she can’t help thinking were they ever really kids? It seemed so difficult now to look back on a time when they were just running around playing in tree houses and just enjoying life. She knows there was a time when that was the case and yet it felt so far away. “I’m glad I’m here too.” She admitted. She didn’t feel comfortable in her own home anymore - it was like someone was constantly watching her every move. Betty wasn’t easily scared – but Chic - there was just something about him.

“Sometimes,” she admitted, “More often I think it’ll be nice when we can finally get out of here. I didn’t used to - but now…I don’t know. Maybe that would be easier.” Even though she wasn’t exactly one to take the easy way out.

“It’s a nice dream to have...” He’d be lying if he said he hadn’t thought about all times he wanted to get out of Riverdale. Or even the times he had already tried to get far from the mess that was Riverdale. Many a nights he had spent dreaming about the possibilities of what that life would entail but with the circumstances they had found themselves in, in the mess that was their town. It just seemed to be a dream that closed in on them, smaller and smaller, running away from their grasp.

But their world was dark. And it was scary. And at times it was just downright miserable. It was a cruel, mad world. “But is anything even easy anymore? It’s almost as if the second we get everything down, we’re 100 steps behind again.”

layeredserpent:

She watched him crawl into bed with a soft smile on her face. When he was situated she slid over toward him, letting her body press against his side. Being close to him always helped her feel better. And with everything going on - she needed this. She was silent for a few minutes, fingers trailing over his chest. “You were right you know,” she commented softly, “when you told me to be careful - that something was off with Chic.” She sighed, “I’m sorry I didn’t mention it sooner…but I really appreciate you guys letting me stay here.” She was tired of always looking over her shoulder.

“I couldn’t sleep either,” she admitted lifting her gaze and watching his face for a minute. “What’s on your mind?” She questioned wanting him to know she was there if he wanted to talk.

Snaking an arm behind her, he rested his hand upon her shoulder, finally starting to feel the tension be relived. From the dealings with Betty’s brother, Chic, to Hiram and his diabolical plans and that lingering feeling the black hood was still around - getting a moment of peace kept seeming like a distant fantasy. “I’m glad you’re here. At least I know you’re safe here, away from him.” He admitted truthfully. Even if FP tried to make her go back to Alice, Jughead wouldn’t of let it happen. He didn’t care. 

“Don’t you ever just wonder what things would be like if we weren’t dealing with all this, y’know? Hiram, the Black Hood still feeling like they’re around...” He didn’t want to admit just how uneasy he was feeling, but oh, it was messing with him. “It’s like we’re not even kids anymore.”

layeredserpent:

She’s been lying there for what felt like hours staring at the wall in Jugheads room. Honestly, it was a little weird being in his bed without him. But at the sound of the light knock on the door, she couldn’t help the grin that tugged at her lips as she turned over just in time to see the door open. A soft smile tugged at the blondes lips and she shifted so she was on her side one hand beneath the pillow. “I am,” she answered making sure to keep her voice soft. “It took you long enough.” She joked lightly as she motioned for him to come inside. She was glad FP had let her stay - sure there were some rules, one of which they were currently breaking, but it was better than staying in that house with Chic.

“Couldn’t sleep?” She questioned as she tugged the covers down a bit so he could get into the bed next to her.

“Sorry, I would’ve come in sooner, was just waiting for, well, you know who to leave..” He said with a bit of a laugh, walking in slowly and quietly, just as if FP was still around. Force of habit. Even though he was almost absolutely positive that FP would’ve expected his son to sneak in to see his girlfriend the second he left the trailer. Maybe Jughead was just taking more after his father then the two of them even realised. It was a very, FP thing to do, or at least so he had been told.

Crawling in, he made himself comfortable on his side, a small little hint of a smile etching onto his features. There was something about Betty that always had made him feel comfortable in times of unease, especially like what they were dealing with now. “You could say that, for lack of better term.”

Knock knock. 

  It was the first night Betty had been staying with him and his father, and while FP had seemingly been fine with it, for the most part - he did have ground rules set. Like Betty was able to stay in Jughead’s room, but Jughead had to sleep in FP’s bed while FP was out on the couch. Jughead had been keeping himself up for most of the night, waiting until his father eventually left their trailer to deal with whatever it was he had been sent on, to sneak back into his room where that blonde haired girlfriend of his was staying.  

 “You up?” He whispered, hoping for the life of him that Betty was just as bad at sleeping as he was, especially given their present circumstances.