#deathlywails

                    ––––––––––– She’s  different  from  most  people  he’s  encountered  on  his  small  journey.  She  didn’t  freak  out  when  he  flight response  kicked  in  and  he  disappeared  in  front  of  her  eyes.  She  stood  for  a  moment  until  she  spoke  again.  He  could  feel  the  shakiness  of  her  voice  as  her  heels  click  on  the  asphalt.  The  coverage  from  this  tree  is  making  it  easier  for  him  to  stay  hidden  from  her,   so   why   is   he   still   here?   Why  are  his  brown  irises  watching  her  as  she  attempts  to  break  the  awkward  silence  that  fills  the  air. 

sweet pea came to slowly --- and immediately wished he hadn’t. his head was POUNDING, like someone was beating their fists against the inside of his skull, and his face and ribs were throbbing from the pummeling he’d taken. from what little he actually remembered of the encounter, he’d gotten in a few shots of his own, but ghoulies played the numbers game. why take someone on one-on-one when you can overwhelm them and leave them battered, bruised and unconscious in an alley, right? a groan rumbled out of him, from somewhere deep in his chest, and he tried to shrug the unfamiliar hand off his shoulder.

opening his eyes seemed like a struggle he wasn’t quite willing to tackle just yet, but he knew, rationally, he had to. he couldn’t just lay here, waiting for those freaks to come back and finish the job.

        ❛  THEY PUT UP all of these stupid fucking posters && pretend like they give two shits about anyone here ━━ as if it isn’t THEIR FAULT !!  ❜

                ❝ how did you FIND that out ? ❞

He looked and felt like an awful mess, but Pop’s was the only place he wanted to be right now. The only place he could count on a quiet booth in the back and endless burgers. The only place he could rely on Pop Tate to give him advice, to give him extra fries without charge, and to be a quiet observer.

It was late into the evening, long after Jug’s Serpent initiation. Being apart of them felt right, but the truth also lingered in the back of his mind: he was doing this to try and keep the peace. Well, that was his original intention. What was the point in that anymore? Now that he and Betty were done, by Archie’s word, and he and Archie - well, give that inspiring chat, he expected their friendship to be on hiatus. Of course, right? Wasn’t this the path they were always going to be headed down?

            ❛ ‘ey Pop, no don’t worry, I’m alright. Just the usual, yeah, I’ll be in the back. ❜

Jug nodded at Pop who looked concerned from behind the counter but there were no questions. Thankfully. Jug limbered on towards the back of the diner, not seeing many patrons. In his state he would probably scare them off. He’d done his best to wash away the blood and bandage the open wounds, but there were too many, and he’d given up after the fifth bandaid wouldn’t stick.

            “So, you must be the person Archie has been sneaking off to see on these long summer nights.”