Jabitha Oneshots

Ice-Skating

Jughead takes Tabitha ice-skating for the first time!

Jughead and Tabitha approached the newly assembled ice-rink in the centre of the town, eying the glistening surface. It had been operational for little over an hour, but already half the town was enjoying the winter experience.

Tabitha gripped her boyfriend's hand nervously. She had never been skating before, given Chicago wasn't the safest place for a young, single woman to get into the holiday spirit.

"You ok Tab?" Jughead asked, turning to face her, "You seem quieter than usual."

She stopped walking and turned to face him, "Nobody's ever died while ice-skating, right?"

Jughead chuckled quietly, placing his hands on her shoulders, "Not that I know of. And you know I'm not going to let anything happen to you, love. I'll be right by your side the whole time."

She nodded, leaning in to bury her head in the warmth of his chest.

"Well, well, well, hobo and Tab-Tab, what a lovely surprise."

Cheryl strode up to the pair, inserting herself between them so they would be forced to break their embrace. Her bright red hair was tied back today, in a single glistening plait running down her shoulder. She wore an extravagant gown which tumbled to the ground, the vibrant, glittering fabric like blood against her porcelain skin.

"Nice to see you too, Cheryl. Channelling your inner Katniss Everdeen, I see." Jughead replied.

Tabitha bit back a laugh, watching the woman's smile turn to an irritated grimace.

"Any likeness my hairstyle has to a certain literary heroine's is unplanned. Regardless, I am running this event and I assume you would like to participate?"

Jughead nodded and gripped Tabitha's hand, "We were actually headed over to find some skates."

"Oh, we can arrange that here. Girls!" Cheryl clapped and three of her students appeared beside her, seemingly out of thin air.

Jughead cast her a questioning look but remained silent.

She turned around to face a diminutive brunette, who was looking, awestruck at her.

"Callie, fetch these lovers two sets of our nicest. Make it a small and medium-large."

The young girl scampered off in the direction of an elegant marquee across the rink.

"Now, where were we. Oh yes, the safety briefing."

Tabitha glanced at her boyfriend, pulling at his arm.

"Cheryl, we're both grown adults, I think we know how to look after ourselves."

The redhead smirked and the girls flanking her giggled.

"We've already had three concussions today," One of them said, "And one suspected leg break."

This piece of information was punctuated with a scream and an immediate cry of agony from the rink.

"Make that... five injuries," she added.

Tabitha gulped, turning to Jughead and gripping his wrist,

He immediately noticed her nervous temperament and placed a comforting hand on her back.

"Look, Cheryl, not to be rude but I think we're done here. We're going to head over now."

Cheryl rolled her eyes but gestured for her two students to lead them away.

"Fine, my girls will escort you.

..

Half an hour later, the couple stood at the edge of the rink, their skates laced up at last. Tabitha gripped the wall of the area with one hand and Jughead's arm with the other. It had taken a while for her to gain the confidence to move from the marquee, let alone enter the rink, but now she stood at the entrance with her boyfriend by her side, preparing to skate for the first time.

"Are you ready?"

Jughead squeezed her hand, caressing her cheek with his gloved palm.

"Yeah," she said breathlessly, "Can you just stay with me, so I can hold onto you?"

He nodded and they stepped out onto the ice.

Tabitha wrapped her arms around her boyfriend's waist as she felt herself beginning to slide.

"Jughead, Jughead, I'm falling."

He grabbed her hands, and eased her to her feet, wrapping an arm around her shoulders to stabilise her.

"Just lean on me and we'll take it slowly, alright?"

They glided a few metres without incident, Tabitha carefully following his movements. As she continued to skate, she began to feel more at ease, though she still adamantly refused to remove her hand from Jughead's.

"Hey, look, I'm doing it." She said, grinning at him.

"You're a natural."

He grabbed both of her hands, twirling her around on the spot. She giggled and allowed him to pull her closer. They soared towards the wall and Jughead placed a palm against it, stopping them both on the spot. He kissed her passionately and his hands travelled down to her waist as she cupped his face.

"I'm so in love with you, Tabitha Tate."

"The feeling's mutual, Jughead Jones."

"Quit the PDA and get skating, you're holding the children up," called a bedazzled figure from behind the fence.

"Cheryl!"