In which Archie saves Jughead from a violent situation♥️
Requested by @bangtanblast
(Feel free to request anything at any time and I'll see what I can do😚)
Sometime near the beginning of season 1.
☾
In another time, or another life, Jughead Jones would enjoy school. School wasn't the problem. It was the people there; bitchy beauties, foul frats.
The footballer team was the worst (with the exception of a few guys), and today was no different.
As Jughead walked down the corridor he saw them coming. He thought about turning around and trying to blend in with the crowd of students rushing to class, but with his dark attire, blending in wasn't an option.
"Look it's Wednesday Addams!" A voice no other than Reggie Mantle shouted childishly. Sniggers and yells escaped the jocks following Reggie. Chuck Clayton walked beside him, nudging and shooting daggers at Jughead.
Jughead tried to proceed in his original route to chemistry class, but the jocks had other plans.
"Where do you think you're going beanie boy?" One of them jeered ignorantly, and suddenly he was being pushed around by a few of the immature life forms clad in orange and blue jackets. Harsh pounds that would probably leave bruises.
"Get off." Jughead spoke through gritted teeth to Nate, Chucks equally appalling friend. Nate laughed in his face and continued to square up against the raven-haired boy. He used his hands to force Jughead's shoulders towards the barrier behind, the force of the shove pushing him into the lockers behind. Painfully, the metal sticky-out locks jabbed into his back and he let out a grunt.
"Why?" Nate questioned, dark eyes. Occurrences like this happened daily between Nate and Jughead, but this time felt different. Maybe it was because Nate was in a bad mood about something, maybe he got a bad grade or missed a goal during practice. Whatever it was, he had surely decided to take this anger out on Jughead.
"You deserve this." Nate jabbed his pointer finger into Jughead's chest as he spoke, the other players gathered around with amused faces. "You're nothing. A nobody. And do you know why?"
This seemed rhetorical, and so Jughead just stood there staring coldly into Nate's charcoal eyes as he was cornered into the locker by the slightly taller guy.
"First of all, have you seen the way you dress?" He continued, "You walk around like you're some sort of character from Phantom of the Opera. But I guess it matches your weirdo name, what the fuck kind of name is Jughead?" This statement caused a smudge of laughter to erupt from the rest of the bullying boys, but Nate carried on.
"Secondly, you're a loner. Such an embarrassment that you only have two friends. That's a bit pathetic. And to be honest I don't even know what Betty and Archie see in you." Jughead's glare deepened when he mentioned his friends' names. They were loving and empathetic, making them sound entirely wrong when mentioned by this cruel, insecure male. And each word being spoken was making his heart break, Nate was picking at every single insecurity he had and actually enjoying it.
"But what makes you such a nobody is that nobody wants you. Not even your own family." Jughead's eyes glazed over insignificantly, but then hardened in fury as Nate carried on. "Why do daddy and mommy not want you, Jughead? They too busy getting drunk together? Too busy focusing on your freak of a sister to-"
Jughead saw red. He jumped at Nate and slammed him into the ground. It took Nate a few seconds to shake out of the shock (Jughead had never fought back like this), but when he did, hell broke loose. He was significantly stronger and bigger than the writer boy, and before Jughead knew it, Nate had rolled off the floor and switched positions with him.
Nate held nothing back as he repeatedly pummelled his fist into Jug, causing groans to escape his mouth at the searing pain. The small crowd of jocks surrounded the fight. They hadn't noticed the bell ring for class earlier on because they'd been too busy taunting the vulnerable boy. Unfortunately for him, this meant no one would help him. Or so he thought.
"Guys what are you doing, we have practice, Coach is waiting... What the hell?!" A familiar voice rang through the hall, and Jughead heard light jogging towards him. All of a sudden, Nate's weight was being pulled off of him, and his body was also being pulled up. He was sore, but not bleeding because Nate had only gotten in a few punches before this person came.
Jughead looked to see who this person was and recognised him as his best friend, Archie.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" The ginger boy stared at his teammates in disbelief of what he had just seen. Most of them looked down in shame, those people being the copycats of the group who had just been going along with what was happening. Reggie also looked uncomfortable. Nate and Chuck, however, kept cold stares.
"Arch, he punched first. I only retaliated, mate." Nate placed his hand on Archie's arm in an attempt to get him on his side, but Archie was having none of it. Who did he think he was?
"I'm not your mate, Jughead's my mate." He tore Nate arm away sharply. Nate's jaw clenched. "And he wouldn't have punched you randomly. You guys are twisted, you should be ashamed of yourselves for God's sake."
Nate took a step towards Archie, "don't cross us Archie. We're a team. Teammates." Archie scoffed, and stepped towards Nate, mirroring him to show he wouldn't be intimidated by this low-life.
"Teammates? So why did you harass Jug then? He's more of a friend than you guys are, and I'd choose him over you lot any day." And with that, he shoved Nate out of his face, and gestured for Jughead to come with him as he walked away from the group.
Nate was stunned for a few moments whilst he watched them walking away, and the frowned deeply. "Fine, enjoy yourself with emo boy! You'll regret this Andrews!" He called. It was meant to sound threatening but it came off more desperate.
☾
The two decided to skip that period and hang out at Pop's for the rest of the school time. As they were walking out Jughead turned to Archie.
"Thanks for that Arch, I really appreciate it." He thanked the red-head.
"I'll always help you Jughead, we're brothers, right?" He smiled. Jughead engulfed him into a hug, bringing him close. He loved their hugs. He felt at home, and in that moment the both felt the strong sense of family.
Jughead sighed deeply, feeling one-hundred percent comfortable. They were each others home.
"Brothers."
