Taking my message from the veins | Jarchie ✓

Eight.

Sorry this took so long, I've been super busy:)

There are times in life when you have to stray from the rules, and in Josie's case she needed too- people lives were on the line. She wasn't heartless, when she was told she'd have to catch two young men, hunt them like they were animals, her heart skipped a beat or two. And that feeling of dread, deep in the pit of her stomach, amplified when she realized she knew the two boys. Jughead Jones and Archie Andrews, two people who kept to themselves had been ultimately thrown into the fire pit, catapulted into a game of cat and mouse, just because their veins sparked like a match around each other.

She had to step in, put herself between the plans that Hiram Lodge had decided. It was most likely a terrible call to make, she'd land herself in trouble for sure, but at least her conscience was happy and intact.

Pop's diner, the small but popular diner at the edge of town- Josie followed the glow of the high neon sign above until she was stood at the door, gun poised in hand, then with a deep breath- it was time.

~

Running had never been one of Jughead's strong points, although he had ran faster than ever when his life is at risk- or so the masked person had said. With Archie's hand in his, fingers interlocked in a silent promise to not let go and stay together in that moment, he sprinted, away from apparent danger- the town of Riverdale flicking past his gaze- like paint on an artists canvas. His heart, a reminder of his life and health, pumped within his chest- pounding against his rib cage, some breaths felt like fire in his lungs. But he supposed he'd rather be out of breath and breathing rapidly than not at all. He'd made a passing joke about his hatred of running, because that was Jughead- awkward tense situation? he'd make a joke, lighten the air.

In some ways the masked person who'd just saved both Jughead and Archie's life was their guardian angel, sent from above. and in other ways it turns out to be the girl who sings in a band with her friends in their very school- its just another human being, saving them, this one with thoughts and feelings and a heart. Because she couldn't bare to see Archie and Jughead die, they lived to see another day- and it was down to her, Josie would be their hero from now on.

The house, if that's what it could be called, it was barely stood up- on its last legs, the door nearly snapped off its hinges when it'd been slammed- the barrier between safety and the outside world. It was cold, damp and desolate, would be better off in a horror movie, perhaps that's what Jughead's life was becoming.

The words Josie had delivered to the boys, in hushed tones as if she was worried someone, anyone, can hear her- although Jughead's not sure anyone is around for miles, this is a small town after all. Had been "stay low and away from plain sight". Which was going to be incredibly difficult, what were they to do when the sun comes out and shines on them like a spotlight? she'd also told them that she had rebelled, and that Hiram Lodge, Jughead and Archie's latest enemy, is desperate to get his hands on the boys- or how Josie had put it 'around their necks'. Tests, all for tests, because of glowing veins Jughead and Archie's normal life had been thrown knee-deep into turmoil- and for now neither of them could see a quick way out of that swirling sea- or anyway out at all for that matter, quick or not. She'd promised to protect them, warn them as and when Hiram was slowly inching closer to them. Veronica too was on their side, she more than anyone else must know her father's next move before Josie.

~

Veronica simply had no clue as to what her dad was planning, she tried her best smile, a wide grin, making her eyes glow and the soft whisper of 'daddy' to see if she could sweet talk him into giving her an idea. But he wasn't letting go of his secrets anytime soon, not even for her. She thought that her mother must know more than she's pretending, and that was confirmed when she chose to look at anything but Veronica's eyes when she'd asked her how much she knew.