Riverdale x Reader One Shots CLOSED

Jughead - Comforting Serpents

Comforting Serpents

A/N: I get great story ideas when I'm depressed.

"You're heartbroken and alone after your brother dies. The teenage Serpents come to cheer you up."

Empty.

That was all you could feel as your eyes fluttered open and your brain tip-toed into consciousness. Your eyes were tired from the endless tears they released the night before. Your chest felt heavy with pain and sorrow. You wished you could switch your brain off for a day and not think about the things that had led to you feeling so empty and broken.

Reluctantly, you sat upright, swinging your legs over the edge of the bed. You gathered your tangled locks and threw them into a messy bun atop your head. Clad in only pajama shorts and a tank top, you shuffled out of the warm comfort of your bedroom and out to the hallway.

Your brother had died two days ago. Your phone was immediately blown up with unread messages and ignored calls from everyone you knew but never spoke to, offering condolences and inquiring if you were alright.

Living on the Southside, it was expected that your home life wasn't great. You and your mother rarely got along, so when you turned sixteen, you got a part time job that paid you enough for a cheap, run down apartment. Your mother approved of the move and you'd barely spoken since.

Now, you'd have to meet with her to discuss funeral arrangements for the one person in your family who'd always been there for you. But you couldn't deal with it today. Today was a day of wallowing - sitting alone in the dark with movies and the small amount of food in your kitchen.

A knock sounded at your front door. Someone had a different idea of how you should spend your mourning.

Exhaling a sigh, you released the deadbolt and peeled open the door. Your puffy eyes widened at the sight that met you.

On your porch stood Jughead, Toni, Sweet Pea, and Fangs, each carrying some sort of contribution.

"What are you doing here?" you questioned, cringing at how cracked and raw your voice had become.

The girl offered you a small, sympathetic smile. "We heard what happened. We're here to cheer you up."

She sauntered into your apartment with her arms full of your favorite movies. Behind her entered Sweet Pea and Fangs, each of them holding bags of food.

Then entered Jughead, holding a carrying tray of coffee cups. Smiling softly, he handed you the one which had your name scribbled on the side.

"(F/drink) with extra flavor," he stated.

"Thanks, Jug," you whispered, accepting the drink before closing the door.

You weren't a Serpent - you weren't even related to a Serpent. But you'd known the teens who had become Serpents since you were children, and you'd come to know Jughead when he moved to Southside High. They were your best friends, but you hadn't even told any of them about your brother.

It wasn't a matter of weakness or worrying that they wouldn't understand. You knew them better than that. But you often felt like a burden, thanks to how you'd been raised, and you didn't want to go whining to your friends when they had their own issues to deal with.

"You guys didn't have to do this," you murmured as they set up the food on the coffee table in the living room.

"What are you talking about?" Toni countered. "You're upset. Rightfully so. Why wouldn't we be here?"

"I... It's just..." You crossed your arms as you often did when you weren't sure what to say. "You know you're not obligated, right? I love that you're all here, but you don't have to be."

Your words clicked in the brunette's mind and she wrapped you in a hug. Your chest clenched at the contact - no one had hugged you since you'd found out about your brother. You hadn't realized how much you needed it.

"(Y/n), you're an honorary Serpent. We take care of our own. Wherever you need us, call. We'll be here."

You nodded, burying your head in her shoulder. You stood that way for a moment, the three boys watching, unsure of how to respond, before Toni let go and smiled at you. She pushed you towards the couchwhere Jughead grasped your hand and pulled you down to sit between him and Sweet Pea. Your heart raced at the close proximity, and you hesitantly rested your head on the beanie-clad boy's shoulder. His arm wrapped around you immediately, holding you close and secure.

Toni stood before you, a smirk on her plump lips as she held up a familiar DVD case. Your eyes lit up as you read the title of your all-time favorite movie.

"I figured we'd start with this," she stated, putting the disc in the tray of your DVD player. She then sat on the floor in front of you, leaning back against your legs.

"Dig in, (Y/n)," Jughead told you, gesturing to the bags of takeout. "We got your favorites."

"We went to three different shops because Jughead insisted on getting you (F/dessert)," Toni teased, knowing without looking at him that a blush was dusting across his cheeks.

A giggle escaped your lips. "Thank you, Jug."

His lips tweaked into a soft smile. "Anything for you."

Four movies later, it was dark out, and three of your four friends had fallen asleep. Toni was lying on the floor, Sweet Pea leaned against his side of the couch, and Fangs had fallen off the couch shortly after dozing off, leaving only you and Jughead to be engaged in the film.

But the raven-haired boy's focus wasn't on the movie. His stormy grey eyes were fixed on you, observing how your whole demeanor had changed since they first arrived that morning. You were calmer, healthier, and, dare he say it, happier. They had fulfilled their goal of cheering you up, but one thing still gnawed at the back of Jughead's mind.

"(Y/n)," he whispered, careful not to wake his comrades.

You turned to look up at him. "Hmm?"

He tried to form a sentence, but his articulate literature skills seemed to evaporate as he gazed into your (E/c) eyes. Instead, his hand found your jaw, holding your gaze on him. He leaned in, tilting his head and closing his eyes before brushing his lips against yours. You stifled a gasp as your own eyes fluttered closed and you returned the kiss. If you were honest with yourself (and Toni, because she figured it out even before you did), you'd been crushing on Jughead since the day he transferred to Southside. You never imagined he could possibly return the attraction.

"I really like you," he whispered against your lips.

"I like you too," you managed to respond, your voice shaky with nerves.

He grinned, kissing you soft and quietly. He pulled you closer against his chest, watching the rest of the movie with a genuine smile on his lips.

From her place on the floor, Toni smirked to herself before falling back to sleep.