multi-fandom imagines

fp jones | your parents don't approve

[requested via tumblr]

Entering your house and finding three angry faces staring back at you was not the way you wanted to end your night. Your father was holding your Southside Serpents jacket up, an expression of disgust on his face. Your mother stood with crossed arms and eyes that gleamed with anger, and your brother, Archie, looked worried. He already knew about all of this and had vowed not to tell Fred until you were ready. Obviously, he had not kept his promise. 

"You have one chance to tell us why we found this in your bedroom," Mary said with a raised eyebrow. "No more lies."

"You went rooting through my things?" you questioned, trying to snatch away the jacket. Fred pulled it away before you could reach it, glaring.

"I was doing your laundry. It was in plain sight."

"You had no right," you spat. "I'm not a teenager anymore. I can do my own laundry, and I can choose to do whatever I want in my spare time without you giving me the third degree."

Fred flung the jacket down angrily. "As long as you're in my house, you'll live by my rules. You know how I feel about the Serpents."

"You know nothing about the Serpents." You grabbed the jacket, finding comfort in the leather. Somehow, it had always given you a courage you didn't know you had.

"I know enough. And I certainly know that FP Jones is no good for you."

You averted your gaze to Archie then, betrayal burying itself in your chest. "You told him?"

"It's for your own good," he said as though it was perfectly reasonable of him. "You can do better than him."

"How can you say that when Jughead is your best friend?" you shouted. "You know nothing about FP."

"He's a criminal, [Y/N]! His lifestyle is dangerous. Not only that, but he's far too old for you!" Fred interrupted. You glanced away disdainfully from Archie, your eyes back on your parents.

"He would never hurt me."

"You think that now, but what about the next time he gets into a fight, or a drug deal, or turns back to alcohol? What about when he gets bored and drops you?"

"This isn't just some fling. He loves me, Dad, and I love him. Don't pretend like you know anything about it." Tears prickled at your eyes, but you forced your voice not to crack.

"I don't want you to see him anymore." He pursed his lips, forcing the Serpents jacket from your grasp. "I'm throwing this away, and then we're done talking about this."

"Are you kidding me?" You snatched the jacket back, stepping away from him. "You can't tell me what to do."

"We're your parents," your mother said. "We will do whatever it takes to protect you."

"I'm not leaving the Serpents, and I'm not leaving FP," you whispered, "and you won't stop me."

Fred and Mary shared a look, with him sighing and her shaking her head. You couldn't help but wonder how they could be so disappointed in you when all you'd done was find somewhere you belonged and fallen in love. It seemed as though no matter what you did, they would always feel shame and disgrace.

"Then you can't live here anymore," Fred said, a sense of finality in his tone. "Pack your things. When you give up with this childish rebellion phase, you're welcome to come back."

"Dad." Archie stood up and tried to meet Fred's eye, but his gaze remained fixed on you.

A tear spilled down your cheek, and you gulped, searching for some kind of indication that Fred would change his mind. There was none. You looked to Mary for help, but she simply shook her head and looked away.

"Fine." You shrugged on your jacket and picked your bag up from the kitchen table. "I'll come back for my things tomorrow."

"[Y/N]," Archie pleaded, but you ignored him, the sting of betrayal still fresh.

You half-expected them to call you back as you left, to tell you it was far too late to wander the streets, to tell you they were sorry, but they never did, and so you left without looking back again.

There was nowhere else to go but to him.

* * *

FP opened the door in his pyjamas. He'd had an evening shift at Pop's, you knew, and seeing as there was no Serpent meeting tonight it was likely he'd wanted a relatively early night. That was ruined now, and you couldn't help but feel guilty.

Somewhere along the way tears had begun to stream down your face, though you had tried to wipe them away with your sleeve. You were sure that your smudged makeup exposed what you had tried to hide, though, when FP's expression turned from confusion to concern as he took you in.

"[Y/N]? What is it? What's wrong?" 

"Can I stay here for a few nights?" you questioned in a hoarse, broken voice. "I have nowhere else to go."

FP sighed, holding the door open so that you could enter, and followed you to the couch. "What happened?"

You put your head in your hands to hide your face, though you couldn't contain the shudders of your sobs. "They found out about us and kicked me out."

He gathered you into his arms, his hand tracing soft lines on your back. "Did you walk here alone?"

You nodded into his chest.

"[Y/N]," he muttered softly. "You know it's not safe. You should have called. I would've picked you up."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"This is my fault. I've torn you away from your family." You could hear the guilt in his voice and looked up, your cheeks stained with mascara.

"No. I chose you. It was my decision."

"Are you sure it was the right one?" He wiped your tears away with the pad of his thumb, his eyes glistening in the light of the moon. He hadn't bothered to turn the lights on, too worried about you to notice you were both submerged in shadows. "I don't want you to do something you'll regret. They're you're family."

Everything he said sounded like excuses, and your heart sank.

"You don't want me," you whispered, attempting to stand up. He grabbed your wrist, pulling you back down.

"No. Hey." Cupping your jaw with his hand, he forced you to look at him. "I want you. Always. I just don't think I'm worth losing your family over. You could find someone good for you, someone they approve of."

"I don't want anyone else. I love you."

He softened as you buried yourself back in his arms.

"They just kicked me out," you murmured quietly after a few moments of silence. "Like I meant nothing to them. It's the middle of the night, and they just told me to go. How could they hate who I am and who I love that much?"

"They'll come to their senses. If they don't, you deserve better." He kissed the top of your head, his grip on you tightening. "I'm here no matter what, okay? I'm not going anywhere."

You closed your eyes, finding peace in the warmth of his arms and home in the smoky scent that lingered on his shirt.

"I love you, and I'm going to prove to them that I'm good enough for you—even if it takes the rest of my life to do it. I promise it'll be okay. I promise I'll make it better."

You fell asleep like that; listening to him murmur soothing words in your ear, curled up on the couch—and in his arms.