Choni

18

A few weeks later, Toni opened the door to her and Cheryl's apartment to find Betty on the couch. "Betty what are you doing here? And why are you eating my food?" Toni immediately asked and Betty gasped in feigned offense. "Well if you must know, Jughead and Sweet Pea are watching some documentary on my TV so I'm borrowing yours."

"Oh cool I'll go watch it with them." Toni told Betty, making a move for the door before Betty reached up and pulled her back onto the couch. "Actually you have a surprise in your room you should go see." Betty suggested, and mumbled "what is with these serpents and their documentaries" after Toni was out of sight.

Toni opened the door, puzzled at what surprise could be in her room. Her eyes immediately met the red hair sprawled across her pillows, sleeping in her bed. She knew Betty was being sarcastic when she mentioned a surprise, the gang had been teasing about her and Cheryl a lot recently.

Toni moved to sit next to Cheryl, brushing her hair out of her face to look at her. Her eyes fluttered open and she whined at the light in the room. "Sorry I didn't mean to wake you" Toni said with a little chuckle and covered Cheryl's eyes for
her.

"You look exhausted." Toni observed plainly and Cheryl nodded, "Yea" she said, "I've just been feeling so like-ugh today, you know? I've been home all day and I don't have a job and I have no money and I can't get a job because I didn't go to college because my family hates me and I can't go to college because I have no money and-" Toni's soft touch on Cheryl's face moved to close her mouth for her.

"Stop saying things like that." Toni demanded, "you have money and I can give you a job if you want one so bad. By now you should know that we'll always be your family, at least I will. And if you feel down about what happened in your life I can't blame you, but I promise I'll try my best to make it better."

"You know I don't want to feel like I'm always taking things from you!" Cheryl exclaimed, "I don't like spending your money and I don't like taking it from you in a different way if you give me a job." Cheryl scooted away from Toni, who only scooted closer to her. "Then it's too bad that I love giving you things." Toni said seriously, kissing Cheryl's cheek and getting of the bed.

She threw one of her sweatshirts at Cheryl, "Get up lazy we're gonna go to Betty's to watch a movie with the boys." Toni smiled as Cheryl frowned. "This better not be another documentary trick." She warned Toni. The girl shrugged, "Sorry red, it is." Toni answered honestly, pulling the girl out of her bed.

"I️ don't wanna" Cheryl complained, because last time she was sucked into watching a two-hour movie on motorcycles. And as hot as Toni looked on a motorcycle-

Wait, what? Cheryl backtracked in her mind. She hasn't seen Toni on a motorcycle in years, and things had changed. She didn't have the confidence to make a move anymore-if there was a move she wanted to make.

Cheryl convinced herself that there wasn't a move to make as Toni pulled the sweatshirt over her head. She blushed as Toni pulled the hood on and patted her cheek, mumbling a "looking cute, Blossom" and turning to leave.

Toni turned around and yelled "come on!" At Cheryl, seeing as she hadn't moved out of the bed yet.

She pushed Cheryl down the hall and handed her the cherry-cola-vodka mix on the counter. "That'll get you through the movie" she rolled her eyes.

"Thank you!" Cheryl squealed, hugging Toni as she walked away. "Betts lets go" Toni said and tapped Betty's head as she walked out of the apartment, Cheryl tagging along behind her.

The girls walked into Betty's apartment to find Sweet Pea and Fangs jumping around like kids at a playground.

"Fangs!" Toni yelled and the boy turned around and jumped around some more. "TONI" the boy screamed and the two friends ran into each other's arms. Fangs wrapped his arms fully around Toni, who was tearing up for the first time seeing one of her best friends for the first time in almost 2 years.

Toni pulled away, "What are you doing here!" She exclaimed, just as excited. "Well I️ only got here a few minutes ago so I'll explain now." He sat down on the couch and motioned for everyone to surround him.

He pulled a small black box out of his jacket pocket. "I️ got moved to work in New York as an NYPD officer." He started, and opened the box to expose a ring "I'm proposing to Kevin." He said.

He explained how and when for the rest of the night while Cheryl and Toni passed their spiked drink back and forth. Toni, however held on to it for longer. Cheryl could sense something anxious about the girl who's arm was wrapped around her shoulders.

She leaned in to whisper "Are you okay?" To Toni, who flinched, proving that she wasn't okay. Toni sighed and announced that she'd be going to bed, and took Cheryl's hand to guide her out too, after wishing good luck to Fangs.

-

Back at their apartment, Toni changed into her sleepwear but didn't mention anything about her attitude earlier. As Toni moved to turn off her light, Cheryl walked into her room with a disapproving look.

"First of all, you should've waited for me because you know I️ would've ended up here anyway." she tapped her side of the bed, and Toni mouthed "sorry" to her. "Second of all what was with you earlier?" Cheryl asked more gently, less demanding, and sat down close to Toni to make sure she looked her in the eye.

"I️ just feel like I️ haven't had a relationship in so long and Fangs made me nervous about not being able to settle down for a while. The last relationship I️ was in was- well you." Toni looked up at her, and Cheryl managed a bit of hope for her very internalized feelings for Toni.

But she had to reassure the girl, "Toni you don't have to rush into a relationship if you want one, it just has to be a flowing thing. Like it just happens you know?" Cheryl said and Toni nodded, "That's how it was with you, actually." She smiled at Cheryl, a small blush rested on her cheeks.

"Anyway" Toni turned around to avoid Cheryl's eyes. "We should get some sleep though." She said and turned off the lights, surprised at feeling Cheryl's arms make their way around her waist before hearing a soft "goodnight" in her ear.

-

The next day, after a long day at work she walked into Betty and Jughead's apartment, overhearing a conversation between Cheryl and Jughead.

"Yea Jug, I️ think I️ still like her you know? Seeing her everyday just makes me feel so-like I'm still in high school, literally."

Toni held the door open and stopped in her tracks. Cheryl had feelings for her? She wasn't sure if she felt the same to be honest. Cheryl was beautiful, absolutely, and did she miss her personality and the way she made her feel? Of course. And she hadn't been in a relationship in years but that had nothing to do with-

Oh shit

She let the door slam behind her, warning Cheryl of her presence, and startling her out of her thoughts.

"Hey TT!" Cheryl greeted her with a hug, and she smiled, letting her bag fall to the ground as she chose to forget about work and hug Cheryl instead.

Jughead smirked from behind the counter, texting the 'Choni' group chat.

J: who wants to know what Cheryl just told me? And who Toni just left work two hours early for?