Two Evils // Sweet Pea

Chapter Two

Katherine expresses her thanks as she hands the spare helmet back to the Serpent Boy. He rolls his eyes, arrogantly, before pulling away. She didn't exactly blame him for treating her that way, the Northside was notorious for treating the Southside badly; why would he treat her any better?
Kat turns towards the familiar house, heading up the familiar perch, knocking on the familiar red door, greeting the unfamiliar face. Unfamiliar. Archie — this new Archie — felt unfamiliar.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Kat pushes her way into the house.
"What are you taking about?" He furrows his brows, genuinely confused.
Grabbing his arm, Kat locks eyes with him, "I was there, Arch. You could have been hurt."
The redhead stares at the floor, his eyes shifting. He refuses to look at her, knowing he was an idiot for his actions. Archie has always been reckless and impulsive, but this way something else.
"Where the hell did you get a—"
"What did you expect to happen, Archie?" Veronica's voice cuts her off. Of course she was here, when wasn't she here, "What were you thinking? That the Black Hood would make you his next target?"
Kat shakes her head, "So, you find the Black Hood, and then what — shoot him?"
"You go to jail," Veronica raises her voice, "Or worse, you miss and he kills you."
Archie sighs, "It doesn't matter what happens to me."
"Yes it does. It matters to us," Kat snaps, "And your dad, and Jughead, and Betty."
Archie rolls his eyes, slamming himself onto the couch. He hunches over, as if he was a child being scolded by his parents.
"Meanwhile, I try to support you — designing t-shirts — like an idiot." Veronica continues to shout.
"I never asked you to do that." He rests his head in his hands.
"No, you asked me to go fetch your loaded gun." Veronica spits, turning away from him.
Kat leans into the living room chair, keeping a steady gaze on Archie, "The loaded gun you pointed at me."
"I..." Archie's head shoots up defensively, "I didn't know you were there."
"I don't see how that matters, Arch."
"Look, it's done. I threw the gun into Sweetwater River," Veronica sighs leaning against the cabinet, "You can be mad at me now, Archie, but you'll thank me later."
"Why were you even Southside, Kat?" Archie tries to reroute the conversation.

          A knock on the door interrupts them. Veronica pushes herself off of the counter she leans on, making her way to the door.
"Wait, Veronica. Wait!" Archie jumps after Ronnie, "What if it's..."
"Reggie?" She's taken aback as she opens the door, a pack of Bulldogs surround the porch.
"Can we come in?" Reggie nods, not bothering to wait for an answer as he and his pack push their way into the house, a tower of pizza in hand.
Katherine, now even more pissed than before, locks eye contact with Reg, signalling him to come over.
"Where the fuck were you?" She snaps in a hushed tone, "You left me stranded."
"I know, I'm sorry." He mutters like a wounded puppy, refusing to look at her, "Something... happened, and I needed to get back."
"You didn't think to tell me?" She snaps again, refusing to take his shit, "You left me on Serpent terf, alone. With no ride — no way to get home."
"But, you did get home." Reggie raises an eyebrow at her, before heading to the lounge.

"To what do we owe this honor, Reggie?" Veronica sings, her usual Lodge tone in her voice.
"You could've told Weatherbee the hood was mine, but you didn't. In the book of Reg, that makes you a top-tier level badass," He leans back in his chair, crossing his ankles in front of him, "So, we were talking and we decided, if you wanna keep the Red Circle going, we're here for you too."
Kat raises her eyebrows at the Bulldog. A few hours prior, Reggie had been joking about how useless the Red Circle was, how pathetic and stupid it was. Now Reggie wanted to be a part of it? Kat drums her fingers against the seat of her chair.

          The sound of revving engines grabs the attention of the room. Great, Kat rolls her eyes, more Bulldogs.
Veronica hops up from her chair, heading over to check who exactly was outside, "Not a moment too soon," She says, a slight panic in her voice, "Archie. Trouble."
Archie throws himself out of his chair, striding towards Veronica's side. Huffing, he throws open the door to a knot of serpents.
"How stupid are you Northsiders?" Kat recognised the voice instantly. The thought hadn't crossed her mind when the Serpent dropped her off, had she really just led the Serpents to their prey, "Did you really think you could come to my house, stick a gun in my face — in front of my boys — and there wouldn't be any payback."
The two boys lock eyes, a Bulldog and a Serpent.
"You have bad timing bro," Reggie steps in, opening the door wider, "Bulldogs eat Serpents for lunch."
"Reg, stop." Kat grabs his arm, attempting to pull him away from the oncoming dispute. After all, she had seen him with a knife a couple hours prior.
"Bulldogs eat Serpents for lunch?" Sweet pea scoffs, "So is that why you left your girl behind?"
Reggie narrows his eyes at the Serpent, visible confusion present in his facial expressions.
"Well, we'll see about that," Sweet Pea scoffs, a hint of cockiness in his voice as he looks over the pack of Bulldogs, "And the more the merrier."
Kat squeezes Reggie's arm, pleading with him to stop. She had seen first-hand how dangerous and reckless the serpents were, she'd visited their den itself.
"Veronica stay here." Archie pushes the girl behind him, before turning back to the nest of serpents, "If you wanna fight, we'll fight."
"What about your gun?" Sweet Pea narrows his eyes.
Archie retorts; "What about your knife?"
"How about no weapons," Ronnie pushes her was through, "If you troglodytes insist on fighting, there's gonna be rules."
The Serpents scoff, exchanging looks.
"Or, should I call Sheriff Keller?" Veronica pushes.
"Fine." Sweet Pea spits, "Sweetwater Bridge, Now."
Kat holds onto Reggie's arm as the pack push their way out of the house. Surely, Reggie couldn't be this damn stupid?
"Reg, please," Kat pleads once more, knowing that Reggie wasn't going to listen.
"Stay here." He brushes her off, as if she was a child.