Pleather || A Sweet Pea Romance (Riverdale)

chapter 14|| aftermath

"I've been tryna soak you up, maybe learn something"
 "I said I would never chase but you keep on running"

FP throws a bag of peas at myself, Jughead, and Sweet Pea. He's pissed. Jughead and I look at each other and we give our bags of peas to Sweet Pea. We're all sitting on the couch and FP is pacing around the tiny living room.

"Damn Ghoulies," he mutters under his breath.

Sweet Pea puts a bag of peas on his eye and I put the other bag on top of his hand.

"This is why. This is why I didn't think you should join." FP continues to rant, but he's not looking at me as he speaks. "It's not safe for you. But you're one of us. You passed. And no you're one of us, and we're going to take care of you," FP finally says and he takes a seat in the old arm chair and puts his hands through his hair. He's still wearing his Pop's uniform.

"Is everyone else okay?" FP asks and his attention is on Jughead.

"Yeah. I think Toni might be a little shaken up, but she'll be okay."

"Was Cheryl there?" FP asks.

"Yeah," Jughead chuckles. "She can hold her own better than I thought she could."

"Good." FP relaxes a little more. "You're going to be okay, Sweet Pea?" FP asks.

"Yeah," Sweet Pea responds.

 ° º ° ° º ° ° º ° ° º ° ° º ° 

Sweet Pea and I haven't gotten a moment alone since the fight last night.

I take a seat at one of the run down picnic tables. It's a nice day. It's cloudy but it hasn't started snowing yet. There's still snow and ice on the ground from a few days before, but it's turned gray and black by now.

I'm too caught up in looking at the carvings in the table to see Sweet Pea walk up. When he takes a seat across from me, I jump a little bit.

He reaches across to grab my hand.

"How are you?" he asks.

"I'm okay," I answer, but I'm half lying. I got a call from my dad today telling me I can't stay in Riverdale for the rest of the winter break. Originally I was going to spend one week here and one week home, but after FP called him and told him about the fight, my dad said he was on his way to pick me up. I've already packed my bag. "How are you? Your face looks pretty bad."

"I'm fine. It'll be fine in a few days." We're quiet for a few moments and I try to muster the courage to tell him about me going back to Greendale. 

"I'm really sorry about last night," he says.

"You don't have to be sorry. It wasn't your fault."

"Yeah, but, you wouldn't have been there if I hadn't had convinced you. We could have just spent the night hanging out at your place."

"You didn't know they were going to show up," I try to ease the regret he feels, but I can tell my words don't help. 

"I'm fine, Sweet Pea. Besides a few scratches here and there, I'm fine."

He looks into my eyes and then off to the side.

"If anything, I should be sorry. It was because of me the whole thing started. You, and other Serpents, you guys got hurt because of me," I continue. My sentence snaps his eyes back to mine and his hand grips mine a little tighter.

"Don't say that. We've been fighting with the Ghoulies forever. It wasn't your fault and it's part of being a Serpent to defend each other." His eyes leave mine again and I can see he's still very angry.

"Steven," I say softly. His eyes return to mine and they soften a little. "What's really upsetting you?" I ask.

He's quiet for a few seconds. "The things Malachai was saying, it really got to me."

"He was just saying things to piss you off. He wanted to fight and he knew you wouldn't unless he got under your skin."

"He did piss me off. I'm still pissed about it. What he was saying about you..." The hand that's not holding mine is balled into a fist and I can see his knuckles turn white.

"Steven." I reach across and grab his face so he has to look back at me instead of the woods behind me. "I'm okay, you're okay, the Serpents are okay, and I bet Malachai is still in bed nursing his face right now with a bag of ice."

He take s a few breaths and loosens his fist.

"He was right about something though," he finally speaks. I wait for him to finish his sentences. "It's messed up that we made you go through the last part of the initiation and that we all went so hard on you. Especially me..."

"Is that what's eating you up? That you hit me during the forth trial?"

He nods.

"Steven," I start. I rub my thumb across his hand to try to comfort him. "I asked for it. I was the one that wanted to be initiated the official way--"

"But we didn't have to be so cruel."

"You were just following orders, which is what a good Serpent does."

He's quiet for a moment. "We sent you to the hospital. I sent you to the hospital," he says in a whisper.

"You brought me to the hospital. You took care of me." When he doesn't respond I say, "I asked you to be treated as an equal, and you did. I felt more respected by you all going through with my initiation by hitting me than I would have felt dancing in front of you all with my clothes off. I'm not going to forgive you for hitting me, because you don't need to be forgiven. I'm proud of myself for going through it the right way and I'm thankful you all allowed me to prove myself by going through the four trials."

I can tell my words are helping, but that he still feels guilty.

"What can I say to make you feel better?'" I finally ask. I lean across the table to kiss him on the cheek. 

"I don't know if you can..." he trails. "It's just..." I wait patiently for him to continue. "My dad used to hit my mom before he left. I told myself I wouldn't be like that."

This catches me off guard. Sweet Pea doesn't talk much about his family. I know his parents both grew up in the South Side, but neither of them were Serpents. I know that his dad isn't around any more and that his mom will sometimes disappear for a few days, but I've never pressured him to indulge me with more information.

"Hey," I say to break him out of his thoughts and I grip his hand a little tighter. "You protected me last night. You stood up for me and you fought for me. As far as I'm concerned, I have the best boyfriend ever."

He relaxes a little more. "I still don't feel like it," he admits.

"Well, I'll feel it enough for the both of us for now, then," I comment.

He smiles for the first time I see him. I lean across and kiss him quickly on the lips.

"I have to tell you something about the rest of the break," I change the topic.

"What?"

"My dad's on his way right now to pick me up. I'll be in Greendale for the next two weeks."

He sighs and I can tell he's a little sad, but not in the same way as a few minutes ago.

"So how many times are you going to call me a day?" he asks with a smirk. His tone is more lighthearted and I can feel the tension wash away from both of us.

"Oh, at least twice. Greendale is super boring. I'll need you to update me on what's happening here just so I can feel something for a few minutes a day."

He laughs and brings my hand up to his mouth to kiss it.