Braking Hard (Riverdale-Jughead Jones)

22

"You really like it?" I asked nervously, pushing a strand of hair behind my ear nervously.

"Of course! But how?" I smiled and pulled him over to the picnic blanket under the sting fairy lights.

"I know a guy." I mocked, grabbing the picnic basket and laying out the food. He turned to the sheet I had hung opposite the projector and smiled to himself.

"This is truly the best Al. You know I love you right?" I giggled and pushed his shoulder gently.

"Of course I know." I put the cake tin down and opened it slowly, pulling the cake out and grabbing a lighter.

"What are you-" I cut him off my holding the cake out.

"Happy belated birthday Jug! I know it's been months, but I heard about how wrong your party went, so I did this. It's just food and a small cinema. A film and me and you." I finished, waiting for him to blow out the candles. As he did I smiled widely and placed the cake down, grabbing the dvd selection I had placed here earlier.

"That one." He pointed without me even reading the names and I sighed. An old school romance.

"So. You never really told me why the serpents always come to you for business? Do you owe them or something?" Jughead's asked while popping a strawberry in his mouth. I smiled widely and copied him as the film slowly flickered to life.

"No. You know the serpent laws, right?" I asked, ignoring the beginning of the film.

"Well yeah of course, you need to know them to actually be a serpent."

"Recite the second law to me." I demanded, throwing an M&M at him.

"If a serpent is killed or imprisoned, we take care of their family." He said, realisation dawning on him.

"My mother was a serpent. And she's in prison. So the serpents way of taking care of me, is bringing me business. Business gives me money. Money takes care of me. The serpents are like my family." I explained, cutting a slice of cake for him, and exposing the checkerboard inside.

"So your mom was a serpent?" He asked cautiously. "Not your dad?"

"Yep. My mom was the southside serpent, my dad the smitten Northsider." I replied, handing him the cake slice.

"So tell me about them. You haven't said much." He asked, biting into the cake I had poured my love into making. "Holy... Al this is good." He said in appreciation. I grinned and cut myself a slice also.

"My mom's name was Kaylee Bishop. My dad was Alan McFarlane." I shrugged as I ate the cake. "My mom was sent to prison for reckless driving and endangering lives, and my dad died in the car crash she caused. I was 12, nearly 13 at the time."

Jughead stayed silent, and listened to what I was telling him, his eyes trained on my face.

"I was in care til I was 14 and then I was emancipated, and inherited my dad's old trailer." I told him. "My mom told everyone and the court that someone drove her off the road, but no one believed her. I haven't visited her at all, because I don't think I can look her in the eyes." I sighed and my eyes turned to the film.

"Al, do you want me to come with you?" Jughead asked, surprising me.

"You would do that?" My eyes were wide and I could feel something stirring in my chest.

"Of course. I'd do anything for you." I blushed bright red and turned away, but Jughead grabbed my chin gently and turned me back to face him. "You have cake on your mouth." He chuckled, reaching out to wipe it away.

As he did, his eyes locked onto my lips, and unknowingly, I leaned in. Out of the corner of my eye I could see the film, and turned to it with a laugh.

"What?" Jughead asked in confusion as I pointed to the screen.

The two characters were in the exact same position we were in a second ago, but unlike us. Their lips connected and began to work together.

We both laughed and turned back to face each other with flushed cheeks.

"Did you know I fixed my first bike when I was 5 and a half?" I blurted, my eyes looking away in embarrassment.

"Seriously?" Jughead looked shocked and I giggled.

"Sure. I mean I only screwed one bolt on, but I still fixed it!" We both burst into peals of laughter and I wiped away a single tear. "No, I did become obsessed with bikes after that, and started helping my dad fixing them when I was 8. I started with cars when I was 10." I explained, taking a bite of the sandwich I had grabbed, despite having already eaten cake.

"See that, is incredible. Just like you." I bit my lip as Jug grinned down at me and without a second thought lunged forward to lock lips with him.

Our lips moved together, and I felt myself hungry for more of the slow passionate kiss that Jug was giving me, but I needed air.

As we slowly pulled away I looked up at him shyly and met his glistening eyes.

"See. I told you it was good luck for the rehearsal to go badly." He whispered.

"Does this make us Girlfriend and Boyfriend?" I asked, chuckling slightly.

"If you want it to."

"I'd like that Jug. I really would."