I'm Darkness || Archie Andrews and Jughead Jones [2]

Fighter Of Her Causes

@kellymesweetz

Read the final notes, please. Enjoy!

Eleanor was tired of the same old conversation at breakfeast.

Well, it wasn't that old but still. Every morning Hal Cooper made his personal mission to put Chic down, to make him feel like he didn't belong to the family. But Chic was the victim. So, Ellie couldn't help but intervene when her Dad wouldn't stop his accusations.

"Polly was the one who left!"

It was a rush of words, she hadn't thought them through.

Everyone sitting down at the table turned to face her, but she didn't regret saying what she said. It was the truth. Polly was gone now, living her life as she pleased. Ellie could understand her sister wanting to be away because of the Black Hood, and that she wasn't here with them. But Chic was just as much her family as Polly was, and he was right there.

"He's feeling a void!" Hal insisted, "That's the only reason why he is here."

"Hal –." Alice Cooper was about to shut him up.

"It's ok, it doesn't bother me." Chic spoke up, "Everyone needs something, right? And I don't expect to stay here for free. I never have."

Eleanor could see some things of herself in Chic. They both always had something to say back, and maybe that's why she felt so connected to him, and why it wasn't so hard to believe he was indeed her brother. She would regret it, she just didn't know it yet.

Apart from all the drama at home, Ellie got a call on her way to school. It was from Toni. The pink-haired girl was angry at Jughead and required Ellie's assistance. So first thing she did when she got to Riverdale High was make her way to the classroom Toni told her to go to.

"General Pickens was a murderer... and ripples from his gruesome acts continue to be felt today. Descendants of the victims are still being displaced. So I challenge the Northside, instead of honoring men like General Pickens and Hiram Lodge, hold them accountable. Reparations must be paid to men like Thomas Topaz, who are too old and beaten down to fight back for themselves."

It was a long and angry reading, and from Eleanor's point of view, Toni had every right to be mad at Jughead. Ellie wasn't a big fan of General Pickens' day either, but that wasn't even the worst thing about that article.

"This town is messed up." Jughead spoke up for himself, "And it needs to own up to its history."

"My grandfather isn't some broken-down victim, okay?!" Toni argued, "Or some prop for your insane vendetta against the Northside."

"No, of course not."

"Thomas Topaz isn't a victim, you get that right?" Eleanor called her best friend's attention, "He have been trying to run from that label for years... And what you did here, Jug... You forced it on him. And for what? Revenge?"

"No, that's not what this was!" He shook his head, his eyes drifting to Toni next but his hands gestured to Eleanor, "Why is she even here?"

"Because I thought you might listen to her." The pink-haired girl explained, her voice calming down a bit, "Look, I get it. We get it. You hate the Northside. You hate that instead of inviting you to a party, they asked you to work it. It triggers all your rage about being wrong on the wrong side of the tracks. But look at Ellie! She is your best friend, she was born here." She looked over to the blonde girl, "I'm sorry, Ellie." And her eyes went back to Jughead, "Yes, she's a Serpent but... She's a Northsider too. So how much can you hate it without hating her too, Jughead?"