City of Serpents - Sweet Pea x Reader

24

    The morning after the fight at school I was waiting at my front door for Sweet Pea. I heard the engine of his motorcycle and grabbed my stuff.

    "I'll see you later Fred," I yelled as I ran out the door. My pace slowed as I saw Pea on his bike. He wore a blue polo shirt with a Riverdale High patch and a turtle neck underneath along with a pair of khakis. 

    "I know, I know." He sighed. 

    "What the hell," I partially laughed.

    "Weatherbee gave them to all of the Southsiders."

    "It's kinda sexy." I joked as I got on the back of the bike. "Just wait till Jones gets a load of this."

    As we arrived at school I noticed other Southsiders wearing the same uniforms. I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket so as I got off the bike I pulled it out. It was a text from Fangs telling me that nobody was going to put him in a preppy uniform so he's suspended. Sweets and I went into the school and found Toni in the lounge. We talked for a few minutes before Jughead, who was supposed to be suspended came in. 

    "What the hell." Jughead had the same reaction as me. 

    "Weatherbee gave them to us," Toni said clearly annoyed. Said he understood that not every Southside student had the means to purchase Riverdale High acceptable clothes. He thinks this will help us fit in."

     "Where's Fogarty?" Jug asked next. 

    "He wouldn't wear the uniform, so they got rid of him" 

    "As in suspended him," I added.

    "So our choices are, conform or be cast out." Jughead sighed.

    "Yeah,"  I muttered.

    "What about you? " Jughead asked me.

    "Northside privilege?" I shrugged, it was supposed to be a joke but it only seemed to trigger Jughead more. 

    Jughead swiftly stomped off leaving everyone else to idly proceed throughout their day. 

    The next day Jughead sent out a message that the Serpents should meet with him during free period. Each person filed into the small classroom and casually sat down and waited for Jones to make an announcement or lecture us. 

    Sweets sat on top of one of the desks and I sat on the chair so I was between his legs letting my head fall back against him as I faced the front of the classroom. I felt his hand touch my hair and a slight smile crept across my face.

   "Welcome to the inaugural meeting of the Swords and Serpents Club," Jughead spoke with a smile.

    "Which is what, exactly?" Toni questioned.

   "Like I told Fogarty to lure him back to dear old' Riverdale," I looked at Fangs who was wearing his preppy uniform he swore he'd never wear. "We are a gaming group. Sanctioned by Mr. Weatherbee, himself. Where like-minded students can meet and concoct world-building, role-playing scenarios, inhabiting fantastical heroes and dispatching mythological creatures." 

    I looked up at Sweet Pea and rolled my eyes jokingly at Jugheads speech. He nudged me with his leg and chuckled softly.

    "No, but really?" Toni leaned forward in an intrigued manner.

    "It's a club, for us," Jughead spoke, now serious but you could still see the smirk behind his straight face.  "A safe haven where we can be Serpents, during school hours and under everyone's noses. We're not shedding our skins. We're lying low, in the tall grass." The smirk came out now, it was proud and almost ominous.

___

    Now nearly two weeks later the entire town was preparing to celebrate a sacred Riverdale holiday, Pickens Day.

    "What is it with this guy anyway?" Sweet Pea said as he laid on my bed and flipped through a stack of photos I had previously lying around.

    "He was the founder of Riverdale or something." I turned around and looked at him as I sat at my desk. "How do you not know this?"

    "They don't teach us that kinda stuff at Southside." He chuckled softly.

    "I didn't know they taught you anything at all," I said with a mischievous look.

     "Yeah, yeah," He smiled. "What's this?" He held up a picture of Jughead and me at Sweetwater River.

    "That," I giggled and moved over to the bed and laid down next to him. "Is Jug and me from a couple of years ago."

    "Doing what exactly?" He asked me with a smirk.

    "Swimming." I shrugged nonchalantly and reached up to push back the hair that had fallen in front of his face.

    "Just, swimming?"

    I went to answer him but a knock at my door made me stop suddenly and wipe the smile off my face. Sweet Pea looked at me not sure what to do and in a hurry, I grabbed him by the hand and shoved him into my closet. Before opening the door I kicked Pea's jacket under my bed and threw a blanket over his shoes to hide the fact that he'd been there at all. With a deep breath, I cracked open the door.

    "Fred?" I nearly gasped as I saw my uncle standing outside my door. 

    "Hey, um- can I?" He nodded to the inside of my room. I stepped to the side and allowed him to enter my room. 

    "So," I rubbed my hands nervously on my legs.

    "Well, I'm having Mayor McCoy, Sherriff Keller and well, the Lodges over for dinner tonight." He spoke awkwardly. "I guess I'm just trying to say that it's the Lodges and all and I think-"

    "That I should stay up here and hide. Yeah okay, great!" I said trying to get him out of my room. 

     "Listen, Sweetheart," He moved further into my room and sat onto my bed. "I think you know about Hiram Lodge's plans for the southside and with your southside... connections,  I don't want you or Archie getting tangled up with Hiram Lodge."

     "I get it, Fred, don't worry." I tried to plaster on my most award-winning smile.

     "Okay, great." He let out a heavy breath. "You been looking at old pictures?" He smiled softly as he picked up the stack of photos from my bed.

     "Mhm." I nodded quickly. He flipped through and found photos of Archie, Jughead, Betty and I when we were about seven.

    "I remember this," He laughed. "I took the picture. You guys were so young-" Before he could finish reminiscing the doorbell rang.

    "Oh, that must be them! You better go answer it." I encouraged.

    "I guess so." He stood with an exasperated sigh. " See you later Sweetheart." He left the room and I quickly closed the door making sure it was locked. I then ran over to my closet and opened it to see Sweet Pea with a huge smirk on his face.

    "What?" I asked curiously. He then pridefully held up a pair of lace underwear.

    "Oh my god!" I gasped and grabbed them from him quickly. I pulled him out of the closet and threw the underwear back into my closet.

    "How come I've never seen those before?" He dropped down on the bed. I blush crept across my face as I watched him lay on the bed. His hair was messy and ungelled and even now he still had a curl in his face. He sat up slightly and looked at me curiously. "Y'know it's rude to stare."

    "Oh shut it." I rolled my eyes and threw a pillow that had fallen to the floor at him. Dropping down next to him on the bed he looked down at me and I looked up at him. Our eyes met and we stared at each other with an unspoken passion. He brought his hand and stroked my hair. Then his hand gently drifted down to my jaw and his finger tilted my head towards his. Then he spoke with a low voice.

    "C'mere."