Your Friendly Riverdale Spiderman | RIVERDALE/SPIDERMAN CROSSOVER ¦

4.

"So how did you come to be serpent king and still be in high school?" Peter asked curiously.
"Dad passed the torch along," Jughead said, talking with his mouth full. "There was some... Some stuff that happened that meant he wasn't entirely cut out to be king anymore."
"Oh?" Peter said, hoping Jughead would elaborate.
"Yeah, but that's all behind him now," Jughead said. "He's chief of police now."
"You should know the guys that jumped you, The Spiders," Archie said, "They're everywhere. And the Riverdale police department, even with the help of the serpents, struggle to keep crime managed around here."
"I don't come from a particularly nice neighborhood myself," Peter lied. "I'm used to having to watch my back."
Archie and Jughead exchanged a glance that Peter interpreted as doubting him. Well, he supposed he didn't look like all that much without the suit.
"Speaking of the police department," Peter said. "Why don't you get help? You know, call in more police?" Another glance exchanged. What, were these guys telepathic?
"There are things that happen in this town," Jughead said slowly. "That police from outside the town doesn't really need to know about. We don't need our town exposed."
"So what you're saying is there's basically a whole lot of illegal stuff that goes on here," Peter clarified. "And the chief of police, your dad, is covering it up."
Jughead took a moment to answer, stepping a little closer to Peter. "Peter, nearly everyone in this town has something to hide. Sometimes it's illegal, sometimes it's not, but we have each others back. Except." His voice dropped into a menacing tone. "Except Spiders, and prying eyes that don't belong."
"What Jug is saying," Archie said in a much more cheerful tone, slapping Peter on the back. "Is don't get too nosy. There are things in this town that just don't need to be brought up. Okay?"
Peter nodded, forcing a grin. "Of course," he said. "I was just curious, that's all."
"Well, they did say," Jughead said, clearly trying to suppress his own grin as he lowered his voice to a whisper. "Curiosity kills."
"Funny, I always thought that was only cats."
"Guess we'll see."
There was a moment of silence where Peter wasn't too sure what was happening and then, before any of them could speak, the door banged open.
"I come bearing paprika!" A dark haired girl announced, holding up a jar. 
Archie frowned. "Veronica, I didn't ask you to bring paprika."
"Oh, Archikins," Veronica said sweetly. "I love you, but your cooking could do with a little more flavor." She smiled, holding up the solution: paprika.
"What? My cooking is plenty flavorful!" Archie exclaimed as Veronica went to put paprika into his enormous pot.
"Archie, you know you'll let her in the end," a blonde girl that had walked in a little after Veronica said. "Just give up now."
Archie sighed and gave in as Jughead approached the blonde, looking concerned.
"Betty, what are you doing leaving the house without a serpent?" Jughead asked worriedly. "You know you're a target."
"Target?" Peter cut in. "You mean for the Spiders?"
Jughead nodded, barely glancing back at Peter. "This here is Betty," he said, throwing an arm around her shoulders and turning them to face Peter. Betty looked confused, but Jughead only smiled proudly. "My Queen. Which of course makes her a target as the Spiders think she would make good leverage."
"Uh, who's this?" Veronica asked, seeming to finally notice that they had an extra person with them.
"I'm Peter," Peter said. "I've just transferred here."
The girls were silent for a moment, before Betty said, "I don't mean to be rude, but why? I mean, it's not exactly a great place at the moment."
"He knew my dad," Archie said quietly. "Or his mum did or something."
"Yeah, I was coming to stay with him for a bit," Peter said, glancing at Archie. "I just didn't get the news..."
"You're staying here?" Betty asked doubtfully.
"Don't half the serpents bunk here?" Veronica asked from under Archie's arm. Archie nodded.
"Yeah, sorry, there won't be much space," He said to Peter. "This place is much more secure than a lot of the serpents places so most surfaces that can be slept on are taken."
"What about our place?" Betty asked, looking at Jughead. Peter didn't miss Jughead's attempt at a subtle head shake.
"Wait, you guys live together? And you're still in high school?" Peter asked. And here he was having to leave his bedroom door open when he was with his girlfriend.
"Not exactly," Betty said, suppressing a smile. 
"Yeah, the living situation is kinda complicated," Jughead said. "I don't know that you would fit-"
"Don't be ridiculous Jug, of course he'd fit," Betty said. 
"There is no spare room," Jughead pointed out. 
Betty shrugged, a smug smile finding its way onto her lips. "You don't sleep in your room. What about that."
Jughead's mouth dropped open. "There is so much important stuff in there! All my maps, all the stuff about the Spiders, everything-"
"We can find another place for it," Betty said. She looked up at Peter and said, "Come with us when we go. We're just next door. That way you won't have to put up with a house full of serpents."
"Speaking of," Veronica said, joining the conversation. "Where are they? Don't they take like, shifts?"
"We can't afford to have less than everyone out," Jughead said, running a hand through his hair. "There's too many Spiders. It's like they're multiplying."
"Maybe some will die then," Peter said. All eyes turned to him. "That, uh, that was a joke. 'Cause, you know, Spiders die after they, um, give birth. So-"
"Anyway." Jughead cut him off. "We bring a lot of people in overnight, but-"
"Help!" A voice shouted from outside, cutting Jughead off. Everyone ran to the window. "Help!"
"Shit, it's Sweetpea," Jughead said, rushing outside. The pair of serpents that Peter had met earlier with Jughead, Fangs and Sweetpea, entered the house, Jughead and Fangs supporting a barely conscious Sweetpea between them. Fangs' own face was bruised and bloodied.
"What happened?" Betty asked as she ran to hold a door open. Peter followed as Jughead and Fangs carried Sweetpea through the door and laid him on a table that Archie rushed to clear. It almost seemed like a routine; something that happened often.
"Where's he hurt?" Jughead asked, yanking Sweetpea's jacket off and taking in the blood soaked grey shirt. "Tell me what happened, Fangs. Archie, get me some ice. Betty, get the first aid stuff."
"We were on our way back here," Fangs said, helping Jughead get Sweetpea's jacket all the way off. "We decided to go past that alley where we found that dude," he jerked his thumb at Peter. "There were three more guys in there, cutting them free. We started to run. Seven against two didn't seem like great odds, you know?"
"They got you anyway?" 
"Sweetpea decided to turn and fight, but they had knives and got him before he could get his out. I-I went back and they hit me." Fangs motioned to his face. "But they didn't try to get me with the knife. They said to bring him back to. That it was a message."
"It's a message alright," Jughead said softly, staring down at Sweetpea. Peter edged closer, peering down at Sweetpea. His stomach turned as he felt the blood leaving his face. He had seen some pretty awful things, but nothing like this.
Jughead had cut open Sweetpea's bloody shirt, and underneath, carved into his torso, was the literal message.
"'We're coming for your girl'," Betty read out. Seemingly unfazed, she pulled out a bottle of antiseptic ointment and began to dab at the lacerations, making Sweetpea groan in pain.
"Betty, I'm so sorry," Jughead said softly, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"I knew what I was getting into when we got together," Betty said, not looking up from her work. "Well, a little after. But I don't care, Jug, I love you."
Jughead din't respond. Instead, he continued to cut away Sweetpea's shirt, inspecting him for any other wounds. "There's nothing else."
"Head," Betty said simply. Jughead moved onto that area, grabbing some ice in paper towel that Archie had brought and pressing it over one of Sweetpea's black eyes before continuing to inspect his head.
"Uh, shouldn't you take him to a hospital?" Peter asked nervously. He had never seen anything like this. Teenage gang members tending to a severely cut up fellow member on their dining room table?
"A couple of weeks ago there was a massive gang fight at the hospital," Archie said from beside Peter. "Serpents visiting a serpent and Spiders visiting a Spider. They legally have to treat people that need it, but they don't like gang members, and we figure it's better not to risk that happening again. Unless it's really serious, we don't take serpents in."
"So this sin't really serious?" 
"He's gonna be fine," Jughead said, beckoning for more ice, which Archie handed him. "He's taken a pretty nasty hit to the head, but that's the worst damage. A concussion. And the cuts aren't deep enough to need stitches. Nothing some bandages and bed rest won't fix."
Peter watched as Betty continued to clean out the cuts with steady hands that Peter certainly would not have had, then dress and bandage them up while Jughead did the same for a cut on his head.
Gradually, more serpents began to enter, coming back for food and then leaving again to patrol the streets or settling in for the night. Some looked fine, but too many of them wore slings, walked with limps, had black eyes, bruises, cuts. And that was only what was visible.
"Betty, we're going to double the watch on our house," Jughead said, wiping his hands of blood as Archie and Fangs carried Sweetpea to a cot in the corner of the room. "Either that or you move in here. The Spider's won't attack with this many Serpents here."
"I'm not leaving home. That'll just show they got to me," Betty argued. "And you need as many people on the streets as you can, you said so yourself. You can't afford to send everyone to look after me. I'll be fine."
"Betty," Jughead said softly, moving closer. "Whatever it takes to keep you safe, I can afford."
"What about the other people you're not keeping safe, though?" Betty said. "You can't put my safety before everyone else's." Jughead looked conflicted, but didn't get a chance to say more before Betty continued. "Anyway, mum's probably got dinner ready by now. You coming?" She smiled, moving into his arms. Peter looked away. "JB misses having her brother around."
"I can't," Jughead said. "I have to go over the new plan with the serpents."
Betty sighed. "Okay. But you'll be there later?"
"Later," Jughead promised. He glanced up as Archie approached. "Archie, can you walk Betty home?"
"It's right next door, I think I'll be fine," Betty said.
"Aren't I going too?" Peter cut in. "I can walk her over."
Jughead looked doubtful, clearly not thinking much of Peter's ability to protect his girlfriend, but at last he gave in and Betty walked towards the door, motioning for Peter to follow.

"So," Betty said when they were finally alone. "I don't know if it's just because I always seem to find myself in the middle of a mystery, but something about your story doesn't seem to add up."
"What about it?" Peter asked, attempting nonchalance.
"I don't know," Betty said, smiling as they entered her house. She closed and locked the door behind them. "But I'm sure you're hiding something."
"Nah, I'm an open book," Peter said, trying to hide his nervousness. One thing he'd never been good at: Lying.
"You see, I just don't think I believe that, and I promise you, I am going to find out your secret."