"We're all on the edge of madness; deep down, darkness is within all of us and we're on guard constantly trying to avoid losing control."
In which Mickey Lodge has a few skeletons in her closet.
{COMPLETED WITH ALL SEASONS + epilogue}
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"From the very first time I met him, he exuded this...warmth."
✿
The past few months in Riverdale have been uncharacteristically quiet. After the Farm ordeal began to fade, summer came and things finally felt—daringly—normal. Instead of everyone chatting about Gryphons and Gargoyles and dancing with death, everyone is talking about July 4th. It's kind of a sore topic because of the tragedy that is Jason Blossom, but the town has decided to have a parade down Main Street for the first time in three years—minus the fireworks that would usually be displayed over Sweetwater River.
Jughead turns away from his bedroom window, which he has been staring out of for what feels like forever. "Okay, I'm desperate for feedback."
Mickey laughs as she finishes the last sentence on the last page of his writing. She's really proud of him. She's noticed how much more he's been writing since chaos died down, and she loved to see it. There were days where he'd be typing away and she'd just watch the passion light up his eyes. "It's prodigious. Mind-blowing. You've written a beautiful story, Jug."
"Really?" He sits on the side of the bed, dropping a hand on her knee. "You think it's worth submitting to the contest?"
"I think you're gonna win that contest."
He kisses her excitedly.
Her hand find the back of his neck to pull him back for another kiss. As she lays her back on his bed, she pulls him down on top of her. "Something about having a super hot, future bestselling author as a boyfriend really turns me on."
"I love you," he tells her. Her manifestation boosts his ego a little—or a lot. "But don't we have to meet your sister to work on the float?"
Pop Tate is sponsoring the July 4th parade and has asked the girls to help with the float because of how "creative" they can be.
Mickey says, "I'm sure Veronica and Archie are just as occupied as we are." She's more than sure. She's one hundred percent positive because they've been back on for months. Heavily on.
✿
Later that morning, the five of them are outside of Pop's, working on the float. Mickey can't help but to admire the boys hammering away with their tools.
Veronica nudges her, "A little help, Mick." She grins just a little because she knows exactly why Mickey stopped painting.
Then Cheryl's cherry red car speeds into the parking lot, tires screeching. When the red bombshell gets out of her car, her expression isn't pleasant. "Well, well, well. Stop the presses. The Riverdale rag has finally reported a story accurately. Not only is there going to be some hideous janky parade sneaking its way through town, but you four are the architects of this outrage."
