fierce ↠ sweet pea [1] [✔]

|| THIRTY-ONE ||

The next day, Lauryn made a phone call, but it seemed as if Jughead already knew of the storm Penny had the Serpents caught up in, and he called a meeting at the Serpent hideout the minute Lauryn filled him in on what she knew.

It was mainly the younger members, since they were a crowd he found it easier talking to, especially since there were no characters like Tall Boy to tear down his every point.

Sweet Pea and Fangs were sat on the dusty old couch which was taken from a junkyard, with Lauryn leaned on the arm next to her boyfriend as he fiddled with the lower strands of her straight hair.

Jared looked over briefly from where he was perched on the other arm by Fangs, studying the couple's wholesome interactions in subtle disapproval. Sensing the strange attitude, Fangs placed a hand on his thigh, and he took it with a half-smile, looking away from Lauryn.

"Penny Peabody has got my dad dealing drugs," Jughead announced even though it wasn't news, standing in the centre near where the fire burned inside of a metal barrel. "I know this, 'cause she had me doing it before him. Now, she's roped in Tall Boy, Jared and Sweet Pea."

"Man, if you're primarily pissed because your old man tapped me instead of you--" Sweet Pea started sourly, but Jughead cut him off, intending to lay down the point of what he was trying to say.

"No, Sweet Pea, I'm pissed because I don't want the Serpents to end up like the Ghoulies. And I doubt that any of you became Serpents just to be at the beck and call of a drug queenpin. I know where this ends. Death, jail. Which is why in the interest of self-preservation, we have to take out Penny."

"Snake Charmers helped some of us," Sweet Pea objected once again, and though, many Serpents there may have gotten the wrong idea of what he was trying to say, Lauryn knew exactly what he meant.

"He's right, in a sense that they don't necessarily need to be murdered," she backed him up, adjusting herself where she was sat. "They're shitty people, Penny especially, but, Jughead, let's not forget that the law exists, and so does Serpent law."

"Oh, yeah? What did she ask for in return, Sweet Pea? How many favours?" Jughead gave the two a piercing look. "And, Lauryn, what happens to you in the end? Who ends up dead if not the Charmer, huh? You do, if not incarcerated. Now, if we don't stop Penny tonight, she is going to get every single one of us in on this. I promise you. I promise you, Sweet Pea. She won't give a shit if your girlfriend is pregnant, she wants the money and the thrill."

Sweet Pea and Fangs glanced at each other, both having the same thoughts. Lauryn looked down at her stomach ruminatingly, knowing that her number one priority had to remain the baby's safety. "There's a history, Jones. With her and my family, and I know she won't go easy on me. You better know what you're doing."

"Your family affairs stay out of this, I promise," Jughead guaranteed, sensing Sweet Pea's glare. "This is between my dad and her."

"And you just happen to be sticking your nose in?" Sweet Pea sneered. "Sounds like you, Jones."

"What are we meant to do, then?" Jared spoke up, folding his arms. He didn't seem on board with the idea of the drug runs stopping, but Fangs was more than happy for them to be done. "Wouldn't it just be easier to rope out the pussies?"

"What, so I'm a pussy for staying clean for my kid?" Sweet Pea retorted, sitting up as Fangs held his arms out between them. "Give it up, Aleks, just admit you're in this to get high."

"No, what I'm saying is," Jared continued, a snark giving his tone a spark of irritancy. "You may not want to risk your ass but--"

"Stop," Fangs ordered, which shocked his sister slightly. "This is exactly why we shouldn't get involved in this shit. What are you asking of us, Jones?"