Riverdale Preferences and Imagines

Sick- Jughead Jones

"Archie, I'm fine, stop worrying," Jughead yelled at his friend, exasperated. 

"Jug, you're not fine," the redhead argued.

Jughead sighed in annoyance, shifting on the bed so that his back was against Archie's bedroom wall.

Archie had been saying Jughead was sick for a couple of days, and Jughead had been denying it each and every time.

Archie stared at his friend, really taking in his appearance. Jughead was paler than he usually was, and he had bags under his eyes. His normally baggy clothes seemed baggier on his frame. It looked like he hadn't slept in a few days. 

The sound of the front door closing snapped Archie out of his daze.

"Boys, I'm back!" Mr. Andrews called, "Can one of you give me a quick hand with these bags?"

Jughead pushed himself off the wall to go down and help Fred, but paused as a wave of nausea hit him. The walls began to spin and Jughead could only hear his labored breathing, and even that sounded distant to him.

"Jug, you okay?" Archie put a hand on the boy's back in concern.

Jughead opened his mouth to reply, but before any sound could come out, he jumped up and ran to the bathroom. Archie ran after him, entering the bathroom just in time to hear Jughead vomit.

When he was done emptying his stomach, he looked up, sensing Archie's presence. 

"Don't say it," he warned weakly, terrified to move from his position on the floor. 

Archie shook his head and threw his hands up in defense, saying nothing.

A few moments later the boys were back to where they began, Jughead trying not to die on Archie's bed and Archie calling him out on it from his desk chair.

"Who're you texting?" Jughead asked, noticing how Archie was furiously typing on his phone. 

"No one," he responded quickly, too quickly for Jughead's liking.

Jughead knew he was doing something, but was too tired and weak to say anything about it, so he left Archie to whatever it was and prayed it wouldn't bother him in his attempt to not die in his friend's bedroom.

Jughead had almost unconsciously drifted off to sleep when the door to Archie's bedroom burst open.

"Alright Jones if you try to tell me you're fine I'm gonna take that stupid beanie off your head and make you eat it."

He opened his eyes to see Y/N standing over him, hands on hips.

Jughead poked his head around them as best he could to look at Archie.

"Really? You called them?" he sounded incredulous. 

Archie nodded, "You're sick bro, and you're not listening to me. Maybe you'll listen to them."

Y/N spoke up, "Lay down, you're sick and I'm taking care of you, whether you like it or not."

Jughead closed his eyes and sighed, "Fine."

He laid down on the bed as Y/N grabbed a thermometer from the bathroom and stuck it in Jughead's mouth.

When it beeped, they took it out and read the number, eyes widening.

"Holy shit Jug," they breathed out, "102.3!"

Archie's eyes widened as well upon hearing the number.

"Arch, can you grab me a wet paper towel or washcloth please? Cold water?" Y/N asked.

"Yeah, be right back." Archie ran to get a towel.

Y/N sat on the edge of the bed, running their hand through Jughead's hair to soothe him.

"Got it," Archie ran back into the room with a wet dishtowel.

Y/N held their hand out as Archie placed the towel in it. They folded the towel into a log shape and placed it on Jug's forehead. 

He groaned in response, silently thanking the cold water for cooling him down. Y/N moved to readjust the towel so the water wouldn't drip into his eyes, but he swatted their hands away.

 "Aww, Jug, you need to let us help you," Y/n said.

"Yeah, I know you think you're fine, but you're clearly not." Archie piped up.

Jughead just glared at them both. He tried to sit up but ended up falling back down onto the bed.

"Yeah I think I've given up, I admit defeat."

Archie looked at Y/N, asking if he should get his father. They nodded, stroking Jughead's hair.

Archie ran out to get his dad, leaving the two alone.

"Next time you're feeling iffy, go see a doctor. Or if you don't trust doctors, come to me, or the Andrews. You know they'll take care of you, Jug." Y/N spoke softly, not wanting to startle him with loud noises.

"I know," he sighed, his voice barely above a whisper, "I just didn't want to bother anyone."

Y/N smiled delicately.

"You're not a bother, Jug. You never have been, and you never will be."

"Thanks," he smiled.

"Okay, Jughead, let's get you checked out!" Mr. Andrews proclaimed, walking into the room with his son trailing behind him.

Y/N smiled at the sick boy as they stood up, giving Fred room to examine him. 

"Thank you, Y/N," Archie whispered, standing next to them.

"Anytime, Arch, anytime."