Count of words: 920
Warnings: angsty, cliffhanger
After the dreadful attack to the only living light of Riverdale there was an even deeper darkness surrounding the small town. Since Archie informed his friends about the situation that morning everyone had been circling the teenage boy in an attampt to even ease a small particle of his pain.
A specific loner had taken this whole situation to heart, taking it upon himself, once again, to solve this mystery, this time hoping no one would end up hurt or dead. His newly found connection with the South Side Serpents seemed to make this a tad bit easier even, if their intentions were not necessarily to help but more likely to prove themselves to the old man behind the bars, the one, the only, FP Jones.
Everyone, by now, seemed to know, about the freshly created relationship between the teenager and the, so called, criminals of Riverdale, but the one girl Jughead seemed to care about the most. Y/N. It wasn't until his father was put to jail and Jughead was taken away from the torn apart household of the Andrews family, that he started pushing the love of his life away. I'm protecting her, was the only excuse he had running up and down in his mind in an attempt to ease that tense feeling inside his stomach.
It had now been a while since the two had spent any time together at all. Fred Andrews was slowly healing with the help of his lovely red headed son and his equally lovely ex-wife. Jughead was still trying to find the man behind this tragedy, even more now, that mrs Grundy's death came to the light of day as well. The beautiful dark skinned girl was visiting Jughead finally, hoping that he would possibly speak to her this time, open up about what is going on with him. The truth is she was also seeking safety; the fear of a new murderer walking amongst the people she, thought, knew so well, was taking over her body with every step she took. She was mighty, no one could deny it, but after the terror that followed Jason Blossom's death, God alone knew what was coming after the homicide attemt towards Fred Andrews and the successfull murder of Geraldine Grundy, or more specifically Jennifer Gibson.
The couple was seated in a booth at Pop's when the clock hit twelve. The darkness of the night making the whole diner look ghoulish, the few aesthetically pleasing lights flickering adding to the feeling. It was as if someone had muted the scene and had only allowed some selective sounds to be audiable. The only noises coming from the boy's laptop, Pop's movement behind the counter and occasionally the girl's nails hitting the table or the small device she had to occupy her. It was the sound the laptop made in an attempt to cool off after the rentless hours Jughead was brainstorming on it. Then there were the keys of the same device as he was vigorously attacking them as he transported his idea on the screen before him. Pop, on the other hand, was simply cleaning up here and there, drying some glasses of plates that cling with each other as he put them on their places. Then, lastly, was the sound of the girl's irritation, nails hitting the wooden table rythmically as if the anger would simply leave.
«Can you stop that, please!?» Asked the young boy, more like demanded in an agravated tone.
«Can you stop that?!» Repeated the girl emphasizing on that.
«Is this how it's going to go now?» Jughead questioned, his tone softer indicating the weariness of his whole existance.
«Yes, Juggy, that's how it's going to go now,» Y/N said, pausing just for a second to take in a deep breath. Moving her hands on her temple and gently rubbing it she continued voicing her thoughts «You are in such a 'gloomy-doomy-mood' Jughead. You don't talk to me, you don't talk to anyone, you have dark circles underneath your eyes. Who knows how many nights you haven't slept-»
«Five!» He interrupted looking down, maybe disappointed or even ashamed of himself.
«Five what?» She raised her eyebrows as well as her voice. Her blood was now boiling. Why couldn't he listen to her for once?!
«Five days.» The reply came out quiet, muffled even. As if it came from a forgotten cell phone six feet away from their booth.
«You haven't slept in five days?!?! Five?! Why?! Jug, it's not good for you. You need sleep.»
«And how do you know what's good for me and what's not?!» He questioned the girl once more.
«Cause I care about you Jughead. I do! You need to stop this insanity! Please!»
«Why are we even having this conversation, Y/N?» He frowned looking down at the girl. His writing long forgotten as his arms were now crossed across his chest. His tiredness evident on his face and his posture. His shoulders slouching forwards and his eyelids half closed. The girl's accusations being true after all.
«Cause, I... I love you Jughead, I simply do.» She replied, eyes watery as her warm hands found their way on his arms, carefully unfolding them.
A small smile appeared on his face, his mood being immediatelly uplifted. «It's just...» An equally small but flashy smile appearing on the girl's face after noticing Jughead's reaction to her words.
«It's been so long since the last time I saw you smile...Sincerely.» There was a moment of silence, the two staring at each others eyes when suddenly a loud thud was heard.
