Guts- A Riverdale Story (Sweet Pea)

22. Halo

A/N: Here's a long one. There's going to be a lot of trigger warnings in the coming chapters. I'll warn you beforehand and maybe even put ** on them so people can skip if they want. Thank you again for reading!

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FP gave us a brief look of disapproval but didn't address it as Sweets and I joined the crowd, anxious to hear any news about Fangs and the impending war with the Ghoulies that Sweet Pea was for and Jughead was against. As soon as we settled in the front of the crowd with Toni and Cheryl FP sighed, "I just got a call from Sheriff Minetta. Fangs...well," FP took a breath to steady himself, "He didn't make it. He's gone."

Sweets pulled me closer to him in a tight hug from behind, and I felt him take in a deep breath that he didn't immediately release. I bit my lip and braved a glance up at him as my uncle called a vote. Would we go to war with the Ghoulies- and most likely go down swinging, or would we abandon Southside and try to start over on the Northside of town in the interest of self-preservation? Unsurprisingly, the vote to fight was almost unanimous, and included Sweet Pea as in favor. I opened my mouth to object, but I knew any kind of attempt at a logical discussion wouldn't land with him right now, so instead I looked at Jughead, quietly begging him to say anything. My cousin stood his ground, and without a word walked out of the Wyrm and toward his and FP's trailer with an unreadable look on his face.

FP glanced around the room with a mix of pride and uncertainty on his face and said, "Battle starts at sun up. I suggest you get yourselves ready. This will be ugly."

As soon as the last word left his mouth, he took off after Jughead, and I stood rooted in my spot even though Sweets had let go of me a few seconds before. Once the bar came to life around me, I walked over to the pool table and stood in front of Sweets with my hands on my hips, "What exactly was that, Pea? You just got done telling me it's not just you anymore, that you want for us to get out of this life to protect our family, and now you're voting in favor of a fucking suicide mission that you intend on making me sit out?"

"It was going to be the winning vote, Allyson. I won't be a coward in the face of what's right," he raised his eyebrows at me, "And damn right you're sitting it out. I am not going to let you put our baby at risk to prove a point to me. Have some sense and stop letting your hormones rule you right now."

I stepped toward Sweet Pea, taking the pool cue from his hand and setting it down before getting toe to toe with him, "Don't mistake my concern for you as both the father of my child and my fiancé- if you even take seriously what you literally just asked me- for out of control hormones. Trust me, you haven't seen the hormonal bitch come out yet. Don't tell me to stay in my place when you're making stupid and impulsive decisions because you're upset. It's not just you anymore, either, Pea. Stop acting like I'm the only person who has this baby that we made and agreed to raise to worry about first."

I shoved the poll cue back in his hand and turned on my heel toward the office, and when I got behind the closed door I locked it, put my head on the desk and quietly broke down crying. Part of me was sincerely hurt and just a little angry that Sweet Pea would put me in my perceived place so callously- but the bigger part of me was terrified at the thought of losing everyone I have ever loved.

After a few minutes, I heard a quiet knock and Sweet Pea asking to be let in. I hesitated with my hand on the knob before finally opening the door- if only because I realized that I didn't want potentially my last hours with Sweet Pea to be spent not speaking to each other. That didn't mean I would break first, though.

I stepped aside without a word and allowed him to step past me and sit in the chair before jumping back up on the desk. We sat in our first awkward silence as I waited for Sweets to speak first and he sat, clearly trying to choose words carefully before he began.