A car parked in the driveway. Jughead didn't bother to look up, he was too busy trying to stop shaking and regulate his breathing with the tears rolling down his cheeks like waterfalls.
"Jug...?" Kevin asked, crouching down in front of him "Hey, I'm here now, okay? We will make it together. Have you gotten your stuff yet?" He shook his head, sucking in a breath. Kevin started to breath louder again, trying to make it easier for Jughead to follow him.
"I can't get up. Kev, he- he just..."
"It's surely just because it was overwhelming" Kevin offered, reaching him his hand "Come on, I'll help you pack" He stood up before helping Jughead who leaned onto him. The two walked inside the trailer and Kevin set Jughead down on the bed before he searched for a bag.
"What do you need?" Jughead looked at him with big eyes "Do you have your clothes in your closet?" He nodded "What do you need then? Shirts or rather sweatshirts?"
"Shirts" Kevin nodded and got to the closet, opening it, only to see just barely enough. A small stack of t-shirts and sweatshirts, an even smaller stack of pants. Some boxers, binders and socks in a box at the bottom drawer. He was on his way when Jughead spoke up again "or maybe sweatshirts. I don't know. I get cold easily"
"How about I will just put in both?" Kevin suggested and he nodded, pulling his knees to his chest again. In the end, Kevin just packed all of his clothes. It's not like Jughead had that much anyways, they barely filled up half the backpack.
"What else do you need? Uh... your laptop, where is that?"
"Over there" Jughead pointed to the bed before pulling out a bag and reaching it to him with shaking arms.
"Okay... uhm... Do you want to take your camera with you?" He shrugged.
"I don't care, I just... want to sleep"
"Okay, I'll just put it in the bag. We can get your school stuff later on and anything else that you need. I mean, it's just a 20 minute drive, easily done"
"Sure..." Kevin zipped the duffle bag close and then shouldered it before grabbing the laptop case. Though he halted on his way to the door to go back to the bed.
"Hey, can you breathe alright?"
"Yeah... Yeah, it's getting better. I think"
"Okay, let's go to the car and then home" Jughead nodded, pushing himself to the edge of the bed before slowly getting up.
"Thank you, for being here with me... even though..."
"I think that we've gone over other stuff already, which is way more worrying to be honest. Jughead, I-.. care a lot about you, no matter what. We can go through this, okay?"
"Do we have to explain everything to Mr. Keller...?"
"No, not now" He smiled softly before taking his hand again to walk over to the car. He got Jughead in the backseat first before putting the luggage in the back. After that, he sat down in the passenger seat.
"You two good to go?" Tom asked, eying the boy in the back before turning to face his son.
"Yeah, thanks for waiting up... and letting him stay. I swear that we will explain everything, just... not today anymore, okay?"
"Sure" Tom started the motor. By the time that they parked, Jughead had laid passed out against the window. Carefully opening the door, Kevin supported Jughead's head, so he wouldn't drop down before softly shaking him. Kevin would have loved to just carry him over to his bed or at least to the couch but to be honest: he was not strong enough. So he had to wake him up.
"Mhm..."
"Hey, you just need to go up to my room, okay? Then you can sleep again and I won't annoy you anymore"
"You're not annoying" Jughead smiled softly, eyes fluttering open "Thanks again"
"Don't thank me about this"
"I want to"
"Let's just get inside, okay? We can even cuddle, only if you want"
"That would be nice" His breathing was even again, even the tears had dried out and the shaking had subsided. There was almost no trace of the prior panic attack or mental breakdown. Neither of the two could tell what it really was.
Finally they were up in the room, Jughead laying curled up next to his boyfriend who had an arm around him.
"Are you still awake?" Kevin whispered. Jughead hummed "Okay, just wanted to know"
"We will be alright, right?"
"Yeah, yeah we will"
"Okay..." He nuzzled his face deeper in Kevin's chest. Yet again it was him to hold him up "love you..."
"What did you just say?" Kevin asked, a hand caressing Jughead's cheek to turn his face, though he had already fallen asleep.
"Did you just-" He stared at him in disbelief.
Maybe he just misheard it?
Jughead was the first to stir awake but he only rolled on his side in order to see his boyfriend, who was soundlessly asleep. After five minutes, he couldn't stand the silence anymore and got up. Slipping in Kevin's fluffy shoes and pulling over one of his hoodies, he took his phone from the charger, texting his father a short message, just to tell him that he was going to stay at the Keller's. Making his way downstairs, he tried to be as quiet as possible, just in case Kevin's father was still asleep.
He was not.
Upon walking in the kitchen, he saw Tom sitting at the table, sipping on his coffee and reading the newspaper. He put both down when he saw him walk in.
"Good morning, Jughead. Did you sleep well?" He asked. Jughead halted, looking at him with wide eyes, before nodding as he walked over to the coffee machine to pour himself one as well.
"Yes, uhm... thanks, for letting me stay here"
"Of course, Kevin said that you had an emergency. They surely are piling up at your side, huh?"
"Uhm... I guess..." Jughead grabbed a mug from the cupboard and filled it with coffee, black, before he walked over to the table and sat down in front of him "We actually have to tell you something..."
"You do?" Tom asked, raising his eyebrow.
"Yes, two things actually" Jughead took a deep breath, taking a few sips from his coffee "I mean... Kevin wanted us both to tell you but I feel like I'm already putting enough on his shoulders, to be honest... I need your help, I-I... you were right, things are not that great at home, with my dad. I need somewhere to stay, especially with the second thing going on"
"What's happening at home?" Jughead swallowed, looking down as he took another sip of his coffee.
"...My dad's been gone for months..."
"Where has he been?"
"Don't know..." Jughead bit his bottom lip, not being able to meet Tom's eyes "He just... disappeared from one day to the other..."
"And how have you been living till now?"
"Well... I've been taking care of the trailer ever since my mom left... there isn't really any difference. Just the money is getting a problem. When I'm not at school, I usually just work shifts at Pops to get the money together. Before the Drive-In got closed, I worked there, you know? Between that, I'm managing the Serpents too, since... they need someone. Otherwise there would be so much chaos" He chuckled, wiping the back of his hand over his face "But that's- that's not what I want to talk about actually..."
"I understand" Tom stayed quiet for a moment "I'm guessing that's why you stayed here a lot too?"
"Uh yeah... yeah, Kevin kind of... told me that I could stay over night when I was feeling lonely. I hope that's okay for you. We never really ask-"
"No, it's okay, don't worry. You can stay here over night"
"Thank you..."
"So... You've been managing on your own for what? How many weeks by now?"
"Uhm..." He took another sip "Six or seven months by now, I think..."
"Does anyone else know?"
"Well, most of the Serpents... Kevin, Archie, Pop and you" Tom nodded, taking a sip from his coffee as well.
"So what do you need?"
"Kevin wanted me to stay here... for a bit... I know that that's a lot to ask and you really don't have to say yes but... but it would be easier for me and Kevim, given what's to come..."
"What is to come?" Kevin asked, walking in the kitchen "What are you two talking about?"
"Uhm, I was just... telling your dad about what we wanted to talk about..."
"So he knows?"
"About my dad, yes. I was about to tell him about the second thing as well"
"Are you going to tell me this 'thing' at some point?" Tom asked. Kevin exhaled, walking over to Jughead and hugging him from behind, resting his hands over the slight bump.
"It's not a thing, but a he" Kevin said, meeting his father's eyes while Jughead kept his eyes fixed on their hands, intertwining their fingers.
"I'm afraid that I don't understand..."
"I'm pregnant" Jughead said, pressing his lips to a thin line.
"You are what?"
"Jughead is pregnant" Kevin said, giving his hands a soft squeeze "He told me two days ago... and yesterday he told Sweat Pea"
"What does Sweat Pea have to do with this?"
"He's the father" Kevin explained. Jughead didn't know what to say but he was happy that Kevin was taking over now. He didn't know why but he felt so exhausted from the last two days.
"And you two are planning what now?"
"He wants to keep it and I'm with him"
"He's fifteen, Kevin. How do you expect this to work out? You have to go to school, both of you. I have to work. Who is going to watch over this baby? And where are you going to get the money for all of it?"
"We will figure this out, dad, we still got time" Kevin protested, hands tightening around Jughead's in a protective sense. They both had shared their thoughts about this relationship over the past two days and no matter what, Kevin was in for the long call.
"You can't even realize how this is going to affect you two! A baby isn't like those toy animals, Kevin. This is a real human being"
"Which is why I will not abort it, even if I could" Jughead said, looking up at him for the first time in this conversation "It's not like I can change it anyways. We are- I am keeping him, no matter what"
"Okay..." Tom exhaled "so, if this is somehow going to work, what do you two want to do next? Once... he is there, what will you do? Will you just abandon school?"
"What?? No. There are ways that we can make this work. Riverdale High offers a really good online program, you know? I mean... not entirely but I can make this work. I know I'm fifteen, I'm the least to have wanted this. But now he's here. And I'm there for him"
"Me too" Kevin said, resting his hand on Jughead's shoulder. He smiled softly, kissing his cheek "We will make this work, somehow, together"