One week after Riverdale High's absorption of its Southside counterpart, and everything was the same. And nothing was the same.
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Jughead sat in class typing away on his laptop, he told his teacher it was for notes when really he was continuing to write the story of their twisted Riverdale. Cheryl Blossom was up front giving a presentation which of course made Cleo loose interest. She was a year ahead of Jughead but with Southside's lack of proper education, her classes were a mix of sophomore and Junior classes.
Cleo decided to turn her attention to her boyfriend beside her, she watched Jughead write for a few moments before she rest her feet in his lap casually. Jug glanced at her but thought nothing of it as he continued to write. Cleo nudged him with her foot but instead of looking to her he put a hand on her leg and continued to write with the other.
Lately Cleo's outfits had been lacking because she was always told to cover up and her wardrobe was not Riverdale High appropriate. Today she was feeling rather lazy so when she got dressed this morning she just threw a hoodie over her sports bra and wore her grey sweatpants to school with some vans on her feet.
Cleo nudged Jughead again, she was bored and wanted to see how much it would take to distract him from his writing, a game she often liked to play. Jughead, of course, knew what she was up to but knew this time he would win the little game because her usual distractions were not school appropriate and often lead to the bedroom. However this did not stop Cleo. She nudged Jughead again and when he sent her an annoyed look she simply smirked and tilted her head, trailing her hand to the zipper of her hoodie.
Jughead's eyes followed as she slowly pulled the zipper down revealing her sports bra underneath. Jughead swallowed as he looked over her tattoos, the snakes head on her hip and the Calvin Klein underwear peeking out from the top of her loose sweats. The two teens had not been alone together in well over a week now and even though this little strip tease was barely even PG-13 it was driving Jughead mad. Maybe because he knew that in school it would get them in trouble. That in school Cleo's tattoos were shunned and it made them even more enticing.
Cleo saw the look in Jughead's eyes, the way he licked his lips and trailed his eyes over her bare stomach to her collarbone and finally her lips. "Mr. Jones, eyes up front." the teacher yelled. Jughead blushed and snapped his eyes to the front of the room scared, like she had caught him and Cleo doing far worse than what they were really doing. "Thank you, Mrs. Haggly." Cheryl glared at the two Southsiders before continuing her presentation.
Cleo chuckled as Jughead sent her a glare, this one not playful like the ones before. She slowly zipped her sweatshirt back up "Yeah, Juggy, eyes front." she teased. The two stared each other down waiting for the other to break first "As I was saying, each year, we honor the memory of General Pickens, yet few know the truth." Cheryl had a slide show of pictures "That it was my great-great great-grandpappy Colonel Barnabas B. Blossom, who bankrolled General Pickens' settlement of, an Eden along the river of Sweetwater, where maple trees grow taller than the steeples of Europe's grandest cathedrals." she smiled as she spoke.
Cleo bit her lip as she stared at Jughead and slowly ran her finger along the edge of her sweatshirt where it fell off one shoulder. Jug finally caved, clearing his throat as he looked back to Cheryl and gripped Cleo's legs still in his lap. "Which is why every year I petition the mayor's office to rename Pickens Day!" Cheryl finished the bell rang and all the bored students began to pack up.
"Thank you for that, Cheryl. Mr. Jones, we look forward to your oral history report next week." the teacher called but Jughead's eyes were on a smirking Cleo, his mind foggy with all sorts of thoughts. "See you later, Jug." Cleo winked before walking to class. She wouldn't see him again till the end of the day which made it all the more frustrating for Jughead.
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After school Cleo stood with Toni by the Serpents' motorcycles, waiting for the boys so they could see if they were all gonna hang out. They were talking about classes and how much better it was here than Southside. "We all going to the quarry?" Sweet Pea asked as he walked over with Fangs. It was a small body of water that they all swan in or threw parties on the beach. It was away from the rest of town so no one ever bothered them. "Yeah, we can have a little fun before we head out tonight." Cleo said. "Make sure the boys are ready." she told Sweet Pea, he nodded "Oh they will be, they wouldn't miss a chance to get back at these northsiders."
Jughead walked towards his friends with a hard look on his face "Hey, Jug." Toni called seeing him walking over "Jug, what's up?" Cleo asked furrowing her brow at the look on his face, the way his jaw was set and his eyes never left hers. DId she do something wrong? Cleo opened her mouth to ask but before any words could come out Jughead grabbed her face in both his hands and smashed his lips to hers.
Cleo squeaked in surprise and pushed him back while the other three watched them with shocked but knowing smiles "Woah, what is this all about?" she asked, he never acted like this, especially in front of people. "Your house. Now." he growled and got on his bike letting the engine roar to life. A wide smile spread over Cleo's lips and her eyes drooped before throwing her leg over the back of the bike. "We'll see you guys later then?" Toni asked but they were already speeding out of the parking lot. Sweet Pea and fangs both laughed.
-
Cleo laid on her back panting while Jughead lay beside her with a content smile "I should tease you in class more often." Cleo breathed. They spent the past few hours in Cleo's trailer, their clothes spread throughout the house. They barely made it in the front door the first time, by the third they had finally found their way to the bedroom. It was dark out now.
Jughead rolled his eyes at Cleo and she smirked and moved so she was straddling him. "Seriously, I don't know what brought this on but I like it." Jug moved his hand to her waist, tracing over the snake tattoo on her side "We haven't been alone since we started going to Riverdale." Jughead shrugged. It was true, Cleo was busy with serpent duties but Jughead had pulled away trying to sort his own issues out.
"Well....we both know I wasn't the reason." Jughead didn't meet her eye "Jug, tell me what's going on." she said softly. She put a hand to his cheek and tilted her head. "Is it because of Betty?" Cleo asked, Jug's eyes snapped to hers "What?" he was surprised "I see how you look at her, she bought you the type writtter...you two were in love. Are still in love..." she trailed off looking to his chest.
"I just want to know if being back at Riverdale, back around Betty every day....if maybe you want to get back with her." Cleo was scared for his answer, she wouldn't admit that she had grown strong feelings for the Jones boy and that him leaving would probably break her heart in two. She was the tough Serpent girl she had a reputation to uphold.
Jughead's eyebrows furrowed and he sat up with her still in his lap "You think I would just leave you and go back to Betty?" he asked incredulously. "She's better for you. I wouldn't blame you if you did." Cleo shrugged. Jughead leaned forward and kissed her forehead "Listen, me and Betty do have a complicated relationship. Yes, we still have feelings for each other, but it's not the same." he shook his head.
"With Betty, I will always hold onto the past, the time when I was embarrassed of who I am and ran from it. With you...." he cupped Cleo's cheek and rubbed his thumb over her soft skin. His heart swelled when she closed her eyes and leaned into his touch "With you, I don't have to hide. I don't feel ashamed, or like I'm only sharing half of my life. We tell each other everything, we help each other. With you, I feel safe....I feel at home for once in my life." this was big for Jughead because just a few months ago he was homeless living in the school janitor closet with no family to turn to.
Cleo started to tear up as she listened to him. She honestly thought she was just a good fuck to him and that he would go running back to Betty the first chance he got. That's how all the boys treated her, and maybe it was in the way she presented herself, how she never showed emotion. But with Jughead it was different, he broke down her walls and saw her for who she truly is. "I have felt more safe, wanted, and happier with you these past few months than I have in years." she confessed. Jughead used the pads of his thumbs to brush away the tears that trickled down her cheeks.
"You are my safe place, Jughead Jones." she whispered "And you're mine." Jughead whispered and leaned his forehead against hers. They both closed their eyes and just sat in silence, their naked bodies pressed together as the moonlight shone through the window.
-
It wasn't until late when Jughead and Cleo made their way to the quarry. They parked near the road like everyone else and walked down the rocky beach to the waterside where a small fire was lit and serpents sat around drinking. "Hey, look who finally decided to show up." Fangs called as the couple approached. "Taking a break before going at it again?" Sweet Pea asked. Jughead blushed but tried to hide it by spitting some witty comment back at him.
Cleo chuckled at her boys and sat next to Toni on a fallen tree "Anything interesting happen?" she asked as Toni handed her a beer "Nah, just the usual stuff. The boys got into a fight testing their strength, some relationship drama with Sarah." Toni shrugged. "She needs to sort out her men." Cleo took a long sip from her drink "Thirsty, Cleo?" Fangs asked giggling from his seat next to Sweet Pea "It's probably from all the exercise she did after school." Pea teased.
"Well we both know Cleo is quite the gymnast. What about you, Jones?" Fangs asked looking to Jughead who was hiding embarrassment behind a glare "Are you a freak in the sheets too?" Sweet Pea asked. Cleo stood "Alright, that's it." she stormed over to the two giggling boys and started punching Fangs's arm "Ow, ow!" Fangs ducked, Sweet Pea grabbed Cleo and the three of them began to wrestle. "Should we stop them?" Jug asked watching the three fight "Nah, I wanna see Cleo kick their asses." Toni offered Jughead a drink and they both sipped the beers as they watched the three fight.
Soon things settled down, the boys called uncle and Cleo let them go. They all sat around the fire now, Sweet Pea sitting on the ground near Fang's feet as he poked at the fire with a stick. Toni sat on the log next to Cleo, and Jughead sat between Cleo's legs on the ground. It was quiet, relaxed. They shared funny stories from their pasts and reminisced. They were just being teens for once.
"Alright, I gotta ask. Have you and Sweet Pea ever dated?" Jughead spoke up looking up to Cleo. Cleo smirked and looked across the fire to the tall muscular boy "He was my first." Cleo said softly, eyes still locked on Pea. Jughead felt a bubble of jealousy from the look she was giving the other Serpent boy. Cleo was so worried about Jughead going back to Betty, but Jughead never realized he should be worried about Cleo going back to Sweet Pea.
"Fourteen years old and even back then she was a force to be reckoned with." Sweet Pea smiled. "We were just a couple of dumb kids then." Cleo remembered the fast and reckless relationship she had with Sweet Pea. "Lasted all of three weeks, but what a hell of a three weeks they were." Sweet Pea winked and sipped his beer. Cleo chuckled "My daddy was gonna beat you senseless." Sweet Pea smiled "Good thing I'm a fast runner." the teens all laughed.
"Don't worry, Jones. Me and Cleo are ancient history. But I'm warning you now.....you ever hurt her I'll be the last thing you see before waking up in a hospital." Sweets threatened. "I'd expect nothing less." Jughead looked up at Cleo and they shared those dopey love-struck smiles. "You guys make me sick." Toni said sipping her beer. they all laughed and Jughead looked back to the fire. Cleo leaned down wrapping her arms around his neck and kissed the side of his head.
It was very late now, almost early morning. "Hey, you can head home I've got a few things to take care of." Cleo told Jughead as they stood near his bike. He looked over to see Sweet Pea and Fangs waiting and he knew it was Serpent business "Be careful." he kissed her head "Always am." she smiled and watched as he got on his bike and drove off. Cleo turned to the boys "Alright, let's go show those Northsiders who they're messing with."
-
The sun was just coming up by the time Cleo got home. She removed her jacket and tossed it on the couch, she started removing her rings as she walked back to her bedroom. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw a figure in her bed. Jughead lay sound asleep, shirtless and his dark hair messy. She didn't expect him to be here, she thought he would just head back to his house but here he was laying on his stomach hugging Cleo's pillow. A soft smiled crossed Cleo's lips and she removed her clothes letting them fall to the floor. She didn't bother with pajamas as she crawled into bed.
"Juggy, move over." she said softly tugging on the blanket he was wrapped in so she could get under it too. He pulled her down and wrapped his arms around her torso, snuggling into her side like he had with the pillow. Cleo chuckled and ran her hand through his hair before falling asleep herself.
(Wow, so I started this chapter and then all this flufff happened and now it needs to be broken into two parts. Welp, hope you enjoyed! I loved writing them being so cute and romantic.)