"you better had made it a good one"
Waking up to her phone ringing, Stevie let out a groan, rolling over on the couch to grab her phone off the coffee table.
She had two missed calls from Sweet Pea and one from Fangs. She clicked on Sweet Pea's notification and waited for him to answer, "It's 5:30 in the morning. You better be dying."
"We're outside with Hot Dog." He told her and she let out a groan, hanging up the phone. She threw the blanket off of her, throwing her legs over the side of the couch. Making her way to the door, she opened it with a jump. Sweet Pea was standing with about 4 other serpents, who all had masks on. She looked down to see Hot Dog sitting down, wagging his tail at the girl.
"It's initiation day. Where's he at?" Sweet Pea asked, stepping into the trailer, the other serpents following him. Stevie pointed to the hallway where the bedroom was located, turning into the kitchen to start some coffee.
Placing her hair up in a bun, she turned the coffee pot on, leaning against the counter. She saluted the serpents who made their way out of the trailer, Fangs and Sweet Pea behind them, "You guys want coffee?"
Fangs nodded, taking a seat at the table as Sweet Pea made his way over to the girl, wrapping his arms around her shoulders as she wrapped hers around his waist, burying her head in his chest.
"So, are you two official now or y'all just fuckin?" Fangs asked, drawing their attention over to the boy who was looking at the two with a smile on his face. Stevie and Sweet Pea shared a look before nodding at him.
"About time. I thought he'd never grow balls to ask you out. The sexual tension was insane." Fangs cheered, clapping his hands together.
Stevie sent an amused look to her boyfriend before turning to look back at Fangs, "Actually, I'm the one who asked him out. In a way."
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Stevie had opted out of going to school. She had bigger things to worry about over her English quiz tomorrow. Like how she was gonna get the Serpents under her watch and away from Tall Boy and how she was gonna tell her dad that Jughead was becoming a serpent.
Usually, she would call Betty for stuff like this. The two had grown close ever since her and Jug had gotten together, but lately Betty had been ignoring her calls. The brunette was unaware of what was happening with said blonde on the other side of town at the moment.
Jughead was standing in the middle of the White Wyrm with just about every Serpent gathered around to see Fp's only son reciting the Serpent laws. Stevie was standing behind the pool table as Sweet Pea, Fangs and Toni were either standing or sitting in front of the table; blocking Jughead's view of what was on the table.
"What is the fourth law?!?" Tall Boy screamed at the boy
"No Serpent is left for dead!"
"What is the fifth law?!?"
"A Serpent never betrays its own!"
"What is the sixth?!?"
"In unity there is strength!" Jughead exclaimed, causing every Serpent to repeat the line back to him.
Stevie felt pride swell in her chest at her little brother. Granted, FP was definitely gonna rip into her about Jughead joining the Serpents but she didn't care, she'd worry about that later.
"You know the laws." Tall Boy spoke, "Now it's time for the next trial."
Stevie looked down at her hand to see the two tiny marks that were on the side of her hand, reminding her of her initiation two years ago.
Sweet Pea and Fangs had moved to the side to reveal the snake tank that had been placed on top of the pool table prior to Jughead getting to the Wyrm. Inside the tank was a rattle snake that had its venom gland removed and inside the tank, was the switchblade Jughead had to retrieve and that would be the blade he would keep.
Jughead looked up at his sister, fear written across his face as she nodded her head at the boy. If his sister could do it, so could he.
He took a deep breath, locking eyes with his sister before slowly placing his hand inside the tanks. Everything was going all smoothly until Jughead's hand was halfway out of the tank and that's when the snake sunk his teeth in the top of Jughead's hand, causing the boy to quickly pull his hand out of the tank, dropping the knife next to the tank.
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Jughead was sitting at a table with Toni as she was wrapping his hand and Stevie was watching the two with a smile on her face as her boyfriend made his way over to her.
"What are you so smiley about?" He asked, wrapping his arm around her shoulder, "I'm proud of Jug. All his life, he's been given shit about being from here, about my dad and I. Now? I'm proud he's finally embracing this."
Sweet Pea looked down at the girl with a loving smile on his face as he looked down at her. How he ended up with her? He had no idea. If you would have told him a year ago he'd be dating Stevie Jones, he probably would have laughed at you and told you to shut up. Now? He can't imagine being with someone else
"You're at the end of the line aren't you?" Stevie asked, looking up at the boy who nodded his head.
"You plan on using your brass knuckles?"
"Wouldn't be the gauntlet if I didn't." He smirked and she rolled her eyes at him, "try not to enjoy it too much."
Usually FP would be at the end of the gauntlet since he was the Serpent King, but since he's in jail and Stevie nor Tall Boy wanted to do it, they left it to Sweet Pea. That was probably the worst thing about becoming a serpent. The boys got the shit punched out of them and were met with brass knuckles at the end of it.
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Stevie had stayed the night with Sweet Pea, knowing Jughead needed the time to gather his thoughts and himself for what was going to take place in a few hours. Toni had texted the girl, letting her know she would be going to their trailer to talk to Jug about what it really meant to become a serpent.
Stevie, Sweet Pea, Fangs, and a few other other serpents would be taking part in the gauntlet were making their way to the Jones' trailer.
Stevie was giggling at whatever Sweet Pea had said to her as they turned the corner, the serpents going quiet at the sight in front of them.
Archie Andrews was standing with her brother.
"What the hell do we have here?" Sweet Pea asked, removing his arm from around Stevie, crossing them over his chest
"Just leave him, alright?" Jughead said, raising his hands, stepping towards the group
"What?" Archie asked, "You're friends with these thugs?"
"It's not what you think."
Stevie rolled her eyes at her brother, sending a glare to the redhead.
"Are you joining the serpents?" Archie asked before turning to look at Stevie, "Are you a serpent, Stevie?"
"If he survives," Sweet Pea spoke, taking a step forward, "And go ahead and call us thugs one more time."
Stevie grabbed ahold of Sweet Pea's hand, which didn't go unnoticed by the Andrews boy, preventing him from going any further, "Archie, you really need to leave."
"You are a serpent, aren't you?" Archie asked, before turning his attention back to her brother, "Jug, these are the guys who attacked me. Who attacked Reggie and Veronica and Dilton. Your friends."
"Which wouldn't have happened if you wouldn't have waved a gun in our faces, threatening us first!" Stevie exclaimed
"Wait, is that why you're here? To warn me?" Jughead asked
"No," Archie started, " I came here to tell you to stay away from Betty. She doesn't want to see you anymore. Either of you."
Stevie dropped her boyfriend's hand, stepping towards her brother and his former best friend, "What the hell are you talking about?"
"Screw you. I just saw Betty yesterday..." Jughead trailed off, "She-she was fine.."
"No, dude. She's been wanting to drop you for weeks." Archie said, "She's been agonizing over it. Since you crossed to the dark side, she couldn't bring herself to do it. She had a feeling Stevie was a serpent, clearly she was right. She sent me here to tell you both to stay away from her."
"Betty would never do that!" Jughead snapped, Stevie nodding her head in agreement
"If you don't believe me, then call her," Archie spoke, "And feel free to tell her how you're becoming a serpent. And how she was right about Stevie being a serpent."
"Shut it, Andrews." Stevie snapped
"She saw where you headed, Jughead, okay? We all did, and she knows you can't be with them and her." Archie spoke, looking between the two siblings
It was silent between the three for a while before Jughead spoke again, "Tell Betty I got the message."
"Archie, you seriously need to get the hell out of here." Stevie snapped, stepping towards the boy as Jughead pulled her back, sharing a look with her boyfriend.
"I don't know who you are anymore." Archie said in a quiet voice, walking away from the two siblings
Stevie placed her hand on her brothers shoulder, giving it a squeeze before they both turned to face the other Serpents
"What?" Jughead asked, "Did you enjoy the show?"
"The show hasn't even started yet." Sweet Pea told him, crossing his arms over his chest
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Stevie stood with her arms crossed over her chest, standing in between Toni and Fangs as Sweet Pea stood a few feet in front of them, brass knuckles placed on one of his hands as Jughead stood at the front of the very eager serpents.
"He'll be okay." Toni reassured her, placing her hand on her arm as Stevie sent her a grateful smile.
The punches were anything but soft. But Jughead took them like a champ. Jughead stood on shaky legs in front of Sweet Pea, causing Stevie to stand up straighter. If Jughead survived this part of the trials, he'd officially be a serpent, if not, well, it would all be for nothing.
"Is that all you got?"
To say Jughead dropped like a sack of flour would be an understatement. Stevie waited and let out a sigh of relief when her brother stood back up to face her boyfriend. Sweet Pea let an impressed look make its way on his face as he stuck his hand out for the younger Jones to shake, who took it with acceptance.
Stevie let a smile make its way across her face as she made her way to her brother, serpent jacket in her hand, "Welcome to the family, Jug!"
She pulled her brother into a tight hug, muttering an apology as he let out a protest of pain.
"I'm proud of you, Jughead."
"What about dad? He's gonna kill you for this." He asked, pulling away from her and she just shook her head at him, "I'll worry about dad. You go worry about getting cleaned up."
With a final pat on his back, Stevie made her way over to Sweet Pea, who was clenching and unclenching his fist.
"Ya know, usually the brother punches the boyfriend, not the other way around." She teased, wrapping her arms around his waist as he wrapped his around her shoulders, "I've been wanting to do that for the longest time."
Stevie rolled her eyes at the boy, pulling away and grabbing his hand, leading him over to his trailer, "Calm down, Rocky. That'll be the only time you get to punch him so I hope you made it a good one."