The sun shines through the blinds of Archie Andrews' bedroom window. The cascade of warm glowing orange light pours across Jughead Jones' face. He lay in bed beside Archie, black hair spilling over his face and onto the pillow. Archie, whom had woken up a few minutes prior watches him silently.
Jughead's chest rises and falls with each breath, his mouth slightly parted, eye lashes pressed against pale skin. Archie runs his fingers through Jugheads hair, for once the all too familiar beanie wasn't on his head. It instead sat on the floor beside Jughead's worn down converse.
It had been 4 days since Archie's confession, and they found themselves constantly drawn to each other despite no one knowing. Jughead had at one point grabbed Archie's hand like normal and although it appeared no different to anyone else, it was different to them. Because now Archie squeezed his hand lovingly, looking at him with those eyes that Jughead was so fond of. Their own special secret in their own special world.
Jughead's eyes fluttered open, tired blue eyes meeting Archie's more awake ones, he sat up, blinking the sleep away before turning to his now official boyfriend, "What time is it? Are we late to meet B&V?"
Archie laughed, shaking his head as he sat up, leaning on the headboard of his bed he answered, "We're not late, Juggie, its 9:15."
Jughead relaxed, knowing they had hours until they had to meet up with Betty and Veronica who were testing a theory a few miles away. He leaned back, laying his head on Archie's chest, the red head boy twirled his fingers in Jughead's black curls.
"I feel like we never get a chance to talk about anything but Jason Blossom. We have time. Are you okay?"
Jughead stiffened at the question, looking down and drumming his fingers on Archie's ACDC pajama shirt. He let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding in before replying, "I'm, I'm okay. It's..stressful without Jellybean. She's turning 6 this December. I don't know what to think of that. Last i saw her she was 4 years old with chubby baby cheeks and she wasn't tainted by the world yet. I wonder if her hair is longer. If she's still so happy. If she still likes pancakes and hates skinning her knees on the concrete."
Archie looked down at the boy, watching the way his eyes filled with tears. He wrapped his arm around Jughead's waist as the boy spoke again, "I called my mother every single day for weeks after she left. Asking where she was. Asking if i could speak to Jelly. I got the same answer every single time, Arch. 'The person you
are trying to reach has a voicemail box that has not yet been set up. Please call back later."
They sat in silence again, Jughead finding comfort in the way Archie's chest rose and fell against his head. The wind moved Archies curtains slightly, and the rickety old fan creaked as it turned but i felt like home. It felt warmer than the trailer ever felt.
"Dad's been drinking again," Jughead admitted. This was the most he talked about himself ever. He never did. His problems weren't other peoples so why should they care about him. However, he felt like he could open up about anything to Archie. Archie made him feel like he was still in 3rd grade, laughing and reading chapter books like nothing was wrong. Archie felt like picnics at Pickens Park. Archie felt like your stomach when you were swinging to big at recess.
"The trailer smells like alcohol all the time. That's why i moved out. The Twilight drive in smells like over buttered popcorn and dust."
Archie, who had been quiet for a while, listening to the voice he loved so dearly poor his heart out to him, now spoke, "Juggie you can't live in a drive in." It was soft, a mere whisper, sending shivers down Jughead's spine.
"Yes i can, nobody knows. It's fine. Just until..." He trailed off. Until what? He found himself asking. It didn't feel like there was an appropriate ending in sight. Until he got old enough to move away? Until his dad decided to stop drinking? Until Jellybean turns 18 and decides she can take care of her 28 year old useless brother?
Archie noticed his boyfriend spiraling, and moved so that Jughead was looking at him, "Hey, Juggie. Look at me?" Jughead blinked back tears, turning to look up at the redhead.
"Move in here with me and my dad. He doesn't have to know about us, i can't sleep at night in my home knowing you're not in yours."
Jughead laid his head down on Archie's shoulder, closing his eyes. He would love to move in with the Andrews, but he couldn't do that. He couldn't be a burden on everyone's life all the time. He was going to tell him that, he opened his mouth to speak, but was silenced by his phone ringing.
His head shot up and he reached around to grab his phone. He took one look at the caller, and then glanced back at Archie. He gave him a 'we're going to talk about this later' look, pressing the answer button.
"Hey dad," He answered. He tried to play it cool. Archie could tell by the way he lowered his voice, but he could also tell he was scared by the way Jughead's eyes darted around the room and he bit his nails. Archie couldn't make out entirely what his father was saying, instead he sat still and watched the boy's face for any signs of what he was hearing. Jughead ended the call with a simple, "Okay. Bye."
"What was that?" Archie asked. Jughead ran a hand through his hair. He looked stress. His eyebrows furrowed together as he pondered over a decision. He bit his lip, shaking his head. Finally he got out of bed and grabbed his beanie off the floor.
"That was my dad. He wants me to go to the trailer and talk to him."
-
Across town, Betty Cooper and Veronica Lodge sat in silence in an eery waiting room. Riverdale General Hospitals second waiting room on the other end of the building was dingier. The seats were metal and cold to the touch and scraped when you sat in them. The floor stuck to your shoes. If there was one thing that pastel pink Betty and royal purple Veronica knew, it was that they definitely did not want to come back here any time soon.
"Betty, stop shaking." Veronica commented, placing a hand on Betty's jumping knee. Betty clenched her fists, breathing out sharply.
"Well I'm sorry if I'm a little scared to see a dead body."
Veronica let go of her knee, looking around the room awkwardly. The two teenage girls were the only one in there besides a small old woman typing away on an ancient computer. After a few more moments of silence and computer clacking a man in his mid 40s walked out. His eyes were pushed into their sockets and left his cheekbones too high up on his face. He terrified the girls, but they kept their composure as they stood up and met him halfway in the room.
"Sorry to disappoint girls, but the Blossoms have made it very clear that we do not allow anyone to see Jason Blossoms body at this time."
Betty's eyes darted to Veronica's curiously before she answered, "Why would you still have Jason's body at this time? We just asked for the real autopsy report. t's been a few months, wouldn't the body be disgusting..." she turned to the dark haired girl beside her who gave her a face, adding, "and maggot-y?"
The man, who's lab coat said his name was Edward, sighed, "The wait list to be cremated is very long, we ask that you please accept the Blossoms' wishes."
Veronica sighed, pouting, "Yeah we heard you the first time Tim Burton. I really hate to repeat myself again, but it seems that we have to. The Autopsy report in the paper is bullshit. Give us the real one."
Edward seemed to grow paler by the minute, he struggled over forming a sentence for a few moments before turning away from the girls, and running away. They chased after him, as he dropped his clipboard on the ground. Finally, Betty caught up to him, grabbing him by the shoulders she slammed him against the wall.
"Hey Edward!" She greeted, "My friend and I aren't going to repeat ourselves again. You're more than welcome to oblige."
He stared at Betty in fear for a few moments before daring to dart his eyes to Veronica, who glared at him with the same amount of power. He admitted defeat, "Look, I don't have real reports. They- It wasn't me! They told me to! I can show you the body. I think thats all the proof you want. Please let me go! I'll show you."
Betty looked at Veronica for confirmation, finally letting him go. He rubbed his shoulders in pain as Veronica spoke, "Alright Edgar Allen Poe, move it."
They walked down the long hallway in silence, almost worried. What would they do when they saw Jason's body. Betty felt sick, what if Jughead had been wrong? What if all of this, threatening this grown man and the blossom family all over his son committing suicide and drowning? Betty swallowed, struggling to breathe as they reached the door. For once in her life she was genuinely scared, What if Jason Blossom doesn't have a bullet wound?
Edward pushed in the door and Betty grabbed Veronica's hand. Veronica stepped in first, her shorter blonde companion following her footsteps. Veronica noticed the operation board right away. Covered in a tarp was a lump that they both knew was their former classmate. Betty felt herself shaking.
"Well, are you gonna look at it, B?"
"Yeah, Yeah, I am. Together. Okay? Grab one side."
They each grabbed a side of the tarp, before pulling it down to reveal Jason's Bluish grey body. Veronica felt sick, looking away almost immediately, But Betty couldn't look away. All she could look at was the gaping bullet wound in Jason Blossom's skull.
There in the flesh, the decomposing, disgusting flesh, was the proof that Jughead Jones was right all alone. Jason Blossom was shot and murdered all along, and the Blossom family was trying to cover it up.
"Veronica," Betty breathed out, gripping the tarp until her knuckles turned white, "Veronica, Jughead wasn't wrong."
The girl in question couldn't look. She held one hand over her mouth and closed her eyes harshly. Betty reached over Jason's body to squeeze her shoulder. Pulling her hand away, Betty moved to grab her camera out of her backpack, alerting a now very nervous Edward.
"Stop it! You can't do that! You never said anything about pictures!" He screeched. Veronica opened her eyes, sending Betty a 'I'll deal with it, take the picture look'. She then moved to look at Edward.
"These two 16 year old girls already cornered you before, Edward Cullen. Drop it okay?" She complained. Edward paced back and fourth mumbling to himself as he heard the snap of the camera clicking over Jason's dead body.
With the pictures taken, Betty put her camera back and nodded and Veronica. The two girls moved to walk out of the room but with his last final attempt at getting them to stop, Edward blocked the door.
"Oh my god! How fragile is your masculine ego? We aren't kidding, let us go." Veronica sneered. Betty smiled at her proudly before crossing her arms at her chest and daring Edward to try them again.
He sighed, moving out of the way as he watched Betty and Veronica walk out the door, Veronica's pearls clinking, Betty's ponytail moving with every powerful step.
-
Jughead hadn't stepped in SunnySide trailer park since his dad had hit him one too many times and he packed up his bag. It hadn't changed a bit since he was last there. The ground was still dirt and no grass, the trailer park boys still goofing around in the corner. Jughead stared at, almost scared to step inside. Archie grabbed his hand, bringing the boy back down to earth.
"You got this. I'm right here, Juggie."
Jughead sent Archie a signature Jones smile as they walked towards the trailer. Jughead let out a breath as they came to a stop at his old home. Suddenly he felt like he was 11 again, coming home and opening the door to a babbling 1 year old and his smiling dad. His heart felt like it was going to beat out of his chest as he raised his hand to shakily knock on the door.
Pure silence. Jughead raised his hand and knocked again. Another 3 minutes with no answer. Archie watched his boyfriend deflate, when he turned around he was met with Archie crossing his arms over his chest, "Try again. Maybe he's sleeping."
Knocking a third time brought the same amount of luck as knocking the first and second time. Sadly Jughead brought out his old keys. They still had a keychain picture of him and Jellybean from a year ago. He blinked back tears of embarrassment at the fact that Archie was seeing his neglect first hand, locking in the key, and slowly opening the door.
It creaked when you opened it, and Jughead was immediately met with the all too familiar scent of alcohol. His dad was a liar. He wasn't getting better. He had set his son up, that's what Jughead knew. He made him feel false hope. Lulled his son into a false sense of security just to make him feel embarrassed in front of Archie. A part of Jughead knew that wasn't true, that he probably drunk dialed him, but, as Jughead walked into the trailer and was met with no sign of his father, it sure felt like that.
Archie walked in behind him, Grimacing at the overbearing smell of alcohol. Jughead's trailer always smelled like cigarettes yes, but never like alcohol. He saw the way Jughead face fell at the sight of his childhood home. Archie pressed a quick kiss to Jug's cheek.
"Im gonna go look in the rooms, maybe hes asleep." Archie announced, turning to see Jughead nod in acknowledgement before disappearing down his hallway.
Jughead sat down on the couch. The floor seemed to be more cleaned up than it last was. Less beer cans and more carpet. He ran his fingers across the fabric of the couch in thought. The call had felt so real. His dad told him he wanted to see his son again. Jughead felt like he did all those years ago. The star in the school play, the only one without a parent or flowers. Only Archie was there to congratulate him. Archie was always there.
Jughead wiped away stubborn tears. His sad thoughts were torn away by Archie coming down the hall sharply, calling his name in confusion.
"Jughead you need to come see this!" He hollered. Jughead sat up and hoped all of his tears weren't seeable from where Archie stood. However he didn't really have a second to fret over his tear stained face because Archie's was painted in confusion and worry.
In his arms was a regular Southside Serpent Jacket. But it didn't make sense. His dad always had a southside serpent jacket on. Why would that be any news? Archie seemed to sense that jughead was lost at why it was so important so he rushed to his side and held up.
"Look at how small it is, Jug, It's...Teenage size. No offense to your dad."
"None taken. Not like he's here anyways. Still I don't-"
"I know, at first I didn't understand either. Until i looked inside."
He pressed the jacket into Jughead's arms. Jughead looked at it, still confused. Archie sighed impatiently moving the jacket so you could see the label. Inside the jacket, was embroidery. in red cursive it said 'Jason B'
"What the hell?"
"I know!"
"Jason was a serpent?"
"I know!"
"Why does my dad have this jacket?"
"That I don't know..."
Jughead looked from the jacket to Archie in disbelief. He shook his head and sighed, "I know where we can find answers. "
Archie tilted his head to the side in confusion. Jughead only answered by making the boy more confused, "We're going to the Whyte Wyrm."
-
IN SORROYIDJANS
this chapter is so delayed
i cut my thumb open and had to have this giant bandaid on it and it felt like satan was killing my thumb when i tried to type but i finally was able to .
jason's murder mystery is coming to an end.....
wonder who killed him?
love u ty for reading :)
-ann