Trigger warning! I wouldn't say graphic, but still, depictions of death, child abuse, smoking and murder. please read at your own cautions.
-ann.
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Jason Blossom sat on the edge of Sweetwater river. The sun was starting to rise, soft oranges reflecting against his pale cheeks. He watched the river move against the wind, the trees were stand still, and yet, if you stared long enough the leaves started to move against each other.
He looked at his watch one last time, it was nearing 7:30 am. He felt his heart continue to shatter. Polly, oh god polly. Polly Cooper was everything Jason could ever dream of. Polly was older than he was, but, young at heart. With green blue eyes and soft blonde hair that he would run his fingers through. His dad had hated her the second he saw her. Bringing Polly to dinner and watching the way his mom ate her mashed potatoes with a glare. Silent against the sounds of cutlery and napkins shuffling against thighs. Polly had found Jason's had under the table. It felt warm and soft.
Now here he sat wondering if every moment he ever shared with the girl had been a lie. He was overreacting, he tried to tell himself, but he couldn't. Instead he made a quick decision. He would go across sweet water river to meet Joaquin alone.
"How do you know this?" Archie asked abruptly. Jughead turned to him confused. Archie gave him a look back before returning to Joaquin, "You weren't there so how do you know he was thinking that Polly left?"
"He told me." Joaquin stated bluntly. Jughead just patted Archie's shoulder softly trying to silence his boyfriend. He motioned for Joaquin to continue.
The trip across the river left Jason time to reflect. He watched the sky turn from blossom red and orange to a more proper riverdale blue. He found himself reaching the other side fairly quickly. Turning to a darker side of the forest he searched for his family. The serpents had taken Jason Blossom in when nobody else could. He had been found covered in bruises by Joaquin. He took him back to the Whyte Wyrm where the taller boy, who Jason now realized was in a serpent jacket patched him up.
"your dad hit you?" Joaquin had repeated as he handed Jason a cloth to wash off the dried blood on his nose.
"His dad hit him?" Archie repeated, gawking at the boy. Jughead facepalmed as he paused the recording device yet again, "Archie, please, no more questions, okay?" Archie pouted, but nodded, crossing his arms.
When Jason had reached Joaquin he felt relieved. He smiled at the boy. He was leaning against a tree with a cigarette hanging between his lips. Joaquin only smoked when he was nervous. He was probably concerned as to why his best friend hadn't shown up yet. Jason moved into the light, and when he caught Joaquin's eye, he expected the boy to relax at the sight of him, but instead he flinched and looked around uneasily.
"Jason," He whispered. He got close to him and frantically threw his cigarette away, "Jason please, go Just trust me."
Jason furrowed his eyebrows together, "Why? Oh its Polly right? Yeah, she ditched me, Jay, isn't that shitty? I still want to leave though. Get me away from my dad. "
Joaquin shook his head, he grabbed Jason's shoulder, "Please, Jason, You'll be safer from your dad if you just stay here!"
Before Jason could respond, the bushes surrounding them began rustling as someone moved into the clearing. FP jones. He had been iffy about Jason as first, knowing that the boy was a blossom, but eventually had given in. Instead from the normally tired but nice expression on his face, FP looked sullen.
"I'm so sorry kid," He announced. Jason's confused expression only grew. He turned to look back at Joaquin.
"Jay?" He asked. "What is it?" Joaquin didn't answer, he looked down, "Jay.." He whispered.
FP took a step closer, he opened his mouth to speak but was stopped. Coming out from the bushes next was none other than Clifford Blossom. Jason immediately backed up, his heart rate spiked as he looked around at everyone.
"Son," His dad spoke. But Jason couldn't hear, it was like he was underwater, His heart was so loud, it was in his ears. He looked back at Joaquin, betrayed.
"Why are you doing this to me?" His voice cracked as he spoke, chest rising up and down in anger and anxiety.
"My kid, Jason." FP spoke, "He told me something would happen to my kid."
"What?" Jughead interrupted, He felt sick, Archie wrapped an arm around him, "My dad turned Jason Blossom back into his abusive dad for me?"
Joaquin sat awkwardly, unsure of whether or not to try to comfort FP's son. "I'm sorry, Jughead."
Jughead took a deep breath, quickly grabbing Archie's hand, "It's okay, Just, keep talking. What happened to Jason Blossom?"
Clifford stood there, he just stood there, watching. He watched as Jason, his son, glared at who he thought were people he could trust. More serpents poured out of the forest into the clearing. Two of whom Jason knew restrained him, "A serpent never betrays its own!" He screamed, "In unity there is strength!"
He kept screaming, thrashing in the grip of people he once trusted, tears were pouring down his face as his dad just stood there. Joaquin watched him silently, his face full of pity.
"No serpent is left for dead!" He recited, catching FP's eyes. He saw guilt, and pure agony. Jason let out a scream of frustration as he stopped thrashing, after being hit on the back of the head and passing out.
"I think im gonna be sick," Jughead whispered. Archie quickly moved to see his face, to see if he was actually going to vomit. Jughead just shook his head, rubbing his eyes, before asking, "Is there more to the story?"
Joaquin shifted uncomfortably, "It gets worse, i can stop." Jughead shook his head, then put it in his hands, breathing deeply. Archie watched him worriedly, rubbing his back, "Continue," He whispered.
They had taken Jason to a small storage room on the Blossom maple farm. He was tied up against a chair, and had been awake for a few hours now. It was joaquin's turn to watch him. He stood in the corner and lit his cigarette.
"Why?" Jason had asked. Joaquin couldn't answer. He looked down, with shaky hands he brought the death stick up to his lips.
"Polly didn't show up, is she in on this?" Jason spat at him. Joaquin shook his head, he tapped his foot against the floor awkwardly. He wanted so badly to untie him and get him out of here but he couldn't.
"He found your serpent jacket, Jason. He threatened boss and told him that he better turn you into him or he'll.." he trailed off.
"Or what?" Jason demanded, "The life of a good for nothing two sider like Jughead is gone? Who cares! I'm more of serpent than he ever will be."
Joaquin squirmed uncomfortably, god someone take his shift, "He's the bosses kid, he's next in line for the serpent king, Jason, it's his son."
Jason glared at him, "So what? FP goes home drunk and hits his kid anyways! Jay, you're my best friend, please, don't do this..."
Joaquin thought about it for a moment, he really did. He saw a future for Jason. Falling in love with someone who wasn't in riverdale, living up on a farm, changing his name. He saw him happy. He looked around the room cautiously, before quickly making strides to untie Jason.
That's when the door opened and FP and Clifford walked in, "Dammit Desantos! I knew you were too soft for this!" FP shouted, he grabbed the boy, roughly pulling him away from Jason. He struggled against the older mans grip, as Clifford walked towards his son.
"I hate you!" Jason screamed, "I hate you so much! You're not fit to be a dad you're a monster!"
Clifford, like before, just stood and watched his son scream. That only aggravated Jason more, "Do something! Stop standing there asshole! React. I said I hate you!" His throat hurt from screaming. Joaquin watched his best friend in fear.
That's when Clifford blossom brought out a shiny black object. Nobody could react as fast as a bullet can pierce someones skull. Jason slumped over in his chair, his blood spattered across the floor, across the wall. on Joaquin's chin. He screamed, but it was muffled under FP's hand that was covering his mouth.
"Oh my god," Archie breathed out. He turned to look at Jughead who sat next to him. The smaller boy was expressionless, "I still have questions."
Joaquin looked lost, he blinked back tears as he nodded. Jughead wiped at his eyes, "Why did my dad have jason's jacket?"
"I took it," Joaquin admitted, "Jason had a bag in the boat with all of his belongings. Before anyone noticed I took his jacket. I kept it. It was stupid, but in the end I," He paused as he pointed at it in Jughead's arms, "I knew that you wanted to find justice for him, so I hide it in a place i thought you would find it, it took you longer than I thought though."
Jughead squeezed his eyes shut tight, "How did Jason's body end up in Sweetwater River?"
Joaquin shifted uncomfortably again. This was clearly a touchy subject for him but he couldn't not tell him, "Your dad dumped him the river. It wasn't supposed to go to shore. So when it did.. I don't know. Honestly im not lying. I dont know how the autopsy report said he drowned."
Archie and Jughead made quick eye contact, "Yeah we have people trying to figure that out too." Archie dismissed quickly. Jughead nodded.
They all sat in silence, processing the words. Jughead stopped the recording device and put it back in his pocket, "Joaquin?" He asked, gaining the other boy's attention,"How do I know that what you said is true?"
Joaquin thought for a moment, before his eyes widened, "Security footage. There was a camera in the room Jason...died... in. You need a Blossom to have access to it though. But if you do, there's probably footage."
Jughead sat up, "We know a blossom." Archie's head tilted to the side, "Nana rose?" he asked. Jughead sighed, "Cheryl. We can get to it through Cheryl." Archie nodded, his mouth forming an 'oh' shape.
"Thank you for all your help Joaquin," Jughead told him as he stood up, Jason's jacket still in hand as he pulled Archie up with him, "We have some calls to make, and some footage to find."
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this took forever because i cant write :)
sorry if that switch between story telling and present time was confusing.
my.mental health has been bad recently. i lost my best friend. please bare with me ahhaa.
i do love writing this story though.
ty :-)
- ann