Credits to: jess🥀 (southside-jess.tumblr.com)
Almost a year ago, Sweet Pea and I shared our vows with each other in an intimate ceremony in Greendale. No one there but us, the officiant of our marriage and a witness. The physical symbol of our union being two vintage rings that we bought from an antique shop, just moments before we said, 'I do'. Our wedding was nothing glamorous, but it was perfect for us.
We hadn't told anyone about our marriage, avoiding judgement due to our young age. Our rings were worn around our necks, Sweet Pea's with his signature dog tags, and mine on a simple chain that matched the one that my husband had.
-
Sweet Pea's POV
After an afternoon at the Whyte Wyrm, playing pool against Fangs as he had some twisted idea in his head that he could beat me... idiot... it had turned 6pm, the time that my gorgeous wife was due to finish her shift at Pop's. As much as I loved hanging out with my friends, I couldn't think of anything better than getting home and cuddling on the couch, watching some crappy TV show, but she loved it, so I could never complain.
Knowing it could take her a good half an hour before she got home, I ordered another drink from the bar, opting for simple glass of Pepsi as I had to ride home and was sure that I was probably already pushing it with the drinks, especially because I had to sneak the beers from Toni due to my age. I grabbed the glass walking back over to my previous position, watching as Fangs collected the pool balls from the machine, smirking as he looked my away.
"Got time for one last game Pea?"
Laughing at his deluded confidence, I put my drink down and picked up my pool cue one more time, leaning on the table as he put the balls in position, ready for the first shot to be taken.
"One. Then I really gotta go"
"I know, I know. I'll make it quick".
I rolled my eyes before mumbling under my breath, "no. I'll make it quick". Smirking as I aligned my shot, hitting all the balls with force, sending three straight into the pockets, grinning to myself as I heard a disappointed scoff come from Fangs' direction.
-
Have to admit, the kid put on a good game, but as always it just wasn't good enough. He handed over a $10 bill from the standing bet that always stands whenever we play against each other, I folded it over and slid it into my back pocket, glancing over at the clock as I did so.
6:45pm.
My eyebrow raised as I took note of the time, Y/N should be home by now, or at least messaged me to say she was running late like she normally did. I took my phone from pocket and pressed the home button just to reveal my lock screen, a photo of us on our secret wedding day, my heart warming as I looked at the smile that complemented her face so beautifully.
I held onto my phone firmly in my hand, in case she was to call any moment, as I advanced towards the bar where Toni was cleaning some glasses.
"Hey Topaz, haven't heard from Y/N have you?"
She turned to me with concern on her face, knowing it was unusual for her to not text me to let me know that she had finished work.
"Not since she sent that baby photo of you into the group chat earlier, no. Maybe she's just running late again? You know what her shifts are like sometimes".
I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck with my free hand.
"Maybe, yeah". I perched on the bar stool, my elbow resting on the bar with my head resting in my hand, staring intensely at my phone waiting for it to ring but when it did, it was not the number I was hoping for.
Sliding to the right to answer the call, I slowly raised my phone to my ear.
"Hello?"
"Hello this is Riverdale General Hospital. We have a Y/F/N Y/L/N here, she's been involved in a collision and you were her emergency contact. Do you know her?"
I felt my heart stop as the unfamiliar voice spoke to me through the phone. My hand dropping as my jaw hung low, I was in complete shock.
"Pea?" Toni looked at me in concern, but I couldn't bring myself to speak, I could hear the muffled voices coming from the phone asking if I was still there, but I couldn't respond. I was frozen. My phone was taken from my hand as Toni began talking to the receptionist.
After what felt like forever, but in reality, was a matter of seconds, I shot up from my seat, knocking it over as I did so and ran out of the bar, ignoring the calls of my name from my friends and hearing Toni telling Hog Eye to watch the bar as they chased behind me, but it was too late, I was already on my bike speeding out of the parking lot before they could catch up to me.
I didn't bother putting on my helmet as I sped through the streets of Riverdale towards the hospital, dismissing any speeding laws that I was most likely breaking as I did so. My mind was on nothing but my wife, my poor wife who lay alone in a hospital bed. I didn't want to imagine how she looked right now but I couldn't help the picture of her battered and bruised that was so prominent in my mind. A few tears fell from my eyes, I could say it was the pressure from the wind that was against me, but I'd be lying, I was completely terrified. Terrified that I would become a widow before anyone even knew that I was a husband.
-
Arriving at the hospital, I didn't even bother kicking the stand of my motorcycle down, simply letting it fall to the ground as I rushed inside the main doors, scanning the hundreds of signs searching for one that would lead me in the direction of my life. I pulled at my hair as I read them, the words becoming a blur as the panic set in. I was so lost in my own panic that I almost jumped out of my skin when I felt a familiar hand rest on my shoulder, another on my back.
"Accident and emergency... that's probably the best place to look". I looked down at my pink haired friend before letting them direct me in the right direction. It was then that the tears fell again, and I didn't even bother trying to stop them. This was the most broken I had been in front of my friends, but there was no way I could hide the dread I was feeling that moment.
The corridor went on for miles, at least that's what it felt like. The faint cries and coughs coming from the wards that we passed causing an uneasy feeling in my stomach. When we eventually reached the emergency room, the line for the desk was too long for comfort, I had to fight the urge to push past everybody else and it's as if Toni and Fangs could sense it, as their grips on me tightened almost simultaneously but truth be told, even if I was going to, I don't think I had the energy to. The life had drained out of me as soon as I saw my phone ringing.
As we reached second in line, a woman was bought in on a stretcher, her body bruised. My eyes widened, I knew it wasn't my wife, her hair wasn't as glossy as my wife's is. Her skin not as golden from the tan she had from our beach vacation just last week. Her eyes not as bright and full of life as my wife's... a terror surged through my body. What if that brightness and life has been removed from her. What if she is unrecognisable, no matter how so, she will always be beautiful to me, but she will forever be miserable herself.
My breathing began to become uncontrollable as I thought about the pain that she was in, she was somewhere in this building and I didn't know, and that was killing me from the inside out.
I didn't notice the space in front of me until I felt my body being pushed forward by Fangs, an encouraging expression on his face as I turned to him encouraging me to move.
"Hi how may I help you?" The receptionist had a welcoming smile on her face as she let her eyes move up and down my body, examining my broken character.
"Errr I.. my.." I sighed, the tears falling once again along with my head, as I stared at my feet, wishing for everything to go back to normality and for Y/N to be ok.
Toni's hand rubbed my back as my voice cracked, "it's ok Pea, she's here she'll be ok".
I took a deep breath before looking back at the receptionist. "Y/N Y/L/N. She was in a car accident, I had a phone call that she was here?". Sorrow filled her eyes as she looked at me, turning towards her computer to type in her name.
"Let me find out where she is for you".
I went to speak again but all I let out was a breathy sob, I leant down, resting my head on my folded arms that lay across the reception desk. "Please...." I looked up again, glancing at the computer screen that looked frozen on the one page.
"I just need to know where my wife is". I let my head be lowered again, jolting as I cried on my sleeve, ignoring the gasps that came from my friends behind me, I'm guessing from the revelation that I had just dropped on them, but frankly I didn't care. I just need to know where she is.
"She's in room 105. About halfway down that corridor on the right" I followed her arm as she held it out in the direction of another corridor, a warm smile on her face as I nodded a thank you and walked as fast as my feet could take me in that direction, stopping at the door that read '105'.
Peering through the small window, I saw her body laying on the bed. Her eyes closed as tubes and IV's were connected to her. Dried blood and darkened bruises decorated her once so bright and clear skin. Her wedding ring was visible, hanging from her neck on the beautiful gold chain that accompanied it so well.
"We'll stay out here, let you have some time with her". I looked over my shoulder at my friends who had found themselves a seat in the hallway, nodding towards them as I pressed down on the handle, taking a step into the room where the beeps from the various monitors and the gentle breaths that left her body were the only things to be heard. I approached her cautiously, sitting on the chair next to her bed, taking her hand in mine, bringing it up to my lips to place a longing and loving kiss on her soft skin.
My eyes scanned over her body, smiling as I watched her chest rise and fall in rhythm with her breathing. Her eyelids moving as she lived an alternate reality in whatever she was dreaming about right now. I used my other hand to reach to her ring, untangling the small knot that had formed in the chain, leaning over to press a kiss onto the metal before letting it fall gently against her chest, placing another kiss on her forehead as I sat back down in my chair.
-
I sat alone with her for a while, talking to her about my day at the Wyrm, telling her tales about Fangs' deluded confidence that he could beat me, and I swear I saw the corners of her lips raise into a small smile as I spoke... knowing how many times she'd heard of and witnessed Fangs' trying to beat me in Pool, no matter how hard he tried, he never succeeded.
Our one-way conversation was interrupted by a quiet knock on the door, and the sound of it creaking as it opened to reveal Fangs and Toni. I smiled at them, letting them know that they were welcome to come in. They grabbed two chairs from the back of the room, situating themselves on the other side of her bed, looks of concern on their face as they took their first look at her.
"Doctor said that her surgery went well, she could wake up whenever'. Smiling as I spoke, my eyes not leaving her body.
"That's great news Pea". I looked at Fangs as he spoke, a smile on his face. "Yeah". I grinned as I let my sight return back to the woman I love, feeling the most content that I had all day, knowing that she was safe, and she was with me. This was all that mattered.
In the corner of my eye, I saw as Toni took a hold of her left hand, toying with the bracelet that rested on her wrist, a matching one that the two girls had bought during the same vacation that gave her skin the radiance that it currently had. "Before she wakes up Pea, we just wanted to ask you something?" Toni spoke with caution, as if she was scared of the words that were leaving her mouth. I just hummed, waiting for her to continue what it is she wanted to say, still watching her in the corner of my eye as she played with a charm that hung from the chain.
"It's about you and Y/N?". With that, I looked up at her, my hand remaining tightly entwined with Y/N's. Toni refused to look me in the eye as she continued to speak. I could guess what she was going to say, knowing that in my emotional high earlier tonight, I had let our secret vows slip, revealing our unknown commitment to each other to our two best friends, who I know should have found out in a better circumstance, but you can't control how life goes sometimes. You never know what it might throw at you, because if you did, my wife would not have been lying unconscious in a hospital bed.
I let out a deep sigh. I might as well be open about it, and not force my friend to feel even more uncomfortable asking about this subject as it already appeared that she was.
"This isn't the most ideal situation that we'd have liked to tell you about it in," I signalled towards Y/N, "but it's something that was going to have to be spoken about either way". As I spoke, I noticed two sets of eyes watching my lips intensely as they moved with the word I spoke. I glanced over at them before looking down at the woman who should be sat alongside me, sharing our love story with those who cared about us. Those who mattered in our lives.
"Y/N and I got married last year... it wasn't planned. It just happened... and it felt so right". I smiled as I remembered the day vividly in my mind. "It was spontaneous. Unorganised. It was perfect for us". I found myself toying with my own wedding ring that hung around my neck, hidden amongst my dog tag chains. Toni smiled at my words, such a sincere smile that made me question why we ever decided to keep this private. "We were in Greendale, in an antique shop and there were these two simple bands, and as if it was fate, they fit us perfectly... so we just decided to go for it. It was the sketchiest little registry office ever, but it allowed us to enter this union with each other and take the next step in our relationship. Yeah, we're young, but we're in love. And it just came naturally, there was no questions against it". I took another long breath, looking over at Y/N, feeling her hand shift within mine, her small hands tightening around my large ones, our fingers entangling within each other even more than they usually were.
I heard Fangs and Toni gasp slightly as her eyes opened, slowly revealing her eyes, that were bright and full of life despite the trauma that her body had felt just hours earlier. I moved my body closer to her, brushing a strand of hair away from his face, resting my hand on her chin as she looked me in the eyes.
"Hi Pea". She sent a painful grin in my direction; all of her energy being used as she spoke my name. I bought my face close to hers, resting my forehead against hers, pressing a long kiss against her lips. "Hello my love". Planting another kiss on her lips, I pulled away, allowing her to look towards our friends that had sat up straight in their seat as her eyes had opened.
"Y/N, how are you feeling?" Fangs took a step towards her, his hand behind her head as he played with her hair, a habit that he had developed over their many years of friendship. Her head naturally moved towards his hand, her eyes closing as she basked in the soothing feeling that it bought to her. "I've been better, but I'm good. I'm alive, and I'm with those who matter most to me. That's all that matters to me right now". He smiled at her, shifting his body closer to the wall as Toni leant forward onto the bed. "You're a tough girl, Y/N". She grinned, her hand reconnecting with the bracelet that the two had in common.
Y/N smiled before turning her attention back to me. "I heard you", causing me to allow another grin to crawl onto my face. "And I don't know why we kept it a secret for so long". She lifted her hand out of mine to grasp onto her ring, bringing it to her lips to kiss it, just like I had done prior to her reawakening.
-
Your POV
For the week that I was required to stay in hospital for my recovery period, Sweet Pea remained by my side the entire time that the hospital visiting hours allowed. Telling me stories about what our friends were up to and reminiscing on our relationship and marriage, which we would celebrate the one-year anniversary of the day that I was discharged, like Sweet Pea mentioned the previous week, it was fate.
He had left me briefly to return to our shared trailer to bring me a bag of clothes and makeup, allowing me to feel alive as I returned back to the familiar Southside settings. The door opened as I sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing at my knees that had become stiff from a week of rest and limited movements.
"I picked out that long flowy dress that you liked", he pulled it out of my bag as he spoke, "I figured you'd want something comfortable to wear as opposed to jeans". I held onto his waist as he appeared in front of me, pulling him towards me to kiss his heavenly lips, deepening it ever so slightly before my neck became uncomfortable due to the position that it was in, looking up at my tall, handsome husband as he stood in front of me, almost as a silhouette as the moonlight outlined him perfectly.
He glanced at the time, a visible look of disappointment appearing on his face. "I was hoping to take you out to dinner to celebrate these two amazing occasions, but I'm afraid it's getting a bit too late". He moved away from me, as he did I snaked my arms back from around his waist, down his arms to hold onto his hands, swinging them from left to right in the small space that was between us.
"I don't mind where we celebrate, as long as we're together. It'll be perfect". He looked down at me, his eyes full of love and pride. The most beautiful smile on his face, causing me to bite my lip as I smiled back up at him.
"How about the Wyrm? I'm sure Toni and Fangs will want to see you. They've been bombarding me with calls all day asking me to take you to see them before we head home". I nodded slowly, "perfect".
Removing my hands from his, I stood up off the bed, holding onto its frame for support as I steadied myself on my feet. "You okay?" Sweet Pea snaked his arms around my waist, burying his head in the crook of my neck where he planted an array of short but sweet kisses before pulling away, allowing me to walk into the small bathroom that was attached to my hospital room, where I changed into the long dress that Pea had picked out for me, sliding a pair of simple but comfortable espadrilles on my feet before sliding on one of his flannels, that he had let me have to sleep with, as he couldn't stay here all night due to hospital rules.
-
Just an hour after being discharged, we arrived at the Whyte Wyrm, sticking to the promise that we had made to our friends that we would visit them before we went home to celebrate our special day in just each other's company. Stepping out of the truck that Sweet Pea had borrowed from FP, choosing the mode of transport over his bike to avoid me sitting in discomfort due to my wounds that were still affecting me a week after my accident.
We walked hand in hand into the familiar building, one that I had missed in the time that I was away from it. With a squeeze of my hand, Pea looked down at me, asking through just his expression if I was okay, to which I nodded and continued to walk towards the door. With his hand that wasn't clasped with mine, Pea reached in front of me to open the entrance, letting me enter ahead of him.
My eyes widened as we were welcomed into the bar by an array of cheers, looking around the bar was full with our extended family of Serpents, Fangs and Toni taking pride position on the stage at the far end of the bar, towering above the rest of the gang members as they cheered in our direction. I turned to look up at Pea where he stood behind me, seeing if he was as astounded as I was, and his eyes told me that he was. He looked down at me, pulling me closer to him by his hand that had made its way around my waist, kissing my forehead before whispering into my hair.
"I knew they wanted to know exactly when we were going to arrive but I wasn't expecting this". I giggled, noticing the numerous handmade banners that were decorating the walls, reading things such as 'Mr & Mrs', 'Hitched' and 'Welcome Home Y/N'.
I couldn't hold back the tears that began to fall from my eyes, an overwhelming wave of emotion running through my body. Sweet Pea chuckled before pulling me into his chest, my arms reaching up to link around his neck. We stayed like this for about a minute before we were joined by the door by Toni and Fangs, who pulled me away from Pea to embrace me in another hug as I continued to cry of joy, smiling as I heard Pea say "careful she's precious" in a quiet panic as I was pulled away from him.
"Come on lovebirds" Toni grinned at the two of us as I was released from her embrace, before we were both pulled in the direction of the stage, some of the older Serpents giving us taps on the back for encouragement and congratulations.
"Listen up!" Giggling as she tapped on the microphone, Toni drew the attention of the Serpents to the stage, even though she didn't really need to as I could feel all of their eyes piercing into my skin, smiles on their faces as they looked in our direction.
"As you all know, because me and Fangs have announced it to everyone multiple times this week" The two looked at each other laughing, receiving a scowl from Sweet Pea, but of course it was only comical. "These two love birds got married exactly a year ago... WITHOUT TELLING US!". The crowd booed before breaking into a fit of laughter, Sweet Pea pulled me closer towards him, allowing me to lean onto him as my legs began to get tired due to the week-long bed rest that I had not long been out of.
"And when Y/N was in hospital, Sweet Pea told us all about it... he was cheesy, but it was cute". I giggled as Toni smirked up at Sweet Pea, causing his grip to only tighten around my body in a slight embarrassment, his usually quite tough demeanour being demolished by her words. "They didn't have a proper ceremony, no friends or family there to witness their union".
I saw FP walking towards the stage, sending a warm smile in my direction that I kindly returned. I turned back to Toni as she continued to speak, just as FP reached the stage. "So! We're going to hold our own mini ceremony right here, right now!". She stepped away from the microphone, pulling me away from Sweet Pea as Fangs pulled him away from me, positioning us so we were facing each other. The awkwardness of the situation causing me to start to laugh as I looked at my husband as he stood in front of me, looking anything but pleased by the situation that we had found in, me laughing even more as he shook his head at me, smiling slightly.
"Right. I'm no minister, so this is going to be short but sweet... more so because I can see how uncomfortable Sweet Pea looks right now". FP was now speaking through the microphone, as the rest of the Serpents laughed once again at his words. "So, we are here today to celebrate the marriage of this young couple, well. The one-year anniversary of their marriage". He smiled at us as he spoke.
"I've had the honour of knowing these two young people for a long time, classing Y/N as one of my own children, and I watched their relationship blossom into what it is today. One that I think so many of us would aspire to have".
He paused his speech as Toni and Fangs approached us once again, reaching around our necks to unclasp the chains that held our wedding bands, removing the rings before securing the chains against our necks once again. Toni winked at me as she took her place next to Sweet Pea, Fangs next to me.
"I know that neither of you wore your rings on your ring finger for the first year of your marriage, and that is going to change. You should feel free to showcase your marriage to one another so from here on out, that is what you are going to do".
I smiled at FP's words, all of the nerves that I had felt about people seeing and judging our rings leaving my mind, all that mattered was showing that I had committed myself to the man that I love. I shouldn't be afraid to flaunt it.
Toni lifted my left hand and placed it in Sweet Pea's, holding out my wedding ring for him to take as he slid it halfway onto my finger, a cheeky smirk on his face as he felt the light sweat on my hands from the nerves of being in front of the large crowd, despite knowing them all quite well.
"Do you, Sweet Pea, take Y/N Y/L/N as your wife?... again" FP spat out his last words with a laugh.
"I do... again" He smiled down at me, watching intensely as he pushed the ring all the way onto my finger, just like he had done exactly a year ago, before lifting my hand to his mouth, kissing the back of it gently.
As he bought my hand back down, I caught his with my other hand, taking his ring from where it lay on Fangs' palm. Fangs winked at me, a large, genuine grin appearing on his face as he did so. I did what Pea had done to me just moments prior, sliding the ring halfway down his ring finger.
"Do you, Y/N Y/L/N, take Sweet Pea at your husband?... again" I smiled up at him, mumbling "again" as FP spoke it, causing Sweet Pea to break out into a chuckle.
"I do... again" I bit my lip in concentration as I pushed the ring further down onto his finger, holding his hand securely in my own as I did. I smiled up at him, taking a step closer to him.
"Now, as I know your both so desperate to do what I'm about to say. I'll skip right to it. Sweet Pea, you may kiss your bride!" And with that, I was embraced tightly in his arms as he placed a passionate kiss on my lips, arching my back as he leant down to my height. Our foreheads rested against each other as we pulled away, lost in each other's eyes as the Serpents shouted with joy.
"I can now show off my beautiful wife proudly and freely. There's no need to hide anymore".
And once again we were connected at the lips, this kiss deepening slightly more than the previous one, only to be interrupted by FP's booming voice through the microphone, "oi. Calm down until you get home you two". He laughed, hitting Sweet Pea on the back as he leant to hug me. "Congratulations, you deserve all the happiness in the world".
Credits to: jess🥀 (southside-jess.tumblr.com)