Jughead sat on the porch of his trailer with his arm hung loosely around his young love. "I'm not saying I'm going to join them. He just wants to talk. And they've been keeping a roof over my head, don't you think I should at least hear them out?" He sighs. It was complicated. He had wanted to avoid the Serpents ever since his mom had left them, but he felt honorbound.

"Of course Juggie! I'm not telling you what to do. I'm just saying...you've worked so hard on your own for so long. I don't want you to feel like you owe them anything." She turns to him with a thoughtful expression and he drops his head to press a loving kiss to his forehead.

She was so, so good. He knew his girl next door had darkness deep within her, but at her very best she was too good for him. He knew if he wanted to keep her in his life that he couldn't join the Serpents. He couldn't risk losing her or getting her drug into such a bad world.

"Let me walk you home, and then I'll go talk to him. And I'll call you later to talk about it." He reasoned hating to end his time with her short. They had barely spent any time together, but her house was a long walk and if he wanted to get back in time to meet with Tall Boy than he needed to get going.

"You don't have to escort me home Jug, I understand you're busy." She brushes his shoulder and he grins.

After he stood he offers her a hand to pull herself up with. "Of course I have to walk you home. There are serial killers on the loose. Besides, I don't get to see you nearly as often as I like."

-

Lollipop, lollipop, oh lolly-lolly-lolly lollipop~

"...Hello...?" She answers looking out at the window, her nails pressing into her palms again.

"Good job alienating yourself from that family of sinners. But next you better get rid of that boyfriend-" The masked voice drones.

"No! I can't. I won't!"

"You will. Or I could dispose of him for you. And remember, tell no one."

Click.

-

Jughead sat at a table in the Whyte Wyrm in front of Tall Boy.

"I just...want to be different. I have a lot of good in my life. I appreciate you all looking out for me, but I don't want to upset anyone by joining up with you guys. At least, not right now."

"That girl we saw you with earlier huh?"
Jughead glances to the side, confirming she was who he was worried of disappointing. "If you mean that much to her, she would understand your choices. Don't have to join up with us, but we aren't a charity. If you refuse our help, that's on you."

-

"Archie? Hey is Betty okay? She isn't answering any of my calls-"

"Betty doesn't want to see you anymore Jughead."

"What? No, no that isn't true." He denied his family for her. He did everything to be the man she deserved there was no way she could do this to him.

"It is. She doesn't want to talk to you. She sees the dark path you're heading down and she can't be a part of it."

"But I!...Yeah...Okay. Tell her...Tell her I didn't want her to be a part of it anyways." Jughead finishes lamely watching Archie push off his trailer and walk away.

-

"Tall Boy? What do I need to do?"