"Wake up, wake up," Jughead said walking into the room and opening the curtains letting the bright light in and chuckling to himself. "Rise and shine, my little fiends, it's time to raise some hell."
"The only thing you're going to be raising is the dead," Veronica groaned as the sun hit her sensitive eyes, she squinted at her brother and then winced at the pain in her head and shut her eyes as tightly as she could. "Which is how I feel right now."
"Mom and Dad called already, they think today is a wonderful day for us to go to the lake," he said glancing at his watch and Veronica's eyes flew open as she pushed herself up, struggling to keep both her eyes open and her body up at the same time.
"No, Juggy, this place is a mess and I can't face them like this, everyone is still sleeping," she started rambling until Jughead squatted down next to her and smiled, waiting for her to calm down and notice that she was the only Jones sibling panicking. "Why are you smiling? You're in charge, it's you they're going to kill."
"Because I am taking you and your friends to the lake," he told her, emphasising the I. "They went to Greendale last night with the Andrews, dad and Fred have a big meeting today remember and you know how much mom and Mary like to shop in a place that isn't Riverdale, no matter how similar everything is."
"Well why didn't you start with that?" Veronica asked letting out a relieved breath and slapping her brothers arm. "You could have let me sleep in, dad's meetings take forever, they'll probably end up staying there tonight as well."
"They are," Jughead grinned, then frowned when his sister did. "What?"
"I'm glad that they aren't really coming up to the Lake House to see this but I kinda wish spending time with us came before business," Veronica said and Jughead's frown got deeper as he sat of the bed and wrapped his arm comfortingly around his sister. "I didn't think yesterday was all the time we had with them till they were off again."
"Maybe it's just this meeting in Greendale and then when we wake up tomorrow morning they will be at the breakfast nook instructing Smithers to whip us up some pancakes," Jughead tried and Veronica just nodded against his chest to appease him, she knew better than to believe that, it was probably why they were so quick to agree to a Jughead supervised party for her, they had business to attend to and being in town for her would delay those plans.
She knew their parents loved them but she was always disappointed that their business came first, that they would only be around long enough to see that their kids were surviving before taking off again, she was only 16, Jughead was barely 18, they shouldn't have this kind of responsibility, this independence, with only Smither's and Andre as their supervision, they were too young for that.
"And croissants," she said with a sniff to appease her brother, no matter how upset she was with her parents she never wanted Jughead to carry the burden of her feelings of resentment toward them.
"Smithers can't make those, they'll send Andre to get the croissants," Jughead agreed with a chuckle, reaching over Veronica to poke Betty's arm but the blonde groaned and pushed him away, taking another pillow and covering her head with it, Jughead just shook his head and turned back to his sister. "Up and at 'em sis, I did not spend the night babysitting to also do the clean-up in the morning."
"You're the worst," she groaned flopping back into bed and throwing an arm over herself. "I feel like death."
"You look like it too," Jughead teased. "Welcome to 16 kid, you wanted to host the party."
"Give me an hour to sleep," Veronica told him, sounding as miserable as she could which wasn't difficult considering how she felt.
"I would but then you would sleep the rest of the day," he told her knowingly. "Everyone's already up, Toni made breakfast, she's leaving soon."
"But she came so late yesterday," Veronica complained using his hand to pull herself up and out of bed, she sniffed the air and frowned when she realized that stale smell was her. "I'm going to shower first and brush my teeth, I smell like an ashtray."
"That you do," Jughead laughed at the comparison before ruffling her hair. "I'm going to go check the other rooms, see who else is still asleep, if you're not done in 20 minutes I'm sending Ginger up."
"Urg, she's still here?" Veronica asked making a disgusted face and Jughead rolled his eyes. "Fine, I'll be quick, if I see her face I might really throw up."
Veronica trudged her way down the stairs to the kitchen after washing her hair and changing into her most comfortable dress, to find Toni humming along to the radio and cooking at the stove, while her brother sat at the counter eating the leftover cake from the night before and watching his ex.
"Hey babygirl," Toni said laughing when she turned around and caught sight of Veronica trudging her way into the kitchen. "Aren't you a sight for sore eyes ."
"It's all your fault," Veronica complained, falling into Toni's open arms and sighing she really missed her brother's ex-girlfriend with her pink hair and bubbly personality. "I was on my way to being sobered up so this wouldn't be so bad but then you came and I couldn't just leave you."
"Oh is that what you were doing before I got here," Toni said with a snicker and Veronica turned bright red as Jughead looked up at them, confused. "I'm just teasing, how's the head."
"I can't tell what's worse, my head trying to split itself open or my stomach trying to turn itself inside out," Veronica mumbled taking a seat next to her brother and laying her head onto the cool countertop. "Why did you let me drink so much?"
"Why did - Why did I?" Jughead asked incredulously. "If we all remember correctly, I said no more and then you got your little friends and Toni to sneak you drinks."
"Oh yeah," Veronica said with a laugh as she remembered that. Toni pushed a slice of dry toast toward Veronica and a mug of black coffee and Veronica made a face.
"Just see if you can keep that down for now," she advised leaning her elbows on the table.
"Where is everyone?" Veronica asked, staring at the toast as if it might become more appealing to her the longer she looked at it.
"They helped us clean up and now they're probably passed out again," Toni said glancing at Jughead who nodded, he heard the shower turn on in his parents room so he assumed that was Betty and she was the last of them to freshen up. "So once we get everyone fed, we could probably drag your hungover asses down to the lake for some much needed fresh air."
"And air this house out," Jughead grumbled.
"You're complaining like you don't do this every time you have a party up here and the boys end up smoking the house up," Toni laughed and Jughead made a face at her, with the amount of parties he had at this place he was an expert at cleanups and restoring the house to parent level approval in record time. "When we get back from the lake it will smell like roses again, we're just lucky no-one puked on the stairs like the last time."
"Ew," Veronica said feeling herself want to throw up just at the thought of someone else doing it and forced herself to stop.
"Come on kid, it's not that bad," Jughead laughed and Veronica groaned leaning into Jughead's embrace when he held out his arm for her.
"I'm not a kid," she mumbled shutting her eyes to try to block out the bright sunlight, snippets of conversation from the night before came rushing back and Veronica felt conflicted, where was Archie?
"Of course not, you're 16 now, practically an adult," Toni said and Veronica couldn't tell whether she was being supportive or patronizing but with the way she was feeling, she didn't care. "Maybe I should stay tonight, you and Archie have no idea how to take care of a girl."
"I have kept her alive long enough to know how to take care of this girl without your help," Jughead protested glaring like he took that comment as a personal attack and Veronica cringed, especially when Jughead's grip on her tightened.
"I thought you were leaving early," Veronica said to Toni who shook her head, then she turned to glare at her brother who just shrugged unapologetically at using Toni to get Veronica out of bed. "I could have slept in another hour... or five."
"We let you sleep in as long as we could and I'm leaving tomorrow night," Toni confirmed and Veronica grumbled something to herself, pushing herself out of her brothers arms. "I flew in for your sweet 16 but I thought I'd make use of this long weekend and spend some time with my parents while I'm here too."
"I hate that you're so far away," Veronica complained breaking off a piece of toast to force down. Toni was in her first year in college in another state which meant her visits home where few and far in between especially now that she and Jughead were broken up and there wasn't any reason for regular road trips like they had planned.
"I know babe, but I'm just a phone-call or plane ride away whenever you need me," Toni said reaching out to tuck a stray strand of Veronica's hair away, her eyes sad and Veronica nodded.
"Who stayed over?" she asked, she could not remember much past Toni's surprise appearance and the drinks they had when they got onto the dance floor so she had no clue who was still in her house and who had left.
"Arch, the pussycats, some of the cheerleaders, most of the bulldogs and your friends," Jughead said stuffing another bite of cake into his mouth, Veronica sighed, that really didn't answer her question.
"Too many to mention by name, you'll see when we go outside," Toni clarified, used to being the interpreter for Jughead when he was being extra vague. Something caught Veronica's eye and she looked out the window to find Archie and Val, standing close to each other on the balcony talking, her heart fell to her stomach and she swallowed hard, blinking back tears as the rest of the events from last night when she and Archie were alone came rushing back.
"Oh yeah, they're working stuff out," Jughead told her when he saw where her eyes had landed. "Like people who once said they were in love do," he mumbled that part to himself but loud enough that Toni caught it, Veronica was too distracted.
"They're just talking about some music thing," Toni corrected as she and Jughead shared a look which flew over Veronica's head.
"It's like I've entered the Twilight zone, you guys are in the same room taking care of me like before and Archie is trying to get Val to date him," Veronica said looking at Toni to catch her worried expression and sunk her head back to the counter. "I feel sick."
"You're just hungover," Jughead said rubbing her back and Veronica just groaned in response. "You'll survive."
"Are you ever going to tell me what happened last night?" Toni asked coming to sit next to Veronica on the blanket she set up for herself in the shadiest part of the lake's shore. All the kids who didn't drag themselves back home as soon as they were awake, ended up down at the lake later that day to enjoy the cool water. Veronica still felt miserable so she took to scrolling through Instagram and Snapchat, looking at pictures and videos from the night before as she tried to recover.
"I don't remember much of last night at all," Veronica said wiggling close enough to lay her head on Toni's lap and sigh when she started to massage Veronica's pounding head. "You are my favorite person."
"Which is how I know that you're lying to me," Toni said and Veronica could hear the amusement in her voice. Toni knew Veronica in a way that no-one else did, Veronica never had to confide in her, Toni just always knew. Like Archie, Toni had been a part of her life since Veronica could remember and for as long as Veronica had known her she had always been Jughead's girlfriend, Veronica always assumed Toni would make the natural progression to her sister-in-law one day, all that had changed now, unless she and Jughead managed to work out their problems, Veronica wanted to believe that they would but she knew them both well enough to know that it was truly over. "Your face was the face of heartbreak this morning when you saw him and Valerie talking, so I'll ask again Ron, what happened last night?"
"Nothing?" Veronica said as more of a question, smiling as innocently twisting her head so she could look up at Toni. "We just talked."
"I highly doubt that," Toni laughed and Veronica rolled her eyes pushing herself to a seated position and pulling her glasses off, wincing at the brightness of the day. "Archie was practically wearing your smudged lipstick, I checked Ginger out to be sure, she was not wearing a colour anywhere close to yours."
"Well he and Val are talking again so maybe I should just forget it," Veronica said focusing on Betty who was being persuaded to do something by her sister. "It was just a kiss, one that made my heart sing, I thought … I thought maybe he felt the same, but Archie has been pining for Val from the moment they broke up, now that she might give him another chance whatever he said or did last night will just be a dream."
"Don't count on it," Toni said with a slight frown and Veronica looked up and furrowed her brows at her pink haired friend. "Archie and Val might have broken up after Jug and I, but they were over for much longer than that, I'm surprised they stuck together as long as they did."
"But Jughead said…" Veronica trailed off, looking over to the lake to Archie who was tossing a football over to Moose, glancing back at her every couple of minutes.
"Jug told you that Archie was still pining for her? I love the boy but Jug has no clue what he's talking about when it comes to matters of the heart," Toni laughed and Veronica turned to her confused, both of those breakups came as shocks to her, she never saw any signs of them falling apart and none of them were particularly good actors, but then again Veronica didn't want to see it either. "If Archie and Valerie spoke about anything other than music this morning, it was probably just closure."
"How can you be so sure?" Veronica asked furrowing her brows.
"It's nothing complicated but you should ask Archie about it," Toni said with a shrug. "Or Val, it's their story to tell."
"Does this mean you'll tell me what happened with you and Jug if I asked?" Veronica said and Toni's mood instantly darkened, Veronica wasn't sure if Toni was going to get up and walk away without answering but then her pink haired friend turned to her and smiled sadly. "I don't get why you had to break up, it's not like distance would have been a problem, you aren't that far away."
"I know," Toni said pressing a kiss to Veronica's head. "It wasn't the distance, we're just better off as friends, maybe one day he'll tell you how wrong we were for each other."
"Why can't you tell me?" Veronica whined, she was very well aware of how much she sounded like a petulant child but she didn't care, Jughead and Toni treated her as their practice child though-out their relationship so they would deal with her now that they were broken up too.
"Because I don't fully understand it myself," Toni said and Veronica could hear the crack in her voice. "I love Jughead, but what we feel - what I feel, it isn't ... he's my best friend, we just weren't meant to be the way you think we should be."
"I-" Veronica started and Toni cut her off.
"Veronica, stop, Jug and I fought hard to make things work but they didn't and they won't," Toni explained, gently but firmly, the way she always did when she was telling Veronica things she didn't want to hear. "I will always be a part of your lives, you and Jug and Arch, you are my family, if you need anything, even if it's just to complain about Jughead, I will be there, that will never change, the only thing that's different is that I'm not dating your brother."
"Everything feels so messed up," Veronica mumbled, she wanted to ask more questions but she didn't want to spend the next few hours with Toni being sad or angry with her so she let it go. Toni got to her feet and reached down to take Veronica's hands in hers and pull her up.
"Even if it doesn't feel like it right now, it will work out eventually, I promise," Toni assured her, the emotion in her voice gone and the bubbly girl was back. "But it's your birthday weekend, so ignore this hangover and whatever is happening with your brother and I, and enjoy it, while you're at it grab that red headed Adonis you're eyeing under those glasses and kiss him so that he forgets any other girl on this planet."
"What do you think Jughead will do if he caught me kissing his best friend," Veronica asked and both she and Toni cringed at the thought.
"If something happens and Jughead has a problem with it just call me and I will sort him out," Toni said with a laugh. "But don't worry about your brother, he's just protective, after the initial shock he'll get over it, maybe," she teased and Veronica made a face, if Toni was going for reassuring, that was not it.
"V, get in here," Betty called when they got closer and Veronica sighed happily as she sunk into the cool water. "How are you feeling?"
"Better," Veronica said smiling and looking up around at who was left. Some of the Bulldogs and Kevin were still there, tossing a football around, from the girls it was only the Cooper sisters, Toni, Cheryl, and Josie. Val and Melody, the third member of the band, had left after they ate, taking whoever they could with them, which included Ginger and Harper and for that Veronica loved them, if she had to hear Gingers high pitched squeak in this state she would have strangled the blond. "But I could do with never drinking again."
"You said that the first time you got drunk and threw up in Nick's pot plant," Betty said and Veronica snickered flicking water at Betty's face for bringing up that memory.
"He never found out that it was me," Veronica mused, she was trying to show off that night to impress Nick and she got carried away, it felt like such a long time ago but it was barely a year, all Veronica really remembers about that night was Archie, when he picked her and Betty up and snuck them back into her house. She was forced to call Archie because Polly wasn't answering and Jughead explicitly told her not to go to that party so she couldn't call him or Toni and disturb their date for a ride, Jughead would have been furious. She remembers not needing Archie's help to walk or get up the stairs but he didn't know that so she used it to her advantage to hold on to him and enjoy having all of his attention on her. "You can't tell me he didn't deserve that though."
"He definitely deserved that," Betty laughed, Nick St Clair was a strange chapter in all their lives, he blew into town for a year and then he was gone and everyone was happier for it.
"You know for someone who says they obey everything their mother says, you sneak out a lot," Veronica said and Betty shook her head, she only snuck out when she knew Veronica needed her, her parents focused so much on catching Polly that they didn't realize Betty also had her nights of rebellion.
"Someone has to take care of you V," Betty told her and Veronica gasped, she could take care of herself but there were times when she acted before she thought and for those times she was the luckiest person in the world to have Betty with her.
"You're the best friend a girl could ask for," Veronica said hugging her tightly.
"Hey I need to get in on this," Kevin said wading through the water to them, reaching out to hug them both, all three of them descending into laughter. "What prompted this sweet moment? Oh did something happen with Archie last night? The way he carried you away last night I thought for sure he was going to ravish you in the kitchen."
"No," Veronica sputtered as Betty laughed at Kevin's idea of the night before, she didn't know why she was lying to her friends about the kiss she shared with Archie but she felt the need to keep it all to herself, well between herself and the too perceptive Toni. Veronica looked up to where he was and was surprised to find him looking back at her. Moose yelled something at Reggie before throwing the ball and Archie's attention was taken back to them, catching the ball just before it hit his face, almost losing his balance in the process and Veronica blinked and looked back to her friends who were waiting for details. "Nice try Kev but all last night proved was that there isn't anything more than friendship there."
A/N : I am so sorry for the wait, I cannot even begin to describe how frustrated I am with myself, this chapter was supposed to be out 2 weeks ago but then I had a bad case of writers block and I doubted everything I was doing and I thought I had to change most of what I had planned for the later chapters of this story but I finally realized that I am not a proper writer, this is fanfiction and you guys probably won't hate me for the fanfiction-y idea's and plot lines that I have
But anyway, that was crises number 1, crises number 2 was that I still haven't written anything since we last spoke and that makes me more nervous that you realize but I'm working on it, work has been exceptionally busy and I just don't get the time I need when I'm home, yes I know I'm making excuses but it makes me feel better to make those excuses so ... do with that what you will lol
KJ and Cami at comic con this weekend just put me in such a Varchie mood though, and I adore them and their friendship and just how cute they are together and it's given me that inspiration to get back into this world
Ok enough rambling, Please let me know what you think about this chapter, I hope you enjoyed it, I know it is Varchie-less but it was surprisingly one of my favourite chapters to write, especially Toni and Veronica and the Jughead/Toni drama (It wasn't supposed to get that dramatic but my muse had fun)
Your regular Varchie content will be back in the next chapter, which will hopefully be next week, if not oooops
To the guest that asked, no this will not become a Bughead story, I added that in the description because I wanted to explain adding them as a secondary couple, I will actually take both of those out, I have Bughead planned but for the future, not too sure how far into the future but yeah, I was trying to tag this like an AO3 fic but it confused me and it confused you too, so sorry about that
And to the other guest, protective/jealous Archie could definitely be something I add :D smut on the other hand, I am not good with so we'll see where the story goes with that lol
Until next time(^^,)