Jughead felt her moving around in the bed, waking him up but he refused to open his eyes, willing his mind to go back to sleep, still feeling bone tired. She shifted again and he reached his hand out, forcefully pressing down on her to still her, not really sure where he was touching, he felt her chest rise and fall under his hand, a small chuckle coming from her. He opened one eye barely and looked over to see her sitting up slightly, her leg bent up and her phone resting in her lap as she scrolled through some app, she turned her head to him smiling.
"Are you aw…"
"No," He cut her off rolling away from her and shoving his face back into the pillow. He felt her shrug but she seemed to stay quiet letting him try to sleep, he took a deep breath, but he wasn't going to go back to sleep, he knew that, so he rolled on to his back, stretching his arms high over his head and yawning, he rubbed the back of his hand across his eyes, and forced them open, looking up at her from his lower position in the bed, she still had the covers pulled up around her, but on his side they only covered one of his feet. "What time is it? did you steal my blanket?" He glared sleepily.
"It's 11am and no, you kicked them off of yourself, complaining in your sleep about some heat," She rolled her eyes playfully. 11am actually wasn't bad, that meant he probably got at least 6 hours of sleep, which was a pretty decent amount for him, as for her other answer he glanced at the window above his bed and could already see the water droplets on the outside from the rain, he rolled over, throwing his arm over her lap blocking her phone from her and looked up her, his cheek resting on her ribcage.
"I don't talk in my sleep," he narrowed his eyes skeptically.
"Yes you do, a lot actually," She laughed, pulling her hand out from under him and putting her phone off to this side, bringing her hand back to run it through his hair, he leaned into her touch, she let her hand glide slowly to his shoulders where she gently raked her nails across his skin, his body instinctively curled into her touch, his head pressing into her, as he shivered slightly.
"What did I say?" He asked still distracted by the feeling of her nails on his skin.
"I'm not telling," She smiled mischievously, he was suddenly a little worried that he had said stuff in his sleep that he wasn't in control of, and it made him uncomfortable, he had never been told he talked in his sleep before, but then again he couldn't remember the last time he had actually slept that hard. He pulled his weight up off her wrapping his arm around her waist and effortlessly pulling her down under him, he pulled his hand back pinching her waist on one side tickling her, she threw her head back laughing heartily and begging him to stop. He didn't let up, making her laughs become breathless, as she wiggled underneath him.
"Tell me," He growled playfully, she grabbed at his hand trying to push away but not being able to stop him.
"Fine, fine," she cried out trying to catch her breath and still laughing lightly, he stilled his hand and waited for her to continue. "You said something about being worried you guys couldn't handle the heat, and you just said my name a few times, that's really all I promise, I was just teasing you," She still was sucking in heavy breaths as she looked up at him, he dipped his head down kissing her lightly, really beginning to enjoy how natural that was starting to feel. His mind flashed back to night before, remembering how it had felt to kiss her after everything she had seen, it was like the strangest feeling of relief for him, she had seen a part of him that he had tried desperately to keep her from, and she still trusted him, still let him between her legs, as his mind wandered to their other activities his cock seemed to wake up too twitching gently as it got harder than just any morning wood, he groaned lightly, his lips still pressed to hers.
"Good morning," He opened his eyes looking at her, she smiled up at him, then glanced up at the window noticing the rain and shivering, he rubbed his hand up and down her arm, trying to warm her up, before rolling off her and sitting up, yawning again.
"At least you got to be in nice warm weather in your dream," She laughed pulling the blanket up more.
"I don't think that was the 'Heat' I was referring to," He laughed swinging his legs off the bed, and facing away from her.
"What do you mean?" She asked honestly, he turned his head back, seeing her head cocked adorably to the side. He stood from the bed, cracking his neck from side to side.
"Heat…. I probably meant guns… Firearms," He explained, watching her eyes travel down his body, her cheeks blushing when she noticed his boner, he just shrugged and turned walking out of the room and into the Kitchen area. "I need coffee... do you want coffee?" He called to her, she didn't answer him, but he started making a pot anyways in his small black coffeemaker.
"No I don't drink coffee," She finally answered, he turned around leaning against the counter and watched her as she walked into the room her hoodie now on but her legs still bare. "People have told me I'm high strung enough without it," she looked out the much larger window behind his desk, watching the rain.
"You don't say," He responded sarcastically, holding his chin between his curled index finger and his thumb. She turned her head glaring at him.
"Let me guess though, you drink your coffee black," She looked at him sassily putting her hand on her hip.
"I mean.. I can," He laughed, opening a cabinet and pulling down a white coffee mug "But no I like vanilla stuff in it," He pulled the now full glass pot out and filled up his mug, letting the smell of it invade his nose and already start waking him up, he walked over to his fridge pulling out vanilla coffee creamer and adding a little, mixing it with his finger, before making eye contact with her and putting his finger in his mouth making her blush again, he leaned back on the counter taking a long sip and watching as she walked around to the other side of his desk and sat in the rolling chair. "Is that just some weird myth women have created?" He asked, she looked up at him raising an eyebrow "That any guy who is a badass, gangster, or any form of a bad boy has to drink coffee black… that's what females have reduced us to, how we take our coffee?" He laughed. She just shrugged. Her eyes no longer looking at him, but roaming all over his desk at different papers, and he couldn't help but smile watching her face get serious, she really was investigative by nature, he could tell that much, he wasn't sure yet if that was going to continue being a problem but for now he found it intriguing and cute.
"I mean not to group you in with clichés, but you do take whiskey straight," She said matter of factly, pulling her legs up on the chair and spinning it to face him more.
"Eh, I disagree, I take whiskey however the hell I can get it," He laughed taking another sip of his coffee. "But is that another one? All Badasses must drink Whiskey straight!" He declared raising his finger dramatically in the air.
"If you consider yourself a badass, I guess," She shrugged, looking away from him in mock innocence, struggling not to smile.
"You better watch yourself, Cooper," He warned putting his mug down, and stepping over to her. His 6'1 frame towered over her curled up form in the chair, lifting her chin to look at him, he stepped even closer making her chin rest right above his belly button, flexing the muscles in his stomach to make them harder, she sucked her lip into her mouth, tilting her head down she released her lip, looking up at him and making eye contact with him while she confidently sank her lips into his skin, kissing his stomach, her hand snaking around him, holding him to her. He sucked in a sharp breath as her tongue entered the kiss, and he pushed his hand back into her hair, taking every ounce of his control not to push her head lower, his boner coming back with a vengeance, she kissed him again pulling back and smiling wickedly at the scowl that was now on his face at the loss of her. "You planning on doing something with that?" He asked raising his eyebrows, looking down at his tented boxers, she looked down blushing, the hesitation obvious in her posture, he hadn't meant to push her to do something she didn't want to. "Or are you just teasing me?" He asked playfully, pulling her face to look at him with both of his hands on either side of her face, leaning down and kissing her, before walking away back to his coffee, trying to ignore how hot his skin felt.
"I...I want to Jug, I just," She sighed looking away embarrassed. "I don't really know what to do," She chewed on her lip looking back to him her eyes slightly glossy. He watched her thoughtfully, taking a long sip and not breaking eye contact.
"That's okay, whenever you are ready, I am more than happy to take whatever you will give me," He nodded honestly, and although right at that second his body was about to be very frustrated with him, he would be lying if he said it didn't make him oddly excited that she would be learning all of that with him, that she had never experienced that stuff before, completely satisfying the possessive side of him. "How about breakfast? What do you wanna do today? I gotta go down stairs for bit, but after…" He had turned while he spoke opening the pantry next to the fridge looking inside for anything they could eat.
"I have to go home, Jug," she interrupted him "It's Sunday and I have done absolutely no homework," She laughed, he grabbed a box of Poptarts pulling them out and turning towards her.
"Man… Homework, I don't miss that," He laughed shaking his head. "Quick breakfast it is," He held the box in the palm of his hands eyeing it, then her, trying to entice her.
"Wow, I feel so spoiled," She laughed standing up and walking over to him, grabbing the box of s'mores flavored pop-tarts from him, leaning on the counter and opening it.
"Well I would cook you breakfast but I don't wanna take away from your academic focus," He chastised.
"You cook?" She asked holding a foil wrapper in her hand, pulling it open and sliding out one of the square pastries, handing him the open pack with one still in it.
"I do," He nodded despite her skeptical look "You learn shit when you have to take care of yourself your whole life," He shrugged nonchalantly, but she stood up straighter, looking at him sadly. "No, we aren't doing that," He laughed, taking a bit from the corner of his Pop-tart.
"Doing what?" She asked that meaningful, sad look in her eyes.
"Throwing a Jughead pity party," He said his mouth still full, he put his hand over her eyes to block her from looking at him.
"Stop it," She pulled his hand down, that unmistakable tone of pity still laced through her voice.
"So what homework, maybe I can help?" He asked changing the subject, she turned and pulled herself up sitting on the counter, pulling a piece of her Pop-tart off and tossing it into her mouth.
"Did you even graduate?" She asked raising her eyebrow. He licked his lips slamming his hand into his chest, looking at her in mock pain.
"Jesus Betts, tell me what you really think of me," he chuckled, her eyes went wide realizing how she must have sounded.
"No I just meant, with being your own guardian, and leading the Serpent's so young…" She trailed off blushing and looking away ashamed. "I just meant that must have been hard," She mumbled.
"I wasn't my own guardian, my mom was around," He answered carefully, choosing not to go into any further detail about his relationship with Gladys. "But yes I graduated, went to college too," He nodded, she looked up from her food, her eyebrows knitting together in shock, he smirked with a sideways smile, reveling in her obvious under estimation of him.
"What did you major in?" She asked thoughtfully, taking a small bite.
"Classic's at first, but I was working on changing it to English Literature," He answered, turning and placing himself between her legs.
"You were working on that?" She asked being too aware to let his words get past her, he just nodded. "And now?" She asked not letting it go.
"I had to take a little hiatus, the club started picking up too much and they needed me here," He said flatly. "I'm cool with it though, this is what I do, it's my job," He shrugged "Speaking of my job, I should get back to work," he looked at her pointedly, she dropped her gaze, fiddling with her hands in her lap.
"So what's the deal with that guy?" She asked looking at him through her lashes carefully.
"Honestly Betty, the less you know the better," He said giving her a dark look before stepping out of her legs, he ran his hands through his hair, walking back into his bedroom, he heard her feet hit the floor and pad after him, he made his way to his dresser pulling out clothes and slipping them on. He turned and watched her sliding on her jeans and pulling her shoes on, once they were completely dressed she grabbed her phone from the bed and started walking out of the room.
"This is gonna sound weird," She mumbled as they stepped into the hallway, He turned his head looking down at her next to him as they started down the stairs "I umm… I don't have your phone number," She said shyly, he just held out his hand expectantly, she reached into her pocket pulling out her phone and handed it to him, he programed himself as a contact, keeping the name blank except the small crown emoji. She looked down at her phone that was now back in her hand and up at him questioningly.
"I don't know how much of a secret you wanna keep me," he shrugged, she just nodded at his words putting her phone away, they walked down the stairs in silence, but he noticed her gaze lingering on the stairs that lead to the warehouse, he slid his hand around her waist, pulling her through the door to the bar. They walked to the main area where Joaquin and Kevin were already there standing in a small circle with Sweet Pea and Gears. Their heads all turned to Jughead and Betty as they approached the group.
"Good morning, did you get some good beauty rest?" Sweet Pea quipped giving Betty a flirty smile, making Jughead clench his jaw, knowing the boy meant no harm, but still not liking it.
"Any news yet?" Jughead interrupted, glaring slightly.
"A little," Gears responded hesitantly, looking at Betty and Kevin, pushing his glasses up and landing his gaze back on Jug who just nodded knowingly.
"We should go," Kevin said looking at Betty, his face oddly exhausted, and she just nodded silently.
"Come on, I'll walk you out," Jughead laced his fingers through hers comfortably, pulling her towards the back of the bar and out the back door, the rain had let up slightly, but it was still lightly drizzling, Betty pulled her hood over her head, they walked to the car that Kevin had driven with Joaquin. Kevin hugged Joaquin kissing him gently on the cheek before sliding into the drivers side. Jughead pulled Betty to him, hugging her tightly, his short sleeve shirt doing nothing against the cold, the rain already making his hair wet, he pulled away meeting her gaze that was staring into him.
"I really am leaving tomorrow," He said finally watching her look down.
"Be careful, please," She said quietly, he lifted her chin up, nodding at her.
"I'll come get you when I'm home," He dipped his head down, kissing her, instinctively deepening it, knowing he was going to be going through withdrawls from her lips, She nodded as he broke the kiss reaching to the side of her and opening her door. "Watch out for her," Jughead leaned his head down looking at Kevin as Betty slumped into the car, he shut the door, and tapped the hood of the car, watching with his arms crossed over his chest as the car started and pulled out of the lot, driving away, Jughead sighed feeling oddly empty without her next to him. He stayed there, letting the rain hit his skin, staring off, he felt a hand grab his shoulder and turned to see Sweet Pea standing next to him now. Jughead nodded at him, turning and walking back inside, his 2nd at his side.
"So, he say anything yet?" Jughead asked looking to Gears.
"He had just been mumbling about a price, a bounty I'm assuming, but nothing concrete," The boy said, Jughead tensed already having a gut feeling that's what it was, He squared his shoulders giving Sweet Pea a hard look who just nodded at him.
"Is Toledo still here?" He asked, looking around the bar.
"They were earlier, but they rode out kind of early, I guess they had some business to take care of," Jughead nodded, feeling oddly bad that he had slept in so long. He turned away from them, and started walking to the stairwell that lead downstairs, his boys following closely behind. He walked down the metal stairs, seeing the junkie still strapped to the chair, his breathing slightly labored. Jughead walked over to him, grabbing the wound that was bandaged on his arm startling the guy, who opened his bloodshot eyes looking at Jughead wildly.
"You ready to talk?" Jug hissed, staring the guy down and stepping back, Sweet pea handed Jughead his gun wordlessly, the junkie's eyes followed the action his body visibly tensing, the gunshot in his leg had bleed quite a bit pooling around his left foot, his jeans soaked red. The guy was shaking violently at this point, and Jug leaned down meeting his eyes. "I wanna let you go man, I really do, I just need to know what you were looking for," He sighed trying to make his voice softer, more relatable. He just laughed weakly, Jug clenched his jaw, his anger rising, he pushed the barrel of the gun into the open hole in the guy's shin making him cry out.
He dug it in further, curling his lips into a scowl, twisting it into the wound.
"Fuck," The guy cursed dropping his head, Jug pulled the glock back, lifting it and pointing at at the mans chest first, gliding it up and pushing it forcefully into the guy's cheek.
"Without information, you are useless to me," He shrugged coldly, tilting the glock to the side.
"Wait wait, okay…" The guy choked out, shaking more. "It's just about the money man…" He sputtered desperately.
"What money?" Jug asked carefully, narrowing his eyes.
"We were just told there was a reward for information…" The junkie looked around the room at all the other guys nodding like he was doing a good job answering questions, they all glared back not breaking.
"Information on what?" Jug asked standing up and stepping away from him.
"Just the Serpent's man, we were just given some names," He tried lifting his head more confidently "I didn't know anything, just about the money," his voice shook.
"What names?" Jughead growled, the man stayed silent looking at the floor now, "What names?" Jug repeated more sternly.
"Just Jones," He said shaking his head looking up at Jughead his eyes pleading.
"And this rewards… It would come from the Collector?" Jughead asked raising his eyebrow intimidatingly.
"Yeah, Castle said info for money, that's it man, I wasn't gonna hurt anyone," He nodded obviously feeling more optimistic about his situation. "Just info on Jones, and some bitch named Cooper," At the mention of Betty's last name Jughead tensed his body starting to shake with rage, his vision went completely red, he lifted the gun point blank at the junkie's forehead.
"Jug…" He heard Sweet Pea's voice but he was too far gone, he squeezed the trigger the only thought going through his mind was that this man was now a threat to Betty, and he couldn't let him go knowing that information, he didn't even hear the pop from the glock, all the sounds fading out as an intense ringing started in his ears, the guys lifeless body slumped over. Jughead let out a shaky breath, dropping the gun to his side, sound began filtering back into his ears "...fuck are we supposed to do, Castle is gonna be even more on our shit now," Sweet Pea's voice rang through.
"What?" Jug looked at him somewhat disoriented, shaking his head coming back to himself. Guilt suddenly filled him, realizing what he had just done.
"Are you gonna let him die?"
"Fuck," Jug ran his hands through his hair.
"Yeah, 'Fuck' is right," Sweet Pea shook his head, glaring at Jughead. Jug narrowed his eyes back, their heated exchange obviously making Gears and Joaquin shift uncomfortably.
"Well what the fuck were we supposed to do, he was talking about Betty," Jughead shook his head.
"Seriously?" Sweet Pea almost yelled "Some girl… and you fucking just go straight to killing our best lead?" He asked stepping closer to Jughead. Jughead tensed, his nostril flaring as his second in command questioned him.
"We got all the information he had," Jug defended his decision "If you don't like the way I fucking handle things, there is the door," Jughead growled pointing the glock still in his hand up the stairs. But he let it fall quickly back to his side, closing his eyes still feeling an odd mixture of emotion, the guilt not leaving his gut.
"Get your head together, Jones," Sweet Pea said calming down slightly, sighing and looking back down to the body still slumped in the chair. Jughead stared at him, the tension still running high, but he just nodded.
"I'll take care of Castle," Jug finally sighed, walking past them "Gears, get Ace and Happy, we gotta clean this up," The boy just nodded turning on his heel and racing up the stairs. "You good to help?" He asked looking at Joaquin who just nodded silently at him, before looking back down at the body swallowing audibly. "Lets go," He looked at Sweet Pea, before walking up the stairs, the other serpent following closely on his tail. They walked into the bar, Jughead pulled a cigarette pack from his pocket pulling one out and lighting it, and turning to Sweet Pea who was watching him with his arms crossed over his chest.
"We should ride out tonight, get this shit handled as soon as possible," Sweet Pea said his tone still clipped, Jughead just nodded, taking a long drag. Sweet Pea turned and started walking away obviously going to get ready for their long ride ahead of them.
"Pearce," Jug called after him, his tone cold, Sweet Pea turned around raising his eyebrow "I'll meet you at your place at 7pm..." Sweet Pea nodded waiting for him to continue, Jug took another long drag, raising his chin and blowing the smoke up into the air "And the next time you question me like that in front of the crew, I'll dog walk your ass," he leveled his gaze, Sweet Pea just sighed nodding and turned away walking swiftly out of the front door. Jughead looked to the side, seeing Toni, with raised eyebrows as she watched them. "Don't ask," Jug rolled his eyes, walking away too and heading for his room, needing to get away from all of it.
He showed up at sweet pea trailer at exactly 7pm knocking on the door and scowling when Jack opened the door.
"Hey J. Bones," his honorary uncle smiled lovingly, using his childhood nickname for him.
"Eightball," Jug nodded using his serpent nickname and looking away hastily. Jack opened the door wider motioning for him to come in, Jughead hesitated for a minute, but eventually walked through the front door, making his way into their small living room.
"So how ya been? Can I grab you a beer or something?" Jack ask grabbing one for himself.
"No, I'm good, thanks though," Jughead looked at the man trying to give him a slight smile, but finding it forced.
"Hey so listen, I've been meaning to catch up with you anyway…. You talked to your old man lately?" Jack asked trying to sound light hearted as if he were just asking how the weather was, Jughead's eyes narrowed as he took in the question.
"Dad…" Sweet Pea said in a warning voice as he walked through the front door, holding his helmet in his hand. "We really gotta go," Sweet Pea gave the man a pointed look.
"Oh yeah, of course, I was just thinking, J's probably got so much to catch up on with FP, he talks about you all the time kid," Jack tried turning his attention back to Jughead. Jug knew what he was doing, Eightball Jack was to FP who Sweet Pea was to Jug, They were the Jones' second in command, they were practically brothers, and Jug tried endlessly to not hate Jack the way he hated FP, it was never his fault, he had always been a good father to Sweet Pea, and a good man to Jughead, and for that he would always be respected, Jug loved him like family, but he couldn't stand the constant manipulative bullshit, that almost always happened around Jack, so he avoided him for the most part.
"It's good to see you, Jack," Jug said honestly, nodding slightly before turning and walking out the front door ignoring anything the man had said. Sweet Pea followed him closely to their bikes where Sweet Pea had parked his right next to Jugs.
"Sorry man, I just went to fill up, figured I'd beat you here," Sweet Pea looked back to his trailer sighing apologetically.
"It's cool," Jughead shrugged, brushing off the whole encounter. They both got on their bikes. Jug turned to sweet pea, "That guy earlier…" He started having no idea why he was even explaining this or defending himself, maybe it was more to stop his own guilt after what he had told Betty, he wasn't sure, "Toledo found his car a few blocks away, he had more drugs, and a shit ton of pictures of girls, some peeping tom shit, he was just a customer, Castle wouldn't have employed him…. My point is, no big loss," Sweet Pea just nodded respectfully at his explanation. Pulling his helmet over his head.
"You don't need to justify shit to me, I got your back," Sweet Pea said somewhat apologetically, his voice muffled by the padding on his helmet. Jughead just nodded pulling on his own helmet. This was the most emotional him and Sweet Pea would ever get, but they knew how to read each other well enough to be on the same page with what they meant. Jughead kicked his stand back and revved his bike, taking off as him and Sweet Pea headed out, starting their two hour ride to New York.