This new series focuses on outsider perspectives of everyone's favorite couple Bughead. These will mostly be OCs and sometimes from our gang.
Angela let go of the breath she was holding after seeing her new roommates. Daisy was already in the apartment and unpacking. Her parents are already leaving them to their own devices. Daisy was cheery, greeting her like they already knew each other. Yale was already intimidating enough and Angela was afraid she would be stuck with snobs.
Daisy and her were sharing a bedroom. The single being left to their other roommate. Angela was clearly the shyer among the two, but seeing how bubbly Daisy was was refreshing. She already mapped out the entire social scene at Yale; knowing what frats were good for a party, groups to be weary of unless you want a run-in with campus police, and what professors won't make you wanna die the first week here.
They were unpacking their combined dishware for the kitchen when they heard a noise coming from the hallway.
"Honestly Elizabeth we should've been here earlier." An older woman opened the door to let a younger version of herself and a taller man in, both carrying boxes.
"I wanted to say goodbye to everyone." The younger girl said setting down her boxes in the living area.
The man followed suit, stretching out his lower back. "Could've at least brought some of the boys here to help. They would've dropped everything you know."
She sighed, "I know but there is too much happening on the southside. I couldn't drag them away just to help me move some boxes."
"At least should've made Archie." He grumbled.
"Charles there should be two more boxes in the car. I'm sure you can manage to get them." Angela assumed was her roommate's mom and all but dismissed him.
"Got it, Mom."
Daisy nudged Angela out of the kitchen so they could go introduce themselves.
The girl smiled as they approached, "Hi, I'm Betty Cooper."
"I'm Daisy and this is Angela."
"I'm Alice, Betty's mother, the man who went down is Charles, Betty's brother." Her smile was almost the exact same as Betty's.
"It's great to meet you guys." Daisy greeted.
Charles entered the door just in time, one was carrying a remaining larger cardboard box. Unlike the others which were meticulously labeled with a black Sharpie, this one had just one large letter in green. Angela squinted to make out the letter. An S? It was detailed more but before she could get a better look at it Charles took it straight to her room.
Betty left the room to say goodbye to her family in the hallway.
She came back in and shut the door with a resolute thud. Leaning back, she sighed dramatically.
Daisy smirked, "Happy to finally be on your own?"
"Happy that my mother can no longer show up when she pleases."
Betty left to go to her room to finish unpacking. Angela and Daisy cleaned up the kitchen.
Once everything was pretty much unpacked they assembled in the living room to get to know each other more. A tv show was playing in the background noise.
"Wait so are both of you guys out of staters?" Daisy asked.
Angela shook her head, "No I just live an hour away."
"I'm from a small town in New York."
Angela clinked her glass against Betty's. "Yessss, us small townies gotta stick together."
"Pfff," Daisy pouted, "Small towns are so boring."
"I prefer the quiet life. Don't you Betty?"
Betty didn't look at her when she took a drink. "Yeah."
Out of the three of them Daisy sure was the partyer. She wasn't obnoxious about it and kept everyone up to date on the latest drama around campus.
Spring break was several weeks away. Angela felt grateful that her first semester was everything she dreamed of. Her classes were great, her roommates became her closest friends.
Recently they've been telling each other stories of their childhoods. Daisy's were funny while hers were more mellow. Betty never went into much detail about her childhood. More so when they talked about high school experiences. All they knew was she was part of her school's newspaper with her boyfriend at the time and she was a cheerleader.
Daisy skipped through the door and let out a long sigh, dropping her bag next to the couch. Angela was working on her laptop while Betty was in the small alcove in their kitchen.
"What's got you so peppy?" Angela asked.
"Well one, bio sucked today, and two–" Daisy's eyes scanned the room and took in that they were minus a roommate. "Wait where's Betty?"
"Kitchen."
Daisy clicked her tongue. "Betty! Get your butt in here!"
Betty popped her head out. "What? Where's the fire?"
"I just got something to ask you two."
Betty took a cautious step out of the kitchen and into the couch. "Okay...what is it?"
Daisy clasped her hands together. "Brady is throwing the last party before spring break and I want all of us to go."
The other roommates simultaneously groaned.
Daisy rolled her eyes. "Come on guys, please? Everyone is gonna be there."
Betty was surprisingly the first one to cave. "Fine. I'm in."
"Angela?"
Her eyes flitted between the two. "Alright."
Daisy clapped excitedly, "Yay! This is only the biggest part of the whole school year. Everyone comes including other news by schools."
"Like who?" Betty questioned.
"New Haven Community College kids. They bring all of the goods: kegs, weed, and even some JJ."
Angela's eyebrows furrowed and Betty's widened.
"JJ?"
"JJ!"
"Yeah, Jingle Jangle. It's this new drug everyone's trying."
"Who supplies it?" Betty asked.
"Some gang? They look like hobos to be honest. The New Haven Serpents always supply weed."
Angela's eyes widened in disbelief. "Wow. Is this what I'm missing in city living? You guys have to deal with gangs?"
Daisy shrugged, "It's not all bad they keep their distance and don't bother nobody unless you get in deep with them."
Angela glanced at Betty. Her eyes had a faraway look to them and she appeared in deep thought. "You okay Betty?"
She was jolted out of their thoughts. Her eyes zeroed in on Daisy. "Do you think we can meet their leader?"
"What!" Daisy pointed a finger at her. "You want to meet Nix? For the love of God why?"
Betty sighed, "Back home we had a problem with Jingle Jangle in high school and it was killing kids. I wanna know if it's the same product being pushed."
"Are we finally gonna see Detective Cooper?" She said crossing her arms smugly.
"Can you do it?" she asked again more firmly, ignoring Angela.
Daisy slumped against the couch. "Yeah."
Daisy tapped her heeled foot near the entrance of their apartment. Angela was beside her leaning against the wall. They already finished up getting ready for the party. Angela already had to hear it from Daisy that she wasn't dressed slutty enough. Her dress wasn't skin tight and she had on leggings underneath.
"Let's go, Betty! We have to be on time to be fashionably late."
"I'm coming, I'm coming, don't worry," Betty yelled back from her room.
Angela heard something being zipped up before she heard the clacking of heels.
Daisy whistled appreciatively. "Wow, I'm impressed."
Angela was shocked as well. Seeing as this was the most skin Betty was voluntarily showing with a skin-tight dress and fishnet stockings. Her hair was down and curled on her shoulders.
"Don't look too shocked, guys. A girl has to keep some of her secrets."
Daisy laughed and opened the door so they could get out of there.
Arriving at the party, Angela was overwhelmed. Daisy wasn't kidding when she said everyone was gonna be here. She didn't ever go to parties, so she felt completely out of her element.
Betty sensing her discomfort, wrapped an arm around hers. "These things aren't such a big deal. Just stick with us."
"I'm surprised you're not freaking out. I haven't seen you attend any here with Daisy."
Betty leaned in close to her ear. "I've been to plenty of high school parties."
The bass music thumped stronger the more they moved away from the door. Guys and girls alike were conversing. A beer pong table was set up right outside the patio door. The ceiling was covered in mood lights.
Betty caught Daisy by the elbow. "Where's Nix?"
Daisy tugged both of them into the hallway of the frat house. Most of the doors were closed and probably locked to guests. Taking a left, they went down a set of stairs. Angela assumed this was the basement. Incandescent string lights were the only guide going down along the wall. The music faded slightly, but it was still louder enough to feel the vibrations.
The atmosphere was chilled. People were talking and drinking, the majority of them in black leather. Angela huddled closer to Betty. They looked exactly like she had seen in the movies and if they had ever taught her anything is that they were dangerous.
She observed Daisy and Betty. Daisy didn't seem scared, but she was cautious. Her eyes flitted back and forth between the members in leather as if she was searching for something specific on their back. All of the members had a circular serpent motif in bright green. In white lettering were the words New Haven Serpents.
Betty didn't seem cautious or scared. She had an air of calmness and familiarity about being surrounded by them. Daisy tugged Betty forward, which in turn had her pulling Angela along.
She saw a guy that was surrounded the most. His brown hair was slicked back off his forehead. He turned his back briefly, and his jacket was the only difference. His large motif was an H with a serpent intertwined in the large letter. It struck Angela that this must be Nix.
When they got closer the members stiffened and almost got in front of Nix. The leader waved them off.
"Fancy meeting you here again Sweetheart but you know I don't sell personally." His smooth voice addressed Daisy.
"I'm not here for a purchase. My roommate actually wanted to meet you." She gestured to Betty. "She wanted to meet the Serpent leader herself."
Nix opened his mouth.
"The Serpent King." Betty corrected for him and held out a hand to shake. "Betty Cooper."
He takes her hand, "Charmed, but if you're not here to buy I don't think I can offer much else."
Betty bunched up her dress, sliding it up her left side to reveal her upper thigh. There proudly inked was a snake in the shape of an S with a crown on its head.
Nix's eyebrows rose to his forehead. "Well I'll be, we have a queen in our midst boys."
The members around them immediately relaxed and adopted a laidback posture. Nix retook her hand and kissed the back of it.
Daisy leaned in hissing for only Betty and Angela to hear. "Betty what the hell."
She shook her head lightly to brush off her impending questions. "I've heard you guys had run-ins with people selling JJ?"
Nix nodded, "They've been taking over some of our link-up spots, and some of my boys gotten into scuffles."
"They call themselves the Gargoyle gang. We've faced them before two years ago and were able to drive them out but they've made a resurgence."
"What chapter are you from?"
"Southside Riverdale."
He rolled his neck, "What do you propose we do about it?"
"The Gargoyles have a base camp south of Riverdale. Their leader Kurtz has a personal vendetta against our King but we're outnumbered to approach them on their turf. We get rid of your Gargoyle problem and get them to stop selling JJ here and when the time comes you guys help us drive them out of their camp."
His lips pursed in thought. The others shifted and talked amongst themselves.
He held out his hand to shake on the deal. "Aye, what the hell. No Serpent stands alone."
Betty nodded once. "In unity there is strength."
For the first time since meeting him, Nix smiled.
By the time they got back to their apartment. Daisy couldn't stop staring at Betty and opening her mouth every minute wanting to interrogate her.
"Betty whatever your middle name is Cooper you have some explaining to do."
Betty sighed, slumping against the couch. "It never came up."
"Bullshit," Daisy said, her arms crossed. Her posture was rigid standing over her. Angela took a tentative seat next to Betty.
"Look. My high school life wasn't as picture-perfect as most people think and yes my hometown has gangs but the Serpents are family. They've been there for me when my own wasn't and I will do anything to make sure they're all safe back home." Betty affirmed.
It was a tense silence for several seconds.
Daisy shifted on her feet. "You are nothing like I thought you were."
"In a good way or a bad way?" She smiled ruefully.
"In an I've been saying I was stuck with the two most straight-laced people as roommates but it turns out one of them is a gang member kinda way."
Betty giggled slowly followed by Daisy and Angela.
When it came around for spring break, Daisy insisted they all spend it together in Riverdale. At first, Betty wasn't sure but she eventually was worn down by her pestering.
The drive was almost four hours. Betty had to let her mom know that she was bringing her friends. Alice rolled out the red carpet for them with her patent Cooper hospitality. Betty got her room back and the other two were sharing JB's old room. They were all tired from the travel so they just stayed in the house the rest of the day.
The next day Betty did her best to show them around town one of those stops was of course at Pop's.
"This is Pop's, our safe haven growing up. It also has the best burgers and milkshakes."
The door jingled upon entering. It wasn't packed but there were a fair few for lunch. Angela glanced around in wonder. It was like she was transported back to the 1950s. She's never been in an old-school diner like this.
Pop tilted his head up from the glass he was cleaning. "Well, I'll be, Betty Cooper. How are ya?"
"Hey, Pop. I'm just back for spring break. These are my roommates from Yale." She gestured with her head.
"Betty keeps telling us you have the best burgers and shakes. We figured it was about time to see for ourselves." Daisy teased.
Pop laughed, "I don't know about that but Betty is one of the smartest people I know. Take a seat and I will be right with you."
Betty led them to the back booth which was always a favorite of hers and Jughead's. Pop came to take their order, Betty of course didn't need to give hers as Pop had it memorized since middle school.
Daisy took a sip of her vanilla shake. "Okay, you were right. This is the best milkshake I've ever had."
"Told yeah."
The bell on the door chimed again. Virtually everyone in the diner turned to look who came in. The first girl was dressed head to toe in red, from her hair to her red boots. The other girl garnered her own attention with her shockingly pink hair.
Angela couldn't stop staring at objectively the prettiest girls she's ever seen. She almost shrunk in her seat feeling self-conscious about her own appearance. "Wow." She mumbled drawing Daisy and Betty's attention.
Betty smiled and sat up straighter. The girl with pink hair and black leather saw her first and whispered something to the redhead. They made it over to their table.
"We were hoping you'd be back for a break." The shorter girl smirked sliding into the seat next to Betty.
"I figured you two were probably tired of putting up with the boys."
The more intimidating redhead, flipped her hair over her shoulder, squishing the two further in the upholstery. "Most of the underlings are still afraid of me so I'm not bothered too much."
Betty snorted, shaking her head. She remembered she had to make introductions.
"Oh, Daisy and Angela this is Toni Topaz and Cheryl Blossom. Girls these are my roommates."
Toni waved a two-finger salute to them in greeting and Cheryl brushed them off. "You forgot to say cousin as well."
Betty nodded once, "Right, the only family member who isn't crazy."
"Better anyway we gained a new family."
"Oh, are you guys also Serpents?" Angela murmured the last word.
Toni looked amused by it. "Yeah since I was born. What's it to you?"
"They saw my tattoo and there are Serpents in New Haven." Betty supplied an answer.
Cheryl raised an eyebrow, "Rolling with a different king Cousin? Does Jonesy know about this?" She quipped.
Betty rolled her eyes. "I was gonna see him at the Wyrm tonight. I was able to make a deal with the New Haven Serpents."
"It's actually a good thing you're here." Toni leaned in, "Swift and Gear caught the dealer that gave JJ to Memphis's daughter."
Betty gasped, "Are you serious? How's Memphis and Laura holding up?"
"Good as you can imagine finally catching the reason their 10-year-old is dead," Cheryl said sarcastically.
Angela and Daisy both gasped in shock. "Did the police take him?"
"We don't let the police handle gang matters Sweetheart." Toni explained, "Jones is putting it to a vote on what we do with him tonight."
Betty's mouth turned grim. "I'll be there for it."
"So what exactly is the Wyrm?" Daisy questioned.
"It's a bar on the Southside. Our home base. So wear dark clothes, nothing too fancy."
Angela put down a dress she brought. "What are you wearing?"
Betty smirked, pulling out something from her own suitcase. "My jacket."
She dressed in a white crop and waist-high denim shorts with boots. Over it was her Serpent jacket.
"I know we saw the tattoo but it didn't seem real until you put on the jacket."
Angela came in with ripped jeans and a dark blue sweater. "Are you sure it's okay that we're there?"
"Yeah, we have outsiders in the clubhouse before but you guys are my personal guests."
Daisy shrugged, "Good enough for me."
They were ready to go. Alice was doing a late night at the station. Betty led them to the garage. There was the car she's been working on for three years. It runs but she was always improving it and Betty was really happy with it anyway. A 1970 Ford Mustang with a sky blue colorway.
"You are just full of surprises."
Betty had made this trip to the Whyte Wyrm plenty of times. The two observed the stark difference in the town as soon as they crossed the train tracks. She pulled into a packed parking lot. Bikes lined up next to each other near the entrance. The snake neon sign illuminated the steps up to the door.
"Just stay by my side. Some of them like to intimidate new people."
The first person to notice her arrival was Hog-Eye. "Coop has returned!" His voice boomed loud over the rock music playing.
Serpents' attention turned to the blonde who just walked in. They raised a glass welcoming her back home some chorused her name. Betty smiled and waved at her friends to follow her to the bar.
Angela tried her best not to gawk at the inside. They had a stage with a karaoke machine in the corner. They also had two TVs above the bar. In the middle were the plethora of high tables and surrounding the edges were booths. Lined up on the left side were four pool tables. Cheryl stood out like a beacon with her red leather jacket.
Betty took a seat next to Cheryl who was nursing a chardonnay. "Still rowdy as ever in here."
Toni wiped down the counter from her position behind the bar. "Most of the guys are getting restless with the Gargoyles."
She ran her fingers through her loose hair and sighed, "Where's Jug?"
"Upstairs. He's talking to some of the guys about the vote tonight."
She turned to her roommates. "Stay close to me or the bar. Toni and Cheryl are good for keeping away the riff-raff." She said cheekily and turned to Toni. "Anything they get put it on my tab."
Approaching a high top near the stage with an older gentleman and lady, she gave them both hugs. It was too loud for Angela to make out the exchange of words. Cheryl noticed her staring. "That's Memphis and Laura."
She came back a few minutes later. "I hope they get whatever they want from this vote." Her hand tightened into a fist on the counter. Cheryl laid her hand on top of hers. "They will."
Her face brightened again at seeing a tall lanky boy finish up at a pool table. "Jer!"
The boy's face split into a grin and made his way over. "Ms. Betty. I'm happy you're here."
He bent his head down so Betty can place a kiss on his forehead under his bangs.
"I swear you get taller every time I see you."
He chuckled, "It only took me until my junior year."
"You keeping everyone in line at school? Any trouble?"
Jer nodded, "No trouble whatsoever."
Betty pinched his cheek. "Good."
He leaned his elbow on the bar between Angela and Daisy. "Can I get two IPAs, Toni?"
Toni raised an eyebrow. "You know the rules, Jeremy. Two drink minimum for those underaged and you already had one."
"I swear one of them is for Dutchie."
Toni reached down to the cooler and popped off both lids. "Tell him he's cut off after this. I don't want to deal with his drunk ass tonight."
"Roger that T."
Angela managed to relax a bit. Even though most of the Serpents seem rough they didn't stare and seemed to be having their own fun. A group of guys descended the stairs near the stage. The last one to come down had his jacket in his hand, leaving him only in a white tank top. He looked the way to the bar eyeing Toni, his jaw moving. "There's the man of the hour. Jughead Jones."
He made a swift motion across his neck and she cut the music. His eyes naturally traveled along the counter. His eyes narrowed at Daisy and her probably because he didn't know them. His cold gaze softened and his posture relaxed seeing Betty.
Betty felt a familiar burning gaze.
"Commence the eye fucking." Cheryl murmured.
Betty rolled her eyes.
"I already told him that you wanted to propose your vote tonight," Toni told her.
"Good, I want my vote first," Betty said making her way to the stage.
The man's eyes followed her figure. His arm was raised to run his fingers through his hair. Angela noted his arms were covered in colorful tattoos. He looked like a greaser from the 50s. He got up on stage and slid on his jacket as soon as Betty was in the front.
Another guy who came down the stairs with him stood off just below the stage. He put his fingers in his mouth to release a sharp whistle. Almost immediately everyone quieted down.
"Thank everyone who was able to come to meet us here tonight. We have a lot on the agenda concerning the Gargoyles."
Boos rose from the members and Jughead had to raise a hand to quiet them down again. "I know I know but first I'd like to welcome back our queen who will kick off tonight's vote."
The group cheered again and Betty placed a soft kiss on his cheek. "As all of you know, I've been in Connecticut for school. I want to make it clear that even though I'm not physically here on the Southside I can never forget my family. With the help of my roommates, I found a Serpent chapter in New Haven. My proposal is this: The New Haven Serpents will help take down the Gargoyle house in exchange we help them remove JJ off their streets."
Jughead raised his hand, forming fangs with his index and middle finger. "All those in favor?"
It was unanimous as every member mimicked his hand.
"It's official, I promise as your King that the Gargoyles will be gone from our territory by the year's end!"
The biggest guy at the front of the stage was the first one to cheer loudly. The others quickly followed. Angela was amazed at the respect this Jughead had. In her peripheral, Daisy also looked slightly starstruck by it all and that's saying something since she dealt with the New Haven Serpents before.
"Next order of business is something that cannot be taken lightly..." He whistled and immediately a Serpent pushed a very heavily beaten-up guy close to the stage. They came up from a downstairs area the man's hands tied behind his back with zip ties.
"Holy shit," Daisy muttered beside her.
Jughead had the man by the collar and placed him on his knees. "This the dealer that gave Memphis's daughter Jingle Jangle. He's the reason that 10-year-old Julie isn't with us today."
A beer bottle is hurdled and shatters on the Gargoyle dousing him in booze and glass.
"Enough!" The rowdy crowd quiets down. "Two options: we beat him bloody here and send him as a message or we take him back down to the basement and put a bullet in his head. All in favor of option one?"
A few fanged hands raise up to send a message to the Gargoyles.
"Option 2?"
Jughead nodded his head grimly, not really surprised by the outcome. "Take him back downstairs."
He was removed from the stage and taken back down.
"Memphis you don't have to be the one if you don't want to," Jughead assured him.
Memphis was stoic and he took out his concealed gun from his waistband. "I will for my little girl."
Jughead grasped his hand in permission. "Take your time."
As he walked passed to head down to the basement many members patted his back and clenched his shoulder to give him strength.
"Did we really just watch them condemn a guy to death?" Angela whispered to Daisy.
"I mean we have no proof right?" Daisy answered feeling unsure.
"I and several others will go up to New Haven in three weeks to talk plans about getting rid of the Gargoyles for good. We will make sure that Jingle Jangle won't be in the hands of any child in Riverdale." He held up the fang signal again. "IN UNITY THERE IS STRENGTH!"
The others echoed his gesture.
Jughead motioned for Toni to turn the music back on as his focus zeroed onto Betty. He wrapped her up in his arms, his face burying itself in her neck. He whispered something in her ear that made her laugh. She shook her head at him, taking him by the hand and bringing him to the bar.
Toni laid out a tumbler of whiskey for him.
"I'm guessing the only two people in here without jackets is your doing Nancy Drew?"
"Daisy and Angela. They helped me find Nix the king of the New Haven Serpents and also my roommates."
Jughead pointed with his drink, "Thanks for watching her back. She can be a handful when she's investigating."
Betty snorted, "That's like the pot calling the kettle black Jug."
He squeezed the back of her neck in retaliation.
Angela observed them. He was good-looking if you like a 90s Johnny Depp vibe. Upon closer inspection, his tattoos carried down to his knuckles. While all nine of his knuckles had some sort of image it was his ring finger on his left hand that held the only letter: a cursive B. She could also see the faint lines of a tattoo that expanded across his chest. The color bleeding through his white top. She noted that his jaw wouldn't stop moving and that was because the the wooden toothpick peeking out of the corner of his mouth.
"You aren't who I pictured when Betty said she had a boyfriend." Daisy confronted.
"Daisy." Angela hissed, hitting her on the arm.
Jughead chuckled, "We've been getting that sentiment since high school don't worry."
"Wait, you're the shy loner that also ran the newspaper with Betty?" Angela objected.
He side-eyed her, "Wow, way to expose me, Betts."
Betty clung to his side, running a hand up and down his torso, "Stop you're a romantic at heart under all that leather."
"Cousin Betty is right, you've never lost your hobo mentality." Cheryl chirped.
Jughead rolled his eyes and turned back to her roommates. "Don't let Betty's type-A personality and sweaters fool you. Underneath it all she can be a devious one."
Daisy sighed dramatically, "Yeah well from what we learned about her in the last two weeks the next 3 years will never be boring."