Jason and Polly, written for Theme 1: Spring Break!
This one has LESS supernatural elements in it (blink and you miss it) but it is TERRIBLY important to the longer story I'm telling, has A TON of important background info!
And, just to get this out of the way, in this story, Jason and Polly are NOT related. Wanna know how? Read on...

Friday at 3:30, fifteen minutes after the bell had rung, Riverdale High was practically empty. Unsurprising, as most of the kids had strewn out of the halls to get a start on their spring breaks as soon as possible. Polly sat in the office, going over the checklists for the volunteer trip one last time.

Her cell phone rang. She swiftly answered it with a bright and cheery hello, per her usual greeting.

"Polls, I think we found someone else to help with the trip!" It was her friend, Amanda, who would have loved to join her on this adventure, had she not made an appointment to get her wisdom teeth out during the break.

"Oh, really?" While Polly was confident in her leadership abilities, leading a volunteer trip with a group of 5th graders was daunting, even with help from two teachers. As it was, they were just within the law of students to helpers ratio, but that didn't mean they weren't going to welcome any and all help, "Thank god."

"Super last minute, he just went home to grab a bag," Amanda hummed.

"He?" Polly's eyebrows rose up. She frowned, cycling through the males at her school, trying to think of who might have signed up with genuine intentions. There wasn't a lot. At Amanda's paused and inhale of breath on the other end, Polly was immediately suspicious, "Who is it?" She asked dryly.

"Jason Blossom."

"Mandy-," Polly began to protest, rubbing her forehead and groaning. How could Mandy have fallen for that? The least likely person who was serious about going on a volunteer trip had to be Mr. Richy Spoilt-Pants, Jason Blossom. He was a nice guy, sure, but not exactly volunteer nice.

"I know, I know! But he sounded real serious," Amanda popped her gum over the phone, "Look, Polly, you said it yourself. You're not in a position to say no…?"

Polly held back a frustrated sigh, "He'd better be serious," She mumbled, watching as before her very eyes Jason pulled up in an Uber, waving to her through the glass pane.

"I'm sure you'll kick his ass if he isn't," Amanda laughed.

Darn right I will.

Jason came up to the office door, leaning against the wall.

"Hey, so, are we waiting for the other chaperones still?"

"We're all set now," Polly said blithely, "The other two adults- the teachers- are with the bus and will pick us up in...five or so minutes."

"Oh," Jason blinked, "Just us."

"It's not exactly a dream jet-setting vacation like the Maldives, or even to NYC. Just small towns." Polly said, shrugging, "If this isn't your thing-,"

"I'm good. I swear," Jason said, shooting her a smile, "Really."

"Hmm," Polly raised an eyebrow, "We'll see, I guess."

XXxxXX

Unsurprisingly, trying to more or less control a group of fifteen 12-year-olds left little time for friendly chatting between the two high schoolers. In fact, it wasn't until day 2 of the trip that Polly even got a conversation with Jason longer than short instructions or passing comment.

He was being nice, as Polly knew him to be.

Though they were in the same grade, they didn't exactly run in the same circles. Funny, since he was a football player and she a cheerleader. It seemed logical. The only commonality they had was the football field. Past that? Well…

Polly was the girl who was always volunteering and helping at Youth Groups and Church club. She had good grades; not great, but good enough. Enough that it kept her busy in her free time. She would be smiling and happy to anyone who passed by her way, but in truth she was a bit shy when it came to friends. Amanda had more or less adopted her over Polly picking her as a companion in high school.

Jason on the other hand almost seemed like every bad stereotype. He was rich, he was gregarious and popular, he always had girls hanging around him. His extracurricular were...sports, sports, and oh, some more sports. She got the feeling he was intelligent, but if he was in honors or AP classes, it was none of the ones Polly was in. He too seemed nice to everyone that bumped him in the halls, but he actually made friends with them. People came to Jason. Jason never had to reach out to make friends himself.

So, in this way, it was reasonable the pair had never truly crossed paths until this trip.

"You have a sister, don't you?" Jason asked conversationally as they loaded up on breakfast early that morning.

Polly nodded, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, "Betty. She's a freshman."

"I think I know her. Looks just like you," Jason said.

Polly pretended to consider the choice between oatmeal or cereal with intensity, "I don't have to ask about you," She said after a very awkward pause, "Cheryl."

"Mhh. Cheryl," Jason just said in agreement. His tone sort of said it all. Polly dared a lookup to see a loving, but exasperated, smile on his face.

She giggled softly to herself.

This kid might be okay.

XXxxXX

Polly found herself watching Jason very carefully after that. She paid more attention to a fellow supervisor than she might have with others, but she told herself her worries were founded. That is, however, until he defied every expectation.

He was patient with the children. He was able to joke with them and quickly gain their trust and friendship, but also able to lay down the law to stop stupid kids from doing stupid things. And, when he raised his voice a little, they listened. It had taken Polly nearly a month to gain a close enough relationship with them to be able to effectively reprimand them.

He was a good judge of logic and was a wealth of knowledge Polly wouldn't have expected. When kids came with him to a question, he usually didn't skip a beat in answering. Kids liked coming to him.

He never once complained about the crappy 3-star hotels they were staying in, despite the fact she knew he was used to a literal mansion. In fact, you would never be able to guess he came from money with how swimmingly he took to sharing a room with the male teacher and the threadbare double beds they were put up in.

He was approachable and easy-going, never once raising an issue if their plans changed and willing to be 100% present when the kiddos were around. He was the perfect sort of supervisor.

Polly was stumped and astounded.

She wanted to express her gratitude and surprise consistently but wasn't sure how to do it without sounding like a magnanimous asshole.

"Hey, you're not the prissy rich-boy I'd thought you were."

"Wow, you get along great with kids. I assumed the Blossoms taught each other to eat children or something."

"Look at you, that kid really respects you! Color me shocked!"

Yeah, not exactly what she was going for.

Maybe Jason knew. He was always looking to her to be double-sure he was doing everything how he was meant to. A trip that was hardly funded to begin with sure didn't have fancy instructional papers or actual training, and he deferred to Polly in a stitch. She hoped she was giving him positive looking nods or un-awkward thumbs up, but she wasn't sure of anything anymore.

XXxxXX

Day 4 found the pair in a Church.

While this trip wasn't specifically Catholic in nature, few kids that weren't religious had signed up. Plus, the highschool and middle school was more prompt to accept the trip when framed religiously, so to Church the students went. Even just for silent reflection.

Polly had been raised Catholic. Her parents were the poster-family for a good Christian family. She had been strictly brought up with weekly visits and prayer before meals. Her family got up every Christmas morning to go to the earliest possible time before opening any presents. Easter was more of an all-day religious affair than anything fun (Easter baskets had stopped happening around three years ago).

She was a...Red Letter Catholic, if she had to put a label on it. She and Betty twittered about their joined lack of true religious beliefs, but both had agreed that they didn't find any alternatives better. Plus, their mother would rain hellfire down upon them if they tried to become Agnostic or an Atheist, so they were more or less forced into their roles.

Polly liked some parts of the Bible. She liked the message to love thy neighbor. She liked the idea that all were welcome and forgiven. She liked that it preached non-violence. She liked quiet moments to reflect. She liked the ilk that she met through Church events. She liked being a 'good person', which was the root of all those messages anyway.

She didn't necessarily uphold all of the rules, though. She rarely actually managed to give anything up for Lent (even if she told Alice she had). She might not go to Church every week if not so prompted. She would probably attend important dates, but not at 6 AM. She wasn't a total shut in and knew what happened at parties and all. She wasn't against premarital sex, just hadn't ever a cause for it to happen. Her mother was unsurprisingly very strict with dating.

Her mom had given her birth control pills, though Polly was under no illusion this was a go-ahead to have wild one-night stands. They both knew it was for her acne, because her mother was brutally honest, and Alice was particularly militant about Polly taking it.

Polly hated how her mother harped on zits she couldn't control, but the daily pill was helping her. Even if it tasted like literal dirt.

But, she digressed. Point of the issue being; Alice= very religious. Polly= minorly religious, but keeps up appearances.

So, she could appreciate someone who was making an effort with the Church, even if they weren't religious. The little chapel they were helping this week was the one place that Polly had undeniable peace and quiet. If she were lounging in her room, she ran the risk of a student coming to her with a frustrating query.

No one would bother her in here.

Maybe Jason had come to the same conclusion. He had appeared in the pews a few rows back, dutifully silent. So silent and still Polly nearly missed his presence entirely, but his red hair wasn't a hallmark that faded easily into backgrounds.

She almost just gave a curt nod, but found herself drawn to sit next to him. He had that sort of charisma.

They shared a wordless exchange where Polly asked him if she could sit and he scooted over, indicating a section of faded fabric for her.

The church was empty besides a lone priest lighting candles and preparing for the next day's service.

Jason was sitting slightly forward, hands clasp on the front row of the pew. His expression was impossible to read.

"I didn't know your family was religious," Polly said in a quiet voice as not to disturb the worker.

Jason glanced over at her, a funny smile on his face.

"We're not," he snorted, as though laughable, "In fact, I'm not entirely unconvinced that Cheryl wouldn't burst into flames the second she walks through the door."

Polly let out a loud giggle, one that was unexpected and much too loud for the quiet. She sent an apologetic look to the priest, who just frowned at the pair.

"And not because she's...you know." Jason waved a hand. Then, he winced, "I wasn't supposed to...it's not…"

"I don't," Polly's forehead creased. She prided herself on not spending a great deal of time with Cheryl, even if they were both Vixens. She just wasn't a huge fan.

"Bi." He said after a second. Polly hummed, not shocked about this revelation. She didn't care who you loved. Gay, straight, bi...whatever, not her place to judge. She thought the Church was pretty backwards on that.

"I guess it's not a secret, but it's also not common knowledge. I forget," Jason said quietly, "Our parents don't...well, you'd almost think them Catholic." He said with zero humor in his voice.

"Oh," Polly murmured. The indication was clear. For as frustrating as Alice and Hal were, at least they did all they did out of love. She couldn't be sure the same was at the Blossom household. Maybe Alice wouldn't be pleased as punch if she or Betty were lesbians, but she didn't think her mother would be cruel.

The priest shot them another look and Polly stood, "Did you want to pray more?"

Jason shook his head, "I was just looking for a moment to think. We can leave."

The walk to the hotel was perhaps five minutes.

"So," Polly began again, "I know Cheryl is in Bora Bora. WIth the rest of your family. And you're here." There may not have been an explicit question, but Jason understood.

"I just needed some time away. My family can be difficult. My parents, mostly." He said, face darkening.

"I get that."

"I don't think you could," Jason shrugged, "Sorry. I don't mean to load it on you. Not your fault."

"I did ask," Polly said kindly, "I'm a safe person to talk to. I don't find enjoyment in spreading rumors and secrets."

"We could talk for this entire week and never truly unpack them," Jason waved a hand, "I'll just leave it at this; this was an escape. Not the worst way to spend a spring break."

Polly didn't want to judge him more on it, but she was curious about his family life. The Blossoms were so imposing, it was hard to see them as real people. Jason was real though. Startling real.

"And Cheryl's not going through withdrawal?" Polly asked, then immediately winced. They weren't close enough friends for her to joke about such things. It probably just sounded unkind.

Jason raised an eyebrow at her. The Blossom twins closeness was talked about by many. Cheryl and Jason did everything together. It was hard not to think of one without thinking of the other.

"She threw a fit in typical Cheryl style," Jason replied, seemingly well aware of the whispers, "But think about it. We both hate our parents, really hate. We were raised to be each other's only friends, only companions. I miss her already too."

"I guess when you put it like that. You did share a womb. I love Betts, but I'm not sure I'd want to be that close to her." Polly gave a little shudder.

"Cheryl can be difficult. I know that more than anyone. But she's a good person, deep down. Maybe really deep down, but it's there. She cares deeply, you just don't see it. She was taught to grow a thick skin or else mother would have eaten her alive. She doesn't let many in, but once you do get that far, you'd see it's all an act. Most of it is an act," He corrected, "Don't be too hard on her."

"Sorry," Polly's whole face was bright red. She really did feel bad.

Jason crossed his arms, "It's not an uncommon reaction to her. I'm just saying. I'm her brother, I have to. We protect each other. No one else will."

Polly smiled, nodding, "That's really sweet."

"What about you?" Jason, as he walked, shifted to nudge her arm softly.

"Oh, my parents are weird, sure, but not like that-,"

"I mean, why are you here? Was it just to escape Riverdale?" Jason added on.

"Sorta. My parents- and Betty- are going to a News Reporter Symposium in Atlanta, I think. Not exactly glam. I could have stayed home all week, but I had been helping plan this for a year. To help bolster my college applications. And, that I actually like helping people." She didn't want to sound vain.

"I don't think anyone could accuse you of being a mean person. You're the nicest person I've ever met. Serious." Jason said, waving his hand out.

"You're just saying that," Polly mumbled, "I just put myself out there to help others. Most don't."

"And that means something." They'd reached the front of the hotel, "Well, Cooper, I'll see you tomorrow," Jason announced, giving her a wink and a salute before taking the stairs to the boy's rooms on the second floor.

Even though he was long gone, Polly's fingers lifted in a wave.

Jason Blossom was a peculiar person.

XXxxXX

Day six, the day before they were to leave, they found themselves alone once again. Not alone as as in a locked empty room together, but they were given a handful of hours to explore the town and enjoy themselves. They were, after all, kids themselves.

It felt like a date that wasn't. They found an old movie theater playing only weird box office flops and paid to see The Green Lantern with Ryan Reynolds. Polly didn't even think that movie was worth the two dollars they paid, but it provided good laughs. After, they located an ice-cream shop and took their frozen treats to a park.

The town was a lot like Riverdale in that it was tiny and quaint. It was small enough that the Park was mostly deserted, especially at this hour. They, as they meandered through the grassy space, found a rock structure that had scuff marks all over. Polly probably wouldn't have climbed up on it alone, worried about being reprimanded, but Jason saw it and made the decision to climb it immediately.

"You're just going to sit down there all alone?" He teased at her sour expression, "C'mon, it's cool up here. Plus, you're still holding my ice cream."

Polly grumbled all the way up but wasn't going to make herself seem like even less fun by refusing to go along with it.

Once on top, they settled in.

The air was warm. There was a slight breeze that sent ripples across through the trees and across their cheeks.

"I hope this has been a good vacation for you," Polly said, drawing her legs up.

"It has." He agreed, but she wondered if he was nice enough that he wouldn't tell her if it hadn't.

He and Cheryl were truly so different. Night and day. Left and right. Action and inaction. It wasn't that hard to see. They were alike in their exact differences. Perhaps two sides of the same coin was apter. She got the acute feeling Jason was the one constantly holding Cheryl back, reminding her to be more kind. She also inferred that Cheryl was the one who taught Jason to be strong and chivalrous. Together, they probably had a good time. Others around them probably liked them better together, as they tempered one another.

Their conversation came effortlessly. Maybe it was because they'd spent a week together. Maybe they were more similar than they had realized. Maybe the night and the euphoria and the laughter of the town and their excursion gave them both a freeing feeling in their chests. Whatever it was, Polly felt like Jason was a good friend and not a classmate she'd only known in passing a week ago.

At a lull in the conversation, just as Polly was almost ready to offer to start walking back, Jason asked a question that surprised her.

"What's a secret you have that you haven't ever told anyone," He asked, laying down on the rocks, seeming to ask the question to the stars, "A secret you'd take to your grave."

They had done away with frivolous easy questions long ago. They had reached more complicated ones about half an hour before this, so the severity of the question itself was not weird. It was the actual content and his pinched face when he said it.

Polly somehow knew he wanted to tell her something, something he'd been holding inside forever, something deep. Maybe he'd decided she was a polite enough person that she wouldn't actually spill secrets. Maybe he was banking that they'd never talk again. Maybe he had vetted her as a continuing friend already and this was the entry-level to companionship with Jason Blossom.

Polly wasn't sure. All she knew is that something was weighing on him and she felt like it was her duty to allow him to tell her without the embarrassment of it. By hiding it in a question, it was safer.

Polly actually did think about it. She was a fairly open person. She didn't like secrets, at least not earth-shattering ones. She lived her life to try not to collect secrets or hidden truths; her own or others.

"I've thought about suicide," She whispered, the only big secret she had. The one she didn't think she could tell anyone, "And I've thought of murder. That I could get away with it. That the smart criminals aren't caught. It's not meditated stuff. With suicide, sometimes I'll just think that it would be easier to be dead than alive. Considered how I'd do it. I've never tried it, so maybe that part doesn't count, but I've thought about it a lot. With the murder, god," Polly buried her face, "I don't know where it comes from. I don't actually want to kill someone, I think. It's always over something stupid, like a guy cuts me off on a freeway or a customer is rude to me. There's just the quickest second where I think about it. Then, it's gone. And I'm horrified."

She didn't dare look at Jason, "You must think me clinically insane."

"No, not at all," Jason frowned, "I think everyone thinks about death sometimes. Maybe not exactly like that, but," he gave a shrug.

"I don't want to worry my family. It's not a real desire...I think." Polly bit a nail uneasily.

Jason nodded sagely, "Well, now you've told me. Next time you are thinking about suicide, call me. I don't care what time it is, what I'm doing, where I am. You have a friend."

"Why?" Polly asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Because no one should shoulder that alone. As for the murdering stuff...I guess I can't judge. My family's pretty dark." He said, but there was a slight wince.

Then, there was a long pause. Polly looked at Jason expectantly.

He didn't seem to be speaking. She wondered if this was a ploy to get her to spill something worthwhile, and then he'd back out? Was he playing her?

Then…then he whispered something so quiet Polly couldn't hear him.

"What?"

Jason drew in a deep breath, preparing himself. Polly wondered how he could have a secret that was making him more on edge than 'I sometimes think of cold-blooded murder'.

"I'm not a Blossom."

Polly just blinked dumbly.

"Come again?"

"I'm not a Blossom. Not really. I'm adopted." He said slowly, his eyes catching Polly's. Polly blinked rapidly, trying to process.

"You're kidding."

Jason gave a slow shake of his head.

"But...Cheryl...she always talks like you two have been together since actual birth. Womb sharing and all that. TMI, to be honest, but-," Polly knit her eyebrows together.

"I was adopted pretty young. Four, I think. My parents- err, Penelope and Clifford, they raised Cheryl and I like we were siblings. There was no talk of the fact I came after. They did something to Cheryl to make her believe it. Maybe that's why she's so attached. Maybe they mentally fucked her up enough to be imprinted on me or something. It's just a thought I have sometimes. I think they tried for me too, but it didn't take. It doesn't matter. It would be heresy to mention it. They won't let anyone know that I'm…" He breathed out. His shoulders didn't seem quite as tense now that he'd said it. Polly had the feeling that, apart from his parents and whoever helped with adoption, she was the only other person in the world to know. It was a sort of terrifying feeling.

"Have you ever wondered…"

"All the time. About everything. About my birth parents, though it doesn't matter. I'm theirs."

"By name and law, yes," Polly agreed cautiously, "But your genetics is still...well, you."

"I took on the family legacy, and I probably have a better life now than I would have. And I wonder why they adopted me. I know that I was specifically chosen for my age, my red hair and for my ma- for other things."

Polly couldn't have guessed what the third point was, but she didn't want to press it. This was already hard on him as it was to admit it.

"They wanted to make a weird twin thing?" Polly scowled, "Wouldn't it have been easier to not make a multiple?"

"Yeah, probably." Jason agreed. Polly wondered if that was his real name? Or, the name his birth mom had given him. Maybe she'd never given him one to begin with? It made her look at him so different now.

"Wow," Polly finally murmured.

"I just had to tell someone. I can't tell Cheryl. It would kill her." He said, "And she's who I tell everything to. We might not be blood siblings, not the genetic kind I mean, but she is my sister and I love her."

"I'm glad you told me." Polly said. She meant it, "And, same offer for me. You ever need someone to talk to again, at any time, I'm free."

Jason nodded wearily, "Thanks, Cooper. For everything."

XXxxXX

Polly didn't believe in fate or magic. She might be a little romantic and like a good fantasy romance, but she didn't think it happened in real life. She thought most Halloween costumes were reaching, at best. Unexplained things in the universe were just things science hadn't yet figured out.

Still, it was hard to ignore that the night on the rocks had fundamentally changed both Jason and Polly, and more importantly, tied them together. Polly could admit that it was impossible to go back to how they'd been. They'd crossed a line together, both sacrificed a secret to the other, and now they were set upon a different path.

And while Polly abhorred to say it, perhaps it did almost feel a little magical.

Oh, if only she knew.

XXxxXX

Monday morning of the next week was a bright sunny day.

"You're going to have to tell me everything," Amanda breathed, patting her cheeks, "What was Jason Blossom like?"

"Unexpected. Good."

"Did you two talk a lot?"

"Sorta."

"Is he nice?"

"Yep."

"Can you answer me with more than one word answers," Amanda whined.

Polly shrugged, "It's hard to explain. It just was. We became friends."

Across the hall, Cheryl caught a flash of red. She thought it might be Jason for one hopeful second, but realized it was Cheryl. Knowing what she knew now, Polly felt her cheeks blush. It was still a little unimaginable that Jason wasn't really her sister. It felt like it had been made up, had the night not been so vivid in Polly's memory, maybe she would have thought it a strange dream.

"Well, you'll find the words," Amanda said, "I believe in you. See you after class. Kisses, darling."

Polly sighed. She was expecting things to go back to sort of how they had been before. Maybe her and Jason were more casual, but overall, he had his friends and she had hers. Why was she missing him so much?

She turned to see Jason leaning against the lockers. Waiting...for her?

He grinned, dipping in close to her.

"Polly Cooper…" He said, not shying an inch away, "I'd like to take you on a date."

"Seriously?" Polly asked.

"Dead serious. What will it be?"

It took Polly only a second to consider it. She smiled.

"I would be honored."

This was really interesting to write because I wanted to explore Polly/Jason and their relationship more. It was weird to write because we don't actually have a lot of information on the pair's personalities. Well, we have Polly, but bat-shit crazy Polly. And JASON! Oh, boy, we know almost NOTHING about Jason, which is so weird because he is the character that single-handily changes EVERYTHING in Riverdale.

As for the 'twist', well...I just didn't like them being related. Granted, they're 3rd cousins, which share a pretty small amount of genetic material and in a town like Riverdale, chances are MOST people are 3rd cousins somehow, but it sorta squicks me out, so no? I know Riverdale did it first (twice, actually) but just *slight shudder*.

This theory came out after 'The Midnight Club' where that whole thing with Penelope was brought to light. Their theory is that Jason is the adopted non-biological one and Cheryl is the true biological child in the family. It points out that Penelope/Cheryl have a ton of shared personality traits (like creating chaos, sorta a bitch, possibly bi/lesbian) and the fact that the Blossoms like to adopt to keep it all in the family. Sure, Trevor appeared as a young Clifford, but that's I think just to reinforce the idea of TWINS (even created) GETTING IT ON. And, it would make sense why Clifford- apart from being a monster- would be more okay with killing Jason, because he wasn't his own. It would explain why Cheryl and Jason had that almost weird incesty vibe going on, at least from Cheryl's POV. Finally, Cheryl seemed to swoop in on Archie pretty quickly, a red-head, so there was theories that the Blossoms were considering Archie as the new Jason. I dunno. I think it's an interesting theory and I sort of like it.

You can read this story with NO supernaturalism in it, but if you want to know how it connects to the story at large, read on

*Jason wasn't just picked for his age and red hair, he was also picked because he had the warlock genetic, as his mother was picked because she had witch genetics.

*They tied Jason to their family with a magic ritual. He is theirs insomuch as law and by magic, which is very much a big deal in the magical world. Through this, he was able to tap into their magical signature, even if he couldn't use it

*As we see in my story, the Blossoms really enjoy their memory modification spells, so they modified Cheryl's (and attempted to do Jason's as well) so that they wouldn't remember him being adopted since the pair were young enough to effectively do so. They probably also did a magical spell to bond Cheryl to Jason quickly, give sibling feels without any building blocks, which is why Cheryl is so attached to him, as something probably went a little awry. Oh well, since they intended to have Cheryl marry Jason, this probably was okay to them

*That was their plan, at least, until they found a better option for Jason...but that's a secret to be revealed in 'Blood of my Blood, Flesh of my Flesh'!

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