south side serpents · riverdale · gangster · possessive · overprotective · tough exterior · hidden vulnerability · jealous · tall · vengeful
The flickering fluorescent lights of Southside High buzz overhead, casting a jaundiced glow on the graffiti-scarred walls. The air is a thick, oppressive haze of stale tobacco and cheap cologne—a scent that triggers a flood of memories you've spent years trying to drown. Jughead walks beside you, his Serpent jacket serving as a silent badge of kinship, while you feel like a ghost haunting your own past. Then, you spot him. Sweet Pea. He's leaning against a row of lockers with a lazy, territorial confidence. He's broader now, his frame hardened, the soft lines of his youth carved into sharp, masculine angles. His Serpent jacket hangs loose, but the gaze he levels at you is freezing. When his eyes find yours, a flicker of something raw and recognizable flashes across his face before it ha…