#jean taking kevins promise to the end and living on it is seriously so. well.

[dayurno]

[hattywatch]

K. Hayes - All My Own in a Big Red Bow 2

A/N: I miss hockey. Please enjoy a nice little break from the state of the world before we all go back to dismantling the establishment. :) Love y’all, especially Kevin Hayes. 

The frosting feels sticky against your fingers as you swipe it over a 20th cupcake with the butter knife in your hand. Only 40 more to go. 

When Kevin stomps his dopey, floppy self into the kitchen with his xbox headphones on, you quickly use your body to shield your work. 

"Hands OFF mister," you swat at him and he tips the mic up to mute himself. 

"I'm between games. Lemme just get one!" He succeeds in grabbing the butter knife, covered in chocolate frosting, and sliding it across his tongue. 

You wrinkle your nose in mock disgust, "You're gross, you know that? Totally nasty." He hangs his tongue out of his mouth and wiggles it obscenely. 

"Yeah. You didn't have a problem with that last night, though." Heat slips down your spine at the memory. 

"Okay… you're not wrong, you're just an asshole." You slide open the drawer at your hip and grab a clean knife to replace the one Kevin is still licking frosting off of. "Get out of the damned kitchen! I'm trying to make these so your family will love me. You're halting my progress. Go away." 

He pulls the mic down, "Do this one without me boys. I'll be back in a bit." 

He takes off the headphones entirely and leaves the kitchen to return them to the living room. When he comes back he looks at you seriously, as seriously as he can while still lapping up frosting residue. 

"You're aware of the fact that my family currently loves and has always loved you?" You shrug and change the knife again to switch over to the vanilla frosting. "You're already a part of my family," he continues sweetly, dropping the knife into the dishwasher now that he's done with it.

Sighing, you pause your icing for a moment, "It just…" you rest the knife gently against the frosting container and put the cupcake you're working on into the tupperware before looking up at Kevin. "This is the first family party since we're…" 

You pause. 

You don't want to say it. 

You and Kevin have been having fun lately. A lot of fun, as he alluded to only minutes ago. 

What you have yet to do was put a label on anything. This is the first family party since... we're together? This is the first family party since we've been fucking? This is the first family party where you invited me instead of my sister?

Nothing you're thinking feels quite right and you just let the sentence hang, heavy and dense in the air. 

Kevin's eyes are clear blue, shining bright against his tanned summer complexion, but you can't bring yourself to look at them, choosing instead to focus on the clock on the stove, which tells you that you have exactly two hours before you need to leave to get to this party. 

The cupcakes are still not frosted. 

They're going to hate you.

Finally, Kevin reaches out and touches your shoulder. "This is really important to you, huh? These stupid cupcakes?" 

You meet his gaze now, "They really, really are." You're almost embarrassed to say it, but it's the truth. 

"Okay, let's get to work then," he picks up the container of sprinkles and starts dusting them over the tops of the already frosted desserts.

"You're really the best," you nudge him with your hip as you resume your icing job. 

He smiles at you, dopey and lopsided, "If it's important to you then it's important to me." You're sure the look you give back to him is just as dopey. 

__________

You've been to your sister's house a thousand other times, but when Kevin pulls his truck up  outside of it this time you might as well be a stranger. 

"Why are you so nervous today? You know all of these people. What's up with you?" Kevin had graciously helped you finish the decorating and then watched you change your clothes four times before ultimately deciding on the first outfit anyway. He's a highly patient man, but you could tell he's confused at best and possibly worried about your psyche at worst. 

"Please don't make me explain? I promise I will, just not right now. Please?" He closes his eyes and lets out a breath, bolstering his patience once more. 

"Alright, but we gotta talk about it sometime, promise?" You nod and start getting out of the car before grabbing the present you have in the back for your brother-in-law, letting Kevin balance the trays and trays of cupcakes.

Holding the door open, you let Kevin in first so he can drop the tupperware on the counter. He shouts out for Jimmy, hugging his brother as he pulls him away from a conversation with their father. 

The brothers exchange a few "hey mans" and a hug before Kevin turns to you; he motions for you to come over to them. 

"I brought my girl, hope that's okay," he tells the room at large before wrapping his arm  around your waist. 

Your sister smiles from where she's feeding the baby on the couch, Kevin's dad rolls his eyes and his son's antics, and his mom smiles knowingly at you and Kevin. 

Jimmy laughs and rolls his eyes, "I've heard a lot about you," he reaches out and shakes your hand. 

You're not sure if you're highly uncomfortable or absolutely turned to loving mush at Kevin's declaration. 

Kevin's sister walks in through the front door with his niece, trailing a fistful of balloons, finally breaking the awkward grasp Jimmy has on your hand.

His niece shoves the balloon strings into Jimmy's hand and he picks her up for a hug before passing her to Kevin's outstretched arms. 

"Remember Y/n?" He turns around so he and his niece are facing you. You wave and she smiles and nods.

"She's aunt Kris' sister and mommy told me not to say she should be your new girlfriend 'accause that's rude." She punctuates her story with a nod, and Kevin kisses her head, hiding his smile in her pigtails.

Out of the corner of your eye you can see her mother facepalm, her father barely staunching a laugh.

Kevin continues, "It wasn't rude, baby. As a matter of fact, I thought it was a great idea so I wanted to thank you for finding her for me." She kisses his scruffy face and smiles wide, squirming until he puts her down on the floor where she can run over to her mom and be picked up again.

"See momma? Uncle Kevin said she's his girlfriend now, so I can say it!" 

You bury your face in Kevin's chest, embarrassed but radiating love from the center of your chest out to the tips of your toes. 

"I'm your girlfriend, Kevin? News to me," you mumble into his Patriots t-shirt as conversation gently resumes around you- his sister, brother-in-law, and niece cooing over the baby on the other side of the room, his parents doing their best to not look like they're eavesdropping. 

"Shut up, you know I'm all yours." He looks like he wants to kiss you, really send the point home, but the room is full and it's certainly the wrong venue, so he ends his admission with a kiss on your forehead. 

Jimmy walks over with the baby over his shoulder, doing his best to burp him. "I'd say welcome to the family, but you're nothing new," he elbows you playfully as he passes. 

Kevin sticks his hand into the back pocket of your jeans and wiggles his way into your heart a little deeper.

[aftgficlibrary]

Raven!Neil

Updated 20 November 2018

Black As Is The Raven, He’ll Get A Partner by nekojita (E | Incomplete | 31/?)

When Wymack, Kevin and Andrew came to recruit Neil Josten in Millport, Neil decided to say 'no' instead of 'yes' to joining the Foxes and does what he does best, which is runs. Unfortunately, that brings him to the attention of the Moriyamas, who return him to to his 'rightful' place.

Now Neil has to learn how to survive at the Nest with his only ally another 'asset' long kept under Riko's heel.

/Graphic Depictions Of Violence /Rape/Non-Con

Raven to Fox by Andrw_Jstn for AsfaHan (Not Rated | 268,134 | 46/46)

AU: Neil's mom ran without him, he was sold off to the Moriyamas soon after, growing up with Kevin and Riko. It'll all be explained in the prologue.  

/Graphic Depictions Of Violence /Rape/Non-Con

This Is What Hollows by constellationqueen (E | Incomplete | 21/?)

A month after Kevin runs from the Ravens, Nathaniel Wesninski is sent to the Foxes as a message from Riko.

/Graphic Depictions Of Violence /Rape/Non-Con /Underage

Plus Ca Change, Plus C'est La Même Chose by nekojita (T | 18,069 | 1/1)

Nathaniel has spent the last eight years at Evermore, eight years rebelling against Riko and the idea of the Perfect Court, eight years standing between the Moriyamas and Jean Moreau. Now Nathaniel and Jean are following in Kevin Day's footsteps and leaving Edgar Allan/Evermore behind to join the Palmetto State Foxes. Kevin is eager to welcome two talented Exy players and former teammates onto a team which badly needs them, but Andrew? Andrew suspects that there's more to their arrival than the two are willing to reveal - and he takes his promises seriously.

Another contribution to the amazing ExyorDeath zine (and then some...).

dangerous and disquieting by fuechsli (Not Rated | Incomplete | 17/?)

The kid looks up to him abruptly, pupils blown wide like those of a startled rabbit. “Well, if that isn’t a surprise,” Andrew muses, his eyes locked onto the stark black four etched onto Nathaniel Wesninski’s cheekbone, creating a brutal contrast with the rest of his bruised face. Nathaniel Wesninski smiles a crooked smile, revealing that even his teeth are painted bloody. “Hi,” he says, as if he wasn’t currently leaving permanent stains on Andrew’s favourite bean bag with his fucking vital body fluid. “I’d shake your hand, but...” Nathaniel Wesninski lifts a hand, bloody and bruised, some fingers looking grotesquely out of shape. He clenches them anyway and winces when the pain seems to hit him, but his expression gives nothing away.

He’s a p r o b l e m.

***

In which Mary's first attempt at stealing her son away has failed and she only succeeds five years later. But the damage is done and the lack of running-experience leads to Nathan catching up with them. What we see here is the aftermath of that and the hell that is Nathaniel Wesninski's life—at least up to the point when he meets the Foxes and slowly becomes another person under the name of Neil Josten.

/Graphic Depictions Of Violence /Rape/Non-Con 

a switchblade is my preferred weapon by badacts (M | 150,134 | 48/48)

The Foxes take on an injured Kevin Day, and get a Raven-trained backliner with a point to prove into the bargain.

/Graphic Depictions Of Violence /Rape/Non-Con

The Unkindness of Ravens by crazy_like_a (M | Incomplete | 45/?)

After Kevin publicly announces his intention to play for the Foxes, Riko sends Nathaniel Wesninski to convince him to return to the Nest. Unfortunately for Riko, Nathaniel has other plans.

/Graphic Depictions Of Violence 

three strikes (and you're out) by palmettto (T | 5,123 | 1/1)

She held her body and her racket like a weapon; the only way she knew how.

BloodSport by bloodydamnit (M | Incomplete | 5/?)

Don’t even think about it Nathaniel. Do you want to know what we did to the other boy who ran?

/Graphic Depictions of Violence /Rape/Non-Con

Brothers by Nikotheamazingspoonklepto (Not Rated | Incomplete | 9/?)

Childhood for a Moriyama is brutal. Exacting. There is no room for mistakes, no room for love. Yet when Ichirou's mother breaks the rules and introduces him to newborn Riko, he finds that sometimes, love is involuntary.

Ichirou breaks the cycle of shunning his younger brother and does everything he can to be there for his baby brother... Where his father failed to defy the Moriyama traditions and be a brother to Tetsuji, Ichirou will succeed.

This is that story.

/Graphic Depictions of Violence /Major Character Death /Underage

Bruises and Broken Feathers by Yourwritersblock (T | Incomplete | 1/3)

The pool of blood he was lying in was already cold, but the agonizing pain in his side kept Nathaniel on the ground. The cracked rib was probably the worst of his injuries, but the knife slashes across his stomach and chest still stung with the freezing metal they had been torn open with.

The locker room door swung open and Nathaniel lifted his pounding head as it clicked closed again. Andrew sauntered towards him and leaned his weight against the black tiles on the wall. “That took longer than expected.”

A Raven AU in which Neil pines and Andrew can't keep his eyes away from the stubborn backliner.

only ravens can fly (but come winter, they will die) by hiraethia (M | Incomplete | 2/?)

"what is your real name, little fledgling?" andrew asked.

he glanced at andrew, a ghostly smile crossing his face. something in andrew shifted when he saw that beneath the blood-crimson eye shadow, a pair of haunting blue eyes stared through him.

"neil," he said, his voice a chime and a roar all in one.

(in which neil is the ravens' newest performer and riko's second partner, and andrew has a reputation as the heartless critic with the trojan herald).

inspired by the greatest showman.

/Graphic Depictions of Violence /Rape/Non-Con

Blood and Smoke by andreil (M | Incomplete | 10/?)

After being blinded in one eye by Riko, Neil and his twin brother Nathaniel strive to find a place where they belong.

/Graphic Depictions of Violence

birds of prey by illinois_e (T | 9,385 | 1/1)

nathaniel hides in the closet whenever his father is mentioned, drinks a bottle of gatorade per day and finds comfort in the walls that protect him as much as they keep him confined to the darkest rooms of his captors' nest.

[or the one where nathaniel is a raven, always have been, always will be—even if he is still, somewhere inside, a fox too.]

the truth about falling by alaseux (T | Incomplete | 5/?)

Nathaniel Wesninski has grown up as a Raven; as the best backliner in the country, he has dedicated his life to the Perfect Court and to Exy. And then he recruits Andrew Minyard, who couldn't care less about the game.

Just learning how to know your mind by Elyant (T | Incomplete | 2/?)

What if Nathaniel Wesninski had been raised a Raven, and his mother only ran away with him when he was fifteen ? What if his father caught them five years later, and Stuart Hatford had rescued him too late to save his right leg ?

What if Kevin Day had held his end of the deal, and Andrew Minyard kept playing Exy after graduation ? What if Andrew had met Abram Hatford in a pub during his second year as a professional Exy player ?

This is a vague attempt to answer at least the last question.

Series: Part 1 of The Devil makes three

flash fires by viridae (M | Incomplete | 3/?)

When Nathaniel runs from Evermore at fifteen with his mother, he doesn't expect his life to last much longer- until Kevin Day, a renowned gunman-turned-rebel, and Andrew Minyard, an orphan-turned-assassin, show up in Millport, Arizona, to recruit him for the Palmetto Foxes' rebellion.

Suddenly confronted with defying and rebelling against the Moriyamas and his father, Neil Josten is forced to barter and trade away his truths one by one in order to stay alive.

/Graphic Depictions of Violence /Rape/Non-Con

Tears Dry On Their Own (The Happily Ever After Remix) by ToastMaloneIII (E | 4,706 | 1/1)

Not many people get excited to hear that their flight has been cancelled. Then again, most people don’t live with an exy obsessed, sadistic asshole who controls their every move. This cancelled flight? It’s a miracle. A goddamn gift from the universe.

/Graphic Depictions of Violence /Rape/Non-Con

False Perception by archieknight (Not Rated | Incomplete | 25/?)

False perceptions and altered reflections, in a house made of shattered glass. Secrets are only safe with dead men and the truth-seekers who so easily converse with them. playlist

/Graphic Depictions of Violence /Major Character Death

Burn, Baby, Burn by wesninskids (M | Incomplete | 3/?)

Nathaniel Wesninski is Riko’s precious #2, his best backliner, weapon of choice, and only mercenary—the first piece of his Perfect Court: in exchange of everything, thirteen year old Nathaniel gets his number tattooed on his cheekbone and becomes Riko’s partner for better or for worse. Soon Kevin Day and Jean Moreau join the envied line of Ravens and become partners in their turn, and the four of them chase after glory and find the missing pieces of their Perfect Court one player after the other, drunk on power and victory, caring for one another no matter what.

But then Nathaniel strikes a deal with Lola Malcolm to protect himself, and it’s all downhill from here.

/Graphic Depictions of Violence

Gucci Gang by wesninskids (M | Incomplete | 5/?)

Perfection is everywhere. It’s hidden, it’s safe and sound where curious eyes don’t think to linger, it’s where the night stops and starts, in the little things we do not hear. It lies where the right people can spot it—and sometimes, sometimes it lets itself be taken and used, be loved, destroyed even.

Nathaniel Wesninski had never been after perfection. He thought it reserved to the weak-minded, at first, those who’d never have anything else to search after than beauty, those who would never understand it and never quite do it justice. But when you’re nineteen, anything can be beautiful: from a timid sunset to gentle hands running along your spine, a kiss, a lie, a pitch black night with nothing but mystery and unknown and secrets. Chaos, too. Chaos above all things.

The gods should have considered it when they gave Nathaniel Wesninski all the tools he needed to obtain it: money, power, beauty and depth, eyes that never stared for too long and never gave away everything. They should have known it’d take a monster to destroy one. They should have known monsters and perfection never did too well.

If they had known, then perhaps no one would have died.

Perhaps

The Paradox of Perfection by Sundaye (M | Incomplete | 1/?)

Nathaniel Wesninski has been his father's property since birth. Another tool in the Butcher's criminal empire, alive as long as he's useful. Or so he thought. As it turns out, Nathaniel's life belongs to someone else entirely--the Moriyama family, a group of criminals even more powerful than the Butcher's. After proving his worth to the Moriyamas through exy, Nathaniel is handed over to the Edgar Allen Ravens to train under them so he can one day contribute to the Moriyama's wealth and influence.

A terrible accident forces Nathaniel to question what his survival under the Moriyamas is worth. And whether he's willing to keep paying that price.

/Graphic Depictions of Violence /Rape/Non-Con

what it takes to survive by hundreddollarlarry (E | Incomplete | 32/?)

Everyone seems shocked that Neil managed to flee the Nest, not long after Kevin escapes with a broken hand, and broken heart. But Neil will do whatever it takes to make sure that his little family is safe. And as someone who's grown up in the nest being tinged by the Moriyama's world, he knows a couple of tricks to make sure that happens. The last thing he needs is an interesting blond boy getting in his way.

Raven!Neil fic, where he escapes not long after Kevin and brings himself and Jean to play for the foxes while having to live with the consequences of the deal that he made to keep them all safe.

/Graphic Depictions of Violence /Rape/Non-Con

give your tears (to the tide) by alaseux (T | Incomplete | 9/?)

They are nothing if not survivors, and so many have tried to carve the hearts from their chests that sometimes even breathing feels like a gift.

(or, Nathaniel and Jean are rescued from the Nest. They heal as Foxes.)

Let me tell you a story about war by wesninskids (M | Incomplete | 8/?)

Nathaniel Wesninski is the third dangerous piece of machinery to Riko's Perfect Court. He's a Raven before the hour, and it's a somber wagon Jean Moreau is the latest addition to.

Taller, older, fuming with pride and anger, dangerously charismatic and with a certain talent for causing trouble, he's the kind of threat Nathaniel should eradicate for his own sake. But Ravens operate on a pair-based system to enhance synchrony, and he's stuck with Jean whether he wants it or not.

There can only be so long before one of them breaks, and Nathaniel is determined not to be the first.

/Graphic Depictions of Violence /Underage

hawk in the raven nest by prouveyrac (T | 89,618 | 31/31)

Nathaniel Wesninski always knew that his life could have been much different, and perhaps much easier, if he had been anyone but Nathaniel Wesninski. With the three on his face and a state of always being surrounded by his fellow Perfect Court, he was forced into accepting his life as a number before he was a person. Though, when the cracks in the Ravens and in their corrupt Captain and Coach began to show, Nathaniel realized that he couldn't just sit back and let things be. Dreaming of dismantling the amazing yet corrupt Edgar Allan Ravens was one thing; actually going through with it, with two unexpected allies at his side, was a different story entirely.

(updated every monday and friday)

/Graphic Depictions of Violence /Rape/Non-Con

A Raven's Chance by abernathy (M | Incomplete | 17/?)

[PREVIOUS TITLE: SELLER OF SOULS] Raven!Neil; Nathaniel Wesninski has lived his entire life in the shadows at Castle Evermore, but now that star-player Kevin Day has deserted, he's the newest replacement for the Edgar Allan Ravens. Stuck in a city he hates and suffering through a lifetime of abuse from Riko, Nathaniel finds his only way out is through a promise with the most unlikely of allies.

/Graphic Depictions of Violence /Rape/Non-Con

Ignition by evil_diabolical_oops (T | 5,036 | 1/1)

Riko has banned all things PSU after Andrew Minyard snubbed the Ravens and signed with the Foxes, but Kevin wants to see a special interview with his father. Kevin and Thea sneak out of the Nest to watch it with a little help from a matchmaking Nathaniel.

My contribution to the Exy or Death Charity Zine 2k17

Fly Low Carrion Crow by nekojita (M | 5,381 | 1/1)

Kevin has fled Edgar Allan, leaving Nathaniel and Jean behind to bear the brunt of Riko's unstable temper. Long used to having little power and control, to using what little advantages he has, Nathaniel refuses to allow the abuses to continue - especially to allow his lover to pay the price for Kevin's cowardice or Riko's growing madness. He'll do whatever he has to do to keep the one person he cares about safe.

Another contribution to the amazing ExyorDeath zine!

/Rape/Non-Con

There for You by nekojita (T | 5,890 | 1/1)

Andrew only has a few more months left in juvie, a few more months of mandatory therapy and - just as bad in his opinion - playing Exy. All he cares about is finally being free to live on his own terms, in not answering to anyone, in being left alone (and alone), and refuses to harbor any thoughts of pursuing Exy scholarships.

So he's not amused when the Ravens show up one day interested in him. That is, until one of their Perfect Court happens to pique his interest in return.

One of my fics for the Exy of Death 2017 charity zine

Given It All by glittermerm (E | Incomplete | 14/?)

Raised to be a Raven, Nathaniel knows his place as #3 in Riko's perfect court. But when #2 Kevin leaves, Riko doesn't forgive him, and neither does Nathaniel.

/Graphic Depictions of Violence

Dare You To by goldveines (M | Incomplete | 5/?)

Nathaniel's place is at Riko's side, the hidden and elusive number three to Riko's perfect court. His identity is kept secret due to his father's history, but the three on his cheek tells the truth: some things can't be hidden - such as Nathaniel's inclination to his father's personality. Nathaniel isn't interested in being loyal to Riko, he's interested in playing Exy; and his methods aren't always to Riko or his partner, Jean's, benefit. He'll push both his own limits and those around him to play.

!!HIATUS UNTIL JULY!! Send any comments/questions about this to @goldveines.

/Graphic Depictions of Violence

the fine line by HeavenlyDusk  (T | Incomplete | 9/?)

Nathaniel would prefer to lay low while in the rivaling kingdom. He has three weeks until he can go back to living a relatively peaceful life as a servant, but those plans change when he's dragged to a ball he has no right being at.

Prince Andrew isn't about to just let him leave after one dance, but it's hard to find someone who doesn't technically exist.

appendages by autisticandrewminyard (transtwinyards) (M | 37,946 | 11/11)

noun ap·pend·age \ə-ˈpen-dij\ 1: an adjunct to something larger or more important : appurtenance 2: a usually projecting part of an animal or plant body that is typically smaller and of less functional importance than the main part to which it is attached; especially : a limb or analogous part (such as a seta) 3 [appendant]: a dependent or subordinate person

Nathaniel Wesninski grapples with his life as the heir to a criminal empire, as the vice captain to the Edgar Allan Ravens, and as the person he wants to be seen as.

/Graphic Depictions of Violence

The Emperor's Pardon by orphan_account (E | Incomplete | 8/?)

In the months after Kevin Day fled from Riko’s shadow and sought the aegis of the Palmetto Foxes, Riko had thrown a large enough tantrum that Nathaniel was sent to moderate the affair.

prompt: what if neil ended up inheriting his father’s position as the moriyama family's assassin?

/Graphic Depictions of Violence

Better Than a Grave or a Hearse by iaquilam (Not Rated | 41,794 | 6/6)

“What do you think of the Ravens’ new player?” “He is nothing to me,” Andrew says, staring up at the ceiling, and then amends, “he can’t keep his mouth shut.” Renee hums in agreement. “He doesn’t seem bad for a Raven.” “Guns don’t seem bad until you shoot them.” “Do you think he’s going to end up shooting someone?” "I think that anyone who can’t keep their mouth shut is a liability and a danger.”

Or, Riko is hellbent on bringing Kevin back to the Nest, Andrew is hellbent on stopping him, and Neil Josten is hellbent on making problems for everyone involved.

/Graphic Depictions of Violence

Sinners will be Saints by Yuu_chi (M | Incomplete | 5/?)

Nathaniel Wesninski was raised to be a Raven - and yet in all universes his path leads him to the Foxes.

Even Salt Looks Like Sugar by bestmistake (T | Incomplete | 1/?)

Nathaniel was going to destroy the Ravens and he was going to do it from the inside.

Nathaniel was going to destroy Riko and he was going to do it alone.

(That was of course, until Andrew showed up)

The Darkness of the Soul by GinnyRose (T | Incomplete | 31/?)

Nathaniel Wesninski has lived a life of pain. Sold by his father and treated as a pet by his adoptive brother, he has never known kindness. Abandoned by one of the only people he trusted and beaten by his owners, he is left scarred and broken outside a stranger's door. Will he find kindness with the foxes or will he return to the only life he knows?

Something About Runaways by chillbill3 (M | Incomplete | 2/?)

Neil Josten comes to the foxes as a runaway in disguise knowing it won't be long before he is found. Only, this time he runs from Castle Evermore, not Baltimore. A trans boy, given to the Master as Natalia Wesninski, he is forced to run. He's a Raven to the end, but he'll do whatever it takes to survive.

this should have been title Castle NEvermore (quick joke before you lodge into pain and suffering)

/Graphic Depictions of Violence

Neil, huh? by Frenchie (Fauks) (M | Incomplete | 13/?)

Andrew meets Raven!Neil

/Graphic Depictions of Violence

communion by Saul (M | 9,870 | 3/3)

Jean was his home and his jailer. Neil was the breath in his lungs and the chain on his ankle.

Series: Part 2 of groundhog day au

Stitch Yourself Back Together by story_telling_sage (M | Incomplete | 9/?)

David Wymack did not get paid enough for this. He got paid to coach a Class I Exy team. He got paid not make sure Andrew didn’t actually murder anyone. He got paid to get his kids to the court and whip their asses into shape. He probably didn’t get paid enough to deal with traumatized, violent teenagers on a daily basis but he walked right into that one on his own and refused to regret it.

He did not get paid to come to his office only to have the door blocked by a vaguely human shaped bleeding mess.

--

In which Nathaniel Wesninski never became Neil Josten. When he and his mother ran they were caught and Nathan's transaction went through with the Moriyamas. In this world Nathaniel wears the #3 on his cheek until Riko takes things too far and decides to send a message.

just like his father by modernpatroclus (M | 1,482 | 1/1)

prompt: Andreil moment when Neil gets so into being Nathaniel that Andrew is having a tough time reminding Neil of who he really is

Or: Nathaniel knew he could only pretend to be Neil Josten for so long.

Series: Part 2 of raven!neil

tell the devil i said hey by modernpatroclus (M | 2,456 | 1/1)

Andreil + grenade by Bruno Mars? But instead of the other not feeling the same they actually do (BC lets be honest it andreil and they'd die for each other without another thought)

Or: AU where Nathaniel was caught and sold to the Ravens after his mother's death. He escapes and joins the Foxes as Neil Josten, but when Andrew is sent to Easthaven, Riko threatens him with Proust if Nathaniel doesn't return.

Series: Part 1 of raven!neil

/Graphic Depictions of Violence /Rape/Non-Con

Go. by minyard03 (T | 5,558 | 1/1)

Months passed, games went, the Foxes got over Neils random disappearance. At least, until they saw him practicing with their rivals a day before they were due to go head to head. Andrew knew one thing for sure, though;

Black and red didn't suit Neil.

unexpected. by thomintnewt (Not Rated | Incomplete | 1/?)

When Kengo dies, Renee goes into the Nest to get one Raven and comes out with two.

[Raven!Neil AU]

The Hand Sings Weapon. by orphan_account (M | Incomplete | 3/?)

The Perfect Court Lineup; #1 Riko Moriyama. #2 Kevin Day. #3 Nathaniel Wesninski. #4 Jean Moreau.

Kevin recruits potential Ravens with Riko's supervision. He chooses Andrew Minyard, a midget with an anger problem, who signs with the Ravens to get out of the care system. When Kevin's hand gets broken, Jean Moreau replaces Kevin as Riko's partner. Riko places Nathaniel with the new recruit to test the pair of them, and their pain tolerances.

/Graphic Depictions of Violence

Want by constellate (T | 1,214 | 1/1)

"It is enough, you think, to have wanted and moved on. You content yourself with what you have. And then Riko smashes Kevin's hand, and Kevin runs to the Foxes of all people and everything basically goes to shit."

Nathaniel Wesninski has spent the last eight years raised as a raven in the nest. He wants out.

[yourjughead]

Long time...no see

Request: “I was wondering if you could do a Jug x reader where the reader used to live in Riverdale and moved when she was like 6-7. And she comes back and her and Jug and completely in awe at how they look now. And maybe get steamy/smutty??”. Pairing: Jughead x reader Warnings: one or two swears. Mention but no description of injured relative due to military commitments. Fluff. Smut. A/N: Changed the readers age of leaving slightly to match the story better. Quite like this one, drifted a little from the request my apologies. Hope you like it also sorry it’s kinda long-ish P.S ((Double brackets means it’s me speaking between them)) REQUESTS OPEN! ——————————————————– 3rd POV Riverdale. A place almost completely alien to you now. Almost. You left your home here at age 10 as your mom was traveling with the army and your dad couldn't bare to be too far from her. So you all packed up your stuff, said goodbye to your friends and headed down South. You hadn't seen your friends in Riverdale since. 7 years of letters, a connection still fighting to survive between you and your friends. One friend in particular. Jughead Jones. You smiled at the very thought of his name as you unpacked the moving van in the late afternoon,  you hoped for the final time. Your mother had been hurt while on tour overseas and so was retiring back to the place where she and your dad had grown up. Where they wanted to see you continue to grow up. “going out” you shouted up the stairs to them before flying out the door on your way to the Drive In. A favourite spot of yours. “Closing down” you echoed in your head as you read the sign in confusion.  You thought of where next to find your friends. Hoping they still remembered you. You didn't tell anyone you were moving home and you liked it that way, less fuss more fun. Now a bit back from the doors of Pops you looked down the diner and found who you were looking for. Jughead, Archie, Betty, Kevin and a new face. You thought of the last time you saw them. It didn't end well between you and Jughead. You just placed him as having been hurt by you leaving not actually angry with you. You and Jughead had always had a fiery relationship. Not bad fiery but fiery nonetheless. You both got on great but well knew how to push each other's buttons...and enjoyed doing so. You looked again at Jughead through the window busily typing away. “wow hes..grown up a small bit” you thought. Blushing deep following it. You took a deep breath before pushing open the door. Jughead POV The door open down the diner behind me and I felt a chill run down my spine. Odd, usually we're too far from the door to catch the draft. Ignoring this I went back to dead focus on at the computer screen, half listening to the story Archie was telling. He had stopped speaking, I looked up at the unfamiliar silence coming from the read head to see his mouth was agape with what i know now was shock. Actually... Betty and Kevin also across from me were the same. “Umm Archiekins….” Veronica next to me looked more confused than I. I turned slowly half afraid I'd see a ghost… I mean what else could shut Archie up so fast. It was in fact a ghost but not the kind I was expecting. Y/N. I don't think I can hide the pure shock on my face at the sight of her. She's….she's grown up. “Well well just where I left ye, yere tab must be huge by now” she smiled. Not even blinking at the shock. No one spoke. Shock ran through us all and I think Veronica could tell. “Umm hi I'm assuming you're a sea witch or something considering you seem to have stolen my friends voices” Veronica smiled back. “damn it how did you know”. “Y…..Y/N” Betty stood half afraid to move too quickly as if it could scare what she couldn't believe away. “B...betty” y/n mimicked Betty playfully. Well nice to see her humour is still the same. The two met in a hug followed by Kevin. “Well well well Mrs.Jones returns” Archie joked. I'm going to pour his hair care down the sink. ((You guys I really don't know why I think Archie spends a lot of time on his hair, just go with it)) “Oh no no Archiedoodles Jughead and I are divorced from our playground marriage. Still waiting on spousal support though” she laughed back nudging me slightly. I shivered a little under her touch. It was at this moment I realised I was yet to speak. “how...whaaaaa..Y../N? Whaa” good job Jughead good English, good. “Ah Juggy, as articulate as ever, scooch scooch” she gestured for me to push in smilingly. She's so close to me...she called me Juggy. JUGHEAD SNAP OUT OF IT! YOU DON'T EVEN REALLY KNOW HER ANYMORE. She spent the hour proving me wrong. She hadn't changed in...personality at all. I didn't speak much for the hour, still in awe of y/n. Last time I saw her she was saying goodbye to me outside Pops... I had kissed her and she didn't really react immediately...then I flew off the handle in my stupid 10 year old Jughead rage before she even could. She ran away then....went home and left Riverdale with her parents. Wrote very little, more so to Betty. Understandable. I had really missed her. We were thick as thieves before she left. “Isn't it jughead?” my attention was hauled back to the table. “uhhhh...no” seemed a pretty solid answer. “yes it is Jughead...he's just in denial Y/N/N, we all are I suppose” Betty looked at me like I had three heads while Archie explain to y/n that we were in denial….about something. Betty’ grin grew wide. Well I just know I'm not going to like what's going to come out of her mouth. “Jughead you should take Y/N” her grin got even bigger than I thought possible. “I….y.../N….take...yes” ah for fuck sake Jughead, pull yourself together! Y/N just smiled to me in response catching my hand lightly under the table. Okay Jughead. Deep breaths deep breaths deep breaths.   I realised quickly that I had agreed to bring y/n to the last film showing at the Drive In. “work...me...tonight...yes sorry” okay seriously I know she's still holding your hand bro but please speak better English. “Oh you're working? That's okay Juggy, I'll go with the group” “No!” okay that was too eager Jug you'll frighten her. She just returned a smile. “Umm...I mean you can just help me with the reels? I haven't decided what to put on yet?” “Tarantino?” now I was smiling at her. “perfect” 3rd POV Later that same night you made your way to the Drive In and to the little booth that played out the films. You found Jughead running around like a headless chicken inside, the first film already playing. “Y’alright Jug?” you say dropping to what looked like a makeshift bed kicking off your shoes. Perfect view of the screen….and of Jughead. He sat down next to you. “yeah, a little sad about this place going….at least they're good films to end on” “of course they are Jug, I chose them” you say playfully nudging him. You both watched the first film in perfect comfortable silence. Jughead flicked on the next film before returning to the bed. The cold began to creep into your bones quickly and Jughead noticed. Slowly and very unsure of himself, he moved closer bringing his duvet with him. You reacted enthusiastically and leaned into his side, head on his shoulder. Both loving this. “H...hey y/n/n?” Jughead stuttered slightly, head fighting heart. “yes juggy” “i...i missed you” “i missed you too Jug” you cuddled into him and he affectionately wrapped an arm around you. “yeah but...I really missed you and really regret how...how we left it” Jughead tried to move the conversation to stop him from shaking with nerves. “you regret kissing me?” she smirked. Shock covered Jugheads face, he hadn't thought you would mention it or even remember it. “emmm no..not at all,.not even a little .. more that I got angry with you” “That's okay Juggy, I never took it personally..I know you were going through a lot at school and...home and stuff..sorry I didn't react how you wanted to I think I was just in shock” you gave a small smile. “That's alright” “i promise if you did it again I would react different” you half joked. Jughead bit his lip and took a chance leaning and kissing you gently before pulling away quickly, many sorries followed. You couldn't help but laugh. His face flushed red and his eyes looked anywhere but you. “Jug...its okay” you took his hand again and he met your eyes. You kissed him this time. He moved his hand to your cheek and you cupped your hand over his to keep it there. You pulled him forward so he was on top of you, lips not wanting to part. Your kisses became hungry and you pulled him closer. You leaned forward and pulled your shirt off throwing it away and wrapping your arms around his neck giggling a little at the thought of what was happening. “What?” he smiled at you before taking his own shirt off. “I just didn't think this would ever happen” you say smilingly. “yeah...you've grown up a small bit”Jughead says trying not to look down at you below him but fighting a losing battle. “speak for yourself” you laugh before pulling him back into a kiss. He moves and kisses down your body as you shiver a little at his welcome warm touch. He fumbles a little with your bra before throwing it in the same direction your shirt went earlier. He began to kiss and bite your boobs as you moaned softly. You moved to undo his belt and remove his pants which he gladly allowed you. You stroked his bulging member through his boxers,  met with a groan. He kissed you on the lips again fiercely before you pulled away slightly, biting his bottom lip before leaving love bites on his neck. As you did this he pulled off your jeans and moaned as you marked him. He slipped his hand inside your underwear to play with your clit. Your turn to moan. You arched your neck causing your head to bury deep into the mattress,  allowing Jughead full access to your neck. “Jug….I missed you so much….stop teasing me” you breathed. Jughead smiled darkly, eyes full of lust. Jughead reached under the bed and retrieved protection which he quickly opened and slipped on. “Y/N don't get me wrong I really really want to do this...but are you sure you want to?” Jughead searched your eyes. “Yes Jughead. More than anything”. Jughead pulled down your underwear and moved into you slowly, you both moaning at the movement.  He began to rock slowly as your wrapped your legs around him wanting to be a close as possible. Jughead leaned forward to meet your lips as your hips began to hit a perfect rhythm.Jughead bit your neck lovingly while still roughly as you ran your fingers through his hair before placing them on his shoulders. “Jug” you moan as your nails began to dig into his shoulders “Come for me y/n” he was just about able to breath out. You feel the knot in your abdomen tighten insanely before releasing. You practically screamed his name, praying there was a loud scene playing on the screen so no one could hear you. Your moans pushed Jughead over the edge as he groaned and grunted, thrusts becoming sloppy. Jughead let out a low moan of your name before falling next you to. You pulled the duvet up to protect from the sudden bite of air and he wrapped an arm loving around you, pulling you close to him. “y/n” “yes” “you should leave and come back unannounced more often” You exhaled laughing. “I'd rather stay right here” ---------------------------------------------- Teehee xX Tags: @sunshine51879 Requested by: @angelinabisognin xX

[nickireadstfc]

The Raven King, Chapter 15 – Take A Chill Pill, Your Highness

In which the Ravens display levels of Extra previously unbeknownst to man, I have a fit over Actual Biological Dadmack, Jean Valjean is immortalized in meme, and I generally don’t take the Ravens very seriously – until I suddenly take them very, very seriously.

Sounds good? Then it’s time for Nicki to read The Raven King.

Y’all ready for a fun festive chapter filled with tinsel, merry goodwill and all of that shit?

Because that is exactly not what we are having today.

Instead, our boy Neil is on a (potentially one-way) trip to Evil and Scary Raven Land of Doom.

FUN FUCKING TIMES AHEAD.

STRAP YOURSELVES IN.

           There was no way he could tell [the Foxes] the truth. None of them would let him go through with it.

Ya, guess why – cause it’s a dumb fucking idea, Josten.

No, no, I’m being unfair, I get it. I get why he’s doing it, and you know what? I’m not even judging him for doing it. My unhealthily loyal ass would probably do the same.

Neil tricks the Fox squad into letting him go to Evil and Scary Raven Land of Doom by telling them he is instead going to Angsty and Only Slightly Scary Land of Family Drama – which the Foxes buy, of course, as they all want to see Neil happily united with his family.

As do I, except I know that leaving Fox Tower puts Neil in the opposite direction of his family.

Brb crying softly.

           [Neil] had it half-packed when he realized the bag was too small. (…) Even when his bag was full there were things in his drawers. Neil was at once confused and heartened, and he pressed a hand to his folded shirts. It was proof he was coming back, something he hadn’t had since he was a child.

BRB WAILING LOUDLY.

Neil :((((( my boy :(((((( lifelong runaway :((((((((( has found a home to come back to :((((((((((((((

I’m fine, there’s just a bit of fox family feels in my eye.

           “I’m coming back,” Neil said, more for his sake than Kevin’s. “You promised you’d finish this year with me. I’m holding you to that.”

:((((((((((((((((((((((((((

You better come back, Josten. In one piece, healthy and with ya boy Andrew in tow, holding hands preferably. YOU BETTER.

           He’d been raised to run, to sacrifice everything and everyone to ensure his own survival. His mother had never gives him ground to stand on. Maybe that was why he hadn’t been strong enough to save her in the end. A jumble of lies had nothing to fight for.

           But Neil was a Fox. Andrew called this home; Nicky called him family. Neil wasn’t going to lose any of it.

Ya girl’s gotta have her holiday appropriate reaction GIFs.

And with that, our favourite sassy (and recently self-sacrificing) angstbag leaves for West Virginia.

           Jean was waiting for him in arrivals. (…) “You shouldn’t have come here.”

When even the Fucker™’s lieutenant knows you fucked up, then you really fucked up.

Jean Valjean and Neil leave for Edgar Allan, and upon arriving Neil finds that not only do the Ravens all own the exact same uniforms, formal wear, and bitchy facial expressions, they also have matching squad cars. With like, customized licence plates and stuff, for extra Extra-ness.

           “This isn’t a team,” Neil said. “It’s a cult.”

And little did I fucking know, this was going to be the spot-on summary for everything that followed in the next couple of pages.

The Ravens take “squad goals” to a whole another level – meaning a level no sane human would ever fucking want to get on.

Everything is black – from their walls to their furniture to their sheets to their towels. Heck, to their fucking team underwear, probably.

Evil and Scary Raven Land of Doom? Scratch that. Extra and Dramatic Raven Land of Trying Too Hard, more like.

Even their fucking hallway is on brand.

           Everything was painted black, the pnly light and color was a red tube of light down the middle of the ceiling. It wasn’t quite bright enough. When Jean slammed the door behind them Neil almost tripped down the stairs.

Okay, but how do they not trip down there all the time. My clumsy ass would have gotten more bruises from that staircase alone than from actual Exy games.

You know you’re in Extra and Dramatic Raven Land of Trying Too Hard when even the staircase is bootcamp.

But seriously: Living surrounded by so much black, always subterranean except for class or away games, essentially locked up with a bunch of people who form a military hive mind, but no real friendships?

You can bet your ass all Ravens walk out of there with a nice little cocktail of mental health issues.

And oh, look – Riko’s got his ones already.

           It gave Neil chills to see [Kevin’s] space preserved like this. It was like Kevin had gone out on an errand, not that he’d transferred to another team entirely.

           “Riko’s in denial,” Neil said. “Someone should tell him Kevin isn’t coming back.”

Nice to see that our boy Josten doesn’t plan to shut his too-sassy mouth any time soon.

I mean, it would generally be exponentially better for his general survival, but what a dull chapter that would be.

Immediately after his arrival, Neil is shown to the stadium, and while that is impressive and all, the fuckery starts once again when he his shown to his jersey – and yes, his jersey.

Apparently, expecting his – ahem – “transfer” in summer, the Ravens had him a full gear made, name on the back and all that jazz.

“That jazz” here being things like selling his soul and at least 1 1/2 kidneys to the god of Extra, probably.

HOW ARROGANT ARE THESE PEOPLE, Jesus fucking Christ.

However, when Neil disrespects the Holy Raven Uniform, things starts to get interesting:

           “Ravens operate on a pair-based system, which means from now on until you leave I am the only ally you have. My success is your success,” Jean said. “Your failure is my failure. (…) Do you understand? They want us to fail. They want to take starting line-up from me.”

Holy hell.

Things just got massively, massively interesting.

First of all: WHAT THE FUCK. What sort of twisted attempt at companionship is this, forcing people to depend on each other – and only each other, mind, as the Ravens are forbidding from having friends outside the team.

Second of all: Well, well, well. Apparently, Neil is not the only one who has something to lose. As far as I can tell, Jean Valjean’s future is in Neil’s hands.

Bread guy, what did you do to make Coach Fucker™ so mad at you?

Whatever it is – Neil is now expected to play with the Ravens, of course. And hopefully not die, that would be spleen-fucking-did.

           “The master is moving you to defense where you belong. He will want to know why you abandoned your position. I hope you have a good explanation for him.”

Seriously, can they like… chill on the whole master thing?

I know it’s supposed to be scary and intimidating, but honestly, it just makes them downright ridiculous.

I don’t even know if that’s on purpose. I hope it is, but if this is seriously supposed to be intimidating, that is some bad fucking writing. Sorry, but also not sorry.

Jean Valjean blabs on some more about the master and belonging to the Fucker Family™ and bla, bla, bla – and just as I was about to get seriously annoyed by it, he nonchalantly drops the single greatest bit of information in this chapter.

           “Kevin is not like us; he is valuable but he is not property in the same sense. He escaped because he had family to run to.”

           “Andrew?” Neil guessed.

           “I said family, you hard-of-hearing imbecile,” Jean said. “His father. Your coach.”

WHAT

WHAT IN THE FUCKING WHAT

W Y M A C K???????????

KEVIN’S D A D??????????¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿???????

I had to put the book down and just straight up YELL for a second.

ACTUAL FOX DAD WYMACK.

LIKE, ACTUAL ACTUAL BIOLOGICAL FUCKING DAD WYMACK.

DADMACK.

Y’all knew this and kept quiet about this, I am so proud.

Also DADMACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

           “If you don’t believe me, look for yourself. The last time I saw his mother’s letter it was tucked inside one of those broing book of his. He’s read it so many times he might have worn the words off the pages by now, but it’s worth a shot.”

The mental image of angsty teen Kevin poring over this letter that’s promising him a family beyond the cruel black walls of this abuser’s prison, reading it so many times the paper almost falls apart, tear stains etched onto the pages, is doing things to me.

YOU GUYS, I’M HAVING FEELINGS.

Ahem. All good, all good.

On with the program.

           “You’re all insane,” Neil said.

           “Says the runaway who joined a Class I team,” Jean said. “Says the man who came here today when he should have run. You are no better than the rest of us.”

……Damn, bread boy. Jean Valjean here has got a point, y’all.

Neil, stunned by that unexpected Too Real shade, even manages to put on his uniform.

           “I can’t even keep my ten?” Neil asked.

           “(…) This number suits you better. Did you know? In Japanese, ‘four’ and ‘death’ sound the same. It is only appropriate that the Butcher’s son should wear this number.”

Also, of course, he is fourth in line after Riko, Kevin and Jean, and together they naturally for the Raven’s Awesome Exy Dream Team that is Definitely Happening.

Dream the fuck on, drama boys.

(A tiny voice on the back of my mind is reminding me that I have seen Neil wear a small ‘4’ tattooed on his cheekbone in countless fanarts and cosplays.)

(A tiny voice is getting swiftly ignored.)

Neil has to strip in front of Jean Valjean in order to test his uniform, over which he is surprisingly not angsting out as much as I thought he would. Character Development Josten strikes again, y’all.

And just as I was beginning to wonder when the actually bad shit would happen – here comes the fuckery.

           Neil looked back to see Tetsuji and Riko in the doorway. Tetsuji had brought an ornate walking cane with him. Neil had never seen him with it before and hope that meant Tetsuji was suffering some sort of injury or illness.

That Fucker, Senior™ embraces the traditional Dramatic and Slightly Disturbing Moriyama fashion and orders our boy Josten to kneel.

Neil, of course, embraces the traditional Hilarious, Yet Suicidal Josten fashion and sasses himself straight in his own grave.

           “You will kneel,” Tetsuji said.

           Neil had a feeling he was going to regret this for the rest of his very short life, but he smiled and said, “Make me.”

Neil, sweetie, I love you so much, but in your own self-interest please learn to shut the fuck up.

           He saw the cane come up, but it was too fast for him to dodge. (…) Tetsuji didn’t stop beating him until he finally passed out.

What the fuck, WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS FUCKER SENIOR. WHY.

WAS THIS NECESSARY.

The answer is: In Moriyama world, yes.

And not enough with that – freshly woken up from his pain-induced power nap, Neil is expected to play.

As in, play Exy.

As in, play Exy in a position he hasn’t played in forever, with a team literal leagues above him, with a physical state that should be in a hospital, not on a court.

Oh, also Riko hits him every time he comes near him, which is all the fucking time.

So, you know. FUN TIMES ALL AROUND.

           Every time Neil fell, though, Jean was there to pull him off the ground. (…) They were in this together, just like Jean warned Neil. Every time the other team scored they were both punished.

I’d love to thank Jean for doing this and for being kind of the only person Neil has in this hellhole of a temporary home, except we know Jean is not doing this because he’s such a nice fucking person, but because he got assigned to do it. And by “assigned” I mean “threatened into doing it”.

Still, this sets the stage for Jean potentially becoming a likeable character in the future, and I’m excited to see what comes of this angry French baguette.

           “You ignorant child. This is the Raven’s Nest. We go by our time, not yours. We run on sixteen-hour days. You’ll see.”

wE gO bY oUr TiMe, NoT yOuRs, wE rUn oN sIxTeEn-HoUr DaYs

ARE YOU FOR REAL

WHAT LEVEL OF ARROGANT AND EXTRA

I am so fucking done.

Except, I’m not – I wish I was, because that would have made the next bit a bit more bearable.

Here goes the one actually scary part of this chapter.

           Riko sat sideways on the mattress besides Neil. He looked at Neil like he was imagining skinning Neil alive and feeding Neil the bloody scraps. His expression said he was getting off on the fantasy.

HELL FUCKING NOPE.

           “I am going to love hurting you,” Riko said, “like I loved hurting Kevin.”

           “You are one seriously fucked-up individual,” Neil said.

Neil, sweetie, do you remember that part about possibly shutting the fuck up.

They tie Neil to the bed. Awesome. As if I didn’t have enough horrible mental images from this series that involve people gripping headboards.

Also, did I mention the part where Riko has a fucking switchblade.

           “Who is your King, Nathaniel?” Riko asked.

           Neil spat in his face.

There’s a cool lil list of Things You Could Have Possibly Done In That Situation, and this is not fucking on it.

Of course, Riko now lets Neil make the questionable acquaintance of his knife – which is to say, he almost fucking guts him.

What the fuck. What the fuck, what the fuck, what the fuck.

Neil, I love you, and I appreciate your sass in all its forms, but this has just become 50 Shades Of Fucked Up just now.

Phew.

Dreaded Christmas chapter done.

Surprisingly, though – this chapter did not shock me as much as I thought it would. I went in this expecting the Absolute Worst, and though it did hit me pretty hard I was kinda… prepared, I guess? Thanksgiving was definitely much, much worse.

Which does not mean I am not still going ‘WHAT THE FUCK WHAT THE FUCK WHAT THE FUCK’ in a continuous loop in my head.

If you like what I do here and you want to help me continue writing (affording a laptop and such), please consider buying me a coffee! Thank you so much <33

[onceuponamirror]

heart rise above

///// CHAPTER 4

summary: It wasn’t an experiment with freedom borne of some Americana fantasy; rather, a road trip of purely logistical intentions. The plan was simple. Drive from Boston to Chicago for his sister’s college graduation. That’s it.

Or, he drives a Ford Pickup Named Desire.

Mechanic!AU

fandom: riverdale

ship: betty x jughead

words: 16k

chapters: 4/?

[read from the beginning] [read the latest]

Can the child within my heart rise above?

.

.

.

Jughead stares at her, and then crosses the room to place his bag in the chair he’d been occupying. He seems to hesitate. “Should I…do I need anything?”

Betty presses her lips together, trying not to smile at how oddly confused he looks. “No. Might want to take off your jacket, though. I’ll grab you a jumpsuit. This work is dirty.”

She quickly turns around, cheeks blooming at the way that had come out. He doesn’t seem to notice, because he’s busying himself with shedding his jean jacket, but she hadn’t meant it to sound so coy.

He follows her to the supply closet, where she sifts through the available uniforms. She normally keeps her work suit in her office, so she’s forgotten her father’s uniform was still there, stuffed in the back. Hesitating as her eyes fall on his embroidered name, she sighs and skips forward a few hangers.

Joaquin isn’t coming in today, so hopefully he won’t mind sharing his. Betty hands him the jumpsuit and he wordlessly slips into it.

“The truck is on spot three, if you wanna pop the hood. I’m just gonna change again,” she says, nodding to the other side of the garage. She hates wearing her clothes under her suit because she always overheats, but maybe she’d grabbed a new pink shirt because she’d felt slightly embarrassed about the state of her appearance when she’d first met him.

Betty moves to the corner blind spot to change out of sight. As she pulls her top over her head, she remembers her promise to investigate the relationship status of whichever Veronica had dubbed the cute one, but she’s still not totally sure who that’s supposed to be. Archie is good-looking too, if albeit reminded her a bit uncomfortably of her ex-boyfriend in personality.

Veronica seemed to have zeroed in on the redhead, though Betty silently decides there’s something cuter about the perennial pout of Jughead, even if she can’t tell if he’s something of a jerk, or just someone in a bad position.

But if she asks Veronica if Jughead is the one she’s interested in, her friend will just assume Betty thinks he’s cute (she does) and she’ll never hear the end of it (ever). Veronica has been borderline obsessed with getting Betty “back out there” since breaking things off with Trev, but it’s been barely four months and she doesn’t understand the rush.

More than once, she’s wondered if it’s Veronica’s looming guilt for leaving her in Riverdale at the end of the summer, as if Betty wasn’t the one who encouraged her to apply for law school.

Even if she does feel the imminence of her absence, eying it like some dark cloud thundering off over a far mountain, she still has Kevin and Joaquin, her sister, and even her mother or Cheryl on a good day. But by Veronica’s calculations, Betty would think she’s about to become some spinster recluse.

Then again, Betty has been at the garage since five to avoid her mother, so maybe she’s not too far off. Betty decides she’ll just cover her bases and find out about both guys for Ronnie. If she even can. She’s never been entirely good with subtlety, but she’ll have to find a way to sneak the question in.

When she steps out of her office, fully changed, Jughead is standing to the side of his truck, eying her rolling work cart. She bounces up to him and pulls the cart around to the hood.

“So this is all we need to get started, for now. Sorry, this is a little cluttered! I wasn’t expecting anyone. Here, can you move the book? Just put it anywhere with a clean surface.” She realizes that doesn’t give him a lot of options, but he hesitantly takes the thick book and quickly drops it on a storage shelf.

“Bit of light reading?” He jokes, walking back to her. His nose wriggles slightly.

“Sure, if you call 500 pages of paperback dedicated to murder light,” Betty smirks, jerking her head towards the engine in a gesture that asks him to join her. He comes to stand next to her, though noticeably keeps his distance and she instantly feels silly for her putting on the new shirt earlier. He peers over her shoulder into the engine.

“So what am I looking at? Besides the obvious,” he adds, eyes narrowed as they dart over the machinery.

She points to the dark spot burned in on the left side. “See that there? That’s where your compressor fried. That’s why your car started smoking; the engine overheated when it failed. The first thing I’m gonna do is pull that out.”

Jughead nods once, eyes moving rapidly around the spot she’s hovering over. She gesticulates to the main engine. “And this is the head gasket. It basically locks everything in place. Without it—”

“I’m dead in the water,” he summarizes correctly. “So why do I need a new one?”

“Head gaskets are tricky, because they’re not always symptomatic. The whole point is that they’re sealed. So you have to look beyond what’s right in front of you. It takes a bit of detective work, but between you and me, that’s my favorite part. See your cylinder block?” She points to it.

“That’s why you think I need it replaced? That rust on the underside?” Betty gives an mm-hm. The rust is almost fully hidden, and not everyone would see it right away. “So it’s leaking,” Jughead guesses.

“You’re a fast learner,” she says truthfully, impressed. His eyes dart down and to the side as he shrugs.

“It’s the long-earned habit of a slacker,” he replies dismissively. “So you weren’t kidding about an engine being more than the sum of its parts. Wouldn’t have thought Aristotle would be this relevant to 20th century machinery. Huh. And you said something about a valve?”

“Right. It’s called that for a reason. The whole engine works like a heart.”

“That’s apt,” he says softly.

Betty glances over her shoulder at him, meeting his gaze. Something indiscernible but vaguely intense moves across his face. She takes a breath of air to steady the buzzing across her chest and looks back at the engine. “So that one, on the right? You can see where it’s thinning.”

Jughead leans in over the car, moving closer to her. “Yep,” he says, as she grabs a rag to wipe off as much of the carbon remnants from the compressor as she can. It’ll be a lot easier to remove if she can see what she’s doing.

“So, what’s in Chicago?” She asks, deciding to push an opening to investigate. She resolutely keeps her eyes on the engine, lest she burst into the same flames that claimed the compressor.

“The women in our lives,” Jughead says off-handedly. When she looks up, surprised, he adds, “Archie’s mom and my sister. Respectively.”

He grins down at her, and she realizes it might be the first time she’s actually seen him smile. She finds it suits him, especially for a guy who seems to wear a scowl like it’s a personal edict. “Why do you ask?”

She turns her gaze back down to her work and tries to keep her voice innocent. “I can’t make conversation?”

He pauses. “Yeah, sorry, of course. I’m kind of bad at…small talk. Uh, my little sister is graduating from Northwestern, hence the firm deadline. Archie just tagged along for the ride since his mom is in Chicago too. And we’ve been talking about a road trip on and off since high school, so we figured we might as well give it a shake. Although it ended up being a pretty pathetic attempt, obviously.”

She chuckles. It’s not exactly the firm answer she’d hoped to get for Veronica, but the derisive tone in Jughead’s voice when he’d talked about the women in their lives seemed to imply an equal shot. “You and Archie have known each other a while then?”

“Since we were nothing but mindless wee babes. We grew up in the same town, a bit outside of Boston.”

She glances over, feeling amused. “All those remarks about Riverdale and you’re from a suburb?”

Jughead turns bright red. “I didn’t mean it like that. Yesterday, I was just…you might’ve noticed I’m already not the cheeriest guy around. My beloved truck breaking down not 5 days into a road trip I hadn’t even planned for didn’t do wonders for my mood. Somehow.”

“I know, I could tell. You’re forgiven,” she says, with mock seriousness even though she means it. Privately, Betty decides that even if she weren’t her pitifully lenient self, she’d still let it go after seeing that anxious look in his eye.

“Thank you, I can now sleep easily once more,” he says, rolling his eyes, but he’s smiling again. Then he rubs at his neck. “So, do you like that book you’re reading?”

She blinks, surprised by the question and the suddenly informal pitch in his voice. “Yeah,” she says. “It’s been sitting on my shelf for a while, and I finally got to it last week.”

“That’s not much of an answer. What do you really think of it?” He asks, squinting at her.

Betty raises an eyebrow, but he’s got a hard look in his eye and she might as well be honest. “It is good. It’s lonely, but good.”

He wrinkles his brow. “What do you mean, lonely?”

She sighs, trying to think of a way to summarize her thoughts. “There’s a lot of open space in the writing. Like the main character is always waiting for something that doesn’t come. I don’t know if that makes sense.”

Jughead scratches at his temple. “No, it…does. That’s a very editorial thing to say.”

It’s Betty’s turn to look away. Considering that’s more or less what she went to school for, she takes it as a compliment.

“So you’d recommend it, then?” Jughead presses. He quickly adds, “I’m looking for something to kill the three weeks with. Was gonna try to find a book store.”

“Sure. I like that it’s not a vendetta. I like true crime books, but they’re always about some guy whose wife was murdered in front of him. Sometimes that works, but I decided I’m kind of done with the fridged female character. But I’m only halfway through, and it’s a little lacking in diversity.”

He shifts against the hood, frowning. “Meaning?”

Betty shrugs and switches back to the engine, tools now in hand. She starts unloosening the screws of the burnt compressor. “I like that it’s really about this guy’s relationship with his family, especially his father, but there just isn’t much presence of women in the book.”

Jughead is silent next to her, but she can feel his eyes on her, so she twists back. “What?”

His tongue digs into his cheek thoughtfully and shakes his head. “You just didn’t strike me as a true crime kind of girl.”

She leans next to him against the truck. “What did I strike you as?” She asks, feeling unusually bold.

Here in Riverdale, she’s the same old Betty Cooper that she’s always been. Everyone knows her here, knows her to be kind and giving and good. Simple and plain. But Jughead is a stranger, he’ll be gone soon, and she wants to know what he sees.

His lips lift slightly, but his face betrays nothing. “I’ll let you know when I figure it out.”

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He leaves not long after that, with some vague excuse about work (though she’s forgotten to ask what it is exactly that he does)—but then, much to her surprise, Jughead comes back the next day. In fact, he’s already there waiting when she pulls up the drive.

“Nice car,” he greets, with an impressed kind of look.

“It’s just advertising,” she laughs, shutting the door to her blue Chevy Bel Air. “If I didn’t drive something like this, people would think I wouldn’t know how to handle an old engine.”

“Fair point,” Jughead says. His eyes run over it, and then her. “Well, you’ve convinced me.”

She tries not to flush under his curious gaze, but seizes the opportunity to shield her face by grabbing her bag from the open window. When she turns back, he’s shifting on his feet. “Sorry to come back unannounced,” he says, clearing his throat. “I wasn’t sure how much of me you’d signed up for. I mean, whether or not I could shadow your work again today. I didn’t want to presume, and I thought about texting you first, but—”

“Jughead, really, it’s okay,” she insists, even though it’s a bit adorable watching him ramble. She gets out her keys and fiddles with the garage padlocks, smiling over at him. “I think it’s good that you want to learn. This truck isn’t getting younger, and maintenance is important on a car like this.”

And yesterday she found him to be good company, despite the recurring frown, so she genuinely doesn’t mind. Jughead looks relieved, and scurries over to help her push up the rolling overnight gates.

He hangs around a few feet behind her at first, but after she hands him an engine manual to study, a switch seems to flip between them. Or, she realizes, he just relaxes. Somewhere between Jughead’s scowl smoothing out and her cracking her father’s worst car joke—

(“I try to think of a good car pun, but I’m always too exhausted.”

“That’s terrible.”

“Because of the exhaust pipe.”

“Yeah, I got that. Terrible.”)

—Betty decides that Jughead is not only good company, but he’s also a surprisingly calming presence. She’s not sure if it’s his dry humor or his blunt honesty, but all he has to do is roll his eyes her way and stretch his long legs out against something as he makes some clever quip and she’s laughing again in a way she hasn’t laughed all year.

She’d gotten so used to the hours ticking by unaccompanied in this garage that she’d nearly forgotten what it was like to work alongside someone—even if Jughead isn’t actually much help. He doesn’t quite have the natural talent for mechanics, though still an observant, diligent student. He occasionally asks questions while leafing through the manual or leaning over her shoulder, but mostly seems content to watch her work.

After an afternoon of switching between his engine and the other cars she’s responsible for, she decides it’s time for a break. She stretches her arms high over her head. “I’m gonna make a pot of coffee, do you want some?” She asks, rolling her neck.

“A woman after my heart,” Jughead says, glancing at her over the top of the manual. Only his eyes are visible, but that’s enough to find herself blushing. Then, with a flash, it just reminds her that she forgot to update Veronica on what she’d gleaned yesterday.

“I’ll be right back,” she says.

“And I’ll be right here,” he replies, attention returning to the manual. He gets up and wanders over the truck, head turning between engine and book as he studies the two.

When she gets to her office, she settles into her desk to catch up on her work emails. She shoots off a request for the compressor she needs to her friend Adam—who runs a much bigger garage up in Hudson and is usually the one she turns to when she’s in a bit of a mechanic bind—and then responds to a thank you email from a satisfied customer. There are more things to sort through, but she owes Veronica a response first.

V, not 100% sure, but I think both boys are single, she texts.

Veronica’s reply comes almost instantly.

C’est magnifique, isn’t it? One for me and one for you!

Betty looks up from her phone and across the garage, where she can see Jughead sticking his head over the engine and muttering to himself. She turns back to her phone keyboard. Wait, what? Did you already know?

Of course. Archie tracked me down yesterday and asked me out. Of course, we’re going to have to drive down to New Paltz for any kind of decent dinner. Candlelight should be present at all first dates.

So it was Archie that Veronica was interested in. She tries to ignore the quickening of her heart. Then there’s a pause, the little ellipsis appearing ominously as Veronica begins to type.

Wait, how do YOU know?

** Well, you left me with very vague instructions, V! **

?? Did you think Archie’s friend was the cute one??

It’s impossible for a text to gasp, but Veronica somehow manages it. Betty supposes there’s some kind of satisfaction in predicting exactly how this conversation would go but there’s not much.

** I just asked him when he was at the garage yesterday because I wasn’t sure who you were interested in! that’s it! **

He was hanging out at the garage with you?

** V, I’m fixing his truck, it’s not unreasonable for him to be here. **

Is he there again today?

Shit. She shouldn’t have used the present tense. Betty definitely doesn’t want to tell her that. But Veronica doesn’t wait long for her not to answer, sending over a flurry of angel and heart emojis.

B!!

This is going just as badly as she’d expected it would, so she quickly puts her phone on silent and sets it face down on the desk. Exhaling, she decides to busy herself with making coffee. While it bubbles and percolates, she muses with what’s just transpired.

She’s not sure why she feels so defensive; probably because she wants her next relationship to be developed on her own terms and not pushed into it because her well-meaning but boundary-stricken friends are overly invested in her life.

Still—it wouldn’t be so crazy for her to like Jughead, would it?

Granted, she doesn’t know him very well, but she’s already admitted to herself that she finds him attractive. And he’s since apologized for his occasionally rude behavior, which was her main put off. And she’d been ready to break up with Trev long before actually summoning the courage, so it’s not like she’s not over him. If anything, she feels bad at how much she is over him.

Really, there are only two problems with allowing a crush on Jughead to bloom. One, she finds him hard to read, and with the amount of literal space he keeps putting between them, she guesses he really is just here to learn about his truck. Two, he’s leaving. In three weeks. And she’ll never see him again after that.

And that is the bottom line. What if she ends up really liking him and all she’s left with is an empty garage and feeling more trapped here than ever? The risk just doesn’t seem worth it for a guy who, right after meeting her, said: “let’s get this over with."

She’s never been able to separate sex and feelings, so the last thing she needs is to put emotional stake in some rolling stone. So she decides right then and there that she won’t let her mind consider it any further.

As she’s making that vow to herself, she spots Kevin moving silently across the garage, clearly mindful of where he steps. Jughead is bent over the truck, his nose pressed against the manual she gave him and unaware of the sneaking figure creeping up behind him.

Betty comes out of her office to watch it unfold more closely. She’s unsure what Kevin is doing, but then he wraps his arms tightly around Jughead’s torso and says, “Surprise!”

Jughead freezes. “No shit,” he says, after a long pause. Kevin scrambles back.

“Oh. You’re not Joaquin.”

“Definitely not,” Jughead replies, turning around. His eyebrows are so high on his forehead they’re practically in his hairline.

“Joaquin isn’t working today, Kev,” Betty says sheepishly, coming around towards them. Jughead looks over at her. “He had to go up to Catskill to see his mom.”

“Oh, damn. I forgot. He did say that,” Kevin sighs, scratching awkwardly behind his ear. “Sorry about that. I was just trying to surprise him with lunch. Trying to extend the honeymoon period and all that.” He lifts up a brown paper bag and shoves it at Jughead. “Here, you can have it. It’s the least I can do.”

“I was gonna say you’d have to buy me dinner first,” Jughead mutters, accepting the bag and peeking inside it. “But this’ll do.”

Kevin grins at Betty. “You didn’t tell me you hired a new guy. About time.” But he doesn’t give her a moment to reply, immediately offering Jughead his hand. “One day we’ll laugh about this. I’m Kevin.”

Jughead takes it, but exchanges a look with Betty, who jumps in. “Kev, this is Jughead. His truck broke down in Riverdale during a road trip. He just wanted to learn about fixing his engine, so that’s why he’s here.”

Still shaking Jughead’s hand, despite his mounting discomfort, Kevin stares at Betty with the kind of expression she’s learned to hate on him: one of mischievous curiosity. He looks back at Jughead and seems to realize he’s been forcing him to shake his hand for about half a minute.

He releases Jughead from his grip. “You don’t say. How long are you in town for?”

Jughead glances at Betty, who nods. “She said three weeks.”

Kevin cocks his neck, gears clearly working. “And what are you doing here again?”

But a ringing from across the garage saves either from answering. Betty raises a pausing finger in the air. “Uh—hold on. That’s my office phone,” she says, already cutting across the room. She catches it just before it goes out. “Cooper Garage, Betty speaking.”

“Hey, Betts, it’s Adam. Got your email—I do have the compressor part you need, but I’m out of town till next week. Will that work?”

She lets out a thankful breath. “That’ll be great, Adam. Lemme know when you’re back and I’ll pop up to Hudson. You’re a lifesaver!”

He chuckles across the line. “You’ll have to owe me,” he says, which is what he says every time. They make a bit more polite chatter (Adam always manages to make her look like a comparable introvert, somehow) and then Betty finds her goodbyes.

Kevin corners her as she’s coming out of her office. “So, were you planning on telling me about tall, dark, and broody?”

“There’s nothing to tell, Kev. Just because that’s your type doesn’t mean it’s mine,” Betty says, although she’s already decided that’s not strictly true. Still, she resists the strong urge to tell him to keep his voice down. “And he can’t wait to get out of here, trust me.”

“If you say so,” Kevin says, crossing his arms. “But for the record, he’s been staring over here the whole time we’ve been talking.”

They both turn and look over at Jughead, and his head immediately jerks upwards to the ceiling, like he’s found something very interesting up in the high beams. He sulks off, shoving his hands forcefully in his pockets.

Kevin grins back at her smugly. “Stop,” she sighs.

“I didn’t do anything,” he replies innocently.

“I can hear you thinking,” Betty mumbles. “Besides, he might’ve been looking at you.”

Kevin seems to consider this. “That’s fair. I did practically just grab his ass. And I am something of a Kennedy, so I wouldn’t really blame him.”

She raises a hand in the air as if to say “see?” but the smile drops from his face, his lips pinching together. “I’m not trying to push Veronica’s agenda on you, to be clear. I’m just all a-flush with new romance and I can’t help but want that for my best girl too.”

Betty smiles softly. “I know that. And I appreciate that. But if I’ve learned anything, my next relationship needs to have…meaning. I can’t get that from a guy with one foot out the door. And besides, honestly, I don’t think he’s interested. And I’m not—I’m just fixing his engine. So please, just—”

But Kevin doesn’t look satisfied. “I’m not just talking about dating though, Betty. I want you to be happy. I never see you anymore unless I come here and… If it were me, and I’d just gotten out of a two year relationship that dramatically, and I was spending all my time at work and my dad had just—”

“Stop,” she repeats it again, but this time with force, closing her eyes briefly. “Kevin, please. I’m fine. I’ve just been busier with everything since Joaquin started classes. Which is fine, Mr. Boyfriend, I’m not complaining, I’m really happy he wants his degree, but it just means I need to put in more hours for now.”

Kevin doesn’t look convinced and she hates the concern in his eyes. “But what happens when he and I go to Europe? What are you gonna do when it’s just you alone in this garage for two months?”

“I’ll hire someone,” she huffs, tightening her ponytail. “When he leaves.”

He puts up his hands. “Whatever you say. It’s your business. Literally. But can we at least make some plans to see each other outside of this grease trap? I mean, you should appreciate the depths of which I care for you and Joaquin to show up here in my best khakis.”

She smiles, finally relaxing. “Yes, definitely. How about tomorrow at Pop’s?” Kevin nods approvingly, and just then, Jughead wanders back over towards them. She turns to him, happy for a break from the ghost of the Spanish Inquisition inhabiting her friend. “Hey, Jughead! Good news! I heard back from my guy in Hudson and he has the part for me. I can go get it next week.”

“Oh, he’s definitely got a part for you,” Kevin mutters under his breath, much to Betty’s annoyance. She shoots him a warning glare, unsure how many times she has to insist Adam doesn’t think of her that way. Then again, most of her defenses had come about in the era of Trev, and she’s not sure how’ll they hold up with her single. She’s secretly suspected it’s not a completely unfounded theory.

Jughead glances between them. “Great,” he says finally. His voice is back to its usual flat tenor.

Kevin gives him one long, parting look before bidding them both farewell, saying he has to get back to the mayor’s office. They’re planning a 4th of July parade that has been one misstep after another and he is very needed, apparently.

Afterwards, she brings the coffee pot out to her work station and they settle in on folding chairs. Jughead guzzles down two cups of black coffee without seemingly taking a breath in between and amiably asks her about good examples of books that don’t fridge their female characters (a topic on which she has nothing but thoughts).

Later, once Betty can no longer excuse a longer break, she and Jughead fall back into their routines (her working, him hanging around observing). It’s quiet but comfortable, and she lets him pick the next music, even after he jokes that he’s a loyal metalhead.

Instead, he puts on The Beach Boys (he gives, “it’s the road trip playlist that never was,” as his excuse), and when Wouldn’t It Be Nice comes on, she thinks simply that maybe it would.

He excuses himself to the restroom halfway through the song, but she’s spared from analyzing that as the red garage phone rings across the room.

“Cooper Garage, this is Betty,” she says into the receiver. Polly’s voice breaks across the line.

“Hi Betty! Sorry to bother you at work, but I was wondering if you minded picking up the kids from day camp in an hour? You know I hate putting this on you, but I thought I could get off earlier today but something came up last minute here. And Jason is so picky about nannies and we just haven’t found a new one we like. And you’re so great with them.”

Betty pulls the phone away from her mouth in order to take in a long breath. Jughead walks back into the room as she’s straightening up. “Of course, Pol,” she says, forcing a bright voice. “No problem. I came in early today, so I can close up by then.”

“You’re the best,” Polly says, with evident relief. “Do you wanna have dinner tonight? You can hang out with the kids till we’re home and then I’ll order us some well-deserved take out of your choice.”

It’s a roundabout way of asking her to also babysit, which frustrates her. She’d appreciate Polly just being direct about it at this point, since it’s been two months since Jason fired the last nanny and essentially hired her, minus the pay.

But since she’d come home last night to her mother very pointedly saying Trev had dropped off another box of Betty’s things (if one could call a couple of socks and books that) and tried to wait around for her, she’ll take the excuses to stay out that she can get.

“That sounds great. I’ll see you tonight,” Betty says, and then hangs up with a bit more force than she’d like Jughead to see. She pivots back to him. “I’m gonna have to close up. Do you want me to drop you somewhere on my way out?”

His gaze is eagled and she doesn’t like it. “Uh, sure. That would be great. Everything…okay?”

She waves a hand and starts putting tools away. “Absolutely. Everything’s fine. Just babysitting duty again.”

Jughead hums. “You just don’t seem too thrilled.”

Betty cocks her neck up at him, momentarily thrown off guard. She narrows her eyes. “I love my family,” she says sharply. “I’m happy to help out.”

He shrugs indifferently, but there’s still something working behind his eyes. “Okay, sorry. That wasn’t my place.”

“It’s fine,” she says, shaking her head. “I’m just gonna finish packing up these tools and then get changed. Do you want to wait in my office?”

It’s an unspoken dismissal, and Jughead nods, scratching behind his neck. Once he’s gone, she lets out a shaky breath, trying to convince herself she’s unsure why she suddenly feels so frustrated. In reality, she knows it’s because she’s spent 25 years perfecting perfection and it’s unnerving that a guy she barely knows can spot her discomfort right away.

But she is fine. It is fine. She does genuinely love her family, but she also wants to appreciate having them. Life is fickle and she’s learned the hard way that no amount of rigorous planning can hold up against fate. So if that means she needs to hand her time over to her sister once in a while, she will.

After a few minutes, she’s ready to go. He emerges from her office looking pensive and frowning once more.

She locks up. Jughead follows.

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