❁ CHAPTER TWO

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Jughead winced, as Archie pulled on the bandages a bit to tighten them. Archie tied them and placed the spool down. "So.. what happened?" Archie started. "It's none of your business." The room grew seemed to grow cold as Jug spoke. "Well, it obviously does now. You're in my house, on my counter-" Archie began. "Fine." Jug spat. "It was my dad." Archie was surprised but placed a hand on Jug's shoulder. "He was drunk. Upset." He continued. "Nothing new."

~

Jughead migrated to the couch, where he hunched over and steadied his breathing. Archie decided to call Betty since he was getting more and more worried.

~

On the phone;

Archie: "Betty..?"

Betty: "Archie?" She laughed, copying him.

Archie: "Ha, ha. Can you come over really quickly?"

Betty: "I'm sure I can, but why?" A shuffling sound can across, she was getting up.

Archie: " W..ell.. something happened? Just come over."

Archie hung up, a bit embarrassed.

~

There was a knock at the, making Jughead jump but Archie assured him it was just a friend. Archie opened the door to greet Betty. "So.. Do tell." She said stepping into the house. She turned to the living room seeing Jug's back. She backed up to face Archie. "Is this why you called?" "Yea.," Archie mumbled. "So what's up? With him.." "I was to his house because he had dropped his hat and I was going to return it. But when I got there he was being tossed around by his dad and he got beat up. So I brought him here." Archie looked a bit distressed.

It took Betty a second to comprehend what was going but as soon as she did, "So why am I here?" "I don't know, I panicked!" He whispered. "I can hear you both." Jug sighed, getting up to face them.

There was a silence in the room before Betty flinched at the sight of Jug's injuries. "I should go." Jug started before, getting interrupted by Archie, "No! I mean, You shouldn't go back there until your dad is.. Y'know." Jughead sighed. "Then what should I do?" He slung his bloody shirt over his shoulder. "You could.. stay here?" Archie looked over to Betty who shrugged.

"Alright, so what are you doing here?" Jughead looked over to Betty. "Archie called me over, I'm better at taking care of bruises and cuts then he is. Let me see." Jughead sighed, unwrapping the bandages to take a look. Betty winced, seeing the nasty cuts. She walked over to a cupboard pulling out a first aid kit, walking back over the boys.

~

After taking care of the cuts better;

The bandaged boy sat on the couch with a glass of water next to Archie and Betty. "So Jughead, I think its time we knew more about you?" She looked over to Archie for support on this. He nodded turning to Jug. Jug took a sip of water before sitting up straighter.

"Since I was little my Mother and Father would fight. I had a little sister to take care of, so I never knew what they were fighting about. But it started a cycle where my mom would leave, my dad would get drunk, and he would come after us. So I tried to hide my sister and face him. But one night, when I was asleep, my mom and sister left. Ever since then it been the same every night." Jug finished, leaning back in the silence he 'summoned.'

Archie sat there broken up by what Jughead went through. Almost on instinct, he got a hugged Jug, the boy was surprised but let it happen.

~

After Betty had left boys chilled on the couch, watching some TV on the couch. Just then Archie's dad Fred opened the door and walked in. "Hey Arch..?" He looked over to the two on the couch. Archie stood up to greet his dad and introduce Jughead. "Hey dad, This is Jughead. He's a.. friend from school!" He laughed a bit, awkwardly. Jughead got up, exposing his slightly red bandages. Fred took heed of the bandages and waved trying not to show his worry. Fred took his son into the kitchen, "Son, your friend over there as torn up as a scratching post. What's going on?"

Archie explained the situation;

"That's terrible. He can't go back right now.." Fred mumbled. "I know, I know," Archie responded. "Do you think he could stay here?" "It would be the right thing to do," Fred said.

"Hey Jughead," Fred said walking back out. "Why don't you stay the night, I don't want you going back to your Pop when he's like.. that." "Thank you so much, sir," Jughead replied, a bit shocked. "No need to be so formal, just call me Fred. Anyways.." Fred checked his watch. "What do you boys want for dinner? I could go for something from Pop's." "That sound great Dad." Archie smiled, turning back to Jughead after his Dad left.

"He seems nice," Jughead mumbled. "I like to think that he is." Archie laughed back, his red-hair a bit messy. Jughead head blushed noticing but continued. "If you don't mind I can sleep out here--"

"No!" Archie interrupted. "I have an air mattress we can put up in my room if that's alright!" Archie beamed. This caused Jughead to blush a bit, but he smiled and accepted the offer.

~

By the time that Fred got back both of the boys, were playing video-games in his room. "Dinner!" Fred called from downstairs. The boys walked down and took a seat at the table before digging into the bag.

Jughead's mouth was watering by the time he opened the wrapper around his burger. He dug into the food and sighed a smile on his face. They all finished soon after and were talking about past experiences.

~

The boys headed up to Archie's room to get some well-deserved rest after today. Jughead sat on the air-mattress as Archie grabbed some spare clothing for both them to sleep in. He tossed Jug some shorts and a shirt, then went into the bathroom to change. By the time he left the bathroom Jug had already changed and sat down again. Archie blushed but went to turn off the light.

"Goodnight." He said with a snicker, turning off the light.

Jug jumped a bit but laughed. "Goodnight, Stupid."

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