𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐎 || 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘚𝘦𝘦𝘮 𝘛𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦

𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆: 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐈𝐒 𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐏𝐇𝐈𝐂 𝐒𝐎 𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐋𝐘

WARMTH FROM THE CAMPFIRE CAME AS A BLESSING FOR CHRIS. A soft smile on his lips as he stared into it, just listening to the conversation happening between Jug, Archie, and Gladys. Occasionally joining in on the talk, but tuning them out. Jughead had been explaining everything with this board game Griffin's and Gargoyles and how people were actually dying from playing it. Or more so people were people killed which was a whole new level of immersion that Chris had no plans of ever experiencing. Jughead had even mentioned a Penny Peabody stripping a piece of his flesh from him, the Serpent symbol that he had done last year.

Taking a sip of his beer with his arm wrapped around Jellybeans shoulders where she had curled into his side. Fingers mindlessly fiddling with the loose threads at the wrist of his plaid shirt. One of the only times where Chris didn't feel like the girl was avoiding him or acting as if she cared. It may have been because Jughead was back and Chris wouldn't blame her.

Having Jughead back in their lives and even Archie was nice. Things have changed- maybe not everything considering Chris had continued being an enforcer, but at least he didn't like doing it. He wasn't doing drugs, he wasn't drinking as much as he used to and he hadn't gotten in any recent trouble since Riverdale. Only having a close encounter with a cop, Officer Kang. The guy was an asshole and didn't mind showing it with his little band of assholes.

But besides, that, things had changed and Chris was trying to stay on this path. Staying in the good light with the second chance he'd been given. "Hiram Lodge, huh? That good-looking short stack was always trouble. But why go after Archie?" Gladys inquired, gaining Chris's attention. The mention of a Lodge had him tune back in as he brought the tip of the beer bottle to his lips. There had been inklings of information that had been given to him over the past few months. Checking in occasionally just to know how everyone was doing. "Archie was the only one that stood up to him, defied him."

"Not to mention, I also date-" Archie paused, seeing the sudden shift from Chris. Glancing at the tattooed and scarred-eyed boy whose eyebrows were knitted together. A look of curiosity etched onto his expression, but one of pain as well. It didn't take an idiot to know that although he left on his accord, Chris still missed Veronica. God, it pained him at times to just think about her. Missing the warmth she brought to his life and the worldwind that came with it. But even then, he knew she would move on and so would he. It was just taking him a bit longer than her. "He dated Hiram's daughter- my ex." Chris finished with an assuring warm smile directed towards the ginger.

A quiet groan and chuckle came from Gladys who couldn't hide the grin that formed on her lips. "Of course you did. You two dated as well?" She mused, pointing at the two boys. "N- No! I..." Archie stammered as his eyes flickered back to Chris with a lost look on his face. "I don't even know what we were." He stated, unsure of how they would even have classified their relationship. It'd been a one-time thing and just seemed to end abruptly. No further continuation of it and no explanation. Chris smiled and motioned between him and Archie as he looked at his mom. "We were complicated. But yeah, we were a "thing," for a little." He explained with a smirk at the pink tint swarming Archie's cheeks.

Seeing that sheepish smile on Archie's lips brought warmth to Chris. It'd been the first time they had talked about to anyone and even admitted. It'd been one night together in bed, one night Chris was still debating if he wanted it to be left behind or keep in a vault in the back of his mind. "But you aren't dating, right? As in, single?" Jellybean beamed enthusiastically which had Chris break out into laughter.

"Relax, Jellybean," Jughead spoke up. "It's JB now, Kid Kerouac." She snipped as Chris tightened his arm around the girl. "Either way, you aren't allowed to date. Whoever wants to will have to meet me, but I have a tendency of scaring people." Chris quipped, pressing a kiss to the girl's head.

"Archie, have you spoken to your dad through any of this?" Gladys spoke up, putting an end to the jokes. Any smile that once was on the boy's lips had washed away at the simple thought of his father. "I wish. I wish I could...see him, tell him how I am, but it's too risky. He'd drag me home by the collar. Riverdale's not where I need to be." Archie told them as they into silence.

So quiet that it had Chris blowing out a raspberry and standing up from his chair. Downing the rest of his beer with the other four watching him. "I'm going to go and have a smoke." He murmured, walking away from the group. Reaching into his back pocket and grabbing the pack of cigarettes and made his way to a far more secluded spot.

Getting away from the group had allowed Chris to go to Toni's motorcycle and let out a gentle sigh. Sitting on the seat with the cigarette hanging from between his lips. Taking in the flames reaching up to the sky chaotically, multiple bodies of people around it to get food. A large family that had grown onto him more than he'd expected them to. And it felt a whole lot different with his brother back and Archie having shown up so suddenly. He wasn't going to be able to wrap his mind around how he was still awestruck by the Andrews presence.

It brought far too many good and bad memories to mind for Chris. Often wondering about how everyone else was doing back home. Did they forget about him? Did they hate him as much as he suspected? Did they forget about him? The further he allowed himself to dive into the deep end, the bigger the urge to ask or go and see. But, he couldn't, he shouldn't go back. All it would take were a few convincing words from Jughead and Chris would go. And something about that made Chris uncomfortable.

Just the willingness he still had in him to go back after everything was strange. Blinking away the thoughts, Chris bowed his hand as he cupped his lighter. Brushing his thumb over the spark wheel to only be met with sparks. Again and again, he did it until he grew aggravated and tossed the item somewhere he most likely wouldn't find it again. Sighing with his hand rubbing his eyes harshly.

"Someone got your panties in a twist?" Malcolm teased, walking towards his friend with a plate of food in hand. Chris glanced up for a moment and shook his head. He didn't even have to ask as Malcolm extended a lighter out for him with his free hand. "Thanks, man." Chris took the lighter and flicked the lighter on, sparking up the end of his cigarette and letting it envelop the end.

Taking a puff, Chris pulled the cancer stick from his lips and handed the lighter back to Malcolm. Standing to his feet with a deep exhale. "I don't even know how to feel about seeing those two fuckers here." He muttered, glaring at Malcolm who let out a muffled chortle, mouth filled with food. "I'm sorry, man. I just didn't expect that type of response comin' from you." The man defended with a raise of his hands in surrender.

As stupid as it sound, Chris completely agreed and hadn't expected himself to feel or say it like that. After all, these two guys he's known for most of his life just popped up again out of the blue. Both were completely unbothered by what he'd done and hadn't questioned him about what happened. Everything they could want to know about what happened was just one simple question away.

But looking at it deeper, something told him that there was a clear and underlining set of possible reasons for it. Those reasons were either; they didn't want to see him as an accessory to murder as they may have once did or they trusted him naturally and would believe him if he gave him an explanation to it all. And if he even gave them the reasoning as to how he was associated with the death of his friend, they wouldn't believe him. This was Chris Jones and Jason Blossom after all. They had been best friends for a long time and for one of them to turn on the other was unnatural. "It just doesn't feel right, y'know? Nothing about this feels right."

A hum was given in response from Malcolm as they stood in silence. Listening to the commotion and laughter from their friends near the fire. Enjoying the night as they always did. But after a moment, when he'd finished eating the bits of food in his mouth, Malcolm said, "This shouldn't feel normal, CJ. But that's fine to feel such a way." Chris couldn't help but nod in agreement, knowing this was something he should've expected. Things weren't going to be simple with them around and Chris should've realized that long ago.

"I just don't know what to say or do around them." Chris huffed, waving his hand incredulously. "I feel like they're going to judge me or get tense by me saying the wrong thing." He sighed, bringing the cigarette to his lips and taking a drag.

"But that's something you are going to have to get through, man." Malcolm explained turning to Chris who had lowered his head and scratched his temple with his hand holding the cigarette. Nudging the boy slightly, getting him to raise his head with a deadpan. "It's what you do now that matters. You've had a tough go, I'll give you that. But what happens now and later is what counts, man." He explained, tapping his on Chris's shoulder as the boy nodded with an exhale of smoke.

That's what Chris has been trying to do for a while now, make up for his past mistakes. Set things right by helping his mother and the other people here. Try to accept that things wouldn't be how he wished them to be and to move on from that. But the things he did for his mother and Harry, held him back from becoming more and doing more. He couldn't become the man he wished to be because of them. He and Malcolm knew they were deep, far too deep to back out as Gladys relied on them both. Chris couldn't do what his mother did to him and abandoned her when things got hard.

But as Malcolm had said, all he could do was worry about now and worry about the past later. Move on from it and just stick in the present where he was needed. Which was exactly where he needed to be when he saw Jellybean rushing to the campfire with Archie close behind. A body was hauled over his shoulder, causing a loud commotion to build around the campfire. An aggravated groan came from Malcolm who tossed his plate to the ground. "Never get a break," He huffed with Chris chuckling, both of them walking. "Not in a million years, my friend."

"What do we got here?" Chris inquired once he and Malcolm were close. Approaching Gladys, Jughead, Archie and Jellybean with a few others. Archie placed the body down into a chair and Chris took in the woman's appearance. Blonde hair swooped down past her shoulders. A gash in her forehead by Jellybean and her masterful shot with a slingshot. A black and white leather punk jacket hugging her frame nicely with a sweater underneath. "Penny Peabody, old former Serpent. Get a chain around, Malcolm." Gladys waved as the dark-skinned man quickly got to work. "Chris, grab some of our tools."

Doing as told, Chris retrieved the tray from the usual shed that they used to work over unpaid clients. Coming back and placing it on a trolly just in time for Penny to have come conscious with a groan. "Oh, welcome to the land of the living, sweetheart." Chris smiled, leaning down a bit to get closer to the woman. Penny blinked a few times, trying to wake up and when she did her eyes nearly bulged out of her head. "Holy shit, Chris Jones is still alive and kicking. I thought you were dead in some ditch or something."

Smiling, Chris shrugged and stood up, towering over the blonde who had to anchor her head to make eye contact. "Well, you're definitely going to wish I was." He promised, flicking the cigarette in his hold at the woman's face. She hissed as he smirked and turned towards the tray of items he thought of using. "You know, Penny, I'm not shocked that a bottom-feeder like you is working with Hiram Lodge." Gladys stepped in with a hint of boredom in her tone. "I mean, you always had unfixed allegiances."

A tiny chuckle came from the blonde who shook her head slightly. "That's rich. Coming from Gladys Jones." Penny scoffed, turning her gaze to Jughead. "Did she tell you who she works with-" All it took was one swift punch to the face to shut Penny up. Her head whipping to the left from the force and nearly toppling the chair over, Malcolm catching it. Blood leaked from Penny's lips as her head hung forward with a groan.

From the corner of his eyes, Chris could feel the cautious and worried gazes from Archie and Jughead. Both watched him rub his right hand as the searing pain had never gotten familiar or something he'd been used to. "Yeah, well... I am surprised that you aren't ratting him out right now. He must have something pretty good on you, Penny Slot." Gladys said, inspecting the necklace around Penny's neck.

"I'm no snitch." Penny spat, lifting her head to look up at the woman, smiling. "But I will say this. Hiram won't stop. Not till he gets what he wants. And right now that's Red." She explained nodding to Archie who clenched his jaw. "And there is nothing you, or you little Lord of The Flies crew, Jughead, or your psychotic son Chris here can do. Hiram won't stop." She emphasized each word as Chris glanced at his mother with a smile, seeing the gears in his mother's head-turning.

Very rarely did they both dabble in a beating together. In fact, there had only been one occasion that had happened and it had been because Harry needed to send a message. Who better than the two Jones, his personal enforcer and supplier? But that had been the only time he saw his mother beat someone and have her encourage him to do the same. Nowadays, that felt like the only bonding they'd done since he was just a little kid.

"Speaking of my Jug-" Chris landed another punch, sending the blonde's head snapping to the left again as his mother shrugged off her jacket. "I saw the work you did on him. You carved him up like a Sunday roast." Gladys stated as she pulled up the sleeves of her shirt. "That was business between me and him," Penny said as Chris grabbed a handful of her hair and lifted her head harshly. A hiss abandoning her lips with a string of blood leaking out the corner. "Yeah, well, I'm his mama. So, it's between me, you, and his psychotic brother now."

At that moment, Chris got to see an ounce of fear in Penny's eyes. It was apparent by how quickly her eyes flickered between the two Jones in front of her. Hands subtly tugged at the chains wrapped around her body and her arms pinched to her back. The jingling of the metal had him smiling as he grabbed her, standing in front of her and tilting her head to look up at him.

She was vulnerable, completely at his mercy. That simple feeling had been something he thought he'd forgotten a year ago. Standing over someone who was pleading for their life. It happened to Thomas, the boy who just deserved a far better way of going and just a chance to leave or be locked up. But Penny didn't deserve that chance, she deserved a long and painful beating. And he could see it in her eyes, the silent and wordless pleads.

Her lips parted, breath getting caught in her throat when she felt his thumb brush against her bottom lip. Wiping away the blood and allowing it to brush over the broken cracks from his previous two blows. Unable to stop herself from letting out the quiet whimper as she stared up at the boy. Chris simply tilted his head to inspect her closer and was intrigued by the sound she'd made. "I- I'll do whatever you want. I promise. Please, just let me go." She whispered, breathless as something about Chris allured her in as he hummed.

Gripping her chin tightly, Chris clicked his tongue in disappointment. "I'm going to hate destroying this beautiful face, sweetheart." He whispered as she swallowed the lump in her throat.

He backed away and turned towards the tray to inspect his selection once more. "All right, everyone. Go inside. Us three are going to have a little chat with Penny here." Gladys told the others, brandishing a bowie knife. While Chris grabbed a hammer and tapped the blunt end against his palm. Humming in agreement with himself of his choice.

Everyone began to clear out, Chris sending a nod to Malcolm who let out a quiet sigh of relief. He needed the sleep and wasn't willing to stay here and watch the two Jones beat the woman to a pulp. Leaving both Jughead and Archie who stayed for a few moments. "Ash her about G&G. How Hiram fits into it all." He told the pair who nodded. "Roger that." Gladys acknowledged with her eyes trained on Penny who stared back at her with a glare.

When they were left alone, Chris turned away and began shrugging off his jacket, leaving him in a dark green t-shirt. "So, Penny, I should tell you this. It's an important piece of info that you might want to keep in mind before this officially starts." Gladys spoke up as Chris grabbed two latex gloves from the cart and slipped them on. The snapping of the fabric against his skin had the blonde glancing over for a moment.

That moment was very short considering Gladys was quick to grab the woman's face harshly. Fingers tight around Penny's face and forcing her lips to part from the grip. "I know you won't snitch, yet. So, we're gonna work you over then ask the questions."

Right when she finished that, she planted her hand over Penny's mouth just as Chris came around and placed a nail on the woman's thigh before bringing the hammer down on it. The muffled screams greeted Chris who moved around his mother and did the same with Penny's other leg. Lodging it into her flesh, but leaving just enough space.

It felt like a complete out-of-body experience for Chris who stepped away. Taking in Penny's cries of pain and letting her mother ask the questions. "What is Lodge planning?" Gladys questioned as Penny wailed in pain, struggling against the chains, trying to break free. When no response was given, Gladys motioned with her hand for Chris. He made his way over and peeled the leather jacket down her arms and lifted the hem of her sweater.

Pressing the knife against Penny's stomach, Gladys repeated the question. Only getting a blubbering mess from the woman, forcing her to glide the blade across Penny's stomach. Earning more screams of cries of pain. That hadn't been it because Chris cocked his arm back and punched her in the stomach repeatedly. Blood painting the blue latex gloves as more pooled out the slash on the blonde's pale skin.

"What is it he is planning, Penny?" Gladys raised her tone over the woman's cries and sobs as she shook in the chair. Chris stepped forward, crouching down in front of the girl. "Penny, look at me." He spoke softly, placing his hand on her right thigh, but was met with a cry. Recoiling his hand and cupping her face softly, ignoring the blood that was smeared across her cheek from the gloves.

His entire demeanour changed before the woman who sniffled, trying to wipe away the snot that had escaped her nose and saliva that had slipped past her lips. He looked a lot softer, sympathetic even. It had her instinctively leaning into his touch. The warmth that radiated from beneath the gloves and her blood allowed her to calm herself down. Without thinking, Chris had pulled his shirt off and dabbed her face with said shirt. Wiping away the blood, snot and saliva and tossing the shirt to the side.

Behind him, Gladys was greeted by the scars etched into her son's skin. The contrast between his usual tan skin now having splotches of pale skin. Showing her an entire road map of everything that had happened since she left when he was just a kid. He hadn't told her what had happened back home and he wasn't planning on doing so. Not much because he didn't have the confidence to tell, but more so the fact that he and his dad were fine now. They'd figured shit out and it was better this way.

Placing the shirt down beside him, he kneeled in front of the girl and cupped her face gently. "Penny, you need to tell me the truth, ok?" He inquired as the blonde blinked tiredly, letting out tiny whimpers of pain. "I can make this stop if you tell me the truth or we can make this a whole lot worse. You need to tell me the truth, right now."

Tears escaped the corner of her eyes as she shook her head. "I- I can't. He'll kill me if I do." She whimpered with her bottom lip trembling with fear and agony.

But what had scared her the most was that any source of sympathy or softness from Chris had vanished. His gaze hardened as he stood up from his position and shook his head with a curse. "That was the wrong choice, Penny." He muttered before backing away with her eyebrows knitting together in confusion. Right before she could question anything, Gladys grabbed the blonde by the hair and forced her head back. Standing above her and digging the knife along the rim of her eye socket and pushed the knife in.

Screams filled the air with choked sobs accompanying them as Gladys popped Penny's eye out forcefully. The eye was held in Gladys' hand as she shook her head with a hum. "Such fragile things. So easy to come undone." She spoke her thoughts, placing the eye on the tray as Penny continued to scream.

Grabbing the hammer, Chris made his way over and hooked the claw around the nail impaled in the blonde's leg. "What is Hiram planning, sweetheart?" Gladys questioned as the woman continued to sob. Gladys gave the nod to her son who pulled the nail out slowly. Letting the pain do its magic and show Penny how long he could make it and how long the agony could last for her. When he did pull it out, he handed to Gladys who placed it on the tray beside the eyeball. "My patience is running thing, Peabody. Tell me what I want to know and you'll be off."

Once again, they were met with sobs and Glady gave the nod with Chris hooking the nail. But before he could start, Penny spoke up. "He wants Riverdale!" She cried, stopping both Jones. "He got Archie and Jughead out of Riverdale so he could make his move."

Both Chris and Glady glanced at one another, finally getting the answer they needed. "Nothing else of importance, Penny?" Chris sighed, eyes flickering to the broken woman who shook her head. Blood ran down her face from the open eye wound that needed to be treated as soon as possible. "No, I promise. Just, please, stop." She pleaded as Chris nodded softly.

There was a beat of silence before Chris shook his head. "But you can't walk if you have this in your leg, sweetheart." And like that, he yanked the nail out with a grunt and stepped back. Placing the nail on the tray with the hammer.

Sweat beaded down his cheeks and head as he closed his eyes for a moment. Taking a deep breath as Penny's screams were muffled by the sound of fabric being placed in her mouth. When he reopened his eyes, he saw the faintest figure in all white walk around the corner. That glow of red hair made him inhale sharply and swallow the lump in his throat. A cold sweat formed around his body as his stomach churned at the sight.

Running his hand over his head, he smeared the blood covering the gloves through his hair. Something Gladys was quick to stop by grabbing his wrists and knocking him from his daze. "Baby, did you hear me?" He blinked at her, chest heaving with his heart thundering against his chest. "Go take a shower. I got clean-up." Gladys explained as he nodded profusely, tearing the gloves from his hand and dropping them to the ground. Making his way back to his bedroom at a quick pace.

The very thing he'd been trying to run from was beginning to catch. This is what he gets for letting up for a single moment and not thinking about others around him. Much like how he was after Jason's death. Things seem to never change.