𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐘-𝐎𝐍𝐄
THE WARNING SIGNS
; ♡⋆.ೃ࿔*

Pain erupted all across Chris's body as he shifted his weak body slightly. Letting his eyes flicker open, his left eye's vision completely blank and devoided of any sight. A bandage covered it, but Chris knew his sight was gone. But his right eye picked up on the dark hospital room that he was settled in. Chris felt a stabbing pain in his side as he tried sitting up. Hissing quietly as he held his side before letting his tired eyes glance around the room.

The lights behind his bed were the only ones on and the curtains for the window were shut. But with the small amount of light, Chris could make out Jughead sleeping on a little bed situated at the far end of the room. A tiny smile on his lips seeing his little brother without his beanie on. Looking to the left side of his bed, FP was sleeping in a chair. His quiet snores filling the silent air of the room. Then there was Archie sleeping on a cot, staring up at the ceiling still very much awake.

Using his hands to adjust, Chris sat up a bit and stared at Archie. Licking his dry lips as he whispered, "Hey, Arch." The boy's light brown eyes landed on the Jones with a tiny smile appearing. "Holy shit." He muttered and Chris smiled lightly before placing a finger over his lips. "Don't wake the other two up. I don't need the constant questions in my ear about what happened." Chris muttered as he watched Archie stand up and move around to the chair on the right side of the bed.

Pressing the button and making the top end of the bed starts to rise and let Chris sit comfortably without hurting his back. Once it was in position, Chris leaned back and let out a sigh. "Oh, that hits the spot." He muttered, causing Archie to snicker in amusement. "With how long you've been out. Anything must 'hit the spot'." A tiny playful glare played on Chris's expression as he looked at the ginger.

"How long have I been out anyway?" He mumbled, closing his eye for a moment. Something about hitting a pole, being stabbed in the side, losing all vision in one eye hits different. The stupid little thought made him chuckle to himself as he looked at Archie.

"Maybe at least 7 hours," Archie replied as he clasped his hands together. Shaking his head slightly as he scowled at the boy. "What the hell were you doing?" Despite the anger and frustration in the ginger's tone, Chris could see the pain in his eyes. He'd been able to see it since they first made eye contact. It hurt him knowing that because of his drug-filled state, he put them all in a state of worry.

Licking his lips, Chris looked up at the ceiling and shrugged his shoulders. Not finding the guts to even admit what happened and why he even decided to drive in the state he was. He couldn't even find or muster up an excuse as to what happened. If the police had picked the car apart- oh god his car.

Internally, Chris was beginning to cry as he ran a hand down his face. That car meant more than his own life. He'd had that car for years now and it was practically his baby. But now it was probably thrashed and not even in a state of repair. Perhaps it was time to move on anyway. There had to be a car somewhere in town that he could get for dirt cheap. Of course, he would have to bring it to the Mantle's body shop to get it fixed up. That was a whole process Chris wasn't prepared for and wasn't excited for.

"Jughead found the coke on you." Archie hissed, causing the Jones to look at him with a bit of a guilty look. "You're lucky he pocketed it before the police or ambulance showed up." He added as Chris scoffed with a shake of his head. "Fuckin' idiot." He muttered to himself, slightly disappointed that his younger brother decided to save his ass when he fully deserved the consequences.

"FP even went out of his way to make sure the doctors didn't do any sample for your blood. They would've found the drugs in your system." Archie scolded him like a child. It was belittling and it was pissing Chris off with each second.

Turning to the ginger, leaned forward with a clenched jaw. His breath's heavy like he was some sort of animal locked in a cage. The space between him and Archie was slim, a mere 4 inches between them that were open. Archie was slightly intimidated by the sudden change in the boy's expression as he leaned back slightly.

"I didn't ask for anyone else's help, alright? I didn't want their help, okay?" He said, pointing to his father and brother. "If anything, I didn't care if anyone helped me, Arch."

Archie stared at him with a pained expression with his lips pursing. But with that, Chris could see the slightest quiver of Archie's bottom lip. "Arch, I-"

As he reached out for the boy, his hand was slapped away. His eyes wide as Archie stood up abruptly. Jaw clenched as tears escaped the corner of his eyes. The spite just on the brim of his eyes as his lips were pressed thinly together.

His hand raising as he pointed at the Jones boy accusingly. "You nearly died and that's all you have to say? That you didn't want any of our help?" He questioned as Chris stared up at him. Mouth agape as he motioned with his hand, attempting to speak.

"No! You don't get to speak, it's my turn." Archie exclaimed as Chris bit his bottom lip. "Do you know how much I hate seeing you like this?" He questioned. "I hate it and I just wish that you could've come to me and asked me for help- Even if we hate each other,"

"I've been trying to show you I care, but you seem to only push me farther with doing the stuff that you do." Chris watched the ginger intently with shock and regret. If he knew that it would hurt Archie this much, then maybe he would've thought his words differently. But was it bad that he said how he felt?

LIfting his shaking hand, Chris said, "I know I haven't been the greatest friend-"

"You're a selfish piece of shit, Chris!" He yelled. A sharp inhale coming from Chris as he glanced towards Jughead and FP. Finding them both sitting up and watching the interaction. "'Kay, Arch. Just calm down a bit, alright?"

His words were ignored by the ginger who shoved him. "No, Chris! Do you know how much worry you've caused all of us? How much fear we all felt when we got the call? I thought you were fucking dead!"

Chris laid his head back, his body being covered with goosebumps. A cold shiver running down his back as he sniffled. When Archie shoved him, a sharp piercing pain shot through his stomach. Adding that to the painful words coming from Archie, it was slowly knocking down that wall that he never liked coming down.

"Maybe that's what was supposed to happen," Chris muttered with his bottom lip quivering. "maybe I was supposed to die in that crash and never wake up. Hell, maybe I should be in a prison somewhere." He shrugged with a shaky sigh leaving his lips as he placed his hands on his face.

A single tear escaped his eye as he shook his head. "I'm a ruin of the person I once was and I'm sorry I'm not good enough." He whimpered as he slowly removed his hands. "I've never been good enough for you." Motioning to FP, he saw his dad swallow the lump in his throat.

"I've never been good enough for any of you. Yet, here you guys are. Sitting here supporting me even though I never will after this."

Hearing those words hit Archie like a truck as he wiped his nose with the back of his hand. But even if they hurt, he grabbed Chris's hand and held it tightly. And without a single thought passing his mind, he leaned down and pressed his lips to Chris's.

Time stopped at that moment where Chris felt his eyes widened and he pulled back. Getting a view of Archie who's eyes widened as well. The full realization of his action led to him backing away. "Fuck. I'm- I'm sorry I didn't mean to. I'm going to go!" He rushed out, grabbing his letterman jacket and exiting the hospital room.

Leaving a shocked Chris who stared at the door with tears streaming down his cheeks. Unsure of how he should feel or react after having felt and seen Archie's true feelings.