"Are you ready to meet the rest?" Toni searched Jughead's face for an answer, her eyes scanning over his most recent wounds, obtained from the "brutal stage" of his initiation. He cocked an eyebrow, sucking a lip in, though slowly sighing and nodding.

"Sure," he shrugged, standing up, "what's the worst thing that could happen at this point?"

Toni grinned, bounding towards the door and leading him in.

The noise roared out from the Whyte Wyrm, drinks clacking, people shouting, pool balls clicking. Jughead flinched as they entered, a headache forming.

The serpents turned as they entered, some smirking and others nodding in regard to Jughead's new status as a full-fledged member. He kept his head down for the most part, only nodding when directly addressed and following the heels of Toni's boots. He knew she was still talking, but the sounds from the bar were nearly too much for him to handle; he was already regretting coming.

"And finally, our baby," Toni's coo broke him from his trance, his dark eyes darting upwards to her face, "Little Miss Noelle Neiman." Her eyes were focused on something in front of her, a soft glow casting out towards the name in question.

He snapped back to himself, the roar of the bar seeming to come back to life as he finally took in his surroundings. His eyes moved from Toni to the small girl seated before her, and it seemed as if everything stood still.

He wondered how a being so delicate could be a part of something like the serpents.

Light blue eyes stared out at him from beneath thick and dark lashes. Her cheekbones jutted out sharply, her nose tilted up gently, and her very presence nearly knocked him down. Or maybe it was the headache, he tried to convince himself. But the more of her that he drank in, the more he knew it wasn't just the headache.

"Welcome to the serpents," she paused, her voice like window-chimes, "what was it, again?" A thin eyebrow quirked upwards.

"Jughead," he coughed out, regaining his composure as the sound of the bar flooded back into his ears.

"Jughead, yes," she gleamed, the corners of her slips sliding outwards and tilting up, "welcome."

"Thanks, uh," he rubbed the back of his neck, "it's nice to meet you."

Toni rolled her eyes, wrapping an arm around Noelle's shoulders, "that's what she wants you to think," she smiled slyly, a twinkle in her eye. Noelle shoved at her, giggling. "Noee here wants you to think that it's nice to meet her. And it is," she teased, "for a while. She's a gem, but only until she's not." She winked.

"Oh, stop it," Noelle giggled, shoving Toni once again.

She stood up and tossed her short curls behind her shoulders. He couldn't exactly figure out what color her hair was- it wasn't exactly blonde, but it wasn't red either. It was somewhere in between, and he liked it.

"Well," she purred, "I've had enough for tonight. I'm tired."

She let out a yawn, running her dainty fingertips through a ringlet and breaking it apart. "Sweet Pea," she called, her eyes scanning the room before landing on him. They met eyes.

"Yes, doll?" He sauntered towards her, a teasing grin gracing his lips.

She rolled her eyes, sighing for a moment before she smiled.

"Bring me home?"

"Of course."

They began towards the door, and Jughead couldn't ignore the strange knot that formed in his stomach. The words that flew from his lips shocked him, even.

"I could bring you home."

Noelle paused. She turned around slowly and cocked an eyebrow. Her lips pursed themselves.

"Thanks, but no thanks."

Sweet Pea turned back and gave Jughead a look that he couldn't quite explain.

His head slowly shook. "Don't go there."

Jughead looked to Toni with curious eyes, and she sucked in her lips in return.

"What was that about?"

Toni avoided eye-contact, beginning towards the pool table. He followed her closely.

"Hey," he touched her elbow, "what- why did Sweet Pea say that, why can't I-"

"Listen, Jones." Toni turned around, leaning against the pool table as her eyes burned holes into his. "Noelle's cute, we all know that." She shrugged, "But she's got some shit behind her that isn't half as pretty as she is. You don't want in."

He was taken back for a moment.

"But Sweet Pea's got the in?"

Toni rolled her eyes and shook her head. She chuckled bitterly, "They've been neighbors since she," she paused for a moment, her teeth pinching a corner of her bottom lip, "since she was brought to the Southside."