Work Text:
It hadn’t meant to end like this.
No one was meant to get hurt.
They were just gonna mess with their bikes.
No one should’ve got hurt.
Especially not Toni.
So it started like this…
----
“Come on T, it’ll be fun.” Fangs pleaded.
Toni just rolled her eyes; the boys had been trying for the better part of a hour to convince her to join their little escapade.
“I am not going to mess with the Ghoulies.” Toni said firmly.
“No one would even know it was us.” Sweet Pea insisted. Toni raised her eyebrow and levelled him with a stare.
“The Serpent's are the only ones who would dare.” Toni deadpanned. “Come on Fangs do you think I’m stupid.”
“You just need to be our watchdog T.” Fangs explained.
“Does Jug know about this?” Toni asked sceptically. Fangs and Sweet Pea exchanged a glance.
“Sure.” They replied together with a shrug. Toni sighed; that was a no then.
“Get Jug on board and I’m in.” Toni said before turning on her heel and walking back to the bar to finish her shift.
----
It was barely two days later when Jughead, Fangs and Sweet Pea appeared at Toni’s trailer door.
They knocked quickly, glancing at each other with smug smirks on their faces.
Which were promptly knocked off when Cheryl Blossom opened the trailer door, hand on her hip and narrow eyes.
“TT it’s the strays.” Cheryl drawled. Toni peeked her head around the door frame, her hands swiftly buttoning up her flannel shirt with a sheepish grin.
“Hey guys, what’s up?” Toni asked, slightly breathlessly.
The boys picked their jaws off the ground one by one until Jughead cleared his throat.
“Can we uh… talk to you Toni… alone.” Jughead said awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck.
Cheryl sighed and rolled her eyes, leaning over to press a quick kiss to Toni’s cheek before disappearing into the trailers living room area.
Toni stepped into the cool night air and shut the door behind her.
“What do you guys want?” Toni asked exasperatedly.
“We got Jug on board.” Fangs said with an excited grin. Toni frowned and glanced back at the closed door.
“Now?” Toni asked, looking back at the boys with a slightly pained look on her face.
“Now.” Jughead nodded. Toni sighed and ran her hand through her hair.
“Fine but you fucks owe me big time.” Toni hissed before pushing open the door and stepping back inside.
“What’d they want babe?” Cheryl asked, lounging on the sofa, mindlessly watching the TV. Toni winced and reached for her Serpent’s jacket off the kitchen table. “Toni?”
“I have to go Cher.” Toni muttered. Cheryl looked over at her with a worried expression.
“Everything alright?” Cheryl asked. Toni quickly made her way over to the sofa and sat down next to Cheryl.
“The boys just want to pull a prank on the Ghoulies.” Toni explained quietly. Cheryl sat up straighter.
“No way. You’re not going.” Cheryl huffed with a frown. Toni chuckled lightly.
“Baby… you know I am.” Toni said, cupping Cheryl’s jaw softly, “But I’ll be back before you know it.”
Cheryl huffed again and pouted. Toni smiled and leaned closer, her breath ghosting over Cheryl’s lips. Toni heard her swallow roughly, felt the brush of her tongue as Cheryl licked her lips.
“Be careful.” Cheryl whispered. Toni nodded absentmindedly, capturing Cheryl’s lips in a soft yet hungry kiss. Toni could never stop herself getting lost in Cheryl, the softness of her skin under her fingers, the intoxicating taste of vanilla always coating bright red lips, the soft sighs every time Toni held her closer.
There was a knock on the door.
“T quit macking on your girl and lets go.” Sweet Pea yelled. Toni pulled away with a quiet pop and Cheryl leaned their foreheads together.
“Promise you’ll be careful.” Cheryl said. Toni nodded and pressed her lips to Cheryl’s forehead before standing up.
“Promise.”
----
It wasn’t until the Ghoulies had left and Toni was lying on the ground that she realised how majorly fucked she was.
Toni hissed as she brought her hand to her gut, pressing down and feeling the ooze of blood between her fingers.
“Oh God Cheryl’s gonna be pissed.” Toni said through gritted teeth.
Sweet Pea and Fangs crowded around her, struggling to pull her to her feet. Toni was whimpering and hissing the more they jostled her.
“Shit.” Jughead muttered as he jogged up to them. “Hospital. Now.”
“No Jug-” Toni started before crying out and leaning against Sweet Pea heavily. Jughead pulled off his hat and pressed it to her stomach.
Sweet Pea quickly lifted Toni into his arms, cradling her gently as she held the quickly reddening hat against her.
“We need a damn truck.” Sweet Pea said, fear in his eyes and worry in his voice.
“Archie’s already on his way.” Jughead said, wringing his hands together just as Archie peeled around the corner.
They quickly bundled Sweet Pea and Toni into the seat next to Archie.
“Hospital now Arch.” Jughead said, Archie leaned out his window when Jughead ran for his bike while Fangs climbed into the flatbed of the truck.
“You not coming with?” He called. Jughead shook his head.
“Someone has to tell Cheryl!” Jughead yelled over the roar of his bike, he took off before Archie could reply. Archie put his foot down and took off in the other direction.
“Why Cheryl?” Archie mumbled.
“If you got hurt you’d want Veronica to know right?” Sweet Pea pointed out.
“Well yeah but that’s- wait, Toni and Cheryl?” Archie asked.
“Toni can still hear you.” Toni croaked as she curled into Sweet Pea’s side, dripping blood onto the seat below her.
“You’ll be fine T. A little knife can’t take you down.” Sweet Pea mumbled.
Toni hummed as her eyes slipped shut, fading out as Sweet Pea shook her shoulder and called her name.
----
Cheryl was used to the sounds of the trailer park by now. The comings and goings of late night trucks and bikes. She’d spent more time at Toni’s in the last six months than Thistle House.
See they hadn’t exactly told anyone about the development of their relationship. Sure they’d become close friends and found themselves totally making out one day after Vixen’s practice, but they’d never really decided to come out as girlfriends.
It wasn’t a secret though; they still held hands, kissed each others cheeks, were generally in each other’s space and couldn’t help but flirt and tease.
But Riverdale was blind as a bat.
The boys were the only ones who were even close to realising their relationship had indeed moved past that of friendship.
But yes, Cheryl was used to the trailer parks noises so when a bike pulled up outside she ignored it in her half asleep state.
It wasn’t until she felt a hand on her shoulder that she opened her eyes and blinked away the sleep.
Later she’ll realise that she shouldn’t have been so trusting but it was only Jughead.
“Jughead?” She asked around a yawn.
Jughead.
Jughead who’d left with Toni.
Jughead who’d returned with no Toni.
Cheryl shot up right and looked at him with what can only be described as pure terror in her eyes.
“Where is she?”
----
Now, no one was stupid enough to stand in a Blossom’s way in normal situations.
And that was increased tenfold when Cheryl slammed the doors of the Riverdale hospital wide open and marched up to the front desk.
“Toni Topaz.” Cheryl said coolly. The woman quickly did her checks and opened her mouth before seeing Cheryl’s piercing gaze.
She just swallowed.
“Room 263.” She squeaked.
Cheryl didn’t bother with a thank you, just took off storming down the hallways and into the elevator. Jughead hot on her tail still only barely made it into the elevator too.
The doors opened and Cheryl stepped out, three steps later and she came to a standstill. The waiting room was empty except for two Serpent’s and Archie Andrews.
Sweet Pea’s hands were trembling and stained red.
Cheryl swayed on the spot. Yet she continued towards the desk near the waiting room.
“Here for Toni?” The woman asked. Cheryl nodded once. “She’s still in surgery.”
Cheryl moved over to the seats furthest from the others, sitting down slowly and staring off into the distance.
----
By the time the first light of the morning broke through the hospital windows the waiting room had filled with a few more people.
Veronica had showed up no long after Cheryl, instantly clinging to Archie’s side.
Betty arrived next, immediately finding Jughead and checking him over.
Next it was the other Serpent’s; FP and Alice at the head of the small group.
The more crowded it got, the more Cheryl faded into the background.
No one moved to check on the redhead.
It wasn’t until Sweet Pea and Fangs sat down either side of her that she let the first tear fall.
Sweet Pea sighed and slumped in the chair.
Fangs swallowed and let his arm fall on the back of Cheryl’s chair.
Cheryl just silently cried and leant her head on Fangs’ shoulder, reaching out and taking Sweet Pea’s hand in her own.
----
“Toni Topaz?”
The whole room turned to the doctor who walked in.
He looked around at all the Serpent’s and teenagers. He sighed.
“Any of you family of Ms Topaz?” He asked.
Fangs and Sweet Pea stood up. The doctor glanced at them but they just shook their heads.
Fangs nudged Cheryl and nodded his head to the doctor.
Cheryl wiped her eyes and took a deep breath before slowly rising, she pushed through the small crowd of gang members and looked at the doctor evenly.
“They’re all family.” She said softly. The doctor looked around but sighed once more, tucking his glasses into his pocket.
“But not officially.” He said slowly. Cheryl rolled her eyes.
“No but I’m her girlfriend.” Cheryl added with a raise of her eyebrow. The doctor didn’t seem surprised.
“She suffered a deep stab wound to her stomach. She’s lucky she lasted as long as she did. But we stabilized her. She’ll recover.” He reassured Cheryl softly.
Cheryl felt the breath leave her and wiped the single tear off her cheek. She glanced around the room behind her, the stunned looks on their faces making her smirk. She caught Sweet Pea and Fangs’ eyes and they grinned. Fangs giving her a thumbs up.
Cheryl turned back to the doctor with a smile.
“Can I see her?”
----
“Antoinette Topaz.” Cheryl said sharply once the doctor had left them. Toni winced and smiled dopily at Cheryl.
“I know I know. I’m in trouble.” Toni said hoarsely. Cheryl huffed and laughed lightly, wiping at her eyes for the millionth time that day.
“Oh you don’t even know the half of it.” Cheryl said, her bottom lip trembling with each word.
Toni looked at her like she’d put the stars in the skys. Cheryl glared at her harder.
“Can you at least come here?” Toni asked softly. Cheryl stubbornly took her time as she walked over to Toni’s bedside. Cheryl lightly punched her shoulder. “Hey!”
“That was for scaring the shit out of me Toni!” Cheryl said with a clench of her jaw. “You promised.” Cheryl added quietly.
Toni reached over and took Cheryl’s hand in her own, tangling their fingers together.
“I know.” Toni whispered. Cheryl poked Toni in the side and she rolled her eyes with a smile. “You’re lucky I was stabbed on the other side.”
“Shut up and move over.” Cheryl grumbled. Toni shuffled over as Cheryl shucked off her heels and crawled into the bed next to Toni, resting her head on the pillow next to Toni’s.
“I’m glad you’re okay.” Cheryl whispered. Toni stared at the ceiling and sighed, wincing slightly.
Cheryl leaned up on her elbow and ran her fingers along Toni’s jaw, turning her head and pressing a soft kiss to dry lips.
“And that was because I love you.” Cheryl whispered. Toni’s eyes widened and her lips curled into a bright grin.
“I love you too Bombshell.” Toni replied, tucking a stand of red hair behind Cheryl’s ear.
“But I swear to God Toni if you ever pull this shit again-” Cheryl growled.
“Yeah yeah you’ll skin me alive, whatever Blossom.” Toni interrupted, curling her hand around Cheryl’s neck. “But I don’t care ‘cause you love me.”
Cheryl grinned and nudged her nose against Toni’s.
“Just don’t die on me Topaz.” Cheryl whispered.
“I would never.” Toni replied, “It’s just a scratch Cher.”
“But it wasn’t TT.” Cheryl whispered, shuffling closer to Toni and resting her head on Toni’s collarbone “You almost died.”
“You can’t rid of me that easily babygirl.” Toni muttered, pressing her nose against Cheryl’s temple and her lips against her cheek.
“God I hope not.” Cheryl mumbled, eyes slipping closed as Toni wrapped her arm around Cheryl’s back.
----
It’d been a week and Toni was still confined to bed rest. But she was finally back in her trailer with Cheryl by her side.
“God I’ve missed this bed.” Toni purred as she lay down, her eyes closed with a sigh.
“Really?” Cheryl asked dryly.
“Well…” Toni said, cracking one eye open and curling her arm around Cheryl’s waist, tugging her onto the bed, “I’ve missed you in my bed.”
Cheryl laughed and squirmed out of Toni’s grasp, kneeling over the prone Serpent who was now frowning.
“Oh honey no.” Cheryl said sweetly.
“What…?” Toni asked suspiciously, suddenly not liking where this was going.
“You broke your promise.” Cheryl said coyly. Toni gulped and raised her eyebrow.
“You know I would never on purpose.” Toni argued. Cheryl hummed and slowly slid her leg over Toni’s hips, straddling the Serpent lightly. Toni moved her hands to Cheryl’s thighs and raised her other eyebrow.
“You. Broke. Your. Promise. Toni.” Cheryl said slowly, placing a hand either side of Toni’s head and leaning over her.
“Uh… I… I’m sorry…” Toni stuttered distractedly, much more focused on the way Cheryl’s hair fell in curtains around her face.
“You said you’d be careful.” Cheryl whispered, “And you weren’t.”
“I tried.” Toni said weakly. Cheryl hummed and leant down, her nose brushing against Toni’s jaw.
“Actions have consequences babe.” Cheryl murmured, trailing her lips down the front of Toni’s neck, pressing a soft kiss at the bottom of her throat.
“They do?” Toni squeaked, hands tightening on Cheryl's waist. Cheryl hummed again and began placing soft, slow kisses up Toni’s neck, capturing Toni’s lips in a fiery, all consuming kiss.
Cheryl slowly pulled back, leaving Toni breathless and leaning up for more.
“And your consequences are no touching… for two weeks.” Cheryl whispered, using Toni’s dazed state to slip off her lap and saunter out of the bedroom.
“Wait… what?!”