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In Toni’s defence she never even thought Cheryl would consider showing up.
Let alone actually win.
----
It’d started off normal enough, completely how she’d expected.
“So that’s it right? The North vs The South?” Jughead asked. Fangs nodded and glanced at Sweet Pea who also nodded.
“If you can get them on board.” Sweet Pea clarified.
“Oh I can.” Jughead said confidently, “Only one I can’t is Bombshell.” He added with a roll of her eyes.
“Oh I’ve got her covered.”
The boys turned around and stared at Toni with matching sceptical expressions.
“Uh huh.” Fangs hummed.
“What? I can totally get here there.” Toni said, folding her arms with a frown.
“The girl hates you.” Jughead laughed.
“Twenty bucks says I can.” Toni smirked. The boys all shared a look.
“Fifty says you can’t.” Sweet Pea shot back with a smug grin.
“You’re so on.” Toni scoffed.
---
“Oh why did I agree to this?” Toni muttered as she walked through the school halls towards her locker.
“Agree to what?” Betty asked as her and Kevin fell into step either side of Toni.
“Jug spoken to you?” Toni asked.
“Laser tag this Saturday.” Betty nodded.
“Oh right. The bet.” Kevin mused. “Have fun with that. ‘Cause we all cashed in against you.”
Toni sighed at Kevin’s sweet, sly smile.
“Nah I got this.” Toni mumbled just as she stumbled into someone’s shoulder.
“Watch it.” Cheryl snarled. Toni just looked at her, eyes wide.
“Oh this should be good.” Kevin snickered. Cheryl narrowed her eyes at him but turned back to Toni who was still deer in headlights frozen.
“What?” Cheryl asked. Toni shook her head.
“Nothing Bombshell. Absolutely nothing.” Toni replied with a meager smile.
“Watch where you’re walking then Southside rat.” Cheryl raised her eyebrow and leaned in close. Toni’s eyes somehow got wider and her breath caught in her throat.
“Um yes?” Toni asked, trying to seem chill with the HBIC in her space, with half the school watching.
She failed.
“Move before I make you.” Cheryl growled lowly. Toni’s feet before her mind even processed what had happened. Toni leant up against her locker and shook her head. The hand that collided with the locker a second later made her jump out of her skin. The red hair towering over her definitely made her gulp.
Toni blinked.
Cheryl walked away with no more than a smirk as her final words.
“What just happened?” Toni asked. “Is she always like that with me or was that like way over the top?”
“I have no idea but yes. Yes it was.” Kevin replied as the bell rang and everyone started bustling again.
----
Toni spent the rest of the day in a weird state of shock and confusion.
In fact she was in such a state that she landed herself a detention for 30 minutes at the end of the day.
Apparently you have to like listen or some shit in class.
Toni sighed as she walked out the school doors, adjusting her bag on her shoulder as she walked.
She was so lost in her own mind that she almost didn’t see the figure leaning up against her bike.
To be honest she really didn’t until they cleared their throat.
Toni blinked, her eyes focusing back onto the ground and pair of very red, very high heels. Attached to smooth, pale legs that led to a tight black skirt.
Toni just resigned herself to drooling over mystery person as her eyes trailed higher.
The very feminine person was revealed from a low cut shirt with a- wait.
“Is that my flannel?” Toni blurted out as her eyes skipped over a smooth neck and reached a face framed by famous red hair. Shit.
“You left it after gym one time.” Cheryl hummed, a smug glint in her eyes. “Are you done checking me out?”
“In my defense I didn’t know it was you.” Toni replied, moving to stand next to Cheryl as she stuffed her school bag in her bike’s storage.
“So if you’d known it was me you wouldn’t have checked me out?” Cheryl asked, turning so she faced Toni, tilting her head expectantly.
“Uhh…” Toni stuttered, keeping her eyes on the task in front of her, rather than the perfectly manicured fingernails tapping on her bike seat.
“Interesting.” Cheryl mused. Toni sighed and turned to face Cheryl.
“What are you doing Cheryl?” Toni asked. “You waited for me to get out of detention so there must be something.”
“Well I did come to return your shirt.” Cheryl drawled.
“Yeah that’s been missing for weeks.” Toni said with narrowed eyes.
“I only remembered it this morning.” Cheryl replied easily.
“And yet you weren’t wearing it this morning. Weird huh.” Toni said, leaning her hip against the bike.
“Did you say detention?” Cheryl asked as she shifted her weight onto her other foot.
“Do you wanna come laser tagging with me on Saturday?” Toni asked, amused by Cheryl’s skirting around her question.
Cheryl paused, her mouth open to reply before she closed it. Cheryl didn’t often get caught off guard but this did.
“What?” She asked.
“Laser tag. Saturday afternoon. You coming or not?” Toni asked with a smirk, suddenly enjoying the power shift.
Cheryl blinked at her, her nails scraping along the bike seat gently as she considered it. Toni sighed.
“I haven’t got all day Blossom.” Toni said, moving forward to mount her bike but found Cheryl didn’t move.
“Like a date?” Cheryl asked, looking down at Toni with an unreadable expression on her face.
“Huh?” Toni frowned, her hand landing on the back of the seat, the other half way to grabbing the handle.
“Saturday. Is it a date?” Cheryl asked.
“Can be if you want it to be.” Toni replied with a grin. Cheryl rolled her eyes.
“You wish Topaz.” Cheryl shot back easily, “But sure. I’ll be there.”
“You will?” Toni asked in shock.
“Sure. It’ll be fun to kick your ass.” Cheryl said slyly, stepping in closer to Toni.
“I’m shaking.” Toni replied dryly.
“Oh you will be.” Cheryl said breezily with a wink before strutting off towards her car.
“Wait!” Toni called out but Cheryl had already closed her door, “My flannel.”
----
So yeah, even though Cheryl had said she’d be there, Toni was not holding out any hopes.
Toni was not the only surprised one when Cheryl walked through the doors, interrupting Toni’s bragging session.
“How many of my clothes have you ‘found’?” Toni asked, putting her hands on her hips.
Cheryl shrugged; she’d clearly ‘found’ a pair of Toni’s jeans along with her flannel, hell Toni was ninety percent sure Cheryl was wearing her sunglasses.
“You’re a forgetful person what can I say.” Cheryl replied with a sweet smile.
“Clearly.” Jughead said, “Since you forgot to tell us you actually got Cheryl here.”
“Eh whatever, you booked it for all of us.” Toni said with a wave of her hand.
“But now we all owe you fifty bucks!” Fangs yelped. Toni shrugged with a smirk.
“I told you I had her covered.” Toni replied.
“What did I interrupt?” Cheryl asked, ignoring the groups grumbling as they all dug around for the money.
“Oh me. Telling everyone how I’m going to win.” Toni said absentmindedly as she held out her hand.
“What makes you think I won’t follow through?” Cheryl asked. Toni turned to look as Cheryl sauntered towards her.
Granted Cheryl was in a pair of Converse, which did make Toni consider that she was here to play properly but ego over common sense anyday.
“Ha. Sure.” Toni snorted, folding up her winnings and tucking it into her pocket.
“‘Cause I will, you know.” Cheryl hummed. Toni rolled her eyes.
“All talk and no bite with you Bombshell.” Toni laughed.
“Who said I don’t bite?” Cheryl asked before pushing past Toni and heading further into the building.
“What… is going on with you and the literal head bitch?” Veronica asked as they all turned to look at Toni.
“Huh?” Toni replied, mind still a little stuck on Cheryl, “Nothing.”
“Right. What she following through on?” Sweet Pea asked.
“Kicking my ass.” Toni replied slowly.
“And since when did she start wearing your clothes?” Betty asked.
“Don’t ask me, that’s news to me too.” Toni said with a shrug.
“Ah classic case of I like you but I won’t tell you, I’ll just be mean to get your attention.” Archie mused with a sigh, “How Cheryl-esque.”
The rest of the group considered it before agreeing.
“Seriously?” Toni laughed, “Cheryl doesn’t like me.”
“It makes sense though.” Betty pointed out.
“Whatever. Let’s just do this.” Toni said with a sigh.
----
The teams were naturally North vs South;
North consisting of Archie, Veronica, Betty, Kevin and Cheryl. While South was Jughead, Sweet Pea, Fangs and Toni.
The teams were marginally unfair but Toni insisted.
“I’m basically two people anyway with these nitwits.” Toni said with a smirk.
“More like half a person.” Cheryl mumbled, making everyone snicker.
But yeah, the team rounds went quick with both being tied at three wins each.
“We’re obviously all evenly matched.” Betty sighed.
“Yeah in teams.” Cheryl said slowly, “Why don’t we have a free for all, winner takes all style.”
That caught Toni’s attention.
“I like it.” Toni piped up and everyone nodded along with a general air of agreement.
Which is the series of events that led to Toni quietly sneaking through the darkened room, a glowing red on her chest and her gun.
“Who’s left?” Toni turned at the sound of Fangs’ voice from the sidelines.
There was a silence across the room.
“Right. So everyone but me.” He sighed, sitting down with a frown.
Toni shook her head, it’s not her fault he didn’t see her coming.
She stepped forward only to feel a hand wrap around her wrist and tug her sideways, into a darkened corner of the area, surrounded by tall walls and glowing lights.
Toni let out a breath as her back collided with a wall and she looked up as Cheryl grinned down at her.
“Bombshell.” Toni said.
“Serpent.” Cheryl replied, her hand landing on the wall next to Toni’s head.
“This is interesting.” Toni remarked, her gun still hanging by her side, Cheryl’s hanging from around her shoulders by the strap.
“It is.” Cheryl mused.
“The guys seem to think you like me.” Toni said lightly.
“Mmm, I’m not the one checking out girls leaning against her bike.” Cheryl replied with a tilt of her head.
“That’s not a no.” Toni said with a smirk.
Cheryl let out a deep sigh before stepping closer, pressing Toni harder against the wall. Toni felt her take a quick breathe in before Cheryl ducked her head down and pressed her lips against Toni’s softly.
Toni heard her gun clatter to the floor as her hands instantly curled around Cheryl’s waist, pulling her flush against her. Well as flush as they could get with the laser tag gear getting in the way.
They couldn’t seem to get enough of each other, hands wandering down sides and nails dragging down backs, ignoring straps in favour of getting their first taste of the other.
Toni was so caught up in Cheryl that it took her a few seconds to realise Cheryl had leaned back, away from Toni’s lips, leaving her craving them all over again.
“Wha-” Toni started when Cheryl slipped out of her arms, she was cut off when her vest lit up before shutting down.
“Told you I’d kick your ass.” Cheryl whispered, pressing one last lingering kiss to Toni’s lips before skulking out of their corner.
Toni blinked at the empty space in front of her, lips still parted and Cheryl’s lipstick tingling on her lips.
“What just happened?” Toni whispered, bringing her fingers to her lips and laughing in disbelief.
She wandered out of the corner and across the play area into the no man’s land where Fangs was sitting on his phone.
“Sup.” Toni said, sitting down next to him.
“T?” Fangs asked.
“Mmm.” Toni hummed, eyes staring out over the battlefield with an absent look in her eye.
“You.. you’re not winning.” Fangs said. Toni nodded slowly, leaning her head back against the wall behind them.
Toni pulled the vest over her head as Archie came over to them swearing to high heaven.
“I swear to God, he’s gonna- Toni?” Archie stalled in his tracks when he saw the pink hair sitting on the bench next to Fangs.
“Yo.” Toni said with a grin.
“How are you not owning us all right now?” Archie asked. Toni shrugged.
“Must not be my day.” Toni said, noticing Kevin walking over to them.
“That girl moves so damn fast.” Kevin grumbled, “T, it’s been your day for every other match.”
“Maybe I’m more of a team player.” Toni said as Kevin and Archie sat down.
“You would’ve killed us all had we not been on your team.” Jughead yelled just before he got shot by Veronica.
“Ha! Suck it hat boy!” She screamed before disappearing into the darkness.
Jughead joined them on the bench and a second later Sweet Pea walked over, shaking his head.
“Who thought it’d be a good idea to give the girls guns?” He grumbled.
“I’ve been asking myself the same thing.” Toni said with a laugh.
“Why are you so happy? You were out just after me.” Fangs said with a frown.
“You. The second person out?” Sweet Pea said, also frowning as he sat next to Archie.
“Like I said, must not be my day.” Toni shrugged.
----
Ten minutes later Betty walked out with a murderous glare on her face.
“How is Cheryl so good at this?” She groaned, sitting next to Toni before glancing at her. “I thought you’d still be in this.”
“Not her day.” Sweet Pea replied before Toni could even process the question. Betty snorted and raised her eyebrow.
“Not your day? Uh huh. Sure.”
----
Five minutes after that there was a quick series of events;
There was first a scream, a high pitched screech that everyone flinched at.
Then a second scream, way more aggressive and terrifying that left everyone wide eyed.
Another scream, mostly frustrated, followed by the stomping of boots.
That’s when Veronica came into view, her eyes almost flaming with anger.
Cheryl sauntered behind her, hips swaying and gun loose in her hand.
Veronica growled and sat down, making the whole bench jolt from the force of her movements.
Cheryl stood in front of them, hand on her hip and a smug smirk on her face.
“I win.”
----
“I still don’t understand how you didn’t win.” Fangs said with a shake of his head.
They’d all headed back to the Southside, taking over the Whyte Wyrm while Toni started her shift for the night.
Toni shrugged as she handed them all their drinks.
“Must’ve been off my game.” She replied, glancing at Cheryl as she placed the glass in front of the redhead. Cheryl’s eyes sparkling with mischief as she gazed at Toni.
Cheryl tuned out the rest of the conversation, deciding to watch Toni as she laughed with her friends as she finished serving drinks. Cheryl smiled at the way Toni smacked Sweet Pea up the back of the head lightly, shaking her head fondly. Cheryl sipped on her drink and turned her head to watched Toni walk back to the bar, catching Toni’s eye when the pink haired girl finally looked back at their table.
Toni raised her eyebrow at her, a smile still playing at her lips. Cheryl bit her lip, eyes trailing down Toni’s figure slowly before she turned back to the table.
“Alright we’re after ideas on why T screwed up when all she talked about was winning for the whole week.” Jughead said with a grin. Cheryl nodded along, running her finger along the rim of her glass.
“Tripped ass over tit and shot herself?” Sweet Pea suggested. That got a few snorts but lots of shaking heads.
“Nah.” Jughead mumbled.
“Caught off guard?” Veronica said. Cheryl smirked at her glass well she was definitely caught off guard.
“By what though?” Betty asked.
“I’ve never seen anything shock T.” Kevin said with a frown, “Well no one but-” He cut off suddenly and looked at the girl on his right.
“What?” Cheryl asked, sipping on her drink.
“How’d you T to forfeit?” Kevin asked, leaning in closer. Cheryl laughed.
“You think I somehow know how to make Toni forfeit?” Cheryl asked with an arched eyebrow.
“She has a point.” Jughead said, “No one gets T to do anything she doesn’t want to.”
“Unless it’s so shocking she doesn’t have time to say no.” Kevin said, his eyes glued to Cheryl.
Cheryl downed her drink and took a deep breath before flashing Kevin a smile and slipping off her seat.
“I’m going to get another drink.” She said sweetly.
Cheryl rolled her eyes as she wandered over to the bar, leaning on the top, her cheeks warming from the alcohol and the space heater next to the bar. Cheryl waited while Toni finished serving at the other end of the bar, taking the time to undo a few buttons on Toni’s flannel.
Toni walked over and flattened her palms on the bar top, looking at Cheryl with narrowed eyes and a grin.
“Don’t think I missed that little show you put on.” Toni said lowly, already moving to get Cheryl a drink.
“Which one? The one where I won or the one where I totally checked you out?” Cheryl asked with a frown.
“Both.” Toni muttered, “Why is everyone staring at us?” She asked, placing a bright pink drink in front of Cheryl.
Cheryl turned her head and, yep, everyone was watching them closely.
“They think I had something to do with making you lose.” Cheryl said with a roll of her eyes. Toni’s jaw dropped slightly.
“You did have something to do with making me lose.” Toni said with a laugh.
“But are you really complaining?” Cheryl said, leaning further on the bar, not missing Toni’s eyes flicking down to her open shirt.
“Was your shirt always that unbuttoned?” Toni asked, slowly meeting Cheryl’s eyes. Cheryl shrugged.
“It’s hot.” She said simply.
“Oh it is indeed.” Toni murmured before shaking her head quickly and fixing Cheryl with a look.
“What?” Cheryl asked with a frown, biting the straw of her drink.
“When are you going to return all my clothes?” Toni asked. Cheryl smirked, leaning across the bar until only her tiptoes were touching the floor.
“You can always take back the shirt T, you’ll just have to take it off yourself.” Cheryl purred. Toni clenched her jaw, her eyes staying firmly locked with Cheryl’s.
“Well then,” Toni started, “When can I collect my stuff?”
“Tonight’s looking pretty free.” Cheryl mused. Toni pursed her lips and nodded.
“I can give you a lift home after my shifts done.” Toni said.
“I don’t really want to go home tonight.” Cheryl said with a pout.
“I’m sure we can figure something out.” Toni murmured. She glanced over at the others, who were trying not to seem obvious about watching them.
Cheryl turned to look at them and they all spun around.
“You want them to know?” Cheryl asked. Toni shrugged.
“I’m not the one who was straight before she met me.” Toni said with a smirk.
“I wasn’t straight before I met you.” Cheryl replied, “Just didn’t advertise.”
“Mhmm okay. It’s still up to you.” Toni said. Cheryl smiled softly, her hand reaching over the bar and tangling with Toni’s.
“If I kiss you, they’ll never let you live it down.” Cheryl pointed out. Toni snorted and shook her head.
“I think I can handle it.” She replied.
Cheryl leaned over the bar, hands gripping the front of Toni’s shirt and tugging her forward. Toni laughed against her lips, cupping Cheryl’s cheeks softly as Cheryl deepened the kiss, almost tugging her onto the bartop.
“So you’ll wait?” Toni asked, her lips still brushing over Cheryl’s as she caught her breath.
“I’ll wait.” Cheryl confirmed.
“Try not to get anything down my shirt in the meantime.” Toni said with a wink.
Cheryl rolled her eyes and walked back over to the table. They were all watching her closely, silently waiting.
“Fine yes, I convinced Toni to lose.” Cheryl said with a sigh.
“Yeah no, we don’t believe you.” Veronica said, leaning back in her chair, “There’s no way that was your first kiss.”
Cheryl could feel a flush creeping up her neck and she sipped on her drink.
“Oh my God you kissed her then shot her.” Fangs said with a grin.
“That explains a lot.” Kevin nodded.
“You have no proof of that.” Cheryl said calmly, flinching slightly when she felt someone’s hand on her lower back.
“So I may have got FP to cover my shift tonight.. You ready?” Toni asked Cheryl sweetly. Cheryl hummed and stood up, brushing her jeans off and flashing the group a smile.
“Don’t wait up.” She said, taking Toni’s hand and dragging her towards the door.
“Where you guys going?” Sweet Pea yelled.
“To get my shirt back!” Toni replied with a laugh as the door shut behind them.
“Wasn’t Cheryl wearing T’s shirt- ooh. Got it.” Fangs mumbled.
“Well who knew laser tag was the way to get Tiny T a girlfriend.” Sweet Pea said with a smirk.
----
It was only once the late night had sunk into the early morning that Toni was finally thinking straight again.
“Cher?” Toni asked quietly. Cheryl hummed, her face half smushed into the pillow with her arm thrown over Toni’s waist and their legs tangled together.
“Yeah?” Cheryl replied.
“Did I really leave all those clothes in the locker room?” Toni asked, shuffling closer to Cheryl until their noses were brushing.
“No, I stole them while you were in the shower.” Cheryl said, her eyes closed but a smug grin taking over her face.
“I knew I wasn’t that forgetful.” Toni whispered.
“Shut up and go to sleep T.” Cheryl grumbled.
“You owe me a rematch at laser tag.” Toni murmured, nuzzling Cheryl’s neck before placing a soft kiss on her skin.
“We both know you’ll lose again.” Cheryl hummed. Toni scoffed and yawned.
“I’d still like a fighting chance this time.” Toni mumbled, eyes slipping shut as Cheryl tightened her hold.
“Like you ever stood a chance against me.” Cheryl replied.
Toni was too asleep to give a reply but her last thought was definitely that she never, ever stood a chance against the Bombshell that is Cheryl Blossom