{"id":4161,"date":"2020-06-08T09:53:10","date_gmt":"2020-06-08T16:53:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/annaabner.com\/?p=4161"},"modified":"2020-06-10T09:18:45","modified_gmt":"2020-06-10T16:18:45","slug":"stranded","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/annaabner.com\/?p=4161","title":{"rendered":"“Stranded”"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Fan Fiction Written Sadie West<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Short blurb<\/em><\/strong>: Driving home in a snowstorm, Archie loses control of the car, and Jughead ends up seriously concussed. Luckily, there’s a warm and snug cabin to spend the night in. Not so luckily, the conversation gets awkward when Jughead brings up the time Archie tried to kiss him.<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The weather had sent the girls home hours earlier, but Archie Andrews was determined to catch a fish before he left the frozen Sweetwater River. His best friend Jughead Jones agreed to stay with him until he had a fish on the hook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSun\u2019s going down,\u201d Archie observed, squinting out of the ice fishing hut into all that white. White river, white ice, white snow, white sky. The only way he could determine dusk was where the glow of the sun moved in the sky behind the clouds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou ready to call it quits?\u201d Jughead huddled in a camp chair, everything but his face covered in a blanket. He was always complaining of the cold, but then he never had a decent winter jacket. In the old days, Archie would hand down last year\u2019s nylon or wool coat to Jug, but it had been awhile since Jughead had appreciated the charity. Nowadays, he wouldn\u2019t accept it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Juggy had no idea how many nights Archie had lain in bed fantasizing about Jughead wearing his clothes, of smelling his scent, of somehow feeling Archie through the fabrics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI guess it\u2019s just not in the cards.\u201d Archie shrugged, and something magical happened with the simple movement. It caught the eye of a passing trout, and Archie felt a jerk on his line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, crap,\u201d he exclaimed, gripping the pole with both hands. \u201cI have a bite!\u201d He grinned at Jughead who threw off his blanket and rushed to help Archie reel in the monster. Inch by inch, they pulled the fish up out of the icy water, splashing them both in the process, until it was near enough to the surface that Jug could sweep the net under it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a beauty,\u201d Jughead crowed. \u201cNice catch, Arch.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archie flushed with excitement and pride. He knelt beside his friend, drew a<\/p>\n\n\n\n

knife, and sawed off the struggling creature\u2019s head. This bad boy was plenty big enough to eat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They made quick work of wrapping the dead fish in plastic bags, cleaning up their mess, and packing their gear in order to get out of the mountains as fast as possible. There was no cell service this far out due to the storm, but Betty and Veronica would be waiting anxiously for their return. And, to be honest, though Archie relished the time alone with Jughead, he was freezing his toes off out here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe car didn\u2019t seem so far away when we parked it,\u201d Jughead remarked, packing out the fish and his blanket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archie, carrying the fishing gear and a cooler, agreed. \u201cIt\u2019s past the trees and down the dirt road a ways.\u201d With the sun sinking lower and the wind picking up, it was getting damned cold. He started fantasizing about the heater in his dad\u2019s car cranked up to high.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the car, they tossed their stuff in the backseat, jumped in, and sat shivering while Archie turned the key and waited for the engine\u2019s temperature to rise. The air hissing out of the vents wasn\u2019t close to warm for a good ten minutes, but they finally got rolling down the dirt road toward the two-lane highway that led home to Riverdale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou want to have a cookout when we get back?\u201d Archie asked, leaning far into the steering wheel. It had begun to snow again, and he was having trouble seeing the road through the windshield even with the high beams and wipers on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd grill up your blue-ribbon trout?\u201d Jughead glanced at him from his spot hovering over the heater vent in the console. \u201cYou bet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archie caught his eye and smiled slightly. A friendly smile. An average, every day, best friend kind of smile that didn\u2019t hint of anything more than the love, admiration, and attraction any friend would feel for their platonic bestie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That look, though, that handful of moments Archie\u2019s eyes were off the road, changed everything. When he glanced ahead of the car, he could see nothing but white. There was no shoulder, no lines, no difference between woods and road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He jerked the wheel in panic. Was he still on the road? Had he careened into a field? Was he driving on the river?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The back wheels slid hard to the left, Archie attempted to correct it, but lost control and went off the edge with a sickening feeling of weightlessness. For a moment, nothing happened, and then the car hit the ground at an angle and rolled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archie wasn\u2019t sure how many times they rolled down the snowy embankment. It was too terrifying to take stock as he was flung one way and then the other, but he knew when they landed because the jolt rocked him hard against the wheel. The vehicle settled right-side-up with a hiss and a crunch of metal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a moment, Archie could do nothing more than test if he was really and truly alive. He could feel his feet, could move both arms, and could even see relatively well. He wasn\u2019t bleeding anywhere that he could tell. The worst injury might be the raw skin on his neck from the seatbelt. God, that was lucky. He was so lucky. Things could have turned out much worse. He swiveled in his seat to laugh with relief with Jughead and say something goofy like, \u201cI thought we were gonna die,\u201d but the sight of his best friend froze him to the core.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jughead slumped against the shattered passenger window while dark red blood painted the cracked glass and covered half Jug\u2019s face. Unconscious, his arms hung limp, his hands slightly curling at his sides, and his legs at uncomfortable-looking angles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, no,\u201d Archie breathed, his breath a puff of white in the quiet car. \u201cJughead?\u201d Afraid to touch him, he settled for laying a hand on his friend\u2019s shoulder. It was warm and solid. \u201cLook at me. Jug? Wake up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archie needed to do something fast to help his friend. He tried his cell phone first, but still no service. He gently patted Jughead\u2019s pockets until he found his phone in his hip pocket, but it was useless too. No service meant no 911 call, no ambulance on its way, no help coming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They were on their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archie had to think fast. The windshield was smashed, and cold air bellowed in through the jagged opening, making it too cold for them to stay in the car. He climbed slowly out of the vehicle, stiff and sore, but not complaining. All he could think about was getting his best friend to a safe place and warm so they could wait for someone to find them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He scanned the snowbanks, squinting through the fresh flurries. At the far side of the meadow, he spotted a small cabin. It might not even be in livable shape, but on the other hand, it could be snug and warm. He had to chance it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rounding the destroyed car, Archie had to high step it through deep pockets of snow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJug?\u201d He called, easing open the passenger door and catching Juggy as he sagged out of the car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jughead moaned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI know, buddy.\u201d Archie unbuckled his seat belt and maneuvered his friend over one shoulder. Standing and settling the heavy weight, Archie grabbed his pack out of the backseat and his phone just in case he found service somewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jughead cried out several times during the difficult slog from wrecked car across the meadow to the cabin in the distance. By the time Archie stumbled into the unlocked door, red-faced and out of breath, Juggy was awake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEasy,\u201d Archie said, \u201cwe\u2019re here.\u201d He set Jughead on his booted feet, and immediately, the teen\u2019s face paled and his knees buckled. Archie kept him from slipping to the branch-strewn wood floor only by grabbing him by the jacket lapels. \u201cWhoa.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carefully, he laid Jughead down, being gentle with his friend\u2019s damaged head, and then explored the small space for anything that could be of use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The two-room cabin smelled like a pack of wolves had been sleeping in it and there was no food or water, but Archie had a couple granola bars, some jerky, and a canteen of water in his pack. Luckily, there was a crate of web covered firewood near the cold fireplace and a tarp wadded up in the second room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archie spread the tarp on the floor and then knelt at Jughead\u2019s side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJug?\u201d he said softly, shaking his shoulder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If it weren\u2019t for the blood streaking the right half of Jug\u2019s face, the smudge on<\/p>\n\n\n\n

his chin, and the snowflakes in his hair, Archie thought his friend would look achingly beautiful. Deep set eyes in a pale-as-cream face made more dramatic by his pitch-black curls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His eyes dropped to Jug\u2019s full lips as they parted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cArch?\u201d Juggy screwed up his face in pain, trying to focus on Archie with one good eye. \u201cWhat the…\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI rolled the car,\u201d Archie explained, just watching his friend for a moment. \u201cI\u2019m so sorry, Jug. You hit your head, but I\u2019m going to fix this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jughead seemed to be understanding only half of the words. \u201cMy head?\u201d \u201cYeah, you banged it on the window. Does it hurt much?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI can\u2019t see out of my eye,\u201d he complained, reaching clumsily for his face. \u201cHere, sit up.\u201d Archie helped him upright. \u201cMaybe I can clean off some of the blood.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With an edge of his shirt and water from his canteen, Archie dabbed at Jug\u2019s eye, rubbing most of the drying blood from his socket and cheek. For a moment, Archie stared mesmerized at Jughead\u2019s mouth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jughead noticed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cArchie,\u201d he sighed. There was so much unsaid in that single word. Even concussed, he remembered the one and only time Archie had kissed him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During a moment of absolute, passionate weakness, Archie had taken Jug by the jacket and planted one on him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jughead had been surprised and totally cool about it, but he\u2019d made it clear he wasn\u2019t interested in evolving their friendship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s okay, buddy,\u201d Archie promised, focusing on cleaning up Jug\u2019s face instead of his soft lips. \u201cI\u2019m going to take care of you.\u201d He finished scouring his face, exposing several deep scratches and an open wound above his right ear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen the storm passes, I should be able to get a signal on my phone.\u201d Without Archie\u2019s hands supporting him, Juggy slumped against Archie\u2019s shoulder. \u201cWorst case,\u201d Archie said, \u201cthe girls will send a search party when we don\u2019t show up tomorrow. Maybe sooner.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jug\u2019s weight grew heavier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey, no,\u201d Archie jostled him. \u201cYou have to stay awake. If you pass out, you might never wake up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo tired,\u201d Jug slurred. \u201cCan\u2019t see right.\u201d He started to shiver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOkay.\u201d Archie forced him up on his own strength. \u201cYou sit here, and I\u2019ll start a fire.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The wood was dry and, with some kindling scraped off the floor, it was a simple matter to start a fire. Then he pulled out every bit of clothing in the pack\u2014a wool sweater and a knitted scarf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHold up, buddy.\u201d Archie sat down beside a groaning Jughead, wrapped the scarf softly around his neck, and then bunched the pack under his head like a pillow. \u201cRest here, but no sleeping.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jughead hugged himself and pulled his knees up a little against the chill, but the fire had caught and as Archie fed it another log, the room warmed several degrees. He double-checked that all doors were shut and windows closed or covered to hold as much heat inside as possible, and then Archie settled beside his best friend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAre you seeing better?\u201d Archie asked, slipping an arm under Jug\u2019s shoulders and drawing him in tight to his chest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cArchie, you know how you always gave me your hand-me-down clothes?\u201d he murmured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was thinking about that too,\u201d Archie admitted. \u201cWhat about it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c…embarrassing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou were embarrassed?\u201d Archie curled one leg over Jug\u2019s, trying to keep him warm with his body heat. \u201cI never knew that. We just knew you needed them. We wanted to help.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t need your charity,\u201d he grumbled even as his right hand crawled across Archie\u2019s chest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI wish you didn\u2019t think of it like that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou kissed me,\u201d Jug mumbled. \u201cYou\u2019re always trying to help me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As his friend\u2019s voice trailed off, Archie shook him awake despite the anxiety brewing in his gut. \u201cThe kiss?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jughead whined a little, but his eyes opened. \u201cI didn\u2019t want you kissing me out of some stupid sense of charity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wow. That had been an incredibly lucid sentence considering Juggy\u2019s head injury.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archie twisted to see into his face, not yet swelling thanks to the cold weather, but turning red, pink, and purple. \u201cI didn\u2019t kiss you because I felt sorry for you.\u201d Somehow it was easier to say these things when they were alone and Jughead probably wouldn\u2019t remember it anyway. \u201cI kissed you because I\u2019m in love with you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He gave Juggy a friendly squeeze. \u201cBesides, it doesn\u2019t matter. Nothing is going to happen between us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jughead sighed. \u201cAbout that…\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archie frowned down into his best friend\u2019s face. \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jughead closed his eyes and his head rolled against Archie\u2019s chest. \u201cHey,\u201d Archie said, shaking him. \u201cStay awake. You were saying something?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI might\u2019ve changed my mind,\u201d Jughead mumbled, his eyes fluttering tiredly. He parted his lips and fell asleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHell, no,\u201d Archie complained, forcing Jughead up and into a sitting position. \u201cYou can\u2019t say something like that and then pass out. I need more than that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Upright, Jughead seemed to wake up a bit. \u201cArchie,\u201d he said, still squinting past his injured right eye, \u201cI haven\u2019t stopped thinking about you since that kiss.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUh.\u201d Archie pulled Jug\u2019s jacket a little tighter around his shoulders. \u201cWhere is this coming from? Why are you saying this now?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jughead quirked what may have been a smile. \u201cI don\u2019t want to die without telling you I think I\u2019m in love with you, too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archie froze, his fingers tight on Juggy\u2019s jacket. \u201cWhat did you just say?\u201d \u201cI want to kiss you again,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archie huffed a startled laugh. \u201cNow I know you\u2019re concussed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Juggy leaned in close. \u201cI\u2019ve been thinking about you and thinking and thinking and…\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOkay.\u201d Archie lost the hope he\u2019d felt. Juggy was out of his mind, hardly making sense. \u201cThat\u2019s a lot of thinking.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKiss me.\u201d Jughead made a sloppy attempt at a kiss, but Archie caught him against his chest instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI have a little more dignity than that,\u201d Archie said. \u201cNot much, but a little more. If I\u2019m going to kiss you again, I want you to be fully conscious. I\u2019m not into taking advantage of the weak and sick.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNot,\u201d Jug mumbled against him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSure, buddy,\u201d Archie chuckled. \u201cRain check, though.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLater,\u201d Jug agreed. \u201cTomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYep, tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They spent the rest of the night holding each other against the cold, and<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archie trying and mostly failing to keep Jughead awake and talking. The first time Archie saw one dash of service on his phone, he texted Betty. Before an hour had passed, the scream of sirens was chasing him up the mountain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was no kiss \u201ctomorrow.\u201d Jughead needed serious recuperation. He spent nearly a week in the hospital having his head shaved and stitched together. At one point, they were going to drill a hole through his skull to drain blood, but they didn\u2019t need to, in the end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No one blamed Archie more for what happened to Jughead than Archie did. He\u2019d walked away from the accident with nothing more serious than bruises and scratches. Jughead, on the other hand, hadn\u2019t been so lucky. Aside from the serious concussion he\u2019d suffered, his right eye was so swollen and abused the doctors weren\u2019t sure he\u2019d be able to see out of it. His right shoulder was dislocated, and he had a hairline fracture in his right hip that was intensely painful. Jughead lay in a daze in a hospital bed looking fragile and pale for days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though Archie had visited every day to check on him and talk about the subjects Jug was missing at school, there was something rough between them that Archie could feel in the air. He wasn\u2019t sure if it was their kiss or their conversation about their kiss, but something had changed between them and Archie didn\u2019t like it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archie got a text on Friday after school that Jughead was being released. Since his dad and F.P. had already decided quietly that Jughead would be more comfortable recuperating in the Andrews house for at least a few days, Archie rushed home from practice to be there for his dad and his best friend. When he pulled up to his house, F.P.\u2019s truck was parked behind his dad\u2019s and the front door was wide open. Archie took the front steps at a run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDad?\u201d he called.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The den had been transformed into a sick room complete with tub of first aid supplies and prescription bottles. His dad had put Archie\u2019s old twin bed back together and squeezed it in between the TV and the pair of easy chairs. Jughead was already curled on it, his sweatpants and T-shirt too big for him. He wasn\u2019t sleeping, but he had an arm over his eyes as if the lights hurt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThanks again,\u201d F.P. said, thrusting his grease-stained hand at Fred. \u201cI really appreciate this. I owe you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not a problem,\u201d Dad assured. \u201cJughead\u2019s family.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

F.P. continued spouting thank you\u2019s as he and Fred ambled out into the foyer. Archie, not wanting to annoy Jughead any further, ducked his head to leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cArchie?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He turned and made eye contact with Jug who had raised up on one elbow. \u201cYou need something? You feeling okay?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jug quirked a tired smile. \u201cAlways the hero.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archie wasn\u2019t sure how to respond. Was Jughead teasing him? \u201cFine. Whatever.\u201d He tried to leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cArch, wait.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sighing in frustration, Archie turned back a second time. \u201cWhat?\u201d he said with a definite tone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jughead stared, his eyes flickering over Archie\u2019s face. \u201cWhy is it like this?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archie said the first thing that popped into his mind. \u201cYou\u2019re not going to remember this, but you asked me to kiss you when we were stranded in the cabin. Ever since, things have been weird.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI remember,\u201d Juggy mumbled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not sure if he\u2019d heard him correctly, Archie checked over his shoulder to make sure his dad would be busy talking to F.P. on the front stoop for a while and then crept closer to Jug\u2019s bed. \u201cWhat did you say?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Juggy slumped flat onto his back. \u201cI remember what I said in the cabin.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou do?\u201d Butterflies fluttered up from his stomach, and he sat uncertainly on the edge of the bed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, and I\u2019ve been trying to get alone with you ever since,\u201d Jughead admitted, \u201cbut there\u2019s always someone around. My dad. A nurse. Whoever.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archie\u2019s eyebrows popped skyward. \u201cYou\u2019ve been trying to get me alone? That\u2019s insane because it felt like you were trying to get rid of me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI wasn\u2019t.\u201d Jughead gave him a look. \u201cI smashed my head against glass and metal. It\u2019s possible my signals aren\u2019t transmitting correctly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archie grinned, but it slipped away when he saw Jug\u2019s bruises and scars again. \u201cWhy get me alone?\u201d He gingerly touched Jughead\u2019s injured eye, not so swollen but sort of greenish and purple, and felt the now familiar kick of guilt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGod,\u201d he ground out, snatching his hand away and fisting it tight. \u201cIf only I\u2019d been paying attention. If only I\u2019d swallowed my pride and left when the girls did. If only I\u2019d protected you better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey.\u201d Juggy placed a hand on Archie\u2019s fist. \u201cIt\u2019s not your fault. If anything,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

you helped save my life keeping me warm and awake all night. The doctors implied I could have died from a brain hemorrhage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archie stared at Juggy\u2019s hand on his, and he started to shake. He\u2019d been in love with his best friend for so long… He didn\u2019t dare hope his friend had any similar feelings. And yet, Juggy had confessed to thinking about him. Could it be true?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy did you say those things in the cabin?\u201d Archie blurted out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jughead did not remove his hand, but leaned in. \u201cBecause ever since you kissed me, I haven\u2019t been able to stop thinking about you. And not friendly thoughts. I mean, I\u2019ve been thinking about your chest. About your mouth. About your hands.\u201d He laughed huskily. \u201cYour hands, for God\u2019s sake. I\u2019m obsessed with your hands, how big they are and rough.\u201d As he spoke, he massaged Archie\u2019s hand. \u201cYet gentle. The knuckles, the nails. Haven\u2019t you caught me staring?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo.\u201d Archie chuckled at the absurdity. \u201cNot at all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think about you touching me with your big, rough hands,\u201d Juggy said softly. \u201cCan you do that for me?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archie\u2019s mouth went dry, and he shifted. \u201cUh, yeah. Yeah, of course.\u201d He resettled on the edge of Jug\u2019s bed and took a deep breath. He brushed his knuckles softly across Jug\u2019s left cheek. His friend\u2019s eyes fluttered closed, and his lips parted. Archie rubbed back and forth across Jug\u2019s freshly shaven and bristly hair, but his eyes were on Juggy\u2019s mouth. Slowly, he trailed his hand down the side of his face and finally rubbed the pad of his thumb across his friend\u2019s plump lower lip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Juggy\u2019s eyes popped open and his hand snaked out, grabbed the back of Archie\u2019s neck, and dragged him down to his lips. The kiss was sweet and soft, a tender press. But with Jughead\u2019s scent and skin all around him, Archie was slowly losing control. He tilted his head, and the kiss became more desperate. A nip of teeth, a nudge, and Archie licked inside Jughead\u2019s mouth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Surprisingly, Jughead didn\u2019t get spooked and pull away. Rather, he raised both hands and curled them in Archie\u2019s shirt, keeping him locked in place. One of his legs bent and the knee rested intimately against Archie\u2019s ribs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This may have been Jughead\u2019s first boy kiss. Archie wanted him to enjoy it. God, he wanted him to love it<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archie took his responsibility very seriously. He shifted his weight so he could run his right hand over Juggy\u2019s scalp and then nudge his thumb along Jug\u2019s jaw and under his chin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Juggy moaned appreciatively, and Archie grew so hard he feared he might come behind his zipper. He\u2019d fantasized about this moment so many times, but never believed it would actually happen. He couldn\u2019t believe how lucky he was. Then Juggy slid his bare foot around Archie\u2019s thigh and locked it behind his knee, and Archie broke the kiss, panting and completely out of control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou okay?\u201d he breathed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jughead took his face in both hands and stared at him with fathomless eyes and a kiss-swollen mouth. \u201cFantastic. You?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archie decided to be honest, but he couldn\u2019t keep eye contact while he said it. \u201cUh, I\u2019m hard. I\u2019m afraid I\u2019m going to come on top of you, and I don\u2019t want to freak you out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cReally?\u201d Jug\u2019s eyebrows rose and he tried to see between them. Archie lifted his hips to give him a better look. \u201cGod,\u201d Juggy hissed in appreciation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Embarrassed suddenly, Archie flushed and rose to put space between them, maybe escape altogether, he wasn\u2019t even sure. He just needed room to breathe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Jughead grabbed his wrist and yanked him back onto the narrow bed. He didn\u2019t say anything, but he shoved Archie down flat and straddled him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archie froze, too excited and hopeful to move a single muscle and jinx it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His gaze on Archie\u2019s chest, Juggy slowly slid down his body until he was eye level with Archie\u2019s throbbing cock. Jughead popped open the button of his jeans, and Archie hissed in a breath. Inexplicably lucid for a split second, Archie took Jughead\u2019s hand and squeezed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to do this. We could just kiss. Or talk. Or I could go….\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jughead extricated his hand and pulled the zipper of Archie\u2019s jeans down, and Archie lost all motivation to stop him. Lost all sense of honor. He stared down the length of his body, not wanting to miss a single second of Jughead between his legs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jughead wiggled Archie\u2019s jeans down only enough to free his cock, and it bobbed against his belly, wet with precum. Archie fisted both hands, his toes curling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And Juggy hadn\u2019t even touched him yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When he finally did, it was with the tip of his tongue, and Archie\u2019s hips jerked off the mattress. Chuckling low, Jughead took the crown into his warm, slick mouth and moistened it. Archie cried out quietly, a tiny slip of a whine. Jughead must have taken it as permission to inch-by-inch pull Archie\u2019s length deep into his mouth and stroke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archie couldn\u2019t hold himself back any further. The pressure in his balls was at the point of sweet pain. He jerked Jughead up by the collar and cupped his cock as ribbons of warm, white semen landed on his exposed belly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sleepy, spent, and happy, Archie just lay there for a second, breathing heavily, his hand loosely curled around himself. Juggy must have gotten up because he returned with a washcloth and wiped Archie\u2019s belly clean. Archie roused himself enough to zip up his jeans, and then he made room on the bed for Juggy to join him as the little spoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jughead slid into bed and settled his bottom in the curve of Archie\u2019s body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to show you so many things,\u201d Archie whispered into his ear. \u201cSo many ways to touch and love and taste. I\u2019m going to take such good care of your body…\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He started to drift off to sleep, but he caught Jughead\u2019s reply a moment before he fell asleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPromise?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks for reading!<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

<3 Anna & Sadie<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Like vampires, shifters, and cheap books? Join my monthly newsletter<\/a> today.<\/em> <3 Anna<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Fan Fiction Written Sadie West Short blurb: Driving home in a snowstorm, Archie loses control of the car, and Jughead ends up seriously concussed. Luckily, there’s a warm and snug cabin to spend the night in. Not so luckily, the conversation gets awkward when Jughead brings up the time Archie tried to kiss him. The […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"\"Stranded\" Fan Fiction","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[826],"tags":[872,869,705,732,870,704,871,706],"class_list":["post-4161","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fan-fiction","tag-archie-andrews","tag-archive-of-our-own","tag-betty-cooper","tag-fan-fiction","tag-gay-romance","tag-jughead-jones","tag-m-m-romance","tag-riverdale"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","views":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/s2Wkl2-stranded","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/annaabner.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4161","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/annaabner.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/annaabner.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/annaabner.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/annaabner.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4161"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/annaabner.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4161\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4291,"href":"https:\/\/annaabner.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4161\/revisions\/4291"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/annaabner.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4161"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/annaabner.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4161"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/annaabner.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4161"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}