#no offence meant at my fellow 30+ friends

[aussietummytickler]

The big 3-0. Does this make me an old man now?

/jk ❤️

[kjimagine]

Behind the scenes - Sweet Pea

Request: “Hi there!! I was wondering if you could do a sweet pea imagine where the reader is Josie’s understudy in the musical and sweet pea never really noticed her because he was too focused on Josie and after he hears her sing “fight for me” to him in the musical he falls head over heels for her and keeps trying to be nice and protective of her because she’s small and quite..? Sorry I know that’s a lot”

Pairings: Sweet Pea x reader

Warnings: small panic attack and Reggie Mantle being a creeeeeppppppeeeerrrrrr

Summary: Sweet Pea can’t help but take notice of you when he catches you singing “fight for me” in the role of Josie’s understudy in the musical. Over the next few weeks, you take notice of the lingering stares you can never seem to catch and the significant disappearance of trouble around you

N/A: its literally like they just said “serpents”? “Sweetpea”? don't know her, and threw my boy out the window. Also, i might edit this later and add to it UPDATE: I EDITED AND ADDED MORE

Despite your role of leading understudy in the Riverdale Highschool musical production of Heathers, you still attended every practice. Of course, that decision was influenced by Kevin and Fangs. In the chance that something went wrong, which would certainly not be an absurd occurrence in Riverdale, they needed you to be prepared.

You spent most practices sitting on the floor by Kevin and Fang's table, catching up on classwork and playing stupid games on your phone that made the time pass faster. The last 30 minutes of practice, were always designated for you. That was your time to shine.

Josie didn’t really deserve the leading role, at least,  that what your parents had told you many many times over. There were certainly people who agreed, Betty Cooper for example. Others would soon come to this conclusion too.

“(y/n), when the basketball guys get back in 10 minutes, you’re up,” Kevin smiled down at you. You smiled back in confirmation.

The start of the musical season, at Riverdale, always interfered with the end of the basketball season. And thus, all basketball players were late to musical rehearsals. Fangs still managed to be around for some musical practices, this was actually the first he had been able to attend in two weeks.

“Kevin, I don’t see the point in her practicing, no offence, y/n, if she’s not performing,” Josie complained.

“Why don’t you focus on yourself instead of worrying about y/n, God knows you need the practice,” Cheryl scoffed. Putting a hand over your mouth, you tried to hide your laughter. Josie scoffed and rolled her eyes at Cheryl in response. Cheryl sent you a wink from across the room.

Cheryl and you had never been more than friendly to each other, a few hellos’s in the hallway, helping each other with a few questions and equations for class occasionally. Her desire to defend you against Josie was a surprise, weren’t the two of them friends?

Kevin sighed and shook his head the interaction between the two girls. “Alright, take five. When we come back (y/n)’s up.”

Right on cue, in walked Sweet Pea and Reggie. The two of them definitely didn't seem like the musical type, but none the less, here they were.

Reggie scanned the group of theatre kids and when his eyes met yours, a smile grew on his face.

Reggie mantle was like the plague. Nobody wanted him to be there, but there he was; He was behind every door you opened, around the bend of every corner, he was in every class you have had since freshman year.

Reggie Mantle didn't know what the phrased “go away” or “leave me alone” meant.

An audibly loud sigh left your mouth when he started toward you. Sweet Pea chuckled lightly at this, the annoyance present in your body language. 

“How’s my favourite girl?” he grinned wrapping his arm around your shoulders. 

You shrugged his arm off and took a step backward, “Not your girl, Mantle; not even your friend.”

“Ouch,” Reggie winced, holding a hand to his chest in mock hurt. Cheryl and Toni laughed from beside the two of you. You and Toni made eye contact briefly, sending each other a small smile.

“Give it up, Reggie. You’ve been chasing (y/n) since freshman year and she doesn’t even want to touch you with a ten-foot pole,”  Cheryl snapped. Wow, she really did have your back today.

“She’d touch me, isn't that right, (y/n)?” he grinned taking another step toward you. You grimaced at the pearly white teeth poking through his menacing smile, a chill travelled down your spine.

“Your doctor doesn’t even want to touch you, Mantle, give it up,” Toni snarled.

Kevin let out a puff of air in frustration, “Alright, back to work,” he redirected the group. 

With a small sigh you made your way up onto the stage, Josie stomping her feet on the way to her seat behind you.

You were never one for creating drama, Riverdale surely had enough of that, but if Josie continued to complain about your involvement in the play, there was going to be a problem.

“Alright, (y/n),” Kevin clicked his pen four times, “Fight for Me.”

You watched as Ms. Grenvell reached her hands out and started playing the introductory beat on the piano. Taking a deep breath in, you were ready.

Why when you see boys fight Does it look so horrible Yet... feel so right? I shouldn't watch this crap That's not who I am But with this kid… Daaaaamn

Josie rolled her eyes at you from her seat in the front row. Her legs kicked to sit over each other. Her arms crossed in annoyance.

Hey, mister no-name kid So who might you be? And could you fight for me Hey, could you face the crowd Could you be seen with me and still act proud Hey, could you hold my hand And could you carry me through no man's land It's fine if you don't agree But I would fight for you If you would fight for me

The serpents had never been around long enough or even interested enough to learn your name, but they certainly were now. The rise and fall of your voice was angelic, your articulation exquisite. 

Toni’s face held shock, Fangs’ held admiration, and Sweet Pea’s held a smile. Pea may have not known much about Riverdale High or the people who attended it, but he certainly wanted to now.

                                                       ∘  ♔♔♔  ∘

The halls of Riverdale High had been quiet all week. The absence of Riverdale’s very own Mantle the Magnificant’s presence really put into perspective how little interaction you had with your fellow students. You had friends, but with the amount of Reggie Mantle that usually hung off your neck, they chose to keep their distance. 

Reggie Mantle hadn’t tried saying anything to you in two days, he hadn’t even looked at you. For the first time in 2 years, you didn't live in a constant state of uncomfortable. And while Reggie’s lingering eyes had stopped, they were replaced with a new pair. Only this time they weren’t bad, they belonged to Sweet Pea.

You have never had a conversation with him, maybe a few head nods and small smiles here and there. When you heard that the Southside Serpents would be attending Riverdale Highschool, not even your greatest and wildest dreams could have brought your current reality to life. 

Sweet Pea, arguably one of the toughest Serpents of his age, despite what his name claimed, took a liking to you. As cliche as it sounds, you were so painfully oblivious.

Sweet Pea spent months scaring the scoundrel’s of Riverdale High away from you. He spent months trying to figure out how to talk to you. He spent months trying not to fall deeper in love with you.

You spent months, for the first time since freshman year, hanging out with your friends and enjoying yourself. You spent months unbothered by the chaos of Riverdale. You spent months blind to Sweet Pea’s excessive starring and attempts to talk to you.

That was until one fateful day in January. Everyone had just arrived back from the break. And teens out of school surely meant trouble in Riverdale. The rivalry between the Serpents and the Bulldogs had been brewing, things were getting tense.

Slamming the door to your locker shut, there he was, Reggie Mantle, in all of his ignorance. With the roll of your eyes and sigh, you turned to look at him. Reggie slowly pushed you against the lockers, a smirk played on his lips. Your breath hitched in your throat at the unwanted contact.

“Miss me?” he grinned, hot breath fanning your face.

“Definitely not, Mantle,” you groaned. You tried pushing him off but to no avail, he still stood uncomfortably close.

This interaction must have been enough to push Sweet Pea over the edge. The next thing you knew, Sweet pea’s fist was hitting Reggie's face and Reggie’s face was hitting the floor. Your hand flew to your mouth, eyes wide.

Toni and Fangs stood nearby, along with a few Serpents who stood at each end of the Hallway to watch for teachers. A few students cheered as Sweat pea’s fists reconnected with Reggie’s body again and again and again.

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Mantle,” Sweet Pea yelled pulling Reggie up to his face by the collar of his shirt. “You bother (y/n) again and I’ll beat you to a pulp,” he spits. With that, he drops Reggie’s collar, the boy’s head hitting the ground harshly. Sweet Pea looks over to you, but when the two of you make eye contact, he freezes like a deer in the headlights.

Someone yells out that Weatherbee is coming, but with all the yelling in the hallway, and the bulldogs emerging from god knows where, you get lost in the commotion.

Your back hits your locker as your eyes try to make sense of the scene in front of you. Your chest tightens and your breathing shallows, you wrap your arms around yourself.

A warm hand grabs yours, and you’re pulled away from the loud fighting crowd in the hallway of Riverdale High. The hand is large, it incases yours entirely. You can’t see much as you’re lead through the crowd, but you’re able to make out the slicked greasy hair and the worn leather jacket of the serpent in front of you.