Work Text:
Prompt: Two friends have exchanged letters since a childhood letter exchange program and one delivers their Christmas letter in person this year
Ship(s): Cheryl Blossom x Toni Topaz
Rating: T
CW(s): reference to child abuse (not detailed)
‘Dear Cheryl,
Merry Christmas, gorgeous! At least, I hope this will get to you before Christmas. Can you believe that we have now been speaking for seven years… It seems like yesterday that I sent the first letter. Eleven year old me had no idea that that one letter could lead to the best friendship that she would ever experience.
Right now I am actually sat at the table in my trailer, it’s not very warm, what with the snow beginning to fall, but I managed to get hold of an old oil heater from a garage sale which helps somewhat. If it gets too bad, Jughead and Betty have me to stay with them for a while but I feel bad with taking up their spare rooms when there are Serpents more in need of it than me. Once I’ve written this I’m heading to the Whyte Wyrm for the Christmas party, they often have a fire going so I can hide in the warmth there for a little while.
How’s the new house? At least it’s big so you don’t have to interact with your mom too much. As for a job, you could try a local corner store or bar, at least until you’ve got a little money under your belt.
I’ll be having a similar Christmas to you. Jughead and Betty have invited me over, I’ll probably just pop in for Christmas dinner and leave it at that. I don’t know what I’ll be doing otherwise but I will be thinking of you. I wish that I could get you out of that house, maybe I can come over to NV when I have saved more money from these jobs I’m taking on and help break you out. Maybe the bar’s open over Christmas, they should pay more for that, right? I won’t have anything to do so might as well put my time to good use.
I love you so much, Cheryl, hang in there, we’ll work something out together and, if not, the Serpents may be able to lend a hand, especially if you head back here with me.
Merry Christmas, my love,
TT x’
I held the letter tight in my hands, the paper crumpled from the number of times it had been folded and refolded it, the corners fiddled with, and pulled in and out of my bag.
I was doing the correct thing, right? I wasn’t insane or delusional...right? It was too late for that, I tried to remind myself - I was here now.
I readjusted the large holdall digging into my shoulder, as I tried to work up the nerve to knock on the door. I had raised her fist so many times but could not seem to actually do it.
The lights were on inside so, in theory, she should be home.
What if I had the wrong address? Oh God, what if she didn’t even want to see me?
Movement inside jolted me from my thoughts as heavy footsteps shook the small building, the lights switched off as keys jangled inside.
Half of me considered bolting but there was no time and nowhere to hide.
The front door swung open, almost hitting my nose and I stumbled back almost slipping in the frosty grass.
“Hello, can I help you?” A familiar sweet voice asked.
I recognised it from the one time I had snuck away from my mother when we had been in town and made it to a payphone. We had never managed it since but I still remembered that voice like it was yesterday.
“Are you alright?” She questioned further before pausing. “Hang on, let me turn the porch light on, I can’t see you.”
With the click of a switch, a blinding light turned on above me before Toni appeared in the doorway. Goodness, she looked better than the picture she had sent me last month.
She no longer had the pink stripes, but her black hair still fell in soft curls down to her waist, delicately framing her face. She was dressed to go out for the evening, it was Christmas Eve after all. Smokey makeup and pretty pink lipstick, a tight black dress hugging her figure, paired with fishnets and heeled boots, she looked drop-dead gorgeous.
“Wow,” was all Cheryl could get out in disbelief that her TT was actually in front of her.
All the fighting and struggle seemed worth it for just this moment: to be free from my she-witch mother and to be in the presence of my love. Yes, I loved her and it was only confirmed by finally being able to properly see her and hear her voice - all I wanted to was gather her in my arms and hold her.
Without TT, I did not know how I would have gotten through the last six years.
“Cheryl?” Toni’s jaw had dropped open, her body frozen in shock as she tried to process what she was seeing. “Cheryl? Seriously, is that you?”
She suddenly moved, flying down the steps and jumping down so we stood in front of one another; she grabbed my arms, holding me at a length in front of her, thoroughly inspecting every aspect of me, no doubt seeing the doozy of a bruise which decorated my cheek, curtesy of mother dearest.
“Yes, it’s me TT.” My voice barely a murmer but it brought her gaze back to my face, her eyes flitting between each of my eyes, her mind probably running a million miles as hour.
“Oh baby.” She whispered, tears beginning to slip from her eyes as she ran a thumb over my unmarred cheekbone before throwing her weight at me, wrapping her arms around my neck and burying her face against my chest. Despite the throb it brought about in my injured leg, I happily took the burden. TT was here, she was in my arms.
“I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry.” She kept whimpering against my shirt, it broke my heart.
Dropping the hold-all onto the frozen floor, I reciprocated her embrace, one hand finding its place in the small of her back and the other on the back of her neck.
“It’s alright, I’m here.”
I wasn’t alright an hour ago, but now I was. I was still just as beat up and everything at ‘home’ was still as it was but I was here with TT in my arms.
“You’re here.” Toni whispered pulling back, wiping tears from her cheeks before noticing the smudged eye make-up on my top and deciding to give up her futile efforts.
“You’re here...how are you here?”
“It’s a long story.” I answered. “One for inside in the warmth but, long story short, I’m eighteen and stole some money from a visiting rich uncle, taking the first flight to New York.”
I crouched down and picked the bag back up before swinging it back over my shoulder, wincing slighly as it met yet another developing bruise.
“Alright,” Toni offered her hand, which I gladly took,, “let’s go inside and get you into some clean and comfy clothes. We’ll drink hot cocoa and you can tell me what you need to but I’d also rather like to take you to the doctor,” at the rapid shaking of my head she backtracked, “or at least Mr Jones, he won’t ask too many questions and will be able to sort him out but you can trust FP, he might even left you join the Serpents.” She squeezed my hand before leading me back into her trailer.
Not all was right in the world but I was with my TT and that was all that mattered.