As Intimate As Chocolate Cake
Pairing: Sweet Pea x female!reader [2nd-person pov]
Word Count: 3.3k
Rating: T for swears; no warnings
Description: When Toni is put in charge of the new menu for the Whyte Wyrm, she decides to use the opportunity to set up two of her friends
A/N: Loosely based off a scene from Hart of Dixie season 4, episode 5: Bar-Be-Q Burritos, where George and Annabeth are set up on a date by their friend Lemon
Disclaimer: I’ve only seen up to parts of season 3 of Riverdale, therefore I know nothing about the current seasons and what has transpired, so there will be no spoilers. Also, this was written with minimal editing, so any errors are accidental. Gif credit to the owner, as it is not mine.
- - -
Cheryl Blossom walked into Pop’s, looking for Toni, but instead she found someone else.
Two someones, actually.
You’d been enjoying your strawberry malt and fries all by yourself when Sweet Pea had decided to join you without warning.
“Careful now - rumor has it if you drink too many strawberry milkshakes in one sitting, you’ll wake up as a strawberry.”
You couldn’t resist the urge to roll your eyes, dunking a pair of fries in the malt before bringing them to your lips. “Thank god this is a strawberry malt then, or I’d be fucked.”
He sat down in the booth across from you without asking, grabbing a fry before you could pull them away. “Milkshake, malt - same thing.”
“Nope,” you replied, popping the p. “Malts have malted milk powder; milkshakes do not.”
Sweet Pea pulled a face at that. “And why would you want that?!”
You shrugged. “Personal preference.”
“Weirdo.”
You looked up to give Sweet Pea a piece of your mind at that, but found him smiling instead. It was rare to see a smile from the Serpent, and seeing it made something that felt awfully like desire pool in your stomach. You ignored it, taking a sip of your malt while you gathered your thoughts. “Wow, a compliment? If I didn’t know any better, I’d think the world was ending.”
Sweet Pea snagged another fry, popping it into his mouth, the smile turning into a smirk. “Who knows? It might be.”
“Guess we’ll find out.”
Before you could respond to that, Cheryl interrupted. “Well, well, well. Fancy seeing the two of you here. And looking chummy, no doubt. What’s so funny?”
“The end of the world,” you quipped, causing Sweet Pea to snicker and you couldn’t help joining him.
“Haven’t you looked outside, Cheryl? Pigs are flying!”
Cheryl let out a huff, shaking her head. “Ignoring all that,” she said with a dismissive wave of her hand, “have either of you seen Toni? She said she would meet me here, but I can’t seem to find her.”
“Whyte Wyrm?” Sweet Pea supplied. “You know she’s been spending all her free time there ever since she became part owner.”
“I just didn’t think she’d get so caught up in it that she’d forget about date night!”
“Have you tried calling her?” You suggested, regretting it when Cheryl fixed you with a glare.
“Of course I’ve tried calling! She didn’t pick up and I-”
Just then, the door to the Chock’lit Shoppe opened, the bell signaling a new customer. The three of you turned to see Toni Topaz making her way over, pulling Cheryl in for a hug and a kiss. “Sorry I’m late,” she murmured. “Got a bit caught up reviewing the new menu for the Whyte Wyrm’s grand reopening.”
“You’re here now and that’s all that matters,” Cheryl said, her smile returning. “Ta-ta, you two. Don’t get too cozy over there.”
You and Sweet Pea burst into laughter once Cheryl and Toni were seated at the opposite end of Pop’s. “God, she can be so eccentric at times,” you giggled, shaking your head.
“I don’t know what Toni sees in her, but I’m glad the two of them have each other.”
“She sees in Cheryl what I have since elementary school: a girl with a lot of love to give who just needs someone to see her potential.”
Sweet Pea shot you a look as he grabbed another fry. “If you say so.”
“Hey, if I said the same thing about Toni, you’d be defending her, too. Cheryl’s my friend like Toni is yours - we go way back.”
“True.” You were almost taken aback when the Serpent agreed with you. He slid out of the booth before you could process what had just happened, but not before stealing a handful of fries off your plate. “Let me know when you’re here again - I can always get behind free fries.”
“In your dreams, Serpent!” You shouted at his retreating back, no malice in your voice at all.
- - -
“See what I mean?” Cheryl whispered to Toni, the two of them tucked away in their usual corner booth that surveyed the whole of Pop’s, splitting a milkshake. “There’s definitely something there.”
“Maybe,” Toni drawled, narrowing her eyes as she watched Sweet Pea duck his head and smile to himself when his back was turned from you. “I haven’t seen Sweet Pea look this smitten in a while.”
“Do you think they’d have a chance if we worked our matchmaking magic?”
“What is it you’re always saying? Sometimes the craziest ideas are the most brilliant ones?”
Cheryl smiled, leaning in to kiss Toni. “You’re absolutely right, Tonikins! Shall we start plotting now?”
- - -
“What’s up, Toni?” Sweet Pea growled into his phone, his frustration bleeding over from one phone call into the next. Fangs had been giving him shit for something and while he was glad to have Toni’s phone call as an excuse to hang up on his friend, he was still pissed.
“What’s up, Sweet Pea, is that I have the perfect solution to your dilemma.”
“What kind of solution?” He paused. “Wait. What’s my dilemma?”
“Nevermind that. Meet me for breakfast tomorrow morning so we can discuss.”
“Discuss what? I’m gonna need more details than that, T.”
Toni couldn’t help but let out a giggle. “All will be revealed tomorrow morning, Sweets. Riverdale Cafetorium at seven sharp - don’t be late!”
She hung up a moment later, leaving a stunned but obedient Sweet Pea in her wake.
- - -
“Cheryl? Is everything okay?” You asked when you answered Cheryl’s phone call. Before she’d met Toni, you and Cheryl spoke on the phone almost nightly; now she rarely called so you figured something had to be up.
“It will be. Meet me in the cafetorium tomorrow at seven?”
“Uh, sure? Why the phone call, though? You could’ve just texted.”
“Just wanted to hear your voice, YN. See you then!”
Nothing was said after that, the line going dead as Cheryl presumably hung up. “See you then,” you said into the void before going back to your nightly routine.
- - -
Toni and Cheryl were already seated at a table when you arrived, the two of them sharing a pastry as Sweet Pea looked on across from them.
“What’s he doing here?” You asked, unable to keep the harshness out of your voice. It was way too fucking early for this and you didn’t even have time for coffee.
“Calm down, dearie. Take a seat.” Cheryl was unusually perky but the tinge of obey me in her voice had you doing just that.
“Yeah, dearie. Take a seat,” Sweet Pea mimicked, and you couldn’t help shooting a glare in his direction. “But really, you two. What is it that was so urgent you couldn’t tell me over the phone last night?”
Toni sat up a little straighter, glancing at Cheryl briefly before she spoke, “Well, because Cheryl and I have a favor to ask. As you know, I’ve been stressing over the reopening of the Whyte Wyrm - particularly the menu - and I was hoping that as my friend,” she looked at Sweet Pea, “and my girlfriend’s best friend,” she looked at you, “that both of you would be willing to come over this weekend for a sample meal.”
“I knew she wanted something,” Sweet Pea leaned back, crossing his arms and muttering under his breath, and you couldn’t help but agree with that statement.
“Of course she did,” you said in the same tone before turning your attention back to Toni and Cheryl. “All you had to do was ask! Of course I will!”
“Me, too. But YN is right - next time just ask us. Not everything has to be a big scheme.”
His statement shocked you. The two of you hadn’t ever really agreed on much since Toni and Cheryl’s relationship had started, and now you were both agreeing with each other more than once in twenty-four hours? It was almost too much for you to handle. Sure, the two of you were polite and cordial with each other - for the most part - but lately it seemed to be getting out of hand.
“That’s really good advice, thank you,” Cheryl said, cutting in. “So, we’ll see you Saturday at eight? Oh, and dress real nice. Tonikins and I wanna see what the vibe could be like if we manage to bring in some fancier customers.”
And just like that, Cheryl and Toni stood up in unison just as the bell signaling first period rung, leaving both you and Sweet Pea stunned for the second time.
“Why do I feel like the scheming isn’t over yet?” Sweet Pea asked, turning to look at you.
Your eyes narrowed towards the doors where Cheryl and Toni had just exited. “Probably because it’s not…” Your voice trailed off as your gaze met his and you finally got a glimpse of his face up close and in broad daylight. A flash of his face from last night illuminated by the neon lights of Pop’s crossed your mind, specifically of him grinning as he popped a fry into his mouth. That same desire came flooding back and you knew you had to leave before you did something stupid and make a fool of yourself in front of the Serpent.
“See you Saturday at eight!” Sweet Pea called after you as he watched you walk away, wondering what the weekend had in store.
- - -
You sat in your car, putting the finishing touches on your lipstick and tugging at your dress one more time before taking a deep breath and getting out. After the ambush in the cafetorium by Cheryl and Toni, you’d spent more time than you cared to admit agonizing over your outfit, but in the end it was a no-brainer. You’d worn the dress you felt most confident in, pairing it with strappy heels and light makeup that accentuated your favorite facial features.
Seeing Sweet Pea all dressed up made you stop in your tracks. His version of ‘fancy’ was nice jeans and a button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to expose his forearms. His Serpent neck tattoo was on full display, standing out against the stark white of his shirt.
“Hey,” he said, crossing his arms and drawing your attention back to them. “You ready for this?”
“I guess so. There was never really an opportunity to back out now, was there?”
“Those two make it very hard to say no, don’t they?”
You huffed out a laugh, shaking your head. “Don’t I know it.”
Before either of you could say any more, the door swung open and out stepped Cheryl, clad in her signature red. “There you two are! Come on in! Welcome to the new and improved Whyte Wyrm!”
“You look…nice, by the way,” Sweet Pea murmured as he held the door for you, letting you in first.
A shiver of need raced through you at the feeling of his eyes on your body. You paused, looking back at him and meeting his gaze. “Thanks. You, too.”
Your mouth was practically watering as Cheryl set down a filet mignon in front of you. “And this is our bourbon-maple glaze filet mignon.”
“This looks delicious,” you said, smiling at Cheryl. “Give my compliments to the chef.” Toni stood off to the side, the first time you’d ever really seen her look nervous about anything.
“I gotta say, everything has looked fantastic tonight, Toni, and I’m sure the Whyte Wyrm’s reopening is going to be a huge success,” Sweet Pea chimed in, surprising you. You hadn’t really ever heard him give anyone a compliment, but you figured if anyone deserved a compliment from Sweet Pea, it was Toni.
“Thank you,” Toni murmured, nodding stoically.
“Well, you both have exquisite taste buds and despite how much you both have grown and changed over the years, I knew I could count on you-”
“Okay, what is going on with you?” Sweet Pea asked, the two of you exchanging a suspicious look.
Toni laughed awkwardly, trying to drag Cheryl away.
“Yeah, what’s so funny?”
“It’s just that we’ve all known each other for so long…” Cheryl trailed off, realizing her mistake.
“I knew it!” Sweet Pea clapped his hands, more excited than you’d seen him while he was stealing your fries at Pop’s. “I knew it!”
“Knew what?” Toni asked, her turn to look suspicious.
“You and Cheryl are out here trying to get YN and I closer so we can be some weird, messed-up version of the Breakfast Club.”
You let out a groan, shaking your head. “Seriously? Cheryl, you know how I feel about you trying to set me up with people! I thought we agreed you were going to stop doing that after eighth grade.”
Sweet Pea crossed his arms and your attention diverted to his delicious forearms once again. “And that’s why we’re here…this is a scheme within a scheme,” he tutted, giving both Toni and Cheryl a reproachful look.
“Excuse us for wanting to try to get the two of you to see in each other what Cheryl and I see in both of you!”
“This is just like that time Toni and Cheryl left us in the woods for some fucked up bonding experience over our hatred of Weatherbee.”
“Or when they sent us on that futile mission to the abandoned Southside High and we had to hide in the janitor’s closet until they were able to get us out.” Sweet Pea glared at them. “The two of you can be so annoying.”
“So fucking annoying,” you agreed, seething as more memories popped up where you and Sweet Pea had been thrown into situations thanks to Toni and Cheryl’s scheming.
“Do either of you want dessert or not? Cuz if you keep whining, Cheryl and I will just eat it ourselves.”
That shut the two of you up and Toni nodded, satisfied. “Enjoy your filet mignon.”
“We’ll be here,” Sweet Pea said, finally getting a chance to cut into his steak.
“Oh, fuck this is good,” you couldn’t help groaning at the first bite. “I had my doubts about a bourbon maple glaze on steak but this is…wow.”
“Mm-hmm.” Sweet Pea’s hum of approval sent another foreign feeling racing through you.
You tried to think of another conversation topic, but all you could think of was yet another time you and Sweet Pea had been forced together by either Toni’s or Cheryl’s schemes.
Conversation flowed pretty easily after that, and neither of you paid any attention when Toni slipped in and cleared your plates while Cheryl served a single slice of chocolate cake between the two of you.
The cake was delicious, maple syrup infused into the icing, of course.
“Fuck, this chocolate cake…Wow. You’d think Toni would’ve splurged and given us two pieces,” Sweet Pea shook his head as he brought his fork in for another bite.
“I know,” you agreed, nodding. “It’s like you’re stealing my fries all over again.”
“Ha ha,” Sweet Pea deadpanned, making you giggle. “Doesn’t Cheryl have some weird, fucked up saying for this?”
His question took you by surprise, but you knew exactly what he was talking about, rattling off the phrase as if Cheryl herself was saying it. “It’s the most intimate thing two people can do other than…” You stopped short, your eyes widening as you realized the final word.
Your eyes met Sweet Pea’s, his expression mirroring yours as you both finished the word in unison.
“Sex.”
The sounds of your forks hitting the fancy china were the only sounds in the room as the two of you processed what had just happened.
“Are they…?” You started.
Sweet Pea finished. “Trying to set us up?” You nodded and he pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. “They better not be.”
“They’re really outdone themselves this time. It’s a goddamn scheme within a scheme within a scheme.”
“I mean, I just don’t understand why they think we would make a good couple. It’s so random and strange - no offense.”
You shrugged, truly unoffended even though you’d have been lying if you said you hadn’t been entertaining the idea all night. “None taken.”
“I’m still not convinced there isn’t more to this scheme.”
“God, I hope not,” you said, resisting the urge to run your hands over your face but you didn’t want to ruin your makeup. “There’s only so many schemes I can participate in during a year and I think I’ve already hit my limit.”
Sweet Pea looked around before leaning in, a smirk on his face. “What do you say we get out of here? We’re not technically dining and dashing because this was free, but I could definitely go for some fries and a chocolate milkshake.”
You didn’t have to be asked twice, dabbing your mouth with your napkin before pushing your chair back and heading out, Sweet Pea instinctively taking your hand in his as the two of you made a mad dash for Pop’s.
“Thanks,” the two of you said in unison as Pop Tate set your malt and Sweet Pea’s milkshake down in front of you, placing a large order of fries in the center of the table.
“I don’t know how I’m gonna be able to finish all these fries after the meal we’ve just had,” you said, eyeing the basket as you took a sip of your malt.
“I’m sure we’ll find a way if we sit here long enough.”
Your phone vibrated with an incoming text from Cheryl but you ignored it, turning your phone facedown on the table. Sweet Pea did the same and you couldn’t help feeling secretly thrilled that all his attention was now focused on you.
“So,” you started, picking up a fry, “Fancy a trip down memory lane?”
You didn’t think you’d ever seen the Serpent smile as much as he did tonight, and it was starting to affect you. Before tonight, you never would have thought twice about considering someone like Sweet Pea as boyfriend potential, but there was something about both Toni and Cheryl butting into your dating life to bring Sweet Pea in that was making you reconsider.
You reached for the last fry at the same time he did, your fingers brushing his. You recoiled as butterflies fluttered in your stomach, but it didn’t seem to affect him. “It’s all yours,” Sweet Pea said, gesturing to the solitary fry.
“You sure?” You hesitated. “We could split it.”
Sweet Pea shook his head. “Like I said, it’s yours.”
You couldn’t help the smile that bloomed on your lips as you dunked the last fry into the dregs of your malt. “Maybe there’s more to you than just a Southside Serpent.”
That made him chuckle and duck his head - and in that moment, he had never looked more attractive. “Well, maybe there’s more to you than just Cheryl’s sidekick.”
It was well past midnight when the two of you exited Pop’s, making your way to your separate vehicles.
You stalled at the door to your car, part of you not wanting the night to end. “I…had a lot of fun tonight.”
“Me, too.” Sweet Pea stepped closer and you sucked in a breath. “Maybe, we could do this again without Cheryl and Toni’s interference?”
“I’d like that. Are we counting this as a date?”
“I don’t know. Would you like it to count as a date?”
Not one to shy away from getting what you want, you decided to go for it. “Well, if you were planning to kiss me goodnight if this was a date, then yes, I would like tonight to count as a date.”
Sweet Pea towered over you, his eyes flickering between your eyes and mouth. You could hear your heartbeat in your ears as you stared up at him, waiting for him to make the first move. “I’d never turn down an opportunity to kiss a pretty girl goodnight.”
With that, your lips met in a tender kiss, the promise of something more lingering in the air when you finally pulled away. “Goodnight, YN,” Sweet Pea murmured, his thumb brushing over your cheek as he stepped back. “Get home safe.”
“Goodnight, Sweet Pea.”
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