Work Text:
The week following the closing of the drive-in, Kevin was glued to his phone. In the middle of conversations, he’d check his phone for texts. He made sure his ringtone was at full volume so he didn’t miss anything. His friends picked up on it and they found it strange. Though, no one brought it up until it was the 4th lunch in a row that Kevin strayed away from Riverdale’s latest drama, which he was usually so up-to-date with, just to stay on his phone.
“Kevin?” Betty said from across the lunch table, looking at him with concerned eyes. He wasn’t paying attention until Veronica nudged him with her arm.
“Yes? I’m sorry.” Kevin turned his phone off and put it in his pocket.
“Is there a reason you’ve been on your phone like Jughead on Pop’s burgers?” Veronica said, grinning at her own joke.
Jughead rolled his eyes.
Archie chimed in, “Yeah, Kev, you’re usually never on your phone this much. What’s up?”
Kevin sighed and ran a hand through his hair, “Well, I’m just waiting fo-,” He stopped himself mid sentence. His own words echoed in his head.
“I won’t tell if you won’t.”
He couldn’t tell them, as much as he wanted to. It was hard enough for him to not spill everything that happened to Veronica the night it happened. But, he made a promise. Kevin tried to come up with some sort of lie to explain himself, but he was unable.
Betty gasped, as if she knew what he was hiding. She shielded her mouth away from Jughead and Archie to mouth, “I thought you were done with him?”
Of course, she thought it was about Moose. Kevin glanced across the courtyard, where Moose, Reggie, and the remaining football players sat for lunch. This wasn’t a bad alibi. He looked back at Betty and shrugged.
Veronica held out a hand. “Phone. Now.”
Kevin obliged, handing the phone over to her. Veronica turned his phone on and went to his contacts app. She scrolled all the way down to ‘M’ to find ‘Moose’ with two heart eye emojis next to his name. Veronica looked at Kevin as if to say, “You’ve got to be kidding me.” With a few swift clicks of a perfectly manicured nail, Moose with two heart eye emojis was permanently deleted from Kevin’s phone.
“Should we even ask?” Jughead asked, speaking for both Archie and himself.
Both Betty and Veronica shook their heads and Kevin pocketed his phone. Their usual conversation continued as normal until the bell rang.
When he got home, he dropped his messenger bag on the floor and flopped himself into his bed. Who knew hiding whatever Joaquin and Kevin had would be so agonizing? He didn’t blame Romeo and Juliet for going through with that suicide pact.
He began working on his health project when, suddenly, he got a text. It wasn’t until he scrambled from his desk to his phone to check his texts that he realized that he was absolutely pitiful. Who could blame him, though? Making out with a stunning gang member up against a fence during a James Dean movie wasn’t the usual for Kevin. He envied anyone whose usual was that.
Kevin checked his texts only to find one from an unknown number. “Hey. This is Joaquin.” was all it said. He quickly saved the number into his phone. He debated on adding a snake emoji to Joaquin’s contact, but decided that would be too much.
After Kevin finished his health project, he ended up talking with Joaquin for the rest of the night.
From: Kevin Keller
To: Joaquin
oh, i was just wondering if you were possibly doing anything on saturday? maybe we could do something?
From: Joaquin
To: Kevin Keller
I’ll see. What time are you thinking?
From: Kevin Keller
To: Joaquin
how about nine?
From: Joaquin
To: Kevin Keller
Sounds good.
From: Kevin Keller
To: Joaquin
see you then!
The next day, Kevin was a bit more himself. He didn’t have to worry about whether or not Joaquin was going to really text him or not. He was anxious for their date, though. But it was a good anxious, Kevin couldn’t wait to see him again.
After school, Kevin approached his dad, who was doing paperwork in his office. The usual sheriff duties aside from being at the station.Where there once laid tons of paper and red yarn, all coming together to form a murder wall, now harbors nothing. His dad was visibly stressed about the fact that someone had broken into their house and made sure to take extra safety precautions. Safety precautions meaning instead of his shotgun staying in it’s usual place at night, the gun rack, it now has found a place next to his bed while he slept.
“Hey, Dad,” Kevin began cautiously. “How’re you holding up?”
“I’m holding up,” He looked up from the desk. Paperwork scattered on top. Kevin’s dad wasn’t dumb enough to take important notes and evidence home. While the murder of Jason Blossom was the top priority, he still had other things to take care of. Such as finding out who broke in and who took a crowbar to Fred Andrews’ equipment. Also, to Moose Mason’s face. He was dealing with a world different things. Kevin couldn’t imagine what his dad was going through. He didn’t have to. The bags under his eyes said everything.
“Sorry to bother you while you’re working, but I was wondering if I could borrow the truck on Saturday?”
“What for?” His dad raised an eyebrow at him.
Kevin shrugged, “Made plans with Betty to hang out.”
That wasn’t true, but what was he supposed to say? ‘Oh, nothing big. Just going to go on my first date ever with a gang member who I met and made out with about a week ago. Thanks dad!’ He felt guilty about lying to him, but it was far better than telling the truth.
“Yeah, bud,” Kevin’s dad threw him the keys. “Knock yourself out.”
Kevin nodded and shoved the keys into the pocket of his jeans. “Thanks.”
Saturday came faster than he thought. Maybe it was because he was so preoccupied with school or Archie’s drama with the Blossoms. Either way, Friday shifted into Saturday and all Kevin could think about is Joaquin.
He really wanted this to go well. Kevin thought of it as his real first impression. Let’s face it, if Joaquin’s first impression of him was a boy who looked like a deer in the headlights when he approached him, he was screwed.
Kevin sifted through his closet looking for the perfect outfit. He didn’t want to look underdressed but he didn’t want to look overdressed either. If Veronica were here, she would have been able to tell him what to wear. But, of course, the entire Joaquin situation had to be a secret. He missed being able to tell everything to Betty and Veronica.
Kevin shook away his thoughts and gave up on trying to play dress up, picking an outfit that felt very ‘on brand’ for him. He decided on a light blue button down, jeans, and canvas shoes. He figured it would have to do.
He gathered various blankets and pillows from the hallway closet and put them in the bed of his dad’s red, beat up pickup truck. Kevin texted Joaquin asking for his address and put it into his phone’s GPS.
In no time, Kevin pulled up to Joaquin’s place. He was extremely nervous about having to be in the south side of town. As the sheriff’s son, he’s not one to head into the south side often. Eventually, Joaquin walked through the door and over to the truck. Kevin’s heart was pounding a million miles a minute as he checked his hair in the rear view. There was no backing out of this. Not that he wanted to, oh God, no. He’s just never been this nervous about anything, ever.
Joaquin got into the passenger side of the truck, greeting Kevin with a smile.
“What kind of lie did you tell your dad to get him to let you come out tonight?”
Kevin rolled his eyes as he backed out of the driveway, “Right now, my dad thinks I’m hanging out with one of my best friends, Betty.”
From the contents in the bed of his dad’s truck, it was pretty obvious what Kevin had planned for tonight. It was much more tame than making out behind a concessions stand at the drive-in.
When they reached their destination, an empty field a few miles from town, Kevin and Joaquin got into the bed of the truck with the pillows and blankets. There, they lay looking upon the stars talking about everything and anything. Kevin talked about how much drama is going on within his circle of friends and that it was good to get away from it all for a bit. The school, the rumors, Jason Blossom’s murder case. Everything. Joaquin understood where Kevin was coming from, but obviously he related in different ways. He’s not supposed to go into detail, but there’s also drama within the Serpents, too. Though the gang was like his family, it was good to be away from them. It was good for him to just be with Kevin, even if for a little bit.
They now found themselves cuddling under the stars in silence. Kevin couldn’t believe that he was here with someone like Joaquin. He always thought that he was destined to lead a life of pining over some unsure jock who wouldn’t treat him right in the end or being the stereotypical gay best friend. But, here he was with a guy who actually liked him. It was a new feeling and he savored every minute of it.
He, then, made the bold move of leaning in and kissing Joaquin. This time, it wasn’t hungry and quick, like their previous ones. It was soft and slow. Joaquin’s hand rested on Kevin’s cheek as their lips moved in sync.
This was a moment that Kevin would never forget and he hoped Joaquin wouldn’t either.