Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The older Serpents knew what to do with Joaquin, most likely going to report their discovery anonymously to the police.

Their fearless leader had left Toni in charge while he protected Archie and now it was just down to Sweet Pea and himself to keep the Serpents afloat and out of trouble at school. Tell the others about the brandings, where Jughead and Archie had gone, Joaquin-

Oh no....

Kevin

Deciding the sooner the better, Fangs' texts the young wrestler asking to talk and Kevin agrees, offering to meet him at Pop's or his own home. As Mr. Keller was out for the night, Fangs asks Kevin to come over so he didn't have to drive after hearing the news. Texting to say he would be there in 20 minutes, he runs into Sweet Pea on the way to his bike and Sweet Pea's eyes darken in understanding as he explains where he's going. The conflict in the taller boys expression looks nearly painful but he nods definitively and heads toward his bike as well, telling Toni where they were going.

They arrive at the Keller household with trepidation but knowing it was what Joaquin would of wanted as well as knowing it was part of being a Serpent. Getting off the bikes and heading to the door, Fangs knocks at the door anxiously while looking around cautiously.

Kevin opens the door and his eyes widen at the pairs worn out and harrowed expressions, quickly inviting them in to sit and shutting the door behind them.

"Joaquin's not hiding here if that-" But Sweet Pea's sympathetic expression stops him cold.

"No... Kevin, please sit down." Fangs attempts to placate with a pleading tone and Kevin complies, feeling a ball of dread start to weigh heavily in his heart.

"As you know, even the prisoners in juvie were playing G & G and...Joaquin ascended..." Fangs tries gently before Sweet Pea grunts and takes over.

"The Gargoyle King got him. He was found with blue lips and had the same brand as Archie on his forehead." Sweet Pea finishes bluntly but not without sympathy.

Looking a mix between heartbroken, numb and ill, it does not surprise either Serpent as Kevin rushes off to the bathroom, the sound of retching coming down the hall. Fangs is at a loss of what to do next but once the sounds down the hall quiet, Sweet Pea makes his way toward the green eyed boy and Fangs follows suit.

Waiting for Kevin to finish rinsing out his mouth and come out of the bathroom, Sweet Pea holds Kevin firm with his gaze and a gentle hand to his shoulder.

"The second law of being a Serpent is if a Serpent is killed or imprisoned, thier family will be taken care of. We were his family, the Serpents and you. He loved you and you've stood by us, you've proven yourself loyal. So-"

"We're here for you. The Serpents or just us. Do you want to be alone or-"

"Fangs and I will stay to keep you company." Kevin starts to refuse but the realization that it was best that none of them were alone, for all thier sakes, he just nods.

"Thank you." Kevin replies sincerely but numbly and motions them to come to his room, wanting to see if he had anything left of Joaquin's to remember him or return to Sweet Pea and Fangs.

Catching sight of a plain silver ring that Joaquin had given him, putting it on his left middle finger, he sits on the bed listlessly before the tremors begin and Fangs quickly sits beside him, wrapping his arms around the wrestler. Surprised, Kevin freezes a moment before starting to hold Fangs tightly to his chest as well, feeling both of them start to shake.

Sweet Pea stays still and silent, not sure where, if anywhere, he fit in the situation but a tightness starts to spread through his chest while his eyes start to prickle and he hesitantly moves to sit beside Kevin as well, startling as both other boys pull him in tightly.

This wasn't fair to any of them.

Fangs and Sweet Pea shouldn't have had to discover Joaquin's lifeless form or have to notify the closest to family outside the Serpents he had.

He shouldn't have to bury his first love after finally finding him once again.

They were all only 16 and had all seen far too much.

Knowing how hard it must be for both of them, he tightens his grip carefully on both while Sweet Pea starts shaking, visions of blue lips and dead eyes in the forefront of his mind.

"No more G & G. No one should be dying from a fucking board game. Promise me." Sweet Pea demands.

"Both of you."

"Deal." Fangs nods but Sweet Pea gives Kevin a stern look, causing him to roll his eyes but Sweet Pea tightens his grip with a pleading look.

"I mean it."

"After everything that's happened, I never want to see that game again." He promises sincerely.

"Good." Sweet Pea confirms, relief in his tone.

"Is your dad coming home tonight?" Both Fangs and Kevin pull back scandalized causing Sweet Pea to shake his head.

"The game is supposed to be addictive. We should stick together so we stay safe and resist the temptation."

"Like addicts?" Kevin questions skeptically.

"Exactly. It's better than FP handcuffing Jughead to his fridge." Sweet Pea practically threatens, eyeing the two with a dark expression.

Finally, Kevin answers.

"He's out all night. You can both stay here." Kevin offers tiredly with a nod, but sighs.

"But right now, I don't think I can deal with anything like this. You both look like you haven't slept since you found out." Both of them nodding in confirmation.

"I'm laying down, you can join me if you want." Kevin finishes in a defeated tone and takes off his shoes and sweater, the other two boys soon following suit and hanging up thier jackets on the chair beside the bed.

Fangs moves to lay beside him, wrapping an arm around his waist and pulling Kevin against his chest, causing the Northsider to startle but return the gesture. Sweet Pea looks at the pair longingly for a moment before rolling his eyes and simply joining them, laying behind the green eyed boy and wrapping a protective arm around Fangs, trapping Kevin in the middle.

"Thank you." Kevin says softly while settling in thier embrace, causing them both to blush and Fangs to give him a weak but comforting smile.

"Just sleep." Sweet Pea answers gruffly but in an affectionate tone and Kevin soon falls asleep to the sound of two unfamiliar but strong and calming heartbeats lulling him to sleep.

Fangs knew as a Serpent, he hadn't yet found his niche. He could fight, sell, plan or anything else that they needed, but it wasn't his skill. But he could do this. Be comforting, supportive, able to stop Sweet Pea from imploding and Kevin from shattering as they dealt with the loss, how they had all spent thier final moments with Joaquin and trying to move forward.

Together.

Maybe.

Hopefully.

Even all three of them.

Meanwhile, Sweet Pea's final waking thoughts are ones of possession.

He could have lost Fangs.

Again.

Ever since he had been the one to find Joaquin's lifeless body, he kept having waking nightmares of Fangs and now Kevin sharing the same fate.

Both he and Fangs had both agreed to take care of Kevin regaurdless of Joaquin's defection, technically absolving them of any responsibility, not only out of respect for their former friend but also because they had both admitted wanting to get to know the boy nestled between them, seeing if he fit it thier lives just as well as he did in thier arms.

The last thought he remembers is a fresh Serpent tattoo, both Fangs and his own initials on either side and Kevin's smile returning. .

Chapter Text

It had been a call from one of his former deputies as a favor, he supposed. He didn't like the idea of being woken to the news of another murder in Riverdale, but the age and cause of death stop his heart and he asks for a name.

Joaquin DeSantos

Kevin's ex boyfriend.

Soon ending the call, he doesn't think to text, simply explaining to a concerned Sierra before heading out the door.

Quickly arriving at home, he is immediately hit with a sense of alarm as he pulls up behind two motorcycles, chrome glittering almost menacingly in the moonlight. Getting inside, he sees the house lit up but no noise can be heard, other than the sound of the house's heating system.

Quietly and cautiously he makes his way upstairs and to Kevin's room, finding himself frozen in shock in the open doorway. Fully clothed and above the covers, he finds his son laying in bed, securely held between two boys around his age. Serpents, by the look of the two jackets hanging neatly from Kevin's desk chair.

Upon closer inspection, Kevin's head seemed to lay on the taller teens chest, while the Fogarty kid that got shot curled around his back with his arm wrapped around him. The taller teen shifts closer to the pair, further trapping his son in the middle while a familiar tattoo glares mockingly from his exposed neck.

He could almost guarantee that he'd had that one in the back of his cruiser at one point.

But they were here for Kevin. To comfort him and by the look of it, be comforted as well. No doubt the teens had seen enough desruction, death and loss to last a lifetime.

Thinking back to when he had arrested the taller one, he remembers a terrified father watching his son be arrested for trying to protect hos younger sister. He remebers being the one to talk to Mrs. Fogarty about her son during recovery.

Maybe FP and his son weren't the only good ones.

With that, he quietly writes a note, leaving it silently on the desk, nodding at the taller boy, who's eyes open and narrow in warning as he pulls both boys closer, bit the fear is as evident as defiance in his eyes.

Turning off the light behind him, he can almost feel the taller boys fear dissapate and he gives a nod back in thanks before starting to stroke the shortest boys hair as he starts to shudder and gasp, causing Kevin to tighten his grip in his sleep aswell.

Deciding to go back to Sierra's, he makea a note to talk to FP the next day.

If those boys were going to keep hanging around, he was getting character references.

Chapter Text

Waking up the next morning, the first thing he notices is Fangs' soft snoring as he spoons behind Kevin, while Kevin himself lays beside him, head resting on his chest with one arm around him and the other at his side, all three hands clasping one another, a silver ring for each.

Almost at the same time as they slowly wake, they all separately make the same decision to move fprward.

Together.

"Kevin? Fangs?" Sweet Pea tries, as soft as he was capable of without coffee, leaning down closer to Kevin to avoid raising his voice.

Kevin sleepily opens his eyes and absentmindedly leans up at the same time, causing Sweet Pea to thoughtlessly close the gap between them before slowly pulling away, both simply surprised before Fangs lets out a disgruntled noise.

Giving Sweet Pea a shy smile, he turns to Fangs and gives him a gentle kiss of his own before Sweet Pea does the same with a blush.

It still felt like the world had been turned on its head once again but the warm feeling and unspoken understanding between the three of them was at least somewhere to begin.

Between the three of them, they could overcome this together. Move on. Maybe even move forward together.

But first, they needed to read the note from the former sheriff incase it was a two hour head start or worse.

Kevin,

I got a call last night after they found him and I came to check up on you, but you seem to be with who you need to. I called the school, it's a Friday so you have the weekend to process.

Your visitors can stay the weekend.

Open door policy.

They are welcome as long as they keep out of serious trouble. I've already arrested the tall one at least once.

Call if you need anything.

Love Dad

Kevin lets out a soft laugh, moving to allow them to read over his shoulder and Fangs joins Kevin while Sweet Pea rolls his eyes with a blush but relief clear in his eyes.

"We'll take good care of you." Sweet Pea mumbles quietly and Fangs gives them both an affectionate amile.

"I'll take care of you too. Both of you." Fangs nods while wrapping his arms around Kevin while Sweet Pea does the same.

"That's how we can get through this."

Together.