The night is clear and cool in Riverdale with the moon shining high and bright in the sky. The light filters down like a spotlight gleaming off the chrome of Joaquin's motorcycle. Joaquin smiles softly to himself as he sees only one hastily discarded helmet – Kevin's, because he refuses to ride without one, and Joaquin never wears one on such short and leisurely trips.
They had ridden to the playground nearby, after having met up with Kevin's friends Betty and Jughead at Pop's Shoppe. To say that the couple had been surprised would be an understatement. Betty and Jughead stared at them, complete with jaws on the floor, when they walked in and Kevin swiftly introduced him as his boyfriend. The title had come as a surprise to Joaquin, too. The fluttering butterflies he felt in his stomach when Kevin said the word with so much wonderment was almost enough to quell Joaquin's spiking nervousness. Almost.
It's not that he doesn't like Kevin – quite the contrary; and it's not like he has a fear of commitment or anything, but he was under the understanding that they would keep their budding relationship … if that's what it's called … slow and secretive. It would do no good for either of their camps, The Serpents and Sheriff Keller respectfully, to know that they are … whatever they are … boyfriends.
It had been a relief to Joaquin when Betty and Jughead picked their jaws up off the floor and welcomed him with open minds – simply because he is Kevin's. He had realized then that they didn't know about his connection with The Serpents. Betty and Jughead were taken by surprise because Kevin had blindsided them with news of a boyfriend.
They didn't ask difficult questions. The conversation was easy, actually, and the more time they spent together, the more Joaquin realized that they didn't seem to know his history. Even Jughead, who was by far the closest in relation to The Serpents out of Kevin's friends, didn't let on that he knew anything. And if he did know, he had been far too wrapped up in Betty Cooper to care.
"So I thought we were going to keep this a secret." Joaquin finally says as he pulls Kevin closer against his chest and leans back against the wooden climbing structure.
Kevin slides his hand over Joaquin's exposed forearm as it anchors around his chest. "I couldn't help it," he says with the smallest of smiles.
"It's not safe you know."
"I've never been one to hide."
"You've never dated a South Side Serpent before. You've never had reason to hide."
Kevin tilts his head up, eyes focusing on Joaquin's grey pools. "I've never dated anyone before." He pauses, and then asks quietly. "You don't mind, do you? I know I should've asked you first, but I've been feeling so happy and I wanted my friends to know. Betty and Jughead, they're good people."
"When they find out who I really am I hope that they still want to be your friends." Joaquin sighs and looks up at the stars.
"Hey," Kevin shifts and turns so that he's at the same height level as Joaquin. "Don't say things like that. You've been honest with me since the beginning about who and what you are." Kevin swallows when Joaquin's eyes shift to the open collar of his shirt. "I like you okay? And tattoos, leather jackets, and bikes, are not going to change that. My real friends will understand."
"The sheriff won't." Joaquin says pointedly and looks back up into Kevin's eyes.
"He doesn't know."
Joaquin's eyes shift again and he stays silent.
"But if he ever finds out," Kevin adds hastily, "I'm hoping that he takes my happiness into account."
Joaquin just nods. If he tries to speak right now he might ruin the entire operation, in one way or another. He desperately doesn't want that to happen. Facing the wrath of The Serpents is not something he wants to go through. But he thinks anything they do to him would be nothing compared to the heartache that would come with it … his own heartache yes, but mostly Kevin's. Kevin likes him, despite what he is. And Joaquin is beginning to understand that Serpents or not, he likes Kevin – not because he's the sheriff's son and has an (unwanted) ulterior motive, but because Kevin Keller makes his heart flutter. Joaquin already knows that no matter what happens this boy is going to change him. Maybe he already has.
"When I said 'I like you,' I meant for real," Kevin adds in a whisper, interrupting Joaquin's thoughts. Joaquin feels Kevin's thumb swipe over his lips before Kevin moves in to press their mouths together. The kiss is chaste and much calmer than the flurry of desperate kisses which led them to this spot, in each other's arms atop the climbing structure.
Joaquin's eyes are gleaming when he pulls away. He can see the way Kevin is looking at him, like he hung the moon and the stars – the very ones blanketing the night sky above them.
"I don't deserve you, Preppy," Joaquin says.
Kevin laughs, he just can't help it. "You know, I don't even remember when you started calling me that."
"I do. It was a couple weeks ago when you were getting dressed and fussing with the button on your collar," Joaquin supplies, trails his finger along the open V of Kevin's collar, and then gently caresses his Adam's apple.
"Well," Kevin's breath hitches softly, "I … I like it."
"I know. That's why I say it."
"You like me too, huh?" Kevin asks smugly.
"Not even a little bit."
Kevin grins and lunges at Joaquin's smirking mouth. They spend the rest of the night kissing. For the moment, Joaquin is happy to bury all thoughts of The Serpents somewhere deep, and just takes solace in being here, under the stars with the boy that makes his heart flutter and his blood run hot.
Before the night is over though, Kevin manages to get the truth out of his boyfriend. "So, not even a little bit?" Kevin pants with hooded lids and kiss-swollen lips.
Joaquin looks into him with a gaze that tells Kevin much more than Joaquin is ready to admit. "Not even a little bit, Preppy; but maybe a whole hell of a lot."