Sometimes, he wished he was straight. Not because he was ashamed of being gay, or because of the occasional teasing he had to endure, but merely because he often felt lonely.

Take the Drive-In, for instance. Nearly everyone watching the movie was on a date, and while Kevin desperately wanted to be able to invite someone to the movies, hold their hand, and eat overly buttered popcorn, there simply weren't any viable candidates. He was the only openly gay person in his entire school, which made it rather difficult to secure anything more than hook-ups behind dumpsters, or clandestine make-out sessions concealed by locked doors, though that didn't stop him from trying.

Kevin's most recent pursuit, Moose, had turned out to be so terrified to reveal his sexuality that he insisted they only meet at night in the woods, and that he stay with his girlfriend to ensure nobody suspected anything. Well, aside from the fact that he had no desire to go traipsing through the dirt and thorns for a fifteen minute hook-up, he wasn't sure his dignity could take being another person's booty call. But, though he'd declined Moose's offer to watch the movie from the "safety", as he had put it, of his car, Kevin found his eyes wandering angrily to the silhouette of him and his girlfriend's heated kiss, a few cars to his right.

He scowled, his eyes darting back to the large screen. He could still hear the various shouts and cluttered noise from the lowlives behind him, which didn't help the annoyance he already felt. Veronica, seated comfortably next to him, shifted her head to rest it gently on his shoulder. She pulled the blanket more closely to her, and looped her arm through his.

"Ignore him," said Veronica with a comforting smile. "It's his loss."

He smiled gratefully back, and returned his gaze to the movie. Veronica's hand dove into the popcorn bucket, searching for an acceptable piece, before she deemed one worthy and popped it into her mouth. As she chewed, he watched a cherry red convertible roll slowly in front of them, stopping just as it reached the back of his father's truck. Kevin squinted at the driver, trying to confirm his eyes weren't deceiving him. He exchanged a confused look with Veronica, who looked just as suspicious as he felt.

Sure enough, Cheryl Blossom stepped out of the car, swinging the door shut on her way out. She gave them both a pointed look. "Make some room, outcasts," she demanded, sauntering over to Veronica's side of the truck and hopping in.

As much he wanted to object, he was also uncertain that she would listen to anything he had to say on the matter, so he kept his mouth shut. As the movie shifted to a close-up shot of James Dean, Kevin couldn't help but notice the boy's features.

"That hair," said Kevin in awe.

"That jacket," agreed Veronica.

Cheryl sighed. "Jason always adored the Drive-In."

Kevin rolled his eyes. Although he had grown accustomed to her need to have the conversation center around either herself or her brother, he wished she wouldn't interrupt the movie with her nonsense. A beer can clattered to the ground behind him, followed by more loud voices. He glanced in annoyance over his shoulder at the Southside Serpents, who he assumed had only come to the event to be unruly and disturb the other people there. He frowned, and leaned in towards Veronica.

"Southside trash," he growled.

Veronica just shook her head. "They've been doing that since the opening credits," she pointed out.

Fed up with the noise and disturbance, he turned around to glare at them. "Shhh!" His gaze fell upon the only person not to return his angry stare. As the other Serpents threw food scraps and a few more beer cans were rolled noisily along the ground in defiance, he examined the boy. He looked about Kevin's age, with black hair stopping just above his shoulders and skin tanner than his own. The boy cocked his head to the side, slowly chewing his popcorn and giving him a look that, while definitely wasn't friendly, held a sort of captivating interest that Kevin wasn't used to. He carried the strange boy's gaze for a few more seconds, before turning back around to give Veronica an annoyed shrug.

She huffed, and stood up. Twisting to face the Serpents, her brow furrowed. "HEY! You know what happens to a snake when a Louis Vuitton heel steps on it? Shut the hell up, or you'll find out!" shouted Veronica, earning cheers and a few whistles of approval from people in the surrounding cars trying to enjoy the movie. She curtsied, and took her seat once more, leaving the Serpents to mumble begrudgingly amongst one another.

"I cannot believe you just threatened a gang banger," said Kevin incredulously.

"I've dealt with worse in the East Village. I just hate when people disrespect my cinematic experience," added Veronica sarcastically. She sighed and, with a glance at Cheryl, snatched the empty popcorn bucket out of Kevin's hands, shoving it towards the red-haired girl. "How about a refill?"

Cheryl eyed the bucket dubiously, then equipped her widest smile. "Yeah, Kev! How about a refill?" She shook the last remaining popcorn kernels around the bucket next to Kevin's face. "Cherry Cola, as always."

Not wanting to deal with the drama that refusing would surely bring, he yanked the bucket out of her grasp. Swinging his legs over the side of the truck, he pulled himself out of the car and stalked moodily over to the concessions stand. As the pair of people in front of him stepped out of line with their items, Kevin approached the blond boy behind the register. He put the empty popcorn bucket on the counter.

"Can I get a refill?" asked Kevin distractedly. He'd made a point on the walk over not to look at Moose, but found himself giving in to the temptation as he waited for him to return with his full bucket of buttery goodness. With a glance over his shoulder, Kevin spotted him and his girlfriend, still lip-locked in his car. He pursed his lips in exasperation. The boy returned, with popcorn spilling over the top, and he set it on the counter. "And some gummy worms, and a Cola?" added Kevin, who sneaked another peak at the couple as he went to fetch his order.

The boy returned faster than he would have liked, cutting his second examination of Moose short. "And a hot dog?" said Kevin, then added, more to himself than anyone else, "Who am I trying to impress here?"

The blond boy gave him an indifferent look. "Uh, we're outta 'dogs."

Kevin raised his eyebrows, nodding slightly. "Figures," he said, picking up his food. Turning to leave, he was stopped in his tracks when he nearly walked into someone standing directly behind him. The boy from earlier, with dark hair and eyes that he now noticed were a piercing shade of blue, stood in his way. Kevin's eyes widened, and his grip tightened around his food.

"Not so tough without your beard, huh?" said the boy, looking Kevin up and down. He felt adrenaline race through his body as the boy's eyes narrowed slightly, and tried desperately to remember the self-defense techniques his father had taught him. He'd left his phone in the truck, and he doubted that a bucket of popcorn, a Cherry Cola, and some gummy worms would be much use in a fight. He decided it would be best to ignore the boy's comment, as much as he wanted to put him in his place.

"Listen, I don't want any trouble," said Kevin cautiously, taking a few uncertain steps backward. The boy said nothing, just stalked slowly closer to him. Kevin's heart beat faster. He should have stayed in the truck, like his father had advised.

"I know how to f-fight," warned Kevin, doing his best to make his voice sound confident, but unhappy with the way it broke at the end.

"That'll probably come in handy some day," said the boy, a hint of a smile playing at his lips. They were still moving backwards, and Kevin's eyes flicked to his surroundings. A growing sense of dread settled in his stomach when he realized that the boy was backing him into an alley behind the concessions stand. It was almost completely concealed with a brick wall and chain link fence, and was entirely shielded from the rest of the Drive-In.

His heart jumped to his throat, and he knew that he probably wasn't going to be able to extricate himself from the situation without at least a few cuts and bruises. He stopped walking backwards, and let the boy approach him until he was standing no more than a foot away. He wanted to just get it over with. The boy cocked his head to the side.

They stood in complete silence, staring at each other in the dim alley, until the boy spoke. "You look terrified," he said, smirking. Kevin clutched his food tighter, and his pulse spiked. The boy leaned closer, tilting his head to the other side. "You shouldn't."

And then, they were kissing. Kevin blinked in shock. Out of all the scenarios he had run through in his head, this definitely was not one of them. But, as he felt the reasonable side of him start to slip away, he couldn't help but kiss him back. The boy's hand grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling them closer, before making it's way around Kevin's waist. He felt the popcorn bucket slip from his hold, and it spilled onto the concrete as Cheryl's drink and his gummy worms follow it down.

Their mouths moved in slow harmony, and he reached out and curled his fingers into the mysterious person's jacket to pull him nearer. He felt the boy's other hand twisting in his hair and though he usually would have been agitated by the frantic desecration of his carefully manicured hair, he found himself far more interested in how kissing the peculiar boy could simultaneously feel so familiar, and so risky.

The boy tasted like smoke and buttered popcorn, and the taste reanimated the part of Kevin that told him this was a bad idea. He pushed away the stranger gently, who objected at first and tugged him closer, but eventually gave in and broke the kiss. Their faces hovered next to each other, only centimeters away.

"I-I can't," he stammered, and tried to pull himself away completely. The boy didn't let go of him, and simply smirked.

"It's a little late for that," he said, and planted his mouth on Kevin's again. He kissed him for a few dazed seconds, before protesting again.

"No, my friends… I have to go" insisted Kevin, but it appeared the boy couldn't be reasoned with, as all he did was kiss him harder. With his head going fuzzy once more and the stranger's hands pushing against his torso to guide him backwards again, he lost all will to end their encounter. His back hit a chainlink fence, signaling they'd reached the very back corner of the alley, and he let himself enjoy the moment. His stomach was so full of butterflies that he worried briefly if it would burst, and his fingertips pulsed with his racing heartbeat.

Kevin had been kissed more than once, but never like this. Although they were still tucked away in the dark corner behind the concessions stand and were hidden from view, he had an inkling that the boy hadn't pushed him in because he didn't want anyone to know. Yes, they were concealed from the rest of the Drive-In and nobody saw what they were doing, but it didn't feel like they were hiding out of shame or embarrassment, as it usually did. This time they were staying out of sight because it was what they both wanted; privacy, repose, and delectation.

He vaguely registered James Dean's voice in the background, but could only barely recall what the movie's title was as the kiss intensified, and their tongues became tangled.

After a few of the most enjoyable minutes of his life so far, Kevin once again pushed the boy away. "Okay, okay," said Kevin breathlessly, keeping a hand on his shoulder. "This time I really need to go."

Veronica and Cheryl must have noticed he was gone, and the last thing he wanted was for them to come looking for him. Well, he doubted that Cheryl would partake in that, but Veronica might decide that he needed rescuing.

The boy pulled his lips to his one last time, kissing him slowly, before taking a tiny step back so they had enough room to breathe separate air. The two of them hesitated, unsure of what to do or say next. If neither of them spoke, and Kevin simply walked away, they would most likely never see each other again. Something in the back of his mind told him that this was the best option, but he couldn't seem to motivate his legs to push past him and return to the truck just yet.

The dark-haired stranger seemed to also be debating what to say. His eyes flicked around Kevin's face as he hesitated. "I'm Joaquin, by the way."

Joaquin. It suited him gloriously, and Kevin realized that he couldn't forgive himself he at least didn't try to see this Joaquin again. He shook his head slightly, clearing his thoughts.

"Give me your phone," urged Kevin. Joaquin grinned, and reached into his jacket pocket and produced his smartphone, all the while never breaking eye contact. As Kevin hastily typed in his name and number, Joaquin leaned closer to his face, and he thought that the boy might be trying to squeeze another five minutes in.

"This," said Kevin, still recovering from the heated kiss, "Is my number. Use it."

He pushed the phone into Joaquin's chest. He quickly snatched it and looked down at it's bright screen, eager to find out his companion's name. As soon as he read it, however, his smile vanished. Looking up at Kevin with an almost scared expression, he swallowed. "Kevin Ke… As in—as in Sheriff Keller?"

He frowned, and furrowed his brows. "That a problem?"

Joaquin wavered again, averting his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he rolled up his sleeve to reveal a snake tattooed on his forearm. "Is-is this a problem?" His heart sank as he stared at the ink. It was the mark of the Southside Serpents. There weren't many people he wasn't permitted to date, but a gang member was certainly to be on the list.

Of all the people this boy could have been, why did he have to be a Serpent? It had been so perfect; the most unadulterated intimacy he'd ever experienced, and it'd all been spoiled by a wannabe Dark Mark.

Even now that he had a solid and finite reason to bid Joaquin farewell and never speak to him again, he didn't want to. He wanted to stay with him, or watch the rest of Rebel Without A Cause with him, or do… anything with him. And so, after a few seconds of deliberation, he made up his mind.

"I won't tell if you won't." He waited breathlessly if his companion felt the same way, relief washing over him when he saw Joaquin smile deviously. He pulled Kevin in for one final kiss — truly the last one, this time — by the lapels of his jacket, before breaking apart and stepping out of his way.

Kevin stumbled out the alley, an idiotic grin plastered onto his face. He walked slowly back to his truck, passing Moose without so much as an annoyed thought. In fact, he'd never cared less what Moose was doing. He was already wondering where Joaquin was, and if he had the same goofy smile that Kevin couldn't seem to wipe off his face. As he approached the car, Veronica gave him an odd look, and he suddenly realized how painfully obvious it must be that he'd been making out. His lips felt swollen and red, his hair was no doubt disheveled, and he had returned from his snack run empty-handed.

He hopped into the car and settled back into his seat next to Veronica, keeping his eyes trained on the movie screen and praying it was dark enough for her not to notice how unkempt he appeared. Cheryl leaned forward, one eyebrow raised.

"There you are, where the hell have you been? And where's our food?" demanded Cheryl.

"Uh, they were out."

"Of everything?" exclaimed Cheryl incredulously.

"Er, yeah," said Kevin. She sighed, and relaxed back into her seat, arms crossed. Kevin could see the knowing smile beginning to creep onto Veronica's face, but didn't take his eyes off the movie. His phone vibrated silently against his leg, and he pulled it out of his pocket. The number was unknown, but the message left no doubt in his mind about the sender's identity.

[You free tomorrow? ;)]

—

I know this is mostly the parts that were shown in the episode, but I just couldn't help myself. :3

Heyyy… who got my Harry Potter reference? It just proves that even when I'm not writing about Harry Potter, I'm writing about Harry Potter.

What did you think? Leave your questions, requests*, and/or comments in a REVIEW.

*As of 7/28/2017, I'm currently accepting requests/suggestions on what to write next for this show. Mostly, I do Joavin, and I really can't write anything with Archie, Betty, Veronica, or Jughead because I've tried and trust me; you're better off without it! Also, the best way to request/suggest is through a PM(here on FF or via this account's Twitter), not a review, but I look at all of both of those so I suppose either will work AND I CANNOT PROMISE I WILL GET TO IT IN ANY SORT OF MANNER THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED TIMELY, but I'll definitely see it. :)

*requests now closed