School Dance – Sweet Pea x Fangs

Multifangirl69

A/N: This isn't set during any particular season or episode, just obviously after the Southsiders joined Riverdale High. It doesn't really follow the timeline, cuz it's a while after the merger but they're still being bullied.

MY LAPTOP WORKS. Y'all don't know how excited I am. I've had half of this chapter written FOREVER, like back when I first published this series, but then my laptop died and I really didn't want to try rewriting 600ish words.

Words: 1,350

Sweet Pea was uncharacteristically quiet as he unlocked the door to his trailer, leaving it open for Fangs to follow behind. The shorter boy kicked the door closed behind him before he padded after Sweet Pea, heading to his bedroom. The pair sat quietly together, facing one another but each gazing in a different direction.

They'd been dating for nearly six months now, completely under wraps. Not even Jughead or Toni knew of their coupling, and they intended to keep it that way. The Ghoulies had enough ammo against them – they didn't need to risk their lives publicizing their relationship. Plus, the transition into Riverdale High had been hellish enough with Cheryl Blossom and Reggie Mantle breathing down their necks. They just wanted to survive until graduation. When they had the means to run away from Riverdale and never look back, they could go public.

But life was never that simple. The end of their junior year was fast approaching, and with it came junior prom. Girls and boys alike were gushing day in and day out about their dresses or tuxes, their dates and their flowers, who was breaking up and who was taking their relationship to the next level. It was, frankly, sickening, especially to a couple of tough guys like Fangs and Sweet Pea, who couldn't express that they were even capable of emotions lest they subject themselves to even more bullying than they'd already endured.

Sweet Pea was the first to sigh as he leaned against his headboard, his cocoa-colored eyes glaring up at the ceiling. Before him, Fangs frowned. He recognized the expression on his best friend's face. He hated when the tall Serpent was upset, especially when there was absolutely nothing he could do to assuage it.

"What's bothering you the most?" Fangs inquired softly, reaching out to grasp Pea's hand. Sweet Pea returned the gesture, lacing their fingers.

"Everything," the taller boy admitted. "Those damn Bulldogs. Principle Weatherbee. Prom. Just everything."

Fangs nodded softly, toying with the many rings decorating his boyfriend's fingers. "Do you want to go?"

Sweet Pea tore his gaze from the ceiling, offering the shorter male a confused expression. "Go where?"

"To prom," the latter replied, meeting Pea's gaze. "Do you want to go?"

The tall biker was quiet for a moment. "They'd never let us. We're still being outcasted just for being Serpents – it'll be worse if they find out we're gay in a public forum."

"Nobody bullies Keller," Fangs countered. "Come on, Sweets. Let me show you off. Our whole lives are about protection and hiding. Let me spend a night dancing with my boyfriend."

Sweet Pea was doomed. He could tell by the tone in his boyfriend's voice that Fangs wasn't backing down. That, combined with the big, innocent puppy dog eyes the shorter Serpent was employing, was enough to break him down.

"Fine," he laughed, shoving his boyfriend's shoulder in order to break his stare. "We'll give it a shot."

Fangs grinned in triumph, lunging forward to tackle Sweet Pea into the bed. The taller male caught him easily, resting a hand on his tan face. Fangs leaned forward, capturing Pea's lips with his own, humming at the warmth and familiar taste. Sweet Pea rolled over, flipping their positions, pinning Fangs into the mattress.

Prom night arrived, and the entire town was buzzing with gossip and excitement. Sweet Pea and Fangs hadn't told anyone they would be in attendance – they wanted to surprise their friends on arrival. Toni had been questioning them about going, since she had planned to go by herself and show the Northsiders just how well Serpents behaved in a party setting, and all she'd received was a "I'll think about it" from Sweet Pea. Betty had convinced Jughead to come along, and he, more than he would ever admit, wanted the presence of his newfound friends alongside him.

Students were filing into the gym, their prom tickets being checked at the door by one of the teachers. A DJ was stationed up on the stage, blasting a rather impressive setlist through the speaker system. Toni lingered just outside the entrance, arms crossed and eyes glued to the double front doors of the building.

Betty and Jughead entered, approaching the female Serpent and flashing their tickets at the door guard.

"Aren't you going in?" the blonde inquired sweetly.

Toni shook her head. "I'm waiting for the guys. They might bolt when they see how crowded it is in there, and I'm not going to risk it."

Jughead nodded in understanding. "We'll find a table and save you a seat."

The pink-and-brown-haired girl nodded, watching them saunter inside before she turned her attention back to the door.

After what felt like hours, two tall, familiar forms entered the building, clad in matching black tuxes and looking more groomed than Toni had ever seen either of them. She raised a brow as they paused to have their tickets checked, her eyes scanning their ensembles.

"You guys look great," she complimented. "I don't think I've ever seen either of you get dressed up."

The expressions of barely-concealed embarrassment on their faces was worth however long Toni had been leaning against the wall waiting for her crew. With a grin, she took Sweet Pea's hand, failing to notice that Fangs had hold of the other, and led them into the gym.

"Jughead's already here," she informed them. "He and Betty said they were going to find a table. What took you two so long?"

Fangs offered a playful head nod in the taller Serpent's direction. "Convincing him to come."

Without looking at them, Toni quipped, "You make it sound like you asked him on a date and he refused to answer."

When they didn't immediately correct her, she turned around to face them. "Guys, I was just-" It was then that her eyes caught sight of their clasped hands, and her lips parted to release a soft "Oh."

"I am so stupid," she whispered. "How long has this been a thing? How could I not have noticed? No, scratch that – how could you not have told me?"

"We didn't tell anyone," Sweet Pea insisted.

"It's nothing against you," Fangs assured her. "We just didn't want it getting out to anyone else. The Ghoulies are merciless enough and the stupid Bulldogs have been treating us like target practice. We didn't need to give either of them any more ammo."

Toni frowned, but after a moment of consideration, she sighed. "Alright, fine. That makes sense. But you so owe me an explanation of how this all started."

As they approached the table and found Betty sitting alone, claiming that Jughead was fetching them drinks, Toni turned to whisper to her friends. "Can I tell Jughead?"

The boys shared a look, before looking at Toni, then at Betty, and finally at Jughead, who had just returned to the table. They offered the female Serpent a nod.

Before Toni could open her mouth to reveal the news, the beat of the music changed to something that Fangs recognized immediately. His eyes lit up, and he gazed up at Sweet Pea with the most little-kid-on-Christmas-morning expression that anyone had ever seen. With a roll of his eyes and a smile tugging his lips, the taller brunet nodded, allowing his boyfriend to lead him to the dance floor. They danced hand-in-hand, occasionally pressing close or twirling to the beat, uncaring of the prying eyes glancing at them every so often.

One set of eyes belonged to Jughead. He turned to Toni with furrowed brows as he set plastic cups full of unidentified juice on the table. "Uh… Toni?"

The brunette chuckled softly. "They're dating, Jones. I just found out myself. I plan to pump them for information as soon as they're done being adorable."

She took a seat at the table, watching her friends dance lovingly with one another, and she wondered how the hell she hadn't noticed their closeness until tonight.

Oh well, she mused. She'd get the full story later. For now, she'd let them have fun and be gay.