Written for:

OTP Prompt Collection Challenge: Explain

Bingo Game: (character) Kevin

A/N

So... this is my first time writing Kevin and Joaquin. I hope I did okay! I used the scene from the alley in my fic as I just had a vision of that going another way when Joaquin found out Kevin's surname. I own nothing.

The Name On His Arm

Kevin/Joaquin

As a child, Kevin didn't quite understand the meaning of the name on his arm. Joaquin. To him it was just a random name that he wasn't allowed to talk about. After all, names were quite a private thing as his father told him, and he was issued a special sleeve that fit over his arm, covering the name, as all his friends did.

It wasn't until he turned ten that his father decided it was time to talk about names on arms. Kevin had been asking occasionally for a couple of years, too curious to let the subject drop as his father seemed to hope he would. Tom Keller had sat on the edge of his armchair, his hands clasped together and Kevin had watched him, wondering why his father was struggling so much to explain something that everyone had.

"Kevin," his father finally began, taking a deep sigh and running a hand through his thinning hair and across his neck.. "I thought your mother would have been the one to give you this talk and I'm at a loss on how to start. I never thought I'd be the one who had to explain this to you."

"Is it about my name?" Kevin asked curiously, watching his father's reaction carefully. His father looked relieved that Kevin at least had an idea what the talk was going to be about and Kevin was glad that they weren't going to have a talk about sex. Archie had explained his own father had given him that talk a few days before and it sounded pretty awful to hear about.

"It is," his father replied. "We've been telling you kids that the names don't mean much because you weren't ready. I still don't think you are, but Archie's father said he found out by overhearing some older kids talking about it so it's time we tell you the truth."

"The truth? Why would you lie to us?" Kevin asked. He wasn't mad because so far the name hadn't affected any aspect of his life. He trusted his father's choices, knowing the man only did what he thought best.

"To save you the worry," Tom replied. "Son, the name on your arm changes your life, believe me. The name on my arm is your mother's name. When I found her, my life changed."

"So… it's the person who we get to marry?" Kevin asked, frowning slightly.

His father gave a slight nod. "If you choose to. You don't always have to follow the name on your arm. It doesn't define you, the name. Some people fall in love with those not written on their arms and some find them and are unhappy with them. Don't hold yourself back from another relationship because you're searching for that one person."

Kevin slowly removed the covering, his eyes falling on the name. "It's a boy's name," he said, his eyes finding his father's. "Is it supposed to be?"

Kevin's father stared at him for a long moment and Kevin wondered if there was something wrong. Finally the man smiled. "It's what the world intended for you," he said. "But like I said before, you don't have to follow the name on your arm. If you turn up with someone called John I'd be just as welcoming. As long as you're happy, that's all that matters. Some people never find their soulmate and I don't want you to spend your life searching and end up alone because you didn't take a chance on someone who wasn't written on your skin."

Kevin looked at the words on his arm. "So, you wouldn't prefer if I had a girls name?" he checked.

"I've had ten years to get used to the idea," his father said. "Me and your mother were both happy to accept whoever you brought home to meet us. Especially Joaquin."

"Joaquin," Kevin murmured softly, his eyes falling on the black letters on his arm. "Do I have to keep covering my arm?"

"I'd say cover it for now until you're ready to share your name with the world," his father insisted.

Kevin nodded. "But I can show it around the house?"

"Of course. You don't need to hide it from me. Just remember, a soulmate doesn't guarantee you'll be happy with them. The person on your arm could be anyone, Kevin. You could be miserable with them or you could be happier than you'd ever believe you could be. Just… just remember that if… when you meet him. I don't want you to ever be unhappy."

...oOo...

Kevin's fingers ran over his arm absently as he sat in the back of the truck. His friends knew the name on his arm. He had revealed it to them when he had come out, but there was no Joaquin at Riverdale High and Kevin had resigned himself to closet cases and quick hookups. Like his father had pointed out a few times, he shouldn't wait around for his soulmate because it wasn't guaranteed that he'd even meet them. It might be years before he even heard the name. Plus, there might be others with that name. He couldn't put his life on hold.

Not everyone had fairy-tale relationships and found their soulmates quickly. He had seen that with his own eyes. Not everyone fell in love like his parents.

He was distracted from his musings by noise behind him - again. He frowned, feeling like he was at the end of his tether with the noises that the gang-bangers were making. He spun around, leaning over the side of the truck to shush them.

Which didn't work. Feeling restless now, he accepted the bucket that Cheryl offered him and headed for snack hut, his heart sinking at the sight of all of the couples in the cars around him. He spotted one of his recent hookups in a nearby car and turned back to the stall, ordering something more. He wasn't here trying to impress someone. He had no-one to impress.

Suddenly hookups didn't quite feel enough. Closet-cases suddenly didn't hold the same appeal. He didn't have to find his soulmate now, but surely there was someone else at the school who had a male name on their skin? Someone he could take on dates?

Armed with the snacks, Kevin spun around, almost smacking straight into one of the gang-bangers. His eyes widened slightly. He was both scared and attracted to the other teenager. He tried to hide the attraction. It wasn't a good idea to show that to a gang-banger.

"Not so tough without your beard, huh?" the stranger said, his hypnotic eyes exploring Kevin's face, starting at his lips before slowing moving up to his lips. His eyes found Kevin's lips a second time.

Kevin felt a little more calm. He'd seen that look before and knew that the attraction wasn't quite one-sided. His lips turned up into a smile. Maybe this time it wouldn't just be a hookup - though he told himself that each and every time.

There was something about this stranger that told Kevin to take a chance.

"Beard would imply I'm trying to hide my sexuality," Kevin replied. "I like men, I don't feel any need to hide that."

The stranger's lips curved up and his eyes darted to Kevin's lips once more.

"My mistake," came the reply. "Follow me."

Kevin wasn't stupid. He knew he was either going to fool around with this stranger or be lured into a situation he could get hurt in. It had happened before after all, but he couldn't help but trust him.

Clutching the tub of popcorn, he followed the confident and handsome stranger around the side of the snack hut and into a nearby alley. Before he knew what was happening, he was shoved into the fence, the popcorn hitting the floor and spilling everywhere - not that Kevin cared anymore about what happened to it.

Lips were on his, and Kevin brought his hand up, winding his fingers into dark hair. The kisses were urgent and he felt the stranger's body pressing against him and the fence hard against his back.

Kevin melted into the kiss. The gang-banger knew exactly what he was doing and Kevin just allowed him to take control, a tongue finding its way past his lips and making his knees weak, not that he'd admit that to anyone of course, but there was something hot about kissing a gang-banger. A passing thought crossed his mind that his friends would be waiting for him.

Part of him didn't care. Let them wait - why spoil something so perfect, but the other side of him told him that he didn't just want another hookup - which is what it seemed to be turning into - he wanted more. He wanted someone who would hold his hand in public or come to his house for dinner with him and his dad. Someone who'd walk him to class (if they were in the same school of course) or someone who would be waiting outside of his school to surprise him when he finished. He wanted something real.

He pulled away. "I need to go."

The stranger just smiled, finding Kevin's lips again and Kevin was helpless to stop him. It felt so right, so perfect. His fingers found dark hair again and once more his back hit the fence.

The other teen paused, taking a moment to catch his breath and Kevin found his brain clearing. "Okay, okay. This time I really need to go," he insisted.

The kiss that followed was less urgent and it was the stranger that pulled away first. Kevin found himself with a handful of his jacket, stopping the other guy from leaving. He wanted more and it didn't hurt to ask, did it? Worst case scenario was that this guy said no, though he had a feeling that the dark-haired teen was as interested as he was.

If Kevin was wrong, he'd be back where he started but with a new appreciation for the guys that went to South Side High (as he assumed his gang-banger did).

The dark-haired stranger made no move to get Kevin to let go or to get away. He still pressed Kevin against the fence as though stopping him from leaving. His eyes darted between Kevin's. "I'm Joaquin by the way."

Kevin stared. What were the chances that this Joaquin was… no. He wouldn't let himself think that right now, there was no point jumping to conclusions and getting his hopes up. The best thing to do would be to give Joaquin his number, let Joaquin know his surname and if this was his Joaquin, then things would work out.

And if he wasn't, well… maybe they could go on a date sometime?

"Give me your phone."

Joaquin's lips curved up slightly as he handed his phone over. He moved closer and Kevin had to resist the urge to lean in and kiss him again and again.

He took the phone and quickly typed in his number. Under name, he put: 'Kevin Keller'. With a sense of anticipation, he pressed the phone against Joaquin's jacket. "This is my number. Use it." Their fingers brushed as Joaquin took the phone.

Kevin reasoned that at least Joaquin handed over his phone. It meant he actually wanted Kevin's number. He watched Joaquin's eyes flick to the screen before his eyebrows raised. "Keller…" he asked. "As… as in…" the confidence that Joaquin had shown since first speaking to him had faded and he looked nervous, uncertain. His fingers brushed his left arm and Kevin followed the movement which was a giveaway. After all, that was the spot where everyone had their soulmate's names written. "Kevin Keller," he murmured.

"Joaquin DeSantos," Kevin replied nervously, letting Joaquin know the name on his arm. "Is this a problem?"

Joaquin stepped back and Kevin held himself from following. It didn't look like his soulmate planned to run away at least. There was a long moment of hesitation, Joaquin clearly warring with himself over something before he turned his light-blue eyes on Kevin. "Is this a problem?" he asked, pulling up the sleeve of his jacket, showing off his right arm. His eyes tried to stay on Kevin, but fell to the ground after a moment as though the last thing he wanted to admit was that he was in a gang.

A snake tattoo covered his arm and Kevin stared at it. Joaquin was a part of a dangerous gang. No. His soulmate was a part of a dangerous gang. He had known because Joaquin had been sitting with the gang, but a part of him had hoped that he was just tagging along with them and that he wasn't actually a member.

As he stared at the black ink, he knew that it wasn't enough for him to turn his back on his soulmate. Plus, tattoos suited Joaquin. It was extremely hot actually.

"You're my soulmate," Kevin replied simply. When it came down to it, that's all that mattered.

Joaquin's mouth curved up slightly again and he quickly moved back into Kevin's space, grabbing fistfuls of his jacket and finding Kevin's mouth with his own.

After a moment he pulled back. "I never pictured my soulmate to be so… preppy," he said, smirking at Kevin.

"I never expected mine to look so good with a serpent tattoo," Kevin replied, his fingers finding Joaquin's hair again. He gave up trying to get away and back to his friends. This was where he was supposed to be.

Review Please :)