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They became best friends in kindergarten. Moose had just moved into town, and was the new kid. On day one Kevin had shared his sleeping mat during naptime. On day two he had shared his cheese stick and milk with Moose during lunch time.
After that, they were inseparable.
Moose was there when Kevin broke his arm falling down from a tree when they were eight years old, and was the first person to sigh his cast. Kevin was there when they were twelve and Moose got a concussion from falling over on his bike.
Moose held Kevin’s hand when they were thirteen, and Kevin’s mom was off to deployment for the first time in as long as Kevin could remember. They were thirteen and holding hands wasn’t acceptable anymore, according to other people at school. But Moose did it anyway, that one time.
At age sixteen, they were different people.
Moose was on the football team, and while he admittedly wasn’t the smartest in school, he was popular with the girls. And while he had no idea how he had done it, Moose had a B in Spanish. So he wasn’t all stupid.
Kevin directed the school musical and was class president with a perfect GPA. He had come out as gay two years earlier, and while Moose hadn’t been shocked, a few other people had been. Moose had kind of known for a while before that. And Kevin certainly wasn’t the chubby kid with glasses he had been at twelve anymore. He ran track and was on the school swim team.
They were still best friends, even though they didn’t always find that much time for each other. It wasn’t easy, with different after-school activities.
Thursdays were usually their night.
Sometimes Kevin baked cookies after school, and they’d bring them up to his room and they watched movies. Other time Kevin had to help Moose with school work, though they tried to get that done on other nights. Thursdays were sacred, only being missed for especially important things.
One Thursday during the fall when they were sixteen, Kevin excused himself from their Thursday night plans, because he had been set up on a date.
And it made Moose’s blood boil, just a little.
It was Tuesday after school, and they were sat together in a booth at Pop’s, waiting for their order of a burger each and sodas.
“Who is he?” He had asked, trying to be casual. As far as he knew, there were no other gay boys at Riverdale High.
“A cousin of Cheryl’s friend, I think,” Kevin replied, suddenly seeming a little unsure himself. “Something like that – he goes to South Side High. Fogarty, something.”
Moose gave a short nod. “So, you guys doing anything fun?”
“Just going to the Bijou,” Kevin shrugged. “I’m not sure he’s the one, but it’s not like anyone else is lining up to date me.”
And wasn’t that the truth. Kevin had never had a proper date before, which Moose though was a shame. Kevin was a catch.
Yet this bugged him.
Himself, Moose had been on a few dates with girls, but he hadn’t ever found anyone interesting beyond date number two.
“Maybe you can take him to the homecoming dance,” Moose asked, once again casually. Though in reality, he was very curious if that was something Kevin would want to do.
Kevin shrugged. “Maybe, if things go well…” He didn’t sound too sure.
“You’ll find the right guy, eventually,” Moose promised him.
“Eventually might be a far way off,” Kevin pointed out, sighing.
Moose smiled softly and patted him on the shoulder. “But there’s no need rushing.”
“Whatever, it’s just a date anyway. Not like I’m bound to him forever after this,” Kevin pointed out, and Moose had to admit he did have a point.
On Thursday night, when Kevin parked the pickup truck in the driveway outside his house, Moose was sitting on the stair to the front porch.
Getting out of his car, Kevin walked up to the steps where Moose was sitting, and without saying a word, he sat down next to the football player.
Moose was unable to sit still, one leg bouncing up and down, his hands tucked into the pockets on his jacket.
“Hey,” Kevin said quietly, looking straight ahead.
“Hey,” Moose answered him. Then it went quiet between them for a moment. “How was the date?” Moose finally asked Kevin.
“His name is Fangs,” Kevin stated, grimacing a little. “I can’t take anyone named Fangs seriously. Especially not date someone named that.”
Moose turned his head to look at Kevin.
“I want to take you to the homecoming dance,” Moose announced, voice steady.
“Don’t be stupid,” Kevin told him. “Don’t waste the night on me. Take some girl. I hear Midge Klump is into you,” he suggested. He didn’t see why Moose would want to let the opportunity to take out some girl go to waste. If he was lucky, he could maybe even score.
Moose took a deep breath before he turned to face Kevin as good as he could, sitting on the stairs. “You don’t understand… Kevin, I want to take you. Like, well like a date.”
Kevin looked at him like he had grown a second head.
“I want to pick you up and give you a corsage, or whatever guys get each other for these things. And I want to spike the drink with you, and dance with you, Kevin. Not some girl.” Moose told him bravely. “I couldn’t care less about some girl. You’re my best friend… And, I think there’s more there.”
“Think?” Kevin asked softly, not sure how to take what Moose was telling him.
They had been best friends for more than ten years, but Moose had never mentioned that he might not be straight.
Moose took another deep breath. “I know – that something bugged me when you told me you had a date,” he admitted.
“I… I don’t know what to say,” Kevin told him, shaking his head, looking up at the dark sky.
Moose took his hand, entwining their fingers. “Say yes.”
Kevin looked down at their interlocked hands, then back up at Moose.
“You can’t decide you’re straight after this,” Kevin told him, suddenly very serious. “If you take me to the dance.”
Moose swallowed hard. “I know. I know that I’m not a hundred percent straight, because I love you, in more ways than just being best friends. And I know that I want to figure it out, with you.” His voice soft, but steady as he admitted it to Kevin.
Kevin pulled him in, embracing him in a warm, familiar hug.
It was Moose that took the initiative next, pulling back slightly and looking into Kevin’s eyes, giving him plenty of time to pull away before Moose’s lips met his in a short but sweet kiss.
“Yes, Moose. I’ll let you take me to the homecoming dance.”