~Cicada~ Johnny Cade x male reader

Johnny "Cicada" Cade (2/2)

          I skirted to the side and pulled a punch as he ran to where I would have been, sending him tumbling down. His friend was on me in a matter of seconds. Running at me, he grabbed my shoulders, but I broke free. I pushed him back, causing him to trip over his friend and land on top of him, groaning. The rest of the fight was a blur, but in the end, we had won. We beat those damn socs, and that's all that mattered. We did it for Johnny.

Johnny.

          I ran up to Dally when I found him through the haze of rain and mud. "I know. I'm going too, don't worry," He said, seeming to know what I was thinking before I could even vocalize it. Pony ran along with us, and I still got shotgun because I was older. I rubbed that in his face, much to his dismay. Then, about halfway to the hospital, Pony nervously piped up, "Guys, the fuzz is on our tail." Dally's eyes widened and he turned back in his seat, quickly whipping back to the front and pulling over. "Shit. You two, play dead. You were in a motorbike accident, got it?" Quickly nodding, I slouchy down in my seat and make a miserable face, Pony taking the liberty to lay down completely across the backseat to make it seem like he was hurt bad.

          A single bead of sweat dropping down his face, Dally rolled down the window as the cop walked up. "You better have a damn good explanation for this, Winston," He says authoritatively. He musters up the saddest puppy dog face he can, almost making me crack, and responds, "The boys. They're hurt. They were dicking around on their new motorbike without supervision and...well..." I make an effort to groan every now and then, or hitch my breath and wince as if in pain. I think Pony's opting for the play dead option. There's a shift in the cop's eyes. "...they gonna be alright?" Dally looks down gravely. "Only the doctors can say, but....well, just take a look at Ponyboy in the back." The cop makes a quick glance back and sighs. "I'll escort y'all over."

          When we get there, Dally carries Ponyboy and the police officer "helps" me in. I could only hope that Dally paid me after the performance of my life, I'll tell you that. Afterwards, the cop left and asked to hear about our condition later, and like a snake, Dally said that of course he'd update him. We immediately went back to see Johnny, Dally entering the room first. A grin, a wholly wholesome grin fell upon the older boy's face as he saw Johnny. Walking over gently, he bent down to Johnny, who was not in great condition. "We did it. We won." Dally's tone was gentle, fatherly. I was in absolute awe of how he was acting. A whole new respect had bloomed in such a short amount of time. It was then that I realized that he'd been an older brother to me as well.

          Maybe not to the same extent as Johnny, but enough to make me feel like I'd had someone. He was the first vaguely parental figure in my life since I'd been emancipated, constantly worrying about me and protecting me the way he did Johnny and Pony. We were a small little family in ourselves. My ears suddenly perked up when Johnny responded, "It's useless..." My head tilts and walk over, crouching beside Dally. "What do you mean, Cicada?" I ask, using the same gentle tone that Dally did. "It's useless... we're still greasers and they're still socs. At the end of the day, it's useless." His voice is strained and breaking as he speaks, which concerns the three of us.

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Beeeeeeeeeeep!

          His heart rate machine was flatlining. This sent Dally into a mania, punching the wall and storming out. Pony followed after and a commotion ensued, but I stayed behind with Johnny, my mouth and eyes wide open. "J-Johnny?" No movement. "Oh, god...Cicada...." I whisper to myself. I lean over, putting my forehead on the side of his bed as I started to softly let the tears run down my cheeks.

-eeeeeeeeeep

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