Hide or Fight

Chapter 19 - Like a Worried Mother.

Johnny's POV

"Ponyboy, for the last time, I'm fine!"

No matter how many times I told him that, Pony stuck to my side, hovering around me. He claimed that he just wanted to be close to me, but I knew he was just preparing for me to fall over. He was like a worried mother watching her child take his first step. This, however, was not my first step. In fact, I had taken so many steps throughout my life, that I'm now an expert. So, his constant worrying was becoming a bit overbearing.

"I know you're fine, I just missed being able to walk with you," Pony claimed. As if.

I stopped in the hallway of the Curtis House and he immediately grabbed my bicep with one hand and placed his other arm around my waist. I glared at him. "Pony, if you don't stop fretting about me right now, you're sleeping on the couch."

I watched as his eyes grew wide, him obviously wanting to stay with me on my first night out of the hospital. And, so it seemed, every other moment for the rest of my life. I guess that wasn't so bad, but the lingering would definitely have to be lessened.

His grip slowly released my arm before he took a small step back. I kept the light glare on my face as I began walking to our room again.

So, maybe I shouldn't have snapped. The thought flitted through my head as I groaned, my face smashed into the floor. In the back of my mind, I registered Pony's gasp and squeal before I felt his small hands turning me onto my back. His eyes were wide and his mouth was moving a mile a minute, but I couldn't hear anything he said over the ringing in my ears. I lifted my arm and smashed my palm over his mouth, his chattering swiftly cutting off.

"I'm fine," I stated when the ringing finally died down. "Don't worry, Babe. Can we please just go lay down?"

His eyes still held nervousness in them, but he heard my plea and, to my surprise, lifted me from the ground. I gasped, wrapping my arms around his neck.

"When did you get this strong?" I squeaked, not wanting to be dropped as he sped down the hall to the bedroom.

"I'm only on the track team, I'm gay and I bleached my hair. The strength is called self protection," he explained, kicking the door shut with his foot.

I let my head drop to his shoulder, not caring that he was only a few feet away from the bed as I shut my eyes and pulled myself closer to him. I felt myself falling before I fell into Pony's lap. He leaned against the wall as I cuddled into him, begging for warmth. Pony quickly tugged the comforter over his legs and my body, and I sighed in content.

"Thank you, Ponyboy," I mumbled, nuzzling my nose against his neck.

"You're welcome, Johnny. Are you sure you're okay?"

I couldn't help the smile that appeared on my lips. "I'm perfect, Babe."

When I woke up the following morning, our position had flipped. I was lying on my back with Ponyboy on top of me, our legs entwined and his head tucked just below my chin. My eyes took a few minutes to focus as I ran my fingertips over Pony's back. He began to stir, his head gliding across the thin material of my shirt making his hair flop around. He let out a groan, one of his hands coming up to rub at his eyes as the other gripped my side tightly. A tired whimper escaped him before he began to rub his face over my shirt as if trying to hide away from the new day. I chuckled, resting my hands on his hips.

"Mikey, you ready to get up?" I whispered.

"No," he declared, pulling himself closer to me.

"You comfortable?"