𝒋 𝒐 𝒉 𝒏 𝒏 𝒚 𝒄 𝒂 𝒌 𝒆
"Check it out, man," Johnny pointed, the three of you closing in on the entrance to the old building, courtesy of the directions a local farmer gave.
"The church," Pony nodded.
You entered, your face falling as you realized the place was infested with cobwebs and spiders, not to mention dusty beyond belief, and a couple of rabbits hiding around, too.
Suddenly, something screeched, swooping down from the rafters and flying out the door.
"What was that?!" You jumped, frantically looking around.
"Just an owl," Pony stated, taking off Dally's coat and placing it down on the ground, Johnny laying on top of it.
Pony laid his head on a square rock, and you sat down next to him, nervously fiddling with a button on Johnny's jacket.
"Guys..." Pony started.
"Yeah," you and Johnny answered.
"Y'all all right?"
"All right as I can be," you sighed, pulling your knees up to your chest.
After a while of not hearing Johnny's response, the two of you turned to the boy, only to see that he was out like a light.
"Figures," you nodded, "He did stay up the whole ride."
"Yeah," Pony nodded, shifting to at least try and get comfy, "Man, this floor sure is hard."
"Get some rest, Pone," you assured, showing him a faint smile, "I'll keep watch."
The boy nodded, finally settling and shutting his eyes.
Which left you alone with your thoughts for the first time in the past couple days.
Something dangerous.
'I shouldn't have brought these boys with me. They surely woulda gotten off scott-free if they stayed. They didn't do nothin' wrong.'
You sighed, turning to face Johnny and letting your hands find place in his hair, massaging it in the way you knew he liked, his face visibly relaxing, even in sleep.
"I'm sorry, Johnny," you apologized, "I don't think you know how much I mean that. This was my mess. This is my fault. It ain't have anything to do with you or Pony."
You looked up at the ceiling, watching the first rays of morning light hit the run-down place, sunlight seeping in through the cracks and holes of the old wood.
"I must be the most selfish person in the world. I want to tell y'all to leave, go somewhere far away, but I just can't. I can't bear to be away from you two."
You scoffed, an empty laugh making you come clean.
"Who am I kiddin'? I can't bear to be away from you, Johnny Cade."
You stopped your hand for a moment, an idea suddenly coming to mind.
'If you really feel so bad, then make it up to them. You got the cash. Pick up some stuff from the store. A couple necessities, sure, but some stuff that they'll really like.'
You smiled, truly, for the first time in what felt like years, before standing up, about to run out the church.
But you stopped yourself, turning around and crouching to Johnny's level.
"I'll be right back, Johnnycake," you whispered, tucking a stray tuft of hair behind his ear and placing a kiss on his cheek.
Once that was settled, you stood back up, quickly and quietly making your way out of the church.
𝒋 𝒐 𝒉 𝒏 𝒏 𝒚 𝒄 𝒂 𝒌 𝒆
"Maybe I shoulda brought one a them. Might've helped by carry this box. Weighs a damn ton," you grumbled, walking into the entrance of the church, a box full of groceries in hand...or hands.
You had gone by yourself so you couldn't get multiple bags, resorting to stuffing everything you could in the crate.
The second you stepped over the threshold, you were bombarded by two sleepy teens, one relieved and one frantic.
"There you are! Where did you go?!" Johnny exclaimed, running over and tackling you in a hug, holding you tight and placing a hand behind your neck to pull you closer.
"I thought you'd hightailed it! Or some-someone took you last night! Man, you had me worried! Don't do that again, ya hear? Or at least leave a note."
'That was smart. Probably shoulda done that.'
You glowed red, putting down the crate on an old table so you could reciprocate the hug.
"Sorry, Johnnycake. Didn't mean to spook you," you apologized, him pulling back to see your smile.
"It's alright," he smiled back, your grin infectious.
Pony rolled his eyes, "Don't keep us waitin', (y/n/n). Show us the haul," he asked, excitedly.
"Of course," you nodded, starting to unpack the box, "All right, I got a loaf of bread, and a week's supply of bologna here. Some peanut butter."
You smirked, pulling out a book and handing it to the boy.
"Gone With the Wind? How'd you know I always wanted Gone With the Wind?" He smiled, looking down at its cover.
"I remembered you sayin' somethin' about it once. The three of us went to see that movie, remember?" You answered, pulling out some other things, "Figured you could read that out loud...help kill time or somethin'."
"Thanks a lot, (y/n/n)."
"Don't worry 'bout it, man," you smiled, going back to the groceries, "Anyway, got some cigarettes, a deck of cards-." "Peroxide?" He chimed once again, looking down at the bottle quizzically.
"And..." you turned to them, holding up a pair of hair-cutting scissors.
The two looked at you shocked, almost offended, at your insinuation.
"You ain't thinkin'-." "We're gonna cut our hair," you finished, going back to unloading everything.
"You're gonna bleach yours."
"No."
"They'll have our descriptions in the papers. We can't fit 'em, man."
"No, sir, you ain't touchin' my hair."
"They do it, anyway. First thing a judge does is make ya cut your hair."
"I don't see why..." Johnny grumbled to himself.
"I ain't got the funniest, either. Probably a way to break us or somethin'," you shrugged, whipping out the scissors and walking over to Pony, "Now, I'm gonna cut Johnny's off, too, and wash all the grease out."
"And what about you?" Johnny cocked a brow.
"The rule's different for girls. I can't just go bald-headed," you explained, "My hair grows real quick, so I'll just grow it out."
"You're makin' me bald-headed?! Now you definitely ain't touchin' my hair," Pony scoffed.
"I was exagerratin', Pony, I'm not gonna make you bald. It's hair, man, it'll grow back," you sighed, resting an annoyed hand on your hip.
He let out a deep breath, before finally caving, "Go 'head."
You smiled, starting your work quickly.
"Ow! Not so rough, (y/n/n)," he winced at one of your tugs.
"Quit gabbin'. I gotta hurry up and get this done so I can start on the bleach," you waved off.
𝒋 𝒐 𝒉 𝒏 𝒏 𝒚 𝒄 𝒂 𝒌 𝒆
Two haircuts and a bleach later, and the boys were new men.
Though you couldn't say Ponybody was too happy about it, he called it a Halloween costume.
But now that your looks were in order, the three of you had nothing but time to kill, and for the first few days, you all tried nearly every method under the sun.
Reading, hunting, poker, talking, cooking, eating, smoking, you name it.
And throughout all those activities, you and Johnny had become attached at the hip, practically doing everything together.
It was also recent news that Johnny had become considerably touchy.
He always had an arm around your waist, or a hand in yours, or even a leg thrown over your lap.
It was making you feel a certain type of way, and you nearly burst yesterday when he pulled you in by your waist to whisper a joke Pony told him in your ear.
So on this day, you decided to sit in the wheat field behind the church and watch the sunset, to help clear your head and your heart in order to come up with a plan of action.
And you would've succeeded, too, had it not been for the boy in question who walked out to join you.
"Y'know, Dally said that would shouldn't stick our noses out," Johnny teased, sitting himself right next to you.
You smiled, looking out into the horizon, "Yeah, well, I figured one time wouldn't hurt. So long as I'm careful."
"Course," he nodded, turning to look at what you were looking at.
The both of you sat there in uncomfortable silence, praying that someone would do something or say something to ease the atmosphere.
And rest assured, it wasn't just you feeling this way.
Johnny had been practically eating away at himself for the past week.
While sitting in the train car, no one to talk to but himself, he began to realize that life is short.
Bob was alive one minute and dead the next, just like that.
What's to say something like that could happen to him? Or you?
He'd never forgive himself if he died without telling you how he's truly felt, how he's felt since junior high.
Or worse, you find someone else before he can.
He nearly gagged in his mouth.
The thought alone made him sick to his stomach.
"Have I made uncomfortable this week, (y/n/n)? I know I never really asked about it...which I probably shoulda...but I noticed you've been distant. So, I wanted to know if you wanted me to stop," he asked maturely, though glowing with embarrassment as he was just realizing he hadn't asked your permission to touch you so much.
"Oh, no, not at all," you assured with smile, resting your hand on his, "Quite the opposite, actually."
His ears perked at that last part.
"Opposite?" He asked.
"Y'know," you started, quickly changing the subject, "When I...stabbed Bob...his face got me thinkin'."
Johnny cocked a brow at the sudden tone switch, "His face?"
"Yeah, his face," you nodded, turning to him, "Sure, he looked surprised, and scared, too. But there was something else, a tiny flash. ....It was regret, Johnny. Bob died with regret."
Johnny nodded, finally picking up what you were putting down.
"I don't wanna die like that, with that look on my face. I wanna live knowin' that I said everything I wanted to say, and did everything I wanted to do."
"There somethin' you tryna tell me, (y/n/n)?" Johnny asked, looking you dead in the eyes.
Turning to him quickly, your breath quickened, and those three words were right there on the tip of your tongue, ready to say.
"I.........." you didn't even finish the sentence.
You pulled him in by his shirt, since you still had on his jacket, and smashed your lips into his, him easing into it almost instantly.
You rested your hands on each side of his face, keeping him in place as he wrapped his arms tightly around your waist, pulling you even closer.
The kiss was electric, and while very uncoordinated and eager, it felt like liquid fire was coursing through your veins, pushing you forward.
The two of you shifted to your knees, you sitting up on top of him and tilting your head in order to get the angle, deepening the kiss even further.
Johnny gripped you even tighter, fearful he would simply float away if he didn't keep himself grounded.
With your touch burning his skin and your scent flooding his nostrils, he felt like he was higher than the clouds, like this was heaven on earth.
You washed over him like a wave of calm, the rhythm of the kiss lulling his anxiety filled mind, until the only thing he could think about was why on earth he didn't do this sooner.
The two of you broke free from the kiss, taking a break for air, while still holding tight onto each other.
You rested your forehead on his, panting, as you stared into those gorgeous baby browns.
And he smiled, taking a moment to gaze into your deep (e/c) ones with a look that was nothing short of adoring.
"I lo-." "Jesus Christ! This is what y'all were doing out here?!" Ponyboy exclaimed from the top of the hill, completely interrupting what Johnny was about to say.
You two quickly threw yourselves off each other, red in the face as you looked in opposite directions, hoping that would help with the embarrassment.
"At least do that inside. You're gonna catch somethin' in the grass..." he grumbled, turning around to walk back into the church.
Your eyes shot wide, and you snapped your head over to the boy, "Wait a minute, what didya think we were-?!" "Don't wanna think about it!"
"Pony, we weren't-!" "M'not listenin'!"
You shook your head, covering your face with your hands
'I'll never face that boy again.'
𝒋 𝒐 𝒉 𝒏 𝒏 𝒚 𝒄 𝒂 𝒌 𝒆
After a couple days of not talking, the three of you decided to put the events of said day behind by waking up early to see the sunrise.
And if you thought sunrises were beautiful in the city, well, they ain't got nothing on a sunrise out in the country.
"Golly, that sure was pretty, huh?" Johnny smiled.
"Yeah," Ponyboy nodded.
"It's like the mist is what's pretty, you know? All gold and silver."
"Too bad it cant't stay like that all the time," you sighed.
A quizzical face suddenly came onto Pony, as if he was remembering something, "Nothing gold can stay."
"Huh?" Johnny asked, turning to him.
"Nature's first green is gold, her hardest hue to hold. Her leaf's a flower, but only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf, so Eden sank to grief. So dawn goes down to day, nothing gold can stay," Pony recited, thoughtfully.
"That was beautiful," you smiled, turning to the boy, "Where'd you learn it?"
"Yeah. S'what I meant," Johnny agreed.
You cocked a brow, looking him with a smirk, "Yeah, right. You ain't that deep."
"Am too. I'm as deep as they get," he smirked back, giving you a little look.
"Robert Frost wrote it," Pony answered, "I always remembered it 'cause I never quite knew what he meant by it."
You smiled, taking a deep breath and allowing yourself to truly hear the sounds of nature.
The birds chirping, the cicadas buzzing, the squirrels chittering.
Nature was truly a wonder.
You forget that a lot in the city
"Y'know, I never noticed colors and clouds and stuff until you kept reminding me about 'em," Johnny started, turning to Ponyboy, "S'almost like they were never there before."
"Yeah," he nodded, "I don't think I could ever tell Steve or Two Bit, or even Darry 'bout the clouds or sunset. Just you two and Sodapop. ...Maybe Cherry Valance."
You smirked at the mention of the girl, Johnny sharing it.
"Guess we're different, huh?"
"Shoot, yeah. Maybe they are," Pone smiled, walking back down the hill.
𝒋 𝒐 𝒉 𝒏 𝒏 𝒚 𝒄 𝒂 𝒌 𝒆
"Hey, lovebirds," a familiar New York accent smirked, kicking the pew you and Johnny were sleeping on.
"Hey, Dally," you yawned, sitting up and stretching your arms.
"Rise and shine, Blondie," he greeted Pony as well, ruffling his hair, "Wake up."
"How ya been, Dal?" Pony sighed, kicking out his legs to sit upright, "How's Soda doin'?"
"Hey, Dallas, how are ya?" Johnny smiled, moving from under you to sit up, too, "Are the fuzz after us? Ya hear anything?"
"Wait, one thing at a time. You guys hungry? Wanna get somethin' to eat. I'm starving, man," he asked, leaning up against the door frame.
"You're starved? Try bologna for four days," you scoffed.
"You picked it out," Pony waved you off.
"Didn't think I was gonna get sick of it so fast," you defended.
"Wait, wait, wait a minute, stop the presses," Dally halted, narrowing his eyes at you.
The three of you turned to look at each other in confusion.
Dally quickly walked up to you, turning your cheek to open up your neck and reveal the large, dark purple hickey that lay bright and open for anyone to see.
You and Johnny might've decided to finish what you started a couple days ago, but it never went any further than a smooch.
Though you were surprised you didn't notice the damned thing, didn't even remember him giving it to you.
He looked to Johnny, then to you, then to Johnny again, the both of you too red and embarrassed to meet his eyes.
The dots finally connected and he let out a celebratory howl.
"Yes! Yes! Finally, Jesus Christ!" He caught himself, quickly pausing his celebration, "Wait, who made the first move?"
You and Johnny turned to each other, silently debating on whether or not to tell him, before finally caving.
"She did," Johnny sighed.
"YES! I gotta tell Soda the good word. Two's payin' up big time," he cheered again.
You turned dark red, popping the collar of Johnny's jacket to hide the source of your embarrassment.
"Have you guys...y'know," Dally smirked, making an O with his hand and sticking his finger through it, "Done what birds and bees do?"
"For God's sake, Dally!" Johnny exclaimed, red as a beet.
"Yes, they did!" Pony chimed, disgusted, "Outside!"
"Outside?!" Dally gasped, shocked, "You guys are a freaky bunch, ain't ya?"
"We didn't!" Johnny groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Johnny, take that revolver and put two right between my eyes," you mumbled into your hands, covering your face in embarrassment, "The police don't hafta worry 'bout me no more."
"Anyways," Dally smiled, changing the subject as he pulled out a cigarette, "Got a special delivery for a Ponyboy Curtis. Here, man."
"Who's this from?" Pony asked, taking the letter and inspecting it.
"The President of the United States of America."
"Yeah, right."
"I'm serious, man," Dal joked, taking a hit, "It's from your brother, Sodapop."
"How'd he know I was here?" Pone asked.
"I told 'im I didn't know where you were, but he didn't believe me. He really wanted me to give that to you, man," Dally explained.
As Pony read the letter, Johnny raked a nervous hand through his hair, standing up from the pew, "Hey, Dal, what's goin' on with the cops, man? You hear anything?"
"Yeah, how come you got hauled in?" You asked.
"Those boys down at the station know me by now. While I was there, they kinda beat it out of me that you guys were," he chuckled, "headin' to Texas. They think you guys are in Texas. Texas, man. God."
The three of you turned to each other, smiling, as you got yourselves ready to go.
This situation really might be behind you.
You guys could finally go back to how things were.
You working at the DX, hanging out with Johnny and Pony on the weekends, watching cartoons over at the Curtis house with the rest of the gang.
You practically squealed at the thought.
"Look at this guy and his hair, man. I can't believe that. Look at 'im," Dally smiled, staring at Pony as he put on his coat, "Blondie, man."
"I know I look lousy, but don't rub it in," Pony grumbled, starting off out the door.
Dally sighed, rolling his shoulders before starting off after him, "You guys wanna get somethin' to eat?"
"Hey, you better believe it," you smiled, jumping off the pew and following after him.
"Let's get out of here," Johnny cheesed, throwing an arm around your shoulder and walking out the church with you, hand in hand.
𝒋 𝒐 𝒉 𝒏 𝒏 𝒚 𝒄 𝒂 𝒌 𝒆