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Curly was walking around the East side of town, having just got into a fight with some pick pocketing soc, he needed to clear his head. He didn't really know where he was planning on going but he carried on anyway.
He noticed he was heading straight towards the lot, a place he never really went, yet it was almost always empty and he really craved a smoke. Walking up towards the gate to check if anyone was about he saw johnny cade under a tree.
He was alone, which shocked curly, you see Johnny was the gangs pet, most importantly Dallas Winston's.
He was never alone, if so he was always heading his way to a member of the gang. Normally he would have pony or dally hanging off him.
As curly approached the older boy, he quickly saw that he was also bruised up. By the time curly was infront of him, Johnny noticed that he wasn't alone anymore. Relaxing when he saw it was curly, he looked up at him covering his eyes with his hand to protect himself from the harsh sun.
Johnny and curly have known eachother since they where 7 and 8. Tim and dally making them meet after the older two kept going on about how they didn't have freinds. They were close, but as they grew older they never spoke anymore. Sure, they'd say hey or something when they saw eachother, but even that didn't last.
"What you doing alone cade'?" Curly asked, making his way to sit beside the older boy. Johnny sighed, "everyone's busy, dallys in the cooler." He replied quickly and quietly. Curly nodded, trying not to stare at the bruises on the others face. He looked around, taking in all the random items scattered round.
"What happened to your face?" Johnny muttered, looking away when curly looked at him. Curly hand lifted to the cuts, hovering over the throbbing pain.
"Just the normal soc fight, tried stealing my money." Johnny looked back over, assessing over the wounds.
"I can clean them if you want." He softly spoke again, fiddling with the loose stiching of his jacket. Curly looked at him, shocked, but quickly nodded and said a quickly "Yeah, okay."
Curly never really heard johnny speak, yeah they were freinds when they were kids, but even then he was practically mute, only uttering very few words.
Johnny got up, dusting himself off before shoving a hand in curly's face to help him up. Curly shocked again, took the older boys hand, pulling himself up and wiping himself down.
Before curly had the chance to speak again, Johnny had turned around a started to walk, heading towards the forest at the edge of the lot. Curly followed confused, "where we going, cade?" He questioned, finally catching up next to the dark haired boy.
"Wait and see, shepherd" Johnny replied, making his way through the trees, going deeper and deeper into the forest. Curly rolled his eyes, huffing a sigh. After about 10 minutes or so, Johnny stopped, looking up into the trees.
Curly mentally gulped, watching Johnny grab the ladder, seeing it swing with every movement. He didn't like heights, but he'd do anything to have a chance to hang out with Johnny cade. By the time the other made it to the top, curly managed to convince himself to climb up.
Not looking down, he quickly made his way up the swinging ladder, taking a breathe when his feet made contact with the wooden floor. Curly looked up, seeing Johnny stand in the doorway snickering. "Didn't know THE curly shepherd was afraid of heights." He teased
Curly scoffed, "am not." Johnny rolled his eyes and smirked "Sure."
As they made they're way in, curly quickly made his way to find a spot to sit, choosing a corner opposite the window. Johnny joining him soon after with a first aid box in hand.
Generously dousing a cloth in alcohol, Johnny brung his hand up to curlys face, dabbing along the many cuts. Curly hissed, closing his eyes. It burned badly, yet something about Johnny made the pain feel better. They both sat in silence, curly sucking in a breath every now and again.
When Johnny was done he tossed the dirtied cloth in the bin, packing everything away in the small box. He could feel curlys eyes on him, but didn't want to ask questions. "Do you smoke weed?" Curly blurted, following the older boy with his eyes.
"Sometimes in secret, dally doesn't want me to. Why?" He muttered back, joining curly on the floor, leaning his head against the wood wall. Curly smirked, digging his hand in his pocket and pulling out 2 Weeds. "Want to?" Curly asked, grabbing a lighter from the same pocket.
"Sure, belongs it's not laced." Johnny joked, plucking the blunt from the floor. " 'course it's not dumbass, who do you think I am?" Curly scoffed, going up to light the weed hanging from the others lips.
Johnny took a drag, letting the feeling wash over him, blowing it out a few seconds later, watching the smoke fill the room. Curly took it next, doing the same until they were a fit of giggles huddled together, almost cuddling talking about anything that came to mind.
"You gonna tell me about that bruise on ya cheek?" Curly asked, Johnny froze. "Dad came home" he muttered before taking another pull. "Parents are shit." Curly replied, Johnny smiled at him "hell yeah they are"
Curly smiled, taking the blunt from Johnny, finishing it up. They talked for hours, Johnny talking about how he hates being treated differently to the rest, or how he would never tell dally he smokes weed or else he'd get a earful. Curly interrupting with his own issues, or saying how he'd get smacked into next year of Tim found out about him stealing his stash which made them both erupt into laughter.
"Yeah I really think the gang thinks I'm incapable of looking after myself."
"Yeah well tim would have my head if he knew I had his weed."
"I think I'll be chewed out if they knew I'm smoking this stuff."
"Imagine being the pet."
"I'm starting to get annoyed at that name."
"You gotta stick up for yourself, man."
"You try telling 5 stubborn men and ponyboy that I need to be freed."
"Good point."
They were still cuddled up by the time they settled down, they're legs a tangles mess and Johnny's head resting on the taller boys shoulder. It was comfortable,
They didn't Want to leave, yet as the sun started to set they had to get home.
"I'll walk you home if you want" curly asked, not wanting to leave just yet, Johnny smiled nodding "yeah thanks".
As they both make their way down the ladder, and through the forest, curly couldn't help but think about how lucky he was although confused, confused on what he was feeling. His stomach bubbled and he overall felt happier.
Walking through the town, both boys made they're way to buck's, Johnny staying in dallys room while he was in the cooler.
As they stood outside, Johnny looked at curly smiling, "this is between me and you, curly." He stuck his hand out which was quickly met by the young boy. "Only us." He finished off.
As he watched the older boy dissappear into buck's he got lost in thought, walking back down the road to his house, he smiled thinking about how Johnny cade had opened up to him, spoke about things not even THE Dallas Winston knows.
"Between me and you."