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"Johnny!" Ponyboy called into the quiet apartment upon walking in. "I'm home!" He continued as he shut the door behind him. It was chilly outside and he had been glad to escape it when he did. It was supposed to rain later, and that just wasn't something Ponyboy wanted to walk in.
Glory, they really needed to get their car fixed soon… or well, Ponyboy really needed to get their car fixed soon. He would be glad when he didn't have to walk everyday to work.
Ponyboy took a moment to stop and listen. There was faint music playing in the living room. Once he toed his shoes off and hung up his jacket by the door, he'd made his way towards the aforementioned room in curiosity.
Johnny hadn't responded yet, which was fine. Some days, Johnny didn't like raising his voice loud enough for Ponyboy to hear him, no matter what room Johnny was in, or even if his partner was right at the door.
Ponyboy reached the living room in three strides, taking a moment to pause and smile. Johnny was sitting on the couch, his legs laid out comfortably in front of him with a blanket laid out overtop of them and a sketchpad laid over his lap. The radio was set up just beside Johnny, and Ponyboy could also understand if Johnny just hadn't heard him.
Ponyboy lightly kicked the frame of the doorway, catching Johnny's attention. Johnny looked up, a smile appearing on his face.
"Pony, you're home early!" He looked happy. Calm and happy. Ponyboy couldn't help but to smile as he pushed off the doorway and made his way towards his partner. Johnny was happy to accept the partial hug over the back of the couch and a kiss to the cheek before Ponyboy responded.
"I got done grading papers early, figured we could make dinner together and have a good, nice, relaxing night in for once." Ponyboy told him. Johnny's eyes lit up, something that Ponyboy had been noticing a little more every time that he and Johnny did something domestic together.
It made his heart squeeze in hurt as much as it swelled him with love.
"That sounds nice," Johnny smiled. "Will you help me if I can't move on my own?" He asked, glancing towards his sketchbook and moving to close it gently. It was the one thing that Johnny treated like porcelain, with how much he cherished it.
"Of course," Ponyboy responded, leaning down a bit and pressing a kiss to Johnny's hairline. Ponyboy smirked as Johnny flushed, making his dark skin just the slightest bit darker.
Ponyboy got up, moving towards the kitchen so that he could find their cookbook, something that he'd found in the attic when he was moving out of his childhood home; his mother's recipe book. He'd wanted to give it to Sodapop or Darry, but both of his brothers had insisted that he take it. Claiming something about him making more use out of it then they would.
Ponyboy was more than happy to use it. A lot of the recipes were in fact getting good use inside his and Johnny's home.
"Pone, I need help!" Johnny called, his voice sounded a little strained. Ponyboy grabbed a bottle of water to place on their kitchen table before walking towards the living room. He'd missed seeing Johnny's wheelchair the first time, but Johnny had pulled it from where it would have had to been placed next to the couch.
Ponyboy's eyes darted over the situation, checking quickly to make sure that Johnny hadn't fallen and Ponyboy had somehow missed it. He hadn't, thankfully. Johnny was glaring at the wheelchair like it had wronged him, his legs bent up onto the couch so that he could move, or from his attempt at moving.
"Help me, please?" Johnny asked, and Ponyboy nodded with a smile.
"Always." He moved to the other side of the couch, bending down and scooping Johnny up and quickly transferring him over to his wheelchair. Johnny didn't like it when Ponyboy carried him places, preferring to use his wheelchair. Ponyboy was fine with that.
It helped let him know when Johnny genuinely wanted, or even needed, help.
"Alright, what are we feeling for tonight?" Ponyboy asked, once Johnny was seated comfortably, passing Johnny his blanket which he then draped over his lap. He waited until Johnny had unlocked the wheels. Ponyboy followed him into the kitchen.
"Could we make lasagna?" Ponyboy hummed, moving to the cookbook to flip through it as Johnny stopped at the kitchen table. "Or, wait, no…" Ponyboy looked up, catching Johnny flush slightly before continuing. "Could we make a Pasta?"
"Do you want to choose which one?" Ponyboy offered, turning a bit more to face Johnny a little better.
"Could I?" Johnny asked. Ponyboy moved to bring the cookbook to Johnny, offering it with a smile. Johnny happily took it from him, and Ponyboy pushed up and sat on the table, giving a grin to Johnny when the other playfully glared at him.
He watched Johnny, a smile on his face, as he skimmed through the pasta recipes. There was no doubt that Johnny would call him out on his staring soon, but he was allowing it for now.
He liked admiring his partner.
"This one?" Johnny asked, passing the cookbook back to Ponyboy, who hummed and he took it back and turned it so he could read it which one Johhny had chosen. He read over the recipe, and nodded with acceptance.
"We definitely can," Ponyboy pushed himself off the table, humming as he moved to set the cookbook up on the counter at the very least. "Do you want to help, or just talk about your day?" Ponyboy asked, eyes darting to where he knew the ingredients were all stored away.
"Could I sit nearby?" Johnny asked, and Ponyboy nodded. "Can…" Johnny cut himself off. Ponyboy, who had been searching around for the pasta noodles that he knew for certain they had, stopped and turned towards Johnny who looked unsure. Ponyboy watched, momentarily, as Johnny looked towards the counter with a tilt of his head in interest. "Can I sit on the counter while you cook?" Johnny asked, and Ponyboy smiled reassuringly.
"Of course, want me to transfer you? Or how do you want to get there?" Ponyboy responded, his mind jumping to grab the radio from the living room so that Johnny could control what they listened too. Johnny hummed, tilting his head to the side just slightly.
"Will you move me? Carrying allowed," Johnny said. Ponyboy turned fully, moving towards Johnny who had wheeled backwards a little. Ponyboy waited until Johnny nodded and had reached over a little. He lifted Johnny and moved towards the counter, setting Johnny down.
He waited until Johnny had adjusted and settled before moving to grab the radio from the living room and to move Johnny's wheelchair to the corner of the room that they had designated for it when they first moved in.
Johnny was happy to accept both his blanket, which Ponyboy grabbed on his way back into the kitchen, and the radio. He was quick to turn it on and lower the volume to what could only be considered as 'barely on'. Ponyboy smiled at him before moving back to the cookbook to double check what he needed so that he could start on dinner.