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The afternoon air behind the auto shop hung thick with the smell of motor oil and burnt rubber, while the low hum of distant traffic mixed with the occasional clang of tools hitting concrete, and right in the middle of all of it stood Johnny Vincent, pacing back and forth like a storm that hadn’t decided where to strike yet.
Peanut Romano leaned awkwardly against a half-broken vending machine nearby, pretending to be busy kicking a loose pebble while very obviously watching Johnny with the kind of attention that bordered on unhealthy devotion.
“Man, she’s unbelievable, I’m tellin’ you, Peanut” Johnny snapped suddenly, throwing his hands up as if arguing with the air itself, “I mean, how many times am I supposed to just stand there while she flirts with every idiot in this school like I ain’t even there?”
Peanut straightened immediately, his voice rushing out a little too fast as he tried to sound supportive instead of thrilled.
“Yeah! Yeah, totally, Johnny, she’s...uh...she’s the worst, I mean, not the worst-worst, but like, definitely not good enough for you, y’know, like, at all, like...at all.”
Johnny stopped pacing and gave him a look.
Peanut froze.
“…You alright, Peanut?” Johnny asked slowly, narrowing his eyes.
“Yeah! Fine! Totally fine!” Peanut said, standing up too straight and knocking his elbow against the vending machine with a loud clang, “Just..uh...agreeing with you, like a good…friend…does…”
Johnny stared at him for another second, then sighed, dragging a hand down his face.
“I’m done, man,” Johnny muttered, quieter now, like the anger had burned itself out into something heavier, “I ain’t doin’ this no more.”
Peanut blinked.
“…Done?” he echoed, trying very hard to keep the sudden spark of excitement out of his voice.
“I’m breakin’ up with her,” Johnny said firmly, jaw tightening as he spoke, “For real this time.”
There was a pause. A very important pause.
Peanut’s brain, which was usually not the fastest machine in the room, suddenly started running faster than it ever had before.
He’s breaking up with Lola.
He’s actually doing it.
He’s free.
He’s-
“-That’s great!” Peanut blurted out.
Johnny blinked.
Peanut immediately panicked.
“I mean...not great like ‘yay heartbreak,’ but great like, uh, you finally see what I been sayin’ all along, y’know?” Peanut added quickly, gesturing wildly, “Like she’s bad news, Johnny, real bad news, like expired milk but worse!”
Johnny huffed out a short laugh despite himself.
“Expired milk, huh?” he said.
“Yeah, like the chunky kind,” Peanut nodded seriously.
Johnny shook his head, but there was a small, reluctant smile tugging at the corner of his mouth now.
“Yeah… yeah, you’re right,” Johnny admitted, exhaling slowly, “She ain’t worth it.”
Peanut’s heart did a weird little flip at that, though he had no idea why.
Later that evening, the sky dimmed into a dusky orange as the Greasers gathered near the parking lot, their usual hangout spot buzzing with low chatter and the occasional rev of a motorcycle engine, and Peanut stood off to the side, bouncing slightly on his heels as he watched Johnny approach Lola.
This was it.
This was the moment.
Lola stood there, arms crossed, looking bored like she always did, while Johnny stopped a few feet away from her, his posture tense but determined.
“We’re done, Lola,” Johnny said bluntly, his voice steady in a way Peanut had never heard before.
Lola raised an eyebrow.
“Oh? Again?” she said, sounding more amused than upset.
Peanut frowned at that.
Johnny didn’t back down.
“No, not ‘again’” he said, shaking his head, “For real this time.”
There was a pause, and for once, Lola didn’t have a clever comeback ready.
“…You serious?” she asked, tilting her head.
“Yeah” Johnny replied simply.
Another pause.
Then Lola shrugged.
“Whatever” she said, turning away like it didn’t matter at all, “You’ll come crawling back like you always do.”
Johnny didn’t move.
“I won’t.” He said quietly.
Peanut felt something shift in the air at those words, something solid and final, like a door slamming shut for good.
Lola glanced back at him, studying his face for a moment, then rolled her eyes.
“Your loss,” she muttered, before walking off.
And just like that, it was over.
Peanut practically launched himself toward Johnny the second Lola was out of sight.
“Johnny! Johnny, you did it!” Peanut exclaimed, grinning so wide it almost hurt, “You actually did it, man, I’m-uh...I mean, I’m proud of you!”
Johnny looked at him, raising an eyebrow.
“You’re proud of me?” he repeated.
“Yeah! I mean, someone’s gotta be!” Peanut said quickly, then immediately winced, “Not that nobody else is proud, I’m sure they are, I just-uh...I got here first!”
Johnny stared at him for a second, then snorted.
“You’re somethin’ else, Peanut,” he said, shaking his head.
Peanut beamed.
Over the next few days, something… shifted.
At first, it was small things.
Peanut started showing up earlier than usual, already hanging around when Johnny arrived, always with some excuse that made absolutely no sense if anyone thought about it for more than two seconds.
“I was, uh, just checkin’ the… pavement,” Peanut said one morning, gesturing vaguely at the ground.
Johnny looked down at the pavement.
“…It’s pavement,” he said.
“Yeah, but like, good pavement,” Peanut insisted.
Johnny just stared at him.
Then there were the compliments.
“Nice jacket, Johnny,” Peanut said one afternoon.
“…I’ve worn this for three years,” Johnny replied.
“Yeah, and it still looks great!”Peanut said enthusiastically.
“…Alright,” Johnny said slowly.
Then came the helpfulness.
“Need me to carry that?” Peanut asked, grabbing something before Johnny could even answer.
“I wasn’t- okay” Johnny said as Peanut ran off with it.
And then there were the attempts at… whatever Peanut thought flirting was.
“So, uh, Johnny,” Peanut said one day, trying very hard to sound casual and failing miserably, “If you had to, like, pick… someone… hypothetically… to hang out with more… who would it be?”
Johnny glanced at him.
“…What?” he said.
“Just askin’!” Peanut said quickly, waving his hands, “No reason!”
Johnny narrowed his eyes slightly, but didn’t press further.
“Dunno” he said after a moment, shrugging, “Depends, I guess.”
Peanut nodded like that was the most important answer he’d ever heard.
“Yeah, yeah, makes sense,” he muttered, already overanalyzing it.
Johnny wasn’t stupid. He noticed. Of course he noticed.
At first, he thought Peanut was just being his usual weird self, but the more it kept happening, the harder it became to ignore.
Peanut was… trying. Trying hard. And for some reason, it wasn’t annoying.
If anything, it was kind of…
“Endearing...” Johnny muttered to himself one evening, immediately frowning like he’d just insulted himself.
He watched as Peanut struggled to fix a bike chain nearby, his tongue sticking out slightly in concentration while he muttered under his breath.
“…C’mon, you stupid thing, work already…”
Johnny huffed out a quiet laugh.
Yeah.
Endearing.
Weird.
But endearing.
Peanut, meanwhile, was losing his mind.
What am I doing? he thought as he paced back and forth behind the shop, running his hands through his hair.
Okay, okay, you got his attention, that’s good, that’s step one, right? But what’s step two? What even is step two?!
He stopped pacing.
“…Do I even have a step two?” he whispered to himself.
No.
No, he didn't.
The realization hit him like a brick.
He had spent so much time trying to get Johnny to notice him differently that he had completely forgotten to think about what would happen if it actually worked.
And the worst part?
It was working.
Johnny was talking to him more.
Looking at him more.
Smiling at him more.
And every single time it happened, Peanut felt like his brain short-circuited.
It all came to a head one evening.
The sun was setting again, casting long shadows across the lot, and the others had already cleared out, leaving just the two of them sitting on the curb, sharing a bottle of soda in comfortable silence.
Well.
Comfortable for Johnny.
Peanut was internally screaming.
“So,” Johnny said after a while, glancing at him, “You been actin’ kinda weird lately.”
Peanut choked on his drink. “I- what...no I haven’t!” he coughed.
Johnny raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, you have,” he said.
Peanut laughed nervously. “Ha! Weird, yeah, that’s me, Mr. Weird, always weird, never not weird, haha-”
“Larry.” Johnny interrupted.
Peanut froze. “…Yeah?” he said nervously.
Johnny studied him for a moment, then sighed. “…What’s goin’ on with you?” he asked, his tone softer now.
And just like that, Peanut’s brain completely shut down. This was it. This was the moment. This was where he was supposed to say something cool. Something smooth.
Something that would-
“I like you” Peanut blurted out.
There was a long, very long pause.
Peanut’s eyes widened in horror.
I DID NOT JUST SAY THAT.
Johnny blinked. “…You what?” he said.
Peanut immediately started backtracking.
“I mean...not like, like-like, but also maybe like-like, but like in a normal way, like a totally normal amount of like, not a weird amount, definitely not weird, I’m not weird-”
“Larry.”
Peanut stopped.
Johnny was looking at him. Really looking at him. And for once, there was no confusion or annoyance in his expression.
Just… something else.
Something softer.
“You like me?” Johnny repeated.
Peanut swallowed hard.“…Yeah,” he admitted quietly.
Another pause. Then Johnny leaned back slightly, exhaling through his nose.
“…Huh,” he said.
Peanut braced himself for rejection. For laughter. For something bad. But instead...
“That explains a lot,” Johnny muttered.
Peanut blinked. “…It does?” he asked.
Johnny glanced at him again, a small smirk tugging at his lips. “Yeah,” he said, “All the weird stuff.”
Peanut groaned. “I knew it was weird,” he mumbled.
Johnny chuckled. "It was,” he agreed.
Peanut buried his face in his hands. “Great. Awesome. Fantastic. I’m gonna go live in a ditch now,” he said.
“Hey,” Johnny said.
Peanut peeked at him.
Johnny was smiling. Actually smiling. “Don’t,” he said.
Peanut blinked.
“…Don’t?” he echoed.
Johnny shrugged slightly, looking almost… shy. “Yeah,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck, “I don’t mind it.”
Peanut stared at him.“…You don’t?” he asked.
Johnny shook his head. “…No,” he said. Another pause. Then...
“I kinda like you too.”
Peanut stopped breathing. “…You...what?” he said.
Johnny rolled his eyes, but there was a faint hint of red creeping into his face now. “Don’t make me say it again,” he muttered.
Peanut continued staring at him like his brain had left his body. “…You like me,” he repeated slowly.
Johnny groaned. “Yeah, Larry, I like you,” he said.
Peanut immediately stood up. “Okay!” he said loudly, pacing in a small circle, “Okay, that’s...okay, that’s happening, that’s real, that’s a thing that just happened”
Johnny watched him, amused. “You good?” he asked.
“No!” Peanut said instantly, “I am not good, Johnny, you just said you like me, what am I supposed to do with that?!”
Johnny laughed. “Relax,” he said, “It ain’t that complicated.”
Peanut stopped pacing.“…It’s not?” he asked.
Johnny shook his head. “Nah,” he said, “We just… see where it goes.”
Peanut stared at him.“…See where it goes,” he repeated.
Johnny nodded. “Yeah,” he said simply.
Peanut took a deep breath.
Then another.
Then he nodded.
“…Okay,” he said.
Johnny smiled. “Okay" he echoed.
And just like that, everything changed.
Two months.
Two entire months had passed since that evening on the curb when everything changed, and somehow, against all odds and expectations and Peanut’s own deeply rooted belief that he would absolutely ruin everything within the first week, he and Johnny Vincent were still together.
Which, honestly, was a miracle.
Or a disaster waiting to happen.
Peanut hadn’t decided yet.
The late afternoon sun stretched long shadows across the parking lot behind the auto shop, painting everything in warm gold, while the distant rumble of engines blended with laughter from the other Greasers, and right in the middle of it all sat Peanut Romano, hunched over on an overturned crate with his head in his hands like he had personally caused every problem in the world.
Because, in his mind, he kind of had.
“…I’m messin’ this up,” Peanut muttered to himself, dragging his fingers through his hair as if that might somehow untangle the thoughts inside his head.
Because the thing was...
Johnny was perfect.
Okay, maybe not perfect-perfect, because he still had a temper and he still got into fights and he still kicked vending machines when they ate his money, but when it came to them?
Johnny was perfect.
Johnny was the one who always sat closer.
Johnny was the one who always started conversations.
Johnny was the one who always noticed when Peanut got quiet and asked what was wrong.
Johnny was the one who leaned in first.
Johnny was the one who-
“…Does everything,” Peanut groaned quietly.
And Peanut?
Peanut panicked.
Peanut overthought.
Peanut forgot how to talk.
Peanut once tried to say something romantic and accidentally complimented Johnny’s elbow.
“…You got… nice elbows,” he had said, immediately realizing his mistake while Johnny stared at him in complete silence.
Peanut physically recoiled at the memory. “…I’m hopeless,” he whispered.
“Yeah, you kinda are.”
Peanut yelped and nearly fell off the crate as a familiar voice cut in, and he turned to see Norton Williams leaning casually against a nearby car, arms crossed and expression unimpressed like he had been standing there the whole time.
“HOW LONG WERE YOU THERE?!” Peanut demanded.
“Long enough” Norton replied flatly.
Peanut groaned and covered his face again. “Great, fantastic, love that for me,” he mumbled.
Norton pushed himself off the car and walked over, stopping in front of Peanut with a raised eyebrow. “So what’s your problem now?” he asked.
Peanut looked up at him, hesitating for a moment before everything came spilling out. “I don’t know how to be a boyfriend!” Peanut blurted out.
There was a pause.
Norton blinked.
“…That’s your crisis?” he said.
“Yes!” Peanut insisted, throwing his hands up, “Johnny does everything, man, everything, like he’s the one who talks, he’s the one who listens, he’s the one who...who does all the stuff, and I’m just there like some kinda, like a decorative plant or something!”
Norton stared at him.
“…A decorative plant,” he repeated.
“Yeah!” Peanut said, nodding frantically, “Like I’m just sittin’ there lookin’ stupid while he actually knows what he’s doin’, and it’s not fair, because I wanna be good at this, I just- ain’t!”
Norton was quiet for a moment, processing. Then he sighed. “…You’re overthinking it,” he said.
“I am not!” Peanut argued immediately.
“You are,” Norton replied.
Peanut stood up, pacing back and forth now as his frustration bubbled over. “No, listen, you don’t get it, man, he’s...he’s Johnny, okay? He’s cool, he’s confident, he’s...he’s got it all figured out, and I’m just… me!” Peanut said, gesturing wildly to himself.
Norton raised an eyebrow.
“…Yeah,” he said, “You are.”
Peanut stopped pacing. “…That didn’t help,” he muttered.
Norton shrugged. “Wasn’t tryin’ to,” he said.
Peanut groaned again, dragging his hands down his face.
“I just- I don’t wanna mess this up,” he admitted, quieter now.
Norton’s expression softened, just slightly. “…Then don’t,” he said simply.
Peanut blinked.“…That’s it?” he asked.
“That’s it,” Norton confirmed.
Peanut stared at him. “…That’s terrible advice,” he said.
“Works, though,” Norton replied.
Later that night, Peanut lay awake staring at the ceiling, the faint glow of a streetlight filtering through his window while his thoughts ran in circles that refused to slow down.
Don’t mess it up.
Great.
Awesome.
Very helpful.
How do you not mess it up when you don’t even know what you’re doing?
He turned onto his side with a frustrated huff. Because the truth was...
He didn’t know how to be what Johnny deserved. And that scared him more than anything.
The next day felt… different.
Peanut couldn’t explain it, but there was something in the air, something that made his stomach twist in nervous anticipation as he walked toward their usual spot behind the shop.
Johnny was already there, leaning against his bike with his arms crossed, looking as effortlessly cool as always, and Peanut’s brain immediately short-circuited just from seeing him.
Okay, act normal, Peanut told himself.
He failed instantly.
“Hey Johnny!” he said too loudly.
Johnny glanced up, a small smile forming as soon as he saw him. “Hey,” he replied.
Peanut walked over, trying very hard not to trip over his own feet. “…So, uh, what’s up?” he asked, rocking slightly on his heels.
Johnny watched him for a moment, that same knowing look in his eyes like he could see right through him. "You’re nervous,” Johnny said.
Peanut froze. “I am not!” he said.
Johnny raised an eyebrow. “Babe.” he said.
Peanut deflated.
“…Okay, maybe a little,” he admitted.
Johnny chuckled softly, pushing himself off the bike and stepping closer. “Relax,” he said, his voice gentle in a way that always made Peanut’s brain go fuzzy.
“I am relaxed,” Peanut lied.
Johnny snorted. “Sure you are,” he said.
There was a brief pause.
Then Johnny rubbed the back of his neck, glancing away for just a second like he was suddenly unsure about something. “…Hey, uh,” he started.
Peanut immediately perked up. “Yeah?” he said. Johnny hesitated. Which was rare. Johnny didn’t hesitate. But right now?
He was.
“…You wanna go out?” Johnny asked.
Peanut blinked.
“…Out?” he repeated.
Johnny nodded, looking back at him now. “Yeah, like… out out,” he clarified.
Peanut stared at him.His brain stopped working. “…Out out,” he echoed.
Johnny frowned slightly. “…Did I say that wrong?” he asked.
Peanut’s eyes widened.“NO!” he said quickly, “No, you said it right, you said it very right, extremely right, possibly the rightest anyone has ever said anything-”
“Larry.”
Peanut stopped. “…Yeah?” he said.
Johnny smiled. “It’s a date,” he said.
Silence.
Then...
“DATE?!” Peanut practically shouted.
Johnny winced slightly. “Yeah,” he said.
Peanut started pacing immediately. “A date, okay, that’s- okay, that’s a thing, people do that, we can do that, I can do that, I think I can do that-”
Johnny grabbed his wrist.
Peanut froze.
Johnny gently pulled him closer, his grip warm and steady, and suddenly Peanut forgot how to breathe again. “Hey,” Johnny said softly.
Peanut looked at him.
"You don’t gotta freak out,” Johnny added.
Peanut swallowed hard. “…I’m not freaking out,” he said weakly.
Johnny smirked. “Yeah, you are,” he said.
Peanut sighed. “…Yeah, I am,” he admitted.
Johnny’s thumb brushed lightly against his wrist, a small, absent-minded gesture that somehow made Peanut’s entire brain melt.
“It’s just a date,” Johnny said.
Peanut nodded slowly. “…Just a date,” he repeated.
Johnny smiled.
The evening of the date arrived far too quickly. Peanut had changed outfits three times.
Okay, six times.
Okay, eight times.
“Why is this so hard?!” he groaned, staring at his reflection like it had personally betrayed him. Because nothing felt right.
Nothing felt good enough.
Nothing felt-
“Hey, Larry.”
Peanut jumped. He turned to see Johnny leaning against the doorway, arms crossed and looking entirely too calm for someone who had just witnessed whatever that was.
“…How long were you there?” Peanut asked cautiously.
“Long enough,” Johnny said.
Peanut groaned. “Great, fantastic, this is a pattern now,” he muttered.
Johnny stepped into the room, his gaze softening slightly as he looked at him. “You look fine,” he said.
Peanut blinked. “…Fine?” he repeated.
Johnny nodded. “Yeah,” he said.
Peanut stared at him.“…Just fine?” he asked.
Johnny smirked. “…You look good, and yummy.” he corrected.
Peanut immediately short-circuited.“…Oh,” he said.
Johnny chuckled, closing the distance between them. “C’mon,” he said, reaching for Peanut’s hand without hesitation.
Peanut froze for half a second.
Then he let himself be pulled along.
The walk was… surprisingly nice.
The air was cool, the sky painted in soft shades of purple and blue, and the quiet hum of the town wrapped around them like something calm and steady.
And Johnny never let go of his hand. Peanut noticed that. He noticed everything.
The way Johnny’s grip was firm but gentle.
The way his thumb occasionally brushed against the back of his hand.
The way it made his heart do that stupid thing where it felt like it was trying to escape his chest.
“You’re thinkin’ again” Johnny said suddenly.
Peanut blinked. “I am not!” he said.
Johnny glanced at him, amused. “You are,” he said.
Peanut sighed. “…Okay, maybe a little,” he admitted.
Johnny smiled. “Relax,” he said.
Peanut huffed. “You say that like it’s easy,” he muttered.
Johnny stopped walking. Peanut nearly walked into him. “…Johnny?” he said.
Johnny turned to face him fully, their hands still linked. “It is easy,” Johnny said.
Peanut frowned. “…It is?” he asked.
Johnny nodded.“Yeah,” he said, stepping closer.
Peanut’s breath caught.
“Because it’s you,” Johnny added.
Peanut blinked. “…What?” he said.
Johnny smiled softly. “I like you, Larry.” he said.
Peanut’s brain melted. “I- yeah, I know, you told me that already-”
Johnny leaned in.
And kissed him.
Peanut froze.
For a split second, his brain completely shut down, every thought vanishing into nothing as he processed what was happening. Johnny’s hand tightened slightly around his, grounding him, steady and real.
And slowly...
Peanut kissed back.
It wasn’t perfect.
It wasn’t smooth.
But it was real.
And when Johnny pulled back, there was a small smile on his face. “See?” he said.
Peanut stared at him. “…I forgot how to breathe,” he admitted.
Johnny laughed. “Yeah, that happens,” he said.
Peanut shook his head, still trying to process everything. “…You always do that first,” he said.
Johnny raised an eyebrow. “Do what?” he asked.
Peanut gestured vaguely.
“That!” he said.
Johnny smirked. “Yeah,” he said.
Peanut frowned. “…Why?” he asked.
Johnny stepped closer again, their hands still linked. “Because you won’t,” he said simply.
Peanut opened his mouth to argue. Then closed it. “…Okay, that’s fair,” he admitted.
Johnny chuckled.
The rest of the night felt… easier.
They talked.
They laughed.
They sat close...really close.
And every now and then, Johnny would lean in first.
Another kiss.
Another moment.
Another reminder that maybe, just maybe...Peanut wasn’t messing this up.
Not completely.
And as they walked back, hand in hand under the dim glow of streetlights, Peanut felt something settle in his chest for the first time in a long while.
Maybe he didn’t have everything figured out.
Maybe he never would.
But Johnny was still here.
Still holding his hand.
Still choosing him.
And, that was enough.