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It was one of the coldest nights there had been in a while. Since summer was slowly tapering away, I had been trying to get Johnny to stay in our house as much as I can. As childish as it sounds I made him promise me he'd come over if he needed somewhere to stay. Soda and Darry didn't mind it, Johnny was our buddy after all.
The rain was bucketin' down outside, pattering off the window like it was its job. I tapped my finger nervously on the arm of the couch.
"You think Johnny'll come in?" I finally asked Soda. He looked up from the floor.
He gave a small shrug "I dunno hun', you know how he is." I knew Soda was right, there could be a twister out there and Johnny would still insist on staying outside.
I started picking at my nails, bad habit but it helps me think. "I ought' to go out and look for him-" I quickly stood up but was pushed back down carefully by Soda.
"You ain't goin' nowhere in this weather, it's freezing and it's raining dogs and cats out there!" He closed the curtains as a attempt to keep some of the heat in the house.
I just rolled my eyes muttering 'it's cats and dogs' under my breath. I knew it was no use fighting with Soda, deep down I didn't want to go out in that weather but I would if I had too.
Soda seemed to hear my earlier remark as he pounced on me and began to violently ruffle my hair. We both burst into laughter, rolling off the couch and onto the ground. I heard a familiar truck pull into the driveway, Darry was home. Weird, he wasn't supposed to be off work until nine. The door swung open and we were greeted with the sight of one worried looking Darry and a sopping wet Johnny Cade.
"Pony, go get Johnny a towel and some clothes will ya'? Soda can you go get him some food, we got soup left on the cooker." He asked like it was a question but it was a demand. I nodded and we both scrambled. I quickly grabbed a towel and a pair of Soda's old sweatpants and a random jumper from the floor.
I returned back to Darry helping Johnny sit down while as gently as he could, questioning him. I paused for a second, eavesdropping.
"You're alright kid, you're inside now we'll take care of you." He was muttering it to him like a small mantra. "What hurts hm'?" I ain't ever heard Darry be so soft spoken. Reminds me of when me and Johnny were little, he'd get beat on and I'd bring him home and mama would do the same things Darry's doing now. There was no reply from Johnny, just staring absently and breathing shakily. I slowly creeped into the room and placed the clothes beside him, sitting down next to him on the couch.
"Hey Johnnycakes...I got you some clothes." He slowly turned his head. He nodded and scooped up the bundle into his arms.
"Go and get changed in the bathroom, grab the first-aid kit while you're at it, yeah?" Darry instructed. Johnny just nodded again before scurrying out of the room down the hallway. I exchanged a glance with Darry.
"Where'd you find him?" I enquired.
Darry just sucked in a breath.
"He'll tell you all bout' it later. Ain't my place." Darry was real fair like that. It got annoying sometimes but it was better that way.
The clothes were comically hanging from Johnny's frame, engulfing him. Him and Soda were the same age yet so drastically different in build. I coughed back a giggle, he didn't feel great about his size and I don't want to be the person to make it worse.
"Where do I put these?" His voice broke a little, he was holding his wet clothes in one hand and the first aid kit in the other. I didn't care where the clothes went as long as we got Johnny looked after, I think Darry thought the same. I just took his clothes and placed them on the floor as he sat down on the edge of the couch. Darry crouched down Infront of him.
"You hurt anywhere? Any open cuts or sprains?" He was already hovering his hands over Johnnys ribs, usually where he'd get hurt. Johnny nodded slightly as to say it was his ribs.
Darry sighed. "You know the drill." Johnny sat up a little straighter as Darry began to press into his ribs, feeling for any breaks. I could see the look of pain on his face. Giving him a bit of decency I looked away.
"I don't feel nothin' broken, I think they're just bruised." He stood up with a small grunt, sitting back into his armchair. Once again, Johnny just nodded. Soda came into the room with a small bowl of vegetable soup.
"Eat up buttercup!" He gave Johnny a smile. Two-bit would usually be the one trying to crack a joke out of anything, but Soda had this way of joking as a form of comfort. It worked like a charm on him. Johnny gave a hint of a smile, you'd only notice if you were looking but it was a big thing. He finished up his soup, the weather seemed to be getting worse outside. I let out a yawn.
"You want to stay with me tonight Johnnycakes'?" I knew he wouldn't go unless Soda was willing to give up his side of the bed, he glanced over at Soda who was already asleep om the couch covered in a blanket. "I take it Soda won't be moving." I heard him let out a small laugh, a win.
"Night boys," he turned to Johnny and muttered, "you just holler if you need me, alright?" He knew he wouldn't but it was better to say it than to not.
"I know." Johnny gave a short reply, but it sounded genuine.
We settled down onto the springy mattress of my bed, Johnny cuddled up next to me. He'd take it to the grave but he can be an awful cuddle-bug once he warms up to you. That was when the first strike of lightning boomed trough the night sky. I felt a small tremor burst through his body.
"You alright?" I gently patted his shoulder.
"Y-yeah." He pulled himself together. A wave of silence passed over us, until I broke the ice.
"What were you doin' when Darry found you?" I asked.
He swallowed. "You know how my pa' is, he was beating on me again today and I didn't want to stay inside. Any rain is better than that." He muttered the last bit quieter. I knew he didn't like to talk about it much.
"You can always come here, you know that." I gave him a look like it was the most obvious thing in the world. We just stared into each others eyes for a moment.
"I kno-" He was cut off by another strike, this time I felt him slowly slip. His shoulders began to shake and I heard him let out small choking like sounds.
It took an awful lot to make Johnny cry, I've seen him take a beating with a two by four from his old man without letting out a whimper. I didn't know what to do. So I just pulled him closer.
"Hey- Johnnycakes c'mon...you're okay." I was whispering to him. His breath was beginning to come on shorter and shakier like it was on the couch earlier. He sat upright.
"Pony-" He sounded panicked, clutching at the chest of the old jumper. I sat up with him.
"C'mon Johnny-" I rubbed his back. "Nice deep breath in, yeah?" I tried to get rid of the own panic in my voice. Johnny just shook his head. "You got this- this happened before remember?" Last time this happened it took him almost an hour and three people to come around.
"I can't-" He gasped a little. I leaned him forward a bit, I remember learning something from Two-Bits ma who's a nurse, she said placing someone's head between their knees helps them breathe a little easier.
I tried to think of something to do. "Let's breathe together yeah? With me," I took long exaggerated breaths, what Soda did with me after nightmares.
"In..two..three..four..hold..two..three...out..two..three..four." I reposted this over and over and eventually, by some miracle, Johnny caught on. It wasn't until the lighting stopped that night he finally settled back onto my shoulder.
"You a bit better now Johnny..?" I carded my hand through his hair.
"Yeah, thanks pone." He leaned into the touch. And there we were, stuck in the same position as we were earlier, staring at eachother.
My eyes flickered down to his lips for a brief second, why did they do that? He sat up slightly, and leaned in closer to my face, I got the urge to do the same. Eventually, our lips met in the middle, and every problem from that night seemed to fade away into a small hum in the background.