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Summer wasn't the best for long sleeves and pants, but you had to look tuff at some point if you were a greaser.
So, with that being said, Johnny was practically suffering in his jean jacket as he poked at the vanilla ice cream melting in the paper cup as him and Ponyboy sat outside at a table, people watching.
"...Johnnycakes, you alright?" The latter asked hesitantly. There was a bit of chocolate ice cream on the tip of his nose as he held a cone with both of his hands.
"Mmmh," Johnny hummed and dropped his spoon into the cup, fanning himself with his hand. He was seventeen now, the other boy's birthday was in a few weeks, give or take. His brain felt like it was melting, so he didn't really remember.
Ponyboy tilted his head. "Are you overheating? Take off your jacket, you'll feel cooler," he suggested.
"No-ho-oo," the older greaser complained, sinking a little, drawing out the word. "I'll be fine, man." He picked up the spoon again and stabbed at the ice cream, now almost soup.
The younger boy turned the cone around in his hands. "You're looking sickly. Don't man me, take off your jacket, you don't need to kill yourself just to look tuff."
"Ain't killin' myself. You've got ice cream on your nose."
"Hm?"
Johnny sighed and picked up the napkin near him, reaching over and wiping the ice cream off of the tip of Ponyboy's nose.
The latter furrowed his eyebrows in confusion whilst the former shrugged as he sat back down. "Right there."
"...you're embarrassing."
"How!?"
Ponyboy smiled and took the final bite of his ice cream. Johnny rolled his eyes, but couldn't help the fond smile that popped up on his lips. He hesitated before picking up the cup and tipping it to his lips, drinking the ice cream soup. When he put it back down, he saw the very concerned look across from him. He scrunched up his face and picked up their trash, getting up to go over to a trash can.
The other boy quickly got up and followed him, hands in his pockets. He was wearing jeans (they both were, it worked out good) and a t-shirt. Naturally, he got cold, so for some reason he wasn't overheating. He playfully tugged at Johnny's collar from behind and got swatted in the chest. "Glory! I'm sorry!" Ponyboy laughed as the trash was tossed in a trash can. They settled on walking around.
"Don't do that!" Johnny hissed, turning around to jab a finger at him. His back hit a light pole and he cursed under his breath, leaning against it.
Ponyboy stopped and pulled off to the side, starting to laugh harder. He got hit in the shoulder. "'M sorry, I'm sorry! Don't hit me again, I said I was sorry," he suddenly got serious when his partner tilted his head with a glare.
"Ya better be," Johnny mumbled, wrapping his arms around one of the younger boy's, pulling him along to start walking again. "I could probably fight pretty good."
"Thought you didn't like fights?"
"No, but you're tough. Think you could withstand it."
"Right, so I'm the exception 'n' your punching bag?"
Johnny hesitated and scrunched up his face again, shaking his head before nodding. "Sure."
Ponyboy's laugh was more mixed with a scoff as he looked over, eyebrows raised. "Seriously?"
There was another second of consideration before Johnny grinned and shook his head. He had a slight tooth gap in his top front teeth. "Naw, you're too good looking," he tilted his head.
"What– why is that relevant?!" Ponyboy asked, the tips of his ears turning red. The other snickered, pulling him as they turned a corner. "Johnny Cade!"
"What? Just distractin' you!"
"Glory, you are so annoyin'!"
The black-haired greaser let go of the other boy's arm, facing him as he walked in front. "It worked. What were we talking about when we were eating ice cream?"
The auburn-haired greaser didn't respond, just scoffed and ruffled his partner's hair, forcing him to turn around and walk beside him. "Are you not burnin' up?"
"Slightly," Johnny muttered as he fixed his hair.
"Take off your jacket!"
"No, I look tuff!"
"...your hair is greased, for Pete's sake. You're tuff enough," Ponyboy mumbled, then added, "I'll carry your jacket?"
Johnny hesitated, considering it. He glanced over with a doubtful expression, narrowing his eyes. His partner softened his expression, which resulted in a huff and a rather aggressive way of taking off his jacket to show a dusty black t-shirt, then handing it over. "Such a gentleman," he joked, running his hands over his arms that were littered with faint scars against his tan skin.
Ponyboy smiled and took the jacket, draping it over his arm. "No, I'm just a good friend." He received a side eye. "What's that for?"
"You're missing three letters."
"We sure? I didn't think you could spell– oh, my God!" Ponyboy laughed when Johnny shoved him almost into a brick wall. "Fine. I'm just... the best friend?"
"Ponyboy Curtis!" Johnny hissed.
"The hottest?"
The black-haired greaser rolled his eyes and smiled as the other continued laughing. They had changed since summer started, more playful and open about emotions, more... happy with each other. In general, that had been the big change when they started a relationship, allowing themselves to be more open around each other, just in a better mood overall. Summer really helped it, since they got to spend all of their time together. They certainly joked more with each other.
"When does cross country... thing start?" Johnny asked, taking his partner's hand.
Ponyboy paused to think, squeezing the other's hand. "Sometime before school starts?" He muttered, tilting his head.
"That's really vague."
"Ooh, mysterious?"
The older greaser laughed. "Honey, you ain't mysterious."
The younger one cursed under his breath, gently swinging their hands. "Sure, but I can be."
"You're like an overexcited puppy."
Ponyboy furrowed his eyebrows. "That's mean!"
Johnny laughed again as they passed by another couple. The woman gave them a weird look. "How?!"
"Uh... you're insulting me," Ponyboy said through his teeth, coming up with it on the spot.
"You are so weird, I love you so much," Johnny whispered, shaking his head.
Pink met the tips of Ponyboy's ears and he tried his best to readjust the jacket on his arm. He nearly dropped it, but quickly caught it and gave his partner a reassuring smile. He received an exasperated sigh. "D'ya want to start heading back?"
"Yeah, 's hot," Johnny mumbled. He quickly got tugged as the other picked up his walking pace. "Pony! Slow down! I ain't keepin' up!" He exclaimed.
Ponyboy reluctantly slowed down his walking and gently got jabbed in the base of his spine. "Ow, don't do that!"
"Don't do that!" Johnny mocked him. He laughed when he got playfully glared at.
They talked about mindless and mundane things as they walked back over to their neighborhood. It was kind of unspoken that the older greaser would stay over at the Curtis house, his home wasn't good, anyways. The familiar paint-peeling-off-wood house got less blurry (for both of them, vision wasn't their best friend) as they got closer. Ponyboy opened the front door and gestured for Johnny to go in first as they got up to the porch. The latter hesitated before walking in, running his hands over his arms again. The former followed in soon after, handing back the jean jacket. The house was oddly silent as they walked towards the bedroom the two always slept in, the younger immediately sitting down on the bed as soon as they walked in, laying down to stare at the ceiling. He squinted to see the stars he and his older brother stuck up there as Johnny laid down beside him.
"What're you lookin' at?"
Ponyboy turned his head towards his partner. "The stars."
Johnny turned his head as well. "I ain't the stars," he joked, smiling.
Ponyboy laughed, closing his eyes as he turned to look at the ceiling again. "Sure are as pretty as them. I'm talkin' about the ones on the ceiling."
"Oh," Johnny mumbled as his cheeks gained some colour, pursing his lips as he looked at the ceiling. "Hm."
"Hm?" Ponyboy repeated, turning his head again.
"Am I supposed to say anythin' else?" Johnny asked awkwardly, turning his head as well.
There was a moment of hesitation. "...no," the younger greaser paused again before sitting up. He sighed and fanned himself with his hand.
"You alright?"
"Just hot."
"You're supposed to lie."
Ponyboy hit Johnny in the chest gently as his partner broke out into a fit of giggles. His cheeks were pink, contrast against his pale skin. He went back to fanning himself. "Glory, why is it like hell?"
"You ain't cold for the first time!" Johnny exclaimed like it was an achievement. He grinned and sat up when he got glared at. "'S a good achievement."
"Please never speak again."
"Wow."
"Hm?" Ponyboy shrugged his shoulders, raising his eyebrows.
Johnny grimaced then hesitated for a moment before tackling his partner in a tight hug, which resulted in probably thirty protests and loud laughs as they laid down with each other again. Eventually they relaxed and just laid like that for a while, the older atop the younger, smiling into his shoulder. They only pulled apart to share a brief kiss before going back to the same position.
"'Kay– Johnnycakes, you're crushing me," Ponyboy admitted.
"'M comfortable," Johnny muttered.
"Get off of me."
"Nah."
"Please?"
"I'm okay."
Ponyboy stammered in frustration before giving up. Johnny laughed and eventually rolled off (after being bribed with a few kisses,) though ended up curled up at his partner's side.
That was what they did for most of the summer, even when the older greaser disappeared for a few weeks and came back mid-way through the cross country season. Nice and comfortable was a way to summarize it.