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The music floated through the air through the crackly radio situated atop a car along with laughter and talking. Johnny silently raised a cup to his lips that had Coke in it, taking a sip as he avoided looking at anyone. He was leaned up against a wall of the shitty diner, sticking with shadows. In all honesty, he had really only looked at Ponyboy who was busy socializing and laughing with some of the other people they were around. Truly, he was used to his boyfriend being a social butterfly, but not really like this, carrying on multiple conversations at the same time with people he barely even knew, knew them through someone else, or had been with him since he was able to walk.
The Dingo wasn't exactly Johnny's favorite spot and wasn't something he'd think of when he wanted to hangout with new people. It was a greaser hangout area, which made it kind of tough and neat, but when switchblades came out during a fight, it wasn't neat. He had witnessed it last time and Dallas dragged him out quickly just to avoid police trouble. The ones who were fighting didn't even get repercussions. A girl had gotten shot there, so it was sort of rough. Still— had a diner with plasticy food that somehow was delicious, even if the staff were… questionable.
“Johnnycakes!”
A loud and energetic voice brought him out of his thoughts. Johnny barely got three seconds into processing that it was Ponyboy before he was spun around. He held tightly onto his cup as he laughed. “Hello!”
“He-llo,” Ponyboy grinned as he stepped back.
Johnny made sure he was okay to stand before tilting his head. “You're… uh… energetic.”
“No, not really.”
“Mhm. Right. Totally.”
Ponyboy raised his eyebrows. “You doubtin' me, Johnny Cade?”
"Partially. Are you goin' to go talk to people again?"
"I'd like you to come with me."
Johnny shook his head. "No."
Ponyboy frowned and tilted his head, kind of like a confused dog. "Why not?"
"I don't dig socializing."
"No, no, you do."
Johnny raised his eyebrows, and they disappeared behind his bangs. "'Scuse me?"
"I said what I said. C'mon, 'n' don't be slow." Ponyboy reached out and took his partner's free hand after he said that and began pulling him along. Johnny didn't really try to protest, he knew it'd fall flat, so he finished the rest of the liquid in his cup whilst being pulled, throwing his cup in a random trash can they passed by.
They walked around for a little while, hand in hand. It was weird, they didn't really hold hands around others, but they were greasers, so they stuck out regardless. The younger of the two soon got hollered at by somebody and suddenly a conversation was started. Johnny stood beside him awkwardly, fidgeting, looking around on occasion. Normally, him, Ponyboy, and Dallas would frequent here before going to the drive-in, but not that night. Eventually, someone else walked over and joined the conversation, and what seemed like would be a couple minutes turned into five, then eight.
"Ponyboy," Johnny whispered when it turned to nine. He was sick of standing around. He looked awkward, just pressed up against the other's shoulder, sort of holding onto his arm, but he kept moving.
Ponyboy looked at him. "Hm?"
"C'mon."
"No, I'm—"
Johnny didn’t listen and hooked a thumb through his boyfriend's belt loops, pulling him away from the conversation. He recieved a weird look from the people they (not really both of them) were talking to. Ponyboy stammered out of embarrassment and then huffed out of annyoance something that sounded faintly like "so obnoxious," but not arguing to the action. He didn't want to, anyways, though he would've been more stubborn about it anyways. The older moved his hand away from the younger's jeans and linked their hands together again.
They didn't talk for a while whilst walking around, Johnny had to look at Ponyboy when he even tried to start another conversation with someone, because he was not in the mood to stand around again. The latter sighed in a long way when it happened. "Hey, don't give me attitude."
"I wasn't!" Ponyboy protested.
"You're breathing weird," Johnny corrected, "which is attitude." Ponyboy looked at him, confused. "I'm being sarcastic."
"Get better at showing it."
"Get better with social cues."
Ponyboy scoffed and tried to flat tire him. Johnny quickly moved out of the way and tripped him instead, though immediately caught him when he did almost fall, wrapping an arm around his waist. They were near a close-to-falling-apart fence and leaned against it, as the older reassured the younger was okay.
"Why can't I socialize…?" Ponyboy asked with a pout, pulling a cigarette pack out of his pocket, taking one out along with his lighter. He held the cigarette between his lips as he lit it, breathing out smoke soon after.
Johnny smiled. "You're able to, but 'm tired of standing around, bored. And you socialize a lot, honey, does your voice ever get tired?" He asked, accepting the offer to take a drag from the cigarette, coughing out puffs when he accidentally inhaled too heavily.
"Not often." Ponyboy patted his back, taking it back.
Johnny nodded. "So you're like your brother. Nice." He controlled his breathing. "Speaking of your brothers, we, uh… should probably head home. Or— to your home, it ain't mine. Your home to me, though."
Ponyboy rolled his eyes. "Shoot, don't get all sappy. 'N' yeah, if you ain't wantin' to stay around more, we can," he looked around as he breathed out more smoke.
"'M askin' if you want to, baby."
"Stop with the nicknames." His ears got pink. "You know I don't do decisions well."
Johnny smirked a little before taking his boyfriend's arm, pulling him along as they walked away from the diner, causing the cigarette to drop. Ponyboy brushed their shoulders together, putting one hand on his bicep, the other on his wrist. He quickly moved his hands away though, mainly because of the PDA, but kept their arms linked.
It took a while of a walk before they got back to the familiar house and walked inside and somehow there were still people awake and talking. Ponyboy briefly said a few hi's to Sodapop and Darry, but soon went to his bedroom with Johnny, going down the dim hallway.
"Door open!" Sodapop reminded, like he always did.
"We know!" Ponyboy hollered back, but quietly closed the door regardless, sighing and repeating his brother's words in a mocking tone.
Johnny watched him and laughed quietly, taking off his jacket and putting it on the end of the bed before sitting down, moving to lean his back against the headboard. It didn't take very long before Ponyboy sat in between his legs, practically laying on top of him, chin on his shoulder and arms around his shoulders.
"Are you close enough?" The older murmured into his boyfriend's neck, his arms lazily resting around his waist.
"Probably not."
"Glory, you're weird. In a good way."
Ponyboy smiled and sat up. The two stared at each other for a few seconds before meeting halfway and connecting their lips.
It took a few seconds before the younger pulled away. "You had a Coke?"
"…yeah?" Johnny whispered hesitantly. "Sorry— how could you tell?"
Ponyboy scoffed, looking appalled beyond belief. "Oh, my gosh, are you trying to make me seem like a traitor?!" He ignored the question.
"You ain't the one who drank it?"
"Sure— but— but— oh my gosh, you are such a betrayer! I thought you preferred Pepsi!"
"Not really."
Ponyboy moved away, moving to sit beside him and resorted to pouting. Johnny stared at him and sighed, tilting his head. "It ain't even that bad…" What was left of the pretending was thrown out the window as a smile slowly crept up onto Ponyboy's lips, replacing the pout. "Oh, my gosh, you can't even keep a frown!"
"I try my best!" Ponyboy exclaimed.
"'N' your best is still the worst."
They stared at each other for a moment before breaking out into laughter and going back to their original positions to kiss again.
The night was fun, but Ponyboy still didn't dig the fact Johnny had a Coke, nor that he was pulled away from some conversations he might've enjoyed.
Nonetheless, it was still nice.