𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐋 𝐏𝐄𝐎𝐏𝐋𝐄 𝐃𝐎. ( 𝘫𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 )

chapter eleven

Halloween rolled around quicker than anyone could have thought. The air got colder and the breeze picked up. The colder it got, the more Johnny was pulled away from sleeping in the lot. And he knew that he shouldn't sleep there when it was cold, but he didn't want to bother anyone.

Although most of the time nowadays he spent the night with Dallas, taking the blonde in with all of his warmth. Johnny was cold easily and it seemed that Dallas was almost like a human heater. And if the blonde was busy with something, he just sucked it up and took the couch at the Curtis house. The ravenette was reassured countless times that he wasn't a bother.

Around winter time was when he had to believe it.

The ravenette hums softly, sitting on the back porch of the Curtis house, cigarette dangling from his lips. He was content at the moment, simply watching the clouds slowly move. It was nearing when the sun would start to set. The teen had gotten into this habit from the youngest greaser. The young redhead kept gabbing on and on about it until he finally decided to pay attention.

And it was... nice. Relaxing even.

He takes a drag from his cigarette, hearing the door behind him open. Within moments, another person was sat down beside him. The ravenette glances over, giving a small nod in acknowledgement to Ponyboy who had just sat down to light his own cigarette.

The two fell into peaceful silence for a little while. They just knew things about the other that didn't need words to express. It was how close they are. And sometimes Johnny wondered how he didn't fall for the redhead before Dallas. Ponyboy was smart and kind, a bit oblivious, but that could easily be overlooked. And the younger teen was just as handsome as Sodapop. But he could never love Ponyboy the way that he loves Dallas.

And soon enough, the silence was broken.

"What's going on between you and Dally?" Ponyboy asks, turning to face his friend. It was just the two of them home. Everyone with jobs had to work on Halloween and those without were bumming around elsewhere. "Its different."

Johnny tenses up for a moment and be turns his head to look at Ponyboy. Curse the younger greaser for being so damn observant. But he did say that he was smart.

"How different?" Johnny asks, wanting to see what Ponyboy meant first before giving an answer.

"Just different," Ponyboy says gently. "You're spending extra time with him. More than normal. Taking smoke breaks exactly when he does, leaving when he does, staying the night with him whenever he's at Buck's (Dallas slept there more often than not, but he was always couch surfing, and Buck's was just convenient)."

Johnny hums.

"You look at him different too. I know you admire him, but the look in your eyes gives me something else entirely. It's not admiration anymore..."

The ravenette could feel his cheeks burning. The more Ponyboy spoke, the more he could tell that the younger teen had figured them out. And it only took the couple of short weeks from when the two got together. He found Dallas in the middle of October and they've been going steady for two weeks now. It was crazy to think about but it made his heart flutter.

"What is it then?" Johnny presses. "Seems you've got me all figured out from just watching. Come on out and tell me then."

Ponyboy nods slightly, taking another drag from his cigarette. He might have been absent-minded sometimes, but he had a thing for watching and understanding. And Johnny was thr easiest person, besides Soda, for him to read.

"You're in love with him," Ponyboy finally says after a minute. "And the way he looks at you tells me that he's returned it. Don't even think I've seen him look at Sylvia like that."