The Outsiders Lyric Imagines

"Fire Escape" J. Cade

"...There's a million city lights but you're number one. You're the reason I'm still up at dawn, just to see your face..." 

[Fire Escape by Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness]

Hand in hand, you walked with Johnny along the bank of the Arkansas River in a comfortable silence. You two were talking a back way to get to your place after a date. The river bank was your spot; it's where you met and it's where you had at least half of your dates. After a moment of silence, maybe it was five minutes or half an hour, Johnny leaned his head on your shoulder "y'know, doll, sometimes I wish these nights didn't have to end." You nodded your agreements and looked up at the stars "I wish we could hang an anchor from the sun." Johnny smiled, almost sadly, and kissed your temple gently "one day, (y/n)."

Soon, you emerged on the edge of town and started towards the apartment complex you lived in with your parents. It didn't take long before you were at the building's front door, hugging him tightly to the point you were almost clinging. He was hugging you just as tightly as you were him. After a minute, you pulled back some and smiled "let's go to the roof." He hesitated briefly before letting you drag him around back to the fire escape. You'd climbed up there enough times to know it was pretty safe. The half of your dates that weren't on the river bank, were up here.

Once you were both safely on the roof, you sat down, letting your legs swing over the building's edge; Johnny did the same and wrapped an arm around your shoulder. "Y'know, from up here, it's hard to believe this is the same Tulsa that's divided by social class," he mumbled quietly, more to himself than to you. Of course, you heard and nodded "just looking out at the millions of city lights you wouldn't know how harsh it is." He looked over at you, admiring every minute feature on your face "there's a million city lights out there, but you'll always be my number one."

Your cheeks blushed bright red, making you bury your face in his chest. He laughed softly and wrapped his arms around you tightly, holding you securely against his chest.  He smiled sweetly "I promise you, (y/n), one day we'll get a place of our own where neither of us are scared of getting beaten. We'll have our own home, and it'll be safe for us." You closed your eyes and just listened to him talk about what he saw for y'alls future.

At some point, you started slowly drifting off "we'll be goin' strong, with the vampires. We'll be immortal together and I'll never let anyone lay a hand on you." You could've only been asleep for four or five hours when you woke up, still in the same position you fell asleep in. When you looked up at Johnny, he looked somewhat tired but also peaceful. You yawned softly and pecked his cheek "Johnny, did you want to sleep?" He shook his head and smiled sweetly at you "baby, you're the reason I stay up 'til dawn, just so I could see your face. You make me want to wake up." You snuggled up against him some and smiled semi-tiredly "and why's that? Sleeps probably more fun." He shrugged happily "you're the reason I wanna wake up, you're who I wanna see when I wake up."

Johnny's words could melt the coldest of hearts, he may have been a puppy who got kicked too much but it didn't harden him. He was the absolute sweetest, most caring guy you could've asked for and you wouldn't trade him for anything. "Hey (y/n)?" he asked quietly. You looked up at him curiously "yeah?" He paused briefly before asking "what do you see in our future? I-if you even see one with us." When you looked up at him, you could see the nervousness on his face as he looked aimlessly over the city "I couldn't see a future with anyone else, Johnnycake." He smiled some and looked over at you "really?"

You nodded with a small smile "really. I can see us getting an apartment together in a few years, and sitting on the fire escape after work telling each other about our days while our dog eagerly jumps on us. Then maybe a few years later, we wind up expecting a little, mini Cade and getting hitched if we haven't already. Then a couple years after that we'd get our own little house and find out we're expecting another little Cade." You paused briefly, biting your lip nervously when you realized how in depth you'd gone.

He just beamed a smile at you "funny, I wouldn't want it any other way doll." You hugged him tightly, happily. Johnny hugged you just as tightly, kissing the top of your head softly "maybe we get a golden retriever or a German shepherd?" You grinned widely at him "I'd be absolutely okay with either, Johnnycake." He pressed a soft kiss to your lips, smiling as he did.