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It was late at night. The stars were shining brightly outside. The light flowing through the window onto the faces of Ponyboy and Johnny.
It was unusual for Ponyboy to sleep without Sodapop next to him, but since Soda decided to stay at someplace with Steve, Pony was left alone.
He and Johnny came back from school together and had hung out all afternoon. It was night when they realised just how long they had been hanging out. Johnny wanted to go to the lot to sleep but Pony insisted on letting him stay and sleep in his and Soda’s bed for the night.
Besides, it would benefit the both of them, Pony having someone to sleep with and Johnny having somewhere nice to sleep at.
It was friday so they chatted for a while, then decided to clean up and go to bed. (Darry forcing them to go)
Pony got on the bed first, plopping down with a loud thoud. Johnny hesitated a little but then dropped down next to Ponyboy, a noticable gap between them.
“What’re you doin’?” Pony asked. “Come on, you can come closer. Or is it that you think I kick in my sleep?”
“What? No!” Johnny replied, noticing the joking tone of Ponyboy after what he said.
“Relax Johnnycake, i was just joking” He cracked a smile.
Johnny smiled back shyly. He schootched closer, pulling the cover up on them more. Pony closed his eyes, ready to fall asleep. Johnny was still really nervous about sleeping at the Curtis’ house, never actually sleeping in the bed before, only on the couch.
He stayed tense for about a few more minutes until Pony had enough, feeling his nervousness of sleeping here since the begining.
“‘S alright Johnny” he started quietly “Ya ain’t a bother. Darry doesn’t mind you staying and neither do I”
Johnny looked at Ponyboy, not realising that he knew what he was thinking. They always had this sort of way of communicating their feelings without words. Seems like Pony caught on withouth Johnny noticing.
“I know. But it still feels weird sleeping in your’s and Sodapop’s bed” he said.
“ If you want, we can cuddle?” Ponyboy asked, uncertiantly. “Besides, you know it helps with the… the nightmares..”
Johnny stared at Pony. Well, it wouldn’t hurt, would it? It wasn’t that big of a deal. Yeah, most greasers didn’t cuddle when they felt uneasy, but they were different, their friendship more deeper than most people’s.
“Alright, we can do that..” he replied after a beat if silence.
They stared at eachother for a little more, until it got too akward, when Pony moved first.
He slowly got closer to Johnny, holding his hands out in a hug motion. Johnny got the hint and started moving too, still a little shy.
They ended up with Johnny embracing Pony’s waist with both hands while one of Pony’s arm was hugging Johnny’s neck, the other on his back. Their legs were tangled together under the covers.
They stared at eachother, then-
“Goodnight, Johnnycakes” Pony whispered.
“‘Night, Pone” Johnny replied.
It didn’t take long for both of them to fall asleep, in the comfortable position they were in.
The next morning Johnny woke first. Somehow they hadn’t moved one bit. Pony was still asleep, his mouth a bit open, his breathing calm. Johnny felt so relaxed, just staring at Pony, he forgot about everything.
It was the best sleep he’d had in a long time. Pony would have to say the same, his nightmares forgotten, with him laying in Johnny’s arms.
Sodapop had just walked in the room quietly, shocked to find Johnny and Ponyboy cuddling. They (actually just Johnny) had fallen back asleep in the morning and hadn’t woken up to the door opening.
Soda quickly closed the door and decided to quietly walk back to the living room. Looks like Steve’ll have to make room on that couch because he was so exshausted after all fun they did last night and not sleeping a wink, just partying, he was gonna collapse any moment.
He shoved Steve further into the couch, not wanting to sleep on the floor and layed down next to him. Steve grumbled a bit, but relaxed after Soda got all cozy. The couch was quite small so they had to press close together.
But that was fine. It wasn’t a big deal. Just some dudes cuddling together on a couch, instantly falling asleep in eachother’s embraces.
Sounds just like something that happened not that long awhile ago. Huh, something must be in the air.