Coffee And Happy Endings (A Johnnyboy AU)

A *Not* Date

Ponyboy waited 2 days before he saw Johnny again. He came in 10 minutes til closing and asked for his coffee. Ponyboy made it and they talked. He left. He came back 3 days later. They did the same thing. Johnny came back 2 days after he left the fourth time. And 6 days after that. They fell into a pattern. When Johnny would come in Ponyboy would start the coffee. He would pour the coffee into a white mug while Johnny handed him $2.50 and stuffed $5 I to the tip jar. They would sit down, together, and talk about nothing and everything. They would smile and chuckle together. And when the clock struck 9, Johnny would get up and say, "Goodbye, Ponyboy." And he would reply with a, "Goodbye, Johnny." Then, Ponyboy would wonder if he would ever see him again.

Ponyboy wasn't at all angry with the routine he and Johnny had established, but he longed for something more. Something where they had more time to laugh and smile. Something where they knew each other. He wanted that.

They continued with their routine for a month, but by then, Ponyboy wanted something more. Something real, not hidden under the cover of darkness with coffee that smelt like a meadow. He wanted coffee. In a real meadow.

Johnny came into the cafe.
Ponyboy started the coffeemaker. His hands were shaking.
"Johnny."
"Ponyboy."
Ponyboy handed the mug to Johnny and Johnny handed the money to Ponyboy.
"Johnny?"
"Yes?"
"Would you like to go on a picnic with me?"
Johnny was quiet for a while and then he said,
"Like a date?"
Ponyboy didn't know what to say. "No. Not a date."
"So then like what?"
"A friendly outing."
"A friendly outing?"
Ponyboy didn't get the confusion.
"Yes, a friendly outing. Unless you want it to be a date."
"Okay."
"Okay to what? The date? Or the friendly outing?"
"The friendly outing."
"Okay."
The cafe was quiet. You could only hear the ticking of the analogue clock hanging on the wall behind them.
"I'm not allergic to anything" Johnny suddenly said.
"I won't pack any cats then."
Johnny smiled as the clock struck 9.
"Goodbye Ponyboy"
"Goodbye Johnny."

Ponyboy went back to his apartment that night and called his brother, Sodapop.
"Hello?"
"Hey. It's me."
"Ponyboy?"
"Yup!"
"Great to hear from you, bro. You planning on coming home soon?"
"No. I'm working all summer. I need to pay for school next year."
"Okay. So, Watcha been up to?"
"Work. I've been dabbling in latte art."
"Neat."
"What about you?"
"Nothing. Hanging out."
"Oh."
"Yeah."
"Well, listen, I need some advice."
"What about?"
"I met someone I really like. And I asked them out."
"Cool, man. What did she say."
"Um. Well,"
"Yeah?"
"It's not a she. It's a he."

A/N: Hope you liked this chapter! I had fun writing it. Now you need to wait to see what happens -insert evil cackle-. I'll post again soon!

-booksarelife

(P.S. if you need a book, check out The Bunker Diary by Kevin Brooks. It is unbelievably sad, so if you can't handle your eyes tearing up everytime you think about anything related to it, don't read the book. My eyes are watering just writing this and I read it 2 weeks ago! I totally recommend it though!)