Sunsets and Switchblades

I Never Noticed Until Now (Part 1)

Bad boy Curly Shepard saves Ponyboy from getting beat up by Socs while walking to the library. Cue cute and soft Ponyboy Curtis and Curly being completely wrapped around Pony's finger along with some drama from the Gang.

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Ponyboy woke up slowly, cozy and warm with his brother's arm draped over him. Soda's snores and random mumbles filled the air. Pony huffed at the glaring morning sun that drifted through the blinds on the window. He knew that he wasn't going to be able to sleep in anymore today. Pony slowly began to wiggle out from under Soda's arm and tiptoed to the bathroom.

'Hmmm... today is Saturday, so that means Darry and Soda don't have work today, so they'll probably sleep in. Apparently, Steve crashed at Two-Bit's place, and Dally and Johnny are probably still sleeping at Buck's. Maybe I'll just go to the library before the gang gets here.' Pony thought as he began getting dressed and greasing his hair back.

'It's supposed to be chilly today...' Pony began pulling on an overly large dark green sweater with sleeves that went down to his palms, faded jeans, and his normal scruffy Converse. While fixing some loose strands of hair, he toyed with the tips that were still a bit blond. Ponyboy thought that having auburn hair with blond tips may have looked weird, but the rest of the gang said it was hardly noticeable.

Quietly making his way through the house, he dug out a pad of yellow paper and a pen to write a note for Darry to read saying he was gonna stop by the library for a little and will be home before the gang comes over. It was only about 10 and the gang would only start to wake up at maybe 12. That gave him at least an hour to find a book or two to read as a reward for passing his midterms that took up all his time the past week.

He put the note on the coffee table where Darry would see it and went off to his favorite place: the library. The air outside was a bit chilly, but not bad and the fresh, cold air made his cheeks flush, and stuff his hands in his pocket. Little brown and yellow leaves were on the ground and Pony began focusing on stepping on the crunchy ones. Only the crunchy ones. Not noticing that his head was in the clouds again made him an easy target for any Soc's roaming around in the morning. After following the leaves for a little while, Pony almost stepped on a little snail sitting on leaves on the sidewalk just a little bit on the outside of the library's property.

"Aww," Pony cooed and bent down to look at the little snail, "what are you doing all alone? You'll end up getting hurt if you're out in the open like this. Here, I'll help you, little guy." Unfortunately, Pony was in the exact situation as the poor snail. Unbeknownst to him, a couple of drunken Socs came stumbling up the sidewalk across the road, holding half-empty beer bottles and eyeing the greaser with pure disdain. One Soc nudged the other way and began making his way towards Ponyboy.

"Hey, grease ball!"

By the time Ponyboy jerked his head up, the larger man had tackled Pony to the ground. Pony fell to the cold sidewalk with a loud yelp. The Soc leaned back with his knees on Pony's shoulders and grew a nasty grin.

"Ha, lookit Tommy, a little Grease we can pass the time with, huh?" The shorter Soc giggled an obnoxious hyena laugh and decided to step Ponyboy's lower stomach, knocking the breath out of him.

"Hmm..." The Soc on Pony roughly grabbed the greaser's chin and jerked his head left then right, "This one looks a little too pretty to be a Grease... if not for that gross, greasy hair. Hey, how about we make him look a little tougher..."

Tommy the Soc held down Pony's legs as the larger one reared back his arm to give Pony the largest black eye of his life. He scrunched up his eyes and turned his head with a squeak.

"Hey, you jack-asses!"

A brown and black blur tackled into the larger Soc, knocking him back onto Tommy with a grunt. Pony quickly scrambled up and a little bit away from the fight that had started. He gave a startled hitch of breath at seeing none other than the infamous Curly Shepard throwing punch after punch after punch at the Socs. Lean, taut muscle moved under his grey shirt and leather jacket. Just watching Curly throw Tommy into the other Soc was enough to make Pony blush. Finally, after throwing one into the other, the drunken Socs quickly hobbled and stumbled away. Panting, Curly turned towards Ponyboy and purposefully strode his way, his dark eyes never leaving Pony's. Pony's eyes widened and he started looking around at anything but Curly even though Curly was right in front of him with narrowed eyes.

"Hey," Curly's gruff voice made his way into Pony's ears, a voice that Pony could definitely melt into a puddle with if he heard it for too long, "You alright? They didn't rough you up too bad or nothin'?"

Pony glanced at Curly and squirmed under the scrutiny, "N-no, I'm fine..."

"You sure? I saw 'em grab ya..." Curly gently grabbed Pony's chin to look at it with calloused hands, a stark contrast from the disgusting Soc earlier. Pony felt his face practically go up in flames. He frantically shook his head, finally looking up at Curly, who was a good couple inches taller than him.

"I'm okay, really. Um, thank you, Curly... for helpin' out and everything."

Curly's hand left Pony and was stuffed into his leather jacket pockets. He shrugged, looking around at the still mostly empty street and then noticing the library a little ways away. He stared at Pony with a bored look.

"You literally came out here, hella early in the morning, for the library?"

"Hey!" Pony cried out in indignation, "The library isn't that bad-"

Curly snorted.

Pony huffed and crossed his arms, "Maybe you should just give it a try. Besides, I have to find something real quick anyway, so... thanks for helping, I guess." And with that, Pony crouched and started sorting through a pile of leaves for that poor snail he dropped. He really hoped the snail didn't get squished. Curly looked at Pony like he grew three heads. He took out a cigarette from behind his ear and stood next to Pony, watching the boy's movements.

"What the hell are you looking for?"

"A snail."

"...a snail?"

Pony tilted his head at Curly and giggled at Curly's bewildered expression. Curly's face reddened and his heart started beating hard at the sweet look on Pony's face. Now that he was close enough, Curly realized that Pony was... really, really cute. His auburn hair fell in wisps that curled under his ears and framed his face with the slightest blond at the tips, his eyes a deep jade that sparkled in the sun with small flecks of gold, a scattering of light freckles on his cheeks, and full lips that Curly could just imagine kissing.

'Ah, shit," Curly thought. Almost instantly, Curly fell head over heels for the least intimidating greaser ever. A complete baby who gets his head lost in the clouds and picking up damn snails and stupid shit like that.

"I found him!"

Curly snapped out of his thoughts and looked over at a grinning Ponyboy holding a small snail by its shell.

"Isn't he cute?" Pony shoved the snail in front of Curly's eyes. The snail looked... like a snail. But the look of pure adoration on Pony's face made Curly rethink his actions. He offered a tentative smile, "Yeah, he's-he's great..."

Pony laughed and went to put the snail down near a tree. He brushed his sweater down and brushed his shoulders against Curly's. He smiled up at Curly, "Seriously though, Curls, thank you for helping me and," a sly, mischievous smile grew on his face, " in payment, I'll get you a library book!" He laughed at the look of utter shock on Curly's face and tugged on Curly's leather jacket towards the library. As much as Curly knew he wasn't going to read any damn book, feeling Pony's tugging on him and a cute smile on his face made him decide to hold his tongue. But after this, he was definitely gonna make the older Curtis brother's lives a living hell because there is nothing in the world that is going to stop him from making Pony his.

'Watch out Curtis Gang.'