The Outsiders | Preferences

When He Cries In Your Arms

Johnny:

It was around midnight when you got a call on your phone. You immediately sat up in bed when you saw it was Johnny.

"Y/N," he whispers, his voice muffled and choppy. "I'm so sorry. Can I please come over?"

"Of course, what's the matter?" you ask.

"I just can't be at home right now," is all he says, and then he hangs up.

You wait on the couch for him, continuously checking the window to see if he's coming yet. When he finally arrives, you throw the door open and watch him walk inside. His eyes are red and puffy, and you can see some cuts and bruises on the side of his face.

"Johnny... oh, my sweet Johnny," you say, and lead him into the bedroom. "You stay right there, I'm gonna get some stuff to clean those cuts." You come back with bandages and peroxide. You clean his wounds and let him talk.

"They don't want me anymore. They don't care if I'm alive or dead, they just want me gone. They don't care one ounce about me," he sobs. You put the peroxide and bandages away, and hold him in your arms. He cries into your chest, heaving huge breaths.

"Johnnycakes... they don't matter," you say.

"I can't live like this anymore. I just wanna... I just wanna die. That'll make 'em happy, won't it?" he cries.

"Johnny... don't you go sayin' that, you know I'll be in pieces if you go." You run your fingers through his hair with one hand and with the other, you massage his shoulder blades. "Come on, Johnny, you're the whole heart of our gang. If we lose you, everyone falls apart."

"You're just sayin' that," he mutters.

"I'm not. Pony, Darry, Soda, Steve, Two-Bit, Dally... we all need ya, every one of us," you say. He buries his head deeper. You hold him closer.

"Alright... maybe I'll stay around a little longer. I won't go back there, though," he says.

"I won't make ya," you tell him. You lay him down on the bed and you cuddle him until he stops shaking and falls asleep.

Dally:

You're trying to get some reading done when Dally bursts into the house and slams the door violently. You instantly stand up and go after him as he runs into your bedroom. You watch him as he paces across the room.

"Dally, Dally, stop. What's the matter?" you ask him. He faces you and you suddenly notice the tears in his eyes.

"Baby... what happened?" you say. You look deep into his eyes, and he looks away. He struggles out of your grasp and throws himself on the bed.

"It's Johnny... I can't help him. He's... he keeps gettin' hit by his folks, and he's slowly goin', and he wants to die, and I can't do anything to fix it. That sweet kid, he don't deserve this. I wish it was anyone but Johnny," he says.

"Dallas," you whisper and sit next to him on the bed. You pull him close to you and he buries his head into your lap. "Johnny's gonna be ok. He won't die. He's got the whole gang to protect him. Don't you worry about him, my sweet." He doesn't say anything more, he just sobs silent tears into your lap. You rub his hair and give him little kisses on his neck.

Pony:

You and Pony couldn't hang out today because he was supposed to be helping Darry with something, so you decided to take a day for yourself. You were working on a cute, little bracelet when Pony quietly opens your door and climbs on your bed next to you. His shoulders are slumped, he has the remnants of tears on his face, and he genuinely looks sad.