Sunsets and Switchblades

Tough Guy

To say Ponyboy was a little confused would be an understatement. All day long people were avoiding him like the plague. At first, he chalked it up to being a coincidence or it just being that kind of day where everyone is in a weird mood, but there were too many instances to for it to be just in his head.

His morning started the same as always; waking up half asleep, grabbing whatever he could find to wear, and barely making it to Two-Bit's dingy truck to be dropped off at school.

Ponyboy was not a morning person, so his deciding on wearing a plain white tee and a familiar, large leather jacket may have not been the best idea, but it's what happens when you're barely awake all morning. As he was walking past the school grounds to reach class, about every student parted for him as he walked by. People who were loitering by his locker took one glance at him and scurried out of the way, leaving him a little confused. Walking into his first class of the day, a Soc who had stolen Pony's seat dropped his pen, and Ponyboy happily picked it up for him.

"Hey, I think you dropped this," Ponyboy held out the pen as an offering of peace, nothing more, nothing less. The Soc, currently snickering and joking with his friends behind him, glanced back at Pony, and a horrified look of recognition passed over his face.

"H-hey, man, I didn't know this was your spot, keep the pen, I don't need it," the Soc all but tripped out of the chair and cowered in the back seats of the room. Pony blinked, but he still sat in his chosen spot. It would be too weird not to.

Even when it was the middle of the day and lunch was ready, almost every student took one look at the young greaser and avoided him. He was beginning to feel self-conscious, more so than usual. Was there something wrong with him? His outfit? Did he do something wrong?

Holding his books close to his chest and head kept low, he sped to Johnny's locker where he saw his friend grabbing some spare change for lunch.

"Johnny!"

His best friend turned at the sound of Pony's voice with a smile, but it left his face in surprise after seeing Ponyboy's outfit.

"Uh, hey, Pones, you good?"

Pony dumped his books into Johnny's locker quickly, "No, I am not good! People have been avoiding me all day long! At first, I thought I was just imagining it, you know, but now I think I did something wrong. Do I look bad or something?" Pony gasped in horror.

"Johnny, do I.... Do I smell bad...?" Pony had the biggest puppy eyes at the terrible thought.

"Um..." Johnny slightly leaned closer and sniffed Pony once.

"No, you're fine." Pony heaved a huge sigh of relief.

"Then, why do you think everyone is avoiding me?" Pony leaned against the lockers and crossed his arms with a little pout.

"It's probably the way you look, dude," Johnny laughed and pocketed his change, "Have you seen yourself today?"

"Well, no... but I wear what I always wear, nothing new or crazy. Do I look weird today or something?" Pony began rubbing the ends of his hair, a nervous habit he picked up when he was a blond. His hair was now his normal auburn, but the habit never faded.

"No offense, but you kind of look like a normal greaser today," Johnny smirked.

"I am a normal greaser."

Johnny laughed, loud and clear, clutching his ribs as he laughed more than he has in a long time. Pony continued to huff and pout.

"No, no," johnny giggled still, wiping a tear away, "I mean, you normally wear sweaters and stuff, but you look the part today. Scruffy converse, dark jeans, a plain tee, and a dark leather jacket obviously from Curly with slicked-back hair? You look a little mean. If I didn't know you, I'd think you'd be running wild with Curly's gang."

Pony looked down at the clothes that he chose at random that morning. This wasn't anything new, was it?

Suddenly, it all clicked together. Curlys leather jacket. Curly.

Pony groaned, pressing his hands over his face, "Stupid Curly, his jacket is making everyone scared of me."

"But that's good, isn't it? Now you don't have to worry about anyone messing with you!" Johnny clapped Pony on the back and went on his way to hopefully grab something to eat.

Pony grumbled and debated taking off the cursed jacket. Then again, he didn't feel like carrying it around all day nor did he want to leave it in the locker, knowing how easy it was to break into it. He continued to grumble and pout as he slowly followed Johnny down the hall.

"Maybe I'll just complain to Soda about this stupid jacket-AH!" Ponyboy was quickly yanked into an out-of-order bathroom by someone, leaving no trace of him behind in the sparsely populated hallway.

"HEY!" Pony yelped as he was pushed against the door behind him.

"You think my jacket's stupid, huh?"

"CURLY?!"

The man himself, looking as handsome and dangerous as always, braced his arms on either side of Pony's body.

"Answer me, darling. I said do you think my jacket's stupid?" Curly tilted his head, eyeing his boyfriend with a predatory glint in his eyes.

Pony's face instantly flushed red as he stammered and looked away from the intense stare pointed his way, "What?! Who said that 'cause I know I didn't say that, are we talking about this jacket, this jacket is great, amazing quality, can't even tell if the stitches are falling out a little or the blood stain on the cuff won't wash out, this jacket is amazi-"

"You know what I think," Curly interrupted Pony's panicked rambling, "I think you look utterly delicious in my jacket."

"C-Curly..." Pony couldn't blush any harder or he'd combust at that point. He tried his hand at wriggling out of Curly's hold, pushing against his boyfriend's chest.

"Oh?" Curly chuckled, "Now that you're looking all tough in my jacket, you think you're gonna beat me, baby? Tryin' to act the part of a strong, mean greaser when you and I both know you just want me to take care of you, hm?" He slowly looked Ponyboy up and down, seeing the more masculine look Pony had chosen to wear that day.

"N-no, I mean- I don't-" Pony could hardly get a sentence out, feeling the growing tension and heat of Curly's words.

"Psh, yeah, right, baby," Curly easily trapped Pony's wrists in one hand and forced them above over Pony's head, while the other hand caressed the boy in his jacket. "You think you're real tuff, huh? Try to get out then, I dare you."

Pony whined and gave a half-hearted tug of his hands, losing more and more effort as Curly's blunt nails gently scratched down Pony's side.

"Aw, poor baby," Curly's faux sympathy only fueled the increasing heat in Pony, "No matter how tough you think you are, just know I'll always be able to turn you into a whimpering puddle, huh, darling? Aren't I right?" He pressed a soft peck against Pony's cheek. It was too soft for Ponyboy's liking.

"Y-yes...please, Curly..." Pony panted, secretly loving the feel of being pinned down by Curly, so small compared to his boyfriend, and being surrounded by nothing but Curly was doing weird things to his brain, making everything a little foggy and muddled.

Curly grinned, looking like he won a shiny trophy, "My tough baby," He cooed.

Curly let Pony's wrists loose but quickly tugged him closer to slot their lips together. Pony gave a soft hum and let himself be lost in everything Curly was giving him, running his hands over strong shoulders and soft curls. Curly was full of possessiveness and passion at seeing Pony in a new light, a strong greaser that he knew would submit to no one except him. As Curly pulled his boyfriend closer by the belt loops, Pony thought he didn't need to go to lunch anytime soon and that he was never going to give Curly back his jacket if it kept ending up like that moment.