Just The Two of Us (Johnnyboy)

Chapter Ten

Two-Bit is sitting down on the living room carpet chugging a beer while he stacks one of Ponyboy's books on his previous beer cans. Mickey Mouse cartoons play in the background. Two-Bit is intensely focused on that and stacking beer cans. Then he hears the front door open as Sodapop comes home from work. He's got a big smile on his face per usual. He's still wearing his DX uniform but it's a bit dirty from him working on cars all day.

"Hey Two-Bit! How've you been today?" Soda asks, walking into the kitchen to get a glass of chocolate milk after taking off his shoes.

"Heyyy Soda!!! I've been good. One of the craziest things happened to me today!" Two-Bit says chuckling. He appears to be drunk off his ass currently. Which is drunker than normal. What inspired him to drink so much today, Soda has no idea. But he's intrigued by the crazy thing that happened to Two-Bit today.

"What could that have been?" Soda asks, plopping himself on the couch. He notices the actually impressively high stack of beer bottles and books.

"Oh wait!! They said not to tell. They were freaking out man! It was crazy! I couldn't believe my eyes!" Two-Bit says. He's stumbling and slurring over his words. Despite someone apparently saying they didn't want Two-Bit to tell others what happened, Soda still wants to know. Two-Bit isn't helping by talking about how crazy it was and how he couldn't believe his eyes. Soda leans in with his hands on the coffee table.

"What? What was it and who is it?"

"It was Johnny and Ponyboy man. They were so scared man. They looked so freaked out. They were crying and stuff! I couldn't believe what I was seeing dude. They told me not to tell though and I said I wouldn't say." Two-Bit says chuckling and acting like he's really telling the story. Soda has seen Two-Bit this drunk before, but not in a good while.

Soda wants to know even more what happened now that he knows it's about his little brother. He loves Ponyboy dearly and hearing that he's freaked out and crying makes him sad. He just wants to help Ponyboy and make sure he's happy.

"Wait, what happened to Ponyboy and Johnnycakes? Why were they psyching out?" Were they doing something illegal and Two-Bit caught them or something? Nah, those two could never. They were such goody-two-shoes, in greaser terms at least.

"It's 'cause I walked in on them kissing. I think Ponyboy thought I was gonna hurt them but I didn't really fucking care. I didn't give a shit that they were queers. Good for them." Two-Bit chuckles while taking a sip from his can of beer.

Soda is shocked. His jaw drops. He didn't expect that kind of bombshell to come out of Two-Bit's mouth. He wasn't expecting something like that. Sodapop was thinking of something more mundane. But his brother is a queer? No wonder he didn't ever seem to care about girls! No wonder why he's so close to Johnny! So much little stuff makes so much more sense to Soda now that he knows this. But it's still hard to believe.

"What happened? How do you know your mind ain't just making stuff up?" Two-Bit was so drunk, he could just be making stuff up. He wanted proof, something more.

"Cause I saw it with my own two eyes!" Two-Bit says pointing to his eyes with both of his fingers. He widened his eyes and he looked pretty crazy. "I saw it man, why would I make that up! That's weird."

"No offense, but you're a little kooky. I want cold, hard, evidence." Soda proclaims while slapping his hand on the table.

"What do you mean by cold hard evidence?! I saw it! How do I give it to you?!" Two-Bit says sounding pretty drunk. He's slurring his words as he leans back slightly. He looks pretty confused.

"You can show me!" Soda says, kinda stressed out. He had no problem with those two together, but he knew it would take a lot of convincing to get Darry to agree. "Where's my kid brother?"

"They're in Pony's room man! On his bed! That's where I saw 'em!" Two-Bit says while pointing over towards the door to Ponyboy's room as if Sodapop doesn't know where his own little brother's room is in his own house. He sleeps there with Pony more than in his own bed.

"Okay, man. I'm going, you can come if you want." Soda skips down the hall and puts his hand on the doorknob. Soda takes a deep breath, and he gently opens the door hoping that he doesn't walk in on anything. Sodapop sees Ponyboy sitting on his bed snuggled up with Johnny while he reads to him. Johnny's head is lying against Ponyboy's chest as he's snuggled into him. Ponyboy is holding the book gently as he reads to Johnny. But when they notice Sodapop standing in the doorway their eyes widen and they scoot away from each other.

"Hey, Sodapop! How are ya?" Ponyboy says quickly. He feels Johnny slip real far away from him.

"I'm doing good, Pony..." Sodapop says quietly with sympathy in his voice. He looks down at Ponyboy and Johnny as he leans on the door frame. "I was talking to Two-Bit..." Ponyboy tenses up. He swore he wouldn't tell... He couldn't tell... Damn it, Ponyboy thinks. No one else can know except Two-Bit!

"Really? What'd he say?" He interrupts Sodapop.

"Well Two-Bit told me some things you know." Soda says still gazing down at Johnny and Ponyboy. Soda is trying his best to beat around the bush a bit. He isn't sure what to say exactly. He doesn't want to scare Pony and Johnny off if what Two-Bit said was true.

"Oh, yeah? Like what?" Ponyboy asks, his heart rate a million miles an hour. If Soda knew, he'd really have no one.

"He said... well uhm..." Sodapop stumbles over his words. He's a bit nervous. He doesn't want to upset Ponyboy or Johnny but he also needs to know if this is true or not. "Two-Bit said he saw you two kissing..."

Ponyboy bites back a gasp. He swore he wouldn't tell. He swore he wouldn't tell. He swore. This was the worst day ever. It started out so good, with their milkshake date. How'd it end up like this?

"He's drunk."

"I know." Sodapop says sighing. He normally doesn't take anything seriously from Two-Bit when he's drunk and he can barely believe he is now. But the panic in Ponyboy's eyes and the way he described them being scared when he caught them really makes this feel all the more real.

"C'mon Soda, you know how he is. He's awful odd when he's drunk." Ponyboy says, trying to sound as convincing as possible. Soda is probably the one he'd trust the most out of the gang with this, but still. He wasn't ready. He never will be.

"I know. I know. He's crazy, but he didn't seem like he was joking. You know you can tell me anything. Right Pony?" Sodapop says looking at Ponyboy in the eyes. Ponyboy gulps.

"Yeah, I know."

"You tell me everything bud. You can be honest with me. I won't be mad. I promise." Soda says looking Ponyboy in the eyes sympathetically. He's telling the truth; he wouldn't be mad. He loves his little brother and nothings gonna change that. 

"There's nothing to tell you, Sodapop! I promise!" Ponyboy is practically begging at this point.

"Ponyboy. I can tell you aren't being truthful with me." Sodapop says leaning against the door frame while gazing down at Johnny and Ponyboy. Soda knows and understands why his brother would be so scared. But Soda loves Ponyboy no matter what.

"Just go away, alright? It's been a rough day." Ponyboy demands. That was a bit of an understatement, though.

"Alright Pony. But if you ever need to tell me anything I'm here for you. I hope you know that." Soda says giving Ponyboy a loving smile. Sodapop just hopes that Ponyboy knows he'll love him no matter what. Soda knows this would be difficult for Ponyboy and Johnny. He doesn't truly understand but he gets it. Soda would be mighty sad if he really loved someone and he couldn't express it. Even if he isn't a queer like Ponyboy might be.

Ponyboy softly smiles, giving into Soda's natural charm. He's awful sad he can't tell Sodapop this part of him, but it'll be alright. It's not that big of a deal, he supposed. "Yeah, I know."

"Alright bud. I love ya." Sodapop says ruffling Ponyboy's hair gently before exiting the room.