𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 - ᥣі𝗍𝗍ᥣᥱ s⍴ᥲᥴᥱ ᥆ᥒᥱsһ᥆𝗍s

◦•●◉✿ 𝑁𝑜 𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑒𝑝𝑦 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒! ✿◉●•◦

Little!Ponyboy
Caregiver!Johnny
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Hope you enjoy! (◍•ᴗ•◍)
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Johnny Cade and Ponyboy Curtis were up late. Not by choice though, definitely not by choice. Johnny had been trying to get Ponyboy to bed for the past twenty minutes, however, the regressed boy kept refusing. Ponyboy never liked going to bed because it was a 'waste of time' when he could spend his time playing instead.

Johnny let out a frustrated groan and gently grabbed Ponyboy before he could leave the room. "Pony, come on, go to bed. Now." He demanded, trying to keep his voice firm but soft as to not upset Ponyboy. Ponyboy looked up at Johnny with a pout and let out a cute but exaggerated whine.

"No sleepy time! Wanna play!" Ponyboy exclaimed. He pulled his arms away from Johnny and crossed them over his chest, giving Johnny a glare and a pout. Usually, his pouting worked and Johnny would let him stay up a little longer. But not tonight. Johnny was tired and irritated.

"No, Ponyboy! You can't play right now. You need to go to bed. It's past your bedtime." Johnny snapped, looking down at Ponyboy with a somewhat harsh glare. He didn't mean to snap at Ponyboy, but he was losing patience with the little. Ponyboy looked away as tears filled his eyes, threatening to spill over. Johnny saw and felt bad. So, he decided to apologize, but he also had to get the point across that Ponyboy needed to listen to him.

Johnny crouched down in front of Ponyboy and gently caressed his soft cheek. "I'm sorry for snapping, baby. But you need to learn to listen and go to bed when you're told, okay? If you don't listen when daddy tells you to do something I have to put you in timeout, okay? That means you don't get to play with your toys." He spoke softly but made sure to sound so little firm just so Ponyboy knew he was serious.

Ponyboy still didn't want to sleep though. He was crying now too. He had been yelled at, and when he got yelled at, he would be upset about it for quite a while. Salty tears ran down Ponyboy's now-flushed cheeks as he let out soft sobs. Johnny cursed under his breath. He wasn't trying to make Ponyboy cry, he was just trying to get him to bed.

Johnny took a deep breath and just barely managed to pick Ponyboy up. He held the taller boy at his hip and looked up at him. "Do you want some juice or milk? Will that make you feel better, little buddy?" He murmured tenderly. Ponyboy nodded and clung to Johnny, burying his face in the older boy's neck as his tears continued to fall. Johnny felt so bad for making his little cry.

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Johnny sat Ponyboy down in a chair near where he was standing. He got a carton of milk from the refrigerator and one of Ponyboy's sippy cups from the cabinet. He gently poured some of the milk into the sippy cup and microwaved it a bit so it'd be warm. Warm milk always helped Ponyboy sleep, even when he wasn't regressed.

After Johnny put the milk back in the refrigerator, he gingerly took Ponyboy's hand and led him back into their room. Once closing the door, he turned to Ponyboy. "Will you go to bed now? I won't give you your sippy if you don't at least lay down, alright?"

Ponyboy whined but nodded his head slightly, which made Johnny smile. He finally agreed to go to bed. Johnny sat the sippy cup down on the nightstand by the bed and helped Ponyboy into bed. Then, he gave Ponyboy his sippy, who happily drank it. After that, Ponyboy cuddled up against Johnny, wrapping his arms and leg around the older boy. Johnny kissed the littles head and quietly hummed a soothing melody to help Ponyboy fall asleep.