The Outsiders Stuff!

Kids (Oneshot)

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Dallas's POV:
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I hate kids. They're always so needy. Like that brat who's screaming his head off because her mom won't give her a doll in the aisle next to me. I just want to buy some damn shit, not for my ears to bleed! Damn asshole kid.

I scoffed as I relocated myself to get away from those damn bratty noises. I could've given them a piece of my damn mind, but I'm honestly not feeling like it today. I decided to go to the liquor aisle because I'm out and I'd need some if Two-Bit decided to crash at my place. I don't really drink much myself, but that guy, man, he's gonna need a new liver by 25.

I put in a few cans of beer into my cart, then strolled around the store, grabbing whatever caught my eye (that was affordable). I got some snacks, water, and other random shit. Then I got lost in the toy aisle. It was the part of the store I hated the most. I saw like two toddlers drooling on a Barbie doll, which grossed me out. Is nobody watching these damn brats?

I walked the other way, casually browsing. I probably wasn't gonna buy anything here, though. Toys are for stupid kids, and nobody I know really plays board games. Maybe the Curtis guys did, before their folks died, but I haven't seen anything over there lately.

I got to the plushie aisle and saw something that reminded me of someone I knew. I was never the type to have stuffed animals, but, why the hell not? I still have a few bucks on me. I'll probably give it away to someone I don't like to fuck with them, anyway. It's not for me.

I put it in my cart and hid it under a shirt. I'd never hear the end of it if someone I knew caught me with such a stupid thing. Anyway, I went to the checkout and slid the cashier a fake ID for the booze. I could pull off looking older than I actually was, since I've seen some stuff that made me grow up faster than I should've. Luckily, it worked this time and they bought that I was old enough to buy it. I looked around for anyone I knew as they scanned the plush I snagged last minute, hoping no one was there to see it. I guess I had good luck today, 'cause I didn't recognize a soul. I grabbed the bags of random shit I bought, then went to crash somewhere after lazily putting the cart away.

I dropped the shit off at the room I was using at Buck's. I didn't feel like putting up with my old man, and Buck didn't care if I crashed here or not, as long as I didn't take too much of his shit.

I decided to go for a late night walk afterwards. I was kinda bored, and had nothing else to do. I could get into a fight, or rob somewhere, but I didn't want to go to juvie again. So, I just walked.

I decided to go to the lot, then tripped over something.

"Bastard." I got up and noticed I tripped over a newspaper-covered kid: Johnny. I wiped my jeans off and helped him up.

"Damn it, man. Why're you out here, stupid? It's cold." I took the old, ratty newspapers off of him and dusted him off. He looked kind of sleepy. I probably woke him up by tripping over him. He also looked a little... off. His nose looked kind of red, but it could've just been the cold. I scoffed and led him to Buck's with me. He didn't protest, which was good. Made it easier, since I didn't have to grab and manhandle him to get him to warmth. He's stubborn sometimes, like a bratty two-year-old. But he's never actually bratty. He can get a little sassy, but it's just a joke.

I opened then closed the door to Buck's and dragged Johnny up to my room. I set him on the bed and decided to unpack the stuff I bought earlier. I hid the plush in a shirt and shoved it in a drawer. It was stupid to buy it, but then again I did do a lot of stupid things.

I looked back at Johnny, who hadn't really moved from where I set him down. Now that he's in better lighting, I could see that he didn't look too hot. Actually, scratch that. He looked really hot, like he had a fever. I put the back of my hand on his forehead, then compared the warmth of his to my own. It felt like he was burning up.

"Damn, Johnny, you're warm. The hell were you doing, sleeping outside like that when you're obviously sick?"

Johnny groaned and looked up at me with those damn doe-eyes.

"...'m fine..."

"Bullshit. You look like a wet rat."

"No, I'm fine..." I scoffed at Johnny's denial. The kid was obviously sick. And annoying.

"Shut up. You're sick. And an idiot." I threw a blanket over the stupid kid and got up. Now I have to take care of a needy thing. Great. Oh, and now I have to sleep in the floor because the shit's on my bed. Lovely.

I went downstairs to try and make soup. I was a bad cook, but soup was easy enough. I just had to make sure nothing catches on fire and I'd be fine.
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I finished the soup, and put it in a bowl. I didn't know if Johnny liked chicken noodle, but the bitch was sick and he was gonna eat something whether he liked it or not. He was too skinny anyway.

I carefully brought the soup upstairs and set it on Johnny's lap.

"Eat."

"But I'm fine..."

"Eat right now, asshole."

"Fine, jeez." Johnny grabbed the spoon, but his hand was shaky.

"Damn it, let me do it. Shaky-ass." I took the spoon from Johnny and fed him like he was two. I was babying him, which wasn't that fun. He was old enough to take care of himself. But he didn't, and now the asshole's sick. Great.

...but at least he was eating. Even if he had to be fed like a baby bird. I wasn't complaining about that. But eventually he stopped, so I put the bowl on the nightstand because I assumed he was full. When I looked back at him, after putting the bowl away, he still looked miserable. He was shaky and definitely had a fever. I didn't have any medicine lying around, so he'd just have to tough it out.

I sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at Johnny. He looked tired and sick, which was accurate for his situation. He probably made it worse by staying out in the cold, too. He's so stupid sometimes, but he's just a dumb 16 year old, so what else can you expect?

He groaned a little, since he wasn't feeling too good. I rolled my eyes and got up. I rummaged through my drawers for something for him, then saw the shirt-wrapped plush. It was a black-furred puppy one. It kind of reminded me of Johnny, now that I think about it. I decided to give it to him since he wasn't doing so well. Maybe I didn't have to give it away to someone I hated.

"Hey, Johnny..." I sat down back on the bed and handed him the stuffed animal. His sickly brown eyes lit up ever so slightly, and he reached for the plushie with a shaky hand. I pulled it back just to tease him, then let him have it. He fidgeted with the stuffed animal's legs and ears. It was childish, but a little cute. I'd never admit it, though.

Johnny played around with the toy for a while more, then yawned.

"Just go to sleep, man. You need it." I messed with Johnny's hair and tucked him in. I grabbed a few spare blankets and a pillow to make a makeshift bed on the floor. The bed in the room was just a twin, so there wasn't enough room for me to snag some bed space. And besides, Johnny was sick, so he deserved it more than the floor.

I finished setting it up, then looked back at Johnny. The poor kid was already asleep. He looked a little more at peace since he was sleeping. I pushed some hair out of his face and looked at it. Maybe all kids weren't so bad...

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