Hello, My Name is Crazy.

Clean Up.

-Photo credits to myself. Most landscape photos we're taken by me if I use them.-

Ponyboy's POV

I got home late into the night after helping the neighbour to bed. Sodapop was awake and waiting for me looking anxious as all hell. He was worried sick. He asked me a million questions, to which I had very few answers. I don't know why he got shot. I don't know what kind of stuff he's into. I don't know who those people were. No Soda, he hasn't been bugging me. Yes Soda, I'll be safe. It went on for nearly an hour. Thank god Darry slept through it all so I didn't have to hear him bitch and complain. He would have wrung my neck for running out and helping him. By the time I get to bed, I cant fall asleep. By the time I fall asleep, I wake up within two hours. Sodapop goes to work, still in his training stage. And Darry heads off for his first day at the lawyers office. I pretend I'm asleep until they leave. Once they're both gone I get up and I shower. I dress in an older red sweater and my jeans with rips in the knees. They're not old though, they were made that way. I grab painkillers from the bathroom cabinet, a bottle of disinfectant, and some cotton swabs. Then I make my way across the street. I don't knock, I just walk in. Darling peeks around the corner timidly, only to come charging at me to shower me legs in kisses since she's too small to reach my face. I lean down and I pet her and I kiss her head and she wags her tail and yips happily. I hear a groan come from the top of the stairs and I lean over to look up them.

"Oh....it's just you.."

There stands my hoodlum 'friend' in his boxers holding a hand gun. His hair is a mess and the bandages on his side where he was shot look like they need to be changed. I stand up and I walk upstairs. The puppy follows me and I hold out my hand to help him, but he just shakes his head and stumbles back to his room.

"You look like shit."

"Huh?"

"I said you look like shit, kid."

"How kind of you, Jerk."

"Hey now, not like that. Did you go to sleep? You got ten pound bags under those eyes of yours."

"Oh...no. Soda was kind of freaked out, he wanted to talk for quite a while and I couldn't fall back asleep by the time he went to bed."

"Worrying about me?"

"Hardly."

"I find that hard to believe. You're back again this morning."

"I promised I'd come back. That has nothing to do with being worried."

"Whatever you say, kiddo."

"You're a jackass, just so you know."

"Thats mister professional jackass to you, boy."

"Whatever. Just hold still while I clean you up and change your bandages." 

"Aw, aren't you sweet. You came to take care of me, now didn't ya Ponyboy?"

"Im just going to fix you up and then I'm gone."

"You don't have to leave."

"If I stay, it'll only be to pet your puppy."

He smiles and he starts to laugh tiredly at me, shaking his head in amusement like he can't figure out why he's enjoying this. I pull his bandages off and toss them away before I dump some disinfectant onto his open wound. He screams, tells me I'm a fucking jagoff, and winces. I know it's gotta burn like crazy. I don't talk to him because there's nothing I can say to make it better. I rub polysporn over the wound and loosely I rewrap it with new bandages. I soak the cotton balls in peroxide and I clean the blood off of him carefully. When I'm done, he's smoking a cigarette and looking at me intensely. It's the same cold and yet angry look he usually wears. I don't understand him.

"All done. You got one of those for me?"

"The packs in the drawer, lighters on the shelf."

"Why thank you, Prince charming."

"The hell did you just call me?"

"Prince charming. Prince Dallas?"

I start to laugh and he looks annoyed and he shakes his head at me. I sit on the edge of his bed and I light one of his smokes and I stare at Darling on the floor. She's so cute, I can help but smile.

"Why Prince?"

"Because it's the exact opposite of you. Which makes for a great nickname."

"You're just full of compliments."

"You want me to go?"

"Darling would miss you."

He smiles a little and sighs softly. I can't help but shake my head at him. I can't tell if we're arguing or getting along. I don't know this guy from a hole in the ground so this could mean he likes me or he hates me and right now it's too soon to tell. I crouch down and start to pet the puppy, gently picking her up and cradling her in my arms. I take a seat on the edge of his bed and he just stares at me while I smoke and kiss the crap out of Darling. She loves it though. Her tail wags a mile a minute and she snuggles her face into my chest. He smokes and stares, watching the undying affection. I've always wanted a dog but I've never been allowed to have one. And she is just so adorable that I can't help but melt when I see her. I love puppies.

"Jeez, you kiss her any more and you'll end up her new mommy."

"You a single parent?"

I mock him and smirk and he plays along without missing a beat. He puffs out some smoke, smiles, and then let's out a loud weary sigh.

"Yep. It's just me and my little girl."

"So...can I be blunt for a minute? Why did you get shot? I mean, we're short in terms of being friends, but I am kind of falling in love with your dog...so I think I deserve to know."

He reaches forward and pets the puppy in my arms who scurries to kiss his face. In mere moments he goes from looking like an emotionless psycho, to a loving ball of mush laughing at puppy kisses. He hugs her and tells her she's a good girl and she barks and lays on his pillow.

"She loves you, that's for sure."

He murmurs and pets her head softly while looking up at me. My eyes are unwavering and his match mine. We stare into eachother and we're quiet and sure. We don't speak for a few minutes, we don't even make a sound.

"I probably shouldn't tell you. If anyone ever asks, I don't need you ratting me out or getting yourself into trouble."

"I won't repeat anything you say. You can trust me."

"Can I?"

"Im telling you that you can."

"I keyed a certain persons corvette, and then slashed it's tires. I'm not telling you why. The guy got my back on camera and he sent his people to take me out. Gang stuff. Don't ever repeat any of it, understand?"

"I would never tell anyone. I don't need trouble."

"Good. I'd like if you kept out of trouble."

"Why would you like that?"

"Because we don't want mommy hurt, do we Darling?"

She barks and wags her tail. He smirks, winks at me, and lights a smoke. I roll my eyes.

"Whatever you say princess."