Title: It's a Date

Characters: Peanut Romano and Johnny Vincent

TWs: Mentions of sex, but nothing graphic

Just a little Johnny/Peanut thing that I thought of. Unrelated to anything, I just wanted to write about one of my favorite Bully pairings lol. I hope you enjoy!

P.S. I know the title is rotten and has little to nothing to do with the story, I honestly couldn't think of anything better lmao

Peanut Romano sighed as he lay in his bed in the tenements. It was surprisingly warm that night, so the run-down Greaser hideout wasn't such a bad place to sleep.

He was currently almost completely alone, as all the Greasers had left a couple of hours earlier, deciding to head out to a bar and get drunk. All of them, but one. The one in his bed.

Johnny Vincent was lying, fast asleep, next to Peanut. He laid on his chest, arm draped over Peanut's stomach, and he was just as naked as his second-in-command.

Yes, they had just had sex. No, it hadn't been the first time.

Peanut let himself recount the night's events. He had been spending the evening alone in his room, he wasn't in a people mood tonight. He had been thinking, like he tended to do a lot. After Norton had come in and ask him if he wanted to go with them – and he had declined –, Peanut decided it was time to go to bed.

He had barely taken off his shirt, when the door to his room was kicked open. In came limping his heavily intoxicated boss. Peanut sighed, knowing what time it was.

"She broke up with me, P," Johnny slurred, obviously distressed. "She's been messin' around with that freaky sunovabitch Melvin. I confronted her, 'n she flat-out lied to me. She lied to me, Larry!"

Peanut walked over to his friend and guided him over to his bed. Johnny sat down shakily, Peanut sitting down next to him and patting his shoulder gently. "It's okay, Johnny, she don't deserve ya. You're so much better than her." It was his usual response. It had become a mantra for him.

Johnny clenched his fists angrily. "I'm gonna kill that stinkin' Nerd, P! I'm serious! He's gonna regret touching my girl! My queen!" And Peanut knew he was. He had that familiar dark, brooding look in his eyes that he always had when Lola cheated on him. While Peanut had always loved that brooding look, now was the time to try to stop Johnny from doing something he'd regret.

"What's that gonna do, boss? Those Nerds can be really dangerous. Melvin will go crying to Earnest and before ya know it we'll be at war with the Nerds. And is Lola worth that kind of trouble? Ya know she'll hurt ya again first chance she gets."

Peanut's words affected Johnny and he seemed to be coming to his senses. He sighed, suddenly looking very defeated. Peanut suddenly realized again how drunk his friend was. Johnny looked up at Peanut with a desperate look in his eyes.

"Why don't she love me, Larry? Why am I not good enough? Am I not handsome enough? Too poor?"

Peanut felt his heart break a little when he heard this. He hated it when Johnny got so low on himself. He recalled the times when Johnny's fragile little heart and his big ego weren't so easily broken by a chick who wasn't even worth his time. That was long ago. If only Johnny knew how Peanut looked at him and how strongly he disagreed with his best friend.

He put his arm around Johnny's shoulder and pulled him into a sideways hug, letting the other boy rest his head in the crook of his neck. "You ain't nothing like that, John. She's a slut and she ain't deserve ya."

"But I love her…" Johnny trailed off. They were silent for a while, Peanut listening to the other boy's shaky breaths. Then he felt Johnny sit up and looked at him.

His gaze was met with Johnny's, who looked just as intense. Then they closed the gap between them and locked their lips together.

Then they had sex.

This had gone on for quite some time now. Whenever Lola and Johnny broke up, Johnny would go get drunk and Peanut would have to go and find him. Or he would come find Peanut. The shorter boy was always ready to comfort him. His heart ached when he saw his best friend in such a state. As much as Johnny himself would never admit it, Lola always managed to hit him at his biggest insecurities. Peanut was the only one he trusted to see his sadness. He would never show weakness to the other guys.

At first, they would just drink a lot and maybe smash something. Then they would get serious and ask all kinds of existential questions and have deep conversations. Eventually, Johnny would start to doze off and Peanut would have to bring him to bed and tuck him in, while Johnny kept saying things like "I love ya, Larry" and "You're too good to me, I don't deserve ya". Johnny hardly ever used Peanut's nickname when it was just the two of them, knowing how much Larry hated it.

Although Johnny was usually heavily intoxicated when he started complimenting Peanut, he always meant it and Peanut felt his heart flutter whenever he heard his friend talk like this.

A couple of weeks ago, however, things changed.

Everything went as usual. Johnny came barging in, enraged, needing Peanut to calm him down. They would drink, smash and talk. But it was after talking that things got… Odd.

The conversation turned sexual, with Johnny asking if Peanut had already lost his virginity. He already knew the answer, being Peanut's best friend and all, but he wanted confirmation. Peanut answered with a short "no".

Johnny smirked and asked if he wanted to. Peanut became uneasy, but did reply with a "yes".

Then Johnny had asked, "With me?" Peanut's eyes widened. He had since come to the conclusion that Johnny hadn't asked because he suspected Peanut had feelings for him, but merely because he craved physical contact. Johnny could be very oblivious.

Peanut hadn't pushed Johnny away when he advanced on him, and they had sex for the first time that night. It felt natural, both boys knew exactly what to do to make the other feel good.

Afterwards, they both fell asleep. The next morning wasn't at all awkward. They talked and joked around and then went on their way. Johnny even gave Peanut a kiss on the cheek when he left.

Peanut had felt over the moon. He had thought his feelings had finally been reciprocated. But his happiness had soon disappeared when he noticed Johnny never wanted to talk about what had happened between them, or even wanted to acknowledge it had happened.

Peanut felt hurt and kind of taken advantage of. And yet, when the next time had rolled around, he did it again. And the time after that. And the time after that.

Johnny and Lola broke up often.

Peanut knew this situation wasn't good for him, but he couldn't stop himself. He loved Johnny so much that he craved any form of intimacy with him. He couldn't help letting his heart skip a beat when Johnny kissed him, even if it meant having it ripped in two mere days later, when Johnny and Lola got back together again.

Well, no more, Peanut thought. I won't put myself through this any longer. I can help him in other ways.

He was shaken from his thoughts when he heard a voice yell from outside his window. He rolled his eyes, recognizing who it belonged to.

"Johnny! Are you there?"

Johnny grunted and mumbled something, but he didn't wake up. Peanut took a moment to take in the other boy's resting figure. He looked so peaceful in his sleep, unbothered by the world.

"Johnny! I need to talk to you!" came the voice again.

Peanut, not wanting Johnny to wake up, carefully got out of bed and opened the window. He was greeted by none other than Lola. Her eyes, which were hopeful when Peanut opened the window, quickly hardened when she saw who she was faced with. When it was just Peanut and Lola, she was always cold.

"You're here early. Usually you wait a few days before you come crawling back," Peanut remarked nonchalantly.

"I was bored, figured he might be ready to take me back already," came the equally uninterested reply from Lola.

"I don't know if he is. You really crossed a line this time, Lola. A Nerd? You really stooped that low? I've seen him angry plenty of times before, but not this angry."

Lola shrugged. "Melvin was useful. I was failing a couple of classes."

Peanut still couldn't help but be surprised by how easily Lola could manipulate people to do her bidding and how she never seemed to have any remorse. Not even when she plays Johnny. He actually felt a bit sorry for Melvin.

"So, the rumors are true then? You and Johnny really are butt-buddies?"

"I don't really see how that is any of your business. You two are done, remember? He just comes to me 'cause I'm the only one that can calm him down when he gets like this."

Lola scoffed. "You really are pathetic, you know that Larry?" Peanut glared at her for using his real name. As much as he hated his nickname, he couldn't help but love the fact that only Johnny called him by his real name. Yes, he knew that was stupid.

"Maybe I am, but at least I still love and respect myself. At least I'm actually liked by other people." He didn't mean to be so mean, but Lola always succeeded in driving him to the edge.

Lola simply chuckled, although she was slightly taken aback. She recovered quickly. "Just give up, Larry. You're never going to get him. He only uses you to get over me, which doesn't even work, 'cause he always comes back."

"Maybe so, but I love him, Lola. More than you ever have and ever will. And as long as I love him, and he needs me, I'll never abandon him. Especially not at his lowest!"

It actually felt kind of nice to finally say those words out loud. He never did so before. But he quickly froze when he heard a voice behind him. "You love me?"

Peanut turned around and saw Johnny had woken up and stood at the edge of the bed. He had followed the entire conversation. "Johnny, I… I didn't mean-" he started, but he stopped talking when Johnny raised a hand to silence him. He had really done it now. He had fucked up, badly.

Johnny made his way over to him and Peanut was scared he was going to yell at him, or maybe even punch him. But he walked past Peanut and leaned out the window. "What are you doin' here? Just buzz off, will ya?"

Lola clearly hadn't expected Johnny to react this way. "B-But Johnny! I'm sorry!"

"Sorry, Lola, that's not doin' the trick no more. I'm done with ya. You fucked up a little too much."

"So, you're just going to leave me for this pathetic dog? Who does nothing but follow you around?" Peanut wouldn't admit it, but those words stung a little. They were true, after all. He did follow around Johnny a lot.

"Don't talk about Larry like that! Ya don't have the right! He has shown more love and appreciation to me than you ever have!" These words made Peanut feel a little better. This is one of the reasons he loved Johnny. No matter what, he always stood up for him.

"B-But Johnny!" Lola started, signature pout being replaced by desperation, but she was cut off by her now ex-boyfriend. "You've had your chance. Goodbye, Lola." With that, he shut the window.

They were quiet for a minute, Johnny looking at the thorn curtain, clearly in deep thought. Peanut kept looking at the floor.

Eventually, Johnny broke the silence. "Did ya mean what ya said? Do ya really love me?"

Peanut hesitated for a minute. Then, when he realized it's now or never, he answered. "Yes, I have for so long."

Johnny turned to face him and slowly walked towards his best friend. He fidgeted with his hands awkwardly, and he was clearly uncomfortable. "I… I think I love ya, too, Larry."

Peanut couldn't help but chuckle at his friend's confused expression. "Ya don't sound so sure, John."

Johnny smiled weakly. "Shuddap, what I mean is, I love ya. And I think as more than just my best friend. This is all very new to me, I'm no good at talking about this stuff, you know that. But, I mean, why would I keep having sex with ya if I wasn't attracted to you a lil' bit? And I don't know a single person who has cared for me as much as you, Larry. I care about ya, too. I was just too hung up on Lola to realize your feelings. I'm sorry."

Peanut smiled. Was this leading up to what he thought it was? "You don't have to be sorry, Johnny."

"I feel like I should be. Anyway, I don't even know if I'm gay. Are you gay? Maybe I'm only gay for you…" he rambled, before looking down, suddenly appearing very depressed. "All I know is, I wanna find all this out with you. I want to see if what I feel is real. But let's take things slow, I don't want everybody knowing already. That is, if ya wanta have me…" he added nervously.

Peanut could feel his heart burst with joy, but kept himself calm for Johnny's sake. He took Johnny's hand in his own and used the other one to raise Johnny's chin up, so they were looking at each other again. "Of course, I'll have ya. I'd be real stupid to let this chance fly. Findin' out who ya are and what ya feel, and then comin' to terms with it is difficult. Hell, even I'm not sure. But I'll help ya find your way, I love ya. And it's not like it's not what I been doin' the entire time." He chuckled, lightening the mood.

Johnny smiled at this and slowly leaned in, almost afraid to ruin the moment. Peanut sighed and pulled him in close, locking their lips together and closing the space between them in the first love-filled, not lust-filled, kiss of many to come. It felt perfect. Right.

When they eventually broke apart, gasping for air, they looked at each other with big, goofy grins.

"So, dinner tomorrow?"

Johnny laughed. "Sure, it's a date."