Joanie sat on her porch, idly running her hand over a large daisy rooted to the ground, when Chachi came up with a Styrofoam cup in his hand, and held it out to her.
"Gotcha some ice cream." he said shyly.
Joanie took the offering and looked down. He knew her favorite, butter pecan with hot caramel sauce. He'd even remembered the crumbled Nestle's Crunch Bar on top. She smiled at him.
"That's sweet, what's this for?"
"I... I've been feeling like a heel. All afternoon." he admitted quietly, and handed her the small plastic spoon.
Joanie's eyebrows went up, but she took a small bite, and her eyes closed in satisfaction. "Mmm..." she said, and Chachi smiled.
She looked over at him. "You're not. Why would you say so?"
"Because." he said flatly. "I didn't pick you up fireman style and just haul your butt out of that place." he admitted. "Because I couldn't bring myself to just tell you what kind of a place that was, because then you'd know that I-"
But, he was cut off when Joanie jammed the spoon into his mouth, full of ice cream, caramel and chocolate.
"Oh, my God, that is good..." he said thickly through his mouthful.
Joanie grinned, taking the spoon back. "I know, right? Anyway, I knew you worked there," she said softly, "and I was a complete jerk." she admitted. "You did try to warn me off." she said a bit morosely, taking a huge bite.
"You figured I worked there, it was a safe place." Chachi offered.
"Don't make excuses for me. I mean, yeah, I did, but... I should've listened to you."
"I should've been more forthright," Chachi said firmly. "If I had just said, 'get outta here, this is a naked place', or dragged you out..." he sighed, running a hand through his longish black hair. "I'm sorry, I am. I went to get Fonzie and Richie, but I think you were already gone. See? I was too chicken to drag you out myself."
Joanie rolled her eyes, shoving another spoonful into his mouth. Chachi smirked at her.
"You're being stupid. I wasn't listening to what you were trying to tell me." she said softly, blinking.
"Because I wasn't being clear." Chachi said, shoving the spoon into hermouth this time.
Joanie looked at him in surprise.
"I was ashamed, Joanie," he said, looking at her sincerely. "I was ashamed because until you stepped through that door, I wasn't thinking of those ladies as people, just naked bodies," he admitted. "Then, I saw you, and it's like alarm bells were off everywhere. I wanted to protect you, I just didn't want you to think I was skuzz." he admitted.
Joanie looked at him curiously.
"Those girls in there? They're mostly older, but until you walked through that door, I never thought about the fact that at one time, they were fresh and innocent, and sixteen... sweet and beautiful and pure... Somewhere along the way something happened that it became okay to them to sell their bodies..." he blinked.
Joanie smiled, touching a hand to his cheek. "You're really becoming a good man, you know?"
"I'm a man?" Chachi asked in an awestruck voice.
Joanie nodded.
Chachi smiled. "My whole life, I'll remember you as the first person to ever call me a man." he smiled, reaching out and taking a bite of sundae.
He then scooped out another spoon, and held it out to her mouth. She opened it slightly, and he smirked, putting it into his own. Joanie chuckled.
"Anyway, next time I'll listen to you, okay?" she said sincerely.
"Right, well..." he said, offering her another spoon, "next time I'll just take you out of there instead of asking someone else to do the dirty work."
"They didn't, you know," Joanie said, putting the cup down. "I left way before they got there. Richie came home and yelled at me, but I left the minute I found out what kind of place that was."
Chachi ran a hand through his hair. "Good... oh, God, good..."
Joanie shook her head, fluffing his hair a bit gently. "Give me a little credit. I have my own mind, and I'm not always some damsel in need of saving."
"Yes, you are." Chachi said flatly.
Joanie huffed, hands falling to her hips.
"No offense, it's just... I get it. You want respect. You just go about it wrong, and end up in messes you can't get out of. You're a trouble magnet, and you know that."
Joanie gave him a grudging smile. "Okay, sometimes, maybe..."
Chachi smirked at her.
"I don't think you could've dragged me out." she challenged suddenly.
Chachi's eyebrows went up. "That so?"
Joanie nodded.
"Please... you're tiny." he scoffed.
"Even if I struggled?"
"Even if, stand up." he ordered, standing himself.
Joanie raised her eyebrows, but did as asked, and Chachi slung her over his shoulders with ease. Joanie yelped in surprise and raised up slightly.
"Chachi, what-"
But, suddenly, the movement caused Chachi to loose his footing and fall off of the porch, into a bush.
"Ow..."
Joanie looked down at him and giggled. But, suddenly, their eyes were locked, and their lips began moving closer, and closer, until...
"Okay, what hair-brained idiot leaves ice-cream on the steps?"
Joanie's head popped up. "Uh... hi, Rich."
Richie looked at her weirdly. "Why are you in the bushes?"
"I fell over?"
Richie shook his head at her. "Weirdo. Come on, you're gonna help me fix my shoe." he said, ushering her in.
Joanie gave a serendipitous wave to Chachi, who remained in the bushes, and Richie was none the wiser...