A/N: And here we have the second chapter of Rabbit Trails, a Curly x Johnny story. Mentions of Child abuse in this chapter.
I do not own any of the characters
Reviews are welcome and greatly appreciated.
Johnny breathed into his hands before rubbing them together, trying to spark some warmth as he followed after Curly. The young hood would occasionally turn back and look at him while looking around. They had passed by the DX a little while ago, and soon Johnny found himself on unfamiliar streets. He heard ruckus from a nearby house and he shuddered.
The houses seemed just as dingy and worn as the houses that lined the Curtis' street, proof that this was the East-side. He wondered what it would be like to live in a fancy house on the West-side.
Johnny was pulled from his thoughts as he was knocked back by Curly's arm. He looked around, wondering why Curly made them stop until he heard cussing and the sound of things being knocked over. Out of the dark space between two houses emerged two figures, one shoving the other into a gate and taking a few swings at him.
Curly gave him a grin. "Probably just Riker and Joe again. They're always trying to kill each other" He explained. Johnny didn't see why that was so funny but he remained silent as Curly motioned for him to continue following him. He was led past a broken wooden fence, the space being big enough that even Darry could fit through. His jacket got caught on one of the broken planks however, and he had to force himself from it, tearing a small hole in his jacket. He grumbled under his breath as he hurried after Curly.
"Well here's home!" He suddenly announced after he had led them to a decent sized house. The porch looked like it was slightly caving in, and Johnny could see that one of the front windows were cracked. Curly threw his arms out dramatically as if he were showing the place off before he made his way to the front. "C'mon Rabbit!"
Johnny jogged up to him, waiting as Curly opened the door to step inside. Upon entering Johnny was hit with warm stuffy air, with the smell of cigarettes lingering in the air.
"I'm home!" Curly suddenly yelled, looking around and listening intently for any sort of reply. Johnny noticed the way his shoulders slumped when he received no reply. "Well, looks like everyone's gone tonight like I thought. Well Rabbit, here is the Shepard residence."
Johnny finally found the will to speak. "W-Why do you keep calling me that? My names Johnny…Not Rabbit"
"Well you don't look like a Johnny to me right now. You look like a scared little rabbit, and you act like a rabbit too. So right now I guess you're a rabbit huh?" Curly laughed, his broad grin showing off his teeth again. Johnny didn't get his explanation, and simply jammed his hands in his pockets in response. He took a look around, noticing a worn sofa not too far away, with a TV placed up against the wall. He could spy a kitchen in the far back past a open-view counter, and a door near the kitchen.
Curly led him to a gray-wooden door that had a few holes scattered on it. It was likely a white-painted door but the years had wilted it down to an off gray color. Curly more or less kicked open the door, stepping inside before fumbling with a lamp, quickly lighting up the room.
To say Curly's room was a mess was a serious understatement. It was a disaster. Clothes were thrown all along the floor, several drawers belonging to a dresser were pulled open, the closet was wide open with boxes and clothes spilling forth from it. There were a few holes in the walls, along with some posters and pictures near a cracked mirror. The bed was seated against the far left wall, with a dark green blanket bunched up around dull sheets and two pillows dangling near the edge.
Curly let out a long sigh through his nose as he kicked off his shoes, tossing them near the small chair in the corner near his dresser and he flopped onto his bed, waving Johnny in.
"C'mon kid. Come in and close the door. There's a really small mattress in the closet, just gotta yank it out." He said, yawning as he turned on his side. Johnny stepped inside and close the door as Curly asked, stepping over clothes and a few boxes. He spied a football and some beer cans near the bed as he took a seat in the wooden hair.
"So, your parents….They yell a lot? y'know fight?" Curly suddenly asked, turning on his side and propping his head up with his hand. Johnny tensed, not liking how Curly would just try to pry into his life out of the blue.
"That looks says yes. But…" Curly trailed off, getting up and walking past Johnny to the closet. Johnny watched as he reached in and tugged out a really small mattress that looked like it belonged to a six or seven year old kid's bed. Curly dragged it back to his own bed, where he dropped it next to it and tossed a thin, white blanket over it. "Not much but it will do right?" He grinned, sitting on his bed as he stared at Johnny.
"Y-Yeah. Uh thanks for letting me stay and all." Johnny started, but Curly just waved his hand lazily.
"It's alright. No need for thanks. Like I said, I don't…." Curly seemed to tense up, pulling at one of his curls and he glanced out the window beside the bed. "I don't like being alone man. Maybe its all the quiet. I'm not used to that, y'know?"
Johnny sort of understood. After all the Curtis household was never quiet whenever he happened by it. Wherever Dally led him was never quiet, usually it was a party of some sort.
"Yeah I guess. Pony likes it though" He added as an afterthought.
"Curtis? Haven't run into him for a while. Got his head in books and papers right? Hey, he ever tell you we played Chicken once?"
Johnny looked perplexed. "You guys…What?"
"Yeah. At least until Tim came by, knocked us in the head good and told us he'd kill us if we ever did it again. Classic Tim…" Curly laughed, and Johnny realized that it was a bit different then how he usually laughed. Usually Curly had a habit of speaking a bit loudly, and giving rough, loud laughs as well. Especially when he was picking on someone. This time, Curly spoke a little quieter, and his laughs actually seemed…Pleasant. And genuine.
"Yeah. Neither of us hollered Uncle though."
"He's stubborn…" Johnny admitted,rubbing at one arm as he averted his gaze. Curly on the other hand wriggled out of his leather jacket and tossed it on the opposite end of his bed before he straightened his pillows.
"Yeah. Speaking of the nerd Tim wants me to head to school tomorrow, can you believe that? Don't see why I gotta, school is dumb. And whats the point since everyone thinks I'm dumb too right?"
"I don't think you're dumb…" Johnny muttered without really realizing what he said, it was a bit of a habit to cheer up people if he could.
Curly eyed him, tilting his head a bit. "Why you say that?"
Johnny wracked his brain for an answer. "Well maybe you're just smart at different stuff y'know. Like cars, kinda like Sodapop…" Johnny tried to explain, wringing his hands together nervously. His answer seemed to be good enough because Curly grinned.
"Didn't ever think like that before. I'm pretty good at poker and pool. Tim takes me along to games sometimes" He admitted proudly, dropping his elbow so that he dropped back onto his back. He gave Johnny another smile. "Ya' dig okay Rabbit. We better hit the hay if we want to make it to school though. Think Curtis will be there?"
Johnny nodded, deciding to drop down onto the mattress Curly had drug out for him. "Positive. Darry won't let him miss it unless he's really sick."
"Figures. Well night Rabbit. Get the light while you're there eh?"
Johnny looked around, finding the lamp resting against the wall closest to the door. He shuffled over and switched it off, bathing the room in darkness. The window allowed some moonlight to shed through, and Johnny could make out Curly's bed and where the mattress was.
The older Greaser shuffled his way past the articles of clothing around the floor until he made it back to the mattress. He decided to yank of his denim jacket and use it as a pillow, dragging the thin blanket Curly had given him over his body. He kept his shoes on, a habit he had even at his own house. Probably because he was always ready to make a run for it in case of fights. His usual method of escape was to dart out the back door and hop over the dingy fence that separated his back yard from the neighbors.
Johnny closed his eyes, head resting against his jacket as he pulled the blanket tighter around himself, drawing his legs up close. He liked sleeping. Sleeping meant he could dream of nicer things. At least most of the time his dreams were pleasant. Other times, not so much.
"Dammit boy! Put your hands down so I can crack ya'!"
"Da-no wait. I just-" The eight year old pleaded, hands still held over his face.
"Boy you got to three to lower them hands. Someone's gotta teach you to be a man and that means you're gonna take your beatings like one. Now lower them hands!" His father slurred, clenching one fist hard enough for it to make a cracking sound.
Sniffling, Johnny lowered his battered arms as he awaited for the inevitable hit.
Johnny's eyes snapped open, swiftly bolting upright as he hugged the blanket around himself. His heavy panting echoed through the room, and he almost yelped when he realized Curly was looking at him from the bed, eyes narrowed.
"You're crying." Was all he grunted out.
Johnny hadn't even realized that his cheeks were stained with tears. He turned away from Curly and wiped them away with his arm, cursing himself.
"You were making noises. Woke me up." Curly commented, shifting onto his side. "I don't like crybabies."
"Shoot man I ain't crying…" Johnny sniffled out.
"Sure. Whatever you say pansy."
Something about his mocking tone set something off in Johnny's brain. He couldn't stand it. It sounded so familiar, like the way his mother talked down to him. He felt…angry.
"Hell then if it bothers you so much I'll just leave!" He huffed, grabbing his jacket and attempting to rise to his feet, only to have Curly's hand shoot out and grab a fistful of his shirt and drag him back down.
"Calm the hell down. You're not going no where. Its raining moron, which means its probably even colder then before. You'd probably die of hypothermia. So quit your bitching and lay back down alright?" Curly hissed, turning his back on Johnny as he slid over to the wall. "Go to sleep Rabbit" he added after a moment.
Johnny glared at his back for a moment before he tugged the blanket up to his chin. The sounds of the rain hitting the house finally registered, and he realized Curly was right. It was raining. Not really heavy raining, but it was sure to be freezing. He really didn't have a choice did he.
Johnny groaned, lying on his back as he allowed his legs to stretch out, well over the ends of the mattress. He gave a last sniffle before he closed his eyes, forcing himself to calm down. 'It was just a dream' he told himself. He ignored the part of his mind that tried to remind him that it was more of a memory then a dream, and focused on the sound of the rain. He remembered a time where Soda tried to count the number of drops that hit the Curtis's roof during a card game with Steve, effectively annoying half the gang.
He smiled and turned himself over to his right side, losing himself into a much lighter slumber. His mind briefly registered the sound of rustling, but after a few minutes he was too out of it to try and see what was draped over him. It smelled kind of familiar, but at the same time it didn't.
Weird.
