Ponyboy rushed to the hospital right after school the next day. He had heard from Two-bit that Johnny was going to be released that day and he felt the need to be there for Johnny when his parents picked him up. He rushed past the nurse's station ignoring the "No Running!" commands that followed him. He dashed into Johnny's room to find the bed empty. The sheets had been changed, and were neatly folded at the end of the bed awaiting the next patient. Ponyboy rushed back out to the nurse's station.
"Uh, my friend Johnny, did he already go home?" Pony asked an annoyed looking nurse sitting behind the counter.
"Yes his mother picked him up a few hours ago."
"Thanks." Ponyboy said as he dashed out of the hospital towards Johnny's house.
He made it to Johnny's in no time at all. He bounded up the porch steps and knocked on the door. When no response came, Ponyboy opened the screen door and knocked again on the wooden door. The force of his knocking pushed the door open. "Hello" he called into the house.
"Pony?" He heard a hushed voice say from the couch. Ponyboy turned to see Johnny still looking weak and pale curled up at the end of the couch. "What are you doing here man?" Johnny asked.
"Well I went looking for you at the hospital and they said you were sent home."
Johnny just nodded his head in response. Ponyboy walked over and sat beside him.
"You alright Johnny?" Ponyboy asked wrapping a comforting arm around Johnny's shoulders.
Johnny's eyes were full of fear and sadness and Pony hated seeing him so fragile and unhappy.
"Ponyboy." Johnny said. "Get me out of here man. I can't stand to be here anymore."
"Where do you want to go?"
"I don't care; I just can't be at this house anymore."
Ponyboy got to his feet and helped Johnny up as well. "Come on Johnny." He said. "We're going to my place."
Ponyboy had to support Johnny all the way back to his house. Johnny would fall into coughing fits, and his body was still sore, from all of the bruises. When they walked into the Curtis house Two-bit was sitting in front of the TV watching a Mickey Mouse cartoon. Sodapop and Darry would be home from work very soon.
"Hey boys!" Two-bit said cheerfully, as they walked into the house. "What kind of trouble ya'll up to now?"
"Ain't up to no trouble." Johnny said as he dropped himself onto the couch.
"Johnny's going to be staying here for awhile." Ponyboy said.
Johnny just looked at him, surprised. "I can't stay here Ponyboy."
"Why not?"
"Well, cause you got enough to worry about here and Darry ain't gonna want me here."
"Of course Darry would!" Ponyboy said.
"Of course Darry would what?" Ponyboy turned to see his oldest brother standing in the doorway
"Godammit Ponyboy why do you put me in these situations?" Darry shouted. Darry had drug Ponyboy to the kitchen so they could talk. "I've got all I can handle keeping you fed. I can't afford to take care of Johnny too."
"You're not gonna take care of him. I'll get a job. I'll feed both of us."
Darry sighed with frustration. "No you ain't getting a job. School is your job. You just keep your head in the books where it belongs."
"Well I can't send Johnny back to that house. I can't leave him alone and he's scared, and he still ain't even well."
"We're not sending him back." Darry sighed. "He's family. I'm not gonna send him back. But dammit Ponyboy you two stay out of trouble you hear. They'll come and pick both of you up and put you in a boys home so you just stay out of trouble. Don't make me regret this."
Ponyboy smiled at his brother. "We won't and thanks Darry."
Ponyboy was walking out to living room to tell Johnny the good news, when Sodapop stopped him in the hallway.
"Hey Pony, what did Darry say?" Sodapop asked.
"He said that Johnny could stay."
Sodapop smiled. "That's good. I don't like the idea of sending him back to his parent's house. They're just not good people."
Ponyboy nodded in agreement.
"Listen Ponyboy I'm going to give up my half of our bed to Johnny. He needs it more than I do right now. I'll take the couch and that away you can keep a close eye on him. I don't think he should be left alone."
"I think you're right about that." Ponyboy said. "Thanks Sodapop." Ponyboy hugged his brother and then walked out of the living room to share the good news with Johnny.
Later that night Ponyboy walked into his bedroom to find Johnny already curled up on one side of the bed, sound asleep. Ponyboy quietly crawled under the blankets and stared at Johnny's back.
"Are you sure this is ok Ponyboy?" Johnny asked.
"I thought you were asleep." Ponyboy smiled, a bit startled. "And yes I told you already, of course it's ok."
"It means a lot to me man, you letting me stay here." Johnny's voice caught. He began sobbing and he tried his best to hide it from Ponyboy.
Ponyboy wrapped his arm around Johnny and pulled him in close to him so that Johnny was pressed right up against him. "Are you going to tell me what happened to you Johnny?"
"I can't." Johnny sobbed.
"I just want to help you." Ponyboy rested his chin on Johnny's shoulder. "You're important to my Johnny and I just hate seeing you like this."
Johnny turned over to look at Ponyboy. He stared into Ponyboy's warm and caring eyes. He realized then that this was his home. Not this house, but there in the arms of his friend, Ponyboy. That's where he felt the most loved, that's where he was the happiest. He felt safe and comfortable with Ponyboy. Before he realized what he was doing Johnny moved in and pressed his lips to Ponyboy's. He wanted to be as close to Ponyboy as possible. When he separated from Ponyboy he was afraid to look at his friend. He didn't know what had just come over him. Had he just ruined everything? The seconds felt like hours as Johnny waited for Ponyboy's anger and outrage. Instead Johnny felt Ponyboy's hand on the back of his head, as Pony pulled him in for another kiss. This time the kiss was longer and more forceful. It was as if Ponyboy was trying to consume him. His lips met Johnny's with strength and passion. Johnny parted his lips slightly and instantly felt Ponyboy's tongue penetrate his mouth. Their tongues rolled together in a way that Johnny had never experienced. When they pulled apart Johnny panted breathlessly, he stared at Ponyboy smiling at him.
Ponyboy didn't know what had just happened, but he loved it. He didn't know what this meant about him or Johnny, but he knew that he had to get closer to Johnny. He swung one leg over Johnny's hips so that away he was straddling him. He looked down at Johnny and tried to take in every detail of his face. His warm brown eyes, his olive complexion, his round pouty lips, every detail was beautiful to him. Johnny was smiling up at him. Why hadn't he seen this before? He ran his hands down the side of Johnny's stomach until he found the bottom of his shirt and lifted it up and off of Johnny. He ran his hands down Johnny's smooth chest, he wanted to touch him, but he wasn't sure what to do. He pulled off his own shirt and lay on top of Johnny so that their bare skin was touching. He kissed Johnny's soft lips again, running his hands through Johnny's hair.
Johnny's hands wandered over his back and Ponyboy reached for Johnny's wrist and lifted them up over his head pinning Johnny's arms to the pillow. He leaned down to kiss Johnny again, but he sat up when he felt Johnny struggling underneath him.
"Pony." Johnny muttered. Johnny yanked his wrist free and pushed Ponyboy off of him.
Ponyboy landed on the opposite side of the bed and sat stunned. "I'm sorry." He said.
Johnny sighed and dropped his face into his hands. "No, I'm sorry. It's not you."
Ponyboy sighed with relief. "What's going on Johnny?"
"I'm just too screwed up right now. I just can't handle things."
"I wish you would let me help you Johnny." Ponyboy said resting a hand on Johnny's shoulder. He watched as Johnny cradled his wrist. "I'm sorry." Ponyboy said. "I forgot about your wrist are you ok?" Ponyboy reached out to inspect Johnny's injury and Johnny jumped out of bed and ran into the restroom, locking the door shut behind him.