Chapter Four

Ponyboy slept thought the whole ride from Arkansas to Alabama. Johnny had to stop and check if he was alive once when he couldn't wake him up.

When they got to Cullman Johnny stopped by a diner for dinner. He'd been there before when he came down to find a house for him and Ponyboy to live in.

"Wake up, baby," Johnny said, shaking him a little.

Ponyboy slapped Johnny's hand away and went right back to sleep. How he could sleep that way, Johnny never knew.

"Come on. We're here," Johnny said, patting Ponyboy's chest. He was ready to bring out the big guns soon.

Ponyboy did the same thing, muttering something along the lines of "I don't care."

Johnny smirked and unbuttoned the top three buttons, just enough to get to the most sensitive part of Ponyboy's body. Johnny leaned down and licked his nipple slowly, making Ponyboy jump awake with a moan.

"Not cool, Johnny," he muttered, pushing his head away and quickly buttoned his shirt.

Johnny shrugged, opening his door. "Come on. I'm starving," he said, getting out.

"You can' leave me like this!" Ponyboy yelled, getting out and getting his hand over his crotch.

Johnny smirked and went over to him, "Is someone horny?" he whispered.

Pony pouted, "It's your fault."

"I'm sorry, baby. I can't do anything about it till we get home. This isn't like Tulsa," Johnny said, sighing.

Ponyboy sighed," I know. Maybe it'll go away."

Johnny nodded, "Let's just get something to eat," he muttered, turning around to go in.

Ponyboy nodded and followed, covering his crotch with his hand.

Johnny loved Ponyboy's hands. He didn't understand the weird fetish, but he loved the look of them. The way his fingers were shaped when he covered himself or the way he could see the veins, trace them with his finger.

Johnny watched his boyfriend as they went inside. He saw every twitch his fingers made or every time they rubbed against his crotch.

The two were seated at a booth by a young girl, around fifteen or sixteen. She seemed nervous, but it was understandable.

Johnny and Ponyboy were too good looking for their own good. At least, that's what Two-Bit told them.

The girl was probably mesmerized by the sight before her. Around there all the girls had too choose from were farmers and the occasional businessman. She'd most likely never seen men that looked like they did.

"W-What can I get you?" she asked, pulling out her pad of paper and pen.

"A burger," Ponyboy muttered, looking at the table top.

"Same and coffee. What do you want to drink, Pony?" Johnny asked, looking away from the girl and too his lover.

"Pop," Ponyboy answered.

"What?" The girl asked, never hearing the slang term.

"Pepsi," Johnny said smiling at her.

The girl blushed and scribbled it all down onto her paper.

Ponyboy smiled at her as she left. "She had the hots for you," he muttered to Johnny.

Johnny laughed, "Whatever, she was staring at you."

Ponyboy rolled his eyes and smiled at him. "Doesn't matter," he said, nudging his lover's foot under the table.

Johnny smiled and nodded.

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After they ate Johnny drove to the house he'd gotten them when he first came there. It was only about ten minutes away from the diner.

The house was small. It had on bed room and one bathroom. The kitchen and living room where together in a small space. The house had no furniture, because Johnny couldn't afford it and had no way of getting it there.

"I know it's not much…" Johnny muttered as they walked into the living room/kitchen.

"I love it, Johnny!" Ponyboy said, looking around the empty room.

Johnny smiled and watching him form the door way. "I'll get us some furniture as soon as I can. As for now, there's a pay phone right outside."

Ponyboy nodded, looking at the inside of the frig that the previous owner left behind.

Johnny smiled and went over to sit on the counter.

Ponyboy came over and put his hands on Johnny's knees. "I'm still a little horny."

Johnny grinned, putting his hand on Pony's head. "Aw, I'm sorry baby."

Ponyboy smirked and pulled Johnny off the counter. "Where?" He asked, looking around the house.

"It's your turn to pick,"

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The next morning Johnny got up early and got ready for work. He'd already gotten a job at the nearby hospital the week before.

Ponyboy had and interview that morning seeing as schools opened a few days from then.

"Johnny, what if I don't get the job?" Ponyboy asked, buttoning his shirt.

"You'll get the job, Pony," Johnny said, putting his clothes on and getting his scrubs together to take with him.

Ponyboy sighed and looked in the bathroom mirror, "What if I'm too young?"

"You've gone through school, Pony. You could be 80 and they'd still have to give you a chance. Age doesn't matter," Johnny muttered, fixing his hair.

"You already have a job," Ponyboy said, trying to do his tie.

Johnny rolled his eyes and kissed Ponyboy, "Calm down," he said, pulling away and started fixing his lover's tie.

"Sorry, just nervous," Ponyboy said, watching him.

"I can tell, but you'll do fine," Johnny said, finishing and patting his chest.

Ponyboy nodded and pulled his over jacket on, "Drop me off?"

Johnny smiled and nodded, grabbing his bag. "Come on," he said, opening the door for Pony.

Ponyboy stopped and kissed him quickly. "It's gonna kill me having to wait all day to do this again," He muttered against his lips.

Johnny pulled his boyfriend back into the house, kicking the door shut.

"You're gonna be late," Ponyboy said, pulling away and leaning on the door.

"Just one more kiss," Johnny said, leaning in.

Ponyboy smiled and gave him a short peck.

"Not cool!" Johnny said as Ponyboy walked out the door.

"I don't know what you're talking about, John," Pony said, opening the passenger door and winking at him.

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Johnny got to work a little late, not too late. He got there and met everyone he'd be working with. He was okay with all of them and was told to follow a girl named Mary Lou Jackson for his first few days.

She was a small girl, around his age. She had long blond hair and green eyes.

"You're really gonna like it here, Jonathan," she said as they walked around.

"Call me Johnny. I'm sure I will," Johnny said, smiling at her.

She nodded and went to their first stop.

An old man named Garry Holders.

"He has to take these pills every day at noon," Mary said, showing Johnny the plastic cup.

Johnny nodded and watched the old man dry swallow them all.

They left the room soon after.

"He doesn't have long," Mary said, looking over to Johnny. "Only about a week or two left."

"That's sad," Johnny said, looking back at the room. "Any family?"

"His wife and son drop by sometimes, but it hurts them so much to see him they've just stopped visiting. It's broken his heart," she answered.

Johnny nodded, looking around as they walked. "Have you tried calling them?"

"It wouldn't do anything now. The man's lost the will to live," Mary answered. "But don't worry about it, Johnny. They come and go you know…"

Johnny nodded, "Yeah."

Johnny and Mary stayed together the whole day. Johnny thought Mary was interesting and he was happy he'd met someone to talk to at work.

"You wanna come to dinner tonight with me and my boyfriend, Rick? We'll pay." She asked as Johnny changed into his normal clothes to go home.

"Sure, can I bring my friend? We both move here in the same house. Can't leave him alone too long," Johnny asked, not wanting to pass up a free meal.

"Of course you can bring him. Come to Ed's Diner at seven," Mary said as Johnny picked his bag up.

"We'll see you then," Johnny said, leaving the changing room.

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Johnny picked Ponyboy up from the book store he was at. The store was only a short walk from the school so he was gonna stay there from 3 to 6 when Johnny got off to come get him.

Johnny went inside and found him, "How'd it go?" He asked.

Ponyboy grinned and got out of his chair, "I got to job. I'm now a ninth grade history teacher."

Johnny smiled and nodded, "Let's get home, we got a dinner thing with someone I met a work tonight."

Ponyboy nodded and went outside and too the car, "We're gonna celebrate, right?" He asked, putting his hand on Johnny's leg as he drove.

Johnny grinned, "Oh course, baby."

"I can't believe it, our lives are turning out great Johnny," Ponyboy said as they pulled into the driveway.

"I told you they would," Johnny said, getting out and going over to Ponyboy. He smiled and pulled his lover's over jacket off. "You look really good," Johnny said, turning around to go inside.

Ponyboy grinned and followed close behind, shutting the door behind him. Johnny kissed him slowly. It was the way he always got Ponyboy into the mood.

"Johnny, we don't have time," Pony said, pulling away as Johnny's tongue darted out to lick his.

Johnny ignored him and pulled Pony closer, pushing his tongue into his mouth.

Ponyboy pulled away again, smirking. "You're being greedy."

"And you're being stubborn," Johnny muttered, kissing his neck.

Pony pushed him off, "Take a cold shower or something. We can celebrate after dinner."

Johnny sighed and nodded, grabbing a towel and some clothes.

Ponyboy grinned and watched him go, grabbing Johnny's ass.

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They got to the diner as soon ad Mary and Rick did.

Rick was a tall, heavy built man. Ponyboy thought by the way he looked he would get along with Darry fine. But after talking to him he knew he was wrong.

Five minutes into dinner Johnny and Ponyboy new everything there was to know about banking. Rick came all the way from New York to Alabama to open a bank with his best friend David.

Ponyboy was so bored he thought he would just kill over. No one else talked. Just Rick, telling them his life story.

Darry would have defiantly killed him by then.

Mary didn't pay attention to the stories she'd heard five million times. She just stared at Johnny.

Johnny was a little uncomfortable with it, but was also used to it ever since he got his scar.

"Where'd that scar come from?" Mary suddenly asked, cutting Rick off.

Johnny reached up and traced it. "I got it years ago…"

Ponyboy almost couldn't stop himself from glaring at her. "It was an accident," he said quickly. She wouldn't have understood the truth.

Johnny nodded, looking at the table.

"Well if you wanna talk about scars, I got just the story for you," Rick started.

"You know, I need to get home. I got some papers to fill out," Ponyboy said, nudging Johnny.

"Yeah, me too. I gotta get to bed. Got a long week ahead of me," Johnny said, getting up.

"See you in the morning Johnny," Mary said as Ponyboy pulled Johnny out of the diner.

They got in the car and Johnny sighed. "Thanks," he said referring to the scar thing.

Ponyboy smiled at him, "No problem." Ponyboy was glad that Johnny could make friends at his job, but he didn't trust Mary. Not one bit.