A/N: A load of fluff for you :)

About the length of the chapters - It varies from chapter to chapter. It depends on where there's a suitable place to cut. And instead of aiming to make them longer in general, we try to post more often. We're guesing you would rather have more frequent updates than longer chapters. I'm editing as fast as I can without getting sloppy.

Chapter 37 – "It's delicious"

Darry knocked on Sodapop's door the next morning and when no one answered, he opened it slowly and went inside.

Soda was lying on his side, resting his head on his lower arm and having his other arm around Johnny, who lay cuddled up against him.

Darry carefully shook his brother and pushed some of his dirty hair out of his face.

"Soda? Hey, Sodapop…"

"Mmm... no..." mumbled Soda, furrowing his eyebrows. "Go 'way..."

Darry sighed and shook him again. "Soda, you need to take your meds. It's already 8 o'clock and I'm gonna be late for work."

Only half-awake, Sodapop pulled the covers up over his head to hide under them as he used to do when he was younger and didn't want to get up (Not that it happened often that he didn't want to get up).

"Soda, for Christ sake..." Darry sighed again and placed the pills and the glass of water on the nightstand. "You can sleep again after. If you don't take your pills you're gonna wish you'd stayed at the hospital."

Sodapop opened his eyes and saw that Johnny was still sleeping soundly. He looked horrible with soot and dust smeared all over his face, but it was the best sight he could have wished for. Johnny - alive and in Soda's bed. Besides, Soda reckoned he didn't look any better himself, right now. He reached out for the pills and water and lay back down when he had eaten them, falling asleep almost instantly.

o0o0o

The sun broke through the clouds and seeped between the blinds. The warm rays reached Soda's sleeping form as well as Johnny's exposed arm.

"F... fire..." mumbled Johnny, stirring a bit.

He couldn't see anything. The smoke was too thick and the fire was blazing hot behind him. He could feel the heat on his back and even though he ran, it kept gaining on him. He fell. He lost his glasses and fumbled around for them, but they were gone. Now he couldn't see anything at all, but could feel the heat get closer and closer.

Still asleep he cried out, "Fire! Help me!"

Sodapop woke with a start and grabbed a hold of the boy tossing about next to him.

"Johnny. JOHNNY! It's okay. There's no fire. You're safe, here with me. "

Johnny's eyes shot open and he looked up at Sodapop with horror written all over his face. He had trouble breathing and tears were welling up in his eyes.

"Come on," said Soda and pulled Johnny into his arms. "It's okay. It's over. No one got hurt."

Johnny clutched desperately at Soda and pressed his face into his neck. "I... I got so scared," he said as he started to cry. He hated crying but this had really shaken him.

"I know," cooed Soda and rocked Johnny gently. "Me too. I was so afraid you wouldn't make it out. But you did, and everything's fine now."

Johnny looked up at Soda and then pulled his face down so their lips met in a soft kiss.

"It's okay," said Soda again and tried to wipe a tear off Johnny's cheek, only succeeding in smearing out the soot.

"What'ya say we take a nice hot shower together, throw on some clean sheets, and get right back into bed?" asked Soda. "And then we don't have to leave for the rest of the day if we don't want to."

Johnny nodded. "I'd like that." He really could use a day in bed. Just lie there with Sodapop and not have to do anything but enjoy his company. He sat up slowly, still feeling a bit dizzy from hyperventilating.

Soda got up as well and took his hand, leading him to the bathroom. It didn't seem like anyone was home. Darry was likely at work and Ponyboy in school.

Sodapop turned on the water in the shower and let it run so it could get hot. Then he started taking his clothes off. He was still wearing the jeans and shirt he had been wearing last night when the alarm had gone off. He hadn't bothered taking them off when he got into bed.

"I'll never get tired of undressing you," said Soda as he pulled Johnny's top over his head.

"I... I'll never get tired of you doing it," Johnny smiled shyly.

Soda sent him a smile and felt the water, adding some cold water so it was just the right temperature, and then he got in and reached out a hand to help Johnny in as well.

It was wonderful feeling the hot water splashing against his face and streaming down his body, taking along all the soot and dirt. Sodapop squeezed some shampoo out in his hand and started washing Johnny's hair. Johnny closed his eyes and enjoyed it as Soda dug his fingers into his hair and gently massaged the shampoo into it.

"We'll ask Steve to take us to town later so we can buy you a new pair of glasses and some new clothes for you," said Soda. He just realized that Johnny had lost everything he owned in the fire.

Johnny leaned forward and placed his face against Soda's shoulder again, giving a slight nod. "I... I'd like to go and see the dorm. M-maybe something is still intact."

Sodapop sighed. "Yeah, alright. But don't expect anything. You said the fire started there so it's most likely completely gone."

Johnny stood for a moment not saying anything. Had it really been that bad? He remembered waking up and feeling the fire on his left side. That was in the direction of the computers. Maybe it had been a lose wire or something that had started it. Or had Victor and Harry really...?

"It sounds like a good idea... to go to town," he said.

"Okay. If you're worried about the money, don't be. The school insurance is bound to give you compensation."

"I don't' care about the money," Johnny mumbled, still having his face against Soda's shoulder. He knew Soda meant well and it was good that Johnny didn't have to worry about getting new glasses and clothes, but what if everyone would think that he started the fire? He was the only one there.

"Soda..." he started. "W-what if... what if people think I started it?"

"They won't, Johnny. Victor and Harry were smoking. I can testify to that. And so can a lot of other people, I'm sure. If the technicians find the reason, I bet ya they'll find that it's a cigarette. And you don't smoke. The idiots probably threw a bud in the trash can without making sure it was properly stubbed."

"Probably..." Johnny said and smiled a little. Soda always knew what to say and he was right; of course people knew Victor and Harry smoked and Johnny didn't. "Will... will you go with me to look for my things?"

"Of course," said Soda and kisses Johnny's forehead. "I'll do anything for you, haven't you learned that yet? Go through fire and water and all that. Ain't that what they say?"

"Well..." Johnny said slowly. "You've already gone through fire... and I guess this can count as the water part."

Johnny sent Sodapop a warm smile, his hands still on his chest as he looked up at him. Soda still had a few spots of black in his hair and on his face so Johnny moved a hand up and used his thumb to remove a stain on Soda's cheek.

They showered until the water went cold and by then they were as clean as they could possibly be. Soda draped a large bath towel around Johnny's shoulders and left him in the bathroom to go put clean sheets on the bed. Then he ordered Johnny to bed and went into the kitchen to find some food. He came back with a plate of chocolate cake and a jug of orange juice.

My favorite breakfast - as you know," he grinned as he dumped the plate in front of Johnny and threw himself on the bed, making the cake jump half off the plate.

Johnny tried to stop the cake from tipping onto the clean sheets. Then he looked over at Soda and smiled. He broke off a corner of the cake and moved it over to Soda's lips.

"Here you go..."

Soda ate it and made a big deal out of licking Johnny's fingers completely clean, all the while fixing him with dancing eyes.

Johnny gulped and felt his cheeks start burning as he watched Soda lick his fingers. It made his body shiver slightly and he took a deep breath before speaking. "D...did it taste... g-good?"

"Mmm, it's delicious. Try some," said Soda and fed Johnny a small piece the same way.

Johnny opened his mouth and let Soda feed him the piece. Copying Soda, he licked Soda's fingers slowly. "You're right. It's really good."

Sodapop grinned and let Johnny feed him another piece. He sucked his forefinger clean from root to top, noticing Johnny's eyes getting wider and wider.

"You're imagining me sucking on something else than your finger, ain't ya?"

"N-no…" Johnny said and turned his head away, feeling himself blush.

"Don't lie to me," said Soda and gave Johnny's middle finger the same treatment.

Johnny's breathing hitched and he couldn't stop his gaze from gliding back to Soda's mouth.

"H-how can I think a-anything else now that you say it?"

"Just say the word and I'll make it happen," said Soda in a husky voice. "Unless you're too tired..."

"I… I ain't tired," Johnny gasped.

"Okay," said Soda and pushed Johnny onto his back, shoving a fat pillow under his head.

He took Johnny's forefinger in his mouth again and sucked on it for a moment before slowly trailing his tongue down the length of his arm towards his shoulder, all the while keeping eye contact.

"Just relax and enjoy, okay?" Soda mumbled against the skin of Johnny's neck

Johnny leaned his head to the side and nodded. "O-okay..."

Sodapop trailed kisses along Johnny's collarbone and his chest where he latched on to a nipple and sucked lightly, worrying it with his tongue. He could feel Johnny tense up and his breath hitch.

"S-Soda," Johnny gasped as he felt Soda bite lightly on his nipple. His body was on full alert now and he dug his fingers into the sheet under him as Sodapop slowly worked his way down.

Soda put his hands on the towel around Johnny's waist. "I think you're dry enough to lose the towel..." he said and pulled it off.

Soda leaned down again and kissed his boyfriend's stomach, letting the tip of his tongue delve into his belly button before he moved further down. He kissed Johnny's hip and upper thigh while he took a gentle hold of his length.

"You didn't change your mind? You wanna rest instead? Or finish your breakfast?" teased Soda.

"I - I ain't tired," Johnny repeated. And eating was certainly the last thing on his mind right now.

Without warning Soda took Johnny in his mouth, sliding as far down as he could.

Johnny's mouth dropped open and a loud gasp of surprise escaped him. "O… Oh, G-God," he stuttered.

Soda went on to lick and suck the same way he had done with Johnny's finger. After a few minutes he slid off and, looking up at Johnny, asked, "Good?"

Johnny's mind had gone completely blank and it took him a few seconds to register that Soda was talking to him.

"It feels s-so good..." Johnny breathed, pushing himself up on his elbows so he could get a better look at Soda.

Soda smiled innocently up at him. "Better than the cake?"

"You're better than anything else at all," Johnny sighed and blushed as Soda smiled at him.

Johnny's words made Soda grin from ear to ear. "Well, that's a complement," he said and lowered his head again to continue his work.

Johnny tilted his head back with a moan and as his arms started to shake, he lay back down, adjusting his legs a bit to give Soda better room.

"Oh… God... S-Soda..." He bit his lower lip hard to stop himself from babbling on.

Soda wanted to tell him not to stop himself talking - that he loved to hear him - but he didn't want to interrupt what he was doing again because he could feel that Johnny was nearly there, so instead he hollowed his cheeks and sucked harder and faster while flattening his tongue and against the underside of Johnny's cock.

Feeling Soda sucking harder, Johnny felt himself spiralling towards climax. Pressing his head back in the pillow and bending his back like a spring, he moaned out his completion. He was lying with his eyes closed, breathing hard when Soda moved back up.

"Hey," said Soda, softly nuzzling Johnny's neck. "You okay?"

Johnny tried to catch his breath and kept his eyes closed for a few more seconds before he finally opened them and looked up at Soda. "Yeah… I'm okay. Just a little dizzy. It felt so good…"

He raised a shaking hand and placed it on Soda's cheek as he looked up at him. Soda smiled warmly and it filled Johnny with happiness. He felt so loved when Soda looked at him like that. Like nothing could ever hurt him as long as they were together.

"Good," smiled Soda and ran a loving hand over Johnny's hair. He took the towel to wipe up the mess and then tossed it on the floor. "And now: cake," he said and tried to salvage what he could of the cake, which had been spread out on the sheet.

"I guess we need to clean the sheets again," Johnny said and rolled onto his stomach, watching Soda.

"Yeah, we're a couple of pigs," grinned Sodapop. "But later, right? Get under the covers, baby, so you don't get cold."

They ate the cake and drank the juice and Soda got under the covers as well, lying on his side to face Johnny.

"I love you, do you know that? I mean, really, really love you," he said in a soft voice.

Johnny lay and watched him and felt a blush appear on his face and his insides grow warm.

"I know," he said softly. "And I love you too. I… I don't ever wanna be without you."

Earlier he would have hesitated with the last sentence because he hadn't wanted to scare off Soda in case he wasn't ready for such deep commitment. He had also been afraid to expose his deepest feelings for fear of rejection, but now, after what had happened yesterday, he knew that Soda meant every word he said.

Soda smiled. "Good. 'Cause I don't intent on leaving you alone." Then his smile disappeared. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost you. I don't think I could take it. I realized that last night when you didn't come out and I thought you might…" He trailed off and swallowed a lump.

He couldn't remember ever having been that scared in his life. He probably hadn't.

Johnny's gaze dropped. "I thought I was gonna die... And all I could think about was that I wasn't gonna see you again." He raised his gaze again to look at Soda. "But then I heard your voice... I tried to move toward you... I did. I just felt so weak and I hate myself for not being able to get out. That you had to risk your life to go in after me. I've walked those halls every day for half a year and suddenly I couldn't find my way out."

"It's okay," said Soda and kissed him. "I didn't mind going in after you. I'm just glad I was there."

"Me too," Johnny said and kissed him back.

A/N: Remember to check out the illustration for the chapter (link on my profile).