Ponyboy and Curly have been avoiding each other since that day in Ponyboy's room almost a month ago. All Ponyboy could hear was Curly's voice saying "It's only queer if you like it." And he had liked it. He liked it a lot. He didn't want to think about what that meant. He wasn't gay. He couldn't be. He refused to be.
Ponyboy had decided to start going steady with Katie. She was easy to be around and had a nice laugh. Ponyboy didn't like kissing her though. He didn't like the stickiness of the lip gloss she wore.
He kissed her more out of an obligation that he felt, then any type of enjoyment. He also didn't want to think about not wanting to make out with your girlfriend meant.
Ponyboy knew that eventually he'd run into Curly again, it wasn't exactly the biggest city in the world. He just wished he hadn't run into him on a date with Katie.
Ponyboy saw him while waiting for Katie to come out of the bathroom. He was with a girl, and they were making out. Ponyboy could see him shoving his tongue deep into her mouth.
Ponyboy turned away in disgust that they would act that way in public, he could hear grunts, but he was also disgusted for another reason…he was disgusted because he was jealous. It wasn't that long ago since Curly was shoving his tongue in Ponyboy's mouth.
Ponyboy couldn't help but look back and suddenly Curly's eyes opened, his blue eye gaze holding Ponyboy's green eye gaze.
He didn't stop kissing her, while he watched Ponyboy through half open eyes.
"Sorry it took me so long," Katie's voice is what broke Ponyboy out of his trance.
Licking his dry lips, he forced a smile. "No problem."
Katie slipped her hand into Ponyboy's and she stared up at him with adoring eyes and he felt a stab of guilt. He had a girlfriend, he shouldn't be thinking of anyone else, especially not another guy.
"We better get into the theater," Ponyboy said, giving Katie's hand a squeeze, but before they could turn, Curly called out Ponyboy's name.
Ponyboy swallowed and tried his best to mask any emotion.
"Hey, buddy," Curly greeted Ponyboy. "Long time no see."
"Busy with school and track," Ponyboy answered, avoiding eye contact.
Curly turned his attention to Katie. "Haven't seen you at any parties lately, haven't been as much fun without you there."
He winked at her and Ponyboy felt anger bumbling up inside of him.
Here Curly was flirting with Ponyboy's girl right in front of him and in front of the girl he brought, who Ponyboy hated to see that even with all the make up caked on her face she was quite pretty. He also couldn't help but notice that she had green eyes.
Katie smiled politely. "I'm sure that's not true, Curly."
She let go of Ponyboy's hand and hugged his arm instead.
Katie looked at the girl at Curly's side. "I'm Katie," she introduced herself.
"Anne," The girl replied back in a bored tone, before letting out a yawn.
Katie always the polite one said. "Well, if you guys are seeing the movie, we should all sit together. Wouldn't that be fun?"
"That would be fun," Curly answered in an overly chipper voice.
Curly was lucky that looks couldn't kill because the look Ponyboy sent him would have had him dead and buried.
Ponyboy wasn't sure how it happened but he ended up sitting next to Curly with the girls on either side of them. He set stiffly in the chair; each muscle wound up tightly.
"You okay?" Katie asked, stroking her fingers down his arm.
"Fine," Ponyboy forced a smile.
Katie gave him a doubtful look, but didn't push it. The theater was almost completely empty besides the four of them.
Curly turned in his seat and leaned forward to address Katie. His knee pressed into Ponyboy's thigh and he couldn't seem to focus on anything else, just the warmth of his body.
"Tell me something, Katie." Curly was so close that Ponyboy could feel his breath on his face. "Who's the better kisser?"
"Ponyboy," Katie answered without hesitation, smiling at Ponyboy, who could only offer a weak smile back.
Ponyboy didn't want to think about the fact that Katie and Curly kissed before. He shouldn't care, it was long before Katie and him even went out, but he knew that's not what bothered him. He knew he was upset for the wrong reason.
"I'm wounded!" Curly put a hand over his heart, feigning hurt. "Ponyboy…" Curly leaned in closer. "who's the better kissing Katie or- "
"Katie!" Ponyboy said, cutting him off before he could name any names.
"You didn't let me finish," Curly flashed a cat like grin. "Or is Katie the only person you kissed?" Ponyboy didn't miss the way that Curly emphasized person and Ponyboy glared at him.
"She's the only person that I kissed that has mattered." Ponyboy smirked and congratulated himself on the line when a scowl briefly crossed Curly's face at his words. "Now why don't you pay attention to your own date and stop bothering me and mine?"
Curly turned back to the girl sitting beside him, with a raised eyebrow. "You mind?"
"Please continue," Anne replied, popping her gum.
Curly turned back to Ponyboy and smiled innocently. "She doesn't mind."
Ponyboy's teeth ground together, but stayed silent and decided he was just going to ignore Curly the rest of the movie.
Not let him get under his skin.
Curly didn't let up though.
It was like he was purposely trying to get a rise out of him and Ponyboy couldn't figure out why. The worst part though was that Ponyboy didn't know if he wanted to slug Curly or kiss him.
Curly finally quieted down when the movie started, but Ponyboy still couldn't relax. He kept one hand on his knee and the other resting on the arm rest between his and Curly's seat, exactly where Curly's arm also rested.
In the darkness of the movie theater, Ponyboy's fingers brushed against Curly's and he knew it wasn't an accident. He glanced a peek at Katie, who was completely engrossed in the movie before he let his fingers slowly brush against Curly's again. Curly didn't pull his hand away and holding his breath, Ponyboy linked his first two fingers with his.
Glancing at Curly, he saw that he was staring at the movie, but in the light illuminating from the screen Ponyboy saw a smug smile on his face.
"Are you thirsty?" Ponyboy yanked his hand away from Curly's at the sound of Katie's voice.
"A little." Ponyboy's heart was beating so loud he feared that everyone could hear it. "I'll go get us some drinks." Ponyboy offered, standing up.
He needed out of the theater, he needed to clear his head. As soon as he was in the hallway, he leaned against the wall, running his fingers through his hair.
What was wrong with him? Why would he hold someone's hand that wasn't his girlfriends? Someone's hand that wasn't even a girl.
Ponyboy made a detour to the bathroom and splashed some cool water on his face. He wasn't surprised when Curly came in. He was almost expecting it.
"What the hell was all of that?" Ponyboy demanded, meeting Curly's eyes in the mirror.
"What was what?" Curly asked. "You trying to hold my hand?"
Ponyboy's face flushed slightly. "No." He turned around and pointed an accusing finger at Curly. "All those cracks about kissing. You know I never kissed anyone besides Katie- "
"And me?" Curly lifted an eyebrow.
"That was just tutoring," Ponyboy
mumbled. "To me anyway."
"The hell is that supposed to mean?"
"You said it was only queer if you like it and I could tell how much you liked it pressed against my stomach."
Curly shrugged his shoulders. "Not my fault you're feminine like a girl. Strictly biological."
"Bull shit." Ponyboy's eyes blazed. "You liked it."
Curly didn't even try to deny it again and only smiled cockily. "You liked it too."
Ponyboy turned back towards the sink and braced his hands against it. Curly was right he had liked it, but even though he couldn't deny it, he wasn't going to admit it either. For all he knew Curly was just screwing with him.
"I have a girlfriend," Ponyboy said. "And you have some cheap slut waiting for you too." He was slightly startled at the words that came out of his mouth. He didn't normally talk that way about girls, even greaser ones.
Curly's grin was amused and he stepped closer. "You're jealous."
Ponyboy slowly turned back around, leaving them almost chest to chest. "Why would I be jealous?"
"You tell me. You have a girlfriend, right? The only person that you ever kissed that mattered. That's what you said,right?"
"Now who's jealous?" Ponyboy asked, cocking an eyebrow, a feat that he mastered a few months ago.
"Jealous?" Curly let out a laugh and leaned forward, resting his hands on the sink, enclosing Ponyboy. "If she was the only one that mattered then you'd be out there with her instead of in here with me, wouldn't you be?"
Ponyboy didn't say anything, his breathing grew shallower, his head turned away.
"Answer me," Curly demands, his warm breath against Ponyboy's ear, causing goosebumps to raise on his arms.
"Yes," Ponyboy rasped out, looking at him.
Curly lifted a hand and traced his thumb over Ponyboy's lower lip. "Who kisses better?"
"You." Ponyboy breathed out, looking up at him through his eyelashes.
"Fuck, Curtis," Curly nearly growled out, his voice husky. "You know what you can do to me looking at me like that?"
"Like what?" Ponyboy asked, keeping his heated gaze tangled up in Curly's.
Curly cupped the side of Ponyboy's face and lightly ran his thumb down his jaw. "I don't know…innocently…with the prettiest green eyes."
Ponyboy always hated his eyes and wished a million times that they weren't green, but for the first time he was glad for them.
Without another word Curly pressed his mouth against Ponyboy's. His lips moving slowly, gently.
Ponyboy can't move. No kiss from Katie had ever made him feel this way and he had a feeling that no kiss from anyone would make him feel this way.
Ponyboy kissed him back, their tongues tangling together.
Curly's hands moved into Ponyboy's hair, desire and need pouring out into the kiss.
Ponyboy broke the kiss when he felt like his lungs were going to explode from lack of oxygen. Curly didn't pull away though, his lips trailed along Ponyboy's jaw, down to his neck.
Ponyboy felt dizzy from the sensation of Curly's lips on him and he couldn't muffle his groan when Curly hips pressed against his.
Ponyboy wasn't sure how much further it would have went if the door to the bathroom didn't open, causing them to jump apart.