Now Active @Double-Hoe-Seven

From the metal bleachers, you could tell something was wrong with him. "I'll be right back, babe," you told Darry, giving him a quick kiss before jogging down the steps and over to where Ponyboy's track coach was. After more or less demanding to speak with him, you took him aside some "what's wrong, Pony?" "Nothin'," he muttered with a sheepish shrug. "Ponyboy I could tell you were doin' that thing where you clench and unclench your fists, you only do that when you're upset. What's wrong?" You asked again. "It's stupid," he mumbled quietly. "If it's bothering you then it's not stupid, Ponyboy," you said firmly. "It's just-this is my first meet since the accident and when I looked at the bleachers, I expected to see mom and dad up there like I always did and.." he trailed off, sniffling some and quickly wiping his cheeks. "And not seeing them there hurts more than you thought..." you finished his thought.

When he nodded some you pulled the youngest Curtis into a tight hug "I know you're still gettin' used to them not being around, we're all still adjusting to it. You don't have to run today if you don't want to." "My team's countin' on me though," he argued with a small sigh. "They'd understand, Ponyboy," you reasoned. "You know what Darry says, I can't stop livin' just because I lost someone," he said quietly. You'd be talking to him about that later. "Ponyboy, look at me," you said firmly. When his greenish-gray eyes met yours reluctantly you frowned some "you can't stop living when you lose someone but you can't go on as if nothings changed. It hurts that they're gone, but you've got all of us here to look out for you. Me, Darry, and Johnny are here for you, Soda would be here if he didn't have to work and he'd make Steve be here. Two-Bit and Dally are here somewhere, probably ruining some poor couples date. It'll get easier but if you aren't ready to do this, you don't have to."

"I don't wanna let anyone down," he muttered quietly. "You aren't letting anyone down, Pony. You feel things differently than other people and there's nothing wrong with that. You've been through more than most 14 year olds and I'm proud of how well you're doing. Darry is too, he's just too stubborn to talk about how he feels. If you participate today, do it because you want to, not because you think you have to and not because you're worried about disappointing someone," you flashed him a small smile that he quickly returned before hastily wiping his face. "So, are you gonna run today?" You asked happily. "Hell yeah," he said with a soft hum. "Language," you jokingly scolded. "You spent too much time with my mom," he said before beginning to go back over to his coach.

You lived on the bathroom floor now. The bathroom floor was your bed and you'd made peace with that. You'd made peace with food poisoning being the thing that took you out. "Baby what're you doin' in here? You should be layin' down in bed." Your boyfriend said with a small, slightly amused chuckle. "This is my bed, and this is my room, how'd you get in?" You asked, rubbing your tired eyes as you tried to sit up, swatting his hands away when he tried to help. "Doll, this is the bathroom, just let me help you," he said, finally getting a good enough hold on you to help you sit up, taking a seat next to you.

"What're you doin' here, Timmy?" You asked quietly, fully leaning against him now with your head on his chest. He let out an annoyed huff at the nickname "I'll let it go this time because you're sick. But I brought you some medicine." "Softy," you teased with a snicker. "Watch it," he warned before pressing a soft kiss to your forehead. His lips stayed there for a few more moments and you could tell he was trying to see if you had a fever. "Here, you need to take something," he said as he took a bottle of pink liquid out of his jacket, pouring it in the little cup that came with it. He gave you the little cup and said: "it'll either make you feel a little better or it'll make you throw up and then you'll feel better." You let out a disgruntled noise before downing the liquid; it was chalky and tastes like someone whos never tasted mint made it. "Good girl," he cooed with a smug grin. "Fuck you," you muttered. "You did. Last week, remember? We were in the back of my car and you were ridin' my-" he retorted teasingly, only for you to cut him off by putting your hand over his mouth "shush shush."

His mature response was to lick your hand and laugh when you wiped it on his leather jacket. "Jesus, what are you? Five?" You asked sarcastically. He just pulled you into his side and wrapped his arm around you, rubbing soothing circles on your back. You must have drifted off for a few minutes because you felt him moving and it woke you up. "Sorry, doll, I was gonna carry you to bed," he said with an apologetic smile. "It's fine, can you get me some water from the kitchen?" With a nod, he kissed your forehead and hopped up, leaving the small bathroom. Soon after he left, just when you got comfortable, you felt it. You felt your diaphragm and chest muscles tighten while your mouth produce more saliva.

You hurried over to the toilet and barely made it in time to expel the contents of your stomach which at this point was only the medicine you had just taken and some tea Tim had brought the day before. He came back seconds later and crouched next to you, pulling your hair out of the way and rubbing your back comfortingly. "There you go, it's alright, doll," he muttered along with other words of encouragement as you collapsed into his side after rinsing your mouth out and flushing. "How do you feel now?" He asked after a moment or two of silence. "Miserable." You grumbled. "I'm sorry, babe," he muttered back, leaning his head against the side of the tub.

Both of you must've fallen asleep, or at the very least you did and he just closed his eyes because the next thing you heard was your older brother's angry voice. "Tim Shepard, what the hell are you doin' in my house?" Darry half-shouted. "I-" Tim started to answer, only to rush to hold your hair back as you threw up more of your stomach contents, the only thing left was the stomach bile. "I've got ya, babe," he muttered as he held you, doing what he could to make you more comfortable on the hard tile floor. "I've been comin' by to keep her company when everyone else's gone," Tim finally answered flatly.

"The whole time?" Sodapop asked from behind Darry. "Yeah, while y'all've been gone at work and school, I've been comin' over to keep her company and help her around, no matter how stubborn she is about it," Tim answered, directing the last part at you to which you (very weakly) punched his arm. "So you're a fucking nurse now, Shepard?" Dallas shouted from what sounded like the living room, followed by his raucous laughter. "No, what I am is a good boyfriend, Dally but I ain't surprised you don't know what that's like," Tim snapped. The next sound you heard was Dallas' protests when Two-Bit stopped him from marching past your brothers.

Then there was an awkward silence: none of them knew what to say to the strict gang leader who sat there with you curled against his side. He gave you some more water when you were done, tying your hair back after digging one of your hair ties out of his pocket. Tim Shepard, strict leader of the Shepard gang, a hood who liked being a hood, kept hair ties for his girlfriend in his leather jacket. "C'mon, you need to lay down, in a bed," he insisted, hopping up and helping you to your feet. You felt so bad you were deadweight, leaning against him for support as he more or less shoved past your brothers and friends.

You tried to make him lay down with you after he helped you to your room but he got up "I gotta go doll. Your gangs home and I ain't lookin' to fight them, again." "Fine, see you tomorrow?" You mumbled while cocooning yourself in your blankets. " 'Course you will, now get some rest," he ordered, kissing your forehead and again, holding there for a moment to make sure you still didn't have a fever. "Wait! Leave your jacket?" You asked sadly, making sure to pout and bat your eyelashes. He sighed heavily as he took the leather garment off and handed it to you, trying not to smile at the way you eagerly put it on before snuggling back under your many blankets.

"C'mon, will you just stop and let me explain!" Tim hollered after you as you kept walking down the sidewalk, away from him. You scoffed and just kept going, pulling your wrist out of his grasp when he grabbed it "I'd really rather not hear about you and whats-her-face making out." He just sighed heavily and grabbed your arm again, tighter this time so you'd have to stop "she kissed me! I barely had time to react and push her away before you came in." You may have stopped walking but you wouldn't turn around to face him "Tim, how can you expect me to believe that?" He wrapped his arms around your waist from behind and set his head on your shoulder "because you know you're the only woman I want now." You exhaled heavily, still refusing to look at him "Tim, sweet-talking won't save you this time." He wrapped his arms around your waist and nuzzled his face into the crook of your neck, planting a couple of soft kisses "you know I'm tryin' to be a better man for you." One thing you hated about being with Tim was he always knew how to make your anger dissipate and make you give into him. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing, it just meant you couldn't give him the silent treatment when he did or said something stupid.

"Baby come one, I've gone and done a lot since we started datin', why would I wanna mess that up with someone like that?" He asked when you wiggled out of his grasp and kept walking. "I don't know Tim, why do you do anything? I once saw you hit Dallas Winston with a fucking chair, totally unprovoked," you reminded him. "Him just bein' there provoked me," he reasoned. "That right there-that is why it's hard to believe you sometimes, Tim, you're so impulsive," you said as you turned to look with him. "Doll, please, I'm-I'm tryin' my best to be better. I promised to be a good man for you and it's a promise I don't wanna break. I swear on, not only my own grave but Curly and Angela's too, that that girl kissed me and I didn't have time to react before you came in. I love you, okay? I don't wanna lose you," he muttered the last part quietly and you stopped walking.

"What did you just say?" You asked, looking over your shoulder at the greaser. "I said I don't wanna lose you," he repeated, a little louder than before. "No, before that," you asked, turning to look at him. "Oh, I uh, I said I love you," he said awkwardly, clearing his throat some and looking at the pavement beneath your feet. "Tim Shepard, you love me?" Your voice was getting excited as you walked back to him. "Yes, I love you," he said again, this time sounding slightly more irritated at having to repeat it again. "Do you realize that's the first time you've actually said it? Every other time I was the one to say 'I love you' and you always responded with 'you too, babe'," you asked happily. "Well, I mean it," he said and this time when he tried to wrap his arms around you, you didn't pull away; instead, you leaned against his chest and smiled "I love you too, Tim." He pressed a soft kiss to the top of your head and just held you for a minute. Then suddenly, he picked you up and started walking.

The entire walk back to his house consisted of you asking him to put you down and him either saying no or pretending to drop you. Jackass. He finally set you down in front of his porch and smiled "I can't believe you're turnin' me all soft." You shrugged happily and hugged him "I told you a little bit of love wouldn't kill you." He rolled his eyes and bit back a smirk "not yet it hasn't." You kissed him quickly and smiled "you're such a drama queen sometimes." He smirked, "I think the term is drama king." You patted his cheek before walking up the porch steps to the front door "no Tim, it's really not." He glared briefly with furrowed brows before he followed you inside.

The two of you settled onto his couch, enjoying the quiet since Curly was in reform school for trying to rob a liquor store, again, and Angela was out doing god knows what with god knows who. He turned the TV on and you both started to watch 'The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly'. Tim changed the channel quickly when you made a sly comment about Clint Eastwood's physique. Even if it was a movie star who you'd never in a million years meet, Tim hated it when you vocalized how you found other men attractive; which is why you only did it to movie stars when you were mad at him.

Halfway through some other movie that was substantially less interesting, as in instead of watching it the two of you were making out, the phone started to ring. You reluctantly pulled back some but he just pulled you back to him "you know I don't pick up the phone for anything or anyone when we're together." "But what if-" you started, only to be silenced with a quick kiss. "Doll, as far as I'm concerned, you're the only person who matters at the moment," he flashed a small, uncharacteristically genuine smile at you. You'd seen it before, you were probably the only person who'd seen it.

After the movie that neither of you paid attention to ended, you went up to his room and laid down. He gave you one of his shirts, knowing how much you loved curling up in them when you stayed at his house. He changed into sweatpants before joining you in his bed, rolling his eyes at how much you hogged the blankets. Truth be told, you only hogged them because it was the only way he'd cuddle you. Big, bad gang leader Tim Shepard would have to cuddle you if he wanted any of the blankets. "Are you really gonna do this every time you sleep over?" He asked sarcastically as he attempted to pull the blanket over himself.

2:30 on a Wednesday afternoon. The daily lull that had all three of you bored out of your minds. Everyone had already gone back to work from lunch, it was the middle of summer so there were no high schools releasing students for the day, everyone had either gotten the gas and stuff they needed on the way by or they were already out of town. Your younger brother Soda was in the garage organizing things until someone came over needing gas or directions, Steve was in the back taking stock of everything your manager ordered, and you were going up and down the aisles straightening things out or sweeping and cleaning the windows and doors. And you were still only halfway through your shift. Elvis was playing on the little radio beside the register and you were halfheartedly humming along while you lazily flipped through a magazine

"Hey, doll, can you c'mere and help me out?" Steve called from the backroom. "Do you really need my help doing inventory?" You called back. "Yes! C'mon please, you're better at math than I am!" He whined. Sighing, you knew he wouldn't give up, so you set your book on the counter along with the 'back in five minutes' sign before walking to the stock room in the back of the DX. When you stepped foot into the room, Steve immediately pulled you to him and shut the door behind you; he buried his face in the crook of your neck and began pressing kisses to the exposed skin. You laughed quietly and rolled your eyes "are you serious, Steve?" "I can't help it, you look too damn good in the uniform," he muttered as he looked into your eyes with a mischievous grin on his face. "I wear the same thing as you and Sodapop," you mumbled quietly, rolling your eyes. "Yeah, but it looks better on you, and even better off you," he winked.

You let out an exaggerated heavy sigh, biting back a smile "Steven we're at work, we could get into serious trouble." "Then we'll just have to be quick," he reasoned. "You're a kinky little bastard," you teased before sitting on the edge of the small table and pulling him down into a kiss. Steve chuckled and squeezed your hips gently as he reciprocated the kiss, deepening it hungrily. When he moved closer to stand between your legs you wrapped them around his waist. He groaned quietly when your hand lightly brushed over the zipper of his jeans; he buried his face in the crook of your neck and mumbled against your skin "tease." "Think of it as payback for all the times you've teased me in front of my brothers."

He started to mockingly repeat your words but you grabbed him and crashed your lips into his. He quickly shed his uniform shirt and the muscle shirt underneath, quickly moving to unbutton your shirt. As more of the skin on your chest became exposed, he began gradually trailing kisses down your body while your fingers threaded through his hair. When he undid the last button, you shrugged your shirt off and laid back on the table. He was trying to undo the clasp of your bra, nuzzling his face in your shoulder, the door swung open and a small yelp was heard. "Oh my god, oh my god, I-I didn't mean to, um... I'm not, uh, I'm not sure what to do here," your youngest brother stuttered nervously as he tried to look at anything else besides you two in your compromising position.

Steve's head shot up quickly and somewhere in all the chaos of you two trying to right yourselves and cover up, his forehead connected with your nose. You let out a string of curses as your hands rushed to cover it before blood got everywhere "my fuckin' nose, jesus christ." "Well, it still ain't as big as Steve's is," Ponyboy managed to be snarky even though the bright redness of his face gave away his absolute embarrassment. "Get the hell out, Ponyboy!" Steve shouted as he frantically searched for a rag. "You know the only thing stoppin' me from killin' him is that you and Sodapop love him, right?" Steve asked after finding several unused rags, giving you one to cover your nose and one to wipe the blood off of your hands. "If you say so," you muttered as you leaned your head back against the wall. "He just broke your goddamn nose," Steve said. "No, babe, your thick fuckin' skull did that, just leave Pony alone alright? And can you get me an ice pack please?" You mumbled. "Yeah, sure thing baby," he gave you a quick peck on the cheek before leaving the room.

Five minutes ago, outside the DX:

"She's probably helpin' Steve with inventory in the back, go find 'em will ya?" Sodapop asked, vaguely motioning to the building. With a nod, his brother left the garage in search of his sister and to a lesser extent, Steve. "So they're in the back room doin' inventory?" Dallas asked with a smirk, putting air quotes around 'doin' inventory' and snickering to himself. "Shoot, if they're in the back doin' anything, I doubt it's inventory," Two-Bit joked. "Well what else would they-oh, yeah I hadn't thought of that," his eyes widened some when the realization hit. All three stared at each other for a few moments before busting up laughing. "You just sent the poor kid into a minefield, Soda! I thought you were the nice brother!" Two-Bit teased. "Hey, man, it's a right of passage, it's the first time he'll be scarred for life," Dallas added with a chuckle.

"Wait, wait, shh, I wanna see if we can hear it," Soda shushed, holding his own laughter in so he could listen. They went as silent as they could, still stifling their laughs before they heard a door slam shut, followed by Steve yelling indistinctly and Ponyboy all but sprinting into the garage, blushing like a tomato. "So, uh, I guess you found 'em?" Soda asked after a long silence, still trying to stifle his laughs. Ponyboy nodded silently, speaking up a few moments later "I think I'm gonna head back home and play cards with Johnny, I don't wanna do nothin' anymore." "Sorry about that, Pone, it didn't occur to me they might be fillin' downtime with that activity," Soda sincerely apologized as he ruffled his brother's hair. "I don't think downtime is what was gettin' filled," Two-Bit muttered under his breath, him and Dallas bursting into another fit of laughter. "Goddamn it, Two-Bit!" Soda said with an eye roll, while Ponyboy groaned in disgust "I don't need or want that mental image!"