#Darrel Curtis I love you so much

[made-my-peace-with-all-the-bad]

My arm has been twisted and I now offer the people of tumblr my 1800 word Darry yap:

Thinking about Darry and his parents. More specifically, Darry and his dad. How they must’ve been so close. How Darry loved both of his parents to the moon and back, but he just had a special bond with his dad. He knew he could always rely on him, so since he was three, he’s always wanted his dad. If he woke up from a nightmare, if he was sick, if he fell and scraped his knee, he always wanted his dad. How he felt so guilty about that for a while. It wasn’t until he was eight and realized that Soda was always reaching for their mama that he started to feel a little better. He felt like it was ok that he reached for their dad when his brothers reached for their mom.

How Darry grew up carrying so much pride in the fact that his father gave him his name. He loved that a piece of his dad was always with him. He also knew how proud his dad was of him. How he knew Darry would do some much in his life. He saw the way his father’s face filled with joy when Darry showed him his first football jersey with the name Curtis on the back. He remembers opening up a college acceptance letter and scholarship and immediately running to his dad. How Darry had handed him the letter and his father’s eyes had filled with tears. How that was the first time Darry saw his dad cry. He remembers how his dad had put a hand on his shoulder to reassure him right before the state championship game and told him that no matter what, he was proud of him. He remembers that after his dad had went to go find his mom and brothers, he’d made a silent promise that he’d do everything he could to win. And he did.

He also remembers the night before he was going up to his college dorm. How he’d sat in his room, his backpack open and completely empty. He’d looked around at the room he’d grown up in, and he was scared. He was terrified. How he’d walked over to his dresser and picked up a framed picture of him and his parents and brothers right after the championship game. Darry’s hair was sweaty against his head, but he had the biggest smile on his face. Ponyboy and Soda were hugging him, also with big smiles. His mom looked so proud of her son. But the only face he could focus on was his father’s. How his dad had a smile that rivaled Darry’s. Darry felt his chest swell with emotion looking at the photo. And suddenly, there were drops on the glass that covered the picture. Then, his father was standing in the doorframe. But by the time Darry had blinked, his dad was sitting next to him on his bed. His dad just reached out and let Darry, his first son, the boy who carried his name, the boy who made him a father, cry into his shoulder. Because he shouldn’t be this stressed about leaving. He should be excited, lord knows Darrel Sr would’ve been if he’d gone to college. But here he was, venting out all his fears while his dad just reassured him that he’d be fine. And he had Paul too. Even if he wouldn’t see his family every day, he still had a piece of home with him, after all, Paul was going to be his roommate so he’d probably see him so much they’d be sick of each other.

But then, his dad died. And suddenly, Darry was standing in the living room of the house he grew up, 15 feet from his dad’s chair, being told that his parents were gone. Dead. Suddenly, he was telling the cop that he would become his brothers’ legal guardian. Suddenly, filling out the paper work and writing down his name made nausea swirl in his stomach and made his head hurt. Because that wasn’t his name. That was his dad’s name. But that didn’t matter right now, what mattered was keeping his brothers safe and home. So he just filled it out and gave it to the state. He dropped out of college. He got a full time job at the same place his dad used to work. And he was slowly becoming Darrel.

Darry left the house six times during the week Pony was gone. Five of those times were to go to work because bills didn’t care if your baby brother could be dead somewhere. The other time was to go to the cemetery. Normally he would’ve taken Soda, but he couldn’t this time. Because he wasn’t even out of the car before he broke down sobbing. He cried in his car for a little bit, before deciding he needs to do what he came to do. So he got up, and walked over to the headstone at his mom and dad’s grave. He sat down and just started apologizing. He told them he was so sorry. He was so sorry that he couldn’t protect his brothers. He was so sorry that their baby ran away and it was his fault. He was so sorry for hurting them. He told them he didn’t know how they did it. He told them he wished they would come back. He wished they’d never left in the first place. He wished that Pony would come home. How he knew he didn’t deserve it, but he wished it brother would come home. Maybe not even for him, but for Soda. He told them that he couldn’t stand the fear he’d seen fill Pony’s eyes after he hit him. He looked at the gravestone with his parents names carved in it, and he told them he never meant to fuck up this bad. He told them that maybe it’d be better if Soda and Pony were with someone else. Maybe he just wasn’t cut out to be taking care of them. He told them that he knew Pony hated him, he knew Pony thought Darry hated him. Darry swore he didn’t, he loved his brothers more than anything. He didn’t even remember when he started crying, he just tasted the salt of tears in his mouth. So he shut his eyes tight in an attempt to stop them, because who the hell was he to cry? He did this, why should he get to be upset over it?

And in that moment, with his eyes shut, he could’ve sworn he felt his father’s reassuring hand on his shoulder, or his mother’s warm fingers wipe away the tears running down his cheeks. Maybe it was the wind, but Darry would’ve sworn that he heard their voices reassuring him. Maybe he was crazy, but he stood up and thanked them anyway. He’d told them he loved them and that he was going to do everything he could to bring their baby back home.

Darry mentally kicked himself when he got home and saw the kitchen light on. Because that meant Soda had and he was probably freaking out at waking up to an empty house in the middle of the night. So, Darry braced himself for the worst. But what he didn’t expect, was seeing the kitchen and living room empty. Confused, he’d gone to Soda’s room, it was also empty, but it was clear that Soda had been sleeping there because his half of the bed was all messed up, like someone had been tossing and turning. It wasn’t until he reached his own bedroom door that he heard quiet cries. So he’d pushed open the door and was met with the sight of Soda, curled in on himself, body shaking while he cried. Darry was immediately sent into older brother mode while he walked over to his brother. He’d knelt down in front of him and quietly asked him what was wrong. Soda’s head shot up at his brother’s voice and he just whispered out that he’d thought Darry had left too. And the sight of his little brother looking so scared and small broke Darry’s heart even further, something he didn’t even think was possible. It wasn’t until he’d managed to calm down Soda enough to convince him that he wasn’t going anywhere, that he saw Soda holding something. It was a frame. And in it was the picture of their family from Darry’s senior year. The photo with Darry smiling the biggest he ever had. The photo with Pony and Soda clinging to their big brother because of how amazing they thought he was. And then there was his mom, who looked so proud of him that he almost started crying. Lastly, there was his dad. His dad with the proud smile, equally as big as Darry’s. His dad who had taken off a whole day of work just to drive the whole family out to see him play. His dad who taught Darry how to play football in the first place. And looking at him did make Darry start to cry. So he pulled Soda close, and they just looked down at their family photo. Their family before it was shattered and separated. Their family when it was whole, and complete, and happy.

Soda spent the night in Darry’s room after that. He refused to let Darry out of his sight for fear that he was gone or he was going to leave the minute Soda fell asleep. But when they were both tucked in Darry’s too small bed, Soda finally let himself succumb to sleep. But Darry couldn’t sleep. He was too busy thinking about his dad. How would he feel seeing Darry now? Would he be proud of how his son stepped up? Or would he shake his head in disappointment and say that Darry was hurting his brothers? Then, Darry lets his mind wander to thoughts of how things would be if his parents never died. Would he wake up to his mom laughing at her 20 and 16 year old sons sleeping in a full size bed? Would he walk out to see his dad reading the paper in his chair? Would he kiss his mama’s cheek then ask his dad if they were watching the game on Sunday? Would his dad say that he had work, but somehow still turn up in time to watch at least half of it with him? Would he be working with his dad? No, he’d probably still be at college. Maybe starting his junior year by now. Maybe his dad would joke that his son would be in the draft in a few years. Maybe he’d call his brother’s and give them relationship advice while Paul sat on his bed giggling at him. Maybe in that world, he could look at pictures of his parents without longing for one more conversation. One more rushed goodbye because he was late. One more time that his dad patted him on the back. One more time his dad gave him a proud smile and said he was glad his son wore his name.

[thetireonstageright]

thinking about how i ran into brent on the street when i was wearing only a sweater in 29 degree cold and he told me to “put a coat on!!” and darrel curtis popped out

[specific-dreamer]

darry didn’t run after pony when he hit him bc his first instinct was to gasp and say “hit me back, if you don’t tell mama i’ll let you hit me back harder” the words were on the tip of his tongue but when he remembered he was frozen

to pony darry his guardian, darry who might just hate him, hit him with ill intent and pure malice

to darry it was a regular sibling argument that got out of hand and heated bc (in the musical at least) both sides were fueling the flame and ofc they won’t stop doing so until someone intervenes

idk i think it’s in that moment that darry realizes that he can’t be a brother and a guardian he has to pick one (he doesn’t but darry tends to think of things in black and white- he’s their brother, but now he has to be their guardian. not to mention he’s probably heard many parents/guardians say “i’m not one of your lil friends, im your XYZ” NOT TO MENTION hes “not a part” of the gang and he’s always working so he not friends with them like he use to be (and as far he knows they don’t even think of him as a friends anymore)

[horsegirlsodapop]

uhhhh ponyboy going to college and feeling ashamed of his strong(er) oklahoma accent. watching tv and studying the way people's mouths move to try and erase it. him coming home and darry and soda thinking he sounds like a stranger. do y'all get it.

[dairyfairyy]

whoever made the pin i need u to lmk where i can get one plz and thank you

[findingbeautyinthefold]

ace’s name is actually grace but that’s too girly for her liking and she just thinks ace is hella cool

bonus: darrel calls her gracie but he’s the only one that does. they have a special relationship and he thinks of her like a little sister he must protect but little does he knows she’s usually the one protecting his ass

[starcraftt]

i was finally home. to stay ── .✦

AUTHOR'S NOTE : i'm obsessed and that's okay. REASONING : i got bored nd had cooked up some ponyboy headcanons so jst decided to make all of them some. ^^ <3 WARNINGS : none of these are probably accurate i dunno man it's late?? like,, really late and i have school tomorrow i'm sorry. :( </3 ( no actual warnings that i could think of !! )

RANDOM OUTSIDERS HEADCANONS !!

゜✦゜₊⁺  ✦゜₊⁺   ✦゜₊⁺  ゜゜✦゜₊⁺  ✦゜₊⁺   ✦゜₊⁺  ゜゜✦゜₊⁺  ✦゜₊⁺   ✦゜₊⁺  ゜゜✦゜₊⁺ 

𝐏 𝐎 𝐍 𝐘 𝐁 𝐎 𝐘

|| 𝐂 𝐔 𝐑 𝐓 𝐈 𝐒

— Ponyboy wouldn't like puddles. I feel like he just doesn't like rain in general, so he can stay in and read, but I feel like if he had to go out, he would hate stepping in puddles or passing through them. ( iykyk and i'm crying lmao )

— PONYBOY CAN DRAW AND I FEEL LIKE WE ALL FORGET THAT SO, i feel like you could find him drawing what he imagines book characters to look like, or objects in the books??

— Ponyboy is a perfectionist but only on some things.

— OML Soda has totally walked into their room to find Ponyboy c r y i n g on his bed, and after Pony calms down, Soda asked what he was crying about only to find out it was about a book.

"are you kidding me pony" "i'm sORRY"

— has a weird addiction to horror movies despite hating them and they give him nightmares i cant. they're his guilty pleasure because darry always says the cause of his nightmares were the horror movies he watched.

𝐒 𝐎 𝐃 𝐀 𝐏 𝐎 𝐏

|| 𝐂 𝐔 𝐑 𝐓 𝐈 𝐒

— Sodapop actually isn't that bad at spelling, he just forgets a letter here and there. Like, he'll misspell 'missing' as 'mising', but the next time he writes 'missing' he'll spell it right. his mind is just too distracted and i feel that.

— SODA HAS TOTALLY TRIPPED IN FRONT OF A GIRL AND TRIED TO PLAY IT OFF SO CHILL.

"meant to do that" coughs

— Soda 100% tries his best to help Darry with the bills and such, hating to see his older brother weighed down with all the stress. Never thinks he could do what Darry does nd admires him lots.

— actually kinda enjoys being on the side of watching his friends mess around like?? Sodapop loves knowing that his friends all get along nd -- agjshshshjgshshs

— he supports it fully if/when the steve is the one attracting the girls one day, never the jealous one.

— LEGIT THE BEST WINGMAN.

"hey, what's up?"

(probably evie or smth) "oh, hey." her friends around her giggling at sodapop because he's cute. <3

"so, you see that guy over there?" gestures wildly over at steve. "yeah he kinda needs someone to dance with." casually leans against the wall like he's flirting with her as he winks subtly.

𝐃 𝐀 𝐑 𝐑 𝐘

|| 𝐂 𝐔 𝐑 𝐓 𝐈 𝐒

— Darry would totally be one of those people who seem like they instantly know how to do everything but I feel when he used to have free time he'd jst randomly learn random things.

"darry you know how to juggle??"

"yes."

"darry you know how to cartwheel?"

"yes."

"darry you know how to read??"

"pony --"

— hates supernatural things, ghosts actually scare the shit out of him im not kidding.

— but when he watches horror movies he's just sitting there blankly while pony is trying to not scream at his side. and when they walk out and ponyboy's jst all shaking nd stuff darry's just like: "broski you okay?"

— loves organization for no reason, it doesn't help him have a clear mind or anything he just . . . goes into pony and soda's room . . . . . and organizes,,,

𝐓 𝐖 𝐎 - 𝐁 𝐈 𝐓

|| 𝐌 𝐀 𝐓 𝐓 𝐇 𝐄 𝐖 𝐒

— Two-Bit ( doesn't get enough love ) probably had a childhood crush on Minnie Mouse.

tries not to admit it or is boldly proud of it. depends on who he's talking to.

— Two-Bit doesn't cry over real life things, but he would totally sob over a Mickey Mouse episode or something.

— Legit the smartest ever but doesn't attempt at school and this is why he was held back.

— TOTALLY USED TO HAVE A STUTTER WHEN HE WAS YOUNGER.

— you could NOT understand this boy it was that bad.

until his mom made him start reading to her aloud and it got better. 👍

— actually has once almost passed out from wheezing laughing too hard.

— drama queen and we love him.

𝐉 𝐎 𝐇 𝐍 𝐍 𝐘

|| 𝐂 𝐀 𝐃 𝐄

— Rip Johnny Cade, you would've loved child protective services.

— Johnny probably has tried his hand at creative writing nd he totally enjoyed it. Hates writing essays nd shit though.

— PLS PONYBOY WHEN HE HEARD JOHNNY WRITES A BIT FORCED HIM TO SHARE SO NOW THE TWO HAVE TIMES WHERE THEY BOTH SHARE RECENT WRITINGS AJGHHSJ ponyboy fr johnny's hype man because he knows how hard writers are on themselves (most of the time) </3

"i wrote this one yesterday idk man i don't like it"

"what the fuck johnny this is amazing??"

— johnny has and forever will create characters based on people from the gang. just someone from the gang casually inspired a part of the character. he didn't use to be so subtle about it though.

scribbled down character sheet with jst the basics - 'james thomas: funny guy and the only thing that comes out of his mouth are jokes'

"johnny is this two-bit"

"no."

— leGIT, he once saw someone at school doing a sick secret handshake and convinced ponyboy to make one up with him.

— he probably once didn't like dallas because ponyboy admitted randomly how he didn't like dally and johnny just kinda went with that.

𝐃 𝐀 𝐋 𝐋 𝐀 𝐒

|| 𝐖 𝐈 𝐍 𝐒 𝐓 𝐎 𝐍

— Dallas Winston cries at seeing spiders and you cannot change my mind with this. When he's around someone though he tries to play it off so cool though.

— he gets cuddly when he's drunk and johnny is most normally the prime target for hugs.

— says he hates kids but also hates seeing kids cry and will probably try and do something to make them feel better so they'll just stop crying.

— used to have a lisp on the word 'world'.

— genuinely loves any affection but is not willing to give it himself.

𝐒 𝐓 𝐄 𝐕 𝐄

|| 𝐑 𝐀 𝐍 𝐃 𝐋 𝐄

— Steve,,, i feel like he doesn't actually enjoy Mickey Mouse, he just watches it when it's on because it's something to watch and he knows if he admits it, Two-Bit would hit him and then cry.

— literally can sing the greatest ever but you never catch him doing it. not even soda knows so you know it's secret.

— cannot focus at work when it's just soda and him, all giggling and messing around until a customer walks in and bro just shuts up as quickly as he can without making himself laugh again.

— steve totally used to legit bully the fuck out of ponyboy when pony was like, five. he's toned it down. it's not that physical anymore.

— steve, and i cannot stress this enough, is such a fucking simp i cant.

— the best best friend. i feel like he'd try and act all 'tuff' and stuff, 'forget' what soda or one of the curtis gang mentioned wanting before getting that exact thing for them on a gift-giving holiday. he saved up so he could get them that. :(

[damthosefandoms]

sodapop curtis you will never escape the demigod allegations. pony saying he looks like a greek god. adhd. dyslexia. the works.

[anifever]

Dating Darry Curtis HC’s ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

Darrel “Darry” Curtis x Fem!Reader

୨୧ : What I think dating ‘Superman’ would include

A/N : I’ve been busy but school’s out now so hopefully I can work on requests 💔. Also ily Jake Gyllenhaal but they should’ve never remade Roadhouse..

˖⁺‧₊˚ 🕊️ ˚₊‧⁺˖

୨ I hate to say it (not really), but you’re like a married couple

୨ The gang calls you mom and dad as a joke

୨ You guys are so sitting on a porch with wind chimes and birds chirping in the bg and the warmth of the sun hitting your skin coded

୨ You’re so disgustingly in love and it makes everyone sick

୨ I feel like bcs of how he’s portrayed and the responsibilities/stress he takes on from the entire gang, it makes him seem way older than he is

୨ That’s also probably due to Patrick Swayze being 31 instead of 20 while filming and also being 15 years older than C Thomas Howell irl instead of the 6 year age gap their characters actually had…

୨ Anyways, you help him actually act more his age

୨ You convince him to go out more, etc

୨ Everyone’s happy to see him let loose once in a while

୨ Like you guys mess around when you bake/cook together by throwing flour at each other and giggling omg I’m vomiting

୨ You guys are sometimes (very rarely) even spotted at Buck’s together and Dallas has to do a double take

୨ You also bribe the boys to give you guys or just him in general some alone time LMAO

୨ You absolutely slow dance in the kitchen. Idc.

୨ He’s the type to call you “a real treat” when you dress up or do something nice for him

୨ Going shopping together and him walking around with his lil’ glasses reading the grocery list while you push the cart

୨ Sitting in his lap while he reads the newspaper ohahahwbrbrbnrne

୨ You guys definitely met early on; slow burn

୨ You were SO ‘So High School’ by Taylor Swift when you were a little bit younger

୨ Been in the works of writing a ff abt that..

୨ FINALLY officially asked you out senior year for prom and you’ve been together since, even though you guys were in love way before that

୨ You definitely have to get in between his and Pony’s fights a lot

୨ Soda comes to you for advice, no matter what it is- he thinks it’s refreshing to have someone new to talk to rather than constant arguing, yada yada

୨ Dallas either flirts with you to piss Darry off or he has a relationship with you like he did with Mrs. Curtis. No in between.

୨ The type of man to give you foot massages

୨ On the contrary, you also massage his shoulders

୨ Johnny probably had a tiny crush on you when you first met him years back, but it went away when you guys started dating

୨ Went away to an extent at least..

୨ Him standing between your legs while you’re sat on the sink shaving his face for him GODODODODID

୨ He says “honey, I’m home” unironically

୨ He’s able to pick you up pretty easily no matter your weight

୨ He does it a lot and it’s mainly to show off LMAO

୨ You guys play checkers together and genuinely enjoy it which doesn’t help your mom/dad allegations

୨ EXTREMELY good at calming you down whether it’s a panic attack, etc

୨ He might lose his temper a lot on his brothers, but he never does it with you

୨ If he ever does accidentally snap at you, he apologizes to no end

୨ He’s touching you whenever he can; a hand on your waist, around your shoulder, keeping you on his lap, a finger in your belt loop, etc

୨ Speaking of belt loops, you pulling him in by the loops or his belt buckle to kiss him⁉️⁉️⁉️ I’m losing it

୨ Whenever any sort of errand needs to be run, he either forces Pony/Soda to do it, or makes you come with him alone

୨ He buys you flowers whenever he has the extra money ☹️

୨ Has his moms wedding ring kept someplace safe to give to you one day

୨ On another note, she loved you so much before she passed

୨ She was also constantly teasing him about you two when you guys were younger

୨ If he’s exhausted from work and flops onto the couch with you, don’t expect to be getting up anytime soon

୨ Back to the ‘him going out more’ point- you guys go to rodeos together whenever he knows Pony is being watched by someone else

୨ Calming lil’ picnics together by a lake

୨ He unfortunately will have to cancel plans a good amount because of work-related stuff, but you completely understand

୨ He’s pretty stubborn about letting you help with money, but he gives in sometimes

୨ You leave him cute notes in the lunch that he takes to work <\\3

୨ He for sure keeps a hand on your thigh or knee while driving

୨ There’s no doubt in my mind you’d grow old together

୨ He’s thankful for you in so many ways and is glad you’re able to help his life feel normal again and like an actual 20 year-old

[lizzy019]

𝒲𝒽𝒾𝓈𝓅𝑒𝓇𝓈 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝐸𝓋𝑒𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑔.

Soft Dom!Darrel Curtis x Sweet Fem!Reader

cw -> hold the moan, rewarding??, INTIMATE SEX!, body worship, lotus position, light aftercare

Word Count -> 2.9K

I wanna pamper him 😔

Effortless.

The hands of a young man disciplined into a mature adult were doing the dishes while lost within the neverending blimps of his thoughts. A man toughened and moulded into a sculpture of what he is as you watch him with concern.

Poor Darrel hadn’t got a break at all this week.

You watched silently from the dimly lit dining room table as he moved in tune to whatever humming tune was being played from the television. Something of Ponyboy’s, his brain helpfully supplied him.

It didn’t take you long to tip-toe your way beside him, the soft creaks of the old floorboards underneath your feet acting as an alert for him that someone was nearing. Once he managed to tilt his head in your direction, a soft grin formed on his pretty lips. Darry was glad you actually took the time to notice how tired he was despite not ever vociferating that thought.

“Hey sweetie..” He mumbled, gently snatching your chin within his fingers to press a peck to your forehead. How could you look so darn cute with just a hint of colour on your cheeks and a pouty bottom lip? You simply beamed at his little kiss to your hairline, maybe he was okay? No, you couldn’t just assume that and move on! Darrel had grown the ability to store all his stress away in a separate container and hide it when talking to people he loved, even if it leaked sometimes due to it being a bit overfilled.

“D’you want me to do the dishes for you? Maybe you should go rest with Pony and Soda for a bit, maybe even lend Johnny a hand and drive him home since he’s stayin’ with Pony.” You tried so hard to convince him while remaining as subtle as possible. 

You knew very well though, that this Curtis was a tough one to crack.

“You sure? I bet you’re tired too, honey.” He hummed, playing around with a silly strand of your hair that strayed away from the rest of it. You knew this would happen as well, he always managed to scoot away from what you were trying to get at.

“Darrel,” You spoke rather firmly, more than he was used to hearing. “Take a break, go sit down. I’ll handle the dishes, okay? Maybe go take a shower while you’re at it, you deserve to unwind.”

The brown in his eyes seemed to sparkle at your words, you really were some angel sent to Earth just for him. Even if he always tried to push away your kindness to take care of you, it would be a straight lie if he said he didn’t appreciate you helping pay off the monthly bills alongside him.

So without much hesitation, a rare smile graced his face, eyes crinkling happily as he managed to snag you into a hug. It erupted loud laughter from the both of you, and he couldn’t find it in him to let go until you started playfully berating him.

“Get off, get off! Go shower, you smell.” You teased, watching him nod and loosen his grip before he trotted off.

Your new chore of doing the dishes wasn’t actually as bad as you thought it was going to be. Helping someone who did so much for you, it felt like you were finally being useful. The time ticked endlessly, the sound of the aged clock annoying you over time from its duration of noise, but soon enough, the dishes were practically shining!

Darry was now out of the shower, the towel he once used to dry his body now hanging limply around his neck to make sure the water from his hair didn’t drip down and wet his shirt. He popped into the kitchen to grab a beer, specifically the kind Two-Bit and Steve disliked so he had it all to himself before popping it open and heading your way.

“Kitchen is damn near spotless, sweetie.” He chuckled dryly, but smiled rather shyly at you. 

In all honesty, he had to be thankful. You were doing the chores he knew he should’ve been doing, and yet your cute little ass always had to intervene. While he wasn’t complaining, sometimes he found himself being bored doing nothing, or maybe it was just his worker’s mindset.

You smiled pridefully up at him, happy with the work you managed to do in under 20 minutes. Clean dishes, clean counters and emptied garbage bins. Call it a bit overdramatic, but you were genuinely proud of what you had accomplished in that short span of time. 

“I can be a good little housewife once in a while, can I not?” You joked, smiling as he gave a warmer expression at your little playful comment.

“Whatever you say. You’re still the one that manages to leave clothes all over the floor of my bedroom, so I dunno ‘bout that.” He joked back, watching you feign offence at his comment before snickering softly to himself.

How had he gotten so lucky with you?

Soon the clock had reached 10PM, you shooed Pony off to bed since it was a school night. While Soda was allowed to stay up later than Pony, Soda was tired and trotted off not long after Pony had left. Johnny said his goodbyes before leaving, and finally it was just you and Darrel getting your much deserved rest.

Seated on the sofa sharing a cigarette with your dearest, the silence and dim lighting was somehow quite romantic despite your situation. His hand gently squeezing your waist, occasionally passing you the cig to take a drag all while he talked about his day and how tiring it was keeping his brothers in line. You felt nothing but admiration for the fact that he managed to work so hard under such conditions and never suddenly collapse or give up.

“Thank you again for helpin’ with the dishes. Thought that pile would never end, if I’m bein’ honest.” He hummed, pressing a gentle kiss to your cheek as he put the nub of useless leftover cigarette onto the small navy ashtray. 

You nodded, smiling up at him with those pretty lips of yours and glowing eyes. Your hands gently pawed at the fabric of his shirt, tugging him just a bit lower for you to snatch a chaste kiss from his lips. Like your little reward, in a way.

Your lips tingled after that, and you giggled to yourself when Darry gave you a playful naughty expression. Soon, the giggles were turned into mild laughter as he grabbed your precious body and slung you over his shoulder, causing you to flail and kick rather helplessly.

“Darry, stop!” You laughed although quietly to not wake anyone up. But Darry didn’t listen to you, simply giving your rear a light slap as he hauled you into his bedroom. The door was shut once he was inside, and he oh so gently placed you onto the cushiony mattress of his.

Darry was grinning happily as you smiled up at him, hands gently rubbing the firm muscle of his shoulders and teasing underneath the fabric of his taut biceps. 

You really didn’t seem to understand how much he loved you, did he?

“Takin’ such good care of me, sweetie. What did I ever do to deserve you?” He hummed against the skin of your neck, peppering the softest kisses to the flesh while his big hands mapped out your precious body.

Every curve, every contour, every dip and bump that he’s come to admire so fully. A man like him, a greaser, an emotionally constipated man like him managed to snag something as precious, as porcelain and gentle as you. He questioned himself every time he woke up with you beside him in his bed. 

You smiled almost bashfully up at him, admiring every feature that laid perfectly on his face. Almond eyes as warm as ever, the slight Greek nose of his and that sharp jawline you wore could cut diamonds. Great heavens, he could have just about anyone with those looks, you thought.

“I dunno.. what did I ever do to deserve you?” You asked so sweetly, so pleasantly as your hands trailed down to gently knead at his triceps.

A groan, deep in pitch, vibrated from within the canal of his throat and falling onto your ear. It didn’t go unheard, and it made you giggle a bit. Poor man was probably so stiff and so tired. 

“Dunno sweetie, but I love you so much. Love you...” He murmured as he gently pressed his lips to yours. So tender, like he was scared he’d hurt you.

The soft kisses were like a balm to your lips, the warm saliva of his mixed with yours as your tongues started to entangle with each other seeming to ease the dryness of your mouth. 

Your fingers found their way into the soft curls of his hair, gently tugging on them for purchase as you practically kissed his lips off. Hungry, voracious almost. You craved him more than just physically. For once, you felt a deep, raging desire. Something that threatened to burn all of your senses with the taste and feel of simply Darrel.

But his lips escaped yours, and you tried oh so hard to get his lips back to yours. They were like a lifeline in a way, the way they breathed life back into the dullness.

But his lips made contact with your jaw, made a trail leading down your neck, suckling colourless marks into your shoulder as his big palms mapped around your body. Exploring you was an adventure he’d never get tired of, the mere touch of your soft flesh made him go crazy.

His hands managed to snag onto the elastic of your pants and panties, teasingly wiggling them off of you until you raised your hips for him to tug them off. Useless fabrics, they didn’t do anything to help him in your moment.

“So pretty, sweetie... Look atchu.” He murmured, mainly to himself but he hoped you heard him too. 

Cooing soft nothings as his hands wandered across your thighs, squeezing the flesh desperately as his kisses lingered along the lines of your collarbone. You were like jelly in his hands, putty even. You gave into his whims, soft moans and breaths escaping your mouth like whispers. 

Before you could even register it, his hands began to gently slide off your top and peel off your bra. But no words of disdain or discontentment for his actions seemed to be voiced. You let it happen. After all, you thought Darry deserved unwrapping you like a gift.

“Listen though, we gotta keep it quiet though, okay? Soda and Pony are in the next room, I really don’t want them to hear us. Last time they heard, Pony kept lookin�� at me funny.” Darry rattled you gently, getting a nod from you as agreement before he continued.

Like walking along an unknown path, Darry was more than happy to trail and trace every part of your body. Like worship, like you were some goddess. It wasn’t long until the tightness in Darry’s pants got uncomfortable, and what kind of man would he be if he couldn’t use what he had to please his beloved? 

Tenderly, his hands travelled away from your body to tend to his own. The ache in his lower abdomen felt like it was threatening to eat his insides, just from how aggravating the pain was. So he unbuckled the black belt he wore and tugged it off only to chuck it off and toss it to the floor with the rest of the unnecessary garments.

Your hands grasped steadily as his hands wandered down to unbutton the zipper of his jeans. You were so ready, you wanted to do it yourself. A man like him needed pampering too, right?

Nimble and flimsy hands managed to snag the zipper down, and you hastily wriggled his jeans down just so they were on the upper part of his thighs. A soft sigh escaped Darry, you presumed it was out of relief for his cock to be free from its tight confines.

Darrel wasted no time getting into a good position. He wanted to see you in your full glory, to see those lovely expressions cross your face or even feel how you’d use his shoulder to muffle the dulcet sounds you’d make. So he chose something comfortable, something that wouldn’t strain his already exhausted legs.

Patient, precise.

He handled you with grace, elegance. There was no need to rush such intimate and gentle moments when he was showing you his utter gratitude towards you.

Your bodies collided, moulded into one as you relished in the warmth emanating from under your flesh. Seeping into one another, your shared warmth spread all through you as Darry eyed you like you were the most precious piece of gold he owned. 

And in a way, you were. 

Gently, he weaved his way into the lovely tightness of that pretty cunt of yours. Rough fingers gripping his own base while he tried oh so hard to gently nudge his reddening tip up into your welcoming core. The little bit of wetness you produced had made it a bit easier, maybe foreplay would’ve made it better.

Ah, but you finally tried to sit yourself down properly onto his lap, trying to fit the fullness of his length into your dripping cunny. What a pretty sight. Nipples hard from the coldness, goosebumps along your arms and legs from him caressing you so gently. In what heaven did the Gods choose to send you to him?

Soft sounds of delight left you both once you fully settled down onto his lap. Darry could feel each little involuntary squeeze, the occasional squirm due to you adjusting to his size. Darry was no small man, he knew this clearly. But... you did make his ego inflate just a bit.

“Shh, I know, sweetie. Gimme a sec, yeah? ‘S gonna feel good, promise.” He hummed into your ear, hands finding the fat of your ass as he scooped it up for some leverage.

And soon enough, with the solid grip he had on your rear, he gently began rocking you. Up and down more than left and right, but regardless he was doing the work and it made you pout a bit. But great heavens, the way his length so perfectly knocked at your cervix and made your insides burn with glee...

Maybe you could allow yourself to let him do the work for a bit, right?

Soft noises escaped you both, grunts and huffs you were unable to silence even if you wished to. Darry was never one for things like bondage, blindfolds, all that junk. Just some real, raw enjoyment with you.

And that’s what he got. Your pussy, unwavering in its joy, didn’t cease to flutter or squeeze around him whenever he knocked at the little g-spot you had. In fact, he quite liked seeing your expression go from neutral to a scrunched eyebrow.

“You like it, sweetie? It’s all for you, take what you need from it. Been so helpful.. little minx in those damn shorts whenever you’re cleaning the livin’ room. Take what you need from me, want you to feel my thanks.” He huffed, ragged breaths causing the sentence to sound breathy and shaky.

You nodded lazily, lethargy making your legs ache but you kept yourself hanging onto him. Hips met his in a needy attempt to get more friction, and Darry happily complied to give you what you wanted. To give you what you needed.

And it wasn’t long after that you found yourself addicted to a rhythm that had your spine trembling and hands seizing onto any flesh of his you could grab. The warm skin helped to ground you, even if it wasn’t exactly what you needed. 

Darry was holding you so tight, resorting from gripping your ass to just simply holding you in a half-hug so he could still move you around. He managed to stuff his head into the crook of your neck, the area clear except for the little bit of natural hair growth on your neck. He had to stop himself from moaning somehow, right?

But he couldn’t hold on for long once he felt the aggressive tightness your cunt was squeezing onto him when you came, he just couldn’t hold on. And soon his cock was pouring out his fresh, fertile seed into your welcoming womb, the obscene noises you both tried to silence finally escaping as heavy breaths and low whimpers.

Good grief, that was a bone-rattling orgasm for you both.

Darry couldn’t pull his face away from your neck, a bit embarrassed for making such kiddy noises just from cumming. But once he finally pulled away to clean himself up and you in the process, that warm smile lining your lips was all he needed to confirm that it didn’t matter.

So like the gentleman he was, Darry gently pulled away from you and laid you back onto his mattress before grabbing some tissues and wiping away the excess mess in between your legs. So gentle, so tender. And once he cleaned himself off too, you both spent the night in each other’s arms.

Silent, but in a good way.

Hopefully no one heard...

[made-my-peace-with-all-the-bad]

Darrel’s love language is acts of service and that’s how he tells his brothers he cares. Him fighting tooth and nail to keep his brothers was love. Him pushing Pony because his brother has a gift and passion for learning is love. Him waiting by the phone when Pony was gone was love. Him making dinner for the whole gang and making sure they eat is love.

Pony’s love language is words of affirmation. He likes telling people and being told that they care. Him telling Johnny about how they could have an entire life outside of Tulsa together was love. Him feeling cared about and loved when Johnny says the reason he’s living is Pony is love. Him writing to tell the story of his friends and their meaning to him was love.

Pony doesn’t think Darrel loves him because Darrel doesn’t say it. Darrel doesn’t come in and say “hey I care about you”. And Pony doesn’t recognize that all of Darrel’s sacrifices and everything he does to keep them afloat is him showing his love. Darrel never saying “I love you” to Pony makes Pony think that Darrel must not love him. And by the time Darrel realizes that and says it, it’s almost too late.

[thetireonstageright]

Happy Valentine’s Day!!💗💗💗

i thought i would celebrate by posting my first fic in a while for @stew-skys-husband ‘s event: I Love How You Roll!!

https://archiveofourown.org/works/63051961

So here is Paul and Darry’s first ever Valentine’s day date where Paul and Darry sneak into the old, abandoned Tulsa skating rink to have a night to themselves. It’s veryyy cute and fluffy, like copious amounts of fluff.(if you know who nick and charlie are from heartstopper, that’s how in love these two are). Gifts, I love yous, and every cliche one liner under the sun are included!! It was really fun to write and i hope you all enjoy <3 <3 <3

🛼🛼🛼

[callme-holly]

Can you please do “Darrel Curtis holding his new born daughter for the first time?” And he’s like totally in love and Y/N is like “Darrel are you crying?” And he, through sniffles is like “n-no” and it’s just tooth rotting sweet?? ♥️♥️

𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞

limerence: (adj.) a state of pure, overwhelming emotional attachment and adoration, often accompanied by an almost dreamlike sense of devotion and joy

The hospital room was silent, save for the faint beeping from the various machines around the room and the soft, slight, uneven breaths from the tiny baby dozing on your chest.

Your body ached, fatigue taking hold of every part of you, your eyes heavy and your mind slightly foggy; however, you couldn't bring yourself to sleep and miss this moment. 

Darry was sitting at your side, transfixed by the little bundle. His face held a mixture of awe and fear, his eyes surprisingly glassy and filled with nothing but love. He'd been so tough through it all, your rock during the whole entire pregnancy, and now he was finally letting himself go, finally letting all of his emotions break through. 

"Do you want to hold her?" you ask quietly, almost afraid that if you talk too loud, you will break the comforting quiet that has enveloped the both of you. Darry doesn't respond straight away but nods slowly in response, holding out his arms so that you can carefully transfer the baby to him.

Immediately, his entire demeanour melts, his body sinking further into the chair as he holds his baby girl close to his chest, watching the way her little chest rises and falls. Her face is scrunched up in sleep, her hair fine and dark, and you feel your heart clench as she subconsciously turns to tuck her face into her dad's shirt.

"She's so perfect." His voice cracks as he speaks, and he swallows heavily in an attempt to bypass the lump forming in his throat. You glance up, catching sight of the tears shining in his eyes, and you can't help but smile.

"Darrel Curtis, are you crying?" Your voice holds not an ounce of judgement or disapproval, just pure, unadulterated affection. He shakes his head quickly, clearing his throat but refusing to meet your eyes.

"No... I'm not," he denies, but the way his voice wobbles says otherwise. Carefully, you reach out with a tentative hand, resting it lightly on his arm and squeezing reassuringly. That finally draws his attention to you, and he lets out a small puff of air, disbelief painted across his features.

"She's ours," he mumbles, rocking the tiny bundle as he speaks. "She's actually ours."

You nod, your own tears forming. "Yeah. She is, hon. She's ours." 

Darry smiles down at the baby, and it seems he can't bring himself to look away from her for more than a few seconds.  It's like a magnet for his attention, a sponge absorbing every ounce of love he has to give. "This... It doesn't feel real, you know? I never knew I could love someone so much." he

And the truth in his words, the pure honesty in which he speaks them, is what finally breaks through the dam and allows your tears to seep free. The baby stirs slightly, letting out a small whimper as she shifts, but she doesn't wake. Her eyes stay closed, and you watch with great wonder as her features twitch and twist before settling once more.

"We did good," you speak eventually. "Did really good." 

And Darry can only manage a small hum of agreement, grinning at you like he's the luckiest man on earth, like he's just won the largest bet in history. But no amount of money in the world could ever compare to this feeling; nothing could ever live up to knowing he's got you by his side, and now, this tiny baby too. That's all he needed. Just you and your daughter. And that's all that mattered.

[b0n3s-is-gay]

Idk if you’re doing requests but I need someone to write head canons for the greasers being sub and into dry humping please 🙏🙏🙏🙏 Maybe even one shots/drabbles? I would love for you to write this but If you don’t want to, it’s Ok! I respect that! Anyways have a good day xx

Fuck yeah! I live for submissive men, give me a moment!!

Darrel Shaynne Curtis:

Let's get one thing out of the way, this man is hardly submissive but he wants to be. He's all tough and mean on the outside because he's the older brother and works almost 24/7, he's going to need some time for someone else to take care of him from time to time given that he's a young man and that he also does like being on top.

He's a whiney sub but he really tries not to be. If you're just making out while sitting on his lap or he's sitting on yours, he's going to end up grinding on your thigh and whimpering in your ear.

When it comes to dry humping with a subby! Darry, he's really sensitive. He's good at controlling his climax when he's on top but when he's on bottom and is humping against you, he's so so sensitive.

Praise him, praise this man. He needs it, he craves that validation from you. Tell him he's a good boy and he's having to bit his lips to keep himself from cumming on the spot. He's got a praise kink through and through.

8/10 because HOLY FUCK, he's a damn good sub but -2 points because it's rare to get that kind of Darry most nights.

Keith "Two-bit" Mathews:

He's a brat. Don't listen to anything else, this man is a slutty, bratty pillow prince. He doesn't care what you do. Degrade him, praise him. It doesn't matter because he will cum all the same.

When it comes to dry humping, he's not picky. If you're at a drive in and sitting in a car, he's going to get on your lap while making out and start humping your thigh (With permission of course, he's a brat but not a monster.)

When you two are together and getting intimate with him on bottom, he tried to power bottom but it doesn't work out in his favor. He'll degrade you but to fix that, just fuck with his chest a little bit while he's being bratty and he'll sort himself out.

While he is a pillow prince, he'll repay the favor after he's been overstimmulated to hell and back.

6/10 because you're getting bossed around while fucking. It was going to be 7/10 but -1 point because he's mean about it.

Dallas "Dally" Winston:

Not really bratty, not really whiney... He's somewhere in between emotional because Dally doesn't do vulnerablilty unless he's comfortable with you, and even then, it's rare that he is.

When he subs, he's going to try and control what he can because he doesn't want to let go of that control.

When Dally is dry humping, he's not shy about it. He wouldn't do it in public, fuck no, but if you're in your own space, he's not shy about rutting his hips against your thigh while kissing you.

When dry humping, Dally is slow about it, trying to keep this going as long as possible without getting too worked up. He likes to have his pleasure and moments of vulnerability with you. And yes, you could probably get him to cry as he does try and overstimulate himself often in the sub space.

9/10. He's great to dom and take care of with. Just be sure to treat him right.

Steve Randle:

This man doesn't sub. He just doesn't. The most you'll get out of him is him being a power bottom. My apologies.

He'll dry hump you while making out though, grinding up against you while your lip locked in private.

3/10 because he's no sub.

Sodapop Patrick Curtis:

Sodapop is a switch, try to tell me otherwise. You get Dom Sodapop just as much as you get Sub Sodapop. He's generally a quiet sub mainly because he's biting and sucking on your neck the whole time.

When you're topping Sodapop, he's easy going. If you're making out on a night that he's subbing, he's going to grind against you with a lip sucked between his teeth to keep quiet.

Sodapop can be loud, he doesn't sit still. When he's subbing, you're going to need to restrain him (do it, he doesn't mind it at all. It adds to the experience for him).

He's sensitive. Don't get me wrong, when he tops, his pleasure takes a back seat. He can hold out, he cums last, but when he subs and it's about his pleasure? Oh it's over.

10/10 would sub again.

Johnny Cade:

Johnny is always the sub in this relationship unless he suddenly feels jealous. So when Johnny subs, it's another regular tuesday.

He's soft, but communicative. When he wants to be, he can get loud. Like if he's grinding against you, skin to skin, and you're praising him? Calling him a good boy? The whole east side is fucking hearing you. I don't make the rules.

You cannot get him to do anything public. You just can't. He is the oppsite of Two-bit, he won't do it. Speaking of not like two bit, he's also not a brat.

Praise kink. He has a praise kink. Call him a good boy while he's grinding against you and I swear he will grin at you.

10/10. Is Johnny inexperienced? Yes. Does that matter at all? No.

Ponyboy Michael Curtis:

No

Nope

Nada

Nein

He's younger than me while the rest of these characters are either the same age or older than me. No.

[dairyfairyy]

i hope darry curtis knows he has fans who send him hugs 24/7 😭😭

[thewulf]

Curtis & Co || Darrel "Darry" Curtis

Summary: Request - I was thinking maybe Darry & fem reader have been together for a long time, all the boys consider them to be the Big Brother/Sister/Mom & Dad of the gang. But Darry saved up enough money to propose to his girl. So he gets the gang involved in the proposal too.

A/N: Thank you for the request @fanboyswhore9 !!! I loved writing this and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did!

Pairing: Darrel "Darry" Curtis x Female Reader

Word Count: 4.3k +

TW: General The Outsiders

The Curtis house was never quiet. Not really. Even when Ponyboy was nose deep in a book, lost in some far-off world, the house still buzzed with life. Soda was always running his mouth, cracking jokes, and filling the space with laughter. While Steve and Two-Bit bickered over whatever nonsense they had cooked up that day. And there was Darry. He was always steady, always carrying the weight of it all. His shoulders squared under the responsibility of keeping a family together.

And then there was you.

You had been around since the beginning. Long before everything fell apart. You had been Darry’s best friend back when he was just a golden boy with big dreams before life had asked too much of him too soon. You had seen the way his parents adored him. How they looked at him like he was bound for something great. You had seen him at his best, laughing and reckless, a kid who thought the world had endless possibilities. And you had seen him at his worst, standing in the wreckage of his life after his parents were gone, exhausted and terribly scared but too damn proud to admit it.

You never left. Not when it got hard. Not when Darry had to trade in his college dreams for double shifts and sleepless nights. Somewhere along the way you started picking up the pieces alongside him. You helped him raise Ponyboy. Kept Soda from spiraling. Always made sure there was always food on the table even when it meant stretching meals too thin. You weren’t just Darry’s best friend anymore. You were his family. Their family.

And the gang noticed.

At first it started as a joke. Something Steve tossed out casually when you made him an extra sandwich one afternoon. “Thanks, Mom,” he said with a smirk before stuffing his face. You had rolled your eyes at the time thinking nothing of it.

But then Two-Bit picked it up and that was when the real trouble started. “Hey, Dar, your wife says I gotta do the dishes,” he’d called out one night, grinning as he leaned against the counter. “You really gonna let her boss me around like that?”

Darry while scrubbing the kitchen table down had barely looked up. “If she says to do the dishes you’ll do the damn dishes, Keith.”

That only made Two-Bit cackle. “Alright, alright.” He threw his hands up and got to work.

Even Ponyboy who was usually quiet and reserved had given Darry a rare, knowing smirk one day after dinner. “She’s got more authority in this house than you do Darry.”

And that was when Soda decided to take it personally. “Dar,” he sighed dramatically one night, kicking his feet up on the table. “You do realize you already got yourself a wife, right?”

Darry shot him a look. “Soda.”

“No, no,” Soda continued, waving a hand. “I’m just stating the obvious. You act like a married couple. You argue like a married couple. Hell, you even cook dinner together like a married couple.”

Ponyboy looked up from his book with an innocent expression. “You should just ask her out already. You basically act married anyway.” Johnny nodding along with him.

Darry frowned, like the idea had never truly crossed his mind before. He scoffed, shaking his head. “I—I don’t—”

“You do,” Soda cut in.

“You absolutely do,” Steve added from the couch.

And then, as if this entire ordeal wasn’t already a nightmare for Darry, Dallas Winston strolled into the room smirking like he had been waiting for this moment his entire life. “Oh, hell, finally,” Dally drawled, plopping down on the arm of the couch while flicking his lighter open and shut. “Took y’all long enough to say it. I was about ready to spell it out in the damn sky.”

Darry groaned, rubbing his temples. “Not you, too.”

Dally snorted, taking a drag from his cigarette. “You’re real slow, man. Real slow. I mean, damn. You’re playing house over here, takin’ care of Pony, makin’ sure Soda don’t drink himself into a coma and then there’s your girl, who’s been stuck to your hip since before you had a damn mortgage on your shoulders. You’re tellin’ me you just realized it?”

Darry’s scowl deepened, but the tips of his ears went pink.

Dally exhaled a cloud of smoke before shaking his head. “Pathetic. You oughta be ashamed.”

Soda cracked up while Steve pounded the table. “Oh man, Dallas is calling you pathetic. That’s gotta sting.”

“Shut up,” Darry grumbled but at this point it didn’t matter. Because maybe, just maybe, they were right.

Maybe when you leaned against the counter laughing at something Pony said Darry had a hard time looking away. Maybe when you patched him up after a rough shift, scolding him for pushing himself too hard, he liked hearing the worry in your voice. Maybe when he watched you sitting on the porch with Ponyboy quietly listening to him talk about nothing and everything, something in his chest ached in a way he didn’t want to name. Soda was right. Dally was right. The whole damn gang was right. Darry had been in love with you for years. He had just been too damn stubborn to admit it.

It took him three days to work up the nerve to do anything about it.

He didn’t plan anything grand. That wasn’t your style. He just asked if you wanted to take a walk one night after dinner. His hands were shoved in his pockets. His shoulders tense in a way that had nothing to do with work. You didn’t question it but instead just fell into step beside him. The two of you walking quietly under the flickering streetlights with the night air cool against your skin.

Darry had never been one for fancy words, never been one to spill his feelings easily. But he had spent enough time swallowing them down. He cleared his throat before glancing over at you. “I… uh… I think I’ve been in love with you for a long time.” He blurted out.

You stopped walking and looked at him with wide eyes. “…Think?” You asked as he took you completely off guard with that one.

His ears burned red. “Fine,” he admitted. “I know.”

You let the silence stretch, dragging it out just to make him sweat a little longer, enjoying the rare sight of Darrel Curtis looking unsure of himself. Then after what felt like forever to him you grinned, grabbed the front of his shirt, and pulled him in close. “Took you long enough, Curtis.”

The gang lost their ever-loving minds when they found out.

Soda whooped so loudly he nearly fell off the porch, clutching his stomach as he gasped for breath. Two-Bit declared a national holiday and immediately started preparing for an imaginary wedding. Steve groaned, already complaining about how he was going to have to witness “gross couple behavior” for the rest of his life.

Dally, of course, took full credit. “I mean if it weren’t for me he’d still be sittin’ there lookin’ confused.”

Pony just rolled his eyes and muttered, “God help us all.”

And Johnny?

Johnny just smiled, shaking his head, because he had seen it coming long before Darry ever did.

Two years had passed since Darry finally pulled his head out of the sand and asked you to be his girl. Two years of late-night talks on the porch, of shared laughter over burned breakfasts, of feeling light in a way neither of you had since the world had come crashing down. Loving Darry wasn’t always easy. He carried too much weight on his shoulders, worried too much, worked himself too hard. But you wouldn’t trade a second of it. Because the truth was you had always been his, long before he ever admitted it.

But time hadn’t stopped moving, hadn’t let you stay frozen in those golden moments forever. Life had changed. It had hardened in ways you never could have predicted. Johnny was gone. Dallas, too. The grief still clung to the gang, settling into the spaces they once filled, but it didn’t break you. Not completely anyway. You had all learned how to carry it. How to live with the loss without letting it consume you.

And somehow through it all Darry never let go of you.

You weren’t just his best friend anymore. You weren’t just his girl. You were his. And he was yours. The one he reached for at the end of a long day. The one he trusted to see the parts of him he hid from everyone else. And if there was one thing Darry Curtis knew with absolute certainty it was that he didn’t want to spend another day without you.

Which was exactly why he had a ring stashed away in a place even Two-Bit couldn’t find.

Darry Curtis was going to propose.

And unfortunately for him that meant getting the gang involved.

He knew it was a mistake. Knew it the second he opened his mouth. But Darry wasn’t the kind of guy who did things halfway and if he was going to ask you to marry him he was going to make it something special. Nothing too grand because you’d hate that. Always had. But something special for the two of you.

Which is why, for better or worse, he found himself sitting in the Curtis living room watching as Soda, Pony, Two-Bit, and Steve absolutely butchered what was supposed to be a simple proposal plan.

“Alright, hear me out,” Two-Bit said, leaning forward with a gleam in his eye that immediately made Darry regret every life choice that led to this moment. “What if we set off fireworks?”

Pony sighed, already rubbing his temples. “Two-Bit, you can’t even light a match properly.”

“Okay, fine, but what about—”

Soda cut in with a grin. “What if we get a horse?” Darry groaned. This was going to be hell.

Darry leaned back in his chair rubbing a hand down his face as he listened to the absolute train wreck unfolding around him. He wasn’t sure why he thought this would be a good idea. He knew these idiots had no sense of subtlety or reason. Here he was regretting everything as Steve pushed forward with what had to be the worst romantic advice he had ever heard.

"Listen, Dar," Steve started, crossing his arms like he was some expert on the subject. "The key to a solid proposal is shock value."

Darry raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Shock value?"

Steve nodded like this was the most obvious thing in the world. "Yeah, man. You gotta catch her off guard! I’m talkin’ like bam! Just drop the question mid-conversation. Like, when she least expects it. Keeps things exciting."

Soda nearly fell out of his seat laughing. "Mid-conversation, Steve? What, you think Darry’s gonna be talkin’ about groceries and just throw in a ‘hey, wanna get hitched’ in between tomatoes and bread?"

Steve shrugged. "I’m just saying, girls love surprises."

"But she doesn’t," Pony muttered, shaking his head. Steve just shot him a glare and shrugged.

"Now me," Two-Bit cut in, pointing to himself, "I got class. Darry, you should definitely propose at the drive-in."

Darry sighed regretting this entire conversation. "The drive-in."

Two-Bit grinned. "Yeah! During a horror movie." Silence filled the room.

Pony just stared at him, looking almost pained. "During a horror movie?"

"Yeah, picture it!" Two-Bit leaned forward, waving his hands dramatically. "You wait till the scariest part like when the monster’s about to pop out then you drop down on one knee! She’ll be so freaked out she won’t even think, she’ll just say yes!"

Steve snorted. "Or scream and knee him in the face."

Soda wiped tears from his eyes finding far too much enjoyment for Darry’s liking. "Oh man, I wanna see that."

Darry groaned. "There is no way I’m proposing during a damn horror movie."

Two-Bit just shrugged. "Your loss. Could’ve been legendary."

Pony, ever the poet, sighed dramatically while slipping his notebook open. "You should do something meaningful, Darry. Something with depth. A real moment between you two."

"Not happening," Darry shot back immediately.

"You didn’t even let me finish!" Pony huffed at his eldest brother.

"Because I already know whatever you’re about to say is gonna be too complicated."

"It’s not complicated! I was just thinking—"

"No poems, Pony." Darry sat back in the couch, reeling.

"But—"

"No."

Pony scowled while muttering under his breath about how nobody in this family appreciated literature. Meanwhile, Soda was having the time of his life watching his usually cool, collected big brother flounder like a fish out of water. He was positively thriving in Darry’s misery.

"Damn, Dar," Soda chuckled, slapping a hand on his back. "You’re really sweatin’ this, huh?"

Darry shot him a glare. "Of course, I’m sweatin’ this, Soda. I’m trying to propose to the woman I love."

Soda just grinned. "I know and it’s the funniest thing I’ve ever seen."

Darry sighed again, realizing that this was the moment he had officially lost control of the situation. But after what felt like hours of absolute nonsense, Darry had finally managed to wrangle the gang into something resembling a plan. It took a lot of patience, a lot of vetoing bad ideas (he was never letting Two-Bit near fireworks, and Steve was absolutely banned from giving further input), but somehow, against all odds, they had pulled it together.

The final decision? A simple, quiet dinner at the Curtis house. Nothing too fancy, nothing too showy, just something that felt right. The gang would help set it up, make sure everything was perfect, and then he’d finally ask the question that had been sitting on his tongue for months.

That was the plan.

Now all he had to do was actually go through with it.

Which, as he stood in the middle of the miraculously clean Curtis kitchen and adjusting the collar of his shirt for the hundredth time, suddenly felt a lot harder than he expected. His hands felt clammy, his stomach twisted up in knots, and for the first time in a long time Darry Curtis felt nervous.

Soda noticed immediately. "Would ya quit fidgeting?" his younger brother teased, nudging him with his elbow. "You look fine. Better than fine, actually. You sure you’re not the one gettin’ proposed to?"

Darry shot him a glare. "Not helping, Soda."

Soda just grinned, utterly unbothered. "What, you nervous?"

"No," Darry lied, adjusting his sleeves.

Steve snorted from across the room. "Yeah, okay, sure. You’ve been checking your watch every thirty seconds, Dar. If you get any more worked up you’re gonna pass out before she even walks through the door."

Darry groaned, running a hand through his hair. "I hate you guys."

Two-Bit clapped him on the shoulder, looking way too proud of himself. "You’ll thank us when she says yes, big guy. I mean if she says yes—"

Steve smirked. "Oh yeah, she could say no."

Soda gasped dramatically. "Oh man, what if she laughs?"

"Y’all are the worst," Darry muttered, shaking his head.

Ponyboy took pity on him. "Relax, Darry. She loves you. You could probably propose with a burger and a milkshake, and she’d still say yes."

Darry exhaled his shoulders dropping slightly. "Yeah. Yeah, I know."

But even as he said it the nerves didn’t fade. Not completely. Because this was it. The moment he was going to ask you to spend the rest of your life with him. And then as if fate had been waiting for just the right second to make his heart damn near stop, there was a soft knock at the door.

Soda grinned. "Showtime."

The second the knock sounded at the door. Darry felt his stomach drop. He had faced down Socs in street fights, worked brutal shifts in the heat of summer, taken on the responsibility of raising two younger brothers before he even hit his twenties. But nothing had ever made his hands sweat like this.

Soda, grinning way too much, clapped him on the back. “Alright tough guy, don’t choke.”

Darry shot him a glare before jerking his thumb toward the back door. “All of you, out. Now.”

Steve scoffed. “Aw, c’mon, we can’t even watch?”

“No.”

Two-Bit groaned dramatically but he was already halfway to the back door, grabbing a roll off the table as he went. “Fine, fine, we’ll leave you to your romantic moment. But if you pass out, I’m comin’ back to revive you.”

Pony smirked but gave Darry a reassuring nod before following the others outside. Soda, the last to leave, wagged his eyebrows and whispered, “You got this.” Then he was gone, and the house was finally quiet.

Darry took a deep breath. This was it. No turning back now.

He opened the door, and there you were just back from your shift looking tired but beautiful as ever. Your brow furrowing slightly as you stepped inside.

Your eyes swept across the house taking in the shockingly spotless living room and the lack of boys sprawled across the furniture. The warm scent of something home-cooked lingering in the air. Your lips quirked as you turned back to Darry. “Alright, what’s going on? Did you finally scare the boys into cleaning up after themselves?”

Darry smirked but the nerves in his stomach twisted tighter. “Not exactly.” You narrowed your eyes slightly about to ask another question, but then he stepped fully into the light, and your words caught in your throat.

Because damn. Darry was always handsome. Annoyingly so. But tonight? Tonight, he looked unfairly good. He was freshly shaven, dressed up in a button-down shirt that fit just right. His usually messy hair combed back neatly. Your gaze flicked over him, then back up to his face, and you arched a knowing eyebrow.

“Well, don’t you look nice,” you teased, stepping closer. “What’s the occasion? Got a hot date?”

Darry exhaled a short laugh, shaking his head. “Something like that.” He took your hand, his grip warm and steady despite the fact that his heart was racing. “Come with me.” You let him lead you toward the kitchen, curiosity flickering in your expression. And when you stepped inside your breath caught.

The table was set for two. A candle flickering softly in the center with plates arranged neatly with a home-cooked meal that was definitely not thrown together at the last minute. The room was quiet, intimate, a stark contrast to the usual chaos of the Curtis household.

Your heart squeezed, warmth blooming in your chest. “Darry…”

He swallowed hard, suddenly finding it a lot harder to breathe. His grip on your hand tightened as he turned to face you fully. “Look, I—I had a whole speech planned,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. “But now that you’re here, I—” He huffed out a nervous chuckle. “Damn. I’m sweatin’ this.”

You grinned. Your voice soft. “Take your time, Dar.”

He looked at you then, really looked at you and suddenly, the nerves didn’t matter so much. Because it was you. You had been there for everything. The good, the bad, the downright impossible. You had stood beside him when the world turned dark, made him laugh when he thought he’d forgotten how. You reminded him that he wasn’t alone even when he tried to carry everything on his own shoulders. He had been in love with you for longer than he cared to admit. And now, he was going to make damn sure he never had to go a day without you.

So, before his hands could shake. Before his voice could waver, Darry dropped down on one knee.

Your breath hitched, eyes widening, hands flying to your mouth as you took a sharp step back. “Oh my God.”

Darry let out a breathless laugh. “Not exactly what I was hopin’ for.”

You squeaked, actually squeaked, and Darry grinned despite the nerves rattling his chest. He pulled a small box from his pocket, flipping it open to reveal a simple but beautiful ring. His heart was pounding but his voice was steady.

“I love you,” he said with no hesitation. “I’ve loved you since before I even knew what that meant. And I know I ain’t always the best at sayin’ it, but you’re… you’re everything to me, darlin’. You always have been.” He exhaled, steadying himself. “So, what do you say? You wanna make it official? Would you marry me darlin’?”

You stared at him for a long second. Your eyes glassy with emotion, your hands still pressed against your mouth. Then, suddenly, and rather violently, you nodded. “Yes,” you gasped, dropping to your knees in front of him. “Yes, Darry, of course yes.”

Relief and joy crashed over him in one overwhelming wave and before he could blink you were throwing your arms around his neck kissing him like you had been waiting for this moment your entire life. He laughed against your lips, one arm winding around your waist as he held you close while the other slipped the ring onto your finger.

It fit perfectly. Just like the two of you always had.

The gang had lasted all of two and a half hours before their patience ran out.

They had tried to keep busy. Soda had challenged Steve to a dumb arm-wrestling contest, Two-Bit had thrown rocks at a can for way too long, and Ponyboy had at least pretended to read. But in the end they all found themselves back on the Curtis porch sitting on the steps, leaning against the railing, restless and nosy as hell.

Soda huffed, drumming his fingers against his knee. “Alright, how long does it take to say yes?”

Steve snorted. “Long enough for Darry to pass out from nerves, apparently.”

Pony rolled his eyes. “She said yes. There’s no way she didn’t.”

“Yeah, but what if she made him sweat first?” Two-Bit smirked. “I woulda dragged it out just to mess with him.”

“Oh, no doubt,” Soda agreed, grinning. “Bet he was sweatin’ bullets.”

Steve stretched out with a groan. “Y’know, we could just knock and pretend we left somethin’ inside.”

“Or,” Two-Bit said, wiggling his brows, “we could just walk in.”

Soda shot up, hands on his hips. “Y’know what? Screw it, I’m goin’ in...”

The door swung open. And there you were. The porch went dead silent like they’d all been caught. Soda, frozen mid-step. Two-Bit, mouth still open from whatever nonsense he was about to say. Steve, looking like he had just been smacked upside the head. Ponyboy looking nervous as hell.

You took in the sight of them camped out like kids waiting for Christmas morning and sighed. “You guys—”

Two-Bit threw his hands up. “Alright, enough suspense. Did he do it?”

Rolling your eyes, you held up your hand, letting the porch light catch the ring.

And just like that, all hell broke loose.

Soda whooped so loud the whole neighborhood probably heard. Two-Bit nearly knocked Steve off the railing in his excitement. Steve let out a long, low whistle and nodded approvingly. Ponyboy, though less dramatic, cracked a rare grin.

Then, the chaos really began.

“I knew it,” Two-Bit declared, shaking his head. “Darry Curtis, officially a taken man. Say goodbye to your freedom, big guy.”

Darry, who had just stepped up behind you, sighed. “Two-Bit.”

“Hey, it’s true!” Two-Bit grinned. “Speakin’ of which, let’s get to the important stuff. I should be the Best Man.”

Darry blinked. “I—I haven’t even thought that far ahead—”

“Well, think now!” Two-Bit pointed at himself. “I got all the qualifications. I’m fun, I got style, and I’ll throw one hell of a speech at the wedding.”

Pony groaned. “God, please no.”

“Oh, like you wouldn’t make it poetic and sappy,” Steve scoffed. “Guarantee Pony’s already writing some tragic love poem about the engagement.”

Pony huffed, crossing his arms. “I am not.”

Soda squinted at the notebook tucked under his arm. “Then what’s this, Mr. Shakespeare?”

Pony smacked him. “Shut up.”

Meanwhile, Steve turned back to Darry, slinging an arm around his shoulders. “Alright, now that the proposal’s outta the way, let’s talk bachelor party—”

“No.”

Steve scoffed. “You don’t even know what I was gonna say.”

“Yes, I do.”

“No, you don’t!”

“Yes, I do,” Darry said firmly.

Steve clicked his tongue, sighing dramatically. “Man, you are no fun.”

“You say that like it’s news.”

Amid all the teasing, the bickering, the relentless chaos, something settled deep in your chest. Warm and certain. The gang wasn’t the same as it had been before. Some wounds never fully healed. Some people never came back. But this family you had built. This love that surrounded you, it was still here. And Darry with his steady hands and steady heart was yours.

You leaned into him, his arm wrapping around you instinctively, and grinned. “You ready for this, Curtis?”

He looked down at you, eyes soft, and squeezed your hand. “Yeah,” he murmured. “I am.”

The chaos eventually settled, eventually. The gang, satisfied with their relentless teasing, finally backed off leaving you and Darry standing together on the porch as the laughter and bickering faded into the night. Soda was still grinning like an idiot, Two-Bit was loudly arguing with Steve over something completely irrelevant, and Pony had already wandered off probably to scribble something poetic about love under the stars.

But none of that mattered. Not really. Because Darry was looking at you. His hand was still wrapped around yours. His thumb tracing small circles along your skin, his grip warm, steady and sure. For a man who carried the weight of the world on his shoulders, right now, he looked lighter.

You turned toward him, tilting your head. “So,” you murmured, voice softer now that the gang’s voices were fading. “You really nervous, or was that just a trick to make me feel special?”

Darry huffed a quiet laugh while shaking his head. “Nah,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. “I was nervous as hell.”

You grinned. “Didn’t seem like it.”

“Liar,” he said, and you laughed because, okay, maybe you had seen the way his hands had trembled just a little when he opened the ring box.

He exhaled, looking down at your joined hands, at the ring now sitting on your finger. His voice dropped lower, softer. “I meant every word, y’know.”

“I know,” you said, your chest aching in the best way.

He lifted his gaze. Those deep, stormy-blue eyes locking onto yours, something so full in them that it nearly stole your breath. “I love you.”

It wasn’t the first time he had said it and it wouldn’t be the last. But something about this moment with the porch light casting a soft glow over him, the gang still bickering in the background like nothing had changed, the quiet between you two stretching warm and safe, made it feel like the most important time he had ever said it.

You smiled, stepping closer, resting your forehead against his. “I love you, too, Dar.”

His arm slid around your waist, pulling you in close, his lips brushing against yours in a slow, lingering kiss. One that held every promise he had ever made to you without needing to say a single word. And as you stood there, wrapped up in each other, the laughter of your family echoing behind you, you knew without a doubt that you had found your forever.

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