#Darry Curtis fanfiction

[theoutsiderslove]

Before the Rumble

Darry Curtis x Fem! Reader

Tags: Brief mentions of violence. 

Word Count: 2.5k

“Every one of us will be back here before you know it.”

Ponyboy and Sodapop had been talking about it for weeks.

It seemed like every other conversation focused on it. They talked about it at the dinner table, Soda yelled about it from the shower, and Pony would even take breaks from his homework to stop and chatter on.

When Steve and Two-Bit were around, and then all four of them got to going on about it? Then it was really a rousing conversation. 

While Darry was looking forward to it the same as they were, he was beginning to get a little annoyed with the constant talk of it. Sure, it wasn’t an everyday occurrence, and it was something they all got excited for.

Darry, however, preferred to wait until a day or two before to begin hyping up for it. There was no sense in being all tense for it when it was still two weeks out.

You, on the other hand, didn’t mind all the bubbly chatter. It made you happy to see them so excited for something. 

After all, it wasn’t every day that they had a rumble to look forward to.

Over the last several months, things had been extra heated between the Greasers and the Socs. More and more unprovoked fights, crossing over into territories, and just overall grievance between the two groups had become obvious – and it was time to cool things down a bit.

Rumbles were a decent way for the Socs and Greasers to blow off steam on one another. It was their chance to get in as many swings and kicks as they could without “breaking the rules.” 

It would settle things down at least…for now. 

Needless to say, the boys were stoked, and now that the night had arrived and the rumble was only a few hours out – they were off the walls.

“Hey! I saw that, Two-Bit,” You barked. “No knives.” 

His cheeks flushed pink at being caught shoving his blade into his pocket, but the grin on his face was as Two-Bit as ever.

“I wasn’t gonna use it!” He claimed, but you knew him all too well.

“You know what happens when a knife comes out at a skin fight,” You pointed at him with a knowing finger. “I don’t want to have to sew anyone back together tonight.”

Two-Bit cackled at that, his usual wisecracker of a personality shining brighter than ever. Nonetheless, he obliged to your scolding, removing his switchblade from his pocket and leaving it on the table in front of the couch.

It didn’t dampen his spirits whatsoever. If anything, everyone’s normal behaviors were doubled tonight.

The Curtis home was bustling with activity. The gang was on fire with energy tonight, all of them going through their separate routines to get prepped and ready for the rumble. Dallas was nowhere to be seen, but he usually showed up right when it was time to get going. 

They were spread out throughout the house, each of them piping up within the conversation.

“Y’all think the fuzz will show up?” Steve asked from the dining table, where he was playing some card game with Sodapop.

“Nah. I don’t think this is gonna be that kind of rumble,” Soda answered. “A couple of minutes at most.”

Your head popped out from the kitchen at the sound of that. While the women usually didn’t participate in rumbles, you were going to be on clean up duty when they returned to the house later that night. It was important to be sure that there was plenty of first aid, clean rags, and aspirin to fix everybody up…not to mention some kind of bedding so everybody had a place to crash, and towels so everyone could shower.

“Sodapop, do not get too comfortable with that,” You advised. “I also would prefer not to have to bail any of you out of jail.”

“Awh, come on, [Y/N]. You’re just bein’ paranoid.” Ponyboy said from the sofa, where he and Johnny were sitting quietly.

Pony and Johnny didn’t usually say much before a rumble. They were the smallest of the group, and these rumbles were physically much rougher on them than the rest of the gang. Still, they liked to pull their weight like everybody else, and bringing glory to the Greasers meant more than anything.

“Especially you,” You pointed again, but at Pony this time. “It’s one thing bailing Dally out. You’re a different story.”

You couldn’t help but be protective. When you and Darry started dating, you signed on with this gang. Each and every one of them meant something special to you. In some way or another, each of them had helped you out and been there for you in some way. They trusted you the same way you trusted them. It was the least you could do to pay it forward – keep them safe and clean them up afterwards when they weren’t.

Steve turned around in his chair to look at you, a goofy smirk plastered on his face.

“Why? You think Darry’s gonna yell at you if he does?” Steve laughed. “No chance that’ll ever happen.”

You couldn’t help but share a smile. The guys always teased Darry about how he was so serious and rough all the time. But the second you were around or if he was merely even thinking about you, that big man demeanor melted away. 

“What will never happen?” Darry asked as he entered the living room, only hearing the second half of the conversation.

Not wanting to argue with the big man in the house, Steve waved him off.

“Eh, don’t worry about it,” Steve dismissed, returning to his card game with Soda. “Got any twos?”

Darry scoffed, rolling his eyes at his kid brother’s best pal. The man’s blue-green eyes met yours, a certain shimmer shining over them when he looked at you. He had a small, yet dashing grin on his face – an expression he showed when he was happily, but quietly thinking about you.

A moment was shared between your silent looks. He knew you were nervous, as you usually were before they all went off to go beat up a bunch of rich kids from the other side of town. He was sure that you had already given Pony and Soda the pep talk about getting away if the cops showed up. He was positive that you had already told Two-Bit to empty his pockets of any weapons.

He knew your thought process, and your caring nature for him and his family (both biological and not) made him feel like the most loved guy in the world.

“Hey,” Two-Bit called to Darry, suddenly re-inserting himself to the topic at hand…or the one that was attempted to be left behind. “Speaking of things that’ll never happen, when are you going to buy that poor girl a ring?”

Your smile was wiped clean off your face, and a scowl appeared in its place.

“Keith.” You said boldly and sternly before anyone else could get a word in.

Two-Bit sank into his chair at the usage of his real, government name – a telltale sign that (per usual) he had taken it too far.

That “girl” he was referring to was you, and it was something that he hassled Darry about all the time. 

Everyone knew that you and Darry wanted to get married and would get married…eventually. According to Ponyboy, Darry had wanted to ask you to marry him within the first six months that you were together. 

But you knew the situation that Darry was in. Their parents were gone, and things hadn’t been so smooth for them in the last few years. It had only been about a year since they had died when you met Darry and now, three years later, on the surface it seemed that your relationship was going nowhere. 

But you knew that things weren’t so black and white. Darry on numerous occasions had began to save up some money to buy you a ring and put it aside for a wedding, but it seemed that every time Darry was getting some decent cash saved, one of the boys would get hurt or something urgent around the house would need fixing, and Darry would have no option but to use the money elsewhere.

One time you even suggested to Darry to forget the ring and just have a small courthouse wedding. It was cheap and quick. It wasn’t like you needed a wedding ring or any kind of “real” wedding ceremony. Spending the rest of your life with Darry is what mattered the most, but Darry knew that (even if you wouldn’t admit it) you wanted a real wedding with at least some of the bells and whistles.

Darry was insecure about it. He knew that you were long overdue for a proper proposal. He wondered sometimes why you had stuck around the way you had without any promise of marriage. In many ways, Darry wondered why you were still with him at all – because he knew you deserved so much more than what he could give you.

You didn’t have to pitch in around their house like you did. You didn’t have to treat Sodapop and Ponyboy as if they were your own. You didn’t have to put up with the foul-mouthed, chainsmoking pack of people that you were around on a daily basis. And you surely didn’t have to be the caretaker of the aftermath of a good old-fashioned Greaser brawl.

But you loved Darry, so you did all of that anyway.

In Two-Bit’s defense, pretty much everyone had asked that question at some point…in their own personal style. Whether it was Johnny quietly whispering to Ponyboy or Dallas asking Darry when he was going to “get on with it,” everyone had wondered about it.

It was clear too that everyone was curious for an answer, considering that the entire house had now gone silent. Every pair of eyes in the room was on Darry, which made you feel worse than it did him.

While you were well aware that they had all thought about it, you didn’t like it when they said it out loud.

Darry had enough pressure on himself as it was, you didn’t want more weight to press down at your expense. Darry had gotten used to the guys poking him about this, and he usually knew what to do to change the subject.

“What about you, wise guy? Where’s your girl?” Darry mocked. “Where’s Kathy, huh?”

Believe it or not, Ponyboy was usually the first to jump in to defend Darry…even though he wanted the two of you to get married more than anybody.

“Did Kathy finally get sick of your jokes, Two-Bit?” Pony joked, and the volume in the house began to pick up again.

“Maybe she moved on to a Greaser that can actually make it to noon without getting piss drunk!” Sodapop howled, and now everyone was dogging on Two-Bit instead.

“I’ll have you all know that me and Kathy are doing just fine.” Two-Bit proclaimed, but that only seemed to make everyone mess with him more.

There was a distraction for now, and you jumped on the opportunity to have Darry to yourself for a minute.

“Hey, Darry?” You called calmly, darting your eyes to silently let him know that you wanted to talk privately.

Darry caught your look, and nonchalantly carried himself into the kitchen to avoid disrupting the bickering between Two-Bit and everyone else.

You didn’t try to hide the anxious look on your face once it was just you and Darry. His face morphed into a worried look, but he already knew what your nerves were for.

“What’s wrong, baby?” He asked, just in case.

“Listen…I know you’re always careful but…just be careful.” You asked, smoothing out a wrinkle on his t-shirt.

“Always,” He confirmed. “I don’t think this will be a big rumble.”

You heard what he said and understood, but that didn’t stop you from continuing.

“And keep an eye on Ponyboy and Johnny if you can. I know they’re independent and can handle themselves, but they’re just so much smaller and I don’t want-”

“Hey, hey. I’ve got this,” He smiled in amusement, but appreciated your concern as always. “Every one of us will be back here before you know it.”

There was no sense in fussing over them at this point. They were going to do what they always did…fight for their glory and return victorious.

“Okay,” You swiped a stray hair from his forehead, placing it back with the rest of his greased hair. “Try to avoid the one that bites.”

Darry laughed gently, his memory flashing in remembrance of the Soc from last time that bit Darry so hard that he swore his teeth almost popped through the underside of his hand. 

“I’ll try.” He nodded.

You didn’t have much else to say. Darry’s reassurance had comforted you, and you felt a little better about everything.

But Darry still had one thing in the air to clear.

“And…” He sighed, glancing over his shoulder quickly to make sure that there were no wandering, listening ears. “About the ring – I’m gonna ask you to marry me one day, I swear. I just- things are even tighter than usual right now and-”

“Shh, shh. Stop,” You held a gentle finger to his lips. “I don’t need a ring, and you don’t need to explain yourself.”

“But you deserve to know.” His gaze went even softer, his voice even finding a pillowy tone.

There was a beat. A brief silence. And a kiss.

“I already know.” 

Darry had never felt more loved. He didn’t know what kind of stars had aligned and what he had done to deserve such a wholesome, pure love. Whatever it was, he was thankful for it every single day. 

Darry stayed with you in the kitchen, sharing soft touches and sweet kisses, occasionally eavesdropping in on the ruckus going on in the living room. For a moment, Darry didn’t even want to go to the rumble. He wanted to stay right here with you, forever if he could’ve.

That was until-

“Dally’s here!” Johnny announced, peeking out the window to see Dallas cruising up the steps. 

Dallas’ arrival meant that it was showtime, and that the highlight of the night was about to begin. Dally’s appearance didn’t last long. Just long enough to rally his crew and get to where the rumble was being held. Everybody went scrambling out the front door (but not before Darry stole one more kiss from you), hooting and hollering all the way down the street until they were out of earshot from inside the house.

You knew that they would return much quieter and calmer, the post-adrenaline effect would have long been kicked in by then. But their spirits would be lifted, and there would be some improved tension between the Socs and the Greasers. 

It wouldn’t be long before things would get intense again. It was only a matter of time before you would be doing this all over again. That was just how it worked. It wasn’t an easy life. Some days felt harder than others, and some days were unbearable. But even if you had the choice, you wouldn’t change a single thing. As long as you had Darry, you would be fine.

Because you loved him no matter what – rumbles and all.

[curtis-corner]

Stand By Me : A Darry Curtis Fic

Set during/after the events of The Outsiders, the story of how Darry Curtis falls in love and realizes he deserves it <3 Some angst, but always a happy ending. Not sure how many parts this will be, I've got a lot of ideas so it could go a while!

No use of y/n, told in second person POV. Comment to be added to the tag list!

TW (will update as story goes on): parent with gambling and drinking issues, mild violence (less than the book), swearing from our greasers

Part One

The radio plays The Four Tops and you turn it up a little louder.

You finish stuffing another roll of quarters and bend the edges so they stay shut. Mr. Murphy, the owner of the general store you work at, doesn’t let just anyone roll up the change – you’ve earned it, like you earned his trust.

You started working at Murphy’s General Store on weekends at fourteen when your mom ran off and your dad was spending his paycheck at the pool hall instead of filling the refrigerator. Once you finished high school, it turned to six days a week – every day except Sunday. Nobody really worked on Sunday. It was supposed to be a day of rest, but it was usually the day you could clean the house.

Today was Tuesday, and it felt far from Sunday, but you didn’t mind. The windows were open and a cool autumn breeze was coming through. Summers could be brutal in Tulsa, you weren’t sad to see it end.

The bells hanging over the front door give a jingle and you glance up to see Darrel Curtis walk through. He looks for you, gives you a small smile and then heads back towards the medical supplies. Darrel was always buying bandages or aspirin or ointment; you knew of his brothers and his friends and imagined someone always needed a bit of patching up in the Curtis house.

You subtly tried to check your reflection in the front windows, smoothing down your hair and adjusting the nametag on your dress. It was silly: Darrel had been coming in the store for years, more so now since his parents passed and besides being polite, he had never used a pickup line or any sort of flirting with you.

He used to smile more when he would come in with his football friends from the West Side of town, or with his parents or brothers. But not in the last eight months – every time you see him, he looks a little more tired, a little more worried. You wish you could talk to him; tell him you understand somewhat what it’s like to grow up too fast and wish so hard life had been different. But Darrel never seemed in the mood for small talk, let alone deep conversations, so you didn’t push.

He brings an assortment of medical supplies, packs of cigarettes, a six pack of beer and some lined paper and pencils to the check-out counter and you enter most of the prices into the register by memory. You take out a brown paper bag to put everything in and his hand reaches out.

“I can do it.” His voice, on the rare times you get to hear it, always made you feel a little warm.

“It’s alright, it’s my job.” You put the beer in the bag first since it was the heaviest, and you weren’t surprised when he started helping with the other items. You tell him his total and when you give him his change your soft hand brushes his rough one. You look up into his eyes and give a small smile.

“Thanks,” he says and for the first time in a few months, he holds your gaze.

“You’re welcome.” He gives you a nod and heads out and you don’t realize you are staring until the bell over the door jingles again with a group of teenagers.

The general store was in the middle of town, you saw everyone from Greasers to Socs and you tried to keep your head down and stay out of it all. You grew up on the East Side, poor like everyone else in your neighborhood, but you did alright in school and was in advanced classes that had you right next to the rich kids of Tulsa. You weren’t popular, but you weren’t an outcast; you had a few friends but working and taking care of your father always got in the way of really being a teenager.

Sometimes, late at night when the scary thoughts seemed to settle in, you wonder if this was going be the rest of your life: work at the store, take care of daddy, pay the bills, cook, clean and repeat. You were a few months away from turning twenty and you had never been in love, never done anything beyond a few innocent kisses.

You would remind yourself it wasn’t any use getting worked up about, plenty of people had it far worse. But sometimes you would wonder, what if…

---

A few days later, Darrel’s youngest brother’s face is all over the papers next to Johnny Cade’s, labelling them as dangerous criminals on the run for killing a Soc kid. They used Ponyboy’s school picture- he was barely 14, how could he be mixed up in all of this? The paper told a story of two hot head and dangerous Greasers murdering a nice boy from the West Side in cold blood.

But it didn’t sit right with you. You just knew it couldn’t be true, it had to be an accident, or something more had happened. You thought about it all through your shift, and then again when you were home picking empty beer bottles off the floor and cooking hamburgers for your father.

“Dad,” you try to shake him from where he was passed out on the couch. “Dad, there’s dinner on the table.”

“Breakfast?” He groaned, rolling over. He was still in the clothes he went out in from the previous night. You had taken his shoes off in the morning before you left for work so they wouldn’t dirty the couch.

“No Dad, it’s dinnertime. I got off work an hour ago. Here,” you hand him water and two aspirin. He downs both with practiced ease.

The night goes on as usual, you clean up dinner and tidy the house, while your dad takes a shower then heads out to the pool hall. Your company is the radio, softly playing in the living room while you patch a small hole in your favorite skirt. The Supremes sing about not hurrying love and your mind wonders to Darrel Curtis and how he’s handling everything.

--

Three days later Darrel comes into the general store, looking worse than when you saw him after his parents passed. It’s just the two of you, nearly closing time, and everyone else has done their shopping for the day.

He doesn’t make eye contact with you as he puts the beer and cigarettes on the counter and digs in his pocket for his wallet. You know you shouldn’t bring it up, it’s really none of your business even if the paper is trying to make it the whole town’s business. But you can’t stop yourself from asking:

“How are you doing Darrel?”

His head snaps up, eyes wary. You realize he’s read the same papers you have, he’s well aware of what they are saying about his brother and you rush to explain why you’re asking.

“I know Ponyboy and Johnny, not well, but they come in the store sometimes and they are sweet boys. Even when they are with Dallas Winston, who is always a little mouthy, or Two-bit who is always trying to swipe something, they stay sweet and out of too much trouble. I don’t think they did this at all.” It all comes rushing out of you and you know you’re starting to turn a faint shade of pink, but Darrel’s expression softens.

“They still haven’t found ‘em. Part of me doesn’t want them to, if what they are saying is true. But thinking of them out there…” he trails off and rubs the back of his neck, looking up, then back at you. “Sorry. I shouldn’t be talking about it.”

“I was the one who asked.” You say with a shrug. “And you still didn’t answer on how you were.” He doesn’t quite smile, but it’s almost close.

“Not so good.”

And maybe it was the honesty you weren’t expecting, or maybe it’s how his voice breaks a little on the word ‘good’, but you reach out and take his hand. That feeling from the other day is back, warmer this time and after a second, he holds your hand a little tighter.

“He’ll be okay,” you say, holding Darrel’s gaze. “I’ve said about a hundred prayers for him and Johnny already.” At this, he does start to smile, and you notice a deep dimple in his right cheek.

“You mind throwing in one for me too?”

“Sure,” You squeeze his hand again before having to let go to get his change. He glances at the clock hanging over the register.

“Y’all close soon, right?”

“In a few minutes. I did most of my chores already so I just have to lock everything up since the stock boy called out tonight.”

“You walk here?” You nod. “Let me give you a ride home. It’s getting rougher out there.” You open your mouth to protest, but he gives a pleading look. “Please.”

“Alright. I’ll only be a few minutes if you want to wait outside.” He nods and takes his bag out to the car while you try to take a few breaths as a you turn off the lights and get the keys for the front doors.

You go out the back door and when you walk around the building you see him leaning against the passenger side of his old truck. As you get closer he opens the door for you and you slide in.

He gets in, turns the ignition and you start driving towards the East Side. It’s quiet without the radio on and at first you can’t think of what to say, but he speaks first.

“Thank you, for what you said. About Pony and Johnny. They are good boys, they’re just…” he trails off.

“Mixed up in something awful. I’m sorry y’all have to go through it, I don’t have any siblings but I can’t even imagine.” You look out the side window to see a stray cat wandering down the road. You quietly tell him where to turn and he nods, pulling in front of the old, run down house.

“Do you work every day?” Darrel asks. You nod.

“Every day except Sunday. Mostly the morning and afternoon shifts, but twice a week I close up too.”

“That’s a lot of shifts,” he says and you glance up at the house where a dim light shines from the front room. If you don’t bring home the money, those lights would be dark. You learned that at fourteen years old.

“It’s not that bad. Mr. Murphy is about the best boss you can ask for. And it’s a job, and better than the ones some people have to do.”

“You see the good in everything?” he asks skeptically and you let out a small laugh.

“Not always. But I try to.” He’s looking into your eyes now, really looking. “It makes living a bit easier when you do.”

“Maybe I’ll try it sometime.” His voice is a little deeper, and it makes your head feel lighter. You know you need to leave the truck before you say something even crazier than you already have, even though leaving the truck is about the last thing you want to do.

“Thanks for the ride Darrel.”

“Darry.” He corrects and you raise your eyebrows. “You can call me Darry.”

“Alright. Darry.”

[crow2222]

Darry angst fics I've bookmarked!

[johnnycakesb14de]

I don't know if this goes past your rules but can you do like (greaser) x reader when someone in the gang catches y'all like making out?

HOW THEY WOULD REACT TO YOU GUYS GETTING CAUGHT MAKING OUT

DARRY

He would definitely be the more secretive type when it comes to kisses mostly because all of his friends are immature

But I imagine y'all would be in the kitchen alone it's his day off and the boys are out

One thing leads to another and y'all are just being romantic and showing affection by making out

Next thing you know you hear the traditional caught-off-guard-cough-laugh

Darry looks up and sees Dally, Johnny and Ponyboy.

"Y'all enjoying yourselves?"

"Shut the fuck up Dallas."

SODAPOP

He was on break at the DX and you stopped by to see him and bring him food because you wanted to hang out with your boyfriend

Y'all were in the back just hanging out be cuties

Hes flirting with you

You know giving his typical sodapop charm flashing you his million dollar smile

He kisses you a few times and it leads to a make out and y'all are just in the moment not really thinking about muchv

Then Steve walks in

cunt

"Hey so what ar- HELLO? WHAT THE FUCK?!"

Y'all both turn around and you roll your eyes in embarrassment

"Do that on your own time please."

"Shut up Steve."

PONYBOY

Say your older in this maybe like 15-16 because for the first while of y'all dating you wouldn't be allowed in his room alone even with the door open Darrys just crazy like that

Y'all were in his room working on some homework or just hanging out when you totally very sneakily shut the door all the way thinking Darry won't find out because he's cooking

And start kissing

Not even two minutes later Darrys nosy ass barges in

"What did I say about the door kidd- Oh excuse me?!?!"

Y'all create distance from each other staring at him wide eyed

"I swear it isn't w-"

"be quiet Ponyboy. I have these rules for a reason, you guys can come into the living room since you can't be trusted."

"Why?"

"Y/N, don't start."

Johnny

Yall were in the lot because where else would you be

You kissed him a few times and it let to a slight make out nothing crazy

Two-bit came up to tell Johnny that unfortunately Dally had been arrested for some odd reason

And the SECOND he sees you he's instantly teasing y'all

he's trying to tease you but he ends up just making it really uncomfortable

"Lord almighty, what's going on here?! Save room for Jesus, she might get pregnant!" Insert two-bit laugh wheeze

"Cut it out man."

DALLAS

Y'all were at Bucks for some party and it was getting really loud

You were overstimulated, Dally was tipsy and everyone was getting on his nerves so he took you outfront for some fresh air

Dally was being Dally and talking to you and kissing you a few times and it leads to a make out

Then Steve walks out

(I imagine him and Dally are actually pretty good friends)

He starts laughing

"Uhhhh, Dal'! Y'know where Evie is?"

"Why the fuck would I know where your girlfriend is?"

"I dunno, just wonderin'."

He rolled his eyes and dramatically sighed

Steve

You were at work with him trying to help him

Which actually just meant he was yelling at you for certain tools

You were getting bored he was getting frustrated because he couldn't figure out what was wrong with the car so you told him to to take a small break

So he took a break and you both just started talking and he kisses you

After he pulled away you kissed him back

Darry walks in looking for Soda

"Oh, my bad. I was just looking for Soda"

"In the back Darry."

He leaves and you laugh

Two-bit

Y'all were at the drive-in just hanging out

He was bothering people yk just being two-bit

And somehow you both ended up at the drag race that Steve, Soda and Dallas were at

You were leaned up against the hood of his car and he was in front of you and you were making out

Soda comes up and laughs at y'all

"HAHAHA, Steve come look!'

Two-bit looks at him and also starts laughing because hes two-bit

And your just there like 'omfg'

[dearsnow]

Can you do the outsiders reacting to you doing the orange peel theory (asking them to do a small task you can do yourself) I love your writing‼️

THE ORANGE PEEL THEORY

- in which you ask the greasers to complete simple, unassuming tasks that you can easily do yourself. (the outsiders x gn!reader, fluff)

a/n - this is so cute omg 😭 the orange peel theory is so trivial but it’s a very neat concept and i love writing things like this. and thank you!!

includes: johnny, ponyboy, dally, sodapop, & darry

“Oh shoot, I dropped my pencil. Could you get it for me, please, JOHNNY?”

Johnny does it without hesitation. He doesn’t question it, even though the pencil is way closer to you than to him, and he has to bend at an awkward angle to pick it up. You could ask him for almost anything and he’d try his best to do it. He lives and breathes to help you.

“Yeah, I got it.”

//

“Hey, PONY, can you flip this page for me? My hands are real tired.”

Ponyboy is a bit confused, considering your hands are resting on the sides of your book already. However, when he thinks about it, you might’ve hurt your hands somehow or maybe you just don’t have the energy to complete a task that is seemingly very simple. In any case, he’ll put his thoughts aside and do it for you.

“Sure. Are you okay, though?”

//

“DALLY, could you peel this orange?”

He snorts and asks if you can’t do it yourself while taking the orange from your hands. He throws it from hand to hand over your head, and when you reach to take it from him, he’ll pull it back and peel it. He’s not bothered by it, but he will take half of the orange for himself as compensation.

“Done. Need help peeling off anything else of yours, now?”

//

“Wait, SODA, would you wipe the frosting off my cheek?”

When you ask this while making a cake with him, Sodapop assumes you’re playing around. He licks it off your cheek instead then bounces away before you can berate him for being gross. He would also do pretty much anything for you in his own way- as long as you don’t get too pissed at him.

“Hah! You can’t get mad, you asked for it.”

//

“DARRY, can you cut my hangnail for me?”

You ask, handing him a pair of nail clippers. He’s confused, astounded, and mildly amused by your proposition. He asks you if you can’t just do it yourself, but halfway through talking to you he changes his mind and gently grabs your hand. He’ll act annoyed, but secretly he enjoys taking care of you in these little ways.

“Can’t you… fine, fine, give me the clippers.”

[ambrozjas]

the gang x reader who loves makeup ꨄ︎

the outsiders x reader (separate)

✧˖*°࿐ notes 🧸ᰔᩚ

guys i swear i’m working on your requests i just wanted to use this as a filler to feed you guys while you wait, but trust me, i’m workin on it 💕 thank you for all the likes and reqs !! love you all xoxo

✧˖*°࿐ warnings ᰔᩚ

some curse words, makeup, reader is compared to “a girl in a magazine” in johnnys part, kissing?? i dunno 😭

. ˚◞♡ ⃗ *ೃ༄ . ˚◞♡ ⃗ *ೃ༄ . ˚◞♡ ⃗ *ೃ༄ . ˚◞♡ ⃗ *ೃ༄

DARRY’s thumb rubs along your thigh. he lay on his bed while you were sat at the desk besides him. you placed your vanity mirror on the wooden surface and had been working on your makeup for about half an hour.

darry had seen his mother put on makeup whenever she’d go out with his father, so he had a better idea of makeup than someone like steve or two bit. he liked whenever you asked him questions like ‘this or that’.

“which one? peach or mint?” you asked as you held up two lip glosses, the peach gloss in a soft pink tube and the mint in a sage green one.

darry seemed to think for a moment, humming in thought. “th’peach one.” he finally said, nodding his head in the direction of where you were holding the peach tube.

“thanks, dare.” you mumbled, your lips forming an ‘o’ shape, ready for application.

“why do you always put on makeup?” he asks, eyes fixated on you. a satisfying pop of your lips before you look over to him and shrug.

“dunno, makes me feel pretty.”

“you’re always pretty, darlin’.” darry continues, moving his hand from your thigh to your hand, interlocking both your fingers and squeezing.

｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈• ｡ﾟ

“how d’ya get that thing so close to your eye?” SODAPOP asks. you’ve been doing your makeup for about ten minutes, soda watching you like a hawk.

“i just raise my eyelid and put the curler to my lashes, piece’a cake.” you shrug, mouth open as you apply some mascara. “really?” he asked, taking a glance at your drawer full of makeup products, an assortment of pretty colored tubes, he would guess were either for your lips or eyes.

“yeah, why? you want some?” you laughed, expecting a ‘no’ in return but got only silence. you looked back at him. soda had just shrugged exaggeratedly.

one thing let to another and you ended up perched on sodapop’s lap, his eyes closed as you decorated his lids with blue eyeshadow.

“soda—! don’t crinkle your eyes!” you exclaimed, your boyfriend simply chuckled and gently grasped your wrist. “‘s not my fault it tickles, babe.”

soda opens his eyes to look at you, pulling your palm to his lips for a soft kiss.

“you know, you just ruined the eyeshadow, right? your eyes are hooded so the shadow will get—“

“shh, i’m tryna be romantic ‘ere.”

｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈• ｡ﾟ

“oh, PONYBOY!” you squealed, dragging out the ‘y’ in his name and running down the hallway already carrying your makeup bag.

you poke your head in through the doorway to find pony laying on his bed, nose buried in another one of his books. he glanced at you, already suspicious of the fact that the rest of your body isn’t visible.

“huh?” he questioned, his eyes flickering between the words of the book. “you wanna be the best boyfriend ever and do me a favor, pony?” you grinned as you dragged out the syllables in his name.

“what’re you doin’?” he inquired. you started to step slowly into view, your bag held behind your back. “i just need’a see somethin’ real quick.” he sat up a bit as you got closer to him and placed the book on the desk next to his bed, careful to mark the page he was on with a bookmark.

you finally bring your hands around to your front, unveiling the small makeup bag filled to the brim with products.

“oh, no.”

“oh, yes.”

“no! you ain’t touchin’ my face!”

and before he knows it, ponyboy has a face full of makeup on and you’re finishing it off with some sparkly highlighter on his nose.

｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈• ｡ﾟ

you had a date with JOHNNY at the drive-in, planning to see one of elvis’ new movies.

you had done your makeup, using the multitude of products you had in your room, and you looked snatched. your hair was cute, whether greased up or not, it never failed to look effortlessly gorgeous, johnny always thought so.

he was already waiting at the drive-in, accompanied by dallas who unfortunately was “chaperoning” him for the night, probably just trying to keep a lookout for drunk broads.

when you had arrived though, boy, was johnny astonished. his eyes widened at just the sight of you, it was like you were a princess walking up to him in slow motion.

once you had caught up to him and dally, johnny couldn’t help but mutter, “y’look like one of those ladies from the magazines..”, he gawked at just the utter sight of you.

“thank you?” you giggled and gave a quick peck to his lips. “i’ll get us a coke!” you jogged over to the concessions area with a bunched up wad of money in your hand. johnny watched you walk away, mouth still parted a bit in shock.

dallas, being the shithead he is, rudely tapped johnny’s cheek, making him close his mouth. “you’ll catch flies, johnny.” he said, exhaling the smoke from his cigarette.

once you two had actually sat down, dally chatting up some girl a few feet away, johnny turns to you. “s’that a new lipgloss?”

“yeah, you like it?” you asked, blowing him an exaggerated air kiss after.

“tastes sweet.”

｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈• ｡ﾟ

“c’mon, doll, it’s been like twenty minutes.”

“hold on, DALLY, i have to finish this wing!” you affirmed, your words altered with the way you opened your mouth so your skin would stretch, giving you the perfect opportunity with eyeliner and mascara. one struggle almost everybody goes through, is getting the other eyeliner wing to match the other.

“you’ve been at this for a while, just draw a line ‘n call it a night.” dallas insisted, he didn’t much like waiting, and he never understood why people took so much time just to do their makeup.

“no, you don’t understand. it has to be perfect.” you said, enunciating the ‘p’. you look at dallas in the reflection of the mirror and see him sigh in defeat and hollow his cheeks with another inhale of a cancer stick.

“you better not be smokin’ that thing in here, stinkin’ up my whole room.” you wrinkled your nose, the smell of cigarettes never leaves your room as long as dallas comes over.

“you do it too.”

“i smoke outside, not where it’ll penetrate a whole room full of cute things.” you rebutted.

“whatever you say, doll.”

｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈• ｡ﾟ

“do i look like a pretty princess?” TWO-BIT asked as you applied blush on his cheeks. you and his kid sister giggled at the sight. two’s eyes covered with all sorts of bright pinks and yellows and blues, colors that his little sister suggested.

“yes keith, you look like a pretty princess.” you said, watching two’s nose scrunch at the brush tickling his cheeks.

“what next?” you asked to his sister, turning to her as she held a finger to her chin in thought. then, it was like a light bulb went off inside her head. she grinned at you, a catlike smile that you returned, one that made two-bit worried about what would come next.

“lipstick.” was all she said, and immediately she handed you a bright red lipstick. you let out a soft laugh as you looked at two-bit’s expression, cocking an eyebrow as usual.

“you ain’t doin’ what i think you’re doin’, right?” he asks, then you wiggle the tube of lipstick at him, getting it closer as he shifts away. he placed his hands up in defense, “baby—! c’mon, you wouldn’t do that to your wonderful lovely boyfriend, would you?”

as he tries to scurry off, you hook your leg around his waist and keep him in place while his little sister laughs hysterically in the background. you grip his cheeks so his lips could purse, giving you the perfect access to apply his lipstick.

he ends up looking like a scrapped lisa frank design and that lipstick ends up in kiss marks littering your face, accompanied by ‘eww’s’ in the back provided by two’s sister.

｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈• ｡ﾟ

“shit! it burns!” STEVE yells, his lips a cherry red with irritation.

“why’d you put it on your lips?” you threw your arms up, representing a ‘what the hell?’.

“thought it was your lipstick thingies!”

“why would you put it on your lips in the first place, steve?” you laughed and rushed over to get a paper towel and a few ice cube. “i thought it’d taste good.” he muttered, his lips a comical plump as he glared at the tube, feeling silly how he didn’t read the white letters on it saying ‘duck plump’.

when you came back, you sat down next to steve, gently wiping off the gloss before he snatched the napkin and wiped it off aggressively himself, desperate to get it off.

you both looked at each other before he looked down at the ice cube. “wha’s ‘at supposed to do?” he asked. you stammered, “i don’t know you were in hysterics! ‘pleasee! oh please get it off! it burns—!’” you cut yourself off with a laugh, laying back on the bed.

“yeah, yeah. whatever..” he grumbles, throwing another glare at the lip plumping gloss that lay abandoned on your desk.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ thank you all so much for all the love n requests, i swear i’m writing them just give me some time 🫶

kiss kiss ˗ˏˋ꒰ 🍒 ꒱

[anifever]

Hii, can you make Johnny cade or the gang with reader kinda like Charlotte LA Bouff from princess and the frog because I'm just thinking that it would be so interesting having kind of s/o so spoiled but kind and not a brat too, I love Lottie tho✨😭

Gang w/ a Lottie!Reader ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

The Outsiders x Fem!Reader

୨୧ : The Curtis gang with a reader whose like Charlotte La Bouff from “Princess and the Frog”

A/N : AHHH I’m sorry this took me so long I’ve been busy w other stuff. Anyways, I always wanted to be Lottie when I was younger 🥲 hopefully I got this close enough to her character also sorry these are shorter than normal <\3

˖⁺‧₊˚ 🎀 ˚₊‧⁺˖

Darry

୨ He’s honestly a little jealous of you

୨ He feels like you have everything he doesn’t

୨ That being said, does NOT stop the man from loving you once he sees how sweet and generous you are

୨ Your personalities are super different tho

୨ You’re so bubbly and bright and he thinks it’s endearing

୨ You definitely keep him on his toes

୨ You also keep him young

୨ Whenever he seems to be struggling more than usual with finances, you swoop in and save the day

୨ He’s like “??? Honey, I can’t take this,” and you’re just like “Too late, Dare-Bear, don’t worry about it 😊”

୨ Whenever you sleep over you wear a frilly pink sleep mask he has trouble not smiling over

୨ You love his cooking and are always drooling over it

୨ It’s a habit for you to bring pastries, etc from a bakery on the other side of town whenever you come over

୨ Earlier in the relationship/before you started dating, he knew how spoiled you were and he was like “..how am I supposed to compete with this.”

୨ Luckily you find him extremely muscly, attractive, and sweet so it makes up for his money 😋😋

୨ Either way, he still buys you whatever he can when he has the spare cash

୨ You have him wrapped around your finger

Two-Bit

୨ Couldn’t hold back his laugh when he saw a childhood picture of you dressed as a princess for Halloween

୨ You guys honestly go together so well

୨ If you have the same type of accent Lottie has- even better

୨ The first thing you said when you met his sister was “Well aren’t you as pretty as a peach!”

୨ Safe to say that made him more smitten

୨ You walk him like a dog it’s so funny

୨ He doesn’t spend as much money on beer anymore cuz he saves a lot up for you

୨ Found a stray kitty on the street and you started squealing when he brought it to you

୨ He was cheesing from ear to ear

୨ Has tried to get you to kiss a frog before after you told him you always wanted to when you were younger (mwahaha) and you freaked out

୨ That being said, he picks up random bugs all the time to try and gross you out- which works

୨ You never hurt them though⁉️⁉️ You just run away and start screaming

୨ Whenever he starts insulting people if they’re mean to you or something, you start dying of laughter which spurrs him on more

Steve

୨ He’s torn between thinking you’re a brat to also being extremely attracted to you

୨ He assumes you’re a mean girl who lives off daddy’s money (the second part being lowkey true)

୨ Doesn’t stop him from drooling tho

୨ Contrary to popular belief, you were actually really nice

୨ Like you came into the DX one day, giving him a huge tip while talking super animatedly and he was just like “Ah..”

୨ Whenever he talks about cars you have no clue what he’s talking about

୨ You have a pretty pink ‘62 Ferrari 250 GTO and that’s all you know!!

୨ You buy new clothes constantly and have lil’ fashion shows for him

୨ “Yeahhh, could you jus’ spin around one more time so I can see the back? 😇”

୨ “….Steve.”

୨ Whenever nobody else is around (Soda, etc) at the DX, you give him WAY bigger of a tip than normal lmao

୨ Brags about you to Soda all the time

Dallas

୨ He thought you were so annoying at first I’m sorry 😭

୨ Even with that, he still tried to get in your pants

୨ You slapped him for it which just made him want you more (he’s on that freak timing)

୨ You know what you want and he’s honestly really attracted to it

୨ He ends up spoiling you though, he can’t help it when you give him puppy dog eyes and pout your glossy lips

୨ Hilariously different

୨ Whenever he’s in your room he’s so out of place

୨ He’s surrounded by so much pink, stuffed animals, expensive jewelry and clothes, a big canopy bed, a crystal chandelier, etc

୨ His ego gets boosted when he’s out in public with you

୨ Like he’s with the prettiest and richest girl in town??? Yeahhh he’ll never let this go

୨ You not caring about his/his friends status’ is really important to him and he appreciates it even though he’ll never outright say it

Soda

୨ You guys both have a big line of people who want you

୨ Power couple!!

୨ You’re really ditzy- not necessarily stupid, but not all there

୨ He relates.

୨ You guys just sit there and look pretty

୨ Like you definitely have won various beauty pageants and have kept all the tiaras and sashes

୨ Makes you try the tiaras on every time he comes over

୨ He takes you to a drag race or rodeo and you’re like “Shew- Soda, I’m sweatin’ like a sinner in church,” while fanning yourself

୨ Probably because you’re wearing some expensive dress from a boutique in town made with thick material, but he’ll never smart off to you by saying that 🤍🤍

୨ Has a habit of ruining his DX shirt and you always pay for him to get a new one

୨ He already knew he was attractive, but it was only when you came along and started buttering him up that he started getting giddy about it

୨ He sucks up so hard to your mom and dad; they love him

Johnny

୨ Probably teased you a bit with Pony before you guys officially met

୨ After the initial iffy feeling he had about you wore off, he was head over heels when he knew you better

୨ He genuinely sees you as a princess

୨ You’re always wearing some shade of pink and some form of pearls and he’s mesmerized

୨ He thinks you deserve a lot better since he can’t give you much

୨ You literally couldn’t care less though since he treats you so well

୨ He’ll save up random coins off the street if he had to tho

୨ Your house is huge so you let him stay in a spare room which eventually just becomes his own

୨ Your house also did nothing to help his idea of you being a princess since it was way bigger and more extravagant than anything he could’ve imagined

୨ Your cat(s) love him, he’s a little overwhelmed at first but after that you’ll always find him with one around/on him

୨ You’re so comfortable fawning over him constantly and he gets pretty embarrassed about it LMAO

Pony

୨ He has a thing for pretty rich girls so this is fitting

୨ Once again, he also assumed you were mean and stuck up

୨ When you guys talked for the first time, he was definitely surprised

୨ You were definitely a bit out of touch with reality, but who cares!!!! You were pretty and nice!!!!

୨ Saw you stand up for one of your greaser friends once and felt his heart skip a beat

୨ Heard through the grapevine (he asked around) that you were enamored with some ‘pretty boy’ and couldn’t stop talking about him and he was like “Awww shucks 😞”

୨ He became extremely confused and denied it when Two and Johnny kept saying it was him after they saw you two interact at school

୨ He finally picked up on the heavy flirting one day and was like “…OHHHH”

୨ Whenever you get excited about something, he has a hard time understanding you since you start talking so fast and freaking out, but he just watches with a lovesick grin

୨ Your sass put together is on another level

୨ It scares Darry.

୨ And Steve.

୨ Back to the point I made earlier, you’d stand up for him about his status no matter what

୨ So in love it’s nasty

୨ Everyone in the gang is confused about how he bagged you especially considering he’s the youngest

[chippedshake]

Something I love about the Outsiders fandom is how every single foster AU is just:

Darry: This is temporary, so don't get too attached, okay, Soda?

Soda: Yeah, sure

*five minutes later*

[fortheunsungheros]

I love how as a fandom we have all decided that pretty much the events of the book never happened so we write fanfics and hcs about happy teenage boys

[specific-dreamer]

and when i write a fic where ponyboy and johnny don’t go to dally after killing bob

johnnys tryna pull pony’s unresponsive self away from bob but ponyboy is wet and cold and scared and probably .3 seconds away from crying and all he knows is darry

darry can make this all go away

darry might be mad again when he sees pony wet at 230am but once he explains maybe he won’t be as mad. if pony’s lucky (he usually isn’t) maybe darry won’t be too angry at him for running out the house

darry will know what to do with the blade. he’ll know if they ought to bury it somewhere or just clean it real good. and if he can’t, well darry had always been real smart he’ll know how to get them out of town

i just

idk man there’s something about a soaking wet ponyboy on the verge of tears (because jesus mary christmas somebody just tried to kill him how is he alive)

and he’s never actually seen a dead body before at least not one that he knows darry made sure him and soda never saw they’re parents mangled bodies, but bob is right there. blood leaking out of him staining the grass red like in that wonderland book he read a while ago.

bob is right there and if pony doesn’t focus, if he quits using his head, he can almost pretend bob is just sleeping, albeit in a weird position

and (for a split second) pony almost wishes it was him instead of bob. he almost wishes bob did succeed in killing him. because pony was unconscious and he was so close to seeing his mama and daddy again. he was so close and he accepted it, drowning wasn’t exactly how he wanted to go out but if he got to see his mama again then oh well. his eyes was closed one moment and the next he’s coughing up water and seeing johnny with a bloody knife

and ponyboy is soaking wet, somebody tried to kill him, he feels like he’s gonna throw up or pass out again, and all he knows is he wants to run to his big brother. he wants him to hold him and tell pony that it’s gonna be okay and that darry will take care of everything

[thereallattehottay]

i once saw someone in a fic (can’t remember which one i’ve read too many) describe darry as slipping back into “greaser talk” when he’s upset or before rumbles and stuff and i just love that headcanon because he tries to act like a perfect adult but he’s really just a kid. like he doesn’t know what he’s doing either.

justice for my boy darry. give him a break pls <3

[theoutsiderslove]

Helping and Loving

Darry Curtis x Fem! Reader Tags: Angsty-ish. References of violence. Financial issues. Darry is stressed. Word Count: 2.3k “If you really don’t mind…that’d be great,"

“Darry, why don’t you come to bed?” You called with a calming, sweet voice.

Darry was listening, but he didn’t pay any attention to your suggestion. His back was turned to you from where he stood at the tattered dresser in his bedroom.

He had a basket of dry clothes that he was working on folding and putting away, but his stewing was more obvious than anything.

“He just doesn’t ever think,” Darry grumbled, his head shaking in irritation. “He’s always got his head stuck somewhere else.”

He was talking about Ponyboy, of course. The only person in the world that Darry could get so sore and annoyed with was his youngest brother.

It had been a stressful day for Darry. Work was exhausting and he received a notice for being behind on the electricity bill again this month. Darry had mentioned to you that money was tighter than usual right now.

Soda was picking up extra hours at the DX to make up for it, considering that he had more time to spend now that he had dropped out of school. Darry was taking on more roofing jobs and spending extra time bookkeeping for the company.

He already had a lot on his plate, and today had only made it heavier.

Tensions between Greasers and Socs had been higher lately. Socs were getting too comfortable stepping outside of their side of town, harassing and assaulting any Greaser they could get their hands on.

All Ponyboy did was walk home from the movies. For weeks, all he talked about was the new Paul Newman film coming out.

He wanted to be one of the first ones to see it, since he anticipated it for weeks.

Getting jumped by a group of Socs definitely put a damper on his afternoon, his screams and cries as proof to it. The gang was quick to his rescue and Ponyboy was relatively unharmed...but it had scared Darry something awful.

You hadn't been there when it happened, but when you showed up to the Curtis' home around dinnertime, you knew that something wasn't right.

Darry was quiet all through dinner. Sodapop did his best to crack jokes and start up conversation, but the energy between his older and younger brother was too much to break through.

You really knew something was wrong when Ponyboy couldn't have cared less about answering your questions about the Paul Newman film that was fresh on his mind. You made a mental note to ask him about it later when things cooled off, because you really wanted to know all about it.

Ponyboy finished up his homework in his bedroom after dinner, Sodapop retreating to the shower to rinse himself of whatever traces of diesel and gasoline might've been lingering on him.

That left you and Darry with the dishes, where he told you all about the day's events...not leaving out a single detail.

After homework was finished and everybody was cleaned up, bedtime called and the house was put to rest for the night.

Darry, however, was still fired up.

You had been in bed for at least an hour now, but Darry was pacing the room and was basically beating up his poor laundry.

Darry wasn't really angry. His way of expressing concern could come off as aggressive. You knew this from experience and from understanding him, which was the only reason you were keeping your cool with him for being so harsh.

“He knows better than to walk anywhere alone. Especially after what happened to Johnny,” Darry sighed a harsh exhale of air. “He could’ve at least been carryin’ a blade.”

There was a sudden urge to defend Ponyboy within your heart. In these moments where Darry was at odds with one of his brothers, you tended to not to take sides. Most of the time, you could see clearly from both points of view.

But Darry scolding Ponyboy for not having a knife on him was unfair, because you knew what Darry would’ve said if he had.

“You would’ve gotten on to him if he had been carrying one,” You pointed out, and Darry sighed again. “And he shouldn’t have to watch over his shoulder just walking home from the movies.”

Darry didn’t say anything. He continued to fold his clothes and all but slam them into the drawer.

“Darry,” You said sternly. “He’s alright. That’s what matters.”

Darry’s hands stopped fidgeting with the gray t-shirt that he was close to creating a permanent crease in. His head lowered with defeat and the knowledge that you were right.

There was no sense in fretting over it now. He hoped that Ponyboy would be more careful after this. He could at least feel somewhat better that Pony was planning on spending his Saturday with Dallas and Johnny.

Actually, that didn't make him feel all that comfortable.

“Yeah. I know.” He set the t-shirt inside and closed the drawer.

Darry was trying his best, and he often felt like his best wasn't good enough. He didn't know how to raise and take care of a 17 and 14 year old. He already had so much to worry about.

He supposed he could add "being worried about his little brother getting beat to a pulp" to the list.

You couldn't see his face, but you didn't need to see his expression to know what he was thinking. He wore his stress and he showed the weight on his shoulders physically. You could see the anxiety and the strain from a mile away.

"Hey," You said to get his attention. His head raised and he turned at the sound of your voice that called to his heart in the most beautiful way. "Come here."

Oh, he looked so tired.

His eyes were glazed over and the dark circles under his eyes had gotten so much worse lately. He couldn't take much more of this. Darry was strong and capable, but even the strongest and most capable had a limit.

His limit was being pushed like never before.

You always let him know when you were concerned. Over and over again you had reminded him that you were there for him in any way. Oftentimes, he felt insanely upset for making you troubled.

Ironically, he felt stressed that you were stressed about him being stressed.

You tried not to show your concern too much, simply just to keep him from feeling so bad.

But when he looked into your pleading eyes that were looking at him so intently, he knew you were worried. The desire to comfort him was written all over your face. The least he could do was give in to your needs.

After all, he could lay the events of the day to rest and start over tomorrow.

His steps were heavy and slow as he approached his side of the bed. A soft bed and his favorite girl appealed to him far more than manhandling his laundry. His strong, superman frame slid into bed, a quiet groan escaping his chest at the feeling of the mattress offering his muscles and bones so much relief.

You turned off the lamp on the table next to you, sending the room into darkness. The only light came from the moon in the sky outside and the street lamps on the road. Together, they offered just enough light so that you could make out his face and features.

His eyes fluttered closed, but he wasn't asleep. No matter how tired he was or how downhearted he felt, he never went to sleep without chatting with you for at least a few minutes.

"Didn't even ask about your day," Darry's brows raised in regret. "I'm sorry."

His legs intertwined with yours, his arm snaking around your waist. His hand rested on your lower back and rubbed in soothing, gentle circles.

"It's okay. I worked the breakfast and lunch shift. Nothing special." You shrugged, taking one of his large hands into yours and fiddling with his fingers playfully.

Darry's eyebrows went from apologetic to confused. It was funny talking to Darry when he was half asleep because his expressions still changed accordingly.

"You did that one day last week. Are you workin' double shifts now?" He asked.

"Just once a week. I'm hoping the extra cash will help me out."

Darry almost laughed. He understood that better than anybody.

A few moments of silence passed. Darry was enjoying having you here and so close to him. His sleep would still be restless, but it made him feel better to know that the three most important people in his life were all together, safe, and accounted for.

He felt somewhat at ease, and if he could go to bed in a halfway relaxed state, then that was a good end to the day.

But he wasn't surprised when you brought up the previous conversation.

"Pony loves you a lot, you know. He wants to make you proud," You placed a stray set of hairs back with the rest. "He looks up to you."

"You sound like Sodapop," He grumbled, his closed eyes twitching once. "Always stickin' up for the kid brother."

"That's not true," You responded with a soft voice. "I just understand what both of you are feeling. Seeing the two of you so at odds is hard."

Darry only sighed. This wasn't the first time that you had brought this up to him. He knew that you were only trying to help, and he appreciated it endlessly.

He was thankful that you were so understanding with the obstacles that came between the two of you. Those obstacles often had nothing to do with your relationship, but Darry had to juggle so much that it was inevitable that some of it would creep its way in.

Darry couldn't understand how you were so patient. How you could put up with him -- a guy who rarely had enough time for you and was always giving the majority of his attention to his brothers -- was a mystery to him.

Whatever the answer was, he was forever thankful for it.

“I’m working the dinner shift for the next several days,” You said. “How about I take Pony to school on Monday? That way he can sleep in — and I’ll make sure he gets fed and to school on time.”

His eyelids shot open. The frustration and hardness from before in Darry’s eyes faded into something softer. It was a cross between love and adoration…with a sprinkle of guilt.

“You don’t have to do that.” Darry sighed, his heart sinking but also swelling at the thought of you helping take care of his brothers.

The last thing Darry wanted was for you to feel obligated to help out with Sodapop and Ponyboy just because it was such a priority for him. Darry never wanted to make his duties become yours.

Even the little things like washing the dishes after dinner or helping Ponyboy with his homework made Darry feel like he was bestowing responsibilities upon you that you didn’t ask for.

You always offered to do these things or just did them because you wanted to. Darry’s biggest fear was that you would feel like the only way to earn his affection was through picking up the slack that he fell behind on.

“I really don’t mind,” You smiled. “Besides, if I’m going to stay here all the time, the least I can do is help out.”

Darry knew that all of these little chores that you helped out with did take pressure off of him. The smallest of tasks really made a big difference at the end of the day.

“It’d be a huge help, but…I don’t know…” He held the back of his neck, hesitant to give in to your offer.

“Darry, I wouldn’t offer if I didn’t want to,” You rested a warm hand on his cheek. “I’ll take him to the diner for breakfast. He loves the pancakes.”

Pancakes. Darry could’ve teared up. Not only were you going out of your way to get him to school on time, you were going even further out of your way to feed him a breakfast that he loved…and also one that he didn’t get to have very often.

In many ways, lending a hand around the house and taking care of the boys was because you loved Darry.

Loving Sodapop and Ponyboy as your own? That was loving Darry. Washing dishes after dinner and hanging wet clothes on the clothesline — that was loving Darry too. Driving Ponyboy to school and letting him pig out on chocolate chip pancakes…was most definitely loving Darry.

“If you really don’t mind…that’d be great," He nodded, eyes closing again. "I know Pony would really dig that."

"Good," You brought the palm of his hand to your lips. "And I don't want you feeling guilty over it."

He couldn't help but chuckle, a genuine smile spreading on his face.

"Alright. I'll try." He agreed.

He chuckled again when you pressed a kiss to the tip of his nose, his grip tightening around you slightly and bringing you closer to him. He caught your lips in a kiss this time, humming with content at the feeling of your smile underneath.

He couldn't help but think about how lucky he was. A woman as wonderful as you, working double shifts and taking on extra responsibilities and yet you still made time for him.

He had a lot of time to make up to you. He owed you a date night if nothing else, and even then, that wasn't really repaying you at all.

But for now, the best he could do was be here and be in the moment. If kissing you and keeping you close was making you happy, then that was the least he could do.

He didn't stray far from you for the rest of the night. The two of you slept closely, sharing kisses and soft hums throughout the night whenever you stirred one another awake.

This was something that Darry wished for. And perhaps one day, he could have this all the time. Not today, but maybe someday.

And he couldn't wait for that day to come.

[curtis-corner]

STAND BY ME (Darry Curtis) PART 8

The response to the last chapter floored me!! Thank you for everyone who is reading this story and taking the time to comment. So excited to share this long chapter...next up is a chapter in Darry's POV which I am REALLY excited about.

Fic masterlist here

Taglist : @lovelylegolas2123 @amnestyliketaz @spuffyfan394

PART 8

The wind whips your hair all over the place as you run down the darkened street. Your slippers are soaked from the snow and your pajamas are too thin to keep out a chill, but you barely notice. You nearly skid on a patch of ice as you turn a corner, but you can see the Curtis house in the distance.

Although it’s dark, you know the door will be open.

You almost fall through the front door, shutting it quickly, and then you put your hands on your knees, trying to catch your breath. You hear your name and you look up to see Steve starting to sit up on the couch.

It’s like it all hits you at once: the fear, the adrenaline, the run and the cold, and your breathing starts to quicken, and everything starts to become fuzzy around the edges.

You almost collapse to the ground before you feel Steve catch you, and you distantly register him yelling “Darry! Darry!” as he lowers you to sitting on the living room rug.

You’re choking out a sob, trying to talk but still having trouble breathing when Darry appears in front of you, his eyes wide.

“What happened? Are you hurt?” He starts to run his hands over your face and down your arms and you yelp when he touches your right arm. “Baby, I need you to breathe with me, okay?” You look into his eyes and try to match his breathing.

It takes a few minutes, but the choking sensation starts to fade.

“I-I-“ but as soon as you start talking, you start shivering.

“Soda, get the big blanket from my bed. Socks from the drawer too.” Darry orders, but his eyes never leave you. You glance over his shoulder to see Soda and Pony both standing near the couch. “Steve, go get the first aid. Pony, water for tea.” The three other boys move immediately, and Darry runs a hand through your hair. You breathe a little easier and try to talk again.

“My dad, he left a note saying he’s in trouble and he skipped town. Wrote to lock the doors. I didn’t see it until late, it had fallen on the floor, and I was going to call,” You take another deep breath just as Soda wraps a thick blanket around you. Darry takes off your busted slippers and replaces them with thick wool socks. “Thanks,” You look up and Soda and he nods, taking a seat on the floor next to you.

“Someone threw something, a brick maybe, through the window by the front door. I heard two men break in and their voices kept getting closer so I climbed out my bedroom window and I ran here. To you,” Your voice breaks on the last word and Darry immediately pulls you into his lap, wrapping his strong arms around you and rubbing your back.

You stay like that for a few minutes until Pony comes in with a mug of tea. Darry stands up, still holding you in his arms, and you move to sit on the couch. He shifts you to his side but doesn’t let go.

“What hurts?” He takes the first aid kit from Steve.

“My arm,” You hold out your right arm and Darry pushes the sleeve of your pajamas up. There’s gravel lodged in a few places and most of it has already started to swell. “I fell on it when I went out the window, I think some gravel was in the ice.”

Darry is gentle as he uses tweezers to take out the gravel, taking it all out and cleaning the wound with rubbing alcohol before wrapping it.

“It doesn’t feel broken, just bruised.” He says quietly and you wonder how many times he’s patched up his brothers or friends.

You sip the warm tea, feeling more sensation in your fingers. Darry is cleaning up the medical supplies you glance up at Pony.

“This is really good.”

“Darry likes milk and sugar in his tea, so I thought you would too.”

“I do. Sorry I woke you up.” Pony shrugs his shoulders.

“S’alright. Soda was snorin’ anyway.” For that, he gets a shove from his brother and you smile for the first time since your arrival.

“Did you see what they looked like?” Steve asks, and Darry shoots him a look as he walks back in from the kitchen. You shake your head.

“I only heard them. I don’t think they saw me either.”

“Don’t think about that any more tonight.” Darry takes your empty mug of tea and helps you to your feet. “Come on honey, let’s get you some warm clothes.” You wave goodnight to everyone and follow Darry back to a room you’ve never actually seen.

Darry had told you before about how Darry and Soda grew up sharing a room, and Pony had a tiny one next to them. And how after their parents died the only way for Pony to sleep was to have Soda next to him. And a month after that how Soda convinced Darry to start sleeping in their parent’s old room since the bed was bigger and he was breaking his back all day at the job site.

You look around while Darry rummages through the drawers. You knew he had packed his parents' things up in boxes, unable to get rid of them but also unable to see them every day. But you could also see the things he didn’t put away: a jewelry box and a glass perfume bottle side by side on the dresser, an ashtray next to a pair of glasses on the nightstand.

“Here,” Darry hands you a pair of soft flannel pajama bottoms and an old high school sweatshirt. “Do you want a water to keep on the nightstand?” You nod and he turns to leave, but you reach out to touch his hand.

“Are you going to stay in here? With me?” You hope your voice isn’t shaking as much as you think.

“Do you want me to?” His blue eyes are truly piercing, and they are searching your face for an answer before you even give him one. You nod.

“If that’s alright.” He steps closer and tucks a hair behind your ear before giving you a light kiss on the forehead.

You change while Darry gets the waters and you can faintly hear him talking to his brothers, assuring them you’re going to be fine and they should get back to bed. You sit on the edge of the bed and sigh, rubbing at your temples with your fingers.

“Does your head hurt? I can get you aspirin.” You hadn’t realized Darry had come back into the room.

“I’m okay.” You push yourself up. “Which side of the bed is yours?” Darry rubs the back of his neck.

“Usually I just sprawl out in the middle.”

“Just s’long as you don’t hog all of the covers,” You say and he smiles and you both pick a side of the bed. When you lay down you are surrounded by him: his clothes, his sheets and best of all, Darry himself who has him arms open for you to tuck yourself right into.

“It’s going to be alright.” He murmurs in your ear and while you want to believe him, with the lights off and the night quiet again the nerves start to creep back in.

“He’s never skipped town before. He must really be in trouble.” Your voice is quiet but you can’t seem to stop talking. “Do you think they knew I was there? I left the window open. No one leaves the window open in this cold.”

“Baby, I promise you are safe here.” His arms tighten around you.

“I feel safe. With you.” It’s quiet for a minute before he shifts you and even though it’s dark, you know he’s looking right at you.

“I love you. And I ain’t gonna let anything happen to you, okay?”

“Okay.” You snuggle back into his chest and both of your breathing starts to even out. “Darry?”

“Mm?”

“I love you too.”

--

Despite the drama of the night before, you weren’t going to complain about how you woke up. Darry’s arms were wrapped around you from behind and your back was pulled into his chest. His chin rested on the top of your head and while you learned he was a loud snorer, the sound somehow had lulled you in to a peaceful few hours of sleep.

Half of Tulsa would lose their minds if they found out you shared a bed with him before you had a ring on your finger. The other half would probably be jealous.

You turn and run a hand over the slight stubble of his jaw. He looks so much younger when he is asleep, a rare break from thinking about all of his responsibilities. You brush a few strands of hair off his forehead and his eyes start to slowly blink open.

“Good mornin'” You say quietly and he gives you a sleepy smile.

“Mornin’. Anyone ever tell you that you move around a lot in your sleep?”

“Never shared a bed with anyone before,” You shrug and suddenly his eyes are fully open and giving you that look that he does when you’re both alone.

He shifts and hovers his body over yours, trailing kisses down your neck and making you squirm in the best possible way. Your hands slide under his shift, feeling the defined muscles and he’s sliding your borrowed pajamas bottoms lower on your hips when you hear a crash.

“DAMNIT!” Soda yelps.

“You’ll wake them up!” Pony is talking at an equally high volume.

“Jesus.” Darry groans and you nearly giggle. “I finally get you in a bed instead of a truck, and it’s the one Saturday these two are up before,” he glances at the clock. “Nine am.”

“How many scoops go in the percolator?”

“Where’s that goddamn oven mitt?”

“We should go see what they are up to.” You say. Darry groans again, and while you share the feeling, you know things won’t go further now that Soda and Pony are up.

You head into the kitchen and are immediately hit with the smell of frying bacon. Soda is at the stove, flipping what looks like blue eggs and Pony is having a stare off with the percolator. He must not be winning, because you can’t smell the coffee brewing.

“Oh you’re up! We can turn on the radio then!” Soda says happily and does just that, the sound of Smokey Robinson filling the house.

“Darry, this coffee thing is broken.” Pony huffs and Darry walks over to fix it. Soda puts an arm cautiously around your shoulders.

“How’d you sleep? Your arm alright? We’re making breakfast.”

“Yeah, the whole neighborhood can hear it.” Darry rolls his eyes but you can tell he appreciates it.

“My arm feels alright, thanks.” You push up the sleeve of the sweatshirt and inspect the outside of the bandage.

“We’ll clean it and change it again today.” Darry wraps his arms around you from behind and rests his chin on your shoulder.

“Okay, after my shift.”

“You’re going to work today?”

“It’s a short one, eleven to four. I’ll need to stop by my house for clothes and makeup beforehand-“

“I’m sure Mr. Murphy will understand,” Darry steps out from behind you and to your side. “You had a tough night-“

“It’s just him and I until Shelia comes in, I can’t leave him alone through the Saturday afternoon rush.” You shake your head. Darry may be stubborn, but you can be too when it was important. You see Darry purse his lips closed, like he’s holding himself back from saying something, but after a minute he gives in.

“I’ll go with you to your house. You can pack a bag, get anything that’s valuable. I’ll drop you at work and bring your stuff back here and pick you up at four.”

“Darry,” You cross your arms and give him an incredulous look. “I can’t just…move in here until my dad comes home.”

“Sure you can,” Soda is sliding breakfast onto plates and Pony has finally made peace with the coffee maker and is pouring cups.

“Yeah, we’re okay with it.” You know Pony is just trying to reassure you, but you’re starting to feel a little dizzy.

“Baby.” Darry says and you sigh, knowing you’d do anything he says when he uses that voice. “You remember how I said you’re safe here?” You nod. “I want to keep you safe. And that means not sendin’ you back to a house with a busted window and two low-life’s snooping around.”

Logically, you knew he was right, and there was certainty a part of you that was thrilled at the thought of sharing Darry’s bed for a few more nights. So you huff out an “oh, alright then” and ignore the smug look on your boyfriend’s face. A few days would be fine.

The front door opens and Steve walks in. He hands you a pile of clothes.

“Stopped by Evie’s, figured you wouldn’t want to go out in Darry’s pajamas.” Steve said it plainly, like it wasn’t an incredibly thoughtful gesture.

You’re overcome with too many emotions and before you realize it, you throw your arms around him and give him a hug. He tenses, then leans into it, then groans, all in the space of a minute.

“Glory, it’s just a sweater and slacks, ain’t like I brought you her prom dress.” But you know he’s pleased with how happy it makes you. Darry sets a hand on Steve’s shoulder and thanks him and you don’t miss the way Steve is trying not to beam. You wonder if Darry ever realizes how much Steve looks up to him.

The five of you dig into blue eggs and bacon and drink coffee, and while you’re still worried for your dad and upset about the night before, things seem a little easier in the morning light and with these boys by your side.

NEXT: Darry POV!

[sparklingcid3r]

No thoughts, just Darry “I’m not a violent dog, I don’t know why I bite” Curtis

[johnnycakesb14de]

Sodapop Curtis the type of guy to fake sleep in the car so the homies will carry him inside and tuck him in

[sodapopboy]

one minute away from death, sodapop curtis will crumple in on himself, protected by a manmade hill as blood trickles onto the grass. he will weakly press his dirt covered hand to his lips. he will think of his mothers gentle hands as she’d wash mud off his and darry’s faces. he was five years old at the time.

fifty seconds away from death, sodapop curtis will sit on his ass for the first time in ages. a privilege he used too sparingly. like the night darry slapped ponyboy, he thinks. he fumbles with his pocket to reach his lighter, but his hands seem to be weaker than he thought. when someone finds and recovers his body, they will read the words engraved into the lighter and wonder who ‘sandy’ was, and wonder if soda had a wife at home.

forty seconds away from death, sodapop will tune out the sound of the battlefield. he’s brought back to the first day of middle school, and sitting at some table in the center of the cafeteria with kids who didn’t necessarily get him. he remembers seeing a ravenette boy sitting alone, and getting up without another word as soon as they locked eyes. steve graduated a few weeks before soda was drafted. he saved himself, the army boy thinks, and he couldn’t be more relieved.

thirty seconds away from death, sodapop curtis will think of ponyboy. he won’t see him graduate, he thinks sadly. he doesn’t let it get to him. he remembers the day ponyboy brought back his first real award at school, something regarding writing. soda remembers how on that same day, he brought back a report card filled to the brim with D’s and even one F. sodapop curtis will die with a grin on his face, knowing ponyboy will be the first curtis boy to graduate, and will never touch the battleground. soda is fine with that, much preferring to see ponyboy clutch books instead of artillery.

twenty seconds away from death, sodapop curtis will think of darry. he has lost too much, and soda doesn’t know if he’ll come back from this. if he’ll even try to deal with it. darry has lost two of his brotherhood, and is about to lose the last living remnant of his mother. he finds it laughable, darry had spent all this time worrying his head off about ponyboy, and soda’s the one who slips through his fingers like sand.

ten seconds away from death, sodapop curtis thinks of his parents. his mother, oh-so beautiful and caring. his father, the strongest man he knew. he thinks about how they made their oldest son promise to always look over their two younger ones. he thinks about how he walked into the sterile hospital room as they were clearing it out, and saw them sharing one hospital bed, intertwined. for now, and forever.

when death washes over sodapop curtis, he will not be mad. he slumps against the manmade hill as he slowly goes slack, being here for only 18 years and yet he felt much more older than dally and johnny.

the boy will lay there, limp and content even in death, because above everything he’s done in his brief life, he has loved.