#but johnny and dally are the only ones physically there with him

[frantic-babbling]

currently watching emma's vlog (12 minutes in)

she mentions how danya said that soda's letter is a battle of the brothers: your blood family (soda and darry) versus your chosen family (dally and johnny)

i'm going to throw up and will need 2-5 business days to process this

[alaskan-wallflower]

doing research on vietnam and the draft to make actual historically accurate takes so here’s what i got

darry would’ve been drafted, however i believe he would’ve been able to opt out of it as the sole provider of money in the family (though im not sure—in 1970 president nixon set a law for fathers (ik darry isn’t a father but a legal guardian hence why idk if this would work) to prove why their absence would have been dangerous within the family-ill have to find out what year(s) jan 5 was called tho)

edit: also darry would’ve been called to fight in 1969 before the law nixon set in place…BUT if you think about it, the chronic back pain he suffers could’ve been a possible way for him to be exempt (i think he’d play up whatever cards he could to make sure he didn’t have to go-idk i feel like that’s more in character than him just leaving. i think he’d make every effort to stay and i think he could’ve made it work)

edit 2: darry would have been exempt due to his chronic back pain—“any injury that would impair someone’s full efficiency as a soldier will be exempt” (he also wouldn’t have made it through any boot camp activities either with the pain)

soda wouldn’t have been drafted

ponyboy would’ve been but he actually would’ve been exempt because he would be in college at that time-a full time college student was exempt (though i suppose it also depends on whether you think the events happened in ‘64 or ‘67 but regardless the draft ended in 1973 so idk if it would matter either way since pony would’ve graduated in either ‘72 or ‘75 anyway—i don’t think july 22 was called in ‘72 or ‘73)

edit: the draft for july 22nd was called in 1969, when pony would’ve been a full time college student (or in the case of choosing the musical timeline he would’ve been a junior or senior in high school, so regardless pony would have been exempt from the war because he would’ve been a full time college student in ‘69 or he would still be in high school)

johnny would’ve been drafted if he lived , however he would’ve been physically handicapped (unable to walk) and unable to fight anyway so he would’ve been exempt

dally would’ve been drafted with no way out (unless you wish to count if he had gotten shot and lived, in which case the area he would’ve been shot in would probably be the determining factor in if he was drafted or not)

edit: due to dallas’ criminal record i don’t think he’d have been eligible (though it’s hard to tell since his crimes (as far as i know) are all mild misdemeanors (petty theft, driving w/out a license, stuff like that) so idk if that would leave him exempt or not—there’s nothing online saying either way so idk—all that i’ve read is that you can sign a plea waiver but there were felons who fought in vietnam, so im not sure if he would’ve been exempt—but regardless thanks @curlyshepardconfirmed!

two bit would not have been drafted

steve would not have been drafted

tim would not have been drafted either

so realistically the only one who would’ve been drafted if he lived would be dally , depending on the route you wish to go on with him

hope this helps 👍

[winstonsns]

the gang and pda

authors note: some of these might be inaccurate so sorry about that! i’ll probably post a masterlist soon since i’ve been posting often :) sorry that this preference is really short, i didn’t have a lot of ideas for this one. also if you don’t know what pda means then it means public display of affection 💗

includes: ponyboy, johnny, darry, soda, dally, two-bit and steve

word count: 1.4k

warnings: mild cussing, mention of being jumped, a little suggestive in dallys part

PONYBOY CURTIS

since he’s really young he doesn’t really like making out nor does he know how to do it

he really enjoys kissing and holding hands though but his hands can get really sweaty at times

in public, he doesn’t mind showing affection, he rather wants it than doesn’t

if you randomly kiss him in public he’ll lightly scoff, smile at you then kiss you back

he really loves you but doesn’t always know how to show it, sometimes he shows it in awkward ways that you don’t understand but you appreciate the effort

he actually prefers gifts so when he gives you something it really comes from the heart

but anyway he doesn’t mind showing pda, prefers showing affection in different ways besides physical touch

pony really loves holding your hand though

doesn’t matter where you are since he always wants your hand to be in his

JOHNNY CADE

he’ll be really close to you in public but gets nervous to hold your hand sometimes

he doesn’t want people to give him or you shit for it but if you grab his hand he’ll keep it there

also kisses your cheek, reversed too, and occasionally gives you a normal kiss if no one’s around

he also just feels like those moments should really be cherished and not on the disgusting streets

just overall feels more comfortable with physical touch when you’re in a safer setting like the curtis household

he really loves you but sometimes gets scared to set boundaries since he thinks you’ll leave him, so he doesn’t necessarily say what makes him uncomfortable

he ends up setting boundaries once you teach him how to, so you know not to always show pda unless he initiates it

that’s how you know he’s comfortable in whatever place you two are in

if he gets too nervous he’ll start fidgeting so you’ll rub his back soothingly and he’ll calm down a bit

that’s the only pda he’s always 100% comfortable with

DARRY CURTIS

this man is strong as fuck and you’re so attracted to it

you’re always latched onto his arm and when he hugs you you love it so much

yk that trend where the guy squishes the girls face with his biceps

that describes your relationship

he likes physical touch, makes him feel loved and stuff

like others, he’s not really up to full on making out in public, prefers doing that in private since it’s more intimate and doesn’t feel like people should see that

this man follows the sidewalk rule with his life

basically the sidewalk rule is he walks on the side where the cars are and you stay on the inside, so if the car were to get close you would be protected

his hands get sweaty sometimes too, i feel like all the curtis brothers would have sweaty hands idk why

darry will hug and kiss you in public and he’s not ashamed of it

sometimes he’ll get teasing from his brothers but he really doesn’t mind, he’ll just tell them to knock it off

SODAPOP CURTIS

he LIVES for pda and physical touch in general like it’s insane how much he craves it

he always tries to be as close to you as he can since he doesn’t want to be far from you

part of it is so he always knows where you are so he can protect you, the other part is just for comfort

if you hold his hand in public while walking around he’ll get so smiley it’s adorable

he doesn’t really have to keep up a reputation like dally so he doesn’t have to keep his act up or anything

soda also loves to be touching you whenever you’re with each other, non-sexually though

like you’ll be reading a book and he’ll just lay on top of you while one of your hands is on his head

he literally has no shame and will kiss you in public even if a whole crowd was watching

a little more hesitant on making out in front of everyone, he feels like that’s way more intimate and should be between just you two

he just loves to be around you and to be touching you at all times, like if you’re eating at the same table he wants your knees and/or thighs to be touching

when the two of you are sitting on a bench or something in public, he likes to be shoulder to shoulder, thigh to thigh, knee to knee

sometimes he’ll even hold your hand even though you’re really close, he’s still aware of his surroundings though due to getting jumped many times

DALLAS WINSTON

this one’s kinda difficult since i feel like he’d be really possessive and touchy but he has a reputation to keep up with

ok i feel like he’d be really touchy but wouldn’t let people say it’s in the “i love you” way but in the protective “stay the hell away” type of way

like when someone stares at you for too long whether it’s judging you or admiring you he’s always like “the fuck you looking at?” and the person walks away

he’d be fine with wrapping his arm around you and making out with you in public, sometimes a kiss on the cheek

he knows making out with you is more intimate but he feels the opposite, kinda feels like making out is more rough and possessive rather than lovey in a cute and romantic way

he prefers to do cute kisses when the two of you are alone since you can take your time and it’s not just horny

sometimes when he gets a little agitated he doesn’t really like physical touch since he doesn’t want to burst out at you

ik its a little off topic, after he’s calmed down he’d lay on his bed while your head is on his chest, he’s smoking a cigarette while petting your hair

ugh he loves you so much sometimes he just doesn’t know how to express it :((

TWO-BIT MATTHEWS

doesn’t really care about pda that much, he’s fine with it since it doesn’t make him uncomfortable

yall disrupt peoples peace when you go down the streets with two-bit going on and on making joes and you laughing your ass off every time

he loves making you smile and since he’s not embarrassed about that there’s no way in hell he’d be embarrassed about some physical touch

he’d probably wrap an arm around your shoulder while you’re standing, sitting, walking together, etc

he doesn’t even think much of it, he just does it and it doesn’t bother him

two-bits fine with kissing in public but if you wanna make out with him he’ll be like “why”

he just doesn’t see the point of doing all that in public

it’s not that he’s embarrassed of you or anything, he just doesn’t get why you’d want to make out when there’s a lot of people around

STEVE RANDLE

he also doesn’t really have a reputation to keep up so he isn’t embarrassed showing pda

he just doesn’t want the two of you to get in trouble for it, and by that i mean getting beat up by socs

he really likes being around you

although he’s more of an acts of service guy, he’s fine with physical touch

he’s never had a problem with it in the past but doesn’t really crave it, steve doesn’t hate it though

if you want physical touch he’ll do whatever you want and if you wanna show pda then he’ll let you

since he doesn’t really have an opinion on it, pda doesn’t really happen very often since you really pay attention to what he says and he appreciates that

like two-bit, he’ll normally wrap an arm around your shoulder and will kiss you sometimes

authors note: sorry i’m posting a lot! i enjoy it and ill try to make a schedule soon :3 💗

[ididdedurmom]

More evil head cannons

I have silly ideas about the gang after the event of the story, everyone lives, except Bob

PONY:

Has a thousand yard stare when he zones out

Has the loudest, most disgusting, mucus filled cough ever

Actually really good at drawing

Has drawn every member of the gang at least twice

Loves physical touch, he leans on his friends when their sitting next to him.

Actually screams during horror movies, like loud genuine screams

Loves play fighting with Darry, like full on wrestling

Steve taught him how to drive

He either walks like a ghost or stomps, there is no in between

He can play one song on the guitar, and that’s it

His legs are super strong, so his kicks hurt really bad

He would be better at track, but his smoking habits hold him back

He feels jealous of Soda and Darry because they had more time with their parents

He and Darry have matching reading glasses

SODA:

He says “I’m just a girl” anytime he gets in trouble

He has used his pretty privilege to get out of being arrested multiple times

Despite how handsome he knows he is, he still feels super insecure about his looks

He steals from the DX station constantly

He and Steve spend hours gossiping about their customers once both of their shifts are over

A dog bit him when he was a kid, now he’s deathly afraid of them

He loves physical affection, hugging him is the best way to cheer him up

Absolute candy addict

Candy is the #1 item he steals from the DX

He broke his dominant hand once, and now his handwriting is permanently ruined

He reads insanely slow and monotone when he reads out loud

He either sleeps like a rock, or wakes up from the slightest sound, there is no in between

He lives in his flannel, that thing hasn’t been washed in literal years

He suffers from middle child syndrome, he knows his brothers love him, but they don’t pay enough attention to him

DARRY:

He hates his jobs, he knows he has to go but he can’t stand them

All of his coworkers are old and they treat him like a child (which he’s kind of okay with in a way)

He loves watching cartoons but he feels like he’d be wasting his time

He sneezes like a dad

He wakes up at 4 am and works out immediately

Loves compliments and words of affection

Doing favors is his love language

He has the whitest legs ever, he’s all tan on the top and snow white on the bottom

His tan ends where his pants start

Small bits of his hair are grey, he doesn’t know

He has a fear of abandonment

He is insanely flexible for a man of his size, like he can touch the floor standing up with ease

He hit a dog with his car once and cried for 2 hours straight

He loves cuddling on the couch with his brothers, it helps him relax

He despises Curly Shepard, he’s civil with Tim, but he HATES Curly

When he comes home from his ski trips with his old friends, he actually looks his age

A woman once assumed he was Pony’s father, and it made him die inside a little

He can’t stand Mother and Fathers Day

He was mad at Steve when he found out he taught Pony how to drive

TWO-BIT:

He and Dally bond by harassing women

He has a box full of things he’s stolen

His slight alcoholism stems from his father

He let’s his sister paint his nails, and he shows them off proudly

He gets his nails painted before rumbles

He watches soap operas with his mother every night

He can play the trumpet

He has never purchased a pack of cigarettes, only stolen

He listens to metal

When he passes Johnny’s house, he has to actively stop himself from walking in and beating Johnny’s parents half to death, especially his father

Its not that he doesn’t want a job, I mean he doesn’t, it’s that he thinks he’d only mess up whenever they had him do

He constantly forgets to brush his teeth

Pop and beer are the only things he drinks, he doesn’t touch water

He religiously wears Mickey Mouse merch, you will never catch him in a plain shirt

Baby Pony and him got along really well, he was kinda like Pony’s goofy cousin

Two-Bit and Darry have been friends since they were little kids

Two has no plans for his future, and it weighs on him

He broke both of his elbows once

His teachers have kinda given up on him, they just treat him like a bother instead of a student

STEVE:

He messes up Pony’s hair every chance he gets

He uses the most hair grease out of everyone

He has had the same comb for 3 years

He constantly smells like oil

The underside of his nails are always black, no matter how much he washes his hands

He and Soda have matching scars from a shared failed attempt to climb a barb wired fence

He is terrified of the police

He and Soda make your mom jokes at each other, despite neither of them having mothers

His voice is scarily deep when he wakes up

He and Two-Bit have an inside joke no one in the gang understands

He, Soda, and Two-Bit all have matching stick and poke tattoos

He hates his father, and by extension the fathers of Johnny and Two-Bit

He and Dally don’t hang out much, but when they do they are absolute menaces

Dally and him steal cars and hub caps together

He is genuinely upset by the size of his nose

JOHNNY:

He’s dyslexic

His handwriting is atrocious

His best subject is math

He and the gang all picked out stickers to put on his crutches

He loves sleeping around his friends

His hands are rough

He can’t stand the smell of beer, unless it’s one of the gang

He and Curly hate each other for literally no reason

Pony has slowly been teaching him to read better

No matter how much grease he puts in his hair, it won’t stay back

He hates going out in public because people always look at him funny

He hates looking at his burn scars

He, Dally, and Ponyboy watch sunsets together

He either sleeps at the Cutis’s house, Two-Bit’s house, Steve’s (very rarely), or Dallas’s place.

He’s not allowed to sleep in the lot anymore

He has tons of freckles, you just can’t see them against his skin

He loves sleeping outside when he wants to

He never wants children, he’s to scared he’ll become his father

His pain tolerance is so high that sometimes he won’t even notice when he gets injured

He likes how defensive Dallas is of him, makes him feel confident

He smokes marijuana with Dally sometimes, he’s super anxious when they do though because he doesn’t want to get arrested

DALLY:

He will not talk about his feelings

The cops forced him to go to therapy, it didn’t fix anything

He is amazing at lying

The police know him by name

He hasn’t told the gang much about the past other than where he came from and that he doesn’t talk to his folks

Darry nicknamed him “Rat”

He actually feels bad when Darry yells at him

He gets sun burns very quickly

He has his own personal stench

He doesn’t want Johnny to end up like him

He cried for 3 hours straight when he found out Johnny was still alive, it is his most embarrassing moment

He chugs drinks insanely fast

He can’t read very well

He needs glasses but he thinks he’d look like a wimp if he had any

Even though he knows he could have an asthma attack from coughing to hard, he still doesn’t carry his inhaler

He was happy when he thought he was going to die

Then he woke up and had an epiphany about life, it didn’t do to much, but now he knows death isn’t the only option

He proudly shows off the burn marks on his arm

He loves pushing Johnny around in his wheelchair

He listens to outlaw music and Frank Sinatra

He loves horror movies

He toned down his bad behavior once he got out of the hospital, he’s still a dick though

That’s it or whatever. I hope you like them, I’m sorry if some of them don’t make sense. I’m just so silly. I apologize for my horrible grammar lol. Feel free to tell me some of your head cannons!! :D

[youdigokay]

I see your request for headcanon requests and raise you Darry having extreme parental instincts toward the entire gang. :D

I love parental Darry! Thanks for asking!

We know that Darry gets super mad if any of his brothers miss curfew. He will drag his recliner in front of the door and sit there until they come home.

His brain immediately thinks something happened to them, and won’t allow himself to relax until they come home. He physically can not sleep until they get home safe.

Soda tried to crawl through his bedroom window one time to avoid Darry, but of course Darry heard him and grounded him extra hard.

Darry caught Pony with a beer once, and grounded him for two weeks straight and made him do the dishes every night.

No matter how mad Darry gets, he would never hit his brothers again. He’ll just ground them from going out or seeing their friends, and make them do extra chores.

The gang is getting so annoyed of his constant lecturing on their excessive smoking and drinking beer for breakfast.

Darry’s considering not letting Two-Bit stash his beer in their fridge anymore because he feels like it’s a bad influence on Pony.

Darry hates when the gang smokes in the house. He’s the only one who can get away with putting out Dally’s cigarettes when he lights up in the house.

Darry will always cover Johnny with a blanket when he sees him sleeping on their couch, just in case he gets cold at night.

Darry started packing lunches for the gang, because he wants to make sure they eat at least one decent meal a day.

[ellie-r2]

Book Curtis Brothers hcs

because I won't leave you guys hanging just because it got second place

Darry:

-He'll do anything for his brothers even if he hates the thing. (first scene in the book when Pony says he could've just called Darry to watch the movie even though Darry hates them)

-He tries really hard to be gentle when physically comforting people but he's always too rough without meaning to be.

-Genuinely believed Ponyboy hated him for a good while and it would actually keep him up at night at times which added to his stress levels.

-Always makes sure the house is stocked up with first aid supplies for the boys.

-He asks Soda to talk to Pony for him to make sure Pony knows he loves him because he thinks if he were to do it he'd just say the wrong thing and it would go bad.

-The five days Pony was gone were the worst of Darry's life even more so than the death of his parents because to him at least then he got the news the same day but for Ponyboy he had nothing letting him know if he truly was okay.

-Says he would've been okay if Ponyboy never spoke to him again after the slap because he would've deserved it but in reality he wouldn't know how to live with it.

-Hated when people would confuse him for being his dad's brother instead of son because he hated that people thought he looked older when he's only 20. (which doesn't get better now that he's taking care of his brothers)

-Technically this is canon but adding it anyway he is insecure about the fact he didn't get to go to college because he did want a chance to leave tulsa and pursue a career in football.

-Stays by Pony's door until he falls asleep whenever he wakes up screaming from a nightmare to ease his nerves.

-Only irons Soda's shirts because he knows even if Soda has time he won't do it himself.

-When Ponyboy was in denial of Johnny's death he and Soda made sure no one ever mentioned anything about Johnny around Pony.

-He asked Tim to have Curly tell Ponyboy stories about reformatory to scare him from being sent there.

-Used to consider wanting to reconcile with Paul so he'd still have other friends outside the gang. After the rumble happened he stopped thinking about it.

-Apart from his brothers the person he's closest to in the gang is Two-Bit since they're closest in age and he's the only one he truly trusts to leave alone with Pony.

Soda:

-Used to hate being the only blond one of his brothers until his parents died because he liked having his mom's hair color.

-Ever since basically moving into Pony's room because of the nightmares he now uses his old room as a storage space or offers it to the gang if they want to sleep on a bed instead of the couch.

-Will defend his brothers to the ends of the earth over literally anyone no matter who it is (I mean according to Pony the only time he was ever mad at Steve was when he said something about Darry).

-Took everything in him not to tell Darry that he suspected that Dally knew where Pony and Johnny were and almost slipped by wanting to ask him to proofread the letter.

-Slept in his room the days Pony was gone because it didn't feel right to him to sleep in there without Pony but he still didn't sleep well anyway.

-Plays football with Darry even if he's not the best at it just so Darry can still play his favorite sport.

-Contrary to popular belief while he is named the the crier of the brothers it is actually Ponyboy but he lets himself be called that because he knows Pony doesn't like being seen as "weak".

-Even though Sandy cheated on him and everything he couldn't find it in himself to hate her not even a little bit.

-Despite what Pony may think about comparing Soda and Steve to Bob and Randy, Soda would actually be the one to fight even harder and be angry if Steve were the one to die while Steve would be the one to not fight.

-Will gives massages to Darry when Darry works long nights at work because while his brother won't admit it, he doesn't take care of himself as much as he should.

-Misses the days when Darry was just his brother and not guardian because while he gets let off more than Pony the change in relationship between himself and Darry is still noticeable to him.

-Will cling to anything or anyone that is near him when sleeping.

Ponyboy:

-Is quite literally the little brother of the gang even though he thinks it's Johnny. (Everyone including Steve will drop everything for him).

-(pre book but after their parents died) Desperately craved attention/affection from Darry but didn't know how to ask for it.

-He has drawn every member of the gang + Curly but hasn't shown them any of the drawings. His favorite to draw was Dally.

-For the purly/papercut fans (me). Pony is the only one who can keep Curly from getting into too much trouble. (Like we know from Tim that Curly has talked about Pony and even calls him a good kid.)

-After Johnny and Dally's deaths he hangs up his drawings of them in his room. He also keeps Dally's jacket in his room even if he never wears it.

-Tried to finish reading Gone with the Wind after Johnny died but couldn't.

-Has nightmares of him being the one who was stuck under the beam instead of Johnny and being the one who died and wakes up terrified because he truly thinks it would have been better if it was him.

-Makes Darry go into the room with him at doctor's appointments and looks at Darry whenever they ask him a question. He'll also clutch Darry or Soda's arm because he hates being there.

-Quit smoking or is in the process of trying to quit post book because of guilt of potentially starting the fire and because it's not good for him being on the track team and all.

For all 3:

-Darry and Soda go to ALL of Pony's track events.

-Post book they all try to have one day of the week where they all do something together for the other. For Darry, Pony and Soda play football with him. For Pony, they go watch a movie together. For Soda, Darry lets him take them out racing but sits in the back with Pony to keep him safe if anything.

-When they were younger Darry would give shit to anyone who would say anything about his younger brothers having weird names. While Pony and Soda would give Darry shit saying he's the one with a weird name. "seriously DARREL"

-They all sleep in Darry's room together the night before if they know the social worker is coming in fear of separated.

[thewulf]

A Safe Place || Dallas "Dally" Winston

Summary: Request - Can you do a Dally or Darry x female reader where reader is having a really difficult time at home (mom and dad are kinda like Johnny's parents and beat up physically and mentally on reader?)... Read Rest Here

A/N: As long as I live I will forever write The Outsiders. Such a unique group to write. This one is tough but I really love it!

Pairing: Dallas "Dally" Winston x Female Reader (Johnny Cade Sister)

Word Count: 3.3k +

TW: ABUSE, talks of abuse, hitting, bruises, cuts, blood, threats of violence, general Outsiders warnings

As you stumbled through the door of the Curtis household the entire greaser gang turned to look at you. Their expressions shifting from surprise to concern in an instant. Dally was the first to react, his eyes widening in realization as he took in the extent of your injuries.

"Jesus, what happened to you?" Dally's voice was gruff but there was an underlying edge of worry as he approached you. His movements were surprisingly gentle as he took in your battered appearance. His usually stern expression softened which revealed a glimpse of the concern that lurked beneath his tough exterior.

You could feel the weight of their stares. Their unspoken questions hanging heavy in the air. It was clear that they were shocked by the state you were in, and the realization only made you feel more vulnerable. Because for as bad as you felt you just knew you looked 10 times worse. It wasn’t the first time he’d laid hands on you, but it was the first time he didn’t seem to want to stop.

"I-I... I had a run-in with my old man," you managed to choke out. Your voice was barely above a whisper as you fought to hold back the tears brimming at the edge of your eyes. You’d done so good escaping it was suddenly catching up to you what you had just gone through. The words tasted bitter on your tongue. A painful reminder of the nightmare you couldn't escape.

Steve's jaw clenched tight with anger as he took in your bruised and bloodied face, his hands curling into fists at his sides. "That bastard," he muttered under his breath, his voice thick with rage. "He’s gonna pay for this, I swear."

Dally's expression darkened at your words. His features contorted with a mixture of anger and sorrow. "I'll kill him," he growled, his fists clenched at his sides as he fought to contain the rage simmering just beneath the surface. His words hung heavy in the air as it was a promise of retribution that sent a shiver down your spine. The scary part was that you knew he would kill him given the chance. It was one thing with Johnny… but when he saw you so battered he found a rage not even he knew he had.

Instinctively you flinched at his declaration. The raw intensity in his voice triggering a flood of memories you wished you could forget. You had already endured so much, the wounds—both physical and emotional—still fresh and raw. The thought of more violence only served to deepen the pit of dread that churned in your stomach. Sure, you grew up with the greasers but it never made the violence and threats of it any easier.

As if sensing your reaction Dally's eyes softened with remorse. A pang of guilt flickering across his features. He reached out tentatively, his hand hovering uncertainly over your shoulder before finally making the gentlest contact. He was afraid of the bruises underneath your clothes, the ones he couldn’t see. "Hey," he murmured, his voice surprisingly gentle despite the harshness of his earlier words. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

You blinked in surprise, caught off guard by the sincerity in his tone. For all his tough exterior there was a vulnerability in Dally that few ever got to see. A glimpse of the boy beneath the cocky attitude that he showed all too often. As you looked into his eyes you saw not just the anger and the pain, but also the deep-seated compassion that he tried so hard to conceal. His presence was a balm to your battered soul. A reminder that you were not alone in your struggles.

Dally's sharp gaze hardened as he turned to the group just staring at the scene unfolding before them. "Get the hell out of here if you ain’t gonna be useful," he ordered, his voice firm and commanding. "Give us some space guys." The rest of the gang exchanged uneasy glances before nodding in agreement, understanding the need for solitude in such a vulnerable moment. With one last look of concern, they filed out of the room leaving you and Dally in a cocoon of quiet solidarity.

As Soda made to leave with them Dally stopped him with a firm hand on his arm. "Soda, wait," he said, his voice softer now, filled with urgency. "Get the first aid kit and a warm towel. We need to clean her up." Soda nodded in understanding, a determined look crossing his features as he hurried off to retrieve the supplies.

As Soda hurried off to retrieve the supplies, Dally turned his attention back to you, his expression a mix of concern and determination. "Hang in there, sweetheart," he said softly. His voice laced with reassurance as he gently brushed a strand of hair from your face. "We'll get you patched up real quick."

You managed a weak smile. So grateful for his comforting words amidst the raging emotions swirling inside you. Despite the pain and the fear that still lingered there was a sense of relief knowing that you were in capable hands. You were being taken care of the boy who cared deeply for your well-being.

A knowing smile just ghosted over Soda's lips as he returned with the first aid kit and a warm towel. He was silently acknowledging the unspoken bond between you and Dally. He knew how much Dally had loved you for so long. And seeing the two of you together now filled him with a bittersweet sense of pride. He’d never seen Dallas so gentle.

With practiced efficiency, Dally and Soda set to work cleaning and dressing your wounds. Their movements gentle yet purposeful as they tended to each cut and bruise with care. Dally's hands were surprisingly gentle as he worked. A stark contrast to the roughness you had come to expect from him. However, even he wasn’t perfect. There was a moment when Dally accidentally pressed a little too hard on one of your bruises causing you to let out an involuntary yelp of pain. Instantly his expression shifted. A look of sadness crossing his features as he realized his mistake.

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart," he murmured. His voice filled with genuine remorse as he gently pulled back, his hands hovering uncertainly over your injured skin. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I'll be more careful, I promise."

You could see the sincerity in his eyes. It was layered with a depth of emotion you hadn't seen from him before. A stark reminder that beneath his tough exterior there was that vulnerability he tried so hard to conceal. You saw not just the pain and the regret in his eyes but also the profound sense of care and affection that he held for you.

"It's okay, Dally, really" you reassured him, your voice soft as you reached out to place a comforting hand on his arm. "I know you didn't mean it. I’m so lucky to have you."

His gaze softened at your words. A small flicker of gratitude passing between you as you shared a moment of understanding. Despite the rough edges and the scars that marked his soul there was a gentleness to Dally that few ever got to see. A side of him that he reserved for those he held closest to his heart. A side that only seemed reserved for you.

With a nod of appreciation Dally resumed his careful ministrations. His touch lighter and more cautious than before. And as he worked to tend to your wounds with a renewed focus, you couldn't help but feel a swell of affection for the boy who had always been there for you. Always, no questions asked.

As Dally apologized profusely and you reassured him, Soda noticed the exchange between you two. Sensing the depth of emotion in the room he took a step back giving you and Dally a moment of privacy. There was that knowing look in Soda's eyes, an acknowledgment of the connection between you and Dally. With a subtle nod Soda retreated to give you both some space. His intuition telling him that this was a moment that needed to be shared between just the two of you. As he busied himself with tidying up the first aid supplies before exiting the room, he couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth fill his chest for the two of you.

Once Dally finished tending to your wounds with careful precision a flood of emotions washed over you. Threatening to overwhelm your fragile composure. The physical pain had subsided only to be replaced now by a tidal wave of raw emotion that surged through your veins like a raging river. Tears welled up in your eyes, blurring your vision as you struggled to contain the torrent of feelings that threatened to consume you. It wasn't just the pain of your injuries that brought you to tears, but the weight of everything you had endured, the fear, the loneliness, the relentless cycle of abuse that had plagued your life for so long.

You cried for your little brother, lost and alone in a world that had turned its back on him. Your Johnny. You cried for the father who had betrayed your trust as his fists rained down upon you with a cruelty that knew no bounds. But most of all you cried for Dally, for his unexpected gentleness and the overwhelming sense of safety and comfort that he had provided in your darkest hour.

As you sat with Dally in the quiet intimacy of the room you felt a sense of release wash over you. A cathartic release of pent-up emotion that had been building inside you for far too long. And as the tears flowed freely down your cheeks you knew that you were not alone. That you were loved and cherished by the one person who had always been there for you, offering his unwavering support and understanding in the face of adversity.

As your tears flowed Dally's heart ached with a depth of emotion he had never allowed himself to fully acknowledge before. Without hesitation, he shifted, pulling you fully onto his lap, cradling you against his chest with a tenderness that was so different than his tough exterior. His arms wrapped around you protectively creating a safety that enveloped you both.

He rubbed soothing circles on your back. His touch a comforting reassurance of his unwavering support. In the quietness of the moment, he whispered words of comfort and encouragement. His voice a gentle murmur in the stillness of the room.

Feeling your sobs intensify he tightened his embrace. His hold on you was firm yet gentle as if trying to absorb some of the pain that wracked your body and soul. With each shuddering breath you took he squeezed you tighter. His touch was a silent reassurance that he was there for you. He would never let you face your demons alone.

"You're safe now, sweetheart," he murmured. His breath warm against your ear. "You don't have to be strong all the time. Let it out. I'm here for you."

His words were a lifeline in the darkness, a reminder that you were not alone in your pain. With each gentle stroke of his hand against your back, he offered you solace and understanding, his touch a silent promise of his unwavering support.

"It's okay to cry," he whispered, his voice a gentle murmur in the stillness of the room. "I've got you. I won't let anyone hurt you again, I swear it."

His heart broke for you, for the girl he cared for more deeply than he dared to admit. In that moment, as he held you close, he wished he could take away all the pain and suffering you had endured, to shield you from the cruelties of the world with nothing more than his love.

As time passed your sobs gradually subsided leaving behind a lingering sense of emptiness and exhaustion. In the quiet aftermath of your tears, you took a shaky breath. Your chest still tight with emotion. Dally held you close.

Feeling his steady heartbeat beneath your ear you found solace in the warmth of his embrace. With a heavy sigh you finally found the strength to speak. Your voice trembling with the weight of the words you had kept buried deep within your heart.

"I miss him," you spoke. Your voice barely above a whisper as you spoke of your little brother, lost and alone in a world that had turned its back on him. "I miss Johnny so much it hurts."

Tears welled up in your eyes once more, threatening to spill over as you thought of your brother who had been forced to run away. His pure innocence stolen by the cruelty of the world.

"I miss the way things used to be," you continued. Your voice filled with longing as you spoke of a time before your father's descent into darkness, before the alcohol and the violence tore your family apart. "I miss when my dad wasn't a drunk, when he was still my dad, you know?"

Your words hung heavy in the air, a poignant reminder of the innocence you had lost, of the life that seemed so distant and foreign now. In the safety of Dally's embrace, you allowed yourself to mourn the loss of the past, to grieve for the family that had been torn apart by forces beyond your control.

As you spoke of missing Johnny, Dally's embrace tightened. His arms offering you a sense of strength and stability amidst the chaos of your emotions. His voice was gentle as he responded. His words a quiet reassurance in the face of your pain.

"I know, sweetheart," he murmured, his breath warm against your ear. "We all miss him. But you know Johnny, he's resourceful as hell. And with Pony by his side? Those two can handle anything."

There was a quiet conviction in Dally's voice. It was a steadfast belief in Johnny's resilience that offered you a glimmer of hope in the darkness. Despite the uncertainty of his fate, you found comfort in Dally's unwavering confidence. He was a reminder that you were not alone in your worries for your brother.

"And your dad..." Dally trailed off, his voice heavy with sympathy as he spoke of the man who had once been your protector, now reduced to a shadow of his former self. "He's not the man you remember, I know. But that ain't your fault, darlin'. None of this is."

His words were a lifeline in the darkness, a reminder that you were not to blame for the sins of your father, that you deserved love and happiness just as much as anyone else. In the safety of his embrace, you allowed yourself to mourn the loss of the past, to grieve for the family that had been torn apart by forces beyond your control.

But even as the tears continued to fall, you knew that you were not alone. That Dally was there for you and always ready to offer his unwavering support and understanding in the face of your pain. As you clung to each other in the quiet darkness you found solace in the simple act of being together.

As your emotions opened you realized your love for him wasn't triggered by a simple moment. But rather by a complex series of events that had been building up over time. It was the culmination of countless conversations, shared moments, and lingering glances that had slowly but surely chipped away at the walls around your heart.

It started with the little things. Like the way he always seemed to know exactly what to say to make you laugh or the way he would brush a strand of hair from your face with a tenderness that took your breath away. It was the late-night conversations that stretched into the early hours of the morning, the whispered confessions and shared secrets that bound you together in ways you couldn't explain. But it was also the bigger moments. The ones that left you reeling with emotion and uncertainty. There was a time you called, and he showed up at your door in the middle of the night. No questions he was there as his face drawn and tired, and you knew without a doubt that he would always be there for you, no matter what.

As you looked into his eyes and saw the depth of his feelings reflected back at you, something shifted inside you. It was as if all the pieces fell into place like a puzzle finally coming together after years of searching. And in that moment, you knew. You knew that you couldn't keep it to yourself any longer, that you had to tell him how you felt, no matter the consequences.

So, you took a deep breath. Steeling yourself for what was to come, and you let the words spill from your lips in a rush of emotion. It was messy and imperfect, but it was real. It was true. And it was exactly what you needed to say.

"I... Dally, I just... I don't even know where to start," you began. Your voice trembling with emotion as you struggled to find the right words. "But I can't keep it in any longer. I think... no, I know I... I love you. Like, really love you."

Your admission hung heavy in the air, a confession so raw and honest that it left you feeling exposed, vulnerable. But as you looked into Dally's eyes, filled with a mixture of surprise and tenderness, you knew that you had made the right decision to speak your truth.

"I know it sounds crazy," you continued, your words tumbling out in a rush. "But it's true. You've always been there for me, through thick and thin. And it's not just because you're always there to clean up my messes or protect me from the world, although you do a damn good job of that. It's because... because I genuinely care about you, Dallas Winston. I care about you more than I ever thought possible. And it scares me sometimes, how much I care."

Your heart pounded in your chest as you bared your soul to him, laying your feelings bare for the world to see. But as you spoke, a sense of relief washed over you, knowing that you had finally spoken the words that had been weighing on your heart for so long.

"And I know it's a lot to take in," you concluded, your voice barely above a whisper. "But I had to tell you. I couldn't keep it to myself any longer."

For a moment, the air felt thick with anticipation. The intensity of your confession hanging between you like a tangible thing. And then as if a switch had been flipped, the hardness in Dally's eyes melted away. Replaced by a warmth that seemed to radiate from deep within him.

A soft smile tugged at the corners of his mouth gradually blossoming into a grin that lit up his entire face. It was a grin like you'd never seen before. A grin that reached all the way to his eyes filling them with a light you hadn't realized was missing.

His fingers brushed gently against your tear-stained cheeks. His touch tender and affectionate as he cupped your face in his hands. There was a sense of wonder in his expression, as if he couldn't quite believe what was happening, as if he had never dared to hope for this moment.

"Damn, sweetheart," he breathed. His voice tinged with awe. "I never knew you had it in you. Talking like that. But I'm glad you did. Because, hell, I love you too. I always have."

His words sent a rush of warmth through you. A feeling of elation that bubbled up from deep within your chest. And as you looked into his eyes, shining with a happiness you had never seen before, you knew that this was just the beginning of something beautiful, something real and true and utterly perfect.

Permanent Taglist (Message me or comment below if you want to be added!) : @loving-and-dreaming @kmc1989 @memeorydotcom @matisse556 @buckylov3r @taygrls @ah-blossom @hardballoonlove @rosiahills22 @djs8891 @kenn-spencerswifey @guacam011y @illisea @il0vebeingdelulu @hiireadstuff @avada-kedavra-bitch-187

[johnnycakesswitch]

Some of y’all are so mean about Steve and Two-Bit omg 😭😭😭 some people act like their only personalities are Two-Bit being an alcoholic and Steve being mean to Pony and liking chocolate cake like let’s be fr. Let’s clear the air w some canon details about the two most forgotten greasers bc they deserve better and some of y’all pay them absolutely dust as if they’re not important to the story also

Let’s start w pookie Steve

• “Steve Randle was seventeen, tall and lean, with thick greasy hair he kept combed in complicated swirls.” Ok so here’s some physical description, I’ve seen so many people say that Pony only gave Steve one line of description, there’s actually much more in the rest of Steve’s paragraph 😀

• Pony goes on to describe Steve as “tacky, smart, and Soda’s best buddy since grade school.” He also says that Steve can lift a hubcap quicker and quieter than anyone else in the neighborhood and also knows cars inside out and backwards and can drive anything on wheels. Pony takes time to emphasize that Steve is in fact smart (he’s still in school so this is important) and how skilled he is when it comes to cars

• Steve has been arrested before for unspecified reasons

• Pony says that Steve and Soda both have too much energy and feelings, which is why they get into fights and drag races so often

• Steve (and Two-Bit and Soda for that matter) would’ve joined in on Dally’s dirty talking to Cherry

• Steve and Soda will buy Pony bottles of soda and let him help work on the cars when he goes to the DX

• Steve was the one who saw Johnny’s jacket on the ground when he got jumped and picked it up with the plan to bring it back to him and was the one who looked closer and saw the blood on the jacket and the ground. Also- “Steve closed his eyes for a second and muffled a groan as he dropped on his knees beside Soda.” Steve was clearly very distraught to see Johnny in the state he was after being beat up so badly, which mirrors his reaction to when Dally died. Steve feels very deeply and has a hard time hiding it

• Steve threatened Sylvia when she was talking to Johnny and gave Johnny a lecture about girls- big brother energy

• he has a “soft, bitter voice”

• Steve and Two-Bit were the ones who started goofing around the time they went to church and Steve was the one who dropped the hymn book and embarrassed Pony and Johnny 😭

• Soda and Steve never fought

• Steve’s dad kicks him out about once a week which really bothers Steve and is likely a reason for his hatred for his father which Pony mentions earlier on. His dad usually gives him money to make up for it. He often sleeps on the Curtis couch (Pony says it’s “usually” Steve on the couch)

• Two-Bit and Steve were so happy to see Ponyboy after the fire, they immediately started roughhousing and teasing him

• “Don't worry about it," Steve said, cocksure that he and Sodapop could handle anything that came up. "They don't do things like that to heroes.” Steve was quick to reassure Pony that he wouldn’t get taken out of Darry’s custody

• the only time Soda was ever mad at Steve was when he called Darry all brawn no brain

• “Hate to tell you, buddy," Steve said, still flat on the floor, "but you have to wear clothes to work. There's a law or something.” Steve teasing Soda 😭

• Steve was “surprisingly angry” when Pony asked about Sandy, more than likely because he knew how upset Soda was about it

• Soda, Steve, and Pony all put in extra hair grease before the rumble to look cool

• he and Soda were “playing cards and arguing as usual” before the rumble

• Steve fights for hatred

• he had three broken ribs after the rumble. He looked “feverish and bewildered” when Pony came back from the hospital. Despite how hurt he was though, he immediately went running with everyone when Dally was in trouble

• “Steve stumbled forward with a sob, but Soda caught him by the shoulders” again, Steve was so visibly distraught when one of his friends was hurt, even more so now because Dally was dead

• Pony, Two-Bit, and Steve usually leave school together at lunchtime to go to the store

• Steve and Two-Bit were backing Pony when he used the bottle to defend himself from the Socs

• “Is that all that's bothering you, that switchblade?" a red-eyed Steve had snapped at him.” Just more of Steve and his emotions

So even though he is a side character, Steve is so much more developed than we give him credit for. He’s deeply loyal, emotional, has a strained relationship with his father, and would do anything for the people he cares about. Additionally, it’s so important that he’s Soda’s best friend too- who do we think was there for him when Pony ran away and Sandy left him or when Pony and Darry are arguing all the time?

Now for Two-Bit

• he would’ve come to get Pony from the movies in his car if Pony had asked

• Pony says life was one big joke to Two-Bit

• he had a wide grin and “couldn’t stop making funny remarks to save his life”

• famous for shoplifting and always mouthing off to cops

• he likes fights, blondes, and school

• Pony likes him a lot because he kept them all laughing at themselves and other things

• Pony says Two-Bit could put things into words good

• offered everyone cigarettes at the movies and paid for everyone’s drinks and popcorn

• Two-Bit gave Pony a similar lecture on girls to the one Steve gave Johnny

• Two-Bit “gallantly” offered to walk Cherry and Marcia the 20 miles home. He talked them into letting him drive them home which is where they were headed, to get his car, before Bob and Randy showed up

• “Two-Bit said, "Don't get mouthy, Ponyboy” his big brother energy is coming out y’all

• Two-Bit hit Pony hard upside the head when he said what he did about Johnny not being wanted at home

• “Shut up talkin' like that," Two-Bit said fiercely, messing up Johnny's hair. "We couldn't get along without you, so you can just shut up!” I’m crying

• he waved at everyone when they all turned to look at them after they all caused a ruckus in church 😭

• Johnny and Pony get Two-Bit and Darry on their team for football 😌 so we can assume Soda and Steve have Dally

• Two-Bit broke the windows in the school building

• Two-Bit got jumped while Pony and Johnny were gone but it wasn’t too bad because he’s a good fighter

• Dally and some other greasers wanted to jump Cherry when she came to talk to them but Two-Bit stopped them

• he was gonna go to Texas to look for Pony and Johnny 😔

• Pony says people like Two-Bit, Dally, and Tim Shepard forgot how to cry at a young age

• again, so excited when Pony got home. Picked him up and swung him around and immediately started making fun of his hair

• “What I like is the 'turn' bit," Two-Bit said, cleaning the egg up off the floor. "Y'all were heroes from the beginning. You just didn't 'turn' all of a sudden.” This quote is SO important. No, they didn’t just turn heroes. Two-Bit recognizes that Johnny and Pony had always been special even if others didn’t see it

• Two-Bit knew all about Pony’s nightmares and was interested in hearing about them when Pony told Darry about his dream

• immediately offers to babysit Pony when Darry is hesitant to leave him home alone

• Pony says it’s just about impossible to get mad at him

• Two-Bit wouldn’t take no for an answer when the nurse told them they couldn’t see Johnny

• he was closer to tears than Pony had ever seen him after snapping at Johnny’s mother

• gave Dally his switchblade, his prized possession, with zero hesitation when Dally asked

• could tell something was up with Pony and felt his head for a fever, really wanted to tell Darry but Pony said no

• Two-Bit fights for conformity

• he had four stitches in his cheek and seven in his hand after the rumble

• “Two-Bit came blubberin' over here with some tale about how you were running a fever before the rumble and how it was all his fault you were sick. He was pretty torn up that night.” He feels so guilty about Pony being sick :(

• was worried when he thought Pony was getting tough and relieved when he realized Pony was still his soft, sensitive self after picking up the broken glass

So we see that Two-Bit is definitely more developed than Steve and he is a super important character. He’s silly and goofy which is what they need sometimes in their hard lives, he’s got such a nurturing personality, he’s a gentleman at heart, and is so quick to praise/defend any of his friends, even against themselves like when Johnny talks bad about himself. Overall, he and Steve are both very much important to the story. Treat them better. The end.

[emasstars]

pet names

stupid pet names they’d call you | fluff/crack

a/n: i felt bad for barely posting the past few days. i’ve been working on something, i’ve just been lacking motivation to continue it. so, here’s this to pass time!

ponyboy would call you his muse, the corny-ass boy he is. the amount of poems he’d write while thinking about you is embarrassing, and it’s more embarrassing that he’s ashamed to show them to you.

johnny would call you cupcake. he panicked one day, and it slipped out, and even though you started laughing at him, he kept calling you it. at least he always thinks of you whenever he passes a bakery!

dally would call you babes. it’s so stupid, and it only works because of his new york accent. otherwise, he’d sound like the asshole he is. he says it so much, too. it’s like he calls you it just to annoy you. spoiler alert: he does. bastard.

sodapop would call you the cringiest things ever. honey buns, sweetie pie, snookums, etc. you name it, he would call you it. and, if you’ve been in a relationship for a while, he will start saying you’re his wife/husband to waiters and stuff.

darry would call you sweetie or sweetheart. it depends on his mood. sometimes, he’ll call you the light of his life. he only calls you the light of his life after long days, and in his bed with a dim light setting a low glow in the room.

two-bit would call you the stupidest things ever. pookie-poo, kitten whiskers, babypie, etc. if you’re in a particularly professional setting, he will call you snuggluffagus. no one can stop him, and if you ask him to call you something normal, he cannot. he is physically unable to.

steve would only call you pet names in private. in public, he’ll just call you by your name. in private, though, when the day’s just ended, he’ll practically worship you, calling you his angel, his queen/king, a god(dess), etc.

[brokenlovesong]

THE DAN SODAPOP ANALYSIS I MENTIONED AND FINALLY GOT TO:

So as I have not shut up about, I saw Dan as sodapop on Thursday and I HAVE THOUGHTS.

First off, his soda feels the least easy going if that makes sense. Like every smile is a front. Yes he has fun with the greasers and during ggah he seems like every other easy going soda (side note the way he looked at two-bit during his verse???? He WANTED two-bit). But you see how hard he works to keep up those walls during the scene right before great expectations.

That scene for me was the first one that really separated Dan soda from the others. He seemed actually tired and you can see how hard he’s trying not to crack when pony asks him about Sandy. There’s a pause before he says “I do?” Like he’s shocked. Because he’s worked so hard to seem fine, to pretend she doesn’t exist.

His energy shifts after Sandy is brought up. He’s suddenly more aware of the cracks in his facade and he’s gotta work extra hard to make sure pony doesn’t notice anymore.

Moving on to runs in the family reprise. He is the most confrontational and active Sodapop in this scene in my opinion. When they first start going at each other, you see him frustrated and something I love is how he kept looking back at Johnny almost as if being like “you guys are fighting in front of him and you know how inappropriate and insensitive that is.” Im pretty sure he even apologized to Johnny at one point.

But when he inserts himself between pony and darry at the table, it feels very intentional. Because he doesn’t just sit. He is actively trying to keep pony calm and reassure him that darry doesn’t mean what he’s saying. And bro when he jumps up to block darry, hes not just putting himself between the two. He was actively holding darry back and even when they weren’t physically fighting, he was like squaring up with darry, daring him to try some shit. And he was ANGRY about the fighting. His face was so intense. Way more so than any other soda.

Not only that, he was yelling at pony too once pony stood up. He kept pointing at the chair and like demanding pony sit, getting very obviously frustrated when pony wouldn’t. I LOVE this detail because it shows how soda doesn’t just see the fighting as one sided. He’s not just trying to get darry to stop fighting, he’s going at both sides trying to get them to calm down.

During run run brother, that anger he had is THERE man. Specifically on the line “sooner or later you’ll learn” he’s right up in darry’s face yelling at him, angerly pointing at the ground.

Changing the topic a bit I talked a lot about how intense his soda is and how hard he works to try and stop the fighting. But it’s because he really loves both his brothers and man you see that so much during throwing in the towel. The song is easily one of my favorites and dude the way he sang. He did SOOO many opt ups which really made the song seem so hopeful because at the end of the day that is who soda is. He works hard to stop his brothers from fighting because he knows they love each other and can be a family again. Also he fully on bear hugs darry at the end. Like drops to his knees and buried his face in Darry’s chest🥺

God during Johnny’s death, he had me BROKEN. (Yeah as you can see I spent half the show watching him and I have NO regrets because that man is so in the scene whether he has lines or not) He was so fucking broken, it was devastating. When he went to pony, you could see him begging pony to say something or do anything and then he pulled pony to his chest and was rocking back and forth sobbing it was so heartbreaking.

Also side note but I wanted to mention how he’s the only soda who really plays up the injuries from the rumble. Like after Johnny dies and dally pushes him away (which he fell to the floor for) he like limps over to pony and held his side while walking. Just something I found interesting.

The last thing I’m gonna mention in this very long ramble is the way he reacts to the end bit where darry is telling pony he has to go to school. When darry is on the floor and pony is yelling at him to shut up, soda starts trying to interrupt them even before he jumps down to break up the fight. He starts shouting “hey hey hey” and then repeats please multiple times before begging them to stop fighting. And god it’s devastating. Because he has no anger left. He’s just hysterical sobbing. Specifically the line “and that’s worse than being dead” is often an angry one for soda. But because dan soda shows his anger instead of trying to keep it at bay during other scenes, he is more just broken in this one. He’s yelling and crying and it’s so sad.

It’s such a good reminder that soda lost two of his friends, too. Something interesting in the book is that pony at first doesn’t even like dally. Dally is Johnny’s friend. Soda is the first one to have a conversation with him in both the book and movie because while we don’t see much of it, I do think soda really cared about both of them. You see that so much through Dan’s acting choices in the ritf reprise scene where he’s constantly interacting with Johnny and right after Johnny’s death when he’s the first one to try and comfort dally, even though dally won’t let him.

Soda is someone who loves so intensely and cares deeply about the people in his life.

Dan Berry is such an incredible actor and I need to give him his flowers because I’ve seen him in every role he covers now and while is Darry is my favorite, his sodapop is really where I got to see how good of an actor he really is. He’s such an active member in every scene he’s in because while soda may not have many lines in a lot of scenes, he’s always in the scene if that makes sense. He’s constantly reacting and making choices that fit his character so well. He really brought sodapop to life for me.

[littlestarbigsky]

i just did gingerbread houses with my family and i present to you: how the curtis gang does making gingerbread houses (a little modern ig bc im thinking about the gingerbread kits that target makes)

darry - follows the instructions and makes himself a quaint little cottage, bro roofs houses, he KNOWS what he’s doing :)

soda - he always gets the most obscure kit (barn, train, mansion, he physically can not JUST build a house), tag teams with steve, does NOT follow the instructions at all but somehow it stays upright

ponyboy - follows all the instructions to perfection but there’s tHIS ONE WALL THAT WONT STAY UP (he just didn’t wait long enough for the frosting to harden)

johnny - he likes the kits that come with a few small houses bc he thinks they’re cute (don’t tell anyone tho), he REALLY likes the gross candy decorations

dally - doesn’t do one but he does steal a bag of darry’s candy decorations and throws it at people’s houses to see what sticks (pony’s walls keep falling, he is NOT happy)

two-bit - uses as little frosting as possible while constructing his house and then eats it straight from the piping bag while everyone else decorates (he thinks it’s delicious and will die on this hill)

steve - works on a kit with soda, but he’s pretty much only there to snackc there may be a bite or two out of their chimney piece bc of him but that’s not the point, he came for the snacks, not to actually build something

[only-lonely-star]

Hi! I love your works and was wondering if you could make headcannons with the gang (Separately) with an s/o that likes to be the big spoon? Thanks so much!! <3

⁠♡ Curtis Gang x bigspoon!reader (HCs) ⁠♡

Warnings - None! This is pure fluff 🤗

Author’s Note - Hi, I’m so glad you like my writings!! This was such a sweet idea, thank you so much for requesting it. I kept falling asleep as I wrote these because it’s such a sweet and relaxing thing to imagine right before bed 😭. As always… enjoy, my lovesss! 🧸💤

. • . * ☾ . • . * ☾ . • . * ☾ . • . * ☾ . • .

Ponyboy

Ponyboy doesn’t mind it ALL. This boy is so open to anything with you, including taking on the more ‘submissive role’.

He’s probably used to it since Soda tends to be the bigger spoon in bed.

I’d imagine him having a little ‘oh shit’ moment the first time you initiated it. He’s new to physical touch in a romantic way since he’s only fourteen.

As time went on and you made it clear you preferred to be the big spoon he just went with it.

Little naps with him are so comforting and just easy to do. He’ll just hop in bed and wait for you behind him.

Pony loves the feeling of being secure in someone’s arms (much like hugging) because it brings him a sense of comfort. He’d rather receive it than give it.

Johnny

He loves being the little spoon without you even telling him you’d like to try being the bigger spoon.

Similar to Ponyboy, he likes to feel comforted and wanted by his loved ones. Having your arms dangle around him is literally the best way to show it without overwhelming him with an entire ramble on how you love him.

He can physically feel his heart melt when your head is resting like RIGHT in the crook of his neck. That’s hands down his favorite part of being the little spoon.

Since he’s the one being embraced, it’s one of the few times he doesn’t have to bury himself in his denim jacket and curl up into a ball for warmth. He can just depend on you for that.

He’ll fall asleep instantly. The fact that you’re offering your vulnerability to be with him is enough to get him straight to sleep.

Dallas

He’d try to fight it as best as he could. I couldn’t see him wanting to be the little spoon, but for your sake he’d give it a shot.

We all know Dally loves it deep down. Affection is affection. All that matters is that it’s from you.

He doesn’t let you have the big spoon EVERY TIME, but every now and then he’ll be too tired to argue over it, or feel that he needs a bit of love too. “You know what, just go for it.”

Dallas would always pat the side of his thigh and wait for your leg to drape over his. He’d hold onto your leg sort of like in a position for a piggy back ride (I really hope that makes sense 😭).

He’s a little iffy about it because then he can’t kiss you anywhere near the crook of your neck, shoulders, or lull himself to sleep with the scent of your hair.

You just know the switch is necessary. You have to be the big spoon to be able to pamper him every once in a while.

He would sort of lay there on his side and then shift around in his sleep to lay on his chest. You’re just kinda forced to hold onto his side from then on out.

Sodapop

HE LOVES IT. HE LOVES BEING THE LITTLE SPOON.

Soda truly doesn’t mind being the big spoon or little spoon. Either way is fine. As long as he can have your body against his, that’s all that matters.

He takes your relaxation cuddles/naps very seriously. Very. Seriously. He’d squish your pillows and beat them until they’re fluffed up nice and perfect for you. He’ll find some blanket and toss it over your bodies as he waits for you to snuggle in behind him.

He can’t stop turning his head around because all he wants to do is look you in the eye and talk until he falls asleep. “Soda, you have to put your head down. You can’t fall asleep with it tilted allll the way back here.” while you gently shove it back down.

He feels babied (in the best way possible) when he’s the little spoon. He feels like a kid again being snuggled close to by his mother which brings back a warm feeling that’s so hard to capture.

Steve

He’ll tell everyone he’s the big spoon because he likes to feel dominant and in charge. He secretly doesn’t even mind being the little spoon, but nobody will ever know that unless you tell them.

(Similar to what I said for Dally) He would so wait for you to drape your arm over him so that he could hold your hand. He’d place his entire forearm on yours and give it a small squeeze once he found that sweet spot and got comfortable.

He lives for those small kisses on his shoulders. It’s such a small detail but it definitely doesn’t go unnoticed. Best believe he’s GRINNING into that pillow.

HELP 😭 I feel like he would be one of those people who squirm when people breathe down his neck.

This is one of the few times he can just fully let himself relax. He doesn’t have to do the embracing, he just lays there and allows you to give him the attention and love he’s been craving.

He’s so touch deprived that he brings himself to enjoy being the little spoon even though he’d much rather be sprawled out on top of you.

Darrel

Like younger brother, like older brother. If Ponyboy had an ‘oh shit’ moment, Darry definitely did too. His wasn’t from inexperience, it was from uncertainty.

I feel like since he’s just so big, tall, and muscular, he doesn’t want to be the little spoon like EVER. He wouldn’t try to fight it like Dallas, but he’d be hesitant for sure. “I feel like I should be holding on to you…” *big sheepish grin*.

First time he would definitely feel panicked, but I can see him easing into it.

I feel like he’s so fun to spoon from behind because he’s just so big. It’s like he’s one of those 6 foot teddy bears you can get at Walmart and snuggle into 😭

He finds it sweet how you genuinely enjoy clinging onto him, and how you don’t think he’s like “too big” or “masculine” to take on the little spoon role.

Two-Bit

Being the little spoon brings him way back to his childhood. The warm feeling of your body against his is almost nostalgic to him because wayyyy back when he was maybe 4 or 5 his mom would hold him like this.

This is honestly one of the few ways to get him to shut up. You just hold him from behind and nuzzle your head against his back and he’s knocked out cold.

His favorite spot is right in between his shoulder blades. That little spot between his muscles is always so tense. A little kiss there and boom - he’s relaxed.

Honestly, he seems like the type of guy to love physical affection from his partner (in private settings), so I imagine him getting all excited when he feels your arms snake around him. It’s especially nice after a hard day where he’s just so stressed and needs your comfort.

He definitely likes being the little spoon, although obviously wouldn’t mind being the big spoon. He probably likes switching from time to time since being the big spoon is seen as being masculine and dominant. (Let’s be honest, what teenage greaser wouldn’t want to feel dominant and masculine? 😭)

THANK YOU SO SO MUCH FOR READING :)

- Sophia 🫶🏼

[your-unfriendlyghost]

Thinking about your fic where Dallas is Tex’s older brother, where does mark come into play? Is there an au where they can be happy 😭💔💔

Well truthfully, in that fic, I think Mark’s in prison still, like at the end of That Was Then, This is Now 🥲

BUT let’s make an AU where they’re happy!

(TW- mentions of canon-typical violence/canon-typical darkness)

(Not a fic btw- just a rambly outline/headcanons)

In this AU, obviously Dally and Johnny live. (they still both have near-death experiences, but they survive yk?)

And canonically, Ponyboy and Mark Jennings are friends when they’re about 15-16ish. Now that we’ve made Dally survive, the two just end up meeting through Ponyboy. Now they know of each other, but they don’t know that they’re half-brothers. Dally thinks of Mark as a pesky kid who’s more annoying than Ponyboy but less annoying than Curly Shepard, and Mark thinks of Dally as a tough-hood-turned slightly pathetic guy who “Couldn’t even get the cops to kill him right smh” (crude I know but I genuinely think that’s what Mark would think 😭)

Then I’m gonna have Steve (he’s observant- in the book he was the one who found Johnny’s jacket in the lot, and the one who noticed Dally had taken his ring back from Sylvia) and Johnny (also pretty observant, just in more of a literary analysis way than in a physical way) discuss how similar the two are.

Eventually they mention it to Two-Bit, who’s like “Uh yeah they’re half brothers? Obviously?”

And Steve and Johnny are like “The fuck do you mean Pony’s buddy is Dally’s half brother??”

Two-Bit, who I’m making Mark’s cousin in this ‘cuz Emilio Estevez played both of them, goes “Yeah no- his mom, my aunt, cheated on her husband with Dally’s dad when I was like…four or five…which was how she got knocked up with Mark…y’all didn’t know that??”

Anyhow all three go tell Dally, who doesn’t initially care all that much. Mark’s got a stable life, and Dally doesn’t particularly feel the need to be part of it, although he does maybe start inviting the kid along to the drive in with him, Pony, and Johnny just a little more often

Mark is similarly indifferent when Pony tells him, just sorta says “Aw man, why’s Shepard get to have the cooler hood for an older brother??”

But that all comes crashing down when the events of TWTTIN come to pass. Now, instead of getting arrested when Bryon calls the cops on him, Mark remembers Dally. So he runs from the cops and shows up on Buck Merril’s doorstep just like Pony and Johnny did two years prior.

Dally’s initially mad about it- it’s one thing helping Johnny and Pony, and a whole other thing helping this annoying kid who got himself into this mess. But…he can also see himself in Mark, because the kid’s scared and helpless and alone, and is covering it with anger just like Dally always did.

So Dally lets Mark in. Angrily, and with a ton of complaints, but he lets him in all the same.

When the cops come around, looking for the runaway dealer Mark Jennings, Dally denies knowing anything, and the cops lose Mark’s trail and just kinda give up.

Then Dally forces Mark to dye his blonde hair brown (in a reverse-Ponyboy move lol), and bullies Buck Merril into giving the kid a job even with his record. (According to Mark on pg 147 of the book, he only started dealing to begin with because no jobs would take him with his police record) I’m pretty sure that Tulsa is actually big enough that no one recognizes him, especially with the dye job. I mean the town I’m from is a quarter of Tulsa’s size, and I still barely ever run into folks I know without planning it. And I get out a lot. So like if Mark’s at Buck’s place, I don’t think a lotta people will know of him- he’s sixteen, no one who goes there will know him. (And if they do, well, it’s Buck Merril’s place, nobody would dare to call the cops there anyhow.)

So Mark carries on like that, living low…ish…I mean c’mon he’s still Mark Jennings he still causes trouble. Just not so much trouble that Dally can’t keep him in check. He probably does still hate Bryon- just not enough to wanna kill him?? (Although again idk he’s still Mark maybe he wants revenge anyhow…he won’t get revenge tho ‘cuz I have other plot priorities and anyhow I think Bryon’s suffered enough)

Dally and Mark evolve to be kind of like fanon Tim and Curly- not particularly affectionate, but they care for each other. Mark shows it by helping Dally with chores occasionally, and sometimes stealing him stuff like rings and cigarettes. Dally shows it by letting Mark tease him, and by taking Mark places and spending time with him. And letting Mark call himself “Mark Winston”. (Again, Dallas acts like he doesn’t want to- hell, he probably believes he doesn’t want to, he’s pretty good at lying to himself- but he clearly does) (Tim, Johnny, Two-Bit, and Steve bully him mercilessly for this) (Sodapop doesn't ‘cuz he thinks it’s sweet and doesn’t wanna discourage it lol)

Then, about two years later, we’re at the start of my Tex fic, Hail Mary. That plays out about the same, except both Mark and Johnny convince him to help out with custody of a ten-year-old Tex.

Dally is annoyed still, but has begrudgingly grown to like these stupid kids- including Mason, who isn’t technically related to anyone but Tex, but hey he had a shitty cowboy dad too so he gets to be in the “shitty cowboy dad club” lol

I figure Dally stays in Garyville with Mason and Tex during the weekdays, and takes them to Buck’s on weekends ‘cause he does still have most of his life in Tulsa. Sometimes Johnny stays with them in Garyville too, ‘cuz yk, Johnny’s Dally’s best friend lol, and besides he’s not only an adult now too but is also an adult who is much more patient and easy to get along with than Dally.

Mark and Tex are a horrible combination to be around, even though Mark is eighteen now and really should be more mature than a ten year old. Dally has his mischievousness, sure, but neither Mark nor Tex were born with the little voice in their heads that says things like “arson is bad” and “actions have consequences”. Like Dally likes breaking laws- Mark and Tex don’t even consider laws. It’s bad. Dally and Mason leave them alone to go grocery shopping once and come back to see Mark has let the horses into the house, all because Tex triple-dog-dared him to. Another time, after Cole Collins tells Mason not to hang out with his kids anymore, Mark uses Cole’s car to teach Tex how to hot-wire things. Dally nearly murders him. So does Mason. It’s a problem…

Anyhow, those are my thoughts for now, lemme know yours!

[steifel]

Since im sick i thought i would grace you with some outsiders when they're sick head canons

This includes Soda,Pony,Darry,Johnny,and Dally im sorry about TwoBit and Steve but i don't have any ideas and i don't feel like thinking too hard also sorry its so short

Sodapop

-soda gets really winny about EVERYTHING when he's sick

-he'll be almost crying like "but i wanted the chicken noodle soup with the race car noodles not the star noodles"

-was the type of kid to feel 1% better and start running around tell he felt like shit again

-he also gets very cuddly when he's sick he does not care if you have to get up to go to work or school you are going to lay there and give him cuddles all day

-he is one of those people who gets super high fevers for no reason

-Darry will take his temperature and its 104°

-looses his appetite when sick he will only eat a specific type of canned soup and Darrys homemade Chilli

-absolutely no warning when he's about to throw up he just pukes wherever he is

Ponyboy

-i think being winny when sick kind of runs in the family because pony has it too

-he needs a specific blanket so he can curl up on the couch and rest

-will refuse to stay home from school and rest when he knows he has a track meet

-Darry has to physically take his books away to make him nap

-Ponyboy strikes me as the type of person who takes long baths when sick (me too Pony)

-if his tummy is upset you better bet he demands tummy rubs from Soda

-is the type of person to eat a ton of food when sick and then immediately puke it all back up

-gets delirious and will tell everyone how much he loves Johnny

Darry

-actually refuses to be sick

-will push through anything

-when he was a kid his parents used to always pick him up from school when he was sick because he wouldn't admit something was wrong until he ether threw up in class or was about to pass out

-Pony and Soda have to make him take a break to actually heal

-once he actually admits defeat and lays down he actually enjoys being taken care of a little bit (he would never admit this though)

-he mostly just spends his time when he's sick to catch up on the sleep he's missed for the past who knows how long

Johnny

-he always feels bad when he gets sick because he feels like an inconvenience

-he loves being taken care of though (probably something to do with the psychology of never being taken care of as a child but we're not gonna go into that here)

-always finds his way to the Curtis house

-the brothers will come home from work/school and find a sniffley Johnny laying on the couch

-is always cold no matter how hot the room he's in is

-i feel like Johnny was a pukey kid

-he spent a lot of time in the nurses office as a kid because his parents would never pick him up from school or let him stay home

Dally

-gets man colds

-"Darry i think im dying" "your not dying Dally you have a cold"

-like Pony he needs his special blanky

-you bet your ass that the second he's better if anyone mentions how he acted when sick he is going to beat there ass

-his favourite sick food is beef stew

-he also secretly lovs soda cuddles and tummy rubs when he's sick (he will complain the whole time though)

-he is a man of extremes he ether feels 100% well or like he is on deaths door but no in between

-will not spend any time around Johnny because hes afraid hes gonna get him sick

[sparklingcid3r]

wut did the convo between darry and child services go like? obvi was complicated but like genuinely how did he convince them he could b the guardian of 2 teenage boys? he genuinely must have nerves of steel.

also like must have been the worse adjustment if he always confided in paul or his dad when stressed, but now has no one. like his just isolation from any close relationship is soooo noticeable, esp compared to his brothers who actively lean on their best friends

just ignore that this might end up horribly inaccurate🙏 i’m here for a good time alr leave me alone😭 but fr darry was going through the traumas of odysseus on his voyage back to ithaca when he should have been getting lit at the club😔

Darry’s shell shock looks a whole lot like numbness. That’s how he feels, too, so when the same officers who just told him they’re very sorry, but his parents have been killed in an accident, he just stares and hears them iterate for him what exactly he needs to get done immediately. He forces himself to actually listen, because this isn’t about him, it’s about Pony and Soda and keeping a roof above their heads.

He needs to locate his ma and dad’s birth certificates and legal documents to have their wills probated and assets distributed, schedule an appointment with the funeral director, schedule a date for the funeral itself, meet with the court to be appointed Pony and Soda’s legal guardian, but that’s only after they deem him fit to be the sole caretaker of two teenagers. They’ll assign them a case manager. They’ll ask him what his salary is, they’ll call his old coaches to ask about his time management and self-discipline—what if he comes up short in some way? What if he makes a mistake and gets his brothers thrown in a home?

Fuck, then there’s the personal arrangements. He needs to call the college dean and tell him extraordinary circumstances have forced him to drop out, probably he’ll still have to pay for the rest of the semester he didn’t get to finish. When the case manager comes over for their meeting—the house is a mess from Darry’s birthday party, they’ll think Darry is okay with raising his brothers in filth. Something about bank statements too, he’s sure he’ll have to go over it, see what his parents have been paying for, what he’ll need to pay for and what he has to cut now that money’s about to be tighter. Bills, taxes, he needs to draw up a system to distribute those payments overdue or not. Groceries, do they need to go shopping soon? With what money? With Darry’s money, he needs to get a job now.

Darry gets to work.

Identifying the bodies is the first thing he does. He lets Steve and Johnny stay over to keep Pony and Soda company. Two-Bit offers to come with Darry to the hospital, but he refuses. When he gets to the hospital, he sees Dally standing at the entrance, cross-armed and stone-faced. He doesn’t even look at Darry when he arrives. Just pushes himself off the pillar and shrugs. “Your call.”

Darry says nothing, so Dally follows him in. The police lead him to the morgue. The sheets are carefully folded back to reveal their faces, and Darry’s stomach heaves and his eyes blur. His parents are shredded. They’re just bodies, sliced, crushed bodies. He doesn’t even realize he stumbling until a steeled hand grabs him and keeps him upright, and Dally’s saying “Easy, easy, man. Breathe, Darrel. That them?”

Darry nods. All he’s think is that it’s going to be a closed casket funeral.

The wills are the next thing he deals with. Once those are probated and the surrogate has deemed them official, Darry is free to pay the fees and obtain his inheritance, as well as transfer his parents’ money to his name in the bank.

Next, Darry searches for a job. Something physical, or something to do with numbers. He was going to be an accountant after all, might as well make some use of the few months he spent studying. After busting his ass hunting and applying, he lands a job at Fitzmorris Roofing and starts as soon as he can. The pay is decent, but not enough, so he keeps looking. Eventually he finds out about a firm at the edge of town looking for a bookkeeper, so Darry goes in for an interview and walks out with his second job.

Then are the bank statements. Darry gets issued a copy of his parents’ bank statements from the previous month and spends entire nights going through them. After crunching the numbers twice, he finds out that in two months from now, they’ll have to go without paying the electricity bill for a few weeks while Darry’s paychecks catch up with expenses. Better than going hungry. They’ll just have to deal with the dark.

So far, they’ve been feeding off the numerous donations from families around town. Lasagnas and casseroles and meatloafs, that’s what they’ve been pushing around their plates for the past two weeks. Darry surmises they have about one more week to make those last, then he’ll need to crack open a cookbook or two.

He meets with the funeral director. He advises Darry on what graveyard to pick, what kinds of caskets to hold the bodies in, how much of the burial will be covered by insurance. All Darry understands is that this is money he’ll need to cut from their budget. It eats at him.

Darry blinks and a week has gone by.

He doesn’t really remembering seeing Pony and Soda during it. Everything’s a blur. But he looks at a calendar and realizes with a seize of his heart that their case manager is supposed to meet them for the first time in—an hour and a half.

Shit, he hasn’t even gotten to cleaning the house yet. There’s laundry on the fucking couch, for Christ’s sake. Darry snatches it up and bangs down Soda and Pony’s door, dumping it on the bed. He sees a lump under the blanket and a jolt rocks him—that’s your brother, that’s Ponyboy, he’s grieving, he’s in pain, he needs help—but all he can do is kick the mattress and tell him, “On your feet, Ponyboy, Mrs. Mulligan’ll be here for dinner.” Pony doesn’t move, but there’s nothing else Darry can do, so he rips the blanket off Pony and leaves, slamming the door behind him because his own strength has become unfamiliar to him.

Soda’s in the backyard doing whatever the hell Soda’s been doing while Darry was out, and he’s called in but he comes trailing in like a wet dog. Darry doesn’t know what he’ll do if this meeting doesn’t go well, if Mulligan says Darry is not suited to provide for his brothers, how he’ll possible be able to live by himself knowing his brothers have been separated, so he snaps for Soda to stand up straight and fix his hair. Soda looks at him blankly, and again there’s a voice in Darry’s head—Sodapop’s not alright, he’s not talking, he’s not smiling, he’s not laughing, you have to fix this—but all he can say is “Now, dammit” and hits the countertop, spooking Soda enough to get him to flee, and Darry’s alone again, cleaning the table of the bills and documents, pushing them on top of the icebox and out of sight.

Darry’s prepped one of their last donated meals, macaroni salad, and set the table as nice as he can.

Fifteen minutes before Mrs. Mulligan arrives, he checks in on Pony and Soda. He stands outside their door, hand raised to knock, but he can hear them talking.

Talking about him.

“He’s gone crazy, Soda, I swear. When’s the last time you saw him stand still for two seconds? If you’ve seen him at all.”

“Dunno, Ponykid.”

“I miss Ma. I miss her and Dad. It’s like Darry hasn’t even noticed they’re gone.”

“Naw, baby, don’t say that. He’s trying, I think. He’s trying awful hard. We just don’t see it.”

“You don’t even know that. What if he’s making plans to shove us in a boys’ home?”

Darry can’t take it. His breath is lodged in his throat, but he can’t go falling apart right now, not when he’s come this far and still has a long way to go. He just knocks and calls them out to the living room.

Darry can’t meet their eyes when they sit in the living room. Pony’s lean on Soda’s shoulder but Darry can’t think about that, he’s got to put the macaroni salad in a bowl and clean off the utensils and “Pony, I told you to wash the dishes this morning.” With his back turned to his brothers, Darry winces. Anger never used to seep out this easily. But everything was enough of a threat to push him over the edge. Everything everyone said to him pierced him like a hook, made his tongue feel heavy and his blood feel hot. He needed to put a lid over it tonight.

Mrs. Mulligan’s eyes don’t rise to Darry’s when he opens the door for her. She looks behind him at their living room, at Soda and Pony on the couch, makes a funny noise in the back of her throat, then extends her hand out to Darry. Immediately Darry knows he’s going to be on the defensive the entire night. This woman does not approve of where Soda and Pony are being raised. Whether that means she doesn’t approve of the East side as a location or Darry as a guardian, he isn’t sure.

She drills him, but it’s disguised as gentle. Darry does everything slowly. Serving the food, making small talk, discussing Pony and Soda’s grades. Mulligan switches to speaking directly to the boys, and Darry’s not hungry, but he pretends to enjoy chewing the rubbery macaroni and keeps his head down.

Despite their reservations about life without their parents, Soda and Pony defend Darry to the case manager. It goes smoothly enough that she leaves Darry with a smile and a promise to stay in touch.

When the door clicks shut, Pony is gone in the blink of an eye back to his room. Soda just stalks into the kitchen and starts wrapping up leftovers, cleaning off the dishes. Darry tries to get Soda to sleep, but Soda turns to him.

“I’ll do the dishes, Darry. Just don’t get mad at Pony.”

“No, Soda, I’ll do it—“

“You’re tired, Darry. Let me be useful?”

Soda always knew how to spin the conversation in his favor. He was right. Darry was tired. He was just… tired.

But there’s a reason Darry hasn’t given himself a restful night yet. He doesn’t trust himself yet.

“Give me the sponge, Sodapop. Pony needs you.”

Darry’s had sixteen years to learn how to outmaneuver his kid brother. He’s not in the mood to fight fair.

Soda concedes and draws away from the sink, but he lingers in the doorway. “We need you, too, Darry.”

“I know. I’ll be here in the morning.”

He wouldn’t be. He’d be gone by the time they woke up, on top of a roof with bundles of roofing slung over his shoulder, but it wasn’t his physical presence that mattered. He was going to keep their heads above water, no matter what it took.

“When’s the funeral?” asks Soda.

“Friday.”

Two days. Two days until it was official and their parents were covered in dirt. Darry just needed to keep it together until then.

“G’night, Darry.”

“G’night.”

When the funeral comes, Darry’s quiet. Pony and Soda are weeping, unashamed by it, so Darry’s the one people feel comfortable giving their condolences to. He shakes a lot of hands, feels disgusted by it, like he’s collecting germs and other people’s bad luck. The gang is there, even Dally, but they hang in the back of the crowd, discounting Two-Bit, who’s up front with his ma and sister.

After Darry gives the eulogy he doesn’t remember writing, he watches twin caskets get sunk into the ground, dirt spilling on top of them, and Darry is officially alone. He leaves the ceremony, goes and sits down on a bench outside the fencing.

Not yet. Don’t break yet.

A shadow falls across his own. Dally’s taking drags from a cigarette at his side. He’s just as quiet as Darry, but offers the cancer stick. Darry accepts it, taking a few puffs. He’s out of practice and coughs the first time. Dally just pats his back and waits for him to try again. It feels good, but not the kind of good Darry knows he can depend on. He’s still got to stay healthy if he’s going to be trudging around in the sun for half his day and sitting around doing math for the other half.

“Do what you gotta do, as long as it’s nothing permanent,” Dally says.

“Couldn’t if I wanted to,” Darry replies, handing back the cigarette. His eyes sting.

It’s like the world’s stopped rotating after his parents are put to rest. Not when Darry actually expected it to. He closes the door to his parents’ bedroom, the room he’s been sleeping in for the past… however long it’s been.

He doesn’t even make it to the bed. The moment the door’s locked behind him, Darry’s loosening his dad’s tie from his neck, yanking at his dad’s collar to untighten his airways, but it doesn’t work. He slumps against the door and slides down, messing up his hair and crying into his arms, only as hard as his silence will allow. Pony and Soda are in the next room over, still teary, consoling each other. Darry won’t steal their reprieve.

He falls apart alone, wondering how he’s meant to wake up tomorrow in a world he doesn’t want to live in. And when he picks himself up and puts himself back together, he’ll do that alone too. He doesn’t have a choice.

istg sometimes yall just gotta LET ME COOK 👩‍🍳 can u tell i got super into it the longer i went on for lmao

oh btw this doesn’t scratch the surface of everything darry prob needed to do. he would have had to choose what his parents wore in their caskets, dealt with the scrapping of the car, assumed responsibility of the real estate deed (the house), communicated with pony and soda’s high school, communicated with his parents’ former employers, etc etc. the break was uncatchable i fear

[winstonsns]

hi! i was wondering if you could do hcs of the gang (separately) finding out that reader is a lesbian on accident. ty! <3

the gang finding out reader is a lesbian (request)

authors note: this is my first request so i hope it’s good! in this preference the gang and reader have a platonic relationship :) sorry i took a while to respond!

includes: ponyboy, johnny, darry, soda, dally, two-bit and steve

word count: 2.3k

warnings: cussing, suspected cheating, homophobia, physical fights, threats

PONYBOY CURTIS

you and pony were walking to school when you see some classmates on the other side of the street, whispering and looking at you

pony whispers to you “the fuck are they looking at us for?” and you truthfully say you don’t know why

when you get to school, the bell rings and you have to go to separate classes

when he gets into class, people are still talking about you and he still doesn’t know why

he asks one of his classmates why everyone is mentioning your name, and he answers “apparently y/n gave a girl flowers for valentines and asked her if she could be her date. she ended up saying no, and she told the whole school what y/n did. between us though, i don’t really see why people are talking shit about y/n now, i mean being gay isn’t bad right?”

pony was shocked that people made a huge deal out of it, he didn’t even know you were a lesbian, nor did he care, but he couldn’t believe how stupid people could be

he never understood why people cared about sexual orientation, and was confused when people said it was a problem you were a lesbian

he ended up sticking up for you when people would talk shit, which ended up with a large cut stretching from his knuckles to his wrist

when the bell rang after first period, he automatically ran to the class you were in to tell you what he had heard

he waited outside the classroom, and when you came out, you had tears streaming down your face

you begged him to still be your friend and you didn’t understand why people didn’t like you

he walked you to your next class, which the two of you had, and reassured you that there was nothing wrong with you and you’re still the same person

JOHNNY CADE

he was just walking around the block when he saw you in the lot

you were getting beat up by a few socs, and he could hear the word “freak” coming out of their mouths, that you’ll never fit in since you’re gay and not even a girl can love you

he started speed walking towards you, he watched you pull out a switchblade to one of the socs throats, and told him to shut up before you slice his throat

all the socs backed off and convinced you not to kill one of them

they all had cuts and bruises on their bodies, you did too

“we’ll come back for your punk-ass girlfriend later” one of the socs said, which caused you to punch him hard in the face

blood started dripping down his face, he touches his nose and says “bitch, you just broke my fucking nose! i’ll kill you!”

surprisingly enough, the other socs hold him back and tell him it’s not worth it, so they run off and get into their mustang

you don’t even realize johnnys next to you after they leave, you only focus on the fact your life might be ruined since people know you’re a lesbian

you turn around to see johnny, looking at you with a worried look

“are you okay? looks like they got you pretty good…” he asks, you ignore his question and ask him, “you didn’t hear any of that right..”

he tells you he heard but he doesn’t mind you being a lesbian, he still cares for you and you mean a lot to him

you really appreciate this and go back to your house so you could get cleaned up

he stays over at your house and the two of you talk about your past relationships

DARRY CURTIS

you drove to darry’s house so you could help out around the house, he was stressing and having a hard time

you brought groceries and some of his favorite pastries from a new bakery nearby

when you walk into the house, darry greets you and thanks you for the items

suddenly he gets a phone call

“just a second” he mumbles to you

he walks over to the phone and sits down on the recliner, picks up the phone and waits for the other line to talk

“is this darry curtis?” he wonders who it is since it’s a female voice, one he’s never heard before

he answers with a “yes, why? do i know you” and the other line asks “why the fuck is my girlfriend at your house and what’s your relation to her.”

he had no idea you had a girlfriend since you didn’t tell or hint at him anything

he responds with “she’s a friend. she just came over to my house to help around and cook food since i have to work later.”

she whispers an “oh… well um thank you… i’ll talk to her later… sorry…” and he says “it’s fine, don’t worry about it” and hangs up

he zones out wondering how he didn’t notice, how you’d always be on the phone calling ‘one of your friends’ but you’d be so giggly and smiley, telling her you love her and would never leave her

he comes back to reality when you walk over to him and ask who called him, then he tells you it was your girlfriend, but didn’t give a name

your face goes white, and you start apologizing for not telling him since you didn’t know if he’d support or not, tears forming in your eyes, making vision blurry

he reassures you and says he doesn’t care that you like girls, and it doesn’t change how he thinks about you

SODAPOP CURTIS

the two of you work at the DX together, so soda was at the cashier, waiting for someone to come in and buy something

a girl walks in and asks “is y/n here?” and soda responds with “no, she just went on her lunch break. do you need her?”

she looks nervous and starts looking around, she says “do you think you could give this to her…?” and it’s diy paper flowers, the paper was pages from your favorite book

the flowers came along with a note, which he saw was covered with a kiss

he looks at the flowers and note for a second and can sense her fidgeting, so he just says “yeah, i’ll leave it in the back for her” she thanks him and leaves the DX

he doesn’t even know her name, and guesses she’s one of your friends

soda can’t help but take a little peek at the letter, since it wasn’t in an envelope, he unfolds the paper and reads the letter

it goes along the lines of “thank you for always being with me” “…you’re so beautiful” “best girlfriend ever” “continue dating” and ends with an “i love you”

sodas jaw is on the FUCKING ground

he never knew you had a girlfriend, and suddenly felt bad for always asking you if you had a boyfriend yet

he folds back the paper to how it originally was, and goes back to the cashier

then he sees you walk back in with dairy queen, since you both wanted good food

you greet him, he greets you back and tells you a girl came by and was looking for you

he described her features and said there’s a note and paper flowers for you in the back, he could see the smile on your face

after letting you read the note, which you were blushing at, he couldn’t help but feel guilty for not telling you he knew you were gay

so he told you he just peeked at the letter and noticed all the lovey-dovey words, he said he has no problem with you being gay and asked if you are, just to check

you said yes, you thought you told him a while back but he doesn’t remember

what he does remember is you saying you had a crush on an actress, then he laughed and thought it was a joke, never thought about it again

DALLAS WINSTON

the two of you were at the bar hanging out and talking

you’re having fun and in deep conversation when suddenly, a girl comes up to you and your face breaks into a smile

dally notices this and says “do you know her..?” and you don’t have time to say anything

the girl who came up to you two yelled, “you’re a fucking bitch y/n! i thought we were gonna last forever but then you cheat on me with a man of all people? you told me you loved me—“

dally was in shock since she was a girl, and he never thought you’d be gay, he didn’t have a problem with it but he just never gave it any thought

you told her dally was just a friend and there’s nothing going on, plus he liked a girl at the moment

“honey, im sorry i’ve been hanging out with him more than you. but you didn’t tell me it bothered you, and communications important!” you told her

“wait you’re gay AND you have a girlfriend!!!? why didn’t you tell me this man im your best friend” dally asked you

your girlfriend told him to shut up, which basically answered his question, but you told him you didn’t tell him you had a girlfriend since not a lot of people are fond of gay people

you and your girlfriend resolved the argument and you’d talk about it later

she walked away, not before giving you a kiss on the cheek, and dally told you he hates her

you ask him why and he says because of the way she talked to you, you ask him if he can give her a second chance and if the two of you are still friends

he asks “why wouldn’t we be?” and is genuinely confused

you say “well… i like girls, aren’t you uncomfortable with that..?” and he responds with “no? i like girls too” LIKE DALLY STOP

he doesn’t care about sexual orientation because it doesn’t make you a bad person

after that incident, it’s like nothings changed, your friendship hasn’t changed and that’s what you and dally are happy about

TWO-BIT MATTHEWS

you two were at the drive in, watching another elvis movie

when the two of you got out of your car, you sat on the hood so you could have a good view

you looked to your right and told two-bit, “hold on, i gotta talk to someone real quick. i’ll be back in a few minutes.”

you walked over to a girl and waved, she was with a group of two guys and two girls who were all dressed nicely, two-bit guessed they were socs

he saw you wrap your arms around one of the girls shoulders and kiss her, when one of the other girls said “the hell are you looking at? you got a problem?” and he saw you talking to her, telling her he’s your friend

you and the girl you had kissed went to the concessions stand for snacks and drinks, leaving her group and two-bit with his own thoughts

he never knew you were gay since you didn’t tell him, but he’d support you no matter what

he heard his name and looked to the right once again, to see you and the girl holding hands

she left to go hang out with her friends and you walked back to two-bit

“sorry i took a while! have i told you about my girlfriend yet?” you said

“nah, you haven’t but it’s fine. you two were like making out though. you seem cute together man!! are you gonna get freaky?”

you told him to shut up and he just laughed it off, he basically forgot all about the conversation and you two continued watching the movie

STEVE RANDLE

you and steve were walking down the street when a blue mustang drove up next to you

you put your hand in your pocket, ready to grab your switchblade and fight the socs

one of the socs, bob, looked at you and said “hey aren’t you that gay greaser girl?” and steve gave you a certain look, he didn’t know what bob was talking about

you glared at bob and said “yeah, i guess so…” just to have him reply “cherrys interested.”

you stopped dead in your tracks and stared at him, told him you already have a girlfriend

bob said he heard rumors going around about you liking cherry, but he never knew you had a girlfriend

steve yelled at bob, telling him to knock it off and stop picking on you

then you had to correct steve, telling him you do like girls, and you do have a girlfriend

he looked at you and asked “really? cool” since he didn’t care much

what he was really thrown off with was the fact that bob was talking to you, considering he was the typical rude soc

you thanked bob for telling you, he and his friends drove off

you continued walking with steve and continued your conversation before bob and the other socs interrupted you two

authors note: sorry if this was offensive! i like girls too, along with guys but please don’t cancel me 🙏 i appreciate every single one of you and thank you for being amazing 💗