#darrel curtis defender

[gre4zerz]

Something that definitely happened:

Little Soda: What is that? *gesturing towards a newly born Ponyboy*

Mrs. Curtis: That's your little brother, dear.

Little Darry: I'm not related to that thing, he looks like a potato. I don't want to be a double older brother, take him back to the store!

[boysborntodie]

Hot fucking take: During the entire Pony and Darry fight, Pony was, at no point whatsoever, wrong.

Ofc I sympathise with Darry. He’s just twenty years old and had to give up everything because he needed to take guardianship of his younger brothers. Without his parents, he feels obligated to be a parental figure to Pony (not to Soda as much since Soda grew up early and found his footing) and struggles because he holds Pony to his own standards and doesn’t understand that Pony’s different. And he was so worried for Pony and cares for him so much even though he struggles to express it.

But in the end, that doesn’t change the fact that Darry does hurt Pony and there really isn’t an excuse for that. Darry’s not an abusive person but people do hurt each other. And, despite this not being his intention, he made Pony feel like Darry didn’t love him which is sad because Darry cares for Pony, of course he does, he’s struggles with expressing his feelings but he often shows it. But also Pony is not wrong for not recognising this and for feeling like he wasn’t loved because Darry was often unhappy with him (there’s many hints of Darry struggling with toxic masculinity, including this one; thinking he needed to be strict with Pony instead of coddling him like Soda does).

The point isn’t to make excuses for Darry (and esp put Pony down, it’s literally so wild to say Pony should’ve been more understanding from the start: he’s fucking 14, not only is he supposed to self-absorbed but he should be. And people who say he shouldn’t have ‘overreacted’ are plain weird); it’s to understand that Darry’s redemption isn’t in his reasons for acting, but in the fact he is genuinely apologetic (which allows Pony to forgive him) and strives to do better after. That he’s a flawed, normal person who is, in the end, determined by his decision to become better.

[the-herdier]

Outsiders Dog AU:

Johnny - Black and white Pit Bull/German Shepherd cross. Generally well-behaved, but comes from an abusive home and has the anxiety that comes with it. A little shy around strangers, but he'll warm up eventually. Not afraid to protect his person. Also, good luck getting him to stop once he's set his mind on something.

Dally - Tan Pit Bull/Chow cross. The snaggle-toothed stray that nobody wanted. Has been returned to the shelter by multiple families due to being "too much dog". Not very friendly, but gets along with Johnny. Clings to his family like Velcro. Oh, and you might want to stay off of his property if he doesn't know you.

Two-Bit - Brown Labrador/Husky cross, with all of the mischief that implies. The bottomless pit that steals anything and everything even remotely edible at parties the second you look away from him. Husky-level stubborn, and his Husky backtalk is a thing to be experienced. Loves to roughhouse. Somehow still manages to wriggle his way into both human and canine hearts.

Steve Randle - Black Labradoodle. Goes to work with his owner at a local car garage, and is probably the main reason half of their customers return.

Darry - Black and white Border Collie. Lives and breathes herding. Competes in sheepdog trials, and when there's no livestock to herd, he herds his brothers Soda and Pony. His Collie stare can move anything.

Sodapop - Red merle and white Border Collie. Didn't turn out as a herding prospect, but his family kept him anyways because he's just that much of a ray of sunshine. Loves everyone, and nearly everyone loves him. Favorite passtime is doing tricks for treats and pets. Seems to have appointed himself as the designated Ponyboy entertainer.

Ponyboy - Also a red merle and white Border Collie. The new puppy on the block. Another herding prospect. Still learning basic commands and how to socialize with other dogs, but already well-liked in the neighborhood. Gives Darry attitude.

[sodapopper]

Friendly reminder that in the book, during the Darrel Curtis Screaming Match of 1967(tm), Soda tries to intervene and Darry tells him to shut up, which makes Ponyboy go FERAL—and this is when Darry hits him.

And sure, it would have escalated to that point regardless of whether Soda was there or not, but all the same: Ponyboy essentially got slapped trying to defend Soda.

[im-normal-about-everything]

Pony would be such a an easy target for socs to jump.

Think about it:

He's a young greaser kid that's smart enough to be put a grade above where he should be, and y'all think that some socs ARENT gonna hate him just for that?

They already hate him cuz he's a greaser, and now he's a smartass too. Especially since some of the socs definitely had to buy their way into graduating/getting into good or advanced classes.

He's also tiny. Like this kid does notttt eat enough and he looks so helpless. He's never laying attention to the world around him and he doesn't look like he can defend himself.

But he most definitely CAN. his older brothers made sure of that.

Darrel Curtis Junior made sure that Pony could fight back. Sodapop Patrick Curtis made sure Pony knew how to patch himself and other up after fights. Dallas Tucker Winston taught him the best places to hit to get certain results. Two-Bit 'Keith' Mathews taught him how to rile people up and how to intimidate people. Johnny Andrew Cade taught him how to be 'invisible', how to slip away in a crowd. And Steve Randle taught him, reluctantly, how to use his scary dog privileges.

So when Pony looks like an easy target, anyone who goes after him has a whole other thing coming.

[darrycurtisismywife]

Little Curtis brothers headcanons

I just made a post about little Darry so know I feel like making a post about headcanons on all the Curtis brothers as kids. I say all but this will mainly be Darry and Sodapop.

Darry used to be really scared of the dark, so he would either have to spend the whole night with the lights on, sleep in the same bed as his parents or his brothers, or his mum or dad would have to stay with him with the lights on until he fell asleep.

Sodapop was scared of the dark for a little bit but not as much and only sometimes, but he quickly grew out of that. The only times he was scared was when he heard Darry crying a lot, because he felt that if his older brother was scared off something, then it was serious, and there really should be a reason to be afraid. Other than that, he actually finds being in the dark calming, and it helps him fall alseep faster.

Ponyboy was also only somtimes scared of the dark, mainly when Soda or Darry was, because by the time Pony was like five, Darry still hadn't fully grown out of it, it was like a phobia. It was a chain reaction of kids being scared that their parents had to put up with, and sometimes they would all just sleep in the lounge together as a little sleepover, or at least the brothers would all sleep in Darry's room together and they would be fine. As Pony grew older, the only time he would be scared was when one of the other gang members, mainly Two-Bit or Dally would tell him a scary story.

When getting told off, Sodapop would almost always start crying immediately, and it would be full on bawling his eyes out. There are many headcanons of Soda being a little crybaby and I one hundred percent agree with that, it is pretty much canon. The telling off would turn into comforting little kid Soda and reasuring him that what he did wasn't that bad, and it was an accident or not his fault.

Darry wouldn't cry that much when getting told off, unless it was very serious when he was younger. He wouldn't really do anything or say anything and people sometimes mistook that as Darry not caring about what was happening. In reality he really did and would feel really guilty. When told by his parents, "We're not mad, we're just dissapointed," that would usually be when he broke down because he hated it since he didn't want his parents to be dissapointed in him.

Ponyboy didn't get told off that often because Darry would usally take the fall for him.

The name Darry came from when Soda was first learning to talk, Dary would sometimes play with him and try to teach him some words, including his name. Baby Soda couldn't say Darrel so he would say Darry instead and Darry loved it since he took it as Soda trying, and eventually everyone started calling him it.

Soda and Darry did the same thing with Ponyboy when he was learning to talk, playing with him and trying to teach him new words. When Ponyboy said Soda for the first time Sodapop was so happy he cried which caused Ponyboy to cry because he thought something was wrong.

When Ponyboy first started school he would be bullied for his name so eventually when he first met people and no one else that knew him was around he would lie and say that his name was Darry because he liked his brothers name a lot better and was sometimes jealous of it. When his family found out about this they had a long talk and Darry and Soda spent ages talking to Pony about how they loved his name, and the next day at school Darry defended Pony to be the kids at school.

Darry got into a fistfight at school once and got suspended for a week but he didn't care because he was protecting his brothers form more bullies

When Mrs Curtis was baking something all three of the brothers would lurk around the kitchen trying to steal some scraps when she wasn't looking. She was always looking and would hit them with a wooden spoon across their hands when they tried to steal some cholocate chips and cookie dough. One time she hit Soda too hard and made him cry so she had to give him some so he would stop, and then had to give some to Pony and Darry so it was fair

When Ponyboy started school he was really shy so Sodapop sat with him at lunch and introduced him to some people. Darry had showed him around the school and told him which people to stay away from because they were idiots

Whenever the family was going on a walk and they passed someone with a dog either Mr or Mrs Curtis would have to ask the owner if they could pet the dog and they would stay there for about five minutes so the kids could pet the dog. Sodapop would always be sulky when they had to move on.

They all love animal and would go insane whenever they see one. Especially Sodapop.

When Mr Curtis was doing some chores outside like mowing the lawn of when he was fixing the car Darry would always be following along and would always ask to try. He was always happy when he mowed the lawn and his dad said he did a good job when he let Darry help with the car

Darry was also always the one to sit in their dads lap and drive the car up the drive way

Darry used to sit in bed with Soda and Pony and read books to them, and a lot of the time at least one, or sometimes all of them, would fall alseep. There's a couple photos of them all sleeping in the bed with the book falling out of Darry's hand and it was taped to the fridge for a long time.

When Pony started learning to read he would try and read to his brothers instead.

Based on something my family used to do: Sometimes they would put music on the radio and all the three brothers woud dance to the music in the lounge and put on little shows for their parents.

Another thing my sister and I used to do: Sodapop and Ponyboy used to love eating frozen peas so sometimes their dad would sometimes pour them a small bowl of frozen peas and they would sit on the same chair together and eat peas.

When Mickey Mouse got sold Ponyboy drew a picture of him to try and help Soda. Soda was so touched that he started crying again and Pony panicked because he though he had made Soda sad but then he hugged him

Whenever Darry made Pony cry as a way to get him to shut up he would pick him up and throw him slightly up in the air, or give him piggy backs around the lounge and that would calm him down.

Ponyboy started over exargerating him crying so he would get free piggy backs

All the three of them have leaned back on the chair too far

Surprinsingly all three of them used to be picky eaters and it would be nearly impossible for their parents to cook a meal that they all liked that wasn't take aways or junk food. This is the phase they grew out of the most

Sodapop and Pony used to annoy the hell out of Darry by calling him Darry Queen whenever they went to Dairy Queen

Darry and Soda used to annoy the hell out of Pony by calling him horseman

During summer they would all annoy the hell out of their parents by begging them to set up the pool, buy them ice cream, or go down to the watering hole.

During the summer they would also have heaps of water fights and their dad would either turn the sprinkler on or just spray them straight with the hose

Second hand Darry clothes

I might do a part 2 if I can think of more but for now this is it.

[panickingpansexuality]

Imagine telling Darry you want to marry him while drunk

It was a normal Saturday night for the gang, drinking at the Curtis house after seeing a movie. Two-Bit brought out the drinks at the movie and you started drinking with him. Eventually the movie ended and you all started walking home. Darry and Pony were joking around and eventually Darry somehow got Pony on his back and at that moment you thought about how much you wanted him to marry you.

There was a loud cheer behind you and you saw Soda on Two-Bits back as they ran down the two other brothers and raced down the street.

When they caught up to Pony and Darry, Soda stated a game of chicken and not a single one of them was going to back out from that. The rest of the gang gathered around them cheering for either Pony or Soda. You laughed and Darry gave a quick glance at you before going back against Two-Bit. He pressed Soda and Two-Bit up against a fence and Soda started to lean backwards and flipped himself over the fence.

The Gang let out a chorus of cheers and you went over to check on Soda (who was completely fine).

Darry walked with you under his arm the rest of the way home, Pony and Soda walking in front of you two.

"Lovebirds." Steve said coming beside you two, "Y'all got any beer at the house?"

"Not enough for the lot of you." You reply.

"Good thing I always bring extra." Two-Bit said coming beside you two. "Try this (y/n)."

You swallow down the flask with a grimace, not only does it taste awful but it's disgusting, you pass it to Darry who takes one wiff of it and hands it back to his friend.

"Disgusting." You say, "What is that?"

"The quickest way to get drunk." Two-Bit says swallowing down another gulp.

He wasn't lying, by the time you had all gotten to the house you were very giggly and so was half the gang.

Darry kept you within arms reach but with you floating around everyone so much he just decided to sit you in his lap.

You giggled and looked at his face playing with his hair, he couldn't help but smile at your antics.

"What's so funny?" He asked after a minute of you just starring and laughing.

"You're so pretty!" You say, "Like so pretty."

Pony and Johnny laugh in the couch at you two.

"He is!" You defend. "Listen kids this is why you don't drink! Ok? Just so don't, cause then you'll look at Darrel Shaynne Curtis Jr. the whole night cause he's so so pretty."

"Babydoll." Darry says laughing, "I think you need sleep."

"No." You gasp out and then fall to his chest. "I don't think so."

Darrys hand on your waist gently rubs circles on with his thumb against your skin.

"Is Soda ok?" You ask. "And Two-Bit?"

"Yes Dear." Darry says, "Theyre trying to sleep in the kitchen right now."

You go to sit up and look at the sleepy boys in the kitchen.

"I'll get them blankets." You say getting up.

"No it's alright (y/n)," Johnny says getting up, "We can get them."

"You're so sweet Johnny." You say, "I wish we could keep you here all the time."

He blushes and hurries to the closet where the blankets are kept.

"You have the sweetest people in your life." You say to Darry, "It's hard not to love any of them."

"I know." Darry says pressing a kiss on your forehead.

"Like you're doing so good with them, Pony's so smart and the rest of the gang loves you so so much."

Darry pulls you closer to him and you ret your head under his chin.

"I really wanna marry you." You slur out, "Can we get married?"

Your glazed eyes look up at him like a dog begging for table scraps, Darry chuckled and presses a kiss to your forehead as Pony and Johnny come back in.

"Thank you so very sweet boys." You say giggling. "I am so proud of you two."

Pony and Johnny both are now sporting red faces as you continue to compliment them. Dally and Steve come in from outside and you gasp and wave at them both.

"Hi!" You gasp out, "I'm so happy you guys are here!"

"How drunk are they?" Dally asks with a grin.

"Sooooo drunk!" You say laughing, "But like I think you guys should all stay forever and we could all like out our checks into like living together and it would be so fun."

Darry presses his face into your hair and laughs quietly.

"Steve!" You say, "Darry won't answer a super important question for me."

"Dude." Says a slightly drunk Steve, "That's such a drag."

"I know!" You say.

"What's the question?" Dally asks.

"I asked," you say giggling, "if we could get hitched and he laughed!"

Dally starts laughing too and so does Steve.

"Come on," Darry says picking you up bridal style. "Time to hit the sack."

"Night night boys!" You call waving to them as Darry takes you to his room, he throws you in the bed and you giggled taking off your shoes and jeans. Darry throws you a nightgown as he takes off his jeans.

You stare and giggle, when he turns back around you've managed to get everything off just not get the nightgown on.

"You have the cutest butt!" You say laughing. "Literally my favorite butt in the whole world."

"Good," Darry says, he comes over and helps you out the nightgown on before joining you under the covers.

Darry joins you under the covers, you continue to giggle a little even as your eyes feel heavy.

"So..." You mumble out "Are you gonna answer me?" You ask.

"(y/n)," Darry says pressing a kiss to your cheek, "Babydoll," he says pressing another to your forehead. "I thought you knew by now that I'm gonna marry you someday."

"Yay," you say sleepily into his chest. "I can't wait.."

"Me either." Darry says as you fall asleep against his chest.

[only-lonely-star]

Fic request:

Twobits little sister gets mad at their mom and runs away from home and ends up getting lost and terrorized by some Soc kids after she wanders into their side of town. Darry is over there roofing when he spots her wandering all upset and scratched up amd immediately goes into protective mode? I feel Darry is good with kids and I just want to see that more please 🙏

❤️ stay gold

୨୧ ☁︎ Too Young ☁︎ ୨୧

~ Darrel Curtis, Two-Bit’s kid sister (PLATONIC) ~

This is NOT an ‘x Reader’ story.

Warnings - I feel like classifying this as angst is a better description, so there are obviously a few warnings. Mentions of drinking, running away from home, minor pain inflicted on a small child, manhandling, harassment.

Summary - Karol Matthews has had enough, her plan to run away from home not going as expected. Luckily for her, a brotherly figure comes to her aid.

Author’s Note - This one is a bit of a longer fic compared to the other ones I have posted, so sorry for the long wait! Other requests may take a few days since I am a bit behind. Besides that, I thank you so much for this request! I could totally see Darry becoming protective when it comes to defending someone so special to him. I hope you enjoy it, Stay Gold! 💞

Word Count - 2.6k.

࿐ •°. *࿐ •°. *࿐ •°. *࿐ •°. *࿐ •°. *࿐

(Quick A/N: I try to keep things as accurate as possible to both the book and movie combined. For appearances I go based on the movie since it's easier for me to imagine. BUT it is canon that Two-Bit has a little sister although she is unnamed. I felt like this story would run much smoother if it was in a complete third-person perspective, making this not an 'x reader' story.)

Karol Matthews sat perched atop the armrest of the sofa, her wide eyes filled with curiosity following Keith's every move. He paced around the kitchen, absolutely raiding it and chugging down a cold beer before taking a seat beside his kid sister.

Keith couldn't sit still for the life of him, always buzzing around or out and about with his friends. His leg bounced up and down, sipping on his drink. It was obvious to Karol he was about to venture off and get into some trouble - but their mother didn't mind much. She practically supported his troubling antics from time to time.

Karol tapped on his shoulder, preparing her tiny voice to engage in conversation with him. Keith was zoned out, his consciousness coming back to reality at the gentle tap. He turned his head to face hers, a small grin evident on his face. "What's up?" he posed, the soft tone in his voice typical for her to hear.

"Where are you going?" Karol asked, her voice soft and quiet. She adored Keith and found him to be the funniest person she knew. Even at six years old, the girl had a slight understanding of what exactly her brother would be getting involved in. Late-night drives, smoking and drinking with his buddies, maybe even going out to see a girl. She was aware of the different blonde girls he would bring home, him swearing it was the same person each time - Kathy. She wasn't stupid, she knew they were all different.

"Going out with Dally and some others," he replied simply, expecting a soft sigh and for her to head back to her bedroom. Instead, she smiled and tapped his shoulder again.

"Can I come?" Karol's sweet voice spoke up, her enticing smile attempting to draw him in.

"No," Keith said, taking his free hand to ruffle through her blonde wavy hair affectionately. He found it rather amusing that she wanted to tag along. He chuckled and took another large sip of his beer as Karol pouted and let out a huff.

"Why not?!" she protested, demanding a real answer from him. Karol loved Keith and would rather spend her day out and about with him instead of being stuck at home. She crossed her arms and glared at her brother.

"You're too young," he replied, standing from the sofa swiftly, "Besides, Dally ain't too good with kids."

Karol's irritation only grew from there, souring her mood for the day. She tugged on Keith's arm like a lifeline - pleading to come along. "Please...? I'll be quiet!"

He shook his head firmly, stepping for the door without another word on the matter. He took a deep breath, "Heading out! Be back around seven!"

A woman's voice could be heard shouting back in response, stepping for the door before Keith could leave. "Six!"

She enveloped him in a side hug and kissed his cheek, staining it with a dark hue of pink lipstick. He grinned softly, smearing it off and turning the doorknob. "Six-thirty. Bye, ma,"

She let out a sigh, watching her son dart for his car - beer in hand and all. She turned to Karol with a lopsided smile. "What are we going to do with him? Hm?"

Karol sat back down on the sofa, a frown still intact. "I wanna go," she stated with crossed arms.

Her mother glanced down at her with a slight frown. "You shouldn't be hanging around those boys, you're way too young, honey."

Karol didn't like that. In fact - she hated being referred to as 'too little' or 'too young'. In all reality it was true; she was six years old and nowhere near old enough to befriend a group of teen hoodlums...even if they were her brother's best friends.

"I don't wanna be young! I wanna play with the big kids and be cool," she fumed, eyebrows sewn together and tiny fists clenched.

"Karol... you don't understand. Little girls shouldn't try any of the things they do," her mother shook her head, attempting to calm her down. It was obvious how badly this was affecting Karol's mood, sending the child into an upset rage.

"I'm not a little girl!" she shouted, hopping off the couch and reaching for the doorknob at a moment's notice. "And I'm running away from this place! I'll go find Keith on my own!"

Her mother only rolled her eyes. Karol had done this countless times - attempting to run off and merely making it down the street before she came crawling back. "You'll be back," she muttered under her breath as she watched her daughter pry open the door and step outside into the blazing summer heat.

Karol's dark expression meant business. She didn't intend on coming back this time, she was determined to prove herself as a big kid. With heavy stomps, Karol made her way down the sidewalk, thinking of where her brother could possibly be. He'd taken the car and everything, not even mentioning where he was heading off to. She turned her head around to notice the door had already been shut - stranding her outside for good.

"I'll show her,"

Karol continued on with her journey, wandering down streets she'd never been to before. Every house she passed seemed to appear bigger and bigger. The one-story shacks turned into two-story houses with beautifully painted fences surrounding them. She stared at a few in awe, wondering how she could manage to buy one of her own and prove she was all grown up.

All was well until a few snickers could be heard off into the distance. Karol turned her head and squinted to have a better look at the trio of teenage boys coming her way. Her mind instantly thought those could be Keith's friends. Maybe if she asked them where he could be then she could hitch a ride with them. Her tiny legs strode to stand in front of the boys, a charming smile on her face.

The first to speak up, a tall brunette with khakis and a white button-down, kneeled to her level. A sly grin arose on his lips, his voice coming out overly sweet. "Well... are you lost, kid?"

It was quite obvious Karol wasn't from the area. Her tattered sandals and colorful- yet floral sundress gave it away. No Soc child would wear something so bright and bold. The little girls were typically dressed head to toe in fancy skirts, headbands, and bows. Karol was a misfit.

"I'm looking for my brother," she beamed with a sweet tone in return, oblivious to the evil intent in his tone. The other boys circled around her as they stifled their snickers.

"Who's your brother?" the Soc asked with a raised brow at Karol's revelation. He looked to the other two, motioning for them to stand close by.

"Keith," Karol spoke excitedly, expecting them to immediately welcome her with open arms, "He said he was with Dally. Can you take me wherever that is?"

All three of the boys's ears perked up at the name. 'Dally' was an easy name to remember - recognizing the infamous greaser left quite a small crowd to narrow down from.

"I ain't ever heard of a 'Keith' who hangs 'round Dally," the slim and blonde-haired Soc spoke up, exchanging glances between the others.

The third boy shook his head, furrowing his brows as he tried to recall the person he had in mind. He ran a hand through his jet-black curls. "No, she means Two-Bit. That guy with the funny sideburns."

The brunette Soc who had originally spoken to Karol let out a soft snort. "Two-Bit..." he nodded along, testing out the name on his tongue. "He wear a Mickey Mouse shirt, kid?"

Karol's smile only grew, nodding to confirm that was indeed her big brother. "Yes! That's him!" Her arms pumped up in victory, a gleam of hope in her eyes.

The sight was precious, they didn't even have to push her for answers - she willingly gave them away. The boy chuckled dryly, standing to his feet with a smug smile. "Well since Two-Bit thinks it's funny to swipe cash that ain't his..."

The other boys had a similar look of cruel intent written all over their faces. The blonde boy stood behind her, a singular arm snaking around her small torso to lift her up. Karol yelped in confusion, not expecting such a move.

"Hey!" she hollered to them, her voice almost a whimper. She was roughly tossed in a soaking wet puddle of mud, hidden beneath the grass on a stranger's front lawn. "My dress..." she pouted, tears welling to her eyes.

The boys didn't hesitate to terrorize the poor girl further. They jabbed their hands into the muddy puddle, one holding her down as the other two slathered the mud all over her. She let out a wail, one that anybody in their right mind couldn't brush off.

"Tell your brother to not touch what ain't his next time," the Soc in the white button-down cackled, his hand running down the side of her cheek.

Just as Karol felt she couldn't take any more of the torment - pounding footsteps could be heard coming closer. Her screams and cries for help had paid off, and none other than Darrel Curtis had come to her aid. He grabbed the collar of the brunette's shirt from behind, scaring the other two off. They ran without hesitation, sprinting up the street the same way they came. The boy managed to slip out of Darrel's grasp, speeding off before he really had his world rocked.

Karol still sat in the puddle, wailing and hollering like she never had before. She truly felt those boys would help her find Keith. Darrel cursed under his breath until they were completely out of sight. He quickly turned his focus back to Karol.

Gently helping her up, he placed both hands under her arms to stand her back on her own two feet. He sighed and assessed the situation, looking over her body and face for any signs she was hurt. "You alright?"

Karol used the back of her hand to wipe away the overwhelming amount of tears that flooded her eyes. She nodded and tried to calm herself enough to speak. Darrel was no stranger to her, they had met numerous times before since Two-Bit was close friends with him.

"Darry~" she whimpered, clinging onto his leg as she went in for a hug. She cried softly against him and didn't show any intention of stopping.

Darrel was a bit taken aback, but he rested a hand on her shoulder nonetheless, patting it gently to bring her a bit of comfort. She was muddy all over and was soaking Darrel in the mess but he didn't mind it one bit. The poor child had to have been hurt from the way she had been screaming. "Karol, look at me."

She reluctantly tilted her head upwards to meet his eyes, her pout seemingly stuck on her face. His heart sank at the sight of the girl's dirtied clothing along with a few minor scratches along her face and arms. "What happened? Tell me everything."

He subtly maneuvered her arms off so that he could begin to walk her to his car. He held his hand out to her, opening and closing a fist to motion for her. Her small hand wrapped around his pinky finger, melting his heart further. He listened intently to her soft cries.

"I was looking for Keith...I ran away," Karol explained with a deepening frown, her mind racing with thoughts of him and how she could only hope he was safe out there.

"You ran away?" he echoed, his words almost full of disbelief, "Why would you do that, kiddo?" Darrel guided her to the backseat of his car, the last thing on his mind being the muddy mess she would leave behind. He followed her inside the car, grabbing a hand towel which was stuffed into the back pocket of his denim. He gently dabbed at her cheeks, mentally reminding himself to be gentle around the scratches.

Karol sighed deeply and glanced down to her lap shamefully. She winced every now and then, the burning sensation on her skin still lingered. "I don't wanna be a little girl anymore, Darry... I want to be like Keith. To be cool."

Darry's expression turned from one of shock to one of empathy. He could already imagine how left out Karol must feel. Her brother always out of the house and getting into all sorts of trouble with his friends, her mother housekeeping constantly and working hard to make ends meet. The Matthews' home could often leave Karol feeling lonely and unwanted.

"And you wandered all the way here... on foot?" he implied, the question sounding surreal to even ask a six-year old.

Karol nodded and watched as Darrel tried his best to finish wiping off the dried up mud from her arms. He was unable to do much about her dress - but what he could do was give her a ride home. He finished tidying her up, setting the towel on the floor beside her feet. He smiled at her warmly, his thumb gently running over her cheek. “Lemme take you home, get you all freshened up with your momma.”

Darrel had a tendency to be good with children, Karol being no different. His instinctive protective nature came in handy in situations like this. He would do so much as to drop everything in terms of his job to tend to Karol’s desperate cries for help.

The car ride home was mostly quiet, the soft music playing as Karol settled herself into the backseat, her head resting against the car door. Darrel pulled up, the car coming to a halt as Keith and their mother swarmed the vehicle in a panic. They were both worried sick - her mother expecting her to return moments after ‘running away’.

Darrel immediately emerged from the car, opening the backseat door and revealing the child to them. Two-Bit was first to sling her into his arms, a powerful hug between the two. He didn’t mind the crumpled clumps of dirt that fell from her body. “Karol - we were so worried about you…” he began, his voice almost a quiver.

Darrel smiled softly, admiring the sight of a little family reunion between the three. He stuffed his hands in his pocket and observed. She was set back down, stepping closer to Darrel in an instant. He crouched down in response and held out his arms for her. Karol obliged and wrapped her tiny arms around his neck, his hands rubbing her back soothingly. “Karol, look at me,” he whispered quietly, only for her ears to hear only.

She leaned in, the expression on her face displaying curiosity. Her undivided attention was on Darrel. “You are the toughest, bravest - coolest gal I know,” his tone was nothing but tender and loving with her. He was already aware of how she felt being babied and portrayed as nothing more than a little girl. He chose his words carefully, “And don’t you ever forget that, you hear? You’re just as cool as your brother… maybe even cooler.”

The wink he added onto those last words sealed Karol’s belief in. She felt a strange sense of newfound confidence within herself. Darrel had done more than just protect her today, more than scaring the boys off before they could harm her more, more than rushing to help assess the damage….

Darrel left her feeling important. She felt noticed for once, her strength revealing itself since the terror inflicted on her today. Karol tightly hugged him, her grasp not loosening a single bit as she prolonged the hug to its fullest.

Her soft voice whispered back, a smile plastering all over her face - the first one in a while, “Thank you, Darry.”

[lovelylegolas2123]

Platonic! Curtis Brothers x Hurt! Reader

Request: @goingdelux18 New girl moves in next door a year younger than pony but they become fast friends only problem is she's absolutely terrified of Darry for no reason other than he's big and Pony says he yells at him a lot (he was just ranting Darry isn't that bad) but Soda doesn't understand her fear but one day she comes over after getting jumped for the first time and she's terrified and also hurt so Darry takes care of her and she realizes he isn't scary and is very kind? All platonic except maybe with soda 😉 that boy is cute and she has eyes.

A/N: Thank you do much for the request! I decided to just make this all platonic cause I couldn’t find a way to include Sodapop as a romantic option! Beware of the poorly written fight scene I wrote!

Warnings: Reader Gets Beaten Up, Sucky Ending ——————————————————————————————————

The sound of your heels clicking on the sidewalk becomes louder as you try to outrun the sound of a mustang following shortly behind you. Finally, the car stopped a few meters in front of you, so you slowed your pace, praying that you could get them to let you be. Three Socs climb out of the doors and lean against the car. Watching you. Smirks emit on their face as you finally stop in front of them.

”Well, well, well. Look who we have here!” The tallest of the bunch exclaims, his words slurred. “A greaser girl, walkin’ all by herself. Say, she’s looks like the one who just moved in next door with the Curtis’, right Bob?”

“Ya, sure does.” A kid with curly blond hair says behind him. The smell of cheap whiskey floods your nostrils, making your eyes water from the horrible stench. You place your hand in the pocket of your jacket, reaching for your switchblade, only to find it gone. They laugh at your weak attempt to find something to defend yourself with. The main guy walks closer to you, putting his hand on your back, as you try to push away.

“Oh come on sweetie, don’t be afraid….” He cooed into your ear. Your breath gets caught in your throat as you try to muster the courage to fight back.

”Lea- Leave me alone.” You whisper with a shaky voice. “I don’t want no trouble.”

“Oh well, you just found some sweetheart.” He replies right before hitting you right in the side of the face. You fall onto the sidewalk scraping your knees and the heels of your palms. Before you even think of getting up, he kicks your torso, rolling you over on your back. And before you knew it, you were being kicked in the ribs repeatedly.

While in your dream-like state from the pain you were in, you heard the muffled sound of someone screaming at the boys. You watch through your blurred vision as your attackers scatter, and your soon greeted with the face of Ponyboy Curtis.

“Y/N!! There you are!” Ponyboy screamed. “You gotta get help!” He puts his arms around me to help me stand up and limp all the way back to our houses.

TIME SKIP

As we approach our houses, i notice that my parent’s car isn't home. ‘Dang it, i forgot they're both working night shifts’ you think. You turn over to him.

“Pony, my parents aren't home.”

“So? Come over to my house, Darry will patch you up real good!” Ponyboy exclaims as we walk closer and closer to his house. My eyes widen in fear, Pony had ranted to me one time about how awful Darry was, that he always yelled at him.

“Pony, are you sure that’s the best idea. I-I mean, I could always just patch myself up.” You say trying not to come off as scared.

“It’s fine!” Ponyboy replies, completely oblivious to your fear. He holds open the door for you as you walk in. The first thing you are greeted with is the face of Darrel Curtis.

“Glory Y/N! What happened to you!” Darry exclaims, quickly sitting you down and scouring the room for medical supplies.

“She got jumped by a couple of Socs” Pony states for you. Darry comes back with medical supplies in his hands, and squats down in front of you. You watch his face as he slowly starts wrapping your arm in bandages. His gentle features make you relax into his body. However, the soothing moment ends when Sodapop walks into the living room.

“Hey Pony you’re bac- OH MY GOSH” Soda exclaims when he looks at your bloody and bruised body. You snicker at his response, but soon seathe from the pain in your torso it caused. “What happened to you?”

“Soda if you want to be of some help, go fetch me a damp cloth please.” Darry says as he finally finishes wrapping the gauze on you. “You alright kid?” He questions, his voice low. You simply nod.

When Soda comes back with the towel, Darry wipes the cloth on your face, removing the blood stains from the first hit you took. He starts to walk away, but you grab his arm and pull him into a hug.

“Thank you” you say, your voice barely about a whisper.

“No problem, kiddo,” He starts. “Just be a little for careful next time.” As he walks away, Soda approaches you and sits by you on the couch.

“You ain’t afraid of his no more, are you?” He asks.

“No” you simply reply, but inside your filled with happiness as you are surrounded by people that truly care for you.

[qprpbj]

i could b 10000% w this take but at the end of the musical when darrel asks pony if he can read his writing and saying he actually wants to could b having listened to dallas/honoring him bc when theyre arguing earlier in the musical dally says somethiny like “i spend actual time with him and listen to him” idk but it feels connected like darry is not heartless or careless abt dallys death i hate when ppl think tht

ohhh i actually love this way of looking at it!!! i totally agree!! darry being given a bit of a wake up call with that dally fight scene and finally understanding that he’s gotta. initiate them bonding. or else pony’s never gonna feel heard by him. ughhhhh

sorta on topic but also off. idk if it’s a hot take but i kinda hate when ppl say darry saying dally “gave up” is out of character or that book darry “would never say that” bc. no it’s not lol?? yes he would?? did we forget book darry said “if you don’t like the way i’m running this house you can get out” in that same scene/convo??? did we forget darry said all this lol? like cmon darry has no chill ever like be so fr lol

but also like. darry was afraid pony was going to fucking kay aych ess. he was borderline catatonic for weeks — just violently lost his best friend and a rolemodel, had several near death experiences, refuses to eat or go to school or talk. like. you also would say u hinged “out of character�� things out of pure desperation and fear your little brother is gonna mf off himself bc he’s so depressed. idk im number one musical darry curtis defender i Don’t understand why ppl think that line is ooc bc it’s nottttttt. ugh

[shelfthe-reader]

Greetings mutual of mine, tis I, completing my duties as a mutual to randomly send you questions :D

I dare you… to rant about a character who deserved better GO

(lets pretend this hasn’t been sitting for two weeks)

So my instinct was to start yapping about my #emotionalsupportwhiteboy Jason Grace but I doubt I can say anything new about him. Or be able to be coherent since all of his lore just flew through the window. Then I thought Will Solace or Nico di Angelo but they are too obvious (since they were literally Rick’s punching bags). But instead I give you Darrel Curtis from The Outsiders and LET ME TELL YOU WHY (SPOILERS FOR THE OUTSIDERS IF ANY OF THE MUTUALS ARE WANTING TO READ THIS INCREDIBLE PHENOMENAL BOOK)

A/N: To make this as fair as possible, I’m ONLY focusing on characterization from the book. Reason being I’ve never seen the movie so I’m not able to average out the three major lores (book, movie, musical.) It’s only fair if I do either the original or all. Not partial lore.

I’m not quite sure if this counts as “deserved better” but it’s still tragic

I first read this book tthan our protagonist Ponyboy Curtis.

At that age, I HATED Darry. I didn’t sympathize with him, I thought he was a terrible person, etc. All of my energy went into crying for Johnny, and deciding that Pony and I were the same person. I didn’t give a shit about Darry’s actions. I thought he deserved what came to him.

But then, in my senior year of highschool (this year, 2024 for those in the future if this post gets resurrected), I picked up the book again, read it three times in four months, annotated it, and watched the musical. As I’m writing this, I’m rereading my annotations from last month.

Now enough with this exposition, let’s get into my rant about Darrel Shaynne Curtis Jr.

***

Darry's gone through a lot in his twenty years, grown up too fast. Sodapop'll never grow up at all. I don't know which way's the best. I'll find out one of these days. (The Outsiders, pg 10)

Darry was one step away from being set for life- he was a Greaser who could get out. He was smart, he had non-Greaser friends; he had a football scholarship and was set for college.

He was either 19 or freshly 20 when BOTH of his parents get killed in an accident leaving two kids under 18. Naturally, being the soul he was, he immediately gave up his dream to keep his hooligan family together. They all knew that if he went to college it would be over for the family. There’s only so much you can do in Poor-ass, bum-fuck Nowhere, Oklahoma. And Darry does it all.

On top of working stupid hours in stupid conditions hauling stupid amounts of roofing, he has to parent a teenager who knows too much for his own good. This book is written in first person, and while Ponyboy defends his every decision, you can tell he doesn’t have the street smarts his brothers grew up with. And you can tell that stresses Darry out even more, even with the amount of times Pony insults/shit talks his brother.

Does Darry deal with this well? Hell no. I’d be surprised if he did. So much stupid in one week can drive a person crazy (believe me, I know.) Now, I don’t condone smacking children for ANY reason, but I think here, Darry was in that brother/father limbo and crossed into brother territory. Like have y’all NOT smacked your siblings? But went royally wrong here is that because he acts so much like a “father-overlord” to Ponyboy so often, Pony couldn’t even compute the fact that Darry could ACTUALLY act like a brother sometimes. In the park with Johnny, he even compares it to Johnny being hit by his father. Apparently being a brother doesn’t describe Darry anymore

The REALLY heartbreaking part is the reunion after ✨The Fire✨. When his “Alpha male, if I don’t feel anything it would be better for all of us” facade shatters and he just KNOWS that he inadvertently causes everything after page 58. That’s another burden that no man should EVER carry.

It took a murder, a fire, a rumble, a death, a suicide, a three-day fever dream, and Soda running away for Ponyboy to finally understand what Darry does to keep him safe and I think that’s the most tragic thing of all.

Am I just talking in circles? Probably. I’m never coherent when talking about my traumatized characters.

As a treat for staying the entire length of this essay/incoherent rant, here are the bones of an Outsiders playlist I’m making.

[gre4zerz]

Why have two normal parents who have a healthy relationship and take care of their kids instead of ignoring them, yelling at them, and hitting them when you could have an older brother that's secretly pissed off that he has to take care of you little shits because his entire college career was thrown down the drain and disintegrated in a burning church AND he has to give an arm and a leg to make sure you're okay and he doesn't have time for himself?

Why settle for family dinners and weekend outings when you could have nights spent worrying about getting jumped by a rival gang or mornings waking up to find your best friend has slept on the floor beside you because he had nowhere else to go? Why have the comfort of knowing you can call your parents for advice when you could have the stark reality of making life-and-death decisions on your own before you even hit adulthood?

Why choose the predictability of family game nights when you could have the chaos of running through dark alleyways, the adrenaline of knowing that every step could be your last, and the bittersweet camaraderie of friends who are more like brothers because they've bled and cried with you? Why have parents who sit you down for heart-to-heart talks when you could have an older brother who, with every gruff word and tough-love action, teaches you more about survival and sacrifice than any parent ever could?

Why have a mom who packs your lunch with a note saying "Have a great day!" when you could have an older brother who works double shifts and still finds time to make sure there's food on the table, even if it's just a can of soup and some crackers? Why choose the safety and stability of a traditional family when you could have the raw, unfiltered experience of growing up too fast, learning too much too soon, and loving too deeply in a world that's always one wrong move away from collapsing?

Why settle for a life where your biggest worry is a math test when you could have a life where you're constantly on edge, where every moment is a test of your courage and resilience? Why choose the simplicity of normalcy when you could have the complexity of a life that's shaped by loss and hardship, but also by an unbreakable bond with those who share your struggle?

In a world where nothing is guaranteed, why choose the easy path when the hard one teaches you everything you need to know about loyalty, strength, and what it truly means to be a family?

[that-one-enby-ranger]

Hi, you reblogged a thing asking to ramble about the outsiders, and I remember reading that book like 2 years ago and loving it. I and my best friend would absolutely adore hearing you ramble about the outsiders, so, please dooo

Oh I will gladly ramble on about The Outsiders.

Firstly I'm just gonna start off with my order of favourites from the main seven.

Darry. He is my absolute love. I made a list of my top ten favourite fictional characters over all and he was number four. I would gladly marry him. I want to hug him. I will defend him until the day I die. Patrick Swayze is amazing too.

Sodapop. He used to be my favourite when I first read it, but then Darry went straight up to my favourite and now he is my number 2 and will probably be for the rest of time. I love him though, he's so sweet and amazing and handsome. I think when I first read it I felt I related to him because I'm the middle child as well and even though my sisters don't fight like Ponyboy and Darry do, I sometimes get left out of things like when they play Bendy or Little Nightmares.

Two-Bit. He's my little goofball. And I love thats there more to his character as well than just being a little goofball. Like how his father left, and he really cares about the rest of the gang like Pony and Johnny because he wants to look after them and was going to go to texas to find them. When writing The Outsiders fanfics he's fun to write for because he's a just a funny little guy. I love him. I want him as a friend. Or a husband. Either is fine.

Dally. I love him. I love characters who are fucked up with very high emotional walls who secrelty loves someone a lot and has a lot of trauma. The only thing I don't like about him, as that he kind of reminds me of my dickhead stoner cousin.

Johnny. I know he's low down, but I still love him a lot, and I want to look after him, and adopt him, and make him feel better, and kick his parents arses because they're little pieces of shit that deserve to go to hell. My sweet little lost puppy.

Steve. A lot of people don't like him, and I used to not really care about him, but I do now, because even though he's just a side character whose not in it much, he's still complex and got trauma, mainly from his dad. And he's Sodapop's best friend and I ship Stevepop. Plus he's played by Tom Cruise in the movie.

Ponyboy. I honestly don't really care about Ponyboy. He's just kind of there for me. Being realistic out of the entire gang he's probably the one I could relate to the most, and that I'm probably the most like especially since he likes to read and watch movies, but he's still kind of boring to me. I normally find the main characters boring. Sometimes.

Anyways now that the done. Darry. I love me Darry. A lot of this will probably be about Darrel Shayne Curtis Jr. because I love him so goddamn much. Words can't even describe how much I love him. He's just another complicated character. I don't care if he hit Ponyboy. I shall defened him. He loves his brothers he's just trying to look out for them. He probably shows more affection for his brothers than me and my sisters do. He literally calls them bub. I only do that with my best friend and it's because of him. She doesn't even realise it, she just thinks I randomly started calling her bub. I don't usually like guys with big muscles that you can see, but Darry is the biggest exception ever. I usally like twinks or people that are strong and have muscles but it doesn't really show that much until they do something, or have not as visible muscles but they are still visible, and still have really strong arms, like how I imagine Halt. And Patrick Swayze is gorrrrrrrrgeousssssssss. I love him so much.

JUST LOOK AT THIS MAN. HOW COULD YOU NOT FALL IN LOVE WITH HIM. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. WHEN MY FRIEND ASKS WHAT POLAROID PHOTO I WANT PRINTED FOR MY BIRTHDAY IM CHOOSING HIM. I WOULD CHOOSE BRIAN OR FREDDIE OR JOHN OR ROGER BUT I ALREADY HAVE MY ENTIRE ROOM DEDICATED TO HIM AND I HAVE NOTHING ON HIM EXCEPT FOR THE BOOK.

I swear to fuck when I read the book for the first time it changed my life and I instantly fell in love with it. My sister read it first for a novel study and she liked it, and then for my year 9 English class we had to read some books from a list that was given to us and the Outsiders was on it so I read it, and loved it very very much. I finished it before I had to return it so I just read it again immediately after finishing it. And then I watched the movie, then watched it again, then read the book again and again, and watched the movie, and bought the book and read it, and now I have lost track of how many times I have read and watched it. I read the book and watch the movie multiple times a year. When I first read it, I was reading in the car on the way to school and that was when I read the very sad death scenes. Did not expect to read a very serious plot point on a fifteen minute car ride to school. I remember thinking there's no way this ones gonna die, and then he did. I THOUGHT HE SURVIVED THE FUCKING FIRE. I had watched the movie with my sister before reading it but I wasn't really paying attention, the only thing I remember was the scene where Pony and Soda were hugging in bed, BUT I DIDN'T REMEMBER ANYONE DYING SO I THOUGHT WHEN I READ IT THAT EVERYTHING WAS GONNA BE OKAY. THEN I DEFINETELY DIDN'T EXPECT HIM TO DIE LITERALLY TWO FUCKING PAGES LATE. I am ashamed of my self that I have never cried over this. I'm surprised I have never cried while reading or watching. I may have cried over it once or twice, but it wasn't because of the deaths or how tragic it was, it was because I wanted to hug Darry and I couldn't.

The entire fucking cast is amazing. You've got Patrick Swayze, you've got Tom Cruise, you've got Rob Lowe, you've got Matt Dillon, you've got Ralph Macchio, you've got Emelio Estevez and you've got C. Thomas Howell who I don't really care about if I'm being honest. I also find it funny that pretty much the entire cast became famous apart from C. Thomas Howell, and he played Ponyboy who is literally the main character. But all the other cast became famous from different movies. Patrick from Dirty Dancing, Rob from probably St. Elmo's Fire or something, and the Outsiders too though, Matt from something else I don't know, Tom from like everything, Emelio from the Breakfast Club and Ralph from Karate Kid.

There's the Outsiders musicle now that I haven't watched yet and I don't know if I want to. I've heard its good, and people like the cast, but I'm too attached to the original movie cast, and I honestly don't know if I like it or not. I keep switching between being okay with watching and just refusing to watch it. And it's funny because when I heard there was going to be a musicle I was really excited but not I'm just meh. If it came to New Zealand to Wellington where I saw the Shrek musicle then I would probably see it if I had money. But at the moment I probably won't watch it. It's like the outsiders tv show they have, I probably won't watch that either. Also sidenote, I watched Shrek the Musicle in a haunted theatre called St. James Theatre. Why do I feel like i'm spelling musicle wrong.

I have another sideblog dedicated to The Outsiders as well called @ponyhasapepsiaddiction. I should make another sideblog entirely dedicated to loving Darry.

I feel like I definetely have more to say on them. But I've been writing for ages and it's 1:00pm for me now, and I'm hungry and want lunch. I know people may not be interested, but I do have some Outsiders fics, most of them have been recommened by other people.

Here's some random photos I also have saved to my computer:

That's not alll of them. There's defintely more.

Thanks for letting me ramble on about my babies. Out of all my favourite books this ones my second fav after Rangers, and out of all my favourie movies this ones my second fav after Bohemian Rhapsody so I kind of like it. Also thanks to anyone who actually read to the very end and put up with my bullshit.

Just putting it out there, if anyone would like to hear me yap about and ramble on about other things I like I will also gladly do Queen (that one will be the longest trust me), Rangers Apprentice obviously, Good Omen, Our Flag Means Death, ducks, Marvel, different fictional characters I like, different celebrities I like, or just OCs and Wips, like my novel.

[itsyoung8]

My theories in Bully

Salut la population! a few years ago I had theories about characters somewhere but I won't say where (no I'm kidding, it's Twitter). But since I was very young and stupid (oh no, that's still relevant) well it stinked of lol. However, for some time now, while reworking them, others have appeared so I thought why not share them with the general public

Zoe is no longer friends with Mandy because the latter did not believe Zoe and preferred to defend Mr. Burton. What made me think that was the fact that Zoe already talks about Mandy as a friend in the past tense but that doesn't add anything to my theory. However, when you see how Mandy talks about Mr. Burton, basically as if he were her father, you can tell that when Zoe told Mandy that the other asshole assaulted her, Mandy didn't believe him and they got angry until today they are no longer friends

We know that Tad has a deep hatred for Peanut. However, my theory is that this hatred doesn't come from because he's a greaser and he's a preppie. I think Peanut did something that cost Tad to be beaten by his father but what? I don't know. Also I thought it's because Tad must have known that Peanut has a soft spot for Lola but not sure

Gary really liked Pete and Jimmy even if he didn't necessarily show it. When he was still taking his medication, he reached out to Jimmy when Jimmy was new, friendless, and already in trouble. In addition, he included Jimmy and Pete in his plans. Finally, in the period when he was no longer taking his medication in Chapter 1, he was, I think, sincere when he apologized to Jimmy and Pete in the cutscene where his jokes towards the two went too far (you know which one I'm talking about). In this period, he had to struggle with himself not to see Jimmy and Pete as obstacles but as friends. Unfortunately he lost this struggle and the rest you know

Gary got rid of Johnny directly by asking the townies to send him to the asylum because he knew he wouldn't be able to turn his brain a second time unlike Derby, Ted and Earnest. That's why Johnny doesn't appear in the cinematic of the mission "Making a mark". If Gary didn't manage to do the same with Russell, it's because everyone is afraid of Russell, even the townies

Dan doesn't hate nerds. She misses those old nerd hobbies and her hatred towards them is disproportionate to other jocks. All this, for me, is just a cover to be accepted by jocks, as he felt obliged to do is to prove that he is a jock.

Lefty and Luis grew up together but grew apart after Luis became a jock and Lefty remained a greaser. This choice of the developers may be a simple reference to Darrel Curtis and Paul Howden in The Outsiders who were two jocks and friends but who drifted apart after Darrel made the choice to become a greaser. It's the same for Lefty and Luis but in the opposite direction

End of this thread of theories. If I have others in the future, I will let you know. Feel free to tell me what you think

[specific-dreamer]

in the la jolla dialogue bob calling darrel “old friend is crazy” and only after paul says “darrel curtis the famous dropout” like crazy do u have any hc abt darrel and bob interacting in high school imo they were not friends

you or another anon asked me this ! i’ll copy their ask under this but i’ll answer yall both here !

“like do u have any hc of bob trying tb friends w seniors/football captains and darry just finding him sf annoying but like paul defending him?”

idk if it’s canon or not but i think soda and johnny are the same age as bob and everyone. so a four year age difference is the perfect age for darry to find bob annoying like ok bullet points

to preface. i think bob and paul are cousins with a reluctant brotherly relationship.

darry also thought of bob as a brother but really really adjacent and only because of paul. like yk how the gang are basically family but steve and pony fight all the time? darry is steve. he’s constantly got something to say that’ll rile bob up

but i think bob rly wanted to impress paul and tried to hang out with them all the time

so bob saying “old friend” is rly one sided

like paul and darry would be minding their business one day and bob inserts/forces himself in the conversation

i’ve said it before but when darry notices bond crush on cherry he totally picks on bob

since there’s a four year difference, they wouldn’t have been in highschool together (hs back then started at 10th grade) so bob would’ve been in his last year of middle school while they were fixin to graduate

i mention this bc while peril (typing out their names is taking to long soz) we’re at the peak of their hs career and going to to parties and doing college essays and wtv, you have this lame ass 14 yr robert begging to hang out with them

this probs isn’t what either of you wanted but ! a) i’m terrible at thinking without prompts skdjdj and b) they live in my head rent free so pls feel free to send me more asks abt them

[vwriter]

Darrel Curtis Imagine - Johnny's Sister

Part 1

Background: Darrel is a mix of book Darrel, movie Darrel, and musical Darrel. I am picturing him as Brent Comer Darrel. Canon wise it is a mix again of all three sources. You are Johnny Cade’s older sister (you’re a year younger than Darry). You were friendly with the Curtis brothers, but you were closest with Johnny and friendly with Dallas. This starts at Johnny’s funeral. Content Warnings: Self-harm

Darry, Sodapop, and Ponyboy started walking back toward the pickup. Sodapop had his arm around Pony’s shoulders. He was taking Johnny’s death hard. They were as close as brothers and it hurt Darry to see Ponyboy in so much pain over Johnny, especially after all they had gone through in the last week.

As they were walking back towards the car, Darry noticed you sitting on a ledge down the ways from Johnny’s grave. Your long dark hair shook on your shoulders as Darry guessed you were crying. You were sitting alone, your parents nowhere to be found. Darry hadn’t seen them since they laid Johnny in his grave and declared the funeral over.

“You boys keep heading back to the car, I’m going to go check on (Y/N).” Darry said patting Sodapop on the shoulder. The boys nodded and kept walking as Darry made his way over to you.

Darry noticed how small you looked, even as he got closer. You had always been small, like Johnny, but he had always summed the two of you up his mind and pictured you both as one person. Two halves of a whole. But even when he saw you as a whole Darry know you had always been different from Johnny.

In school you were busy and loud. Even if you were a greaser girl you were smart and involved, taking classes a grade above and sitting in on many of Darry’s classes. You reminded him of Ponyboy.

As Darry got closer he could hear your sobs and smelt a cigarette. You sounded like you were in pain. Darry went to put on a hand on your shoulder and saw that you had the cigarette pressed against your wrist. Darry’s heart sank.

“(Y/N)!” He said as you turned in shook. Darry pulled the cigarette from your hand and stomped it into the dirt. You had tears running down your cheeks, but you didn’t say anything. “What the hell are you doing?!” Darry said as he pulled you up from the ground and examined your wrist.

You tried to pull it away and bring your sweater down over the burn. Darry was stronger, he was always stronger and he had your forearm in his hand like a vice. He wasn’t hurting you, he just wasn’t going to let you get away.

“(Y/N)…..” He said as his eye saw the older cigarette circles that hardened your wrist. “Why are you doing this to yourself?” Darry looked into (your color) eyes. He looked sad, Darry never looked sad. It wasn’t the same kind of sad like when his parents had died. This was the look he had in his eyes when Ponyboy went missing with Johnny. The look he had when he thought no one was paying attention.

“Johnny’s dead.” You said through tears. “And it’s my fault.”

“What?” Darry said confused.

“Johnny’s dead because of me. If I had been a better sister and fought to protect him better…he wouldn’t have spent all those nights in the lot and he wouldn’t have gotten Ponyboy involved in all this. I’m not like you Darrel, I’m not a good sibling like you are to Ponyboy and Sodapop. I didn’t protect Johnny enough from our parents. This is all my fault. Ponyboy is hurt because of me. This is all my fault.”

You just kept repeating that it was your fault. Darry gripped your arms tight, holding you at a bent arms length.

“(Y/N) what are you saying? This isn’t your fault.” Darry tired to look in your eyes, but they were turned down toward your feet, swimming with tears.

“Darry, I didn’t take care of Johnny. Not like you do with your brothers. I tried to defend him when our parents fought, but I was just so focused on surviving for myself that I didn’t fight hard enough to get us out of there. When Johnny stayed out at night, I just figured that that’s what he needed to do to survive. I should have tried harder. I should have been like you Darry, taking responsibility for him when no one else would.

“And if Johnny hadn’t spent all that time in the lot, if he had a safe place to go, him and Ponyboy wouldn’t have been out. Those boys wouldn’t have tried to drown him. Johnny wouldn’t have killed that soc. I know that Johnny was killed by saving those kids, but I killed him! I didn’t protect him!

“Dally too…” You trailed off. “He loved Johnny so much. Maybe more than me. And because I didn’t protect Johnny, Dally died too. I’ve killed them. Johnny and Dally. And you should hate because Ponyboy is all messed up because of me!”

You tried to pull away from Darry. You needed a cigarette, either to smoke or burn yourself, you hadn’t decided yet.

“You didn’t kill Johnny!” Darry’s grip was still tight on you. You wriggled in his hands, but he held firm, just like Darry always did. “This isn’t your fault. You didn’t kill Johnny or Dally and you didn’t hurt Ponyboy! If what you’re saying was true then it’d be like saying that I killed Johnny because of me hitting Ponyboy. We can’t think like that.”

Darry got quiet. You watched as he processed what he was saying for the first time. You were sure he had thought it before, but he had probably never said it out loud. His eyes stared over your shoulder.

“It’s not your fault Darry.” You whispered.

“I’m not this great role model you think I am for my brothers.” Darry looked at you. “I hit Ponyboy, he ran away because of me. I have to live with that. But this-“ Darry looked toward Johnny’s grave, “This isn’t your fault. And you shouldn’t be hurting yourself over it.”

Darry ran his hand over the burns and you winced. You had been doing it for as long as you could remember, the skin was scarred over you couldn’t fully feel Darry’s touch expect on the fresh burn. Sometime after your 14th birthday when your father had called you a slut for the first time and threatened to sell you off to his friends for money. It wasn’t the first time he said something horrible like that to you, but it was the way he got close and looked at you up and down. His boozy breath radiating into your nostrils. He looked like he meant it.

“My brother’s dead.” You looked up at Darry and broke down into sobs all over again.

Darry pulled you into his chest and let you cry. Sodapop and Ponyboy stared from next to the Ford and Darry waved him off, signaling them to go home without him. Darry was going to hold you for as long as you needed.

You cried so hard and for so long that the sun had moved its position in the sky. You felt lightheaded and your chest hurt. You pulled back from Darry’s shirt.

“Oh crap,” You said, “I ruined your shirt.” You ran your fingers over the soaking wet material, a tiny bit of makeup smudged on the white material.

Darry waved you off. “It’s ok, I don’t wear it that often.”

You nodded, not up for a smile. Your chest was really starting to hurt and your jaw too, but you didn’t want Darry to worry about you anymore than he already was.

“Need a ride home?” You offered, trying to push the pain aside.

“Yeah that would be great.” Darry smile and you both started walking to your beat up Ford.

The short walk felt like a hike. You couldn’t feel your legs anymore and your arms felt cold. You debated asking Darry to drive, but you figured you just needed some water and you were sure to have a bottle in your car somewhere.

Darry was saying something, but you couldn’t hear him. Your ears were ringing and each step felt like carrying lead.

You finally made it to the driver’s side door, Darry looking at you like he saw a ghost. The thought almost made you laugh, being in a cemetery and all, but you didn’t have the chance to say anything but, “Darry, I don’t feel well.”

You had the sharpest pain in your chest and you reached for it instinctively, as if you could reach in and scratch it. Your head went cold and everything turned white as you collapsed on the concrete.

You woke up feeling weak, but not as weak as you were at the cemetery. Your chest was sore and something was suffocating you.

You reached up and felt a mask covering your nose and mouth. You didn’t try to pull it off, mostly because you didn’t have the strength to, but because someone’s hand was suddenly on yours.

You heard a familiar voice telling you to relax and that you were ok.

“Darry?” You looked up at him weakly.

“Hey kid.” He smiled and your chest hurt all over again. Kid. While now wasn’t the time to focus on Darry looking at you like you were five, you couldn’t help it. “You’re okay, you’re in the hospital. You collapsed at the cemetery. Scared me half to death with the way you went down. I thought for sure we’d lost you too.”

“What’s wrong with me?” You asked as Darry pulled his chair closer.

“I don’t really get what the doctor was saying, but after I told him what was going on the past couple of days and what happened before we went to the car, he said that you overexerted your heart.

“He said it wasn’t a heart attack, but I don’t really get what he was saying it was then. He said you had cried so much that you lost water and salt your body needed and because you had been so upset about Johnny the last couple of days that your heart was working overtime. Everything just caught up to you at once.”

“What happened to Johnny?” You asked, hoping this had all been a dream and he was still just in a bed here in the hospital.

“(Y/N)…” Darrel looked scared, like what you imagined he must have looked like at the cemetery when you collapsed. “Johnny’s dead.”

“I know.” You said meekly, looking away. “I was just hoping I could pretend he wasn’t.”

Darry took a sigh of relief, but he still looked pained.

“You just focus on resting up, kid. Doctor’s probably gonna wanna talk to you soon. He told me you’d probably have to stay here for a few days. I told the gang already, but I told them I would call back when you were awake before they all pounced on this place.

“Ponyboy was real worried.”

Ponyboy…your heart ached.

“Please don’t let him come Darry.” You said. Darry looked back at you confused at your request. “I don’t want him to see me like this. It’s too soon after Johnny. I don’t think he needs to see another Cade in the hospital.”

“Well, it’s gonna be hard to keep him away, but I’ll try. He cares about you, being Johnny’s sister and all.”

Your throat tightened. Johnny. You wished he was here. He may have been quiet, but he knew how to make you laugh. He had to, after all your parents had put you both through.

“You get some rest okay. I’m gonna head back and I’ll let them know you’re awake now. I’ll come see you tomorrow and stay with you.” Darry started to gather his things.

“You have work tomorrow, Darry. Don’t miss it because of me.” You knew how much the boys needed the money and you weren’t Darry’s responsibility.

“You gotta have someone here with you.” Darry had his jacket in his hands.

“I’ll be okay.” You said quietly, too tired to fight more.

Darry didn’t say anything else and nodded, unsatisfied with the conversation. As soon as he was out the door, you were sound asleep again.