25.

Dallas was happy. There wasn't a lot of moments in his life that could put a smile on his face, but today was just one of those days. He had woken to a stream of sunshine brightening his usually dark bedroom, and when he went downstairs to have his first morning cigarette on the front porch, there was a cool breeze cutting through the early September heat. He leaned against the railing for a good long while, listening to the birds chirp and watching the cars zip down the long road leading out of town. Then he went back in and rifled through the icebox for something to eat, but all there was left was a jar of pickles and milk that was so expired that it had began to resemble yogurt instead. It had been Buck's turn to buy groceries, and the lack of would usually set Dallas off enough to get into a fight with his room-mate, but he couldn't work up enough effort to really care. Being in a good mood made him lazy like that; he never wanted to argue or fight or even get into any trouble. Dallas would have spent the whole day sitting on the porch and chain-smoking if the urge to see the gang hadn't been strong enough.

Washing his face and combing his hair back with a healthy dose of product, he dressed up in freshly washed clothes and headed out. Buck was gone, taking his car with him, so Dallas was forced to take the bus with the rest of the lower-class. The whole ride he was stuck sitting beside a little boy while his mother hovered close by on the other side of the row. His hair was as light as Dally's and his clothes were all a size too big, and he kept looking up at him with big, frightened eyes until his mom gave his elbow a pinch. A few moments later he'd be right back at it. Dallas tried to stare out the window, concentrating on the sways and jolts of the bus as it dipped into the potholes lining the road. Then the kid started swinging his tiny legs, nicking the back of his calf so often that Dallas was beginning to think he was doing it on purpose. He wanted to reach over and strangle the little bastard until his eyes popped out of his head for ruining his good mood. He hated kids more than anything. He hated the way they were always doing nonsensical shit, or getting in the way of things, or how they were almost always dirty and smelly and always crying. Mostly he hated the way they never lived by any damn rules. They didn't care about money or jobs or reputations; they were too busy making mud pies and shitting themselves.

The bus turned a sharp corner and Dallas saw the kid leaning sideways, too tiny and weak to fully fight the pull of gravity. Dallas gave him a light shove with his leg, hiding his smirk as the little fucker slid out of his seat and onto the dirty floor.

His mother gasped, dipping down and grabbing the boy under his arm to haul him up. The kid's face was red with embarrassment as he burst out into sobs, trying to speak but too distraught to form proper words.

"Are you alright, honey?" His mom asked, pulling him onto her lap. "I told you to hold on tightly when the bus makes turns, didn't I? Oh, stop crying honey, you're okay, you're okay!"

Dallas got off at the next stop, his mood lifting once more.

When he got to the Curtis' house Ponyboy was whisking up a couple eggs in a bowl as big as his head. He was the only one awake on a Saturday morning; his two older brothers could be heard softly snoring from their respective beds.

"Hey." Dallas mumbled, grabbing a slice from the bread bin before he found a comfy seat at the breakfast table, choosing the chair directly under the window so he could soak up the sun. "Make me some of that, will ya'?"

Ponyboy nodded without turning his head. He shuffled back and forth across the kitchen, lighting the stove element and then back to grab the bacon out of the icebox. Dallas watched for a second before turning out the window, chewing slowly on his bread. He did hate kids, but if there was ever an exception to the rule, it would be Ponyboy. They had known each other for most of their lives- since before Dally's dad dragged them off to New York for some stupid 'get-rich-quick' scheme. When he came back, Pony had grown from a baby to a full fledged human- and quite the example of perfection as well. He excelled in everything from his studies to athleticism to arts... hell, he was even a quick learner when it came to rumbles. Dallas didn't mind admitting he was jealous (especially when Pony was always hogging his mother's attention) but that didn't mean he wasn't proud of him too. He had a special place in his heart for Ponyboy- for the whole gang, really. They all had a way of looking at the world like there was still something out there worth while. Some days, like today, Dallas could almost see the same.

Pony was getting nervous in the silence. Dallas was only ever silent for two reasons: he was happy and satisfied, or he was angry and dangerous. They both knew the youngest hated getting wrapped up in Dally's trouble.

Dallas finished the bread and lit another cigarette. "You're burning the bacon, idiot."

Pony shot him a glare over the shoulder before flipping the thin strips of meat over on the skillet. Dally was snickering when Soda staggering into the kitchen.

"Food..." He mumbled like a zombie in a movie, grabbing his brother by the shoulders and giving him a playful shake. Pony cursed, knocking his elbow against the pan handle as he turned around to smack his brother with the greasy spatula.

Soda tried to dodge but got a splatter of oil on his old t-shirt anyway. He didn't seem to notice as he came to sit down beside Dallas.

"Well, look who it is!" He exclaimed, thumping his palm against Dally's shoulder. "Tulsa's very own lady killer!"

"Oh God." Dallas heard Pony mumble under his breath, exasperated. Dallas felt the exact same way.

Soda tucked his legs in and balanced his feet on the edge of his chair, grinning from ear to ear. "How long have you been together now? A week? Steve owes five bucks."

Dallas blinked, a thin, amused smirk flitting across his mouth that he often had when he was about to rough someone up. "You've all been betting, huh?"

"Oh, since the beginning!" Soda replied, unfazed. He reached over and started to mess with a few papers and books that had accumulated on the table. Pulling out a small notepad that they usually took phone messages on, he flipped to the last few pages and passed it to Dally.

He scanned through the words with a skeptical eyebrow raised. It was kind of annoying to find out they were all betting on a relationship that had barely just started, but he wasn't really surprised either. Hell, if he had been let in on it he would have probably been betting himself.

"You bet..." Dallas squinted at Two-Bit's distinctly messy writing. "You bet 'forever and ever'?"

Soda nodded rapidly, distracted only as Pony came forward and dropped plates of eggs and bacon in front of them before the youngest joined them at the table with his own plate.

"Hey, I'm just bein' supportive." Soda grumbled, kicking his feet back down to the ground as he scooted closer to the table and picked up a piece of bacon.

"He also bet when you'd tell each other 'I love you.'" Ponyboy admitted freely. "And when you'll get married, get her knocked up, and how long it'll take before she makes you an honest man-"

"Pony, shut up!" Soda cried, "You're freaking him out!"

Dallas suddenly felt like he was going to burst out of his skin. He tossed the notepad onto the table, too nauseous to read any longer.

Soda's smile faded as he noticed his friend's expression. He clapped him on the shoulder again. "Hey! Don't worry, alright? Only me and Two-Bit got that far- Steve didn't even think you'd last a week, and Darry refused to bet at all! ...He's kind of uncomfortable with you two dating in the first place, to be honest."

Fighting the urge to light up his third smoke of the day, Dallas picked up his fork and stabbed a chunk of scrambled eggs. "He ain't the only one."

They ate in silence for a moment.

"Hey, Soda?" Pony started, looking up from his plate. "How're you ever gonna collect on a bet like 'forever and ever?'"

His brother's mega-watt smile fell from his face.

It was the first time in a long time that all of them had the day off. Steve was scheduled for a ten to seven shift at the DX, but he had hacked out a lung on the phone with his boss to get out of it. They celebrated by grabbing Darry's old, dirty football and heading to the empty lot. They had been doing this for years; long before the Curtis parents passed. Dallas could remember them when they were still racing down the street on bikes, trying to beat each other to the grassy field. Darry would usually win unless he had given his bike to Soda, who didn't have one of his own. Johnny didn't either until he and Dally went down to the park by the tracks and stole some from a pair of Soc kids. There was never a bike that was Pony's size, so he was always hitching a ride from one of them. Pony probably didn't even know how to ride a bike; by the time he had been big enough the rest of them had outgrown theirs and were taking the bus or getting their licenses.

Darry, Soda, and Two-Bit were on one team and Dallas, Steve, and Ponyboy formed another. They're teams never varied much; it was hard to even out the odds when their strengths were all so different. Naturally Darry could never be on the side as Steve or Dallas or else their strength would overweight the other team's, but Soda and Two-Bit were easily interchangeable, and so were Pony and Johnny. There was only one game ever played with all the Curtis boys on one team. It had ended with the ball in a tree, Two-Bit sporting a sprained wrist, and Ponyboy in tears. Ruby Curtis had given them all a long lecture for it, and they hadn't played on the same team ever since.

Johnny sat this game out. He was looking much better than before, but they knew his rib was still hurting him and Darry wouldn't have let him play even if he wanted to. Instead he sat under the shade of a tree by the far end of the lot, reading one of Ponyboy's adventure books. They had taken Ellie's dogs out as they passed her house and Lord was on guard beside him, stiff-backed and watching the near-by road while Lady sniffed around the fence. Dallas kept turning his head to check on him during pauses in the game, just to make sure he wasn't getting bored or lonely. He wouldn't admit it, but he was always keeping an eye on Johnny whenever he was near. Sometimes he would even seek the kid out just to make sure he was okay. It wasn't because he was scared that he would get into trouble. It was because he sometimes had a look on his face when he was left on his lonesome- a look Dallas understood all too well. He couldn't have described the relief he had felt when Johnny had refused to go back to that house after knocking his father out. It was as if he had been off at war all these years and the rest of them had been kept on native soil, doing the best they could and praying to God for his safety... But now he was home, and whatever was left of him could be patched up until he was nearly brand new.

As if to compensate for the emotions churning in his chest, Dallas played especially vicious on the field. He even managed to sneak past Darry and score a rare but rewarding touch-down before the sun grew too warm and the boy's determination dwindled with laziness. By the time Ellie came upon them the game had ended. Soda and Two-Bit were tossing the ball while Lady ran back and forth between them and the rest of the boys were lounging under the shade of the tree, shooting the bull or listening to Johnny as he read 'Journey to The Center of The Earth' out loud.

Dallas had been caught up arguing with Steve over the complexities of stealing the most valuable parts of a Soc's car when Ellie had rounded the corner of the lot. With his back to the street, he wasn't aware of her approach until she was already on them.

"What're you boys up to today?" She was bare footed, a pair of white heels swinging in her hand while the other clutched the handle of a tin picnic basket. Easing it onto the grass between their feet, she crouched down beside Dallas and peppered the side of his face with kisses.

The boys broke out into a roar of whistles and teasing. Dallas scowled and grabbed Ellie's wrist to pull her down into his lap and stop her. He hadn't realized dating Ellie would require being smothered by affection. It wasn't something he was very comfortable with. Using contact to create sexual tension- that he could do. He could press his hands into her waist when they were locking lips, or skim his fingers along her thigh when they were driving. But what Ellie did was different, more... emotional, and it made him want to squirm.

"A hello would have worked just as well." He grumbled to her, flipping his friends the bird to silence them.

She smiled and patted his cheek. "That wouldn't have made you blush, though."

Dallas scowled. "I'm not goddamn blushing."

"Right." Steve snorted, "Dallas Winston doesn't blush, don't you know? He just gets very sudden, very red sunburns on his cheeks."

Dallas flipped him the bird and reminded himself to give Steve a long over-due beating.

"I brought sandwiches." Ellie explained, cracking open the basket's lid and rolling her eyes as seven dirty hands darted towards the food she had stashed inside."Some are peanut butter and jelly and some are baloney and cheese. There are cokes and beer at the bottom as well."

Darry waved his hand to call Soda and Two-Bit over to eat. Lady, having finally noticed her owner, came trotting in between the boys to rub her soft white head against Ellie's shoulder. She laughed, scratched her hard on the nape of her neck, and then grabbed her collar to compel the dog to sit down beside them. Lord, on the other hand, wasn't at inclined to wake from his nap to greet his human keeper.

"How'd ya' find us?" Pony asked, crumbs falling onto his shirt as he chewed on his sandwich.

"I was saw you guys playing football while I was walking home." Ellie explained, pointing behind them to a little ways down the road. "I figured you'd all be hungry by now. It's an hour past noon."

Dallas squinted up at the sun as it shone through the thick foliage of the tree they sat under. Ellie was right; they had already burnt the whole morning up playing around in the lot.

"How did your interviews go?" Darry asked her, bringing Dally back down to their conversation. He peered down at the girl between his legs. After a few months in Tulsa, she had eased into a more relaxed way of dressing but today she was in full Soc costume. Her whole outfit looked as if it cost more than what Dallas made in a year.

Ellie groaned with defeat. "Pretty badly. I had two of them and neither one of them bothered to take me seriously. They spent the whole time asking me why my parents didn't just give me allowance money... and I couldn't very well tell them the real story!"

Soda reached up and patted her on the head, sympathetic. They could tell he wanted to muss her hair up, but she had it done up so intricately that it was almost a shame to ruin it.

"You gotta look like you need the job, kiddo." He explained, "They probably thought you were only there to piss off your father or make a statement for women's liberation. No one's gonna hire you if they think you'll run off once you're point is made."

Ellie pouted, eyes drifting downwards as she scratched behind Lady's ear. She looked as if she had a million things to say, but instead she settled on, "That's stupid."

Two-Bit nudged Johnny. "At least you're roommate's got a job now!"

"Where?" Darry asked, having already scarfed down his sandwich. It did nothing to fill his stomach; he could eat a dozen and still be hungry an hour later.

"With us at the DX." Soda explained as Johnny ducked his head and pretended they weren't all staring at him. "He's gonna be manning the register and work the pumps too."

Johnny getting a job was good news. Most kids that ran away ended up back home in a matter of days. The gang had been silently holding their breaths, waiting for the day Ellie would wake up to an empty house. But that time hadn't come yet. Getting a job was a good sign; it mean't Johnny was thinking of the future. It mean't he was planning to stay.

"Part-time, right?" Ellie insisted, a certain tone in her voice.

Johnny shot her the meanest look he could muster, which wasn't much. "Yes."

"What's this about?" Dallas asked with a raised eyebrow. He had never heard them talk to each other so sharply before. He wondered if maybe living together wasn't such a good idea after all.

Both Johnny and Ellie shrugged and turned their gazes elsewhere.

"Nothin'." They corused.

Two-Bit's hand shot up to his face, a long frown on his face and his eyes squinted like he was about to start crying. "You two better not be fighting! It'll break my goddamn heart, I swear! I can't live in a world where you two aren't peas in a pod! I'll cast my fragile body into the sea-"

"Shut up, Two-Bit!" Steve grumbled, punching him hard on the shoulder. "Jesus, are you drunk already?"

Two-Bit rubbed his smarting arm and shouted, "How could I possibly be drunk, you idiot! I've been here all day with you guys! I've only gotten one damn beer in me since this morning-"

"Quit yellin', would you?" Ponyboy snapped, rubbing his temple. "You're giving me a headache."

"Look what you've done!" Soda was trying not to burst into laughter as he waved a finger between Johnny and Ellie. "If you two don't get along, this whole damn gang is going to crumble apart!"

Dallas snorted and picked out his cigarette packet from it's nest in his shirt sleeve. Sometimes it was hard to believe that this was where he had ended up in life, sitting with a bunch of kids in an empty lot and arguing over nothing. It seemed like such an easy, simple thing to do. Nothing like he had ever expected of himself. Spending those years in New York, where close-knit friends were a rarity and care-free moments was non-existent, had made him believe this kind of life was only reserved for those who didn't live in the projects. It made him happy... but it made him sort-of sad, as well. If only he had known, maybe he wouldn't have turned out the way he had. Maybe he would have turned out like Two-Bit or Soda, who could laugh and joke even when things came down hard on them.

Ellie must have sensed his change in mood because when he glanced up from lighting his cigarette she had twisted around to smile at him. She was leaning her back into his shoulder, his arm around her waist. He was a little sweaty from playing football but she didn't seem to care.

When she turned back around, Dally tucked her closer and rested his chin on her head. It was the only way he knew to tell her he was fine without saying it out loud.

"-Bradley's house. You know, that skinny wack-o in Shepard's outfit?" Two-Bit had moved on from his dramatics and had started on the story of his previous night out. "Well, he'd just gotten out of prison, and he pulled up his sleeve and showed me this tattoo he got inside!"

"What did it look like?" Johnny inquired.

"It was..." Two-Bit had to stop and think. "It was a skull with rubies for eyes! It was actually kind of good, ya' know, for a stick-n'-poke. He offered to do it on me, and I was gonna do it until I saw the nasty needle he brought out! I would have gotten an infection so bad, chopping my arm off would have been the best case scenario!"

"My brother and his friends used to do that kind of thing all the time. They used to make me set up the needle 'cause my fingers were smallest." Ellie put a hand up to her mouth to cover a yawn. Dallas hadn't noticed how tired she looked until now. She was nearly falling asleep in his arms. When she spoke she had a delirious, sleepy tone of voice. "They all got little bobcats on different parts of their bodies. My dad has a bobcat on his shoulder... Now that I'm thinkin' about it, that was a gang thing, wasn't it? Golly, I'm dumb."

Two-Bit slapped the tree trunk in excitement. "We should have gang tattoos!"

"No." Darry replied automatically.

"Come on, Darry!" Two-Bit persisted before turning to Ellie. "You know how to do them, right, Els?"

"Sure I do." Ellie admitted, "But I'm not doing it."

The red-head's face fell. "Why not?"

"Darry said 'no'."

Darry puffed out his chest a little at Ellie's reply. He wasn't one to abuse his power as the gang's unspoken leader, but he did get a kick out of being obeyed... it wasn't very often that he was, truthfully. His brothers had to listen to him at all times, of course, but the only times the rest of the gang really followed his orders was during time of crisis, or rumbles.

"Darry ain't the boss of me!" Two-Bit hollered, jumping up and scrambling his way through them. "I'll show you yellow-bellied cowards!"

"He's got to be drunk." Steve groaned. Like flies to a light, they gathered themselves up and started after their eccentric friend. Out of the shade the sun was ten times hotter, beating down on them without any mercy. Unable to stand the scorching cement, Ellie slipped on her heels with a loud, miserable groan before following them down the road. In a matter of minutes they in front of her house and she rushed into the yard to put the dogs back and fill up their water bowls. They boys stopped to wait for her but Two-Bit was impatient. He swung open the front door to the Curtis' house and disappeared inside.

When the rest of them came in he was digging around in Ponyboy's school bag, tossing notebooks and loose papers across the coffee table.

"Hey, quit it!" Pony shouted, wrenching his bag from his grip. "What the hell are you doing?"

Two-Bit stuck out his hand expectantly. Something had come over him; it was his mission to prove he couldn't be told what to do. "I need a pencil."

Pony looked to Darry. His brother shrugged and passed them to grab a beer from the kitchen. Pony slapped a short, mostly used pencil into Two-Bit's palm.

"This is a bad idea." Ellie curled up on the floor, most of the couch being occupied by the boys. Dallas wouldn't have complained if she sat in his lap again, but they were all too sweaty and hot for it to appealing.

Two-Bit grabbed the needle Soda used to sew up bigger injuries from the first-aid kit in the washroom. It took him a few tries to properly lodge the needle between the eraser and tin encasing. Then he turned to Soda. "You got any ink?"

"I got a pen." Pony answered instead, throwing one at him. He was still a little sore from having his bag torn apart.

"It's going to get infected, Two-Bit." Ellie mumbled, a frown curling the corners of her mouth as she fidgeted.

They watched in relative silence as Two-Bit grabbed a bowl from the kitchen, cracked open the pen, and tapped the ink out into a shiny black puddle. Unlike most of the room, Dallas was more curious to see if he would go through with it and less anxious on the hazards it entailed.

"What're you gonna do?" Dally asked.

Two-Bit hadn't thought about it. He sat up and dug around in his brain for any image that would be worth etching into his skin for all eternity. "Well, I can't do a skull. I don't want the same thing as Bradley..."

Dallas was going to offer up suggestions, but he made the fatal choice in letting his gaze drift to Ellie and her disapproving pout. He held back a groan.

Without anyone else's help, Two-Bit had deflated. He fell down onto the couch, his makeshift tattoo needle still clutched in his hand. Taking pity, Steve got up and brought him a cold beer. That did the trick; in a few seconds the eighteen year old was back on his feet and hassling Pony for another pen.

"I won't have any left for school." He grumbled.

Two-Bit hovered the pen over the stretch of skin on his forearm just after his elbow. Then he turned to Ellie with big, pleading eyes. "Will you draw it for me? You're so good at drawin' things in art class." He asked in a soft, childlike voice. "Please, Princess?"

"Don't you 'Princess' me." Ellie huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm not helping you ruin your body. You know these things are permanent, right? No-one will hire you if you've got a crappy tattoo on your arm. It'll ruin your life-"

Two-Bit rolled his eyes. "Ellie, I'm an eighteen year old taking junior classes in high school. I don't think a tattoo is gonna ruin anything that hasn't already been ruined."

Ellie turned to glare at the ink in the bowl sitting on the coffee table. Dallas nearly laughed out loud. One only had to mention a pathetic aspect of their lives and Ellie would turn as soft as butter. Two-Bit had beaten her.

"Fine!" She hissed, rounding the table so that she was face to face with him. "You'll need thread, a clean, wet rag, and tape too."

Soda went to follow Ellie's instructions as she twisted Two-Bit's arm up to see her canvas. "What do you want?"

Two-Bit used his other hand to whip out his pride and joy: a long, black-handled switchblade. "This. I want my switchblade on my forearm."

Ellie made a face, wiped down the surface with the wet rag, and started her sketch. "You're such a Greaser, Keith Matthews."

"To the bone, Elizabeth Carter." Two-Bit shot back, sticking his tongue out at her. Ellie finished her drawing. It spanned only a quarter arm and was a near perfect replica of his blade, minus the finer details. Even as a template, Dallas had to admit it looked pretty tuff.

Grabbing a lighter that had been left on the table, Ellie ran the needle under the flames until it was red. Once it had cooled, she wrapped a tight bandage of thread around it, leaving only the very tip exposed. Then she taped the base to keep it all together and handed it back to Two-Bit.

"What?" He asked, blinking. "You ain't going to do it?"

Ellie scowled. "No! And I only helped you because if I didn't it would turn out all wrong, not to mention infected! But I'm not sitting here for an hour stabbing at you, that's for sure."

When she was done telling him off she went to sit beside Johnny, who gave her a pat on the back as she stewed in irritation. The rest of them crowded around Two-Bit as Soda began the first pricks along Ellie's sketch.

"Does it hurt?" Ponyboy tore his eyes away to see Two-Bit's expression. His eyebrows were furrowed, but there were no more obvious signs of pain.

"Feels...weird."

Steve cracked a grin. "He just doesn't want to admit he's gonna cry."

Ellie caved in half-way through. She didn't drop the sour expression, but she did come over to watch the process with the rest of the boys. It a little gross to watch Soda stabbing him with the contraption she had created; it looked like something someone would make during a very boring Home Economics class.

"Hey, can I get one next?" Steve asked.

Dallas nodded. "Me too."

He thought Ellie would give them the same, long-winded argument she had given Two-Bit, but she just sighed and grabbed the pen.

"No warnings?" Dallas asked as Steve took of his grass-stained shirt. "Where's your big speech about the dangers of stick-n'-pokes?"

"No one listens to me anyway." She watched Steve lift his arm and point to his ribs, ignoring his shiver a she wiped the surface down with a rag. Dally doubted it would help fight infection, but it seemed to make her feel better. "Where do you want it?"

"Get a switchblade! We should all get the same thing!" Two-Bit insisted, and Soda had to jerk back to keep from mis-poking him. He noticed their doubtful expressions and added, "Oh, come on! What about brotherhood? We're a gang, aren't we? Boys that get unsanitary, home-made tattoos together, stay together!"

"I want one too." Soda had one eye shut and the other hovering intently over his project. "Just a small one."

"A switchblade?" Two-Bit pressed.

Dallas couldn't think of anything else he would want engraved in his skin. "I'll get one."

"Fine then." Steve consented, lifting his arm to grip the back of his head and allow Ellie full access to his side. "Make it as long as... a hand, will ya'?"

"Please and thank you." Ellie began to shape the handle a few inches below his arm-pit. "You need a shower, Steve."

Steve nudged his offending area closer to Ellie's face and she squealed, flinging the pen at his face in retaliation. He snagged the pen, let out a loud cackle and muttered, "Girls."

Ellie turned to pout at Dallas. Dallas smacked Steve over the head.

"Watch it," He grumbled, "She's the only thing between you and a heart tattoo with 'I love Mom' inside."

Steve rubbed his head with his elevated hand. "I almost forgot you two were dating. You gonna let Dallas fight all your battles now, Els?"

"Well, who else would?" She pulled away, finished her replica of Two-Bit's blade. She was a genuinely good artist- something Dallas felt like he should have known. It was nothing amazing, and Pony's worst art could blow her's out of the water, but when she drew something it came out as it should. He couldn't remember the last time he even pressed a pen to paper, let alone draw. But he know he wasn't good at it. If he had been good at art, he would still be doing it.

Dallas was sitting on the couch beside Steve while Ellie crouched in front of them.

She stood and let out the kind of smile an exasperated mother would give her to troublesome child. "Now it's your turn."

He grabbed the back of his shirt and tugged it over his head.

Two-Bit let out a chuckle, laughing at a joke he had yet to make. "Woah there, cowboy! Don't get too excited. I think she just mean't it's your turn to get drawn on, not a tussle in bed."

All confidence drained out of Ellie at his words. Her face steadily reddening, she let her gaze fall somewhere between the living room carpet and the pen she fiddled with in her hand. Dallas had found the comment amusing, mostly because it made Ellie so flustered. But it wasn't going to earn him any favors to laugh.

He hid his smile and tugged her into his lap, resting a hand on her upper thigh. To Two-Bit, he said, "How would you like a nice Indian burn over that tat, Matthews?"

Two-Bit opened his mouth, a rebuttal already on his tongue. A stern look from Darry stopped him.

"Would you talk to your sister like that?" He asked, sounding frighteningly similar to his late father. Two-Bit must have noticed the resemblance as well; he sobered and shook his head. "Then shut up."

Two-Bit made a long, sulky face that expressed his un-trampled humor. "Yessir. Sorry, Princess. Sometimes I forget you aren't one of the guys."

Darry rolled his eyes and wandered into the kitchen.

"It's fine." Ellie offered him a small, forgiving smile. Her face was the shade of a tomato and she was having a hard time looking anyone in the eye.

Ellie was transparent. He could have thought this came with being a Soc, but then again, most Socs he had encountered had cold, un-penetrable exteriors as thick as his own. No, this was a trait that was uniquely Ellie's. Which made things easy for Dally, who never had any skills in the art of understanding girls. As long as he had a clear view of her face, he never had to guess what she was feeling or thinking. When she had a crush on him, he knew almost immediately. When he had come home at the end of summer, he could pin-point the exact moment she had forgiven him. Even if Ellie had wanted to hide from him, she couldn't. Every lie that fell from her lips was an awkward, stuttering tribute to her innocence.

It would be easy to assume Ellie was blushing due to the innuendo in Two-Bit's comment. In a way, it would be correct. But she wasn't blushing because they had innsinuated they had sex. She was blushing because he had insinuated they had sex and they hadn't. Dallas was confused; most girls wore their chastity like a badge of honor. Not to mention she was the one always telling him to stop. Was she upset that he hadn't forced himself on her yet? He doubted it.

Darry came back with two beers, passing one to Two-Bit as an unspoken peace offering.

Dallas scratched above his collarbone. "Right here."

Ellie started on her third sketch just as Soda finished. He wiped away the excess ink and blood, revealing a patch of swollen, red skin. Like a constillation, a thousand black dots formed Two-Bit's signature switchblade, officially carved into his skin for life.

Johnny poked the black handle. "You can see all the prick points."

"Can I get one too?" Pony asked, staring up at his eldest brother hopefully.

"No."

He pointed to Sodapop, who had joined the rest of them as they watched the beginnings of the battle play out. "Soda's allowed to get one!"

"Soda is old enough to make his own decisions." Darry replied, his eyes as cold and dangerous as black ice. Nothing could flare his temper like the youngest Curtis.

"Then when will I be old enough?" Ponyboy's voice rose in an anger that he hadn't quite learned to control. "When I'm Soda's age? When I've satisfied everyone's expectations? When I'm finished college? When I'm thirty and married to a broad of your approval? Then can I start living my own damn life?"

"Pony-" Soda started hesitantly, but it was too late. Ponyboy had worked himself into a fury that only time alone could subdue. He stormed through the front door.

There was a beat of silence as they listened to his footsteps fade down the front lawn.

"That boy needs a hug." Two-Bit muttered, staring at his arm.

"Shut up." Darry muttered to him again. He leaned against the side of the couch near Two-Bit and rolled up his sleeve. "Gimme one on my arm."

Soda stared up at him with his face scrunched up like he wanted to argue but knew it would do no good. Eventually he yielded, turning to Steve to start his tattoo.

Ellie's pen both scraped and tickled the thin skin above Dally's collarbone as she formed the long blade. When she lifted her face he could see her tongue briefly peeking out from between her lips.

"You want one?" She asked Johnny.

He shook his head, his gaze drifting toward the door. "Naw, I'm in enough pain as it is."

Steve's tattoo was the biggest, and Ellie was finished both Dally's and Darry's trace long before Soda had even finished the outline. Outside, the sun was drifting down behind a row of houses and the air was cooling considerably. To speed up the process, Ellie fashioned a second needle so Two-Bit could help.

Dallas hadn't really thought about his decision until he felt the ink soaked needle press against his collarbone. After an agonizing moment of resistance he felt a sharp sting and the needle had penetrated the first few layers of his skin. His brow furrowed. It wasn't the worst pain he'd endured; he'd been knifed, had snapped nearly every bone in his body, burnt, beaten, and had gotten his jaw broken by a tire-iron. But those had been quick and numbing, at least while the adrenalin was still rushing through him. But it was different to be sitting there in complete stillness, having nothing to focus on than the sliver of blackened metal drilling lines into his skin. Dallas felt irritated and antsy, nearly grabbing the needle out of Two-Bit's hand to insist he finish it himself.

He shut his eyes and tried to concentrate on the softness of Ellie's voice, a never-ending sound as she chatted idly with the boys. When he opened them again she was giggling at the television with Johnny and Two-Bit had finished the tattoo.

Dallas got up. The thought of sitting there any longer made him crazy. "I'm gonna go."

Ellie jerked her attention away from the television as if she had been shocked. "Where?"

"To the store." Dallas replied without much thought. He tugged on his shirt. "Buck hasn't bought any groceries and I better buy some 'fore he lets us starve to death."

"Can I come?" Ellie asked, looking up at him as if she wasn't really sure if Dallas could run errands without also causing havoc.

Dallas stuck his hand out and pulled her up from the couch.

"You comin' home for dinner?" Johnny asked her as they inched towards the door.

Ellie smiled. "Don't you mean, am I coming home to cook dinner?"

"...Same thing."

She barely had enough time to say 'yes' before Dallas was hauling her out onto the porch, his apprehension getting the better of him. He rushed onto the road, ignoring the sidewalk as he paced steadily down the center. The Curtis' house was pretty far into the suburbs of the east side, and there wasn't many cars passing by. Ellie had to jog to catch up, grabbing his hand to drag him back to her pace. He pulled away and swung his arm over her shoulder instead.

"What's up with you?" She asked, trying to catch his eye. "Does the tattoo hurt? We can get some disinfectant to keep it-"

With an eye-rolling, exasperated look, Dallas put his hand over her mouth to shut her up. "It doesn't hurt."

She tried to wretch his hand away but he held firm, amused by her how weak her fight was and how irritated she grew every second. She struggled for a few steps before wisening up- a pair of teeth sunk into the joint of his thumb, barely hard enough to hurt. He released her with a chuckle.

"Your hand tastes like dirt and sweat." Ellie grumbled, tugging out of his grasp totally. Lady was at the gate as they passed her house and and he watched with a sharp gaze as she came by the fence to pat her pet on the head as they walked by. Dallas flexed the sore muscles in his arm, clenching and releasing his fist. He could feel the absence in the space she had occupied like a gust of winter wind, gnawing at his ribs. It was pride, he liked to believe, that made him tuck his hands into his jeans and wait for her to come back on her own accord. There was no way in hell he'd call for her himself- the aching neediness she had instilled in him was enough of a punishment as it was.

He walked past Ellie with his gaze to the concrete and his mind far away. When he turned back to look for her she was skipping the gap that had formed between them. Her hair was tossing gently around her shoulders, sun-kissed arms swaying to propel her forward. She had that damn smile on her face; wide and dimpled and happy.

"You're looking at me funny." Ellie stated as she tucked her arm through his. "Do I have ink on my face?"

Dallas stared at the road ahead. "Yeah, everywhere."

"You're very mean, you know?" Ellie retorted, giving him a nudge so that they were both teetering to the side.

"How could I not, when you remind me every day?" Dallas leaned back on her enough to trip her. She would have stumbled to the road of he hadn't caught her around the waist at the last minute. Now it was his turn to smirk. "If I was mean, I would have let you smash your face into the cement."

Ellie straightened, her lips pressed into a thin, un-amused line. "Should I be thanking you?"

"Well," He skimmed the tips of his fingers along her side. "You can do other things to show your appreciation."

"Like punch you in the face?"

"I'd like to see you try!" Dallas exclaimed, entertained by her snarky answer. There was no way Ellie could leave anything but a scratch on him. Not because she was a girl, because he had always been smart enough to know girls could do a hell of a lot more damage than any man. But Ellie was hardly five feet tall and made purely of soft muscle and thin skin and Dallas- well, he was a well-seasoned fighter. Anyway, he'd be surprised if she could reach his face.

She crossed her arms over her chest, matching his smirk. "Then I'll show you!"

Dallas faltered in his stride and then came to a full stop. He turned fully to her, examining the stubborn tilt of her chin and the lightening shimmering in her orbs. She was rarely so headstrong.

He took a few steps back before gesturing to his body, allowing himself to be completely undefended. "Go on."

Ellie must not have expected him to react that way. She wavered in spot, her expression falling away in her hesitation. "I-I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't." Dallas moved back and uncrossed her arms. He helped her form a fist in her right hand, then tilted it up so that she would only need to swing in order to hit him in the chin. He locked gaze with her and said in a purposely patronizing tone, "Do it."

"I-I-!" Ellie bit her lip and furrowed her brows, that lightning flashing once more in her eyes. "I really will, Dallas!"

She wouldn't and he knew it. Dallas gripped the back of her head with one hand and made his own fist in the other, leveling it with her face. "I'm going to count to three and if you haven't swung by then, I'll break your goddamn nose."

She huffed, lowering her arm. "Dallas-"

"One...two...th-"

Dallas never had any intention of hitting her. He could be rough and crude to women, but to put a hand on a girl without her consent, sexual or violent, was unthinkable. He was a hood and a criminal, but he wasn't a monster.

But Dallas figured Ellie knew that, or else she wouldn't have let him even begin to start his count. He never managed to prove it to her, however. Before he could lower her hand, she had taken control.

His eyes had instinctively shut, fully expecting to feel the tell-tale impact along his jaw and then the sharp pain that always accompanied it. But it never came. Ellie tossed herself onto his solid frame, arms curling around his neck as she pressed a fervent kiss against his lips. It wasn't what he had expected, but it was far more welcoming than a bruise. He let out a sigh of contentment; all the strings of tension that had been tangling in him since the tattoo unraveled, as if she had reached into his chest and untangled them with gentle fingers. His clenched fist uncurled and went to the small of her back, crushing her tightly against him.

"I'm not going to hit you, you psycho." Ellie breathed as they pulled apart. She kept her hands on his neck, thumbs brushing against his earlobes. "I can't believe you just tried to pick a fight with a girl. Am I supposed to expect a lot of this in our relationship?"

"I do like fiesty broads." Dallas shrugged, holding back from kissing her again. If they kept at it he wouldn't want to stop and they'd be standing in the middle of the road all night.

"I'll keep that in mind." She replied dryly, untangling from him. Her hand went to his as they continued down the road, her gaze fixed on the passing houses. "I haven't been down here before. Where the heck are you taking me?"

Dallas groaned inwardly. His mind raced with ideas on how to discreetly distract his hand without offending Ellie. He just couldn't do it; holding hands was one of those odd, affectionate gestures she insisted on making- in public, without any mind to the hundreds of other people watching them.

Ellie let out a giggle, catching his attention.

"What?" He grumbled, running his free fingers through his hair, raking the lightly-greased locks back into position. They were headed onto the main road; just past it was a small grocery store. It was a frequent spot for the lower-class, most of the food being near expiration with correspondingly cheaper prices. The wide expanse of parking lot was also a common hang-out for younger Greasers under thirteen. The youngest ones were always standing by the doors, trying to persuade the softer mothers to buy them candy.

Ellie pressed the back of his captured hand to her navel, beaming up at him. "Most of the time I can't tell what you're feeling, but if you think you're hiding your embarrassment, you're wrong. I can feel you trying to shake me off."

Dallas scowled and tugged his hand from her to swing it back over her shoulder. This gesture he could deal with. It was more of a possessive statement than... an awkward declaration of devotion. He tried not to gag. "If you knew then why didn't you say anything?"

"For this reason exactly!" She shifted under his arm's weight, a hand on his wrist. "What's your problem, anyway? What's so horrible about holding my hand?"

"Nothing." Dallas growled, watching for cars as they cut through the main road. No one seemed to be out that day. "Just never walked around holding anyone's hand before. Don't really want to start, either."

She scoffed disbelievingly. "Not even your mom's when you were a little kid?"

Dally's silence said more than any words could. He stared ahead at the entrance of the store, watching a woman wrestle her young toddler into a shopping cart. She was pretty and blonde, using gentle words rather than force to coax her son. The connection between the scene and Ellie's words didn't escape Dallas. He couldn't remember his mother; didn't have a clue whether she was dead or just gone, but it was irrelevant. He didn't miss her- he didn't even know her. She could have been kind and loving, but more likely she was just as selfish and cruel as his father. At some point in his life his parent's absence became more of a fact than a tragedy.

He felt Ellie's hand on his back as she tucked herself tighter against his frame. "What about Sylvia, then? You never held her hand?"

"The only time I was touching Sylvia is when I planned to fuck her."

"Dallas!" Ellie's tender voice had sky-rocketed at her indignation. "Gross- Hey, there's Ponyboy!"

Pony was walking through the grocery store doors with Curly Shepard, looking no worse for wear. He was chewing on a sour candy, but Dallas was almost positive neither boy had money. A quick glance at their pockets told him that they had been stealing.

"Should we bother him?" Ellie asked quietly. Pony hadn't noticed them despite being only a few meters away.

Dallas shook his head. "Naw, he's probably still pissy about the tattoos. Let him go."

She nodded and pulled them to the side to let a woman with two arguing daughters pass. Then she unhooked his arm from around her and tangled their fingers together again.

"I just-" Dallas tried to tug away but she held firm and sent him a stubborn glare.

"Quit fighting me." She snapped, "Holding hands is normal and if you really liked me you'd let me have this one thing."

They paused to enjoy the blast of cool air that met them through the entrance. After spending the whole day in the sun, Dallas couldn't imagine a better feeling.

"Fine." He was too tired for fight her any longer, knowing she'd win either way. "But don't think I won't get you back for this."

Dallas watched Ellie straighten, a proud smirk fluttering across her face. "You could always try punching me again."

"Shut up." He growled, pinching her nose.

The store was clean and brightly lit. A few rows of sparsely filled isles greeted them from behind a barrier of cashiers.

Ellie rubbed her nose. "So what'd you need to buy again?"

"Oh." Dallas had forgotten the lie he had told to get out of the Curtis' house. "Fuck."

Hi everyone! Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews! Glad to see so many people are still so invested in this story! I know this one's pretty short but I just wanted to take a break and focus on the relationship of the gang as a whole for once. Hope you liked it? I know the gang never gets matching tattoos but this story is pretty AU and I figured I could do whatever the heck I wanted at this point. Also threw in some Dallas/Ellie int here! It's been kind of hard to write them as an actual couple, so I hope you guys aren't bored with them now that they're together? And I thought Dallas being worried about Johnny was adorable and not too far fetched considering he's been known to have a huge soft-spot for him...

Anyway! Thanks again for your reviews! I love hearing your opinions and know you're all supporting my decisions in this story. Hopefully I don't disappoint, no matter what I do...

Sorry for taking so long to update as well. I've been taking extra shifts at work so it's been hard to find time where I'm not too tired to write.

Love you all to the moon and back! See you next chapter!