I lied about the next chapter being fluff, try the next two... It was gonna be one, but it was too long. Enjoy. Oh, I also have a much shorter alternate, open ending type version of this story. If you want it, you can leave your email address and I'll get on it. Umm, if you rooted for Darry/Justin you'd like it, otherwise it's just kinda a short, fluffy cop out. Heh... By the way, I don't own anything... Yesh, took me seven chapters to tell you all... Hope I didn't surprise anyone...
Darry watched Justin and noted that his hands went to his face, rubbing his eyes as his posture remained tense. Darry wondered if Justin would ever let someone pull his tense, over wrought frame close to comfort him.
"Are you ready to go back?" Darry asked.
"Yes." Justin kept his same stance as Darry got up. Darry blinked at Justin and sighed, restraining his instinct to pull Justin close and sooth him. He doubted Justin appreciating the gesture.
"Steve left." Darry said as they walked.
"You shouldn't be angry with him on my account Darry." Justin said.
"I'd be angry if he treated anyone like that." Darry said.
"No you wouldn't. You'd be angry if he treated one of your brothers like that. You've known him longer than me. Why did you take my side?" Justin asked.
"You were right." Darry said.
"That usually doesn't matter. You stand by your friends." Justin said.
"Not always." Darry said.
"You always do. You're very loyal. Even I know it. You could've done everything in your life differently if you weren't. Why are you loyal to me?" Justin said.
"You deserve it." Darry said.
"And Steve doesn't?" Justin asked.
"You're worth being loyal to Justin." Darry flushed at his confession but Justin blinked.
"You really think so?" Justin furrowed his brow. Darry rubbed the back of his neck, glancing at him.
"I wouldn't have said it otherwise." Darry said.
"I'm not sure what that means but thank you, at any rate." Justin said.
"I figured you needed someone if your family doesn't care about you." Darry said.
"You're right. I get the feeling I don't know who I need."
(la la la blank space type thingy)
Justin spent most of the day sleeping on the couch, ignoring the general commotion of the Curtis house. He didn't care if Steve came back or not. Two Bit came around and Justin moved to make room for him. He rested his head against Two Bit's leg and Two Bit ruffled his hair.
"So I guess you're a permanent Curtis brothers' adoptee?" Two Bit asked.
"Yeah." Justin said.
"Not a bad idea. You're safe here and you can always crash at my house too. Messy but it's still a roof. Where is your truck?" Two Bit asked.
"It's still at my old place."
"With all your stuff?" Two Bit asked.
"Yeah." Justin said.
"Why don't you change and we'll see what we can do about it?" Two Bit's smile was caring but a vicious glint reassured he would inflict pain on anyone who so much as looked at Justin wrong. He may be goofy old Two Bit but he didn't like seeing his friends in pain. Two Bit saw the pain Justin was in to walk around and sighed. He'd put a dent in whoever did it if given half a chance, goofy old Two Bit or not.
Justin knocked on Pony's door to get some clean clothes. Pony was the closest size and he just needed temporary clothes. Pony always wore his clothes too big anyway, so it would be a stretch.
"How are you feeling?" Pony let him in without hesitation.
"Well rested. I need some clothes." Pony glanced at the blood on his jeans and the over sized sweatshirt, still unzipped.
"Is that Darry's?" Pony asked.
"I think." Justin said, wincing. He was a little more appearance focused then the other boys. He needed to be. It was bad when he didn't know whose clothes he was in.
"Must've been one hell of a night. Sit down and I'll see what I can find."
"I don't need anything special, just some jeans and a shirt. Two Bit offered to come with me to retrieve my clothes but I'd hate to wander around in public looking like I escaped the morgue." Justin said.
"You don't look bad. Your face isn't swollen or anything and those stitches just make you look more, tuff." Pony said, his appraising glance making Justin flush.
"I don't know if that's a reputation I can uphold." Justin said.
"That's what Two Bit and Darry are for." Pony said, smiling.
Pony turned to his dresser. Justin knew he'd probably be digging up the tightest, darkest jeans for Justin. Justin didn't wear clothes tight because everyone wondered if they made jeans that could hug Justin's frame. He wasn't stick skinny though. Pony noted even when he was completely relaxed (he also noted that Justin was completely relaxed, half asleep on Pony's bed) his muscles were definable. His wiry arms boasted a few bruises and the sweatshirt left his washboard chest exposed. He wasn't over done because he couldn't be over done being so skinny. Pony shook his head in an effort to rid his mind of those types of thoughts.
"That's a good way to see it." Justin said. Pony pulled out some dark gray jeans and a thin, white tee shirt.
"Try these on. Someone will have a belt if you need one too." Pony said. Pony turned to give him some privacy but had already noticed his black boxers. He'd said he wouldn't be caught dead in anything else in case he got pantsed. Pony wondered if he'd learned the hard way.
"Thanks Pony." Justin zipped his jeans just as Pony turned.
"They fit?" Pony asked.
"Yeah. I should grow into this size anyway. The next size smaller is a little too revealing." Justin winked at Pony and chuckled. "Not that I have anything to reveal. I should just drink more soda and eat more chocolate, get a nice pad going on my ass. Hurt less when I fall on it." Justin laughed at himself as Pony laughed.
"I've never heard you say anything like that." Pony said.
"I guess I'm winding down a little." Justin said, sitting on the bed again. Pony noted how well the jeans fit, only tight in the right places. The white shirt was very tight. (Author's note: pant and drooool times nine. I couldn't resist.)
"Want me to come with you and Two Bit?" Pony asked.
"Yeah. I need all the help I can get. I was going to ask anyway. You're usually real calm."
"What?" Pony asked.
"You're always calm enough to make sure I don't do something crazy or stupid or both." Justin said, smiling.
"Yeah." Pony said, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Thanks for the comment about the stitches. I'm glad it isn't detrimental to the flaming handsomeness rolling off me in waves." Justin smiled and Pony burst into laughter. "Yeah, that's what I thought." Two Bit stuck his head in the door and blinked at Pony stifling his laughter in a pillow.
"Ready to go?"
"Yeah, Pony's gonna come too." Justin said.
"So is Soda. Gonna be a tight ride."
Tight was an understatement. Justin noted it would've been more comfortable in the borrowed truck if Justin was perched on Two Bit's lap while he drove. Justin didn't mind as much as he would've a few days earlier. He learned who he could trust.
He learned whose driving skills he couldn't trust as he gripped Soda's knee and kept himself from screaming. Pony was just as terrified but Soda and Two Bit were having a good time. Justin found Pony's hands on his arm and buried his face in Pony's thin shoulder.
Pony felt Justin's angled face buried in his shoulder and kept his grip on the boy's arm. He shouldn't let himself get so worked up since Two Bit wasn't really gonna get them in an accident but he knew he could get worked up and be safe with Soda, Two Bit and Justin. Justin was scared too but he had reason to be. Whatever happened the last night had shaken Justin to the core.
"Ya'll just can't take a good ride." Two Bit said, getting out of the truck after Justin pointed a shaky finger at the house.
"Ready?" Soda asked. Pony and Justin were drawn out and pale.
"Give us a minute. That was worse than usual." Pony said.
"Well Justin hasn't ridden with me before. Had to give an impressive show of my skill." Two Bit said.
"I don't think giving teenagers panic attacks is a reputable skill Two Bit." Justin said, sighing. "But yes, there was some skill involved not to scream on my part. Damn, I'm driving myself on the way home."
"Can I come?" Pony asked.
"Yeah." Justin chuckled. "You're terrible Two Bit."
"I am."
Justin pushed himself from leaning on the truck and walked to the door. It was always open. He walked in and no one was home. He knew his landlord wasn't home because he was always in the front room. He went to his room and unlocked it. He was surprised when Two Bit was at his heels. Pony and Soda lingered in the front room.
Justin reached into his closet for an all too familiar duffel bag and Two Bit noticed Justin's shirttail inch up his back. He couldn't hold his exclamation.
"You have a tattoo?"
"Yes." Justin said, not registering the abhorrent shock in Two Bit's voice.
"But you're, Justin. How long have you had it?" Two Bit.
"A while." Justin said, hiding a smile. Always the quiet guys that could throw the loud, explosive ones in a loop.
"Why? What is it?" Two Bit was up and very close to Justin as he shook with laughter.
"You can't see it through the shirt." Justin pulled his shirttail up and Two Bit blinked.
"It's, pretty." Two Bit seemed confused and Justin laughed as he fingered the design.
"You sound shocked." Justin said.
"Well yeah, if you were ever to get a tattoo, I thought it's be something, tuff. Not," Two Bit couldn't find the word.
"Not a flower?" Justin said, resigned to Two Bit's two-handed grip on his sides as he stared.
"Well, no. It's interesting though." It was a black rose but every line was distinguishable, black highlighting against black.
"Yeah. I try." Justin said.
Two Bit sat on Justin's bed as he tossed clothes into the duffel bag. Two Bit attempted to help by folding clothes but he realized Justin wasn't folding clothes. He stopped at a strange article of clothing. Two Bit looked again. Black. Smaller than the jeans already tossed into the bag. Leather. Two Bit spent a few shocked moments watching Justin, wondering if he could sport such leg wear.
"Are these yours?" Two Bit held them up.
"Yes." Justin said.
"Really?" Two Bit said.
"Yes." Justin said.
"I can't see you wearing them." Two Bit said.
"People pay to." Justin smiled as his back faced Two Bit.
"What?"
"I work at a bar. Those are for the days when I need good tip money." Justin said.
"I never pegged you as a," Two Bit didn't have a word for it. Justin supplied it.
"Tip solicitor? I don't have to solicit. I'm very popular at my workplace." Justin said.
Justin was quiet as he finished packing and walked to the front room. He thought a moment and sighed.
"I think that's it." Justin said. He started as the front door slammed open and his landlord appeared. The middle-aged man was named Arnie. Justin's stance changed from calm to furious in a heartbeat.
"Hello babe. Came crawling back?"
Arnie didn't appear to understand how much pain Justin wanted to inflict on him and if he had an idea, he wasn't threatened.
"Can't say I'm surprised or disappointed. You make a good fuck."
Everyone flinched at that comment and something in Justin snapped. It snapped hard and permanently.
No one had ever seen Justin resort to violence and no one really wanted to see it again. Or hear it rather. Everyone's eyes snapped shut the instant his fist initiated the punch. They heard the ominous crack of the impact on the man's jaw and dared glance as he leaned on the wall, holding said jaw and looking damn startled.
"Anything else you want off your chest?" Justin's eyes would've made Satan flinch and stare at his feet (or cloven hooves).
"I have something you might want." Arnie dug in his pocket and held Justin's keys. Justin blinked. "I might be persuaded to hand them over for something I want."
Arnie licked his lips and Justin blinked. Two Bit, Soda and Pony exchanged glances and averted their gaze as another sickening thud sounded. Justin shook his hand and held out the other for the keys. Arnie was now holding his nose and dropped the keys into his hand.
"One last thing." Arnie said, still holding his now bleeding nose.
"You're a slow learner." Two Bit muttered, noting that Justin clenched his fist. (Soda might've made a comment about Two Bit calling someone else a slow learner, but he refrained.)
"Your family came here, looking for ya." Arnie said.
"Who was it?" Justin said, cracking his knuckles. He looked like he was still considering going all out and pounding Arnie until he met his twisted maker.
"Said he was your brother. Had blonde hair and weird eyes. Like a God damned demon." Pony had noticed that Justin's hair was growing out and it wasn't black at the roots.
"Anything else?" Justin said. Arnie was watching his words.
"Said your parents wanted you back." Arnie said.
"If I ever see you again, you had better pray there are possible eye witnesses."
Justin got in his truck and Pony got in next to him. He seemed less inclined to violence now but he was still seething and upset. It looked like he might've hurt his fingers smacking his landlord around but Pony wasn't going to be the one to suggest icing them.
"Sorry if I scared you." Justin said.
"I wasn't scared. I'd rather have you hitting someone than someone hurting you." Pony said.
"I figured as much." Justin said, a very faint smile playing on his lips.
"I've never seen anyone hit like that." Pony said, blinking. Justin was a lot like Darry in that respect. He put his entire frame behind a hit but Pony had never seen Darry let go of limits or get so much velocity behind his hits. It was almost like Justin jumped into the hit.
"I seldom fist fight but I know I can win when I do. People never expect a little guy to know how to fight well." Justin said.
"Are you okay?" Pony asked.
"I guess. It makes me very nervous that my family is looking for me." Justin said.
"Do you think they'll keep looking for you?" Pony asked.
"I don't know. My brother will but he wouldn't be looking for me because my parents want me back."
"You can always just pound him like you did Arnie." Pony said.
"My brother isn't really the kind who would condescend to fistfight." Justin said.
"What did he mean when he said your brother was like a demon?" Pony asked.
"I don't know. My brother is a God damned soulless asshole, so that might've been it. One of his eyes is completely white, some kind of birth defect or some shit like that. That might've earned the reference." Justin said. Pony knew the entire conversation was shaking Justin and stopped asking questions.
Darry had left for work when they came home and Justin didn't bother changing. Pony asked if he wanted to sleep in his room and he ended up curled up in Pony's comforter. Soda and Two Bit hovered and Justin decided he'd better ensure them of his sanity.
"I have to work tonight. Anyone want to come? Free drinks." Justin asked. Two Bit had mentioned him working at a bar to Soda and Pony to determine if anyone knew.
"When do you work?" Two Bit asked.
"Midnight to four in the morning. We're the all night kind of establishment." Justin rolled his eyes.
"Darry would skin me." Pony said.
"I'll go." Two Bit said.
"I figured. Soda?" Justin asked.
"Naw. I should stay home and watch Pony." Soda said.
"Steve coming over?" Justin asked. Soda wasn't that hard to read.
"Yeah."
"Tell him I didn't mean to offend him or something along the lines." Justin said.
"He'll understand and you were right to yell at him." Soda said. It was clear he was relieved that Justin had dropped the argument. It would be a hard choice between him and Steve. Justin rested his head on the pillow and yawned.
"Is your hair dyed Justin?" Pony asked. Everyone stared at him.
"Why would he dye his hair?" Two Bit asked.
"Because I am not a good looking blonde." Justin said, chuckling. "Does that mean my roots are showing Pony?"
"A little."
"I'll get some dye." Justin said.
"How blonde are you naturally?" Soda asked, blinking.
"Tow headed as they come." Justin said.
"I would never see you as blonde." Pony said.
"I used to look a lot like my brother. This solved the problem. Although, it's a little embarrassing when you can't find the manly dye and end up getting one with some middle aged housewife on it, saying how her roots don't show for weeks." Justin said.
"You're a very strange kid Justin." Soda said, laughing.
"That's a good way to put it." Justin said, shutting his eyes. Pony leaned on him as he sat on the bed.
"You should sleep. You're still looking peeked from earlier." Two Bit said.
"Yeah yeah Darry, I'm sleeping." Justin muttered.
"Ah, you're not the only one to feel the scolding of Superman." Two Bit said.
"Why do you guys call him that anyway?" Justin asked.
"Can't see the similarities?" Two Bit asked. Justin blinked and held his tongue. Broad shoulders, well built with a slim waist, of course not. Darry didn't look like that at all. Justin rolled his eyes. And he certainly didn't wear tights.
"Better than calling him Superdope. I wouldn't do that if you value your life." Soda said.
"Steve gets away with it." Two Bit said.
"When Darry is in a good mood." Pony said.
"Not often then?" Justin said.
"Nope." Soda said, smiling.
"He just needs some lovin." Two Bit said.
"He doesn't have a girlfriend?" Justin asked.
"Would a girlfriend stick around when he's already got a family?" Pony asked.
"It would take someone special." Justin said.
"Don't think there's a girl special enough for Darry."
Hi. It's been edited and rewritten a little. Leave me a review please.