The sun is sinking in a way that turns the sky a beautiful blend of pink, orange and yellow as they make their way to the bonfire. Ponyboy wishes that it was going to just be this, him in the passenger side next to Dallas, the wind in his hair, his cigarette tasting good in the back of his throat, Dallas' scent in his nostrils.
It could be better, to be fair.
In his perfect version of this day, Johnny wasn't in the backseat gnawing anxiously at his fingers. In his perfect version, it would be him and Dallas flying out to the bonfire at top speed together. Dallas would be grinning hugely, his teeth sharp, his hair fluttering in the wind. They'd stop to get food together, teasing the waitress and making trouble.
When they would get to the bonfire, they'd go to their own corner together — a thought that makes Ponyboy's pulse quicken, makes a feeling of needy heat course through him — a place to stakeout like all other couples. They'd make it their own, Ponyboy making a nest, Dallas sprawling in with him. They'd kiss and kiss, and once the dark came, they'd do what any couple would do at the bonfire: they wouldn't just kiss, not at all. Dallas would growl in his ear while his hips stroked upward, and Ponyboy would moan and everyone would know Dallas had claim on him, even if his mating mark didn't do that.
It's a good, tantalizing dream that isn't going to happen just yet. It can't — not with Ed waiting for them, with the whole pack there.
With Darry there, too.
Ponyboy hates thinking about it, about his brother there after everything this morning. Having to think about what he'd say or do, thinking about how he could defend himself, and thinking about what Dallas had told him: that no matter what, Dallas would choose him, be with him.
The idea is scary, tantalizing at the same time. Being like outlaws on their own, the open road between them and everyone else, doing whatever they wanted to, getting away from the law.
Even though that would mean leaving their pack, their family. Would mean never seeing Soda again, abandoning Johnny to an uncertain fate.
That's the only thing that steals the color out of that thought, pulls Ponyboy back into the car, into Tulsa, into his nervousness as Dallas finally banks a curb and parks near the bonfire hill. Ponyboy hops out, and he helps Johnny with his crutches.
Together, they walk up the hill, and Ponyboy scents the other greasers mingling along as they go up, seeing them gathering like normal. People are bringing beers, food, blankets and more. Slowly, he finds himself relaxing as some greasers clap his back ("Congratulations on the mating, kid!") or waving to him, or Ponyboy is waving back.
He leans closer to Dallas, who just slings his arm over Ponyboy's shoulder proudly, his hand coming to run along his neck, scenting him in front of everyone.
Johnny greets a few other greasers, and once they get to their main spot, he's the one who breaks the silence unusually, "Should we just wait for everyone else? Or Ed?"
"Wait for everyone else, I reckon," Ponyboy answers, looking around the gathering of the packs, wishing they could be normal, wanting a taste of that normal life and not this anxious, nervous feeling in his chest.
Dallas casts him a glance — Ponyboy can feel his thumb on his shoulder, rubbing circles against his skin, and he can't help himself following up with, "We can go get some food real quick. C'mon, Dally."
Picking on it too, Dallas nods. "Won't take too long, Johnnycake. You want the chicken?"
Once Johnny nods, Dallas steers Ponyboy away from Johnny and to the line to the main tables where the food is. It's a long one, just on the edge where one they're there, Dallas can swoop his head down and kiss Ponyboy deeply, the way Ponyboy has been wanting to. Ponyboy moans in his mouth, fingers bunching in Dallas' shirt and he happily sinks into the kiss.
Of all times that he wishes he had a beer, Two-Bit really, really wishes he had one as he and Darry make their way up the grass to the main bonfire. Darry is stiffer than usual; Two-Bit has known for a long time that Darry's never been all that comfortable as de facto leader, as Pack Alpha. Being that right now was probably extremely nerve wracking.
Unfortunately for Darry, Two-Bit wasn't feeling all that sorry for him. This was a mess he created, and it was a mess he'd have to clean up himself. That was the whole point of this — once it was all over, though, Two-Bit was getting ripped.
"There's Johnny," Two-Bit waves to the greaser, who waves back, sitting in their normal spot. "I saw Dal's car, so he and Pony are probably here. Means we only got two to wait on, Soda and Steve."
"They'll probably come together," the way Darry says those words isn't particularly convincing. Darry's not blind to what's been going on between them, and Two-Bit decides not to disavow him of the notion as they finally catch up to Johnny. It wouldn't do no good right now.
Instead, he reaches over to mess with Johnny's still growing out hair, grinning when Johnny scowls good naturedly. "See you came over with the heatbirds. Everything alright?"
"Yeah, yeah," Johnny pushes his hand away with a half grin. It doesn't totally cover up the nervousness on his face, nor does it totally soothe either of them. Just makes everything more tense when Johnny looks at Darry and then to Dallas and Ponyboy who Two-Bit is sure ain't too far away. Their scents are mingling more and more, the sign of mating really taking a more firm hold on them.
And Two-Bit would know — he's had to take Biology about three times now.
Darry's form goes ramrod straight, catching their scent too beside him. For all his regret, his remorse before — it's instantly buried beneath the pride on his face when he turns his head to look at them. Two-Bit still thinks he has a point about their ages, yet that point doesn't hold a candle to what he knows has happened in these past few weeks. It doesn't matter looking at the way Dallas has a protective arm around Ponyboy, at the obvious care that Dallas shows as they make their way over to them — and it sure as hell doesn't mean shit to him at how Ponyboy looks happier around Dallas than he has.
Of all things, Two-Bit wonders at times how much Darry pays attention to Ponyboy. Working takes up so much of his life, trying to keep their lives afloat. The Curtises dying changed everything, and that sadness that seemed to slowly get buried beneath a huge smile on Soda's face had totally lingered with Ponyboy. The kid couldn't even bring up his parents in a conversation and right now, he looks more relaxed with Dallas than he has in awhile.
Even if some of that dries up when they come closer. Dallas pointedly keeps Ponyboy out of arms reach for Darry, and he's the first one to speak, "Two! You actually came on time."
"Wasn't gonna miss this appointment," Two-Bit flashes a half grin, wishing so badly he had a beer as Darry and Ponyboy pointedly ignore each other. "All we're missing is Soda."
"What about Steve?" Darry stubbornly reasserts himself in the conversation, frowning. "He's got a say."
The look Dallas shoots towards Darry is cool, deadly, mean. Two-Bit pipes up before Dallas blows it already, "I got Ivy to deliver the message. He may be up his own ass right now like you Darry, but he'll show. You know he's a good man when he's needed."
God, you could cut the tension with a knife with the way that Darry's hackles go up, with the way Ponyboy clearly is trying to figure out what to do or say. Johnny looks like he might start shaking when Two-Bit is proven right: he scents Steve, turns his head to the hill. Steve is there alright, with a scowl on his face, walking in step with a much more composed (thank god for that!) Ed.
Ed looks over them all, gently nudging Steve forward. His scent is mostly the same, save for one little bit that Two-Bit recognizes from a summer ago. Now's not the time to get distracted about it — though, if that little redhead shows up tonight, there's no way in hell he won't talk to her. Blondes? Forget them if it was Molly.
That would have to wait, though, Steve jerking his head towards them. "Darry. What's all this supposed to be about?" His eyes dart over to Johnny who's struggling to get up — and to Steve's credit, he goes over there to help Johnny up, giving him his crutches. That's not without a confused, suspicious glance at the two heatbirds hanging out on the side, though.
Ed looks at them all, his expression serious and intent, face easing into a frown. "We're missing someone. Where's Sodapop?" Two-Bit expects someone, anyone to say anything. He looks around; Darry doesn't know, Johnny doesn't — Dallas and Ponyboy shake their heads and Steve is scowling intently. "Now — this is important, boys. We can't do any of what we need if the whole pack isn't here."
The silence that stretches over them, only interrupted by the sound of Johnny's crutches, is thick. Ed's expression grows more troubled. "None of you know where he is? At all?"
"No, sir," the halting way Darry says those two words feels so fucking damning at that moment. It shows how fractured they are right now, and Two-Bit hates it. Furthermore he doesn't like how Darry is clearly hesitating to step up here, to do what needs to be done.
So Two-Bit does it, fixing a smile on his face he knows doesn't reach his eyes. "We'll find him, Ed. Just give us an hour, alright, and we'll have him here. Promise."
Ed runs a critical eye over them all. "An hour. Then the bonfire starts, with or without you, understand? I wanna hear a yessir."
Everyone except Dallas, predictably, says Yessir.
Once Ed walks towards the other packs, Two-Bit turns and looks at them, at the way they're all clearly lopsided and struggling with what's going on. Dallas looks ready to peel off himself, Johnny unsure, and Darry seemingly still grappling with how bad it was.
And Steve...
Best to ignore the conflicting look on Steve's face.
Two-Bit clears his throat. "Alright, we gotta go on a manhunt. We're gonna divide it up — and not like the way you're thinking. C'mon, heatbirds, break it up. Ponyboy, you're with me we'll see if Soda's with any packs here. Dallas, you go with Johnny, you got the car see if he's further out in town. Darry and Steve, you try Soda's usual haunts." For as much as he can be a lazy ass most of the time, Two-Bit puts as much energy, as much authority in his voice as possible. Darry's in no shape to do it now, and if he was, he'd probably be doing something stupid.
Any one of them could protest about now, walk away. Ponyboy looks at Dallas though, and they have some silent, movie like, mate to mate conversation that leaves Ponyboy pulling away from Dallas reluctantly. Dallas shrugs off his jacket, barking out, "C'mon, Johnnycake. We'll be back in an hour, Soda or no Soda."
He hands Ponyboy his jacket, who takes a wide berth around a clearly hurt Darry who only nods jerkily. "An hour. Soda or not."
"We're really taking orders from the rodeo clown tonight?" Steve huffs out. Dallas ignores him and Johnny pulls away, using his crutches to get to Dally.
When no one pushes back on it, Steve sulks over to Darry's side.
This was gonna be a tall order to fix. But it was gonna be fixed, come hell or high water.