Two-Bit actually being really unintentionally horrible about Darry’s OCD. He is absolutely participating in Darry’s compulsions every single time if prompted, only short of physical harm. He can only really see it as “I do this thing my partners says and then he gets a break” without recognizing the longer term impact
Yes, he will take the long way, so they don’t have to go over the train tracks. Yes, he will take the icing off the cake whenever it’s his or anyone else’s turn to make it. Yes, he will jack the truck up to check under it, and pop the hood to inspect it, literally anytime it’s his turn to drive. Yes, he will spend hours repeating himself over and over that he does really love Darry and that doesn’t mean he’s gonna die anytime soon
And yes, it does strain their relationship. And yes, it does exhaust the both of them to no end. And no, he can’t make himself stop it, if he thinks it helps Darry’s spiraling, even just for five minutes at best
TW: SH and Suici— mention
On the bright side Two-Bit THINKS he’s helping, Darry’s relief may be brief, but it’s there. It makes Darry tendencies worse overtime, but it takes a while for him to get back to the point he was right after the Curtis parents’ death, but Two-Bit would NOT let it get to that point (if he knew)
Darry wouldn’t tell Two-Bit he relapsed until he can’t clean them himself because his vision is blurry and his hands are shaking so he stumbles over to Two-Bit for help. Two-Bit would know that Darry had harmful tendencies, like picking at his cuticles, scratching his arms, ripping up scabs prematurely, but depending on when Darry had stopped cutting his scars could be faint enough to the point Two-Bit assumes they’re from scratching. (Darry would most likely use his upper thighs because they’d only be visible if he wasn’t wearing anything on his legs)
Unlike his obsessions, Darry REFUSES to talk about his harmful compulsions that could threaten his life. The first (and only) person who he (willingly) told was Paul, when it was during the end of their relationship. Paul saw his scars progressively worsen, but didn’t care to ask. Darry telling Paul was kind of like a Hail Mary to see if Paul would comfort him like he did before. It wasn’t. Paul was very hesitant to actually say something about it, mainly because he views Darry doing this as Darry wanting his attention and Darry being “too unstable” to not talk to. (Darry was not, and I’m repeating this, was NOT trying to guilt Paul into not leaving by threatening to commit) The way Paul was speaking to Darry was condescending, like bringing up Darry habits to see if Darry was serious about what he said, this would most likely lead to Darry ghosting Paul because he can’t deny Paul is still talking to him out of pity.
