Pls pls pls write more of Darry and the waitress, they flirtinggggg 🥹
—i never planned on you pt.2 ౨ৎ
summary : in which darrel curtis sees the same girl from the Dingo working at Bucks (continuation of "i never planned on you(i urge you to go read pt.1 tagged in my pinned masterlist))
pairing : darrel "darry" curtis x waitress!oc
includes : just fluff again (woah no swearing this time??)
a/n : lowkey was singing watch what happens and throwing in the towel while writing this so if there is any spelling mistakes uhh lmk know i guess? oh and also this was written late super late so it may or may not make sense so if i need to change anything or it sounds weird PLEASE let me know and ill fix it and proof read it!! (HOLY SHIT I JUST LOOKED AT THE WORD COUNT WTF)
The sun just just started sinking behind the rooftops, painting the streets orange as the gang wandered towards Buck's, hands shoved in pockets and conversation bouncing from one topic to the next.
"Steve, you owe me a beer," Two-bit declared.
"For what?" Steve asked, dumbfounded.
"Still haven't given me my twenty three cents."
Steve scoffed. "I gave you a quarter."
"No, you gave me twenty cents."
"Two-bit," Steve said trying to keep his cool. "There isn't a twenty cent piece."
"Exactly! That's why you still owe me."
Sodapop laughed so hard he had to grab Ponyboy's shoulder to steady himself. "I swear, you two have been havin' this argument for a week."
"'Cause he still ain't paid me."
"Would you just give him a quarter so he'll shut up?" Ponyboy interjected, rolling his eyes.
"I'm not encouragin' him," Steve defended.
Two-Bit pointed accusingly at Steve. "He started it."
"Save it. We're here," Darry stopped them before they got further into it.
Bucks's sat at the corner of the block, its neon sign already glowing against the darkening sky. Music was drifting throughout the air around it, loudening each time the door opened.
Dally pushed through the door without knocking, and the rest of the gang followed inside.
The familiar scent of cigarette smoke hung in the air. A few mean were crowded around a pool table in the other room while someone fed another nickel to the jukebox.
Buck looked up from behind the counter and grinned the second he sae Dally. "Bout' time you showed up."
As Buck launched into whatever he'd wanted Dallas for, Darry let his eyes wander around the room. Then he heard it.
"If you're gonna complain about the price, complain to Buck. Now, if you're gonna complain about the drink, that'd be my problem; but I make a pretty mean manhattan, don't ya think?"
Darry turned toward the bar. Behind it was Elaine, sleeves rolled up to her elbows, polishing a glass with one hand while casually leaning against the counter, talking to a customer. Her hair was no longer tied back like it was at the Dingo, it fell over her shoulders in loose waves.
The customer muttered something under his breath.
She didn't even flinch, just smiled. "Good. Glad we understand each other."
The man continued to grumble as he walked away, drink in hand.
Sodapop caught Darry looking a smiled. "You starin' again, or are you gonna say hello?"
Darry tore his eyes away. "Shut up, and I ain't starin'."
Soda just continued grinning. "You've looked over there three times."
"I was looking around the room."
"Sure ya were buddy," he said, placing his hand on Darry's shoulder.
Before Soda could continue, Buck looked over from where he was talking to Dally. "Elaine!" She glanced up from the bar. "Get these boys somethin' to drink, will ya?"
She set the glass she had been polishing beneath the counter and grabbed a tray before making her way over. "Well," she said, stopping beside their table, "if it isn't my favorite group of hoodlums."
Two-bit gasped dramatically. "Favorite?" he said, clutching his chest.
"Don't let it get to your head," she said, pointing at him with the tray.
"Too late," Ponyboy joked.
She laughed, pulling a notepad from the pocket of her apron. "What can I get you boys."
"Coke," Ponyboy answered, "Johnny too."
She looked to Johnny first and he nodded.
Steve ordered next, followed by Soda and Two-bit, who somehow managed to ask three questions before settling down on one drink.
Elaine scribbled everything dow before turning to Darry. "And you?"
She raised an eyebrow. "This late? You'll never sleep."
A knowing smile spread across her face, showing her faint dimples once again. "I know the feeling."
For a second, neither of them said anything. Then Dallas leaned back in his chair. "Told him you work too much."
Elaine looked at him, a worried expression flashed across her face before changing back to a calm one. "It's to make up for your unemployment."
She laughed, shaking her head. "I'll go get those drinks for y'all."
As she walked away, Two-Bit slowly turned toward Darry.
"You said it tastes like burnt dirt."
Darry opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again.
Soda was grinning so hard it looked like his lips were going to fall off. "I think somebody changed his mind."
Laughter circled the table, and for a minute the conversation drifted back to whatever nonsense Two-bit had managed to start.
Darry tried to join in, but his attention kept wandering back towards the bar.
Elaine moved quickly between customers, smiling when she had to, joking when it was expected, never standing still for more than a few seconds. Though every now and then, we she thought no one was looking, her smile slipped.
He frowned. Darry had noticed when Dally mentioned her working too much she looked almost worried. Not embarrassed, but worried.
It had only lasted a second before she covered it with another joke. Most people probably wouldn't have noticed, but Darry wasn't most people.
A few minutes later Elaine returned, balancing their drinks on a big black tray. "Coke, Coke, Beer, Beer.." she muttered, setting each glass in front of the right person without asking.
She placed Darry's coffee in front of him last. "Careful," she said with a teasing smile. "It's hot."
"I'd hate to loose my favorite customer."
"We've only been here twice!"
"Exactly." She shot him a grin before heading off to another table.
Two-Bit watched her disappear. "I still can't believe we're her favorites."
"She didn't say favorite people," Steve pointed out. "Just favorite hoodlums."
Darry wrapped both hands around the warm coffee mug but never took a sip.
Darry nodded toward the bar.
"I dunno." Darry shrugged. "Thought she looked... worried for a second."
Dally was quiet. Then he looked back at his coffee. "She don't like people knowin' her business."
Dally took a slow drag from his cigarette. "It ain't the money."
Darry furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "I thought you said–"
"I said her old man lost most of it." Dally shrugged. "Didn't say that was the part that gets to her."
Dally sighed before leaning closer and lowering his voice. "He still walking around like they're Tulsa royalty." Dally glance toward the bar, making sure Elaine was busy before continuing. "Makes her go to all them Soc dinners. Expects her dress nice, smile pretty, act like nothin's changed."
"Meanwhile she's workin' herself half to death."
Dally nodded once. "She don't want anyone knowin', man. So don't tell her I told you."
"'Cause Socs gossip worse than old ladies. If word gets around they're broke, she'll spend the next ten years listenin' to people whisper behind her back."
Darry looked toward the bar again. Elaine was laughing with a customer, smiling like she didn't have a care in the world. If he hadn't seen it himself, he never would've guessed that, just a few minutes earlier, that smile had slipped.
"She works all day," Darry sighed.
"And most nights," Dally added.
"Does she ever get a break?"
Dally snorted. "If she does, no one told her."
Before Darry could say anymore, Elaine returned to the table, a small stack of empty glasses balance in one hand. "Everything alright over here?"
Darry looked up. "Yeah, why?"
"You've all gone weirdly quiet."
Two-bit immediately pointed at Johnny. "It's his fault."
Johnny looked up from his quiet conversation with Pony, confused. "What?"
"Exactly. Look at him. Guilt written all over that face."
Johnny rolled his eyes, and Elaine laughed softly as she collected the empty bottles. "You boys are impossible."
"That's what she said at the Dingo," Soda reminded them.
Elaine smiled. "And I was right." She stacked the glasses onto her tray before looking at Darry's coffee. "You actually drank some."
Darry glanced down at the mug. "I ordered it."
"You're making a big deal out of coffee?"
"When somebody who claims to hate it orders it anyway? Yeah."
A small smile tugged at Darry's mouth. "I never said I hated it."
"You said it tasted like burnt dirt."
Darry looked over at Two-Bit, then back at Elaine. "You heard that?"
"I hear everything, Darrel."
Elaine laughed again, but this time Darry noticed the tiredness hiding underneath it. The way she rubbed at her wrist after setting the tray down. The way she glanced toward the clock behind the bar. Small things. Things most people would miss.
"You ever go home?" Darry asked before he could stop himself.
Elaine looked back at him, surprised. "What?"
Darry cleared his throat. "Nothing. You just... work a lot."
For a second, her expression changed. Not upset, but caught off guard. Then the smile returned. "Someone's gotta keep this place running."
Dally, who had been quiet, looked away.
Elaine grabbed her tray again. "Besides, I'm used to it."
Something about the way she said it made Darry think she wasn't talking about work. Before he could ask, another customer called her name from across the room.
"Duty calls." She gave them all a small smile. "Try not to start a fight while I'm gone."
Two-Bit raised his hand. "No promises."
Elaine shook her head, laughing as she walked away.
Darry watched her for a moment. Then Soda leaned toward him. "You like her."
Darry immediately looked away. "I respect her."
Soda grinned. "That wasn't what I said."
Darry ignored him and took another sip of coffee. This time, he didn't even think it tasted like burnt dirt.
The rest of the evening passed like most nights with the gang did—loud, messy, and full of Two-Bit arguing about something nobody understood.
Though, Darry found himself looking toward the bar every now and then. Not because she was pretty, not because Soda was right, but because he noticed things. The way she thanked every customer, even the difficult ones. The way she never sat down, even when there was a quiet moment. The way she smiled like nothing bothered her, even when Darry knew better.
When it was finally time to leave, Elaine appeared beside their table with the check.
"Survived the night?" she asked.
She looked at the rest of the gang. "Sounds about right."
Two-Bit put a hand over his heart. "You're hurtin' me, Elaine."
She set the check down, and Darry reached for it. "You always this patient with everybody?"
Elaine paused, surprised by the question. Then she shrugged. "I mean, somebody has to be."
For a second, Darry didn't know what to say. Then he smiled slightly. "Yeah. I guess they do."
Her smile softened. "See you around, Darrel."
"Yeah," he said. "See ya."
The gang made their way toward the door, Two-Bit already starting another argument before they were even outside.
Sodapop fell into step beside Darry, a grin on his face. "You know, for somebody who 'just respects her,' you sure spent a lot of time looking over there."
Darry sighed. "You're never gonna let this go, are you?"
Darry shook his head, but he couldn't help the small smile that crossed his face.
Behind them, the bell above Buck's door jingled one last time as it closed. And for some reason, Darry found himself hoping it wouldn't be the last time he heard it.
