summary: you and darry have been together for as long as soda and pony remember that to them—and the gang—you’ve been married the entire time. in fact, they all see you and darry as the parents.
pairing: darrel “darry” curtis x fem!reader
includes: cursing, fluff, angst if you squint, dally is a menace, two-bit is obsessed with mickey mouse (obvi), the usual in an outsiders fanfic
a/n: i love darry curtis, he’s my favorite 🫠
You woke up to the sunlight filtering through the thin curtains, tired eyes squinting at the sudden brightness evading your vision. The bedroom was completely still—except for the slow spins of the fan above—and yet you knew the second you stepped out, chaos would fill the house.
Darry stirred beside you, his arm tightening around your waist and head tucking into your neck. “You awake?”
You ran your fingers through his hair, smiling softly at his morning voice. “Mhm, though it seems like you’re barely awake.”
He simply hummed in response and pulled you impossibly closer, pressing tired kisses to your neck and jaw. You scratch his scalp and let the calm from the morning wash over the both of you before you had to get up and run the household like you were running a tight ship.
“You ready to get up yet?” You ask softly, pausing your movements when you don’t get a response. “Darry?”
“Yeah,” He groaned and sat up, leaning back on his elbows. “I’m up.”
You giggle and wipe away the tiredness from his eyes, earning a quick kiss to the lips before he swung his legs over the side of the bed and stretched properly. You follow suit and sit beside him, tilting your head to meet his blue-green eyes.
“You tired already, old man?”
Darry playfully glared at you, “You’re the one who wanted to stay up all night.”
“And you agreed.” You point out and move to stand, laughing when he pulled you to stand in between his legs, his chin resting on your abdomen. You rest a manicured hand on his jaw, thumb gently rubbing his incoming stubble. “We’re only twenty, Dar. We’re still young.”
“I know.” He murmured and pressed a kiss on your palm. “You remind me every day.”
You smile softly and watch him as he stands, resting a warm hand on your waist. He kisses your forehead before pulling out his work clothes for the day, making you spring right into action.
The routine you and Darry had started ever since you practically moved in with the Curtises. While he got ready for work in the morning, you made it your job to get the boys up and ready for their own day—occasionally the rest of the gang when they stayed over. Last night, Johnny stayed over.
You knocked on the boys’ bedroom door before opening it quietly, your heart tugging at the sight of Ponyboy wrapped in Sodapop’s arms. You sat on the end of their bed and gently shake Sodapop awake first, watching his face contort in discomfort.
“You gotta get up now, Pepsi-Cola. I don’t want you late for work again.” You say quietly as he finally sits up, exhaustion covering his face. “Good morning.”
“Morning.” He grumbled, rubbing his eyes with his hands and slowly making his way to the bathroom to shower, work clothes in hand.
You sigh and look back at Ponyboy who was still under the covers. “Hey, Pony. It’s time to get up for school.”
“Five more minutes, mom.” He groaned and tugged the blanket over his head, not realizing what he had said.
For a second, you sat frozen at his words. There were several instances where the boys would call you mom, but they were all fairly conscious and said it as a joke. But as Ponyboy subconsciously called you his mom, your heart only ached at the thought. And you could never replace Mrs. Curtis—everyone knew that.
“Ponyboy, you need to get up.” You pulled the covers away from him, looking down at his tired figure with soft eyes. “Please? You can’t miss another day of school or Darry’s gonna have to come down to the principal’s again.”
After contemplating—although you knew Ponyboy just wanted to lay in bed longer—he begrudgingly got up and shooed you out of the bedroom, muttering a quick acknowledgment in your direction.
You sighed before entering the living room, a sad smile tugging at your lips when you spotted Johnny curled up on the couch. His limbs were hanging off the edge and the blanket barely covered his body, but you knew he would rather sleep here than at the lot or worse, his own home.
“Hey, Johnnycakes.” You kneel beside him and put a hand on his arm, careful to not scare him from the sudden action. “How did you sleep?”
“Like a baby.” He mumbled and gave you a sheepish smile before sitting up, straightening his jacket to have something to fiddle with. “Sorry for intrudin’.”
You stand and fold the blanket, waving a dismissive hand. “You’re always welcome, Johnny. Hell, I’d have you move in with us if it weren’t for your folks.”
Johnny burned red and nodded, mumbling an excuse about needing to use the restroom. You opened your mouth to tell him Sodapop was occupying the space, but the sudden stomps of boots that came running inside the house interrupted you, the screen door rattling behind them.
“Two-Bit Mathews and Steve Randle!” You call from the living room as they ran into the kitchen to grab the chocolate cake from the icebox, ignoring Darry’s disappointed look. “What did I say about slamming the door?”
“Sorry, ma!” They hollered in unison, sitting their asses right in front of the television that was tuned into Mickey Mouse for Two-Bit’s sanity.
You rolled your eyes and entered the kitchen, leaning back against the counter as Darry prepared breakfast for the household. You watched him with a smile, eyeing him up and down before meeting his gaze, his eyebrow raised in your direction.
“What? You can’t blame a woman for staring at her boyfriend who looks effortlessly handsome cooking.” You brush a stray piece of hair away from your face, cheeks dusted with a light pink hue. “Besides, you chose not to wear a shirt in the morning, Superman.”
“Maybe because I’m comfortable like this.” Darry swapped the finished eggs for bacon, pulling out the grape jelly for Sodapop and hard boiled eggs for Ponyboy. “Or maybe because your reactions are totally worth it.”
“Aw, you love me.” You put a hand on your heart dramatically and smile wider when he pulled you close by the waistband of your sleep shorts. “Hey—“
“I do love you, don’t question it.” He murmured and pressed a kiss to your lips, smirking when you gasped at the sudden action.
Darry knew you knew that he hated public displays of affection. So when he initiated it in his own house filled with the boys who you both knew would make fun of the display, you were thoroughly shocked.
“Darrel, man, do you have an ice pack—? Jesus Christ, keep that in the bedroom.” Dally scrubbed his face at the sight of the two you of you and turned away, boots heavy against the floor as he headed back into the living room where he last was.
You pulled away from the kiss, giggling at Darry’s suddenly bright red face. “You know, for a manly guy, you get red real fast, Curtis.”
“Shut up.” He snapped your waistband against your hip and spun you around, nudging you out of the kitchen playfully. “I love you.”
“Love you more.” You huff in amusement and tilt your head back at him, blowing a kiss before changing your gaze toward the boys sitting in the living room, each boy doing their own thing.
Sodapop was lazily laying on the couch with a towel wrapped around his waist, Ponyboy was most likely telling Johnny about his latest book read, Dallas was smoking a cigarette and blowing it in Steve’s face, and Two-Bit—well—he still sat directly in front of the television with the plate of cake in front of him, using his hands to dig into the sweet without care.
You sighed at the sight and grabbed your purse, taking money from your wallet and handing five dollar bills to Johnny and Ponyboy.
“For lunch. If you don’t eat, I will find you and make you eat extra for dinner, yes?” You put your hands on your hips and tap your finger, watching them with a careful eye as they nodded vigorously and tucked the money into their pockets.
Sodapop lolled his head to the side and met your eyes, making you raise your brows at his appearance. “Why aren’t you dressed for work?”
“Thought I could wait until after breakfast.” He mused, running his fingers through his wet hair before shaking his head like a wet dog, earning an annoyed groan from Dallas. “That alright, mom?”
You exhale slowly and rub your temples, choosing to ignore what he called you. “As long as you’re ready before it’s time for you to leave, it’s alright.” You opened your eyes again and stared at the boys as they returned to do their own thing, wishing they would cooperate a little better than they did.
Just as you caught Dallas stubbing his cigarette into the wooden side table instead of the ashtray you specifically bought for him, Darry walked into the living room and put a hand on your back, stabilizing your overworked mind without knowing it. You looked up to your right and gave him a soft smile, earning one back before he spoke to the boys.
“Breakfast is ready.” Darry announced and watched his brothers and the rest of the gang stumble over their own feet to get a piece of real food before anyone else ate it—almost like a stampede of animals in Africa.
“You better be washing your hands first!” You call out to them when you heard plates clash into each other, pursing your lips to hide a grin when their groans and complaints rang through the house.
You waited until you heard rushing water to look up at Darry properly, his hand still warm against your back.
He tilted his head down and smiled, “You ought to be their real mother with the way you scold them.”
“Six boys under one roof? Hmph, sounds like a recipe for disaster.” You rest your hands on his chest, feeling his steady heart beat under your fingertips. “Besides, if I’m gonna be a mother, I’d rather it not be with those group of boys—“
“Steve, that’s not your egg!”
“Well, Dally took my egg!”
“Can y’all shut up?”
“No!”
You and Darry look back at one another, your laughter and his chuckles ringing through the air. You both knew you would rather take care of these boys rather than send them back to their terrible homes—it was part of the Curtis’ open door policy. Besides, you cared for each boy in their own way, Ponyboy, Johnny, and Sodapop as your main priority.
“You think they’ll let us have our own breakfast?” Darry moved his hand to your hip and slowly moved toward the kitchen, the arguing from the boys getting louder with each step.
You peer into the crowded kitchen, eyes widening at the sight of the once clean space. “I think they probably ate all the food already… Maybe.”
“Hey, it’s mom and dad!” Two-Bit pointed the two of you out, the food that was stuffed in his mouth flying out with every word.
The rest of the gang cheered in laughter—each boy expressing their own opinion on your relationship.
Dallas was beyond disgusted by the two of you, but still agreed that you were both like the parents of the gang; Two-Bit loved calling the two of you ‘mom and dad,’ finding joy in the simple things; Steve didn’t care too much, only adding to the joke whenever he felt like it; Johnny thought the two of you were a better set of parents then his were; and Ponyboy and Sodapop?
They loved your relationship the second the two of you made it official all those years ago, not minding too much that you and Darry were essentially their second set of parents. They wouldn’t trade the two of you for the world, even if you were both sometimes a little hard on them.
“Yeah yeah, mom and dad are here.” Darry pushed through the boys and stole his plate from the counter, emerging victorious with a cup of orange juice for you.
“Thanks.” You kiss his cheek before returning your eyes to the scene in front of you, resting your head on his shoulder. “We sure know how to make a house full, don’t we?”
“Well, according to them, we are mom and dad.” He splits half his breakfast sandwich with you. “I think it’s part of the job.”
You look over at Johnny, who seems to be eating more than he usually does whenever he’s over which makes your heart feel a little better at the sight. “I think I like this job, even if it wasn’t ours to begin with.”
I was wondering if you could do a story where reader is Darrys gf (and they've been dating for a bit) and one night, it's really busy at the Curtis house and everyone's over (pure, lovable chaos), Darry's making dinner and reader is helping Ponyboy with his homework. In the middle of all this chaos, Pony accidentally calls reader "mom" while she's helping him, like: "thanks, mom" just super instinctively, and everyone hears it and fill in the blanks from there...??🙂
Sorry, this is super long, lol😅
────۶ৎ "thanks, mom"
a chaotic evening ends up in a heartwarming revelation<33
warnings : swearing ig
ᐟᐟ ⟢ a/n: AHHHHHHHHHHHH THIS IS SO CUTEEE thanks for requesting anon and don't worry at all! the lenghty and in detail the request, the better!
It was a night.
Not just any night—a Curtis House Night, the kind where every light’s on, the record player’s fighting the TV for dominance, the couch is half a dogpile, and you could swear the walls are held up with duct tape.
You and Darry had been together for a while now. Long enough for his toothbrush to live at your place and for your perfume to linger in his truck. You had been going steady for a few months already. But tonight? Tonight was anything but steady.
The door had been swinging open since six.
First it was Sodapop with Two-Bit right behind, laughing over something stupid. Then Steve rolled in, hungry as a bear. Dallas showed up like he owned the place, and Johnny had slipped in quieter than the rest, sticking to Dally's side like a shadow.
And Ponyboy? Poor thing was sitting at the kitchen table, hair a mess, pencil tapping against his temple like the numbers on his worksheet had personally offended him.
You leaned over him with a gentle smile, your arms braced on the table, your perfume mixing with the scent of Darry’s cooking.
“Okay, Pony, remember what I told you, start by finding the lowest common denominator.”
He sighed, brows furrowed. “Ugh. This is hopeless.”
You chuckled and ruffled his hair. “It’s fractions, not the end of the world.”
Behind you, Darry was manning the stove, sleeves rolled up, brow glistening. You could hear him humming under his breath, spatula in hand, the smell of frying onions and ground beef filling the air. He kept glancing over at you and Pony, like the sight of you two made the ache in his chest soften just a little.
The rest of the gang was scattered. Soda was trying to teach Steve how to moonwalk in socks. Dallas was making a pyramid out of beer caps. Two-Bit was definitely stealing raw cookie dough from the fridge. Johnny was sketching something on a napkin with his thumb smudged in pencil lead.
You leaned a little closer to Pony’s paper, voice warm and soft.
“Here, like this—see? Multiply both sides by four and it cancels out.”
Pony looked up at you with wide, understanding eyes, his face lighting up like a match.
“Ohh. Thanks, Mom.”
Silence.
It hit the room like a dropped record needle. A full beat of stunned, dead air.
And then—
“MOM?!” Two-Bit shrieked, bursting into howls of laughter, nearly wiping out on the floor.
Dallas choked on his soda, Steve dropped his moonwalk mid-slide, and Soda straight-up fell off the arm of the couch from surprise.
Johnny was smiling shyly, chuckling behind his hand like he’d been thinking the same thing.
Darry turned slowly from the stove, spatula frozen in hand, eyes wide. “Wait—did he just…?”
Ponyboy turned bright red, face buried in his hands. “Oh my god, no-I didn’t mean to! It just-it slipped!”
You blinked, then slowly smiled, warmth rising to your cheeks. “Well… I am helping with homework.”
“Mom,” Steve repeated, shaking his head, “Pony just put a ring on your finger and didn't even ask Darry.”
Two-Bit was halfway into a laughing fit, pointing dramatically. “Y’all hear that?! She’s got Pony doing his math and saying thank you, and she got Darry cookin' dinner like it’s 1956. That ain’t a girlfriend, that’s a matriarch.”
Soda was fanning himself. “Next thing you know, she’s packin’ lunches and tucking us in at night.”
“Please do,” Johnny muttered with a grin. “Your lunches would probably taste better than Darry’s leftovers.”
Darry finally broke into a laugh, setting the spatula down and wiping his hands on a towel. He walked over to you, wrapped an arm around your waist, and kissed your temple in front of everybody.
“She’s already the mom of this circus,” he said, smirking. “Might as well make it official.”
You rolled your eyes, laughing. “Oh please.”
But Pony was still hiding his face. “I’m so embarrassed,” he groaned into his elbow.
You leaned over, pulled his arm down gently, and kissed the top of his head. “Don’t be, sweetheart. It was the nicest thing you could’ve said.”
His cheeks were still pink, but he smiled—and he didn’t pull away when you gave his hair one last fond tousle.
From that moment on, it was over.
Every time you passed someone a soda: “Thanks, Mom.”
When you bandaged up Johnny’s skinned elbow: “Thanks, Ma.”
If you opened the fridge: “What’s for dinner, Mom?”
Darry just stood in the middle of it all, grinning like the luckiest fool on earth, arms crossed as he watched you handle his house like you’d always belonged there.
When Darry realizes Johnny's gained some weight. All his life, Johnny's been neglected, forced to get food wherever he can find it. He'll steal it if he needs to and the gang feeds him as much as they can but Johnny still doesn't eat right nearly enough and is a little bit underweight because of it. But when he starts seeing you and you see how hungry he is, well, you start feeding him. Making extra of everything you make at home and telling Johnny that you made it special just for him (because you are doing it for him, anything else is just a bonus).
And when Darry realizes that Johnny's a little healthier and eating better, oh, he just smiles so big. He remembers his mother doing that too, sneaking Johnny food, and he likes you at once for it.
When Two-bit hears you make him laugh. Johnny's a quiet, sad little thing. He laughs, sure, but he's got two laughs. The soft one that he uses the most, a little amused but still with that sadness to him, and his real one. Louder, almost like a little clap of distant thunder, only heard when something makes him shake the sadness off, if only for a moment. Two-bit tries to make him laugh like that as much as he can. And he knows that Johnny's been hanging around you and you seem sweet enough, you're a good girl. But are you good enough for Johnny?
He decides that you are when, one day as he's passing the lot, he hears Johnny's real, true, thunder laugh and looks over. There you are, one hand holding yours and the other holding a cigarette, having dropped his lighter he was laughing so hard. You picked it up for him and lit the cigarette, smiling at him like he was the sun and stars and Two-bit approves right then and there.
When Dally realizes that Johnny doesn't sleep at the lot as often anymore. He makes a habit of going by the lot and checking on Johnny just about every night. Just in case. He doesn't bother him or anything, just makes sure he's okay, but lately, Johnny hasn't been there as often. Dally asks around and hears tell of him in some other neighborhood. Not a real nice one or anything but nicer then theirs, at least. And he's worried so he goes looking for him...only to see Johnny Cade kissing you as you pull him in through your bedroom window. Dally leaves it alone.
But then next day, he does talk to him, Johnny smiling softly as he explains that, yeah, he sleeps there most nights...he'd be there more often but he doesn't want you in any trouble with your folks. Besides, you ask him to come, telling him that you worry about him out in the lot. And Dally likes knowing that you worry about him too and likes you just fine after that.
When Steve sees you take up for Johnny. Because Johnny Cade might be their pet, their pup, everyone's kid brother, but the world doesn't see him like that. In the eyes of everyone else, Johnny's rough. He's hard to look at, especially with that scar now, he hangs around with a bad crowd. He's a greaser. And some boys at school call him such, hitting on you and telling you that you could do better and being real dirty. Johnny's not around. And Steve, knowing that's his buddy's girl, is already walking over when you start off on them.
Oh! What a sight it was! Telling them that Johnny's twice then man they'll ever be and why would you trade in a man like him for little boys who run their dirty mouths? Before they can say anything back, Steve is there and scaring them off, walking you to meet with Johnny.
He likes you, Steve really likes you, because as sweet as you are, you're spitfire too and Johnny needs people like that.
When Soda catches him calling you darlin'. Sodapop Curtis was the second of the gang to know about you being Johnny's girl. Not that anyone actually told him. He stumbled upon the little secret late one night at the park, walking the long way home. There, in the darkness, was a girl. A pretty girl. Wearing a blue dress and playing with something in her hand...a note. And a little flower. Ever the romantic, Soda stopped to smile at the girl, clearly waiting for her lover and wondering who it was.
"Darlin'..."
And it was Johnny Cade that came out of the dark, kissing you so sweetly. Soda slips away without being noticed. But right then, he knew that Johnny loved you truly, he heard it in his voice that night, and he couldn't help but love you a little too (in a big brother sort of way) for making Johnny so happy.
When Ponyboy witnesses you meet for the first time and he knows two things: one, Johnny loves you. And two, you're perfect for him. He didn't used to believe in love at first sight. But something happened that night that changed his mind. He and Johnny were walking home, just talking and laughing a little, too involved in the conversation to notice a girl coming around the corner too. In one moment, you and Johnny had knocked into one another, both of you falling. Johnny caught himself on a lamp post and caught you too with his free hand, pulling you up with him.
"Oh, I'm sorry! I wasn't even watching where I was going, was I? I'm so sorry..." you trailed away, not knowing his name.
"Johnny," he finishes for you, reaching down to pick up the book you'd dropped, which must have been what had distracted you. "Johnny Cade. That's Ponyboy."
"I'm Y/N."
And he can tell from the way you're looking at his friend that you're seeing him, really seeing him for who he is. You see all of the good parts and the sweetness and the loyalty...and you smiled so sweetly at him, it was love, wasn't it? It was love at first sight, just like the movies and the books and all those silly romances.
Now Pony knew that love at first sight was real. Maybe just for Johnny but...it anyone deserved such a thing, it was Johnny Cade, wasn't it?
sum. you're a soc waitress who works at the local diner, a real doll. when the local hoods get a look at you, it's safe to say they're already making plans.
tw. curses, smoking mentions, dally and steve and twobit ꉂ(≧▽≦)
pair. Steve, Sodapop, Ponyboy, Dally, Twobit, Johnny x Fem!Soc!Reader .sep
type. headcanons
Dally Winston -
𐚁 when he first walked into the diner and saw you, his first instinct was to walk up to you and flirt his head off.
𐚁 classic dally winston, who would've thought?
𐚁 of course, you're annoyed by his stupid tactics to get you to go out with him. "You free tonight, hon'? gonna go to the drive-in with my pals.. wanna tag along?" and "Do you got a boyfriend? Pretty girl like you must." and, of course, "Are you real? is this your real hair?"
𐚁 johnny would be right next to him, hands in his pockets as he looks down at his feet. He doesn't like to be involved in his antics.
𐚁 "C'mon, doll. Let's go somewhere, away from here." He'd murmur, his face in your hair. He wouldn't give up unless someone, probably johnny, would tell him too.
𐚁 Who in their right mind would turn down Dally Winston, though?
Sodapop Curtis -
𐚁 He's a gentleman, we know. He wouldn't be anything like Dally or Steve or Twobit. He'd do something classic.
𐚁 Subtle hints here and there as you wait his table, like, "Oh, guess we got a real doll waiting our table. Just our luck, huh?" and writing his number on the napkin.
𐚁 He'd probably wink at you and stupid things like that, and if you still can't catch the hint, he'd walk up to you before he leaves and ask your number.
𐚁 You would obviously be stunned, did a literal popstar no pun intended just ask you out?! Sodapop was the one who always turned heads in the gang.
𐚁 Overall, he'd just be a gentleman about it, or straight up ask you out. He's kind of used to getting his way with girls, anyway.
Steve Randle -
𐚁 Oh brother.. this man would ABSOLOUTELY NOT back down until he gets you to go out with him.
𐚁 He'd do something stupid just to show off, like 'accidentally' catching you when you fall, or 'accidentally' flexing his arms while grabbing the plate you gave to him.
𐚁 He'd come right up to you, too, leaning on the counter, a cigarette dangling from his lips. "So.. Uh.. You got a boyfriend, pretty?"
𐚁 Probably awkward with girls if I had to guess. Two-bit would have to go to the bathroom to try not to cringe at his attempts.
𐚁 He'd probably try to get your attention by blowing straws at you if you ignored him, or just yell for a waitress constantly.
𐚁 A tad bit annoying.
TwoBit Mathews -
𐚁 Of course he'd notice the minnie mouse sticker on your notepad, it was the cherry on top. You were pretty, kind, funny, and understood his humor.. AND liked mickey? you were his dream.
𐚁 you were also blonde WHO SAID THAT?!
𐚁 He'd blow straws at you, winking, wolf whistling.. everything in the damn book. He would REFUSE to come straight up to you, though. He wants to attract you with his natural charm, he says.
𐚁 He'd crack jokes loud enough for you to hear, peeking at you every now and then to see if you were listening to his stupid jokes. Eventually, you'd laugh nearby and he'd whistle at you to come over.
𐚁 Definitely would be cracking witty dad jokes. "You know what you call a sane horse?" he'd smile. "What?" You'd ask, giggling. "Stable!"
𐚁 No one laughed.
𐚁 He'd probably tip you and actually pay for the meal, leaving his number on everything he can.. The table, the cash, the receipt.. He's a litttleeee desperate.
Johnny Cade -
𐚁 Oh, you were just a doll, weren't you? He saw you laughing and being so kind to the little kids there.. He just had to admire you.
𐚁 He'd just stare a lot of the time, his puppy eyes burning holes in the back of your head. If you ever caught him, he'd immediately look away, staring at his untouched food.
𐚁 Dally would eventually notice his Kid Brother staring at some pretty waitress, and would step in. "Hey, what's your type?" or something idiotic like that.
𐚁 Dally would be the wingman, saying stupid shit like "So, you find this guy cute, or what?" he'd tease, ruffling johnny's hair next to him.
𐚁 If johnny did make a move, it'd be something like "Gee, you're real pretty." before he quickly regrets it and runs to the bathroom to hide.
𐚁 He can't handle pretty girls. Was he shy, or was it the talk steve gave him?
𐚁 Ponyboy still doesn't know.
Ponyboy Curtis -
𐚁 You were the prettiest girl he'd ever seen, prettier than cherry, he'd even say.
𐚁 Usually, he'd ignore pretty girls, because the only ones he'd find were socs, or loud, cussing greasers.
𐚁 But you were different. You had a book in your hands, eating a sandwich on your lunchbreak.
𐚁 You were quiet, unlike most other greasers he'd known. You were also kind.. and reading Gone With The Wind.
𐚁 He'd come up to you, pulling up a stool and asking you some questions about the book, if you liked it, if you read any others, your school..
𐚁 He'd probably be too nervous to ask for your number or anything.. but he'd come back everyday just to see you.
