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Dally's night first started out strange when he sauntered into the Curtis house at around midnight, ready to collapse on the couch and sleep, only to find it taken by a certain redheaded jokester absently playing solitaire.
"Why are you awake?" Dally asked, not really caring about the answer. He was figuring out how to get the apparent not-drunk teen off the couch so he could commandeer it. "Usually ya passed out at this time."
"Uh, no reason. Just making sure Superman gets home okay."
"Isn’t he out with some work buddies? Thought Soda said he might not be back 'til morning?"
"Well, yeah… Doesn't mean I can't be a good ol' buddy and wait up for him."
Dally narrowed his eyes at him.
"What are you hiding?"
"Who me?! Nothing!"
"Then what’s got ya so antsy? Muscles can look after himself. Why are you so concerned ya feel the need to wait up for him? Do you know something we don’t?"
"No! How would I know where he is?"
Dally paused.
"Soda said earlier where he was heading. What makes you think he ain’t there?"
Two-Bit spluttered.
"I never said – "
"He’s not, is he? But you know where he's actually at. Why’s it a secret?"
"I don’t know what you're getting at," Two-Bit answered, eyes averted and fiddling with the hem of his shirt.
"Don't lie to me, Two-Bit," Dally growled, approaching him. "What do you know?"
"I don’t – "
He yelped as Dally suddenly yanked him off the sofa, playing cards flying everywhere, and had him pinned to the floor in seconds.
"Two-Bit?"
"Yes, dearest Dally?"
"I’m only gonna ask nicely once. After that, I will personally hand you ya ass on a silver platter. So tell me. Where. Is. Darry?"
***
Dally sat in his car and watched the door of the bar as various people wandered in and out. He almost couldn't believe that their responsible oldest member was actually here at nearly one o'clock in the morning.
Five miles out of town. At some seedy, run-down old bar.
A gay bar, to be precise.
He'd never have guessed it. But he'd finally got the truth out of Two-Bit, probably scaring him to hell in the process. He'll make it up to him later.
But he was glad he'd done it. Darry shouldn't be here.
Not alone. Not without anyone to watch his back.
Dally didn't care. So Darry was a homosexual. Big deal. He'd known all sorts of guys and girls back in New York who were into things society would condemn them for. That people would hurt them for. Even kill them for.
He'd be damned if he let anyone get their prejudiced hands on Darry.
He wasn't sure why he had driven all the way out here. What Darry did with his nights was his own business. But Dally had felt compelled to scope the place out, see where it was and who was nearby. If any unfavourable people may cause problems with the patrons of this particular establishment.
He spotted his friend leaving the bar, having a brief conversation with some guy Dally didn't recognise, the pair standing a little closer than they probably would have in daylight. For a moment, Dally thought the older greaser was about to head off with the guy, maybe for a little action. He didn’t know what to do about that. Did he want Darry disappearing off with a stranger?
Then Darry left the guy in the parking lot and headed off down the street.
Dally frowned.
He knew Darry hadn't used his truck. Probably didn't want to risk it being seen. But what the heck was he doing strolling down a dark road alone in the middle of the night, especially coming from where he'd been. And the man had the nerve to complain that Ponyboy never used his head.
He didn't hesitate. He took off the brake and cruised towards the tall figure walking away, sidling up beside him.
"Get in."
Darry started, glancing first at him, then trying to inconspicuously glance at the building he had just exited.
"Dal – "
"Get. In."
After a beat, the eldest Curtis wordlessly clambered into the car and Dally pulled away, heading back in the direction of greaser territory. He could see Darry sneaking looks at him out the corner of his eye.
"Dally, I dunno what you think – "
"I don't think anything. I know."
The other male shifted nervously.
"Know what?"
Dally was silent for a minute.
"Call me."
"What?"
"You call me. If ya need a ride, find a damn phone and call me. Whatever the time, wherever you are." He spared a look over in Darry's direction. "Whoever ya with. Call me. I'll come get ya."
He saw Darry stiffen, obviously clocking to the fact that Dally may just know more than the eldest Curtis cared to admit.
"So, what now? You're here for a reason. You got a problem, Dal?"
"Not the one ya thinking."
There was a beat, before the older greaser spoke again.
"So why are you here? I know my way home, thanks." That last sentence was overly sarcastic.
Dally clenched his hands on the steering wheel and fought the urge to punch him.
"Darry, ya know there are people out there who won't like what you are. And here ya are, in the middle of nowhere, dead of night, with no backup. What if some bigoted bunch of Socs – hell, even greasers – saw you come outta that bar? They'd be on you like anything."
He could practically hear Darry's teeth grind together.
"What was I supposed to do, huh, Dally? Announce to the gang in the middle of the living room 'Hey, guys, I'm heading to a gay bar tonight. Anyone wanna come with? Do a little bit of dirty dancing, watch me make out with some guy, and make sure I don't get jumped?'"
"Two-Bit knows ya secret." He belatedly realised he may have just snitched on the rusty-haired teen, though Darry had probably already figured out how Dally ended up on this dirt road right here and now.
"He's given me rides before. Not all the way here, but so I can meet up with… someone… beforehand. He probably would have tonight except his car's in the shop. But this place is out of the way. No one knows it exists. Nowt's gonna happen here."
"What if something did? Wouldn't that affect ya situation with ya brothers?"
He saw Darry clench his hands into fists.
"Screw you, Dally," he growled. "I already do everything I can to keep the three of us together. But to insinuate I can just switch off part of myself… I can't help who I am."
"That's not what I meant," Dally told him, uncharacteristically gentle.
Neither spoke for a while. When they stopped at a red light, Dally was sorely tempted to blast right on through it, on account of him being pretty sure there was no other cars within a ten block radius. To distract himself, he asked:
"So ya brothers don't know?" Darry's silence said it all. "Ya planning on telling 'em?"
"I don't wanna talk about this, Dally."
So much for that distraction. Dally took off across the intersection, not caring about the redness of the light. He could feel Darry glaring at him. Well, it was his own fault. Should have kept the conversation flowing. It wasn't until they reached the Curtis' block that Dally spoke up again.
"I made a promise to your momma." He saw Darry turn to look at him. "She'd somehow got wind that the cops had picked me up, I think Two-Bit may have told her. She came to the station, signed me out. Then she made me promise her that I would call if I ever got jailed. She'd come get me, she said. She swore she'd always come get me." He was quiet for a moment. "Your momma kept that promise. And I always kept mine."
He glanced over to meet Darry's eyes.
"Now, if I'm jailed, I always call you. Did you realise that? I know I never made that promise to you, but I know ya momma would want me to call. And although ya've never said it, I know you will always come bail me out, just like she did. Because ya just like your momma, always looking out for those ya care about." He paused. "So now I want a promise from you, Darry. You know what ya doing is sketchy. But I get why ya doing it. Next time, keep me in the loop. And if you ever need a ride, you call me. In return, I promise I will always come and get ya. Whenever, wherever, whoever."
The car was silent as he pulled up to the house. It was only as he was opening the car door that he heard Darry's barely audible reply:
"Okay."
***
"Yay!" Two-Bit crowed as they entered the house. "Superman’s back!"
He glanced at the clock.
"You’re earlier than usual. Thought you'd be out 'til sunrise."
"Yeah, I know." Darry sent him a wry smile. "Dally somehow ran into me and gave me a ride."
Two-Bit suddenly seemed to remember he had spilled the muscular man's secret and pointed at Dally with wide eyes.
"He threatened me under pain of death!"
"I did not! And besides..." Dally slapped Two-Bit upside the head.
"Hey!" he squawked, looking up at him with an injured look. "What was that for?"
"Next time, tell me when one of the gang is being a dumbass."
Darry just rolled his eyes, while Two-Bit looked confused.
"Who's a dumbass?"