[happily] dallyboy

[epilogue]

Ponyboy couldn't help the grin that grew on his face. He glanced every which way, surprised by everything that was so beautifully familiar. The drive-in looked exactly as it did before they left, almost thirty years before. Even being now in his sixties, he felt like a teenager again. Everything was so bright, and it felt like home.

"Never thought I'd be back here."

Pony looked at Dallas. "Me either," he mumbled. He smiled, only again realizing how much they'd really aged. Dallas wasn't a young greasy punk anymore, and Pony wasn't the nervous little teen. Dallas had big streaks of grey in his still brown hair; Pony's held the same. They walked a little slower now, their joints not working as well as they once did. Their eyes couldn't see as clearly as they had, either. But it was worth it. Every moment. There had been so much growth; so many years of love and fights and make up's and children and family, and they did it all together.

Pony grinned at him. "This is where it all started, you know?"

Dallas rolled his eyes - he'd never get too old for that - but reflected the same loving smile. "How could I forget. I was kissing you one minute and in jail the next."

"Only made me want you that much more." Pony leaned in a pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek.

Dallas breathed out a laugh, holding up Pony's hand in his own. He looked down at the singular silver band placed on Pony's finger, smiling like a man who fell in love all over again every single day - he did. He pressed a gentle kiss to the band, lingering for a couple seconds.

"Told you one day I'd get to marry you." Dallas mumbled against Ponyboy's skin, looking up at him with those beautiful eyes.

"And you were right." Pony laughed. "I always thought I was the dreamer."

"Well," Dallas hummed, "I like being right."

It was Pony's turn to roll his eyes. He began towards the center of the large grass field. Dallas followed, their hands held tightly in each other's grasp. He would never let go.

Pony began to sit down, his joints aching only slightly. He was adamant on sitting in the same place he was when their life together had really started. He sighed in relief once he was fully sat.

"Pone, if I sit down I'm never getting back up." Dallas said, looking down at Pony.

Pony looked back up at him. "I'll help you."

Dallas glared a little as he slowly sank to the floor. After a few groans and complaints along the lines of "holy shit" and, "son of a bitch" and, "I hate you," he was sitting on the grass. But Dallas didn't hate Ponyboy. He never could. He sighed and leaned back on his palms, "Shit that sucked."

Pony laughed, shaking his head. Dallas still cursed like a sailor, but never in actual anger, and never at Pony. Gosh he loved that man.

"Now you have me here. What are we doing?"

"We're reliving the best years of our lives."

"Every year that I'm with you is the best year of my life."

Dallas, no matter how old they got, never lost the ability to make Pony blush. He looked away and cheeks reddening, ears warming up. Dallas still got him all flustered, and he loved it. "You're an idiot."

"You know you love it," Dallas grinned. Pony didn't look at him, gently nudging his shoulder.

They didn't say anything for a long time. Dallas slowly turned and laid his head on Ponyboy's lap, just looking up at him with that loving smile. Pony caressed his head, placing the one with his ring over Dallas's heart. "I love you." Ponyboy said.

Dallas reached up, pushing some hair behind Pony's ear. "I love you too, Ponyboy Curtis-Winston. Always have, always will."

end