Ponyboy: (Note: This isn't cannon with what happens in the book.)
When Johnny died Pony changed. He was suddenly so distant. Some days you barely recognized him, he was so different. He wasn't the same person and you didn't expect him to be given all that had happened. But you didn't expect this. You'd go days without seeing him and when you were with him he wasn't really there. You feared that you'd lost your boyfriend. That when Johnny died he did too. You knew that Soda and Darry were trying to get to him but they weren't having any better luck than you. Finally you hit your breaking point. You couldn't carry on like this anymore. You couldn't face Pony anymore, not with the way that he was slowly killing you. You wrote him a note, not able to see him in person. You tried to convey in that page that you still loved Pony very much but you just couldn't handle it anymore. You were sorry but you didn't know what to do anymore. You slipped the note into his locker and went home to cry in your pillow.
Later that night you'd cried yourself to sleep but were awoken to a banging on your door. You were thankful in that your parents were gone when you opened to find a frantic Pony pacing your porch like a feral animal. In his fist was clenched the note you'd written him. When you opened the door his eyes met your and you stepped back as you saw how glassy they were. Tears were threatening to fall from his lashes. He was staring at you like he could see into your very soul. After that beat of eye contact he resumed his pacing.
"Pony?" you asked quietly. Pony froze and finally turned to you. There was so much pain in his eyes. So much anger and sadness.
"You can't do this to me," he said, holding up the note. He pushed past you into your living room where he resumed his pacing. "Not you too. I lost my parents and Johnny and Dally. I can't lose you too. I just can't. I've lost too many people. I won't lose you. I won't (Y/N)."
He continued to ramble on and on getting louder and more frantic as he went on. He was shaking and his breathing was ragged. He would've kept at it for hours if you hadn't stopped him. You caught him by the shoulders and pulled him into a hug. He wrapped his arms around you and squeezed painfully. It was then the tears hit. Loud, awful sobs were seemingly ripped from him. His knees gave way and he collapsed still holding onto you. You awkwardly went with him. He kept crying for hours and you just held him, whispering apologies in his ear. Pony cried himself to sleep on your floor and you both stayed there all night.
When Pony woke up he was better. Not a hundred percent but much better. You two talked for hours and finally you had your Pony back. Darry couldn't believe it. From that day on Pony held onto you just a little tighter and he never held anything back from you. You'd become his anchor. The one he could trust no matter what.
Dallas:
"I hate you!" It'd slipped out of your lips before you even thought about it and the words stopped Dallas cold. You saw him freeze and you feared that you'd made him mad. He turned sharply to face you, causing you to flinch. You'd expected him to hit you. You squeezed your eyes shut bracing for the impact, only it never came. After a long few moments you peeked your eyes open. You weren't prepared to see Dallas staring at you with wide, tear filled eyes.
"You think I was gonna hit you?" he asked, heart broken. You looked down and shrugged unsure how to respond.
"You looked angry," you finally said. Dallas staggered back as if it had been you that had hit him. He barely managed to sink into a chair placed at your kitchen table. He covered his face. His shoulders were shaking and you worried. "I'm sorry?"
"God dammit, (Y/N)," he swore. He looked up at you and you were shocked to see actual tears in his eyes. A few were streaming down his cheeks. He reached out towards you and you didn't hesitate to throw yourself into his lap. He clung to you and buried his face in your hair so he could continue to cry. You held him back, petting his hair, softly.
