Faltering Smiles.

Morning Glory.

Sodapop's POV

We had sex for hours last night. It was gentle and he was careful and although I'm a little sore and bruised up, he did his best to not hurt me. I know he did his best. I cuddle close to him and I try to keep warm. It's early and I'm still freezing. My hips hurt but I'm also confused. I don't understand this feeling and I feel stupid for crying last night. I feel dumb for balling my eyes out after having sex like I was a hopeless little kid. Dallas probably thinks I'm a big wuss now. No one should cry after sex, that's just stupid. I know he's awake because he's been moving and rearranging himself for the passed hour, but never enough that he has to let go of me. His arms are tight around me like mine are around him. I can't see his face and I kind of don't want to. Then id have to face him and own up to what happened last night and I don't know if I can do that. Suddenly he shakes my shoulder.

"Soda... You awake?"

He asks quietly and I freeze, I don't want to answer but I know I have to. Of course I have to answer him. I sigh softly and nod my head against his chest, murmuring out a small 'mhm' as I do.

"We should get up..."

"Why.."

"Because you're gonna need time to...adjust."

"What's that supposed to m-"

I start to sit up and a dull and then piercing ache runs through my hips and ass. It throbs and hurts and Dallas leans up beside me, holding me carefully while staring at me sleepily.

"Just take it slow...it's gonna be sore for a day or two. You're...inexperienced."

"...it fucking hurts..."

"I know Soda."

"I don't like it."

"I know Soda."

"Fuck."

"I'm sorry Soda."

I sigh and he sighs and we both get up. He helps me at first, so that I can get used to the feeling before I walk on my own. It's not hard, it's just uncomfortable. I'm obviously bruised and pulled a few muscles from last night unfortunately. But Dallas doesn't seem to care about the crying. He doesn't seem concerned with anything except my ability to walk. While we stand and wait for the cell doors to unlock for breakfast, a guard comes with a set of keys.

"Time to go."

"Go where?"

"Parole, morons. You're getting out. Let's go."

Dallas' POV

We head down the hall and the officer takes us into an inspection room and gives us our clothes. We change back into them and Soda looks nervous and sore. He keeps staring at me, like a lost dog looking for a bone. Hes never done this stuff before, the sex or jail, so it's stressful on him. We sign our wavers and slowly walk out the front doors and out into the real world again. Man is it ever bright out.

"Dallas where should we go..."

Soda asks me in an almost timid voice. Hes staring at me kind of weird, shifting and wincing a little as we walk down the long empty stretch of highway back towards town. I can tell he's uncomfortable. Or at the very least he's confused. Sandy was his first real 'love' and she broke his heart. I don't know if I wanna be the second. But man is he ever cute first thing in the morning like this...

"I need smokes. And some chow. Let's grab those and then I'll take you home. The boys'll be worried sick about you."

"They worry about you too yakno..."

"Not like they do about you, Soda. It's different."

"Oh Dal."

Soda sighs and shakes his head at me, looking more like himself now. The sassy little brat he is. The walk is long back into town and my legs are sore as hell by the time we hit the edge of it. I pull Soda into the first Dairy Queen I see and order a fudge sundae. Soda gets an ice cream cone dipped in chocolate and I pay before we leave. As we get deeper back in town he starts to look nervous.

"Dally... About last night uh.."

"Soda don't worry about it."

"But I...I'm really confused..."

"About what..?"

"I like you. Are the feelings.. Do you..do you feel the same way or was that just...sex?"

"Soda, that was magic. There isn't any other word for it. And...I'm not sure where I stand. I don't dislike you. I'm just figuring it out right now."

He looks a little disappointed and then calm. He relaxes, gives a beautiful smile, and nods. For the next few minutes he doesn't speak and neither do I. We just walk and think and live in our heads. I stop at the corner shop, I buy a pack of cigarettes, I light one right away and Soda looks disgusted.

"Those things'll kill you, Dal."

"It's these or the cops, man. One of em'll get me and I'm hoping it's these."

"Those arent high hopes."

"Save the mom talk for Ponyboy, Soda. I'll have whatever bad habits I please."

"Alright alright."

He smiles again and my stomach gets butterflies and I have to squint a little to suppress how much I'm grinning. He doesn't notice because he's too busy skipping beside me like a little child, happy and free. Man it feels so nice to be free. I've been in jail for longer than three days let me tell ya, but that definitely felt like a drag this time. It felt like a drag because I knew everyone was waiting for Soda and worrying and probably blaming me for getting him into shit.

"So...are you gay?"

"For you, yes. For anyone else, never. And don't tell anyone what we did...not until I figure myself out at least."

"I won't... I promise."

He blushes and looks down shyly as we near the house. We're at the end of the street, slowly walking up towards his home. He looks nervous and excited and flustered all at once. He pulls at his dirty jeans and I smoke another cigarette. As we get closer I can hear Johnny's mom going off at his drunk ass father. Pisses me off. I walk faster and Soda doesn't as why. He keeps up and he bites his bottom lip as we get up to the gate.

"You ready?"

"Now or never I guess. I hope Darry isn't too mad."

We walk through the yard and up the steps and into the house. Darryl looks up from a newspaper on the love seat and his eyes widen. Ponyboy stands in the kitchen with a frying pan in his hand and his jaw drops. Suddenly they're both smiling.

"Soda!"

/If there are any mistakes it's because I didn't proof read this before posting so hopefully it's not too bad. /