Faltering Smiles.

I'm Yours.

//This will be the final chapter of this fanfic. I thank you for reading, as always. You guys are amazing. I may do a spinoff one day to this story but at the time I can't seem to focus much on it. I'm starting to write another Dallyboy fanfic that I would love for you to check out. It will be called 'Hello, my name is crazy.' And the first chapter will be out on Monday. Love always. //

Sodapop's POV

I wake up next to Dallas and I watch him as he sleeps. He looks so amazingly handsome. He looks so dreamy to me. I don't know why I'm feeling this way about him but I love it. I think he's amazing. Maybe this is happening because we had sex... It was my first time with a guy and only my second time in general and oh god I feel so stupid about crying still. I snuggle close to him and I kiss his cheek and his neck and I play with his shirt until he wakes up and furrows his eyebrows at me looking amused. He kisses my forehead and I go red like a cherry.

"Morning Soda. How'd you sleep?"

"Great...I slept really good."

"Good. Hey, so...I've been thinking."

"Yeah?"

"Mhm. I gotta leave for a bit. I'll be back later."

He stands up and my warm fuzzy feeling leaves and I'm frowning and he's putting his coat on. Don't go. Please don't go. I want to beg him not to but I know that would be childish. He turns to me and places his thumb on my chin.

"Smile, I'll be back in a few hours. Okay?"

"Okay."

He turns and he leaves and I sit and stare until his back fades down the stairs. And then I watch him from my window as he walks down the street and I feel like crying. Did I do something? I'm confused. He said he'd come back though. I decide I can pass some time by showering and cleaning my room. And that's exactly what I do. I run a hot shower and I stand in it and I clean myself properly for the first time in three damn days. The water is warm and comforting and it makes me forget about Dallas for a bit. I don't get out for nearly an hour, fuck their five minute showers. Fuck jail. I get out and I dry myself off and I get dressed in nice clean clothes. Steve calls, we talk and he tells me the boss wants me back to the DX on Monday. He says I'm lucky to still have my job and he saw Sandy leaving town. It hurts to hear her name still but I finish the conversation anyways. I clean my room from top to bottom while Darry goes grocery shopping with Ponyboy. The house is empty and I'm alone. It reminds me of jail except I had Dallas there to keep me company at least. Even the silence feels better with someones presence. I fall asleep on the couch. I fall into a deep sleep, one where you feel almost alive in your dreams. I was alive and with mom and dad and Johnny and we were all together with the gang and life was happy and I felt so warm. When I opened my eyes finally, the clock flashed 5:37 pm. Darry is sitting on the love seat reading a news paper and I think I can see Ponyboy's shadow from the kitchen table, probably reading or doing homework. I sit up slowly and someone comes in the front door.

"Sodapop, get up and get some shoes on."

"He ain't going no where with you. Hes grounded. Remember?"

Darry gives Dallas a stern look but Dally has a look to kill in his eyes and he clenches his jaw tight. He walks towards Dar and he leans down close to his face and he stares at his eyes menacingly.

"I will keep him out of trouble. I need him for a few hours. I'm not taking no for an answer. Soda get your shoes on now."

"You have him back here before nine o clock. Not at nine, not a minute after. Before nine and he better be safe and out of trouble."

Dallas nods and I slip into my old sneakers. I get up and bite my lip as I wave goodbye to my brother who doesn't look the least bit pleased with us. As we leave the house I can hear him muttering under his breath every form of profanity he can think of. I follow Dal down the street before I say a word to him.

"Where are we going?"

"Bucks. Don't worry, nothing crazy is happening. It's a Thursday, it's safe."

I grimace a little and roll my eyes at his pathetic attempt to console me. The streets are surprisingly empty and it's hard not to feel a wave of confused embarrassment when I catch Dally staring at me when he could be looking anywhere else. He grins, chuckles, and flicks his cigarette without saying a word. He doesn't care if I know that he's staring at me. We walk together without speaking and he continues to stare at me and smile and I continue to blush and narrow my eyes at him while crossing my arms. It's getting chilly out but I refuse to complain. I walk quickly and quietly and he smokes like a champ. Before we get to Buck's, he's already half a pack down and still sucking them back. I don't like Buck's place but I head inside with Dallas because I trust him. I follow him upstairs and to a door before he stops me.

"Alright now look, I'm not rich or nothing so it's the best I could think of without getting too lame. Just keep that in mind."

"What are you talking about?"

"You're about to find out. Now just wait-"

He opens the door to a bedroom, I'm assuming it's his, and the room is scattered with rose petals. There's a small nightstand with a pink heart shaped cake and a little box sitting on it. He pulls me inside and then closes the door.

"I got my head together and I've decided that I've never really felt as close to anyone as I have you...I've never felt this much emotion about anything... And it would be an idiotic thing to just let it slip away or avoid it. I don't want to avoid it, I don't want to avoid you. I wanted to do this the right way... And I'm hoping this is the right way because I've never done this before. We've been friends for so long that this seems kind of crazy. But I didn't have sex with you. I made love to you and that's even crazier than what I'm about to ask you because I don't think I've ever gotten close to loving anyone in my entire life. Soda..."

He steps back and grabs the box off of his nightstand and he takes my hand. He pulls me gently and makes me sit on the edge of his bed. I'm scared and confused and I'm anxious with panic for some reason. He kneels down in front of me and he holds one of my hands.

"I want you to know how much I really care about you. And I want you to know I didn't just fuck you. You weren't just something to pass the time. Thank you for being a great person to me. And for always being there. Would you please...be my boyfriend? Can I have you as mine?"

He opens the box and inside it is a silver chain with a simple silver ring on it. It's sparkling and new and it's beautiful and he's beautiful. He takes it out and places it in my hand and he stands before me, waiting for an answer looking just as anxious as I feel. He looks down at me and I squeeze the chain and ring in my hand before I set them down. He looks disappointed and his face drops. Before he can turn away, I reach up and cup his cheeks in both of my hands.

"I'm Yours."

I lean forward and our lips meet in a soft sweet surrender.

I've always been yours.