reckless 【 the outsiders 】

twenty-three

It had now been five months.

Leigh was finally used to her pregnancy body and she was no longer a dancer at work, just a waitress until she was no longer carrying the load (their words). She was eating about three times what she was used to, had frequent nosebleeds, and Dallas had noticed her significant bust growth and increase in emotional sensitivity and it made him contemplate even going home some days but he knew that'd only make it worse.

Dallas had been working and Two-Bit lost ten bucks total, five to both Steve and Soda, on bets that he'd quit in two months or less. Another stipulation of said bet was that Two-Bit had to get a job himself and it's worth mentioning that he works alongside Dally in the grocery store warehouse.

Leigh rarely left the house but that was mostly because Dallas was unusually worried about every aspect of her being, that and her general unwillingness to leave because, in her words, she's a whale and whales only go above water when necessary.

It was two in the morning and the girl could not sleep, Dallas was beside her sleeping soundly and snoring quietly. She didn't want to wake him but she didn't feel like getting up and getting her own food so she did what she did in those situations and pretended to be asleep but moving around so that it wakes him up.

"What do you want?" he asks, obviously annoyed but willing to deal with it anyway.

"Hm?"

"Drop the act, I know you only do that to wake me up when you want something."

"Sorry."

"Yeah, yeah," he got up and put on the nearest shirt and grudgingly slipped on some shoes. He remembered being up at this time to do something illegal or fight someone. A year ago, you could tell Dallas Winston he'd be getting up in the middle of the night after ten hours of actual work to get his long-term, pregnant girlfriend some food and he'd laugh in your face. "What do you want?"

"I don't care."

Half-asleep, the guy left and was back within the next hour with a large bag from Denny's. He knew he got a lot but what she didn't eat, she'd definitely warm up later.

"You hungry?" Leigh mumbled, chewing on her burger and offering it to Dallas who had his eyes closed but wasn't asleep. He was just lucky he didn't work the next day. "Wanna talk?"

Sighing, he replied, "Do you?"

"Well, I can't sleep."

"Fine."

She noted the way he sat up as if he were agitated and how he looked at her like he would rather not speak and just fall asleep and she knew she was annoying but couldn't help it. "I don't wanna if you're gonna be mad at me."

"Christ," he whispered, "I ain't mad, okay? What do you wanna talk about?"

"Um... How's work?"

"Work's fine."

She threw a quick glare his way before rolling her eyes and stuffing a couple fries into her mouth. "Don't answer like that, I wanna really know how work has been. Do you like it? Are you doin' good? Do you still like everybody?"

"It's a job, no big deal. I'm doing alright, for someone who ain't worked before. I never liked everybody but some people bother me less than others." He didn't wanna stop there because she'd just keep asking so he started mentioning random things about work. "Some guy who just started, I think his name was Jimmy or somethin', he was like "Aw man, Dallas Winston? Never thought I'd see the day you went straight." Don't even know if I should know the guy but it was weird."

"I never thought you would either." She chuckled at herself, suddenly remembering the time that seemed so long ago. "I remember, I didn't wanna go with you because you were too reckless for me."

"Yeah, and I think I said somethin' like "ain't you friends with a dealer" and you got all mad like always."

Leigh knew she was a little sensitive (but she'd never admit it and if anyone besides Winston told her that, it'd be the end of the world for them) and she laughed thinking about all the stupid arguments they'd gotten into. Both stubborn, opinionated, and sensitive. "I kinda miss you like that--don't get no ideas from that--but you were always a surprise."

"So what? I ain't a surprise no more?"

"Not as much. I love the way you are now, though." She leaned her head on his shoulder, still downing the large meal he bought her. "I love everything about you. How you were then and how you are now and how you'll be in the future."

"I'm barely nineteen and I'm already boring, always thought that'd happen when I died."

"Well, you're gonna be a daddy so you've gotta be a little different." They sat in silence as Leigh plowed through the burgers and both large fries, occasionally sipping on her Root Beer. One of the fries was for him later but he wasn't gonna tell her that. "Do you really wanna have this kid?" she asks suddenly, an obvious and very large shift in her attitude quite apparent.

"Sure, why?"

"Well, you know my mom left. She never wanted a kid she just wanted to be... wild? I guess? And I know you didn't want any kids and you just were so different and nothing's how you wanted it to be and it's because of me..." he was also used to these random rants she'd go on, she'd stop herself eventually but he learned early on not to interrupt her. "...I don't want you to hate me or be in the kid's life and then hate them and leave and have them become like me or my brothers. You know we're shitty people."

"You done?" he asks, feeding her a fry that'd been left over in the bag and motioning at her to calm down and take a breath. She hummed a yes and nodded, her hair messily falling into her face. "If I didn't wanna be here I wouldn't. I didn't plan on havin' any dumb kids but I never planned on meetin' you and stayin' with you and..."

"Loving me?"

"Yeah sure." The passive response was the one she was used to but it still let her know how much he actually loved her.

"Can you promise me you won't hate me?"

"Yeah, I promise."

"And you won't hate Corie?"

"Corie?"

"Yeah, it's what I wanted to name her. Unless you don't like it."

He was able to hide that he quite enjoyed the name, found it extremely cute, even. "It's fine. Corie is a nice name."

"Promise you won't hate Corie. Or do anything in the world to hurt her ever."

"Of course."

"Except on accident. Like, Levi was dropped but he was okay, so that's an exception. I was dropped too. More than once."

"Yeah, except for accidents."

"Promise me you'll never leave me?"

"Of course."

"Promise me! Say it."

"Leigh, we can get married if you want, okay? Believe me, I won't be leavin' you."

She smiled and leaned her head on his chest, squeezing his hands in hers, "I won't leave you."

He was feeling like her talking mood was coming to an end so he began to drift back off to sleep while she lay there, still usable.

"Hey!"

"What?"

"Let's get cheap rings that'll turn our fingers colors."

"Can we do it tomorrow?"

"Yeah, yeah okay. I'm gonna go to sleep."

"Good."

edited 12-29-21