Unloaded Guns ~ Dallas Winston X Reader

Another One Of His Moods

"I knew the risk but I took it anyway."

*A/N: I'm so sorry for the delayed update. Thank you for the support! I recommend going back and rereading the last chapter because I changed the entire thing to fit where I'm going to take this story. Thank you so much!*

"We're back," Dallas shouted as he opened the rickety door. He walked in first but I could still see everyone's heads perk up at the term 'we'. I hesitated for a moment. 

Trying to convince myself that I wasn't scared would be pointless. I don't know what I was scared for. Everyone's told me they've been worried, not mad. It was the guilt that I couldn't shake more than anything. 

My hands found their way into my pockets as I stepped through the door Dallas was holding open. 

Two-bit was the first one to come running. The wind left my lungs as he slammed into me for a hug. I wrapped my arms around him and the door shuts closed behind me. 

"Jesus Christ, it's Y/N!" Ponyboy shouts down the hall. I'm sure that's the most I've ever heard him talk in one go. 

Footsteps tear down the hall and into the living room. Soda stares at me, confliction making his blue eyes seem grey for a moment. I must have the same look on my face because Darry looks between us before saying the two of us should step outside and talk alone for a moment. 

I let out a breath of relief knowing I won't have to explain everything in front of everyone at once. I'm not even sure how much I'll tell Soda. 

We step out the door I just came in from and sit on the dark wooden stairs. Soda sits next to me. 

He goes to speak but I stop him. "No, me first." He just looks at me before nodding at me, telling me to go on. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have yelled at you. But I really, really, could not have gone to jail." I took a final breath before saying it. "As far as the world is concerned, I'm dead." 

"What?" Pure confusion makes him scrunch his nose. 

"My family all died in a house fire. I found a way out of the house and just ran. The police never found my remains but it isn't uncommon for there not to be any after a fire like that. They marked me dead along with the rest of my family."

Realization finally comes to him. "Shit, Y/N." He breaths. His breath caused a cloud to form in the brisk air. "I wouldn't have let you go back to that house if I knew that."

"It's not your fault. I knew the risk but I took it anyway." He chewed on the insides of his cheeks. "I'm sorry I didn't come back, either."

He shook his head. "Nah, don't apologize. I get it. You haven't known us long at all. It makes perfect sense." 

"Thanks," I said as I wrapped my arms around his shoulders. He hugged me back before helping me up and going back inside. 

The room was heavy with silence as we walked back in. Darry leaned against the door frame to the kitchen. Two-bit's TV was on mute, Pony peered over the magazine he was reading. 

"We're fine, guys," I laughed a bit at the simultaneous breath from everyone. 

"Finally, Soda's girl is back," Pony said with a smile as he closed the papers. 

Soda shook his head at the name with a genuine dismissal. "She's not Soda's girl, stop calling her that." A voice spoke from the second sofa. Dallas stood up and walked out of the house without another word. 

"What's his deal?" Pony mumbled. I shrugged but this morning replayed in my head. 

"Probably just upset he doesn't have a place to crash tonight since Buck lost Joe," I covered, hopefully convincingly.

Darry shook his head. "Nah, he knows he can always stay with us. He's probably just in another one of his moods. I nodded in agreement. I looked out the door to see if he was still out there but he wasn't in sight. 

"Where's Johnny, he alright?" I asked, desperate for a change of subject. Darry nodded his head and pointed to the room all the way down the hall. Last I checked, he was resting. You're welcome to see if he's up yet, though."