doing something about it - two-bit matthews
summary: when an old date comes looking for you, it causes ruckus in a house full of boys, whether that's because they're your family or because they're friends who like you more than just that, who knows? wc: 1.4k
The door slams shut almost as soon as it opens, leaving the boy standing on its other side stunned.
“Who’s at the door?” Darry calls out, and you decide that no answer is better than a poor excuse that would have the gang onto you in seconds. The door creeks as you open it once more, inhaling deeply before tiptoeing outside to greet the man holding a bouquet of flowers for you.
“Hey.” You breathe out, shaking your head when he extends the bouquet towards you. “What’s going on?”
He frowns, blinking quickly as he says “I had a really good time with you on our date the other day, and I wanted to ask you to be my girlfriend.”
“Oh. Look, that’s really sweet of you Matt, but you shouldn’t have come here. If my brothers see you, all hell will break loose.” You explain, pointedly ignoring answering his question. “Oh, alright,” He says, taking a couple steps back and dropping the bouquet by his side. “Well, what about being my girlfriend?”
You internally cuss yourself out when you pause to think of an answer for him, but unfortunately for you, you’re interrupted by an even bigger inconvenience. The door jerks open behind you, and it’s only when you see Matt cower in front of you, shrinking in on himself, that you know exactly who is looming behind you. “What’s goin’ on here?” Darry asks, arms crossed over his chest as he frowns. Matt immediately hides the bouquet behind his back, and you sigh, knowing that an interrogation is going to follow you around for the next hour.
“Nothing, Darry, he was just leaving.” You tell him, turning to face your older brother and trying to go inside. Darry’s hand slams against the doorway, blocking your entrance, and your eyes go wide in surprise.
“Darry,” You begin, voice quiet so Matt doesn’t hear. “Please trust me on this.” You see Darry’s posture soften, nodding to yourself when he moves aside so you can make your way inside. He stands there for a moment longer to glare at the terrified boy before following you inside and slamming the door behind him.
“You got a boyfriend I should know about?” Any softness Darry had shown for you just moments ago disappears as he’s hit with the thought of his younger sister going out with a boy.
“No, I don’t. You actually just saved him from a rejection.”
“A rejection!?” Dally’s voice barges in, and there’s a scuffle in the living room as the boys all rush to get a look at Matt through the window. “You went out with that kid?” Two-bit asks, and you put your hands on your hips as you reply “He’s not a kid, he’s my age.”
“So a kid.” Dally shoots again, despite only being months older than you. You hum disapprovingly, glancing around the room to see if anyone has more comments to make. Luckily, no one looks like they have anything to say, Steve and Sodapop too busy playing a game of cards to care about any more of your rendezvous than they already know about. Two-Bit, however, despite having his lips tightly pressed together, is cradling his beer with a tighter hold than usual, eyes trained directly in front of him in an attempt not to look at you. You shift your weight from one foot to another, biting the inside of your cheek.
For months, there’s been a weird, unspoken thing between the two of you. It started not long after Sodapop and Steve dropped out, leaving you and Two-Bit to be the last of your group in school. You stuck together like two pieces of tape that weren’t supposed to come in contact, but now that you’ve graduated, you don’t get as much time alone. So he makes the most of it. He always makes the most of the brief moments you’re alone together, cracking a joke that he knows will make you laugh and touching you in a way that just about crosses the line from friendly. You do it too, asking him for a sip of his beer that you hate so much just to fluster him, or asking his advice on situations you’d usually go to Sodapop for.
And yet, nothing has happened.
He was the reason you decided to take up Matt’s offer of a date, but he only teased you at the news, leaning on your doorway while watching you put on a nice dress for someone you didn’t care about. He didn’t need to know that last bit though.
You clear your throat uncomfortably, mumbling quietly “I think it’s my turn to do the dishes.” Sodapop glances up from his game of cards, hoping you don’t check the chore chart on the fridge as you walk into the kitchen. Lathering the sponge with dish soap, you swallow up all of your feelings. Only a week ago, you had been so sure that Two-Bit liked you, and even worse than that, you had been convinced that he would tell you how he felt about you. But now here you were, boyfriendless and washing dishes when you should be out partying with your friends and kissing boys in dark bars.
“Hey, you got a tweezer I can use?” You jump up at the close voice, dropping a plate into the sink and flinching hard at the noise it makes while silently hoping the glass stays intact. “I think I got a splinter in my finger.” You spin around to stare back at Keith, hands still soapy as you hold them out over the floor with your palms up to stop the soap from dripping to the floor. You nod twice, muttering “Yeah, hold on.”
It’s deafeningly quiet as you wash your hands off, and you pat them dry on your jeans as you lead Two-Bit down the hallway. Two-Bit silently follows you into your room, and whilst Darry usually lets the boys into your room, his eyes catch on the two of you, and he considers telling Keith to get out of there. Instead, Darry watches as Keith hesitantly sits on the edge of your bed, adam’s apple bobbing in this throat when he swallows thickly. You approach the boy with a pair of silver tweezers in your hand, and Keith lifts his hand up for you, his breath hitching when you hold it in yours and move it around to spot the little brown splinter stuck between his skin.
“I’m sorry.”
You glance up at Two-Bit’s words, blinking in surprise. “About your date.” He clarifies, then adds “About not telling you how I feel before you get involved with someone.” You inhale deeply, returning your gaze to his hand, squinting your eyes to find his splinter.
“I don’t have a splinter.” Two-Bit admits, and you freeze on the spot before straightening up. “And that’s why you’re the only one of those boys who graduated.” You joke, settling the tweezers on your bedside table. “Yeah? That the only reason?” Two-Bit questions with a smirk, and you cross your arms over your chest as a smile breaks out onto your face. Two-Bit leans forward, hooking his hands around the back of your legs and gently tugging you forward. Your smile turns shy at his touch, and though he still smiles up at you, his expression softens.
“I’m a smart guy, you know?” He says, and you nod, mumbling “I know.”
“Yeah, and not just in the way that let me graduate high school.” He says, and you feel your cheeks go hot. “I know you like me, but I’ve been too stupid to do something about it.”
“Is this you trying to do something about it Keith?” You ask quietly, staring into the boy’s eyes. He doesn’t answer, only brings a hand up to the back of your neck to lower your face down onto his. He straightens up to meet your lips, and you instantly melt against each other when your lips make contact. You bring a knee down onto your mattress, lowering your body so you can kiss Two-Bit better, and he parts his lips slightly, kissing you with as much passion as he can muster.
And just as you pull away from him, lips still touching but with matching smiles, it gets ruined.
“Keith, you better get your filthy hands off my sister!”
