One of those “charecters come back from/rise from the dead” au’s but it’s Johnny and Dally stumbling their way to the Curtis home because it’s instinctual within the gang by now. It’s where you go when something happens. Both intrinsically aware of what’s going on, as one has to be, and incredibly confused.
Only, it’s Darry who answers the door. Who offers food and when that doesn’t work a shower and tries to ignore the scars and dirt. Darry keeps them a secret. On some level it’s selfish, on another he can’t do that to his brothers or to the rest of the gang. He keeps the dead boys in his parents room, no one goes in there anymore, and tries to figure out what to do- stopping by when he can- loosing more sleep.
It doesn’t last forever, as these often don’t… the dead can’t stay for long no matter how alive they look and feel. It’s a lesson really— he has to process and grief and all these other things and on some level he’s a little bitter it’s his friends and not his parents but who wouldn’t be —
Meanwhile Johnny and Dally brought back from the literal dead and having to deal with knowing it’s not for long. It’s for a reason. There’s no catching up or second chances as it might’ve felt at first— the world moves on and you can’t slide back into a life that no longer exists. Serving a higher purpose you don’t remember being made a part of and fighting for a chance? A goodbye? Something.
Knowing, trusting— needing Darry as he needs you in a way you start to grasp right as you need to go stumble back and
