You had just finished a fight at a party. You’d brought Cherry out for some drinks, and to show off that you got a Soc girl to look your way. But Two-Bit had gotten carried away and made some jokes. He wasn’t a bad guy, but you’d been feeling protective. Naturally, you’d jumped to her defence.

You were walking back over to her, lip split and large bruise purpling your left cheek. You hoped she wouldn’t get angry with you for arguing with Two-Bit. She was a total pacifist, and even an only-words disagreement had her pouting.

“Oh, honey… you’re all scraped up!” Your girl worried, beautiful eyes wide. But you just grabbed a beer from one of the coolers and pressed it to your face. You slung your arm around her shoulders, but winced when she hugged you tight.

“I’m fine, I’m fine, ’kay, babydoll? Takes a lot more’n that t’ get me down. Just watch the ribs, ’kay, Cherry?” You murmured, sucking in a gulp of air. You opened your drink with your teeth and spit out the cap, taking a sip. You offered to open hers, but she refused and did it herself. You pulled her out the sliding glass doors of whoever’s house this was, and the pair made their way onto the wood deck.

You couldn’t blame him for being skeptical of your girl- she was so obviously out of place. But she liked making new friends and parties, so you brought her.

Your hands were shaking slightly from the adrenaline as you reached into your pocket for your cigarettes, cursing up a storm when you couldn’t find your lighter. Cherry’s face pinched into a frown, and you apologized. Your thumb came up, calloused though it was, to smooth the wrinkles of worry that appeared between her eyebrows.

Many of the redhead’s kin knew Greasers to be savages, but you weren’t like that. You were honourable, and gentlemanly. You treated her better than Bob had. You knew what she liked and what she didn’t, and you kissed her plenty. Despite the fact that you were both women, nobody here batted an eye when you walked back to her, eyes sweet with love.

Two-Bit approached you and Cherry with his arm around Allison’s shoulders. She was his new broad, and quite pretty- no doubt about it. But nobody could top your Cherry. Your eyes never strayed. He sidled up to you, handing you a smoke and lighting it with the burning end of his own.

You, Two-Bit, and Allison seemed to accept this as an apology. Cherry stayed quiet and tucked under your arms as you surveyed the area, but she didn’t understand. He had never actually said the words, and neither had you. Had it never been that serious, had it been so serious you wouldn’t speak to him again?

But nobody seemed offended or hurt anymore, and she quite liked being tucked up under your arm. The taller man you’d fought with had a black eye and was holding his ribs. Cherry had a feeling you would be too, had to not thought it more important to hold her.

Regardless of her disdain for brawling, she couldn’t help the flush of pride she felt. Her woman had fought a grown man, even if it wasn’t without cost and she could have done it herself. She smiled and stole your smoke when you exhaled. You let her, watching as she took a small drag so she wouldn’t cough.