Chapter Text
Settling into the Curtis house was easier than Ponyboy expected it to be. There was a rhythm that existed, an organized chaos, that kept everything orderly, but relaxed. He was already on top of all his school work too, cause Darrel insisted on him finishing it right when he got home.
However, Pony had quickly found that he had too much free time. Sometimes he’d doodle or write, or even wander around and look for Johnny, something Darrel and Soda had tried desperately to put a stop to, saying that he’d get jumped by some socs if he kept doing that without knowing where to avoid. So he’d started just staying home, aimlessly wandering the few rooms until he knew every creak and crack like he’d lived there his whole life instead of less than two months.
Joining track had been Darrel’s idea.
“Hey, Ponyboy, you ever thought ‘bout running? Competitively, I mean.” The response Darrel received was a blank stare, so he tried again. “Will Rogers has a half-decent track team, if you were interested. I know you liked running ‘round the neighborhood.”
“You-you’d be okay with me doing that?”
“Course I would? Why wouldn’t I want you doing somethin’ you like?” Ponyboy hesitated, not having a good answer for him, at least not one that wouldn’t cause more questions. Darrel must’ve noticed Pony’s sudden interest in his shoes because he tried backtracking, worried he was forcing Ponyboy into something he didn’t want.
“Not that you have to, of course. If ya ain’t interested, that’s also fine.”
“No! I mean- no, I am, I want to. Really. I just- I dunno, it’s dumb.”
“Pony, your feelings ain’t dumb. But hey, if you wanna do this, I’m good with that. I want you to be happy and do something you enjoy. Ya hear?” Pony felt Darrel’s hand come down and squeeze his shoulder as Pony slowly nodded his head, still feeling guilt for a reason he couldn’t name.
That’s how Ponyboy found himself clambering into Darrel’s truck after school, skin slick with sweat and hair damp, dumping his bag at his feet and panting.
“You alright there, kiddo?” Pony tensed at the name before quickly relaxing, “‘m fine, just a tough practice… not that I’m complaining or anything- I’m real happy to be doing it!” Darrel chuckled at that, “Ponyboy, you’re allowed to be tired after practice. Lord knows I was exhausted after practices in school…” Darrel trailed off, smile fading as he got in his head, remembering all that could’ve been, before quickly shaking his head to fight off the “what ifs”.
“You got your first meet soon, right?”
“Huh? Oh, yeah. Tomorrow, right after school.” Darrel nodded, eyes flicking over to Ponyboy briefly before going back to the road.
Ponyboy began fidgeting with the stitching on his shirt, mentally debating whether or not he should bother Darrel with the question that had been on his mind since he first found out about the track meet. He sucked in a breath before deciding to just ask. “Will you be there?”
“Sorry, what did you say, Pony?”
“Nothing! Haha, sorry, must’ve been muttering out loud…”
“Ponyboy,” great, there was that knowing voice, “It ain’t nothing, what did you say?” There was a genuineness to his tone that made Pony feel guilt he couldn’t explain and made his heart ache because he was so used to people ignoring him, not truly missing what he said.
“I-I just wanted to know if uh, if you or Soda would be able to come to my meet? I know yall are both super busy so, I get it if not, but I just wanted to know.” Ponyboy said the whole thing with a sudden fascination in his hands. He heard Darrel sigh and tried to ignore the way his heart sank ‘cause he knew what was coming. Of course Darrel wouldn’t be able to make it; he was working hard to keep two boys fed and clothed, and warm, he couldn’t just take time off to see some kid he’d taken in a few months ago run around a track. “Sorry, it’s dumb, I know you’re working and I shouldn’t be botherin’ you with this kinda stuff.”
Darrel put the car in park and turned it off before twisting to look at the small kid next to him.
“Ponyboy, you gotta know that I would love to be at your meet, it’s just hard for me to take hours off, especially now. Now, that ain’t your fault, that’s just how it is, and I’m ok with that. I know Soda’s gonna be at your meet, and I want to hear all about it after, okay?”
Ponyboy nodded and willed himself not to cry. He didn’t even know why he was getting so worked up over this. He’s been so used to people not showing up for him, so why did it feel like it hurt extra when it was Darrel? Just then, he saw a hand moving towards him and instinctively flinched away before realizing it was just Darrel trying to comfort him.
“Pony? You ok, kid?”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine, Dar. Darrel. Sorry.”
“Hey, kid, slow down. It’s ok. You’re allowed to be disappointed, and you’re allowed to express that. And you can call me Dar. Ain’t like Soda’s got it trademarked.”
Ponyboy nodded again, his vision blurring as he tried to turn away and face the cool window of the warming car.
“Hey, bud, c’mere.”
Before Ponyboy even knew it, he was being turned around and wrapped in Darrel’s arms. He smelled like grease and wood and something so distinctly Curtis, a smell Pony has yet to acquire himself but will never get sick of being surrounded by. After a few minutes, Pony pulled back and sniffled, using his sweatshirt sleeve to wipe his eyes.
“Sorry, Dar, I dunno why I’m acting like this.”
“All good, kiddo. I just wanna make sure you’re ok. Now, what do you say to going in there, getting cleaned up, then dinner just you, me, and Soda, and then we can watch one of those movies you like? That sound good?”
Ponyboy sniffled and nodded again, voice coming out scratchy and emotional, “That sounds mighty nice, thanks, Darrel.”
Ponyboy played that conversation over again in his mind as he retied his shoes and took a deep breath before he got ready for his first race. The cool hair made him shiver in his thin track top, but the cold was quickly replaced by a warm feeling when he glanced at the stands and saw Soda standing next to Johnny, smiling like Pony had already won.
When Soda caught Pony’s eye, he waved, and his grin grew impossibly bigger. Ponyboy shyly smiled, but before he could wave back, he watched as Soda tapped an imaginary watch on his wrist frantically and cocked his head in confusion. Why was Soda so focused on the time?
Ponyboy began running through the possibilities in his head. Was Soda saying he had to leave soon? Maybe he had to get to the DX for work? No, he’d told Ponyboy explicitly last night that he wasn’t working. Did he have to go for something else? Maybe he had a date with his girl?
Ponyboy tried not to dwell on his confusion as he turned and jogged towards his teammates and coach. After he listened to the rundown of how the meet would go, he waited on the sidelines with a few of the kids he’d made friends with and cheered on his other teammates. By the time it was his turn, he was hardly nervous and had almost entirely forgotten his prior confusion.
He felt one of his teammates clap him on the back before he ran over to take his mark. He stared down at the bright track and dug his shoes against it, feeling the roughness of the surface he’d spent the last three weeks running on, and closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath before opening his eyes again. Right before the gunshot, Ponyboy spared a glance at the stands and felt his heart skip a beat, because in the stands, with a hand on Soda’s shoulder and looking at him with more pride than he’d ever seen, was Darrel.
The ring of the shot snapped Ponyboy out of his head, and he ran faster than he ever had, pushing himself with each step to move faster and make his family proud. Foster family, the voice in his head whispered. Right. He couldn’t go and forget that, because when he did, it would only end up hurting more when he inevitably left. But for just a moment, with the wind rushing past him, blowing his hair, as his feet struck the rough track, as he could hear the shouts from the barely adult man who took him in and looked at him with kind understanding and the boy who cared for him like it was as easy as breathing, for just that moment, he forgot.
Distantly, he felt his legs begin to burn as he slowed down after the finish line, and he could feel himself panting for air, but it all felt so far away. Because in that moment, all he could see was Soda cheering for him and Darrel clapping with the proudest grin adorning his face.
Ponyboy raised his arm and waved at the brothers in the stands, a huge smile cracking across his face. He knew he probably looked too excited and eager, and he half expected Darrel and Soda to suddenly pretend they didn’t know him, but they didn’t. Instead, Soda frantically waved back and pointed at Darrel like Ponyboy hadn’t noticed he was there. He tapped his fake watch again and gave a thumbs up, goofy grin never fading.
Ah, so that’s what that had meant. He was tapping a fake watch to tell Ponyboy that Darrel would be there soon, just a bit late. Ponyboy just grinned bigger and nodded at him. He understood now. Darrel had shown up. He’d pulled whatever strings he had to and left work early just to be at Ponyboy’s first meet. The thought alone made Ponyboy’s chest swell with pride and a second feeling, this one different, it was one that felt warm and fuzzy. He vaguely recognized it as something he’d felt before, but not in a very long time. Maybe not even since his parents died.
After the meet was finished, Ponyboy couldn’t hide his excitement as he ran towards Darrel and Soda, just barely holding himself back from jumping on them. He heard Darrel’s chuckle and felt Soda’s hand ruffle his hair,
“Looks like we got us one mighty fast horse, don’t we, Dar?”
“Aw, c'mon, Soda, not the horse jokes again.”
“Pepsi, I ain’t too sure you’re in a position to be makin’ name jokes.”
As Ponyboy watched Soda pretend to hit Darrel and Darrel fought back, putting Soda in a headlock, he decided to just take it in. He’d done it. He’d finished his first track meet with a new personal best, he’d won two of his races, and the two people he cared about most had shown up for him.
“-nyboy? Hey! Earth to Ponyboy.” Pony’s head snapped towards Soda as he finally registered that Soda had been asking him something.
“Sorry! Got in my head” Ponyboy could tell his voice sounded rough, he just couldn’t figure out why.
“You ok, kiddo? One second you were laughing, the next you’d stopped and you started cryin’.” The concern dripped from Darrel’s voice as he turned to fully look at Ponyboy. Ponyboy touched his cheek and was shocked to find his face was indeed wet with warm tears.
“Oh… yeah, I’m good, didn’t even realize it was happening, to be honest. And I ain’t too sure why it still is…” Ponyboy laughed nervously, kicking himself for unintentionally turning a lighthearted and happy time into something uncomfortable.
“You ain’t gotta apologize, Pony, we just wanna make sure you’re ok? Ya dig?”
“Yeah, yeah, I dig.”
Darrel reached out to squeeze Pony’s shoulder and playfully elbowed Soda in the side before turning around, calling out, “You two better hurry it up, ‘cause in 5 minutes the car and me are goin’ to get a celebratory dinner at the dingo, it’s up to you two if you wanna make it in time to come with.”
Soda stuck out his tongue and flipped Darrel off before turning around to Ponyboy and giving him an inquisitive look.
“You sure you’re ok, Colt? You scared us something fierce with that quick switch-up.”
Ponyboy ignored the way his heart soared at the nickname and gave Soda a genuine smile.
“I’m good, Soda. Real good. Better than you know, I swear.”