Chapter Text
It was a little past two in the morning and darkness had touched everything available to the naked eye. Ponyboy and Johnny walked through the park, Pony shivered as the chilled night air blew past him, but he continued walking, his breathing was visible in the cold night air. Ponyboy came running after getting hit by Darry and woke Johnny up, telling him they were running away. However, after Pony began to relax, he started to think that running away wasn't such a good idea.
They walked through the park and back and Ponyboy was cooled off enough to head back home. Pony decided he would go home and just not speak to Darry. It was his house as much as Darry's and if he wanted to pretend that Ponyboy wasn't alive, that was just fine with him, so that's exactly what Pony did.
When Darry tried to apologize once Ponyboy walked back in the house, Pony simply walked right past him and to his room, not saying a word or even looking at him.
This had now been going on for about two weeks after their fight.
Ponyboy would wake up uncharacteristically on time and out the door before Darry even finished making breakfast. In the afternoon Pony would make sure dinner was cooked and already ate so he could be in his room when Darry came home. As far as schoolwork went, he would lay out any homework he had, double-checking it to make sure it was all correct, that way Darry didn't have to talk to him about it. Soda knew this whole thing was killing Darry and he hated the unspoken tension in the home. Sodapop just wanted this whole thing to end.
After getting off work, Sodapop was sitting on the living room floor watching television, Ponyboy was lying on the couch, doing something for biology class when the front door opened.
"Hey Darry," Soda greeted as Ponyboy froze, "What are you doing home so early?"
Darry shrugged.
"The boss told me I could leave." Darry then noticed Pony on the couch, the first time he's really seen him in two weeks. Soda moved his eyes to his younger brother and nodded, getting Darry to slowly walk into the living room where Pony was sitting. Carefully, he spoke up again.
"How's it going?" Darry asked, but Ponyboy didn't answer. Upon getting no answer, the oldest brother heavily sighed. "Alright, Pony. Don't you think the silent treatment has gone on long enough?"
"If you're gonna treat me like a baby, then I'm gonna act like one," Pony responded not even bothering to look up.
"Fine, I'm done." Darry snapped in frustration. "I've apologized…I'm going out."
Darry walked out the front door. Ponyboy got up and headed for his room, closing the door behind him. Sodapop sighed heavily at the scene that had just taken place, completely worn out from the whole situation. Once the golden hues of the late afternoon sun faded away through the windows of the Curtis house, Sodapop bounded back into the living room with his usual exuberance on full display. Ponyboy sat slouched on the couch, absently flipping through a book, his mood now as dreary as the gray clouds that had now begun to form.
"Pony!" Soda called out, plopping onto the couch beside him. "You, little buddy, need to get out of the house. I've got just the thing to cheer you up...a double date."
"A double date?" Ponyboy snapped his book shut, giving his older brother an incredulous look. "No way, Soda. I'm not in the mood."
Soda threw an arm around his younger brother's shoulders.
"Exactly why you need this! Come on, Sandy's bringing her friend Nancy."
"You set this up without asking me first?" Ponyboy frowned.
"Of course," Soda replied, shameless. "Because I knew you'd say no. I promise, you'll have fun. Besides, it's not like you have to marry this girl."
After a long moment of hesitation, Pony sighed.
"Fine, but I'm blaming you if it's a disaster."
Throwing on his jacket, Ponyboy followed his brother out of the house and got into the passenger's seat of the car. Sodapop pulled out of the driveway and drove down to Sandy's house. It was only a few minutes before he pulled up into his girlfriend's driveway. Knocking on the front door, Sandy answered and smiled when she saw Soda.
"Hey, baby!" Soda said in a high-pitched voice as he leaned forward and kissed her.
"Hold on just a second, okay?" After a moment, Sandy reappeared with another girl, who was shorter with blonde hair and blue eyes.
"Is this my date?" The girl asked.
"Yep, Nancy this is Sodapop's younger brother, Ponyboy."
"That's your real name?" Nancy laughed, a really annoying laugh.
"Yes," Pony stated through gritted teeth, trying to remain polite although he really felt like sprinting away from the house. Sandy closed the door behind her as she and Nancy got into the backseat on the car. Ponyboy then looked over at Soda. "I want to go home."
Sodapop laughed.
"Come on, Pony. Give her a chance."
Once they arrived at their destination, the four took their seats in a booth at the Dingo. They ordered burgers with French fries and cokes. While they waited for their orders to come out, Soda and Sandy talked while Pony just remained quiet. While talking with Sandy, Soda would glance at Pony every now and then, noticing he looked bored.
'Oh well,'
Soda was just glad he managed to drag his little brother out of the house. Pony sighed and drummed his fingertips on the tabletop. He looked up to see Nancy staring at him, she gave him a bright smile, hoping to get some sort of reaction. He stared at her, blinking. Sandy had to go to the bathroom and got up, walking by a table occupied by two socs.
"Whoo, baby! Looking good!" A soc yelled as Sandy walked by.
"Damn, I'd like to be on top of that."
Sodapop glared at the two socs as they continued to laugh. Pony looked at Soda as he inched out of his seat slightly.
"Just ignore them Soda," Ponyboy told him, speaking for the first time since they arrived.
The right fist of Soda balled up tightly.
"If they try anything, they're dead."
Quickly, Pony turned his attention to Nancy.
"Do you know what time it is?"
"Uh, 11:00," Nancy said, looking at her watch.
"Well, why don't me about yourself?" Pony then asked, trying to make small talk and take Sodapop attention off the socs.
"Well, usually don't care much for boys, and I think good grades are important."
"Oh," was all he could think of to say.
"Do you get good grades?" Nancy asked.
Pony blinked.
"Yes."
By this time Sandy was walking back toward the table when one of the soc's grabbed her as she walked by. They laughed and started making their way out of the diner. Soda's eyes burned with hate as he immediately shot to his feet and began to follow them.
"Soda, don't!" Sandy pleaded but Soda ignored her and ran after the both of them.
Ponyboy quickly got to his feet and ran out of the diner only to see Soda and the soc who had grabbed Sandy were rolling around on the ground, Soda was now on top of him and slugging him in the jaw. By this time everyone else who was in the diner had gathered at the windows or walked outside to see the fight. The other soc had grabbed Soda and pulled him off his friend and began slamming his fist into his head when Ponyboy tackled him and they started brawling.
They fought back into the diner where Sodapop let his fist fly and connected with the soc's jaw. While this was going on Pony was fighting on his own and took a stiff shot to the side of the head. Ignoring the sudden pain that had erupted on the left side of his face, Ponyboy put his head down and football tackled the soc he was fighting around the middle, sending the two of them crashing into the table behind them.
The table was durable enough to stand the impact, but the diners sitting on top of it weren't. Plates, cutlery and drinking glasses all went scattering and chairs toppled over as the students sitting at the table scrambled to their feet to get clear of the fight that had unexpectedly dropped into their dinner.
The mess was suddenly alive with motion and sounds of other kids from Will Rogers High School crowded together to get a better view and shouts of 'Fight! Fight! Fight!' egged Pony and Soda on as they repeatedly smashed their fist into the socs faces.
After another minute, the fuzz had pulled up. Soda punched the soc one last time before getting to his feet and running out of the diner as fast as he could, remembering what Darry said would happen if he or Ponyboy were ever arrested.
"Damn it! Come on, Pony!" He turned around and ran back to the diner to see Pony and the other soc still rolling around, punching each other. "Pony! Get out of there!" Soda yelled. However, it was too late.
One of the officers had separated them and had a hold of Pony and slapped the handcuffs on him. The soc he was fighting with was also arrested. Soda watched in horror as his little brother was taken away in a police car. Ponyboy sat in the back of the car, his breath caught in his throat and his heart was beating a hundred miles per hour, the cuffs biting into his wrists.
Although the cold metal pressed against his skin was uncomfortable to say the least, it was nothing compared to the chill settling in his chest. He kept his eyes on the darkened streets outside, watching as the city blurred past. The officer’s voice crackled over the radio, but Pony barely heard it.
All he could think about was Dally’s stories, grim warnings about the “cooler,” about the rough boys who’d eat a kid like him alive. His throat tightened.
'Darry’s gonna kill me.'
The thought echoed in his mind, louder than the roar of the engine. Once they finally reached the jail, the officer got out and opened the door.
"Come on out kid," the officer said.
Pony obeyed and slowly came out of the car. He was scared out of his mind because he knew he was dead. Pony could still only think about how Darry would react when he found out from Soda what had happened. Another cop came over and patted Pony down, searching for drugs and weapons.
"Move it," the officer said grabbing his arm and leading him in.
Out in the rooms there were a lot of other officers. There were kids lined up down the hall being read their rights and being handcuffed. Down towards the end of the hall he recognized the soc he fought with that was also arrested. Ponyboy was then led into an empty room and into a chair.
"Sit here and stay." The officer instructed. Pony took a deep breath and closed his eyes, resting the back of his head against the wall.
Pony started thinking about all the horrible stories that Dally had told him about jail and only got more nervous, he didn't want to spend one minute in a jail cell. Sweat started coming down his forehead as his heart started to beat faster.
"Hey!" A voice suddenly spoke, making Ponyboy jump and looked up to see the cop that arrested him standing at the door. "Get up son," he said. Ponyboy stood up and was led into another room. There was another officer at a desk, Pony sat down across from him, and he started taking down information.
"What's your name?" The officer asked.
"Ponyboy Curtis," he said. The officer laughed and shook his head.
"Age?"
"Fourteen."
As he took down more info, the officer who brought him here stuck his head in the door.
"Hey Joe, the kid's older brother is here. Would you like to bring in now?"
"Let him in," said the officer. The other officer walked out of the room and returned a few minutes later with Darry right behind him. Ponyboy was scared to look up at his older brother.
"I'm Officer Mitchell. Please have a seat." Darry sat down next to Ponyboy, and Pony looked over a little to see Darry's eyes were full of anger. He could tell it was going to take everything to keep him from going off in here.
"Ponyboy Curtis has been charged with fighting in a public place with a deadly weapon." Pony's head instantly snapped up. Deadly weapon? There was no weapon. But he knew better than to say anything and kept his mouth shut. Officer Mitchell then asked; "I understand you're his legal guardian. Am I correct?"
"Yes sir," Darry answered.
"Very well then. I personally decided not to draw any charges on Ponyboy. Since he has a clean record, and we are way too full now to book him. But this is his only warning. I'll let him off easy but next time it won't happen."
"Thank you, sir. It won't happen again. I'll make sure of it." Darry said glaring at Pony. Now he was getting more nervous.
Officer Mitchell came over to Ponyboy and undid his handcuffs. Ponyboy sighed in relief to have them off, as they were really starting to hurt. Darry led him out of the station with a strong grip on his shoulder. The ride home went by in silence, Darry staring straight ahead at the road as the windshield wipers wiped away the rain that was now coming lightly down. Ponyboy looked slightly over at him, noticing his still angry expression.
"This wasn't my fault," Pony finally spoke, ending the uncomfortable silence, frustration clear in his voice. "This soc grabbed Sandy, and then-"
"I know Pony, Sodapop told me everything." Darry said.
"You know? Then why are so mad?"
"Why am I so mad? You got yourself arrested Pony!" Darry shouted. He then sighed heavily. "I just don't understand why Soda had to take you out so late, or why you couldn't have just said no. Is it cause' you're still mad at me?"
"I have every right to mad at you," Pony muttered under his breath.
"Yeah, yeah. I hit you. How much longer am I going to hear about it, huh? I've tried to apologize a hundred times. Can we please move past it?"
"It isn't just that Darry, it's everything!" Ponyboy yelled, months of frustration pouring out of him. "If I get a B, you want an A. If I get an A, you want to make sure they stay A's. If I'm in the house reading, I should be out playing football, if I'm out playing football I should be inside reading." Pony yelled. "Nothing is ever good enough for you and I'm sick and tired of it!"
Anger built up even more in Darry's eyes as he gritted his teeth and slammed on the brakes, turning to Ponyboy.
"I'm doing the best that I can! You have no idea how much I have to put up with! I work all the time, I have to worry about money for bills, food, and about two younger brothers! I've suffered ever since mom and dad died!"
"So have I god damn it! They were my parents too you know!"
Ponyboy then got out of the truck and slammed the door closed.
"What are you doing!" Darry called out.
"I'm walking home," Pony growled.
Darry drove the truck slowly beside him.
"Come on Pony, get back in the truck. We're still about ten minutes from the house!"
"I don't care! I don't want to be anywhere near you!"
Darry stopped the truck and got out. Ponyboy then yelled out;
"What do you care? You hate me! You only keep me around because Soda won't let you put me in a boy's home!"
"You don't actually believe that do you?" Darry asked, shocked by his outburst and instantly hurt by the accusation. When he didn't respond, Darry quickly ran over and grabbed Ponyboy's arm and pulled him into a tight embrace. Pony tried to pull away, but Darry just hung onto him tighter.
"I don't hate you Pony, I would never put you in a boy's home," Darry said, tears coming to his eyes as Ponyboy began to sob into his chest. "I'm just scared of losing you too."
Tears finally came down both his cheeks too, as they both realized just how much the deaths of their parents had affected them and how scared they were of possibly losing anyone else they cared about. Darry couldn't believe that Ponyboy thought that he would stick him in a boy's home, because that was the last thing he would have wanted.
Ponyboy's body trembled against Darry's chest, his sobs wracking through him as he finally let go of all the frustration, hurt, and anger he had been bottling up for weeks, maybe even months. Darry held him tightly, resting his chin on top of Ponyboy's head, the cold night air biting at their skin but neither of them caring.
"I never knew you felt that way, Pony. I've been so busy trying to hold everything together, I didn't realize I was pushing you away."
Ponyboy pulled back slightly, looking up at Darry with red, swollen eyes.
"You always treat me like I'm not good enough. No matter what I do, it's never enough for you."
Darry shook his head, his own tears threatening to spill over again. "That's not true, Pony. I've always been proud of you. I just… I just don't know how to show it. I'm scared that if I don't push you, you'll lose your way. You're so smart, so full of potential, and I don't want you to throw it all away."
"You don't have to push me so hard, Darry. I'm trying. I'm really trying, it just feels like you're always looking for me to mess up."
"I know, kiddo. I'm sorry." Darry sighed deeply, pulling Ponyboy back into another hug, gentler this time. "I've been so worried about taking care of everything since mom and dad died that I forgot to just be your brother sometimes."
They stood there in the quiet night, under the dim glow of the streetlamp, both realizing that they had been carrying the weight of their grief in different ways. Darry had been focused on being the provider, the protector, and in doing so, he had forgotten how to connect with Ponyboy. Pony had been feeling the pressure of trying to live up to impossible expectations, all while navigating his own pain and confusion.
"You're more than enough, Pony," Darry whispered. "I'll try to be better at showing you that."
Ponyboy nodded against Darry's chest, feeling a strange sense of relief wash over him. He wasn't sure if everything was going to be perfect from now on, but at least they were finally talking, finally understanding each other. After a few more moments of standing there in silence, Darry gently pulled away and wiped his eyes.
"Come on," he said, giving Ponyboy a small smile. "Let's go home. You'll catch a cold out here."
His youngest brother chuckled softly and nodded, letting Darry guide him back to the truck. This time, when they drove home, the silence between them wasn't heavy with unspoken words. It was peaceful, the tension from the last few weeks finally starting to lift.
For the first time in a long time, it truly felt like they were a family again.
Sodapop had been pacing the small living room, the worn carpet beneath his feet growing warm from his restless steps. The clock on the wall ticked loudly, each second grinding against his nerves. He'd been waiting for hours, his imagination running wild with every worst-case scenario. The fight, the police, Ponyboy being arrested, it was too much. He wanted to go to the station with Darry, but he knew better than to interfere. Darry had told him to stay put, and while Sodapop didn't always agree with his older brother, he trusted his judgment.
Darry had told Soda that him and Pony needed to finally hash things out.
When the familiar rumble of Darry's truck finally echoed down the street, Sodapop ran to the door, flinging it open just as they pulled into the driveway. A soaked Ponyboy and Darry came bounding in.
"Hey, did everything go alright?" Soda asked.
"Yeah," Pony said, he then looked over at Darry and smiled "Everything's okay. Right Darry?"
Darry smiled back at him and nodded. Sodapop looked at back and forth at his brothers in surprise.
"Wow, you two are actually being civil to each other."
"Yeah, we ain't gonna fight anymore. Are we little buddy?" Darry asked, messing up Ponyboy's wet hair. Ponyboy looked over at him in surprise before he smiled. Normally it was Soda who Darry always referred to as 'little buddy'.
"Nope."
"Alright, everyone time for bed." Darry then announced.
"You don't gotta tell me twice," Pony answered. He walked to his room, took off his wet clothes and collapsed on the bed. After the long, stressful, and emotional night, Ponyboy was asleep the second his head hit the pillow.