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It was a crisp Autumn day. Darrel had a well deserved day off from work and decided to spend it raking up the mountains of leaves covering their driveway in a blanket of orange and brown. It was a Sunday, so just about everyone was lazing around the Curtis house.
He found the calm almost surreal. The soft crunch of leaves with the sounds of the gang just a few feet away playing games and watching cartoons. Darrel smiled to himself. Most people would spend their days off lying in bed. But Darrel quite enjoyed keeping his hands busy. Accidentally raised 6 other boys does that to you.
He heard the house door open quietly. He turned to see Pony and Johnny standing on the porch. Ponyboy stepped onto the crunchy ground and Johnny followed close behind. "Hey Darry..." Pony smiled suspiciously.
"Hello Pony... What do you boys want?"
"Hey! Can't I just come out and say hello to my wonderful brother without wanting anything?" He put up his hands in mock-offense. "I guess so." Darrel eyed the two boys warily before going back to work on the leaves.
"Great! Can we jump in the leaf piles?" Ponyboy asked hopefully. Darrel rolled his eyes.
"Nope." He responded almost immediately, popping the 'p'.
"Awh, C'mon Darry!"
Darrel sighed, setting the rake against a nearby tree. He crossed his arms and shook his head. "I spent over an hour raking up all those leaves. If you jump in that pile, you’re dead to me." He glared down at the two boys. They both shared a nervous glance. They both seemed to deflate before they headed back inside. He could've sworn he heard Johnny mutter "bummer." before the door closed.
Darrel sighed when the door was fully shut. Should he have just let them? In all honestly it would maybe set him back 10 minutes. And it's not like he couldn't make the gang help him. He stared at the door longingly, before sighing again and walking towards it.
Just as he was about to step inside, he heard the back door open and slam shut. As he turned back around to make his way off the porch, he caught a glimpse of Two-Bit running and jumping into the pile. He didn't even have enough time to say anything. Once he was off the porch, Johnny and Ponyboy were back outside. With Steve, Soda, and Dallas close behind.
Most of the guys were laughing while the two youngest leveled glares at Keith.
"How come he gets to do it?" Pony asked, looking up to Darrel. Darrel sighed and aimed a kick at Two-Bit's shins. "Last I checked, I told him not too as well." Two-Bit made a half-assed attempt to stand before Steve pushed him back down. Two pulled him down and soon a full blown wrestling match was happening in the destroyed leaf pile. Soda immediately inaugurated himself as the referee while Dallas cheered them on.
Pony and Johnny shrugged to each other, plopping down into the half assembled pile together in fits of giggles. They were soon all on the ground, match forgotten and covered in dirt and leaves. It took them over an hour before anyone even made an attempt to get up. Pony and Johnny picked leaves out of their hair while Steve and Two-Bit shook hands for an even match. Though after a few minutes of Soda and Dallas egging them on, they were back on the floor wrestling each other all over again.
Ah, Domestic Bliss.