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Ponyboy wanted to scream. Just once he wanted to walk home alone and not be catcalled, or given dirty looks, or be beat up in an old alleyway by a group of intoxicated Socs.
His body aches, his nose is bleeding and his ribs feel bruised. He knows it could be worse but frankly he doesn’t care because it could also be a hell of a lot better.
He staggers to his feet clutching his burning side where he had been kicked especially hard. His head was pounding, not enough to cloud his thinking but enough to piss him off.
Limping down the street he takes notice of all the people glaring at him. Not one of them offers to help him or ask if he’s ok or even brothers to not look at him like he had done something wrong. Like he had wanted to have his ass handed to him in an ally. This doesn’t help his mood.
By the time he makes it back to his house the sky is pitch black. the ache in every inch of his body has doubled , and he feels just about ready to punch someone, or break down into tears, whichever comes first.
He pushes the door open and sees Darry sitting in his arm chair his leg bouncing, biting his nails a habit he had picked up after their parents died. Soda was sitting on the couch his position similar to his brothers except far less rigid and tense. They both look up as Ponyboy enters. Darry stands up his worry visibly melting into anger, “Where in gods name-“
“Don’t even start Darry.” pony interrupts coldly his fists clenched, however pissed off he was before it was nothing compared to how he felt now. He was so tired of his brother yelling at him every time he did anything, anytime anything happened to him. He hadn’t asked for any of this.
Darry clearly realized his mistake the moment that he opened his mouth.“Ponyboy I-“ His face falls as he gets a closer look at his brother, but pony doesn’t care.
“I have had it with you yelling at me for everything.” He yells, angry tears in his eyes, “you know I don’t like coming home late cause some god damn Socs beat the shit out of me. I didn’t ask for this.”
Soda stands up his eyes flashing back and forth between both of his brothers, Darry who looks horrified and ashamed, his mouth open and his eyes wide, Ponyboy who’s bruised face is twisted blood and tears running down his cheek. “Pony come on know-“
“I’m doing my best Darry, and god damnit sometimes I’m gonna come home late because the Socs have decided that me being a greaser is a good enough reason to jump me. But you dont care about any of that do you, you dont bother to ask me if I’m
Ok you never do, you just holler at me, and I’m sick of it. None of this is my fault. I didn’t ask to be a greaser. I didn’t ask for you to hate me. And I didn’t ask for you to be my fucking guardian, but here we are. Here we are.” Pony breaks himself off, his chest heaving. He looks at Darry for a moment his face twitching, before he crumples to the ground and sobs.
Soda is the first to act, as he always is when it comes to emotions. While Darry stands frozen, tears falling down his cheek, pony’s words replaying in his head, Soda crouches down in front of the youngest brother. He puts a hand on his shoulder and mutters a soft “hey pony,” and that’s all it takes for Pony to practically through himself into his arms.
Pony clings to his older brother, who pulls him closer into his chest murmuring into his ear. “I-I didn’t- I don’t- didn’t mean- I-“ Pony sobs into sodas shoulder.
“I know kiddo, I know, it’s ok.” He murmurs in response shushing Pony and rocking him back and forth slightly, “breathe honey, come on.”
A few minutes pass of Pony trying to control his breathing while soda gently encourages and reassures him. All the while Darry stands there watching unsure what to do. He wants to throw up, the confirmation that Ponyboy really and truly believes his older brother hates him makes him want to scream. He’s been awful to his brother and he needed it literally screamed in his face to realize. For all he told the kid he needed to use his head more he never stopped to do so himself.
Darry kneels down slowly, looking at soda who nods slowly. “Ponyboy,” he says his voice thick with emotion, he inhales sharply “I’m so sorry.”
The moment the words are out of his mouth Darry feels a force pummeling into his chest. Ponyboy clings to him, and for a moment Darry sits there stunned before he wraps his arms around his kid brother, pulling him close. “I don’t hate you pony, I’m sorry I ever made you feel that way baby, I’m so sorry.”
Pony nods into his brothers shoulder “I know you don’t Darry, I’m sorry I yelled at you-“
“It’s ok pony,” Darry whispers pulling away and looking at Pony his hands on his shoulders, “you don’t have to apologize, someone had to do it.”
Pony smiles shakily at Darry who pulls in back into his chest. He pressed his face into pony’s hair letting a few tears fall before he looks up at soda. He’s smiling softly and Darry gestured for him to join the hug, which he does wrapping his arms around both his brothers.
A few minutes later they break apart, and Darry examines his brother closely taking in the cuts and bruises scattered over his face, “come on let’s get you cleaned up little buddy, you look like hell.”
“I just got beat up, what’s your excuse.” Pony quips giving his brother a weary smile.
Soda laughs and Darry feels his heart warm, he can’t remember the last time Pony had really joked around with the way he did when there parents were alive.
He ruffles the kids hair chuckling, and turns to Soda who’s grinning almost knowingly, “what are you smirking at Pepsi-Cola.”
“It’s nice to see Superman has feelings under all those muscles.” He smiles and Darry punches him playfully.
“Shut up.”