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Darry came home well after dark. He didn’t intend to, but his boss invited him out to the bar. Darry couldn’t have said no, not when he’d been trying for months to get a promotion.
When he pulled in front of the house, most of the lights were off except for the lamp in the living room. Assuming one of his brothers forgot to turn it off, Darry locked the car and headed inside. Instead of an empty living room, he found the entire gang there.
Ponyboy sat in his chair by the phone, legs curled to his chest and chewing on the side of his thumb. Two-Bit was pacing in front of the TV, puffing on a cigarette like it was fresh air. Johnny was on the coffee table, rummaging through a half empty first aid kit with his long fingers.
The reason for the distress was clear.
Steve was laid out on the couch with his head in Soda’s lap. One of his eyes was swollen shut. His shirt was ripped open to reveal growing bruises along his ribs. Darry could see his chest moving as he breathed, but it was shallow and hoarse.
Dally held Steve’s hand in his, wrapping his fingers where they must have been broken.
“What happened?” Darry asked urgently. He wasted no time in dropping his tool belt and hurrying over to everyone.
Soda looked up at Darry with tears rolling down his cheeks. His fingers were buried in Steve’s hair. “He called me, his dad kicked him out and he was gonna walk over here.” Soda sniffled and used his free hand to wipe away his tears. “He got jumped real bad, Dar.”
Darry took a deep breath. Everyone was looking at him for what to do. He was in control, he had to be. So Darry nudged Johnny’s hands away from the first aid kit. “Give him some space, y’all.”
He knelt down beside the couch and started to feel Steve’s ribs. Steve inhaled sharply, causing Soda to quickly reassure him. Thankfully, none of his ribs were broken so Darry moved to his hand. The fingers of his left hand were definitely broken. Dally had done an alright job of setting them, but Darry rebandaged them.
“Darry?” He looked up. Soda was watching him with watery eyes. He looked so afraid. “He’s gonna be okay, right?”
That was when Darry really understood why the air in the room was so thick. Steve didn’t get beat up all that often. Johnny got hurt by his folks, Dally started fights all the time, hell even Two-Bit got into more scrapes than Steve.
Working at the DX kept Steve and Soda out of trouble. Being Darry’s brothers kept Pony and Soda safer than most greasers. Steve was able to hold his own in rumbles and his parents didn’t beat on him that much.
This was the most hurt they’d ever seen him.
Darry reached over and squeezed Soda’s ankle, “He’ll be alright. Just got his bell rung a bit, that’s why he’s out of it. And it’ll take time for his hand to heal.”
When he said that, the tension in the room all but released. Two-Bit ran a hand over his hair and finally quit his pacing. “I need some goddamn cake,” and he marched into the kitchen.
Darry looked at Johnny, “Johnny, can you go grab some water and towels? We should get the blood cleaned up.” Then he turned to Ponyboy, “Go into Soda’s dresser, grab him some clothes.” The younger two boys took their assignments in stride and darted off.
Then Darry turned to look at Dally. Before he could say anything, Dally lit a cigarette, “You ain’t giving me chores.”
It didn’t surprise Darry one bit when everyone in the gang stayed the night at their house. Darry and Dally moved Steve into Soda’s old room. Steve woke up for a few moments. He weakly asked if he could have a cigarette, to which Soda told him he couldn’t. Steve swore at him before passing out again.
Darry was cleaning up the house, helping the boys get blankets and pillows to make beds, when he heard Pony and Soda talking in the hallway.
“I can stay with you, Pone,” Soda said softly. “It’s no trouble.”
“Steve needs you more,” Pony replied.
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. I’ll be fine for one night.”
He heard Soda sigh, “Okay, but if you have a nightmare you can-”
“Come get you, I know.”
Darry smiled softly. He peered around the corner to see the two of them embracing, Soda putting a loud kiss on Pony’s head before ducking into his old bedroom where Steve was waiting.
Back in the living room, the three boys were watching TV as they quietly argued over who got to sleep on the couch. As expected, Johnny got the couch and he took it with a smug smirk as Dally and Two-Bit grumbled under their breath.
Darry waved them goodnight and padded into the hallway. Ponyboy was reading in bed, chewing on his thumb nail as he was engrossed in the story. Darry smiled and turned to check in on Steve and Soda.
The two of them were sitting in bed, Steve’s head was once again in Soda’s lap and Soda was running his fingers through his hair. Soda was affectionate, constantly hanging off one of the gang. This was different. This wasn’t Soda’s usual crushing hugs or joking kisses to the head.
“Fuck, this shit hurts,” Steve murmured softly.
Soda laughed; the sound warmed Darry’s heart. “Looks like you’ll be staying with us for a while.”
Steve sighed, “Better here than with my old man.”
The two boys were silent for a long moment, long enough that Darry started to move away, but he heard Soda ask, “Was it bad this time?”
“Nah,” Steve assured him. “No worse than usual. He’ll give me twenty bucks when I get home and think it’s all better.” Steve looked out the window, the moonlight glinting off his face.
Soda wrapped his arms gently around Steve and pulled him back into a hug. Soda pressed his face into Steve’s shoulder and his friend brought a loose hand to Soda’s head.
Darry never got to see them like this. Soda and Steve were always joking around and rough housing with each other. He knew that there must have been moments like this, moments of softness and quiet conversation. You couldn’t be friends with Soda without that.
Darry knocked gently on the door frame and peered in. Both boys looked over at him, Steve starting to pull back, but Soda not letting him. “Y’all need anything before I go to bed?”
“We’re good,” Soda told him, leaning his head against Steve’s. Steve just rolled his eyes at his friend.
Darry gave them a smile, “Goodnight.”
“Night, Darry,” Soda replied. Steve just lifted a hand tiredly. As Darry padded down the hallway, he heard their talking resume.