Chapter Text
By December, there was a small layer of snow that dusted Tulsa, which had everyone except Scout in panic mode.
“Do you think they’ll call school out tomorrow?” Ponyboy sat on his knees on the couch, pressed up against the window.
“We’re on break, you idiot!” Scout laughed.
Since the first of the month, TV stations ran Christmas specials on repeat, so of course they were on full blast at all times. Darry, for once in his life, didn’t have work. And was therefore, finally, relaxing for the first time all year. He kept nodding off in his chair, his head bobbing every few minutes.
Sodapop was busy in the kitchen with Steve making anything he had the ingredients for. Cookies, sugar, chocolate, and cinnamon, and of course, hot chocolate. He passed Tim two mugs nearly full, then turned around again and tried to get Steve to dance with him to the holiday songs on the radio.
Tim flicked Darry on the shoulder and set one of the mugs on the side table next to his chair.
Darry’s eyes shot open, “Oh, thanks…” He mumbled, taking it and taking a sip.
“Your brother’s quite the kitchen master.” Tim stood at the front door, watching the snow fall.
“You could say that.” He debated getting up and standing with him, but man, he was too tired.
Friday marked a week until Christmas, but Darry wasn’t sure he was emotionally ready. Just like they were supposed to, the holidays always brought everyone together, closer than they were all year. He felt sort of empty though. Like there was a perfectly four-person sized gap in the cheer that usually came with Christmas and New Year’s.
He wondered how long they could all last, before it was brought up.