Chapter Text
It was the day Curly was supposed to get out of the reformatory. He was waiting in his room for Tim to come pick him up.
Curly had been wondering how everyone was doing out there. Maybe Angela had finally broken up with Bryon, or maybe it was the other way around, and he'd have to beat Bryon until he was black and blue.
A voice broke him out of his thoughts "Charles your brother is here to pick you up, get your shit," the lady said, glaring at him like he was gum on her shoe.
Curly grabbed his bag of stuff and walked past the lady, already knowing where to go. He walked out to the front desk where Tim was waiting. "Hey Tim— why do you look so upset?" Curly asks cocking an eyebrow as they walk out.
"Y'know how Ponyboy had his own gang and he was really close with the quiet kid, uhm what's his name... oh! Johnny, and of course, you know Dally." Tim says as they get in his truck
"Yea, I know Johnny and Dally, Dally says I'm a 'bad influence'," Curly mocks rolling his eyes.
"Well Johnny killed a soc, they were drowning Pony at the park, and he did what he saw fit, and stabbed the kid, the news said there was about 5 guys all drowning the kid, Johnny and Pony of course fled the scene, and asked Dally for help, he sent them to windrixville and told him he'd be by to see them once everything calmed down. when Dally came looking for them to tell them what's happening, they went out to eat and got back to the church on fire. Pony jumped out of the car seeing as there was kids there and some church people and this lady siad there was kids missing and they might be in the church, Pony took off into the church and Johnny followed and they were dumping kids out the window. Once they got all the kids out Pony climbed out and his back was on fire and as Dally was putting it out a piece on the church fell and broke Johnny's back. They went to the hospital, and all three of them ended up on the news. Johnny died the day after, and Dally ran off with his gun, he robbed a store and the police got called, he called their gang to come meet him at the lot and pointed the gun, which turned out to be unloaded at an officer and was shot and killed. Pony ended up in the hospital, he has a major concussion and convinced himself that he killed the soc and convinced himself that Johnny and Dally are still alive." Tim takes a deep breath seeing as though Curly is now silently crying, not exactly because of the deaths but because Pony had to go through that with no friends.
"Can I go see him?" Curly asks, wiping at his tears. Tim nods and drives him past their house to the Curtis house.
"Don't mention Dally, Johnny, or the soc he's deep in denial. Angela went to see him when it first happened, and Darry told me everything, Pony started asking Angela for Johnny, Darry says he's been asking for you too, and he really needs someone, Curls" Tim glances at him, saddened by the sight of his normally tough and unbothered younger brother crying.
They drive up to the Curtis house and Tim parks on the curb. He walks out and knocks on the door Curly behind him. After a minute, Darry answers, "Hey Tim— Hi Curly... he's been asking for you," Darry sighs, walking to Pony's room, Curly following close behind.
They get there and find Pony lying on the bed, looking sick and pale. Curly sits on the edge of the bed, stroking his hair behind his ear gently. "Soda..?" Pony blinks open his eyes slowly, looking at Curly
"Curly... you came." He smiles slightly, reaching up to hug Curly. Curly leans down, letting him hug him, and of course hugging him back.
"Of course I came Pone... do you feel alright?" Curly asks, gently stroking his hair.
Pony nods slowly. "Can you stay for a bit? I haven't had any company cause Johnny's been too busy to visit," Pony explains
"Yea, I'll stay for a bit, Pony. Do you want me to lay with you?" Curly asks, tilting his head slightly
Pony nods, making room for Curly to lie down beside him. Curly climbs in the bed, lying beside him. Pony cuddles up to him, hugging him tightly as if he'll never let go. "I miss Johnny... a-and I know he's dead, but I don't wanna believe it." He starts to cry
"Oh Pone, it's ok, Johnny wasn't happy here anyways, atleast he died saving people instead of getting killed by his old man, he wouldn't want you hurting, he loved you Pony" Curly rubs his back fighting back his own tears just for him.
"B-but he told me, right before he died that he didn't want to kill himself anymore, and that 16 years wasn't long enough, and he died that evening" Pony's voice cracks and breaks with each word.
"It's ok, it's ok, let it all out, Pone." Curly was never great at soothing people, but he knew Pony needed him right now, so he pushed aside his feelings to comfort the boy in his arms.
"It should've been me, Curly. I chose to run in there. It should've been me!" Pony sobs into his chest
"No. Pony, don't you ever say that it wasn't your fault, those kids were doing something dumb and you and Johnny just wanted to help it wasn't nobody's fault" Curly continues to comfort him until Pony falls asleep from exhaustion.
Darry and Tim walk in, looking at the two younger boys. "He hasn't been eating. He keeps saying he hates Bologna no matter what we're giving him." Darry tells him, with deep bags under his eyes as if he hasn't slept in weeks.
"Do you want me to try and feed him? I'm not sure if it'd work, but it's worth a shot." Curly asks, stroking Pony's ungreased hair.
"Yea, give me a minute. I'll bring you some cereal for him, chocolate, so hopefully he doesn't think about bologna." Darry runs out making a bowl of cereal.
"Pony, can you get up for a minute?" Curly rubs his back a little firmer to hopefully wake him up. Pony blinks up at him, lifting his head slowly
"I wanna sleep...." He mumbles.
"I'll make you a deal. Pone, if you let me feed you a bowl of cereal, you can go back to sleep, and I'll hold you," Curly promises, gently rubbing his scalp.
"Fine... but no bologna." Pony grumbles, sitting up in Curly's lap. Curly chuckles softly. "No bologna"
Darry brings in the cereal, and Curly slowly but surely feeds him "Darry is he allowed to do anything aside from sleeping?" Curly asks sarcastically.
"Not yet. The doctor says his concussions so bad that if he tried to read a book right now, he'd have a migraine for days, of course no screens, we can't even turn his bedroom light on. We were gonna bring him out this weekend, just for a walk, give some sunglasses, and expose him to light and movement again. He gets dizzy from just going to the bathroom." Darry explains.
"Could I come back tomorrow?" Curly asks both Darry and Tim.
"I see no reason you can't as long as Dar's ok with it." Tim looks over at Darry, who nods.
Pony takes his last bite and lays back into Curly's chest. "Back to bed?" Curly asks, setting the bowl down and wrapping his arms around the boh.
Pony nods burying his head in Curly's chest. Curly plays with his hair for a while and Darry and Tim leave to discuss everything. Eventually, Curly falls asleep as well. Darry and Tim walk back in on them, cuddled up like a couple of kittens. "He can stay the night if you're ok with it, I see no point in waking them. They look happy," Darry says, looking at Tim, who is smiling at them
"I don't think I've seen Curly so peaceful in years, not since mom's new boyfriend moved in." Tim sighs, content that his brother was happy.
"You can stay too if you want, couch is free Two-bit won't drop by and Steve would stay in Soda's bed, and well no one else is alive," Darry let out a heavy sigh as if he'd been holding it for years.
"No, I best get home. I told Angel I'd bring Curly back, and if I'm not even doing that, I might as well go tell her we didn't die." Tim rolls his eyes, turning to hea dout the door
"Bye Tim, see ya later, man," Darry went on to cooking super. It was about 5 o'clock, and he supposed Soda and Steve would want supper, as well as Curly whenever he woke up
Soda and Steve came in hooting and hollering about something that happened at work. "Will you two shut your traps? Shepard got Pony to eat some cereal."
"Tim got Pony to eat?" Soda asked, confused
"No, Curly got out of the reformatory earlier this afternoon and came by to check on Pony," Darry corrected, bringing their dished up lasagna out and setting in on the table.
Darry handed Soda a plate. "Go see if Shepards awake. Tell him there's a plate for Pony too if he wants any."
Soda rolls his eyes, walking away to Pony's room. He walks in quietly. "Shepard, Shepard! Are you awake?" He whisper-yells.
Curlys groggily blinks up at him. "Yea, yea, I'm awake. Why?" He yawns, wiping sleep from his eyes.
" 'Brought you some food, there's a plate out there for Pony if he ends up wanting some," Soda tells him, handing him the lasagna
"Thanks, man," Curly mumbles, taking the food gratefully
Soda starts walking away but turns back, "Oh and Shepard. Do not fuck with my brother, you break his heart or any of that shit and I will send you too the hospital I don't care what Tim will do back" He turns back for a second glaring at him, before walking out as if nothing happened.