Work Text:
Ponyboy goes on runs all the time. This is nothing new. It gives a distraction from the loudness that is the Curtis house, and an excuse to get out of the house by himself.
Ever since the Windrixville incident, the entire gang has been a bit overprotective of their youngest member. This means that he gets rides to school from Two-Bit and rides home from Steve. He can’t walk anywhere by himself, usually Dally volunteering to “not babysit, I just ain’t got nothin’ better to do” in his words. Johnny started staying at Curtis' during his recovery, and eventually made a semi-permanent residence in their spare room, and as much as Pony loves him, even Johnny is getting to be a bit overbearing. None of them, however, measure up to the watchful eyes of Darry and Sodapop. If he so much as breathes wrong in their direction, it’s an onslaught of questions making sure he’s ok.
Don’t get him wrong, it’s nice to be cared about like this. Some days, when the Socs get pissy or he’s actually had a bad day, the gang having his back is the best thing he could ask for. But some days, when there's truly nothing wrong, it can be a bit much and slightly annoying at times.
So, when Pony started wanting to go on runs in the afternoons, the others were obviously hesitant. No one could even volunteer to go with him because they would never be able to keep up with the track star. He’d leave them in the dust, intentionally or not. Eventually, after many talks and rules set, Pony was able to go outside without supervision.
Rule one was that someone had to be at the house before he left, which leads into rule two, don’t leave until someone has acknowledged he’s leaving. Rule three, he has a set destination and it is there and back only. And rule four, he can only be out for an hour max and there was no going out after dark. If he gets caught up and is out when it gets dark, he calls someone to come and pick him up.
A couple months ago, Pony would’ve groaned and griped at having so many rules just for leaving the house. Something about I’m not a baby and I don’t need protection or stop controlling my life . Now, he gets it. Especially because of what happened last time he was out of the house after his curfew.
It was around six in the afternoon, Darry had just gotten back from work and they had a full house. Pony was getting on an old t-shirt and his running shorts in his bedroom just listening to the noise filtering through the walls. From what he can hear, Steve and Soda were having an argument about some kind of car, Two-Bit had the TV at full volume, Dally was adding to the argument between Steve and Soda and was obviously trying to turn it into something physical, and Johnny was helping Darry make dinner in the kitchen. The elder needed all the help he could get with all six kids home that night.
Finally, he put on the shoes the gang bought for him about a month ago so he didn't have to run in shoes that were falling apart. The night he got them, he almost cried. Everyone pooled their money to get him a brand new pair of running shoes, and they were his prized possession. His favorite thing he owns.
Leaving his room and making his way down the hallway, the noise increased tenfold. The argument had evolved into a wrestling match which, from the way Dally was holding the lamp off the ground, almost broke the only lamp we had yet to remove from the living room. Two and Dal were cheering them on while Darry and Johnny looked at all four of them in amusement and disappointment.
As he moved through the kitchen, Darry ruffled his hair and he bumped Johnny’s shoulder.
“Going for your run kiddo?” Darry asked.
“Yep. And from the looks of it, dinner should be ready when I get back,” Pony responded.
“Ahhh, working up a sweat and an appetite. Smart.”
“Where you going today, Pone?” Johnny asked, trying to make the destination question casual.
“I think I’ll run to the school and back, that’s not too far yeah?” Pony asked.
“Nah, sounds good. Oh, don’t forget your water money. Don’t need ya getting dehydrated out there,” Darry reminded him, tossing him a nickel.
“Thanks Dar. I’ll be back.” Pony made his way past the kitchen and into the living room where Steve had Soda in a headlock. Dally’s wish came true.
“Say Uncle! Say it!” Steve was yelling.
“Never, I don’t lose fights!” Soda responded, clearly losing the fight.
“There ya go Soda, never surrender!” Dally cheered.
“No, do surrender, Mickey is on!” Two-Bit shouted over the yelling, a bottle of beer in his hand.
“I’m running to the school and back, I have money for water, don’t give Darry an aneurysm while I’m gone,” Pony yelled out over the competition.
“Don’t get hit kid!”
“Stay safe honey!”
“Don’t get lost man!”
“Set a new record!”
“Bye!”
And Pony exited the house, made his way down the porch stairs and started off in the direction of the school.
In moments like this he can actually get a coherent thought through his head without being interrupted by a strange conversation topic, or a wrestling match breaking out over small debates. A moment to breathe without having to worry about someone thinking something is wrong. He can get lost in his head without a care in the world. He gets so lost in his head that he makes it to the school before he even realizes he was close. Checking the clock on the outside, he’s been gone for about ten minutes and decides to run over to the nearest corner store for a bottle of water and a break.
He leans on the wall outside before sliding down to the sidewalk to sit and drink the cold liquid. He sits for about ten minutes, and from here, he can see the start of a sunset. The orange-gold hue starting to bleed into the clear blue sky, making a strange mix above his head. He finishes his water by pouring about half the bottle on his head and throwing it in the nearest trash can. He sits for another ten minutes before finally stretching and taking off for home.
Pony starts to get lost in his thoughts again, about a five minute run from home, before he hears the familiar sound of an engine behind him. He keeps running, not looking back, not speeding up, and definitely not slowing down. Maybe they’ll leave him alone? Maybe it’s not even the Socs? Maybe he’s panicking and is trying not to think about the fact that he’s most likely about to get jumped? Who knows?
All of a sudden the engine roars and there's a bright red Corvair in front of him, Socs filling every seat. They all get out of the car, clearly having had something to drink, and Pony can only think back to that fateful night at the fountain. He almost died, Bob did die, and Johnny was never the same. He recognized a couple of them from around school, giving him dirty looks in the hallways as most Socs do. The one that catches his eye, however, is Randy. Randy is staring down Ponyboy with a hatred that the boy has never seen in anybody. Not even Dally.
“What are y’all doing on this side of town?” Pony puffed out his chest and tried to act tough, crossing his arms the way Darry always does to show his muscles.
“Just cruising around, thought we’d come have some fun with greasers on the street. Imagine our luck that we run into you, grease,” Randy stated, stalking towards Pony until he’s an arms length away. “Woo, look at the new kicks the little greaser got. I'm amazed your broke family could afford those.”
“Hey! Don't talk about my brothers like that!”
“Or what?”
“You’ll regret it. Asshole.” Pony knew it wasn't smart to egg on these Socs, but the gang spent their hard earned money on these shoes and he’d be damned if he let some rich asshole make fun of them.
“Oh will I? Let’s find out then.”
And Randy took the first swing.
It caught Pony by surprise as the fist connected with his jaw, throwing his head back and making him see stars. And then another fist landed in his stomach, making him grip his abdomen and fall to his knees out of breath. It doesn't even register when three more guys start wailing on him, punching and kicking any part they can get their hands on. When he finally gets his bearings after what feels like hours of pure pain, he kicks his legs out, feet hitting two separate faces and giving him a space to scramble out of their circle and get to his feet. He throws another punch when someone grabs his arm to stop him from getting away, and he feels it connect as the arm lets go.
And he sprints.
Disoriented and in pain, he’s not as fast as usual, but he turns onto his street. And he can see the house. He’s almost there.
But Randy is uninjured as he sprints towards Ponyboy, holding an empty beer bottle by the neck. He brings it around the side and smashes it against the side of the boy's head, just above his ear. Ponyboy collapses on the pavement, knocked unconscious from the force of the broken bottle. Randy, feeling unsatisfied with the damage, rolls the younger boy onto his back and kicks his ribs in. His friends catch up and start doing the same, hitting his hip bone, his legs, back, the other side of his head, anything they can find. The added and continuous pain causes the unconscious boy to come-to.
Pony is confused, disoriented and hurting. He only has a moment of clarity, knowing he got jumped, knowing he tried to fight and he tried to run, knowing how close he is to home, and knowing the entire gang is at home waiting for him so they can eat. So he does the only thing he can do in his 5 seconds of coming back to consciousness.
—
Pony leaving for his runs was a normal part of the Curtis gang’s daily routine. It doesn't mean they don’t worry every second he’s gone. They’re trying to get better, honest, but the guys can’t help it. After all of the stuff with Bob, the Socs were gunning for him and Johnny wherever they went. Walking down the street, in the school hallways, even visiting Steve and Soda at the DX had become dangerous.
Johnny barely left the house anyway, only starting to go to school again three weeks ago, and at least he would carry a blade and had a rep for using one. Without Johnny there to let out their anger at the situation, the Socs targeted Pony and made his life hell. The gang knows this isn’t an ideal situation for him, to never be alone essentially anywhere, but when he finally agreed to the “protection detail” they were thankful he didn’t put up more of a fight.
Johnny tried to make sure he wouldn't get bored while staying inside the house. He offered to let Pony teach him how to understand the poetry he talks so highly of, and let Pony read him books when Johnny sees him getting restless.
Dally escorts him basically everywhere, always under the guise of needing something to do or going there anyway. And if the Socs come crawling around, Dallas Winston gives them a look to send them crying to their silver spoon mommies and rich ass daddies.
Steve and Two-Bit both volunteered to drive him to and from school, Two-Bit taking him in the morning in case he wants to ditch halfway through the day, and Steve taking him either home or to hang at the DX until Dally comes and gets him if Steve has a shift.
Two-Bit has been spending more time at the Curtis house these days, claiming that his Ma doesn't like the noise when he watches Mickey. They all know he’s just worried Pony might get antsy and wanna go somewhere when no one is home.
Steve has been noticeably nicer to the kid he once despised. If you ask him, he doesn't like the kid, and there ain’t nothin that could change that fact. But if you ask anyone else, they’ll tell you he escorts Pony to and from all of his classes, not even having to be asked by Darry or Soda, and gets into fights almost every day making sure the Socs don’t mess with him. Two-Bit and Johnny even overheard Steve one day when he intercepted some Socs looking for trouble. Don’t you come near my little brother ever again.
Soda asks Steve and Johnny for daily updates on how Pony’s day was, and whether or not anyone was messing with his kid brother. He would get tense whenever Steve showed up to work with new bruises he didn't have before school, and would have anxiety pooling in his chest until he could go home and see an unharmed Pony sitting at the table doing his homework.
Darry was more of a worried wreck than he was before. The only difference is that he’s learned how to not yell when that worry bubbles over. It is, in part, due to Pony finally understanding his eldest brother and his worries. So, when the gang started offering to take shifts making sure Ponyboy would never be alone at any point in the day, he almost cried in joy when Pony didn't fight it. His shoulders were less tense and he smiled more, knowing that their family had Pony’s back.
Logically, they knew Ponyboy would eventually want to go and do things by himself again. When he finally came to them, all of them, about wanting to go on runs to keep in shape for track season, they didn't have an answer.
Was it too soon? Would he be alright? What if he’s gone too long? What if they need to find him?
After a lot of deliberation, and some intense argument from Ponyboy, the seven of them collectively agreed on a set of four rules to keep the youngest safe while also giving him an hour of freedom every night. No matter how much they wanted to protect their youngest member, they had to start letting him go out into the world again.
It’s been about 40 minutes since Ponyboy left the house, and dinner was almost ready. That meant the four boys in the living room were getting hangry and rowdy.
“Dar, Johnny, is it almost done?” Soda yelled from the couch he and Steve now shared. Steve won the fight.
“Almost, and then we have to wait for Pony. He’ll be extra hungry after his run,” Darry called back.
“But Darry, we’re hungry now,” Two-Bit whined, making a dramatic gesture as if he’d been starving for weeks.
“Quit your bellyaching Two, you just ate a few hours ago,” Johnny pointed out from the kitchen.
“Exactly. Hours Johnny. Hours!”
“Sometimes I wonder how there's still food in the fridge with him around,” Johnny remarked, turning to Darry who was smirking into the pot of spaghetti.
“You and me both Johnnycakes.”
All of a sudden, Darry had a sinking feeling in his stomach. Like something was horribly wrong, but he looked around at everything and couldn't figure out what. He turned to Johnny and gave him a once over before handing him the pasta ladle. “I’ll be back in a second.”
“Everything ok?” Johnny asked, cocking his head to the side.
“Yeah, just need to make sure they haven't broken anything,” Darry responded, making sure to keep his voice even so as to not worry the younger. It seems to have worked.
He made his way past the dining table and into the living room where Two-Bit was still “in agony” on the floor, Dally was on the floor next to him, and Soda and Steve were sprawled across the sofa basically on top of eachother. Soda looked up as his brother walked into the room.
“Food?” He asked hopefully.
“No, not yet. Y’all ok out here?” Darry asked, his face pinched with worry.
“Yeah, we’re all good. What’s up Superman?” Steve asked, noticing the other’s demeanour. This got the attention of the two on the floor, both of them raising an eyebrow at the man standing in the doorway.
“It’s nothing. Just got a weird feeling all of a sudden, I dunno.”
“We heard some yelling about a minute or two ago, I think your neighbors are going at it again,” Dally supplied from the floor.
“Yeah, that’s probably it. Alright, Pony should be home soon so everybody go-” And Darry was cut off by something he never wanted to hear again as long as he lived. A sound filled with fear and pain that made everybodies world stop moving.
“DARRY!!!!!!”
He was out the door in 2 seconds, not hesitating to vault over Two-Bit and Dallas who were on the floor in front of him. Steve and Soda were off the couch on Darry’s heels, with Dally and Two close behind. No one remembered shoes and no one cared because all they were worried about was that Ponyboy was screaming for his big brother.
Darry got into the street and looked around before finally spotting where the scream came from. Barely even two doors down was a group of Socs beating on a body. A small body. An unmoving body.
“Get off of him!!” Darry shouted in anger, barreling full speed down the middle of the street.
“Shit! Time to go!” One of the Socs yelled, starting to run away from the scene. The others around him looked up and quickly understood that they were done and it was time to get back to their side of town. “Randy man, Darrel Curtis is coming in hot! We gotta go!”
Randy made eye contact with said boy and gave a slight glare before running as fast as he could away from the greasers chasing after him, leaving a bruised and bleeding body behind. And as much as Darry wants to beat the tar outta those guys, his baby brother is far more important than them.
He skids to a stop beside an unconscious Ponyboy, quickly going to his knees and turns his little brother over to look at the damage. He could see Steve, Dally and Two-Bit running past them in his periphery, and Soda going to Pony’s other side.
“Pony, can you wake up?” Darry shook the youngers shoulder, trying and failing to get a response. “Baby, open your eyes, please?”
Despite his pleading, Ponyboy stayed limp on the pavement.
“No, no, no, Pony, please no,” Soda started repeating, going into mild hysterics.
Darry couldn't register that Soda's breathing had picked up substantially, his eyes focusing on the unconscious form in front of him. There were running steps smacking the pavement coming from in front of Darry. He looked up to see the three boys that chased the Socs down the street. They stopped by Pony’s feet and saw the damage for themselves.
His face was already starting to show bruising and there was a cut on his hairline that poured blood down his face. His clothes were ripped and where they could see under them were far more cuts and scrapes and bruises than on his exposed skin. There was barely any part of him that wasn't red or already turning purple. His arms and legs looked like he’d had a sunburn for days. His breathing was raspy, but as his chest moved up and down it gave the gang some relief. He's still alive.
“Steve,” Darry looked up, starting to gather Pony in his arms. “Gimme a hand here.”
Steve wasted no time in moving around Soda to help get the kid off the street. Grabbing his legs to help Darry get his arm under Pony’s knees, Steve helped Darry carefully lift the small body from the ground and start moving as fast as he can towards the house while not jostling the body too much. Dally ran ahead to the gate to open it, and did the same with the front door when they got there.
Two-Bit was about to follow before he noticed Soda, frozen and shaking in the street. Darry’s got one brother, I can take care of the other.
“Soda, we should get inside, it’s getting cold out here,” Two-Bit said softly, taking calculated and careful steps towards his friend.
“Not him, we can’t lose him, please no,” Soda kept repeating, hands pulling on his hair and tears streaking down his face.
Keith Matthews has never had to deal with Sodapop’s anxiety and panic before. He froze for a second, trying to think of something he could do to help. He racked his brain to think of what Superman does whenever this happens. When he finally settled on a plan, Two-Bit carefully put his hands over Soda’s, taking them out of his hair and holding them.
“Soda, I need you to breathe for me ok? Deep breaths in-” he places Soda’s hands on his chest and inhales, “-and deep breath out,” he exhales keeping the hands on his sternum.
At first Two-Bit thought this wasn’t doing anything and got ready to switch tactics and go tap out with Steve, but then he heard a large and shaky inhale from the boy in front of him followed by an even shakier exhale. Two-Bit kept taking exaggerated breaths, keeping Soda’s hands where they were. He heard the breathing starting to even out and knew it was working.
“There ya go, that’s it. Pony is inside the house now, the safest place he could possibly be. We’re ok. He’s safe. Everything will be ok.”
Soda looked up at Two-Bit with tears in his eyes, the tracks staining his cheeks. Two took the hands off his chest and started helping Sodapop to stand up off the pavement. Soda’s chest was still stuttering a bit, but it was good enough for him to start moving back to the house with the help of his friend.
Two-Bit kept one arm around his friend's shoulder as he walked them both through the gate and up the stairs to the porch. They both took one last deep breath before opening the front door.
—
The scene in front of them was not one they wanted to see again anytime soon. Ponyboy was unconscious on the couch, Steve was standing in the doorway, arms crossed, Dally was pacing in the dining room, Johnny was in the living room with the first aid kid and standing behind Darry, who was sitting by his baby brothers head, pushing the blonde and blood soaked hair out of his face.
As Soda and Two walked in, Darry’s eyes immediately went to his other younger brother before looking at Two-Bit. Said Greaser gave a nod and Soda’s shoulder a slight squeeze. Even though Soda was in mid panic, he still immediately sat himself down next to Darry and held Pony’s limp hand. Over Soda’s head, Darry mouthed a “thank you” to the second oldest.
“No hospital?” Two-Bit asked as Darry was getting out the gauze and the rubbing alcohol. His tone held no laugh which made the others tense with anxiety.
“No, the state is breathing down our necks as is. Besides, we can't afford it unless it’s honestly something we can't handle,” Darry said through shaky words.
“Alright, fair point. What can I do?”
“Go grab some wet towels and grab a pair of my sweatpants and a sweatshirt from my closet. Something that won’t be hard to put on him.”
“You got it. Steve,” Two-Bit gestured for some help with the task and the two of them left the room with a new found task to complete.
“I’m gonna end those Socs. They are so dead!” Dally exclaimed from where he was pacing.
“Take it easy Dal. We’ll deal with that later,” Johnny went over to try and calm the boy down.
“Easy?! You want me to take it easy right now?! The kid was down the street, far from Soc territory, how is that ok?!”
“Never said it was, but right now we have to make sure Pony is ok. Then we kick the snot out of whoever was stupid enough to do this.”
Dally took a long exhale before nodding. Dally, like Darry, has also been trying to keep his emotions in check recently after coming so close to losing the person that mattered most to him.
“You’re right. I know you’re right. When’d you get so smart kid?”
“Somewhere between Tenth Grade and a murder investigation.”
Dally ruffled Johnny’s hair and went back to pacing the dining room, but at least he didn't look like committing a homicide at the moment. Johnny took that as a good sign and went back to watching Darry work.
Cleaning the cuts out was easy, something Darry has done a million times before for all of the gang. But just because he knew how doesn't mean he liked to do it as often as he did. He started at the knees, taking care of the gravel in the scrapes and slowly moved up to his arms and chest. With Soda’s help, he was able to get the remnants of Pony’s shirt off and take a look at the colors starting to splotch his ribs. He determined they weren't broken, but will have to check again if when Pony woke up. Darry was about to move up to the head before he heard a yell from down the hall.
“Fuck! Ow, shit!” Two-Bit exclaimed, being helped by Steve through the house over to Darry’s recliner. Steve put the clothes on the coffee table and gave the damp towels to Soda before going back to Two.
“What? What happened?” Darry asked, his attention being taken away from his little brother.
“I dunno, he said he felt something in his sock, moved his foot kinda weird and then screamed. Whatever it is, the idiot kept stepping on it instead of letting me carry him. Two, lemme see your foot, what’s wrong with it?” Steve explained, going to look at Two-Bits foot before freezing and pulling off the sock. “Darry, hand over those tweezers.”
Darry grabbed the tweezers from the kit and made his way over to where Steve was holding Two’s ankle. When Darry saw the sock Steve pulled off his friend's foot, he started panicking again. It was covered in blood and had a giant hole in the bottom. Steve took the tweezers and looked sympathetically at his friend.
“I’m not gonna lie, this is gonna hurt a lot man,” Steve warned. Dally walked over, finally stopping pacing. He held out the sleeve of his jacket.
“Bite down on this, it’ll help.”
“Thanks Dally,” Two-Bit said, trying and failing to hide the fact that he was crying out of pain. Darry grabbed his hand for support.
“Alright. One. Two. Three,” Steve gave the count and started digging the tweezers into Two-Bit’s foot. He bit down hard on the leather sleeve which helped to stifle the scream coming out of his throat, and Darry swore Two was gonna break one of his fingers. “I know, I know, I need to get it out though.”
Steve felt the tweezers grip something, and he started pulling whatever it was out of the foot. When it finally came out, Darry was there immediately with one of the damp towels to help the clotting start. Steve took a look at it in the light, and finally realized what it was.
“Check his head, check Pony’s head,” the boy started insisting, moving to take what was Darry’s spot next to Pony. Soda gave him a questioning look before turning and giving the same look to his older brother.
Steve wasted no time in checking for something he was hoping wasn't there. First he checked the left side of his head and, thankfully, found it clean of anything except for some gravel. Turning Pony’s head to the right was a different story, and showed what he had been dreading to see. He thought he saw a wince in the kids face, but when he looked, everything was as it had been.
“Shit, fuck, fuck!” Steve started whispering to himself as he moved closer to Pony’s head to take out the shards embedded in the side of his head.
“Steve, talk to us, what’s going on?” Dally spoke up.
“Kid’s got glass in his skin, I think they hit him with a beer bottle. I found a shard of it in Two’s foot, everyone check your socks!”
“What?! How did we not notice glass?!” Darry shouted, immediately checking both his and Soda’s socks.
“I don’t know, but I’m getting it out. I would assume this is why he’s unconscious.”
“Yeah, that'd do it,” Dally added, looking at the bottoms of his and Steve’s feet. He then started moving to grab the lamp to give Steve more light.
“B-but he’s gonna be alright, right? Steve?” Soda asked, hand still gripping his brother’s.
“He’s gonna be just fine Soda. Kid’s tough, it takes a lot more than that to keep him down,” Steve reassured his friend, giving him a small smile.
Darry finished cleaning up Two-Bit’s foot and gave him strict instructions to keep it elevated and to not move from the chair. He then went over to the couch and saw how much glass was coming out of his baby brother’s head. He took a deep inhale before moving to be beside Soda, putting his hand on the younger shoulder. Sodapop immediately looked at Darry and buried his head into the elder’s chest. Darry wrapped his arms around his brother's shoulders and found his chin resting on Soda’s head.
“He’s gonna be ok Pepsi-Cola. He’s gonna be just fine.”
“He must’ve been so scared,” Soda sobbed.
“I know, but he’s safe now. They’re not gonna get him here,” Darry whispered, rubbing circles into his brother’s back.
“Alright, that's the last of it. Darry, you wanna wrap his head?” Steve sighed, turning to the man in question.
“Yeah, I can do that. Then we change his clothes and get him into bed. Easy peasy,” Darry said, wiping his sweaty hands on his pants.
“Easy peasy?” Dally asked skeptically.
“Did I stutter?”
Darry knelt down with the alcohol and gauze pad before cleaning the side of Pony’s head littered with small bleeding cuts and abrasions. He then took a dry gauze pad and a roll of gauze and carefully wrapped his brother’s head, making sure that the pad would stay in place. He took the butterfly band-aids and placed them along his hairline and a few more band-aids on the cuts on his arms. It wasn't amazing, but it would do for what they had.
With the help of Dally and Soda, he slipped the very oversized sweatshirt over Pony’s head and then got his running shorts off to put him in the comfiest sweatpants Darry owned. He was swimming in them but it was the best way to keep him comfortable.
After giving the boy one more glance for any missed injuries, he was carefully raised from the couch and carried down the hall. But instead of taking him to his own room, he turned into a different bedroom. Pony was laid down in Darry’s bed, and tucked in very gently. Darry knelt down next to the bed and brushed the still blonde hair out of his brother's face before kissing him on the forehead.
“You’re gonna be alright baby.”
And Darry walked out of the room, turning off the light, but leaving the door slightly ajar.
—
Darry walked back out into the living room, running a hand through his hair.
“Alright, let’s get this all cleaned up and then eat some dinner. And yes you’re all eating, I do not care if you’re hungry or not,” Darry started moving to pick up the bloody towels.
“I hate to be that person…but you said I can’t stand up, and I have to pee,” Two-Bit said from the recliner.
“Oh! Hold on!” Johnny said, moving to the spare bedroom that has somewhat become his. He walked back out with his old crutches from when he first got out of the hospital. “I still have these.”
“Hey! Johnny my savior!” Two-Bit grabbed the crutches and stood up with help from Johnny and Steve being on either side of him. “I’m mobile, who knows what mayhem I can cause now.”
Two-Bit took a swing for Steve’s ankles before Darry smacked him upside the head.
“You’re gonna go wash your hands and then sit back down, that’s the only mayhem you’re causing tonight,” Darry said in his ‘mom’ voice.
“Alright mom. But tomorrow!!” The boy made his way to the bathroom before dramatically shutting the door behind him.
Everyone else washed their hands in the kitchen sink with the dish soap, and grabbed a plate of the spaghetti and pasta sauce that was still warm on the stove. The table only had four chairs but if you added a desk chair, and the fact that Darry had banished Two-Bit to the recliner, it gave everyone a chair to sit on during dinner. No one spoke, and most barely ate anything, but being all together gave them some semblance of peace.
“Darry!”
He was out of his seat before his name was finished. Soda, Steve and Dally were right behind him, but Johnny chose to stay and keep Two-Bit company. Mostly so the older boy wouldn't get tempted to walk on his foot. Darry would have to thank him for that later.
Darry threw the door open and saw the bed was empty, which almost made him panic, before he saw movement in the corner of the room. He moved farther out into the room so whoever was back there would be able to see him clearly, and motioned for the others to stay outside the doorway.
“Pony? Honey, you over there?” Darry started moving very slowly towards where he saw the movement. He heard heavy breathing and a slight whine, and hoped that he was doing what he was supposed to. “Baby, it’s ok. You're safe now. I promise.”
He heard the breathing slow down before he heard a small voice that broke his heart.
“D-Darry?” Ponyboy was sat on the floor, but moved his head out from behind the dresser enough to see his big brother with wide and scared eyes.
“Hey little colt. What’re you doing over there?”
“I couldn't see anything, but I hurt everywhere. I couldn't remember where I was.” Pony’s voice was so shaky and so small, but Darry didn't want to spook him too much.
“You’re in my room. Thought we’d let you sleep off some of the hurt. Do you remember anything that happened?” Darry was sitting criss-cross on the floor in front of where Pony was still half hiding.
“I remember running. And then these guys tried to beat me up. I broke two of their noses when I kicked them.”
Darry laughed, “Nicely done, very proud.”
“I tried fighting, and then I tried running, but they caught me. So I screamed.” Pony made eye contact with Darry for the first time since he started talking. “I screamed for you. And I heard you yell. You saved me.”
Pony stood up from behind the corner of the dresser and launched himself into his brother's chest. He started crying into his shirt and held onto Darry like he was going to disappear. Darry held onto Pony as tightly as he allowed himself, hoping he wasn't aggravating any of the bruises or wounds.
“I was so scared. And you came and saved me.”
“Of course I did, I’ll always come to get you. No matter what.” Darry kissed the side of Pony’s head that doesn't have gauze and held him close. “Do you remember anything else? Any names?”
“I think it was Randy, but I don't remember anyone else's name. Uhm..I do remember a voice though. He was panicking…I think it was Steve. Why was Steve panicking, is he ok? Is everyone ok?” Pony started to remove himself from the front of Darry and tried to stand on his own, but fell down very quickly. His legs were shaky and couldn't hold him up. Steve heard his name and made his way into the room, to show proof to the kid that he was ok, but also to see the kid himself. Darry grabbed his wrist and brought Steve down to the floor to sit next to him.
“He’s fine, Steve's right here. We’re all just worried about you kiddo.”
“Hey kid, heard you were talkin’ about me?” Steve said in the most gentle voice any of them had ever heard him use. Pony gave the older boy a quick look up and down, the same way he looks for injuries on everyone.
“You’re ok?” Pony asked cautiously.
“Yeah I’m alright. You look like shit though.”
“Thanks, I’ll take that into account next time I get jumped.” Steve snorted and Darry had to cover his mouth with his hand.
“Brat.”
“Asshole.”
Pony moved to hug Steve, something that the older was surprised by but wasn't going to tell him not to do. He slowly moved his arms around Pony’s shoulders and gave him a slight squeeze before he felt the younger start to move away.
“Ok, c’mon Pony. Let’s get you some painkillers and then back to bed. You need rest,” Darry stated, starting to move off the floor and helping Pony stand too. He wobbled a bit but ended up being able to stand with a little help.
Darry and Steve sat him down on the bed before the elder went to get a glass of water and some aspirin. As soon as Darry moved past Soda and Dally in the doorway, the two were quick to move into the room. Soda immediately engulfed Ponyboy into a hug which was happily reciprocated, and Dally gave him a smile and ruffled his hair.
When Soda pulled back, he grabbed either side of his brother's face and looked him in the eyes. “Are you ok? Are you hurting?”
“Who are we beating the shit out of kid?” Dally interrupted.
“It was Randy and his guys. It doesn't matter, they're gonna be after me for the rest of my life,” Pony sighed, looking at the three still in the room.
“Doesn't mean we can’t rough ‘em up a little bit. Y’know. For fun,” Steve interjected.
Darry walked back into the room with a glass of water and two aspirin, and the others moved so Pony could get painkillers in his system. He then heard the sound of crutches from down the hallway and two arguing voices.
“Darry told you to stay in the chair!”
“I’m going to see the kid and no one is stopping me.”
“Darry’s ‘mom’ voice might stop you.”
“Yeah, well it’s not here right now.”
Two-Bit and Johnny came through the door, but instead of Johnny using the crutches, Two-Bit was on one foot with the other wrapped in bandages.
“I thought you said everyone was fine!” Pony exclaimed, trying to stand up.
“Woah Ponyboy. Everyone is fine. This is my own stupidity. I decided to keep walking on a foot I had an injury in, this is my own fault,” Two-Bit was quick to squash any ideas starting in Ponyboy's head.
“But you’re ok?”
“Just peachy. Now, on the other hand, you look like you got hit by a car.”
“Yeah, I feel like it too.”
“Hey Pony,” Johnny moved to sit next to Pony on the bed and gave him a hug.
“Hiya Johnny. I’m alright.”
“Good, I woulda killed you if you weren’t.”
“I think that’s counterproductive Johnnycakes,” Soda pointed out.
“Alright, alright. Kid needs his sleep. Let’s leave him be,” Darry started moving out of the room but was stopped when a hand shot out and grabbed his wrist. He turned back and saw Pony with wide eyes, looking as scared as when he first woke up.
“...stay?” It was almost a whisper, but Darry still heard it clear as day. He looked at everyone else and knew they came to the same conclusion. None of them were going to leave him alone.
“Yeah, we’ll stay. Just give us a minute to get some pajamas on and we’ll be right back, ok honey?” Pony nodded his head and moved back onto the bed while Johnny, Dally and Soda moved to change their clothes. Darry went to his closet and grabbed 3 pairs of sweatpants, t-shirts for Steve and Two-Bit, and his wife-beater tank top for himself.
“Pony, I gotta check your ribs and make sure nothing is broken,” Darry spoke softly. Pony nodded and slowly lifted the sweatshirt he had on so the already purpling splotches could be seen. He hissed and whined and groaned at every poke and prod but knew it would be faster if he didn't argue. “Alright, I don’t think any of them are broken, but you’re gonna be on bedrest for the next couple of days. Got it?”
Pony nodded his head and put his sweatshirt back down over his torso. Darry laid down on the bed and opened his arms as an invitation for his little brother and Pony crawled over and onto his chest.
“Will this bed fit all of us Dar?” Two-Bit asked, setting the crutches down and carefully moving onto the bed.
“I guess we’re gonna find out Two,” Darry answered back.
About five minutes later, the other 3 came back into the room with Dally having borrowed some clothes from Soda’s wardrobe. Soda immediately moved over Darry and put himself in between him and Steve. Pony moved so both of his brothers could hold him in his sleep. Johnny grabbed Dally’s wrist and brought him to the other side of the bed. Steve scooched a bit so Sodapop’s back was to his chest and Dally carefully crawled over Two-Bit and flopped into the now open space. Johnny did the same and laid down on Dally’s left so his back was to Steve and Soda’s sides. Two-Bit looked to his left at Dally and Dally took one look at him and rolled his eyes.
“Get in here moron,” Dally moved his arm so Two-Bit could snuggle into Dally’s unoccupied side.
It was a squeeze, but none of them complained one bit. Their youngest was safe, and they were all together. That’s the most important thing. That’s the only thing that matters.
That and one other thing.
“Pony, did you really break two Socs noses?” Dally asked.
“Yup. I kicked ‘em. They deserved it.”
“Atta boy.”