Disclaimer: I do not own The Outsiders.
Two-Bit stands there and says nothing. Because there's nothing he can say. Because he can't think of a joke. It is not very often he is rendered jokless and speechless. In fact, he can only recall three times.
The first was when he was twelve and his father just left, for good. And he knew it, too. If the fight had not been indication enough, the cruel harangues and diatribe tossed back and forth, the empty dresser and closet, and sudden absence of his possession were. Sure he stormed out many times before, disappearing for hours on end, sometimes a day or even two, but this time was final. He just packed up and went, left him and his mother and his sister behind, forgot them the moment the door slammed behind him, didn't look back, didn't even say good-bye. But he couldn't let the devastation hit. He had a mother sobbing in the kitchen and a little sister close to tears, clutching her stuffed rabbit. Of course, his loss of humor only lasted a few moments. It wasn't long before he found ways to make his mother and sister at least smile through their tears.
The second was when the gang found out about Mr. and Mrs. Curtis's deaths. That moment when it sunk in and Darry turned to stone and Soda bawled and Ponyboy broke down, Two-Bit just stood there stunned. He couldn't bring himself to say anything because with something like that there is nothing you can say. It just doesn't matter and if anything, makes things worse. He saw that at the funeral. People think it helps to say 'they're in a better place' or 'it was their time' or any crap like that, but it doesn't. It really doesn't. So he lent silent support, until it was his time to speak at the funeral. That's when he told the funniest memories he could think of. Again people laughed through the tears.
The third was when Johnny and Dally died. Hearing Johnny's death and moments later, seeing Dally gunned down like that stole his humor. He had no jokes to mask the grief and loss, so he complained about his stupid switchblade. Within minutes of each other, he lost two brothers . . . and he thought he might lose a third. Ponyboy scared him so bad he cried. Two-Bit was convinced he forgot how. But his gang, or what was left of it, needed to heal and laughter was the best medicine. The jokes slowly returned.
But now he simply gapes at his mother as she stands in front of him, eyebrow cocked. She is smiling like there is no tomorrow. And he can see his sister out of the corner of his eye. She says nothing about it, which is just as surprising as him not joking. She is quick with wit and clever with comebacks, too, but he's better. It bugs him that she won't speak. A single look and he can tell she has a lot to say on the matter but she keeps her mouth shut and Two-Bit doesn't get it.
He finally thinks of something to say. He cracks a grin. "And I'm the queen of England." His mother's smile begins to fade, but she can't be serious.
"Well, you are a royal pain!" His sister remarks and Two-bit ignores her.
"I ain't kidding." She puts her hand on her hip in the I-mean-business-no-bullshitting-stance.
"You outta your mind, ma? This is the same guy who kicks Steve out every other day!" Two-Bit protests. He needs a joke, some humor. It is his only defense, because he knows she isn't listening to him. Humor is a Band-Aid, a mask, protection. His wise cracks are like Steve's anger or Dally's defiance or Soda's grins. He does it because otherwise it would swallow him whole, kill him.
He doesn't listen to her explanations, because there can be no reason that he will accept. She has been fed lies. She has been manipulated, he is convinced. She grabs her keys, pecks his cheek and leaves for work. Suddenly the finality of her decision hits.
"I don't know why you're so upset. You're never home anyway." There's something about the way his sister says it. She keeps a straight face. She's good at that. But beneath it, Two-Bit detects some indication she wants him around more, despite the fact she finds him annoying. She'd never own up to it and Two-Bit can't be sure, anyway.
Nothing funny comes to mind. He can't find a single thing to joke about. Because this is no laughing matter. So he grabs a bottle from the fridge, ignoring the disappointed and disapproving look he gets from his sister, and heads to the Curtis house.
AN: I'm reposting this story. It was fun to write, but I need to reread it and edit it a bit. My other fanfiction, Two-Bit's sister, was inspired by this one. I also need to change a few things around, because that fanfiction and this one are two different stories. One difference is the age of Two-bit's sister. Though, some things in regards to her character may be very similar to my other story. So... yeah.
