AN: Hey guys! I've wanted to write this for a while. This is my first Outsiders fic as well as my first one on this site so reviews would be greatly appreciated. If this story ends up going the way I plan there may be some sensitive topics later on. That being said this story is not 100 percent cannon but I'm trying to keep everything I can. I sadly do not own The Outsiders and even if I don't say so every chapter nothing will change and I still will have no rights.
Chapter 1:
(Ponyboy's POV)
As soon as I walked out of the dark secluded bedroom my brother Sodapop and I share, I instantly regretted it. But no matter how much I wanted turn around and go back into hiding, I knew that I couldn't. Soda and Darry were hurting too and the uncharacteristically quiet members of our gang I was so desperately trying to avoid at the moment were there for the sole purpose of making us feel better; I took a deep breath and walked out towards the gang not even bothering to grease back my shoulder length hair on the way.
The quietness of the room just made everything more real. Mom would usually be finishing up dinner right about now while Dad hung up his coat after work and played poker with Soda and Steve. I would normally have to block out the noise from the rest of the gang outside playing football which usually just ended in everyone teaming up on Darry who always won anyway. Eventually he would convince me to play then Johnny and I would join his team; no one could convince me to play anything today.
I spotted Soda first, crying on the couch next to Darry who was running his fingers through Soda's hair, obviously trying to stay strong although it wasn't really working. The rest of the gang was just sitting there sadly not knowing what to say. I swallowed, ignoring their gaze as I made my way towards my brothers who immediately moved over making room for me to sit between them. I sat down and the silent tears that had been streaming down my face all week turned into full on sobs as Soda wrapped his arms around me clutching onto me like a lifeline. As I held onto him tighter I felt Darry's large hand on my back rubbing it gently.
I don't really know how long we had been there but it must have been a while since I eventually cried myself to sleep right on the couch. The next thing I knew Darry was placing me in my bed and kissing my forehead softly. I could tell he thought I was still asleep when he sat down on the edge of the bed next to me and started crying. "They're really gone." I heard him mumble as he ran his fingers through my hair "What am I gonna do?"
"We'll figure something out." I replied quietly as I curled into him, my eyes still closed. "You can still start college in the fall, they'll probably find a good home for me and Soda.." Darry held me closer as I trailed off.
"No one's putting either of you in a boy's home. Soda's not going to school anymore so he can start working; no one's going to take my kid brothers away from me, you dig?" I sat up a bit crying harder as I buried into my oldest brothers chest like I would when I was little. He held me until I fell asleep again laying me back down on the bed.
(Darry POV)
I laid Ponyboy back down in bed being careful not to wake him back up, the poor kid needs his rest. It really wasn't fair; Pony isn't even 13 for a few months yet and Soda's still a kid himself. Heck, even I'm only 19! Now I'm responsible for my two kid brothers and I have no idea what I'm doing to be honest.
One of those people from child services came to the funeral today. They couldn't even give us a few days to say goodbye to our parents before showing up and unnecessarily scaring Pony. I not so politely told her that she couldn't take my brothers away from me over my dead body. I'm completely terrified, but I would just have to find a way to make this work. My brothers needed me and I was going to be there for them. It would be weird taking the place as their guardian but it had to be done and there was no way I was letting someone else do it.
Just then Soda stumbled into the bedroom his eyes red and puffy from crying and his hair a mess. He didn't say anything as he climbed into bed wrapping his arm around Ponyboy protectively and closed his eyes crying again. I sighed putting a hand on his shoulder watching as he fell asleep and decided to just stay there falling asleep with my kid brothers.