House of Memories
Summary: The boys' first Mother's Day comes, and with it brings back painful memories, but not without showing the Curtis brothers what family really means.
Disclaimer: No, silly, I never have nor will I ever own The Outsiders. S.E. Hinton owns The Outsiders. *sighs* :( I simply borrow them for my own creative enjoyment purposes.
A/N: I know, I know, I'm a day late for Mother's Day! Forgive me, this idea came to me at nine o'clock last night. I just finished it. :D
Third Person POV ~ Friday, May 6, 1966 ~
As the skies opened up, releasing a cooling spring drizzle, with the skies as dark as Ponyboy's mood, the teenager made no attempt to get up and leave. His hand brushed over the mud that dotted a few spots on his mother's gravestone, the wet flowers laid across his lap. He was thankful for the rain as it disguised the very ungreaser-like tears slipped down his face.
"I miss you, mom," Ponyboy whispered, his voice cracking. After what felt like hours he stood up, throwing his backpack over his shoulder. He wanted to stay, but he knew he had to get home before his brothers missed him.
As Ponyboy began his walk home the sky seemed to growl; loud, deep rumbles that echoed throughout East-side Tulsa. He pulled his jacket closer, the strong winds making his eyes water.
By the time that the ten minute walk was over, Ponyboy was covered with rain drop sized dark spots along his shirt, the sudden drop in temperature making him shake. He kept his head down when he quietly walked inside, but Darry noticed him instantly.
"Why are you soaking wet?" Darry asked, his voice taking on a hard edge.
"Because it's raining outside," Ponyboy pointed out sarcastically.
Wrong answer.
"I didn't ask for your sass, Ponyboy. What I meant was, if you had your head on enough to notice it's raining outside, why didn't you hitch a ride with one of the gang? Two-Bit went today."
"I wanted to walk today," Ponyboy answered honestly.
"'I wanted to walk today.' More like 'I want to catch pneumonia.' Think, once and a while, honestly," Darry muttered furiously. "Why can't you ever think?"
Ponyboy lost it. Every ounce of frustration came out. Didn't Darry get it? Did he even care? Not about him, that was for sure.
"Because if you hadn't noticed, Darry, it's Mother's Day. And our mother isn't here, so I went to see her. Not that you care about any of that, anyways!" Ponyboy couldn't stand it anymore. He dropped his backpack to the ground and walked to his room, hating how his voice cracked at the end of his last sentence.
Darry watched Ponyboy leave slack jawed, frozen. The last sentence had hit him like a ton of bricks, turning his stomach into ice. Ponyboy didn't think he really cared?
Darry cared more than Ponyboy realized.
I'm never going to be Sodapop, Darry thought sadly. He didn't understand Ponyboy the way Soda did. He didn't know how to show Ponyboy he cared.
Breaking out of his trance, Darry walked towards Ponyboy's room until he was just outside his door, but stopped short. What could he say? What would make it better?
"P...Ponyboy?" Darry called out softly in a husky voice, the anticipation of waiting for a response giving him more anxiety than it should have.
"It's open," Ponyboy responded. Darry let out a small sigh of relief, slowly turning the door handle.
Ponyboy had his back to the door with his hair laying on his pillow. Darry could see that his clothes were soaked and he was ever so subtly shaking.
"I do care, Ponyboy," Darry hated how unsure his voice sounded, "I'm sorry. If you want, we can go to her grave tomorrow. Or tell me and you can go by yourself."
"I'm sorry I was late. I didn't mean to make you worry."
"It's okay. Just tell me next time, alright, Pone?"
"Okay. Can we all go on Sunday?"
"Sure thing. Now, get out of those wet clothes and take a nice hot shower, alright?"
OoOoOoO
By that time that Ponyboy got out of the shower and got dressed, Sodapop had come home from work and had been filled in on the day's dramatic events.
"You two actually made up without me?" Sodapop teased Darry, but secretly, he was proud. And relieved. He didn't feel like listening to his brothers fight, today of all days. Steve had noticed he was in a funk and let him go once they closed, shouldering all of the closing responsibilities.
"Ha ha, keep talking, little buddy," Darry warned, a rare smile twitching at the edge of his lips. "Or I'll have to go over there and give you something to complain about."
"Come over here and show me, huh, Superman?"
Darry had in tackled in under three seconds.
~ Saturday, May 7, 1966 ~
Ponyboy woke up an hour later than his normal time, his body surprisingly achy. As his senses began to wake up, the soreness in his throat revealed the underlying cause. Sniffling thickly, Ponyboy realized he was sick.
He sat up slowly in bed, the change in positions making his head pound. He basically shuffled to the door, black spots clouding his vision.
"You look like death," was the first thing Darry said to him, the minute he laid eyes on the younger boy.
"Thanks. I try."
"Are you sick?" Darry asked, reaching over to feel Ponyboy's forehead.
Ponyboy was about to deny, but a cough tore through his chest unwillingly, shattering his attempts at a lie.
"Huh. That's what I though, kiddo. Take it easy today, take a few aspirin. I'll be home at four, and Sodapop should be home around five. Will you manage being home alone that long?"
"I think I'll survive," Ponyboy responded, cursing he fact that he couldn't wait five more seconds to cough.
"Alright. See you later."
"Bye, Dar."
OoOoOoO
Darry couldn't help but smile softly when he came home and found Ponyboy conked out on the couch, snoring softly. He looked eleven or twelve when he was asleep, innocent, without a worry in the world that plagued him.
Tearing himself away from his little brother, Darry quietly started working on making dinner, boiling noodles and attempting to locate a jar of spaghetti sauce. Once dinner was done Darry went to give Ponyboy a bowl, but he was still asleep. Darry shook him awake gently.
"Mmmmmm... 'm tired..."
"I know, kiddo. But you gotta wake up. Have you even eaten all day?"
"Yeah," Ponyboy responded, sitting up. "Thanks, Darry."
Darry heard the screen door open and shut quietly, signaling Sodapop's arrival. Darry found him leaning on the doorframe, slipping off his shoes.
"I can smell the beer on your breath from over here."
"I know. I'm sorry. Steve and I went to Bucks after work, and, I don't know," Sodapop stumbled.
Darry gave him a long, hard look. "I know. Don't let it happen again, okay? And for the love of all things holy, chew some gum or something."
Sodapop shot his brother a small smile, grateful for how understanding he was. He popped a piece of mint gum into his mouth before sitting on the end of the couch next to Ponyboy.
"How are you feeling, kiddo?"
"Like I got hit by a bus," Ponyboy responded, a light cough escaping from his lips.
Sodapop let out a small laugh at his younger brother's sarcasm. Ponyboy ignored his brother's laugh, but instead set his bowl on the table, looking pale.
"Can't eat anymore?"
"No," Ponyboy groaned. Suddenly, he stood up and took off towards the bathroom. Before Sodapop could even react, he heard his brother retching. Him and Darry looked at each other quickly before they both followed their brother into the bathroom.
"I...hate...puking," Ponyboy mumbled between heaves, his voice pained. Sodapop rubbed his brother's back softly.
"I know you do, kiddo. It will pass, just breathe."
By the time Ponyboy finished puking, Darry had a cool, wet washcloth ready.
"Do you think you're done?"
"I think so," Ponyboy answered shakily.
"Wanna go to your room?" Darry offered.
"Yeah."
Darry gently helped Ponyboy up, placing him gently onto his head once they reached his and Sodapop's shared bedrooms.
"Go to sleep, kiddo," Sodapop whispered. "You'll feel better in the morning."
"I love you guys," Ponyboy mumbled, drifting off.
"Love you too."
Darry smiled softly. He would never be mom, or Soda. And that was okay. He was Darry. But tonight, he had made a step forward. He and Ponyboy had.
They would visit their mother's grave eventually. But first, they were going to get Ponyboy back into good health.
As long as they had each other, the rest would follow.
A/N: Thank you so much for reading! Please remember to review! :)
Stay Gold,
~ Alee XxX