Darry's Brotherly Love

A/N: So I had to read the outsiders for school and I started realizing that Darry is actually a much more complex character than S.E. Hinton makes him out to be. I started thinking he is actually a soft squishy guy that only wants whats best for Pony. Sadly he does it in sorta the wrong way. So here is a oneshot of when Ponyboy runs off. I feel sorta bad in this part for Darry. Sniffle.

Disclaimer: This is all S.E. Hintons work. I just twisted it around to be about Darry.

I was sitting in the armchair trying to read the newspaper. Soda was sprawled out on the couch sleeping. How did he manage to do that. Just relax while our kid brother was God knows where. While I was sitting here tense, glancing at the window every 15 seconds hoping to see Pony running up to the house.

I continued this until about after a half an hour when I glanced at the window and saw Pony peeking through it trying not to be seen.

When I heard him trying to get in the house with out letting me notice a red haze started to cloud my mind. I looked up from the paper. I jumped up.

While he just stood there chewing on his fingernail knowing I was about to kill him. Which I was.

"Where the heck have you been? Do you know what time it is?"

He stood there shocked shaking his head silently.

"Well, it's two in the morning, kiddo. Another hour and I would have had the police after you. Where were you, Ponyboy?" My voice getting louder with each word. "Where in the almighty universe were you?"

He started to stammer. "I…… I went to sleep in the lot…"

I could tell the red haze was now a blood coloring filling my mind.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Soda stirring and getting up rubbing his eyes.

"Hey Ponyboy where ya been?" He asked sleep a film over his voice.

Then Pony started to plead thinking it will save him.

Wrong.

"I didn't mean to. I was talking to Johnny and we both dropped off….."

The haze now a crimson and the only substance filling my head.

"I reckon it never occurred to you that your brothers might be worrying their heads off and afraid to call the police because something like that could get you two thrown in a boys' home so quick it'd make your head spin. And you were asleep in the lot? Ponyboy, what on earth is the matter with you? Can't you use your head? You haven't even got a coat on."

No wonder he hates me and prefers Soda. Soda doesn't start to yell at him. He doesn't go away from the matter at hand to say you don't have a coat.

Tears started welling up in his eyes. I hardly noticed. I was to busy fuming over the fact still that he fell asleep in the lot. He didn't seem to care though. He figured Darry wouldn't care what happened to him since he thinks I hate him. But if my opinion matter he still didn't think about Soda.

"I didn't mean to! I didn't think! I forgot! That's all I hear out of you! Can't you think of anything?" I was still shouting and Soda decided to be peace keeper.

"Darry……"

He started but I spun around and glared at him. "You keep your trap shut! I'm sick and tired of hearin' you stick up for him."

I couldn't even tell Pony was mad at me for yelling at his favorite brother. That probably made him hate me even more now.

My thoughts were confirmed when he yelled at me. "You don't yell at him!"

I spun on my heel and slapped Pony and he went flying back and banging into the door.

Then it went quiet. Soda was amazed at what I had just done. Pony looked like he was dumbstruck at my action.

I just stood there staring at my hand. My palm was beginning to turn red from hitting him so hard. By now the red haze was gone and I realized I had just hit my kid brother.

"Ponyboy….." I couldn't even finish because he was already out the door off to who knows where. I still tried. "Pony, I didn't mean to!" But he was already out of site.

I crumpled to the floor. Not believing what I had just done.

Soda looked like he wanted to say something, but I just told him I was going to go to my room.

I turned off my lights and crawled into my bed and shrunk into a small ball. I felt tears coming out of my eyes.

I never cried. Not even when mo…. They died.

I lay there for who knows how long until Soda came in and sat next to me.

"Darry, he only ran off because he thinks you don't care about him. He thinks you will just be better off without him."

I turned around to face Soda.

"How do you know this Soda. He always seemed to think I was the bad guy and you were the one he loved more."

"He's told me Darry. Just the other night he didn't believe me when I told him you were just looking out for him."

I didn't want to hear this. I turned away my baby brother. He was supposed to stay and actually learn something. Become something. Not taking care of his brothers.