Nightmare
Ponyboy puttered into his oldest brother's room at three in the morning. A stuffed cat hung limply from his hand.
"Darry? Are you awake?" His r's were slightly rounded, as young children's tend to be.
Darry Curtis stirred a little, rolling over, but he didn't open his eyes. Ponyboy frowned, walking forward and poking him in the ribs.
"Darry?" He repeated.
This time his brother opened his eyes, looking blankly forward. "Ponyboy?"
"Yeah."
"What's wrong?" Darry knew that Ponyboy didn't just waltz into his room at night unless something was wrong.
"I had a nightmare." The young boy raised his stuffed animal to his face.
"Again?"
Ponyboy nodded.
"I guess you can sleep with me then." Darry moved over so Ponyboy could crawl next to him. He tried to keep his face neutral, but the fact was, he was pretty worried. Ponyboy was having a lot of nightmares, even for a kid his age.
Ponyboy was next to him in a moment, his arm around Darry's back. "I feel safer around you, Darry."
Darry was flattered, and was beginning to respond when he saw Ponyboy had fallen fast asleep.
He didn't have another nightmare that night.