Austin awoke with one hell of a headache. Make that a jaw-ache. He quietly went to the washroom and saw that his jaw was a livid black and blue. Though the bone wasn't broken, the skin was sure tender. Austin grabbed a few aspirins and threw them into his mouth, dry swallowing them. He went pee and then took a quick shower. He was grimy and sweaty and he had to work today. He was working at a department store over in the east side and had to prim up a bit. Dallas and he were saving up to get their own place, and they were getting close to having enough to put a down payment on an apartment a few blocks from the Curtis'. They would have had the money months ago if Dallas would learn to quit gambling and drinking his money away. Austin shook his head affectionately at the thought of his twin. He was the only one who knew that Dallas and he were more similar than they were given credit for. Dallas loved just as fiercely as he hated, he just hid it ten times better. Living with a drunkard father and unforgiving circumstances had taught his brother to be tough or be trampled. Austin on the other hand had been sheltered from most of that by his brother. Austin had been rather sick as a child and young teen and so Dallas had taken on the role of older, protective brother, even though they were the same age. Dallas took most of the beatings, when he could and tried to keep Austin from most of the abuse.
Austin finished his shower and walked into Darry's room in his towel. He often stayed at the Curtis' and often borrowed the oldest's clothes. Darry didn't mind just as long as he brought them back and did the laundry every once in awhile. Darry was awake and already getting breakfast ready by the time Austin was ready for the day. He strode into the kitchen with his jeans on and his white t-shirt flipped over his shoulder. He grabbed a piece of bread and put on some peanut butter and threw on some Doritos chips. Darryl shook his head at Austin's strange sandwich but kept his mouth shut. Just because Austin was happier doesn't mean he wasn't just as dangerous as his brother. Austin tried to eat the sandwich but soon discovered that it was much too painful. He offered the rest to Darry who shook his head and told him to just throw it in the fridge for later. Austin always made sure to give some of his money and food to the Curtis' because he spent so much time there. Darry was much to proud to accept money from him so Austin would just leave cash in the jean pockets he borrowed from him.
Darry yelled for Pony to get up and start getting ready for school. Sodapop yelled back that it was a Saturday. Darry sheepishly apologized and ate his breakfast, while reading the newspaper. Johnny had left by the time Austin made it into the living room and he turned on the television. He didn't have to work till two, but still liked to get up early.
"How you feeling Fergie?" Darry asked Austin handing him a cold beer. Darry didn't like having booze around the house, in case a social worker came by but Two-bit had left two in the fridge a few nights ago. Austin took it gratefully as he turned the tv onto baseball, putting the beer on his cheek. The boys called him Fergie after his favorite baseball player Ferguson "Fergie" Jenkins. Austin really loved baseball. He was on the highschool team and was pretty sure he was gonna get a scholarship for it.
"Fine," Austin tried to say but it came out as more of a mumble. It was painful to talk.
"Ok, well I'm off to work. Thanks again for what you did last night man, I can't even imagine what could have happened," Darry trailed off and Austin nodded absentmindedly, caught up in the rerun game.
"Get to work Dar, you're gonna be late," he slurred as Darry stood there for a minute, not sure whether he should take Austin to the doctor. He decided Austin would probably hit him if he offered and took off. A half hour later Sodapop came out of his room and plopped down beside Austin. Austin was switching between icing his face with the beer and drinking it. It was certainly helping alot. Sodapop grabbed some breakfast (the unfinished sandwich) and then watched the game with Austin.
Soon Ponyboy came out of his room and took a shower. His lungs were still burning a bit from the night before and he was pretty sure that he had caught a slight cold. He figured a long hot shower would cure him. By the time he was done the hot water was all gone and he was feeling much better. While he had showered he had thought about the night before. He still couldn't believe that his older brother, Darry, superman, had actually cried. Pony had always figured he was such a tough guy that it had really thrown him for a loop that his brother actually cared that much about him. Soda had always told him that Darry yelled because he cared and now Pony was starting to see that. After he went to his room Pony had changed out of his sopping clothes into some new dry ones. He got into bed and waited for Soda. Once Soda got into the bed, Pony realized he was crying.
"What's wrong Soda?" Pony asked turning to his brother.
"We were so scared we had lost you Pony. Lost you like we lost mom and dad," Soda hiccuped. Pony snuggled into his big brother's arms and letting him know that he was still there.
"You know, Darry didn't even cry at our parent's funeral. But he cried when he realized he had made you run away. He really does love you Ponyboy," Soda said to Pony, no longer crying.
"I know Soda, I know that now."
Pony was drying off his hair and throwing on some pants when he heard a commotion from the next room, coming back to the present. He walked out into the living room to see a very pissed off Dallas Winston.
"Who the hell do they think they are! Those stupid low life socs!" Dallas yelled, pacing back and forth like a caged animal. Soda was looking at him worriedly, while Austin was still watching the game on the tv.
"Would you keep it down man? The game," Austin said from the couch, sipping his beer. Pony nearly flinched, only Austin could tell Dallas to be quiet and not get his ass whooped. Even though the two play fought, they never actually hit each other. When they got mad at each other, which rarely happened, they just glared or yelled until one of them gave in and then they reconciled. Even so Dallas looked like he wanted to hit Austin right then.
"How can you be so calm? Look at what they did to your face. I saw Johnny today too man. He was freaking terrified! I'm gonna kill those damned socs!" Dallas continued on his angry rant, while Austin just sipped his beer calmly, watching the television. Pony decided to get out of the room before Dallas spotted him and decided to take his anger out on him. Boy were those two brothers ever trouble.