Cutting Trees: Chapter Five
"Holy shit!" Soda yelled as Steve carried in a bloody body, his voice hoarse with worry. "What happened?"
Cedar moaned, shifting slightly as she awoke in Steve's arms and immediately regretting her movement. Steve's arms didn't even twitch, but his senses hit full blast when she shifted in closer with her eyes fluttering open on his collar; the one spot that got him every time right between his shoulder and heck.
Darry came down the hall and his eyes bugged out of his head, and the way his veins were popping, he almost looked pissed. "C'mon put her down on my bed, since... sheets wash better 'n cushions..."
"Do I look that bad?" she asked drearily.
"And worse," Soda replied. She just groaned and fell back half-asleep in Steve's arms.
"A couple of Socs decided to have a little fun, the disturbing thing is she says they did it 'cuz of one of us 'cuz they know one of us," Steve informed Darry more than Soda. Darry was the most responsible of all five of their little gang, so it was more useful to tell him than Soda. Unless you wanted something, then you asked Soda to ask.
"Which one of us?" Darry demanded.
"Didn't say. Where's Ponyboy?"
"Dunno," Soda said with a shrug. "Oh yeah! Library, Two-Bit's getting him."
"On a Monday? It's open to eight?"
"I guess."
Steve her down on Darry's bed. Sure it looked a little... peculiar carrying a beaten body with shards of clothes on into a bedroom, but it didn't matter that much he supposed. She groaned at the movement again
"Cedar, can ya get up by yourself?" Soda inquired.
"Yeah," she replied, cracking her eyes open. "I think."
"Then take a shower, so we can get you cleaned up a little," Darry told her, softly, in the concerned older brother voice he tended to use on Ponyboy more than Soda.
As soon as they all left, in one great giant movement she heaved herself up hissing at the pain. She wobbled to Darry's bathroom door, and felt slightly better as she stripped off her clothing that was for the most part in shreds, except for her under things. And they weren't even as mauled as her body.
As soon as she stepped into the water in the shower, she nearly screamed. It hurt. So much, but only a muffled cry she let out. Steve winced in the front room at the exact same time.
"I wanna know who it was," Darry paced the living room like a wolf configuring his attack on caribou. But which was the sick one? "Two-Bit or Ponyboy? Assuming you two haven't done anything to piss off a bunch of Socials lately."
"I breathed," Steve snorted with dry humor looking blankly out into the littered street.
"Nah. Haven't even tried to pick up their girls lately," Soda replied.
Steve crooked the edge of one corner of his mouth, "No. I only pick fights with my old man-"
"And Cedar," Soda added.
"And Cedar."
"Why would Ponyboy or Two-Bit pick a fight?" Soda wondered. "I can't see Pony doin' it."
"Two-Bit's a prime suspect."
"He is. Ask her."
The shower stopped, and the three waiting impatiently in silence. Waiting. Once she appeared, Darry immediately blurted out his question, because if he hadn't he would have exploded. "Who did what to the Socs?"
"I ain't sayin', because..." she trailed off. "I ain't sayin' 'cuz a' my valued trust."
"Ponyboy," all three said at the same time rolling their heads back. Ponyboy? Picking a fight? Not only was it disturbing enough that a girl had been raped because of her alliance with them, but it was even more unsettling to realize it was Ponyboy who was picking the fight to cause her agony.
She looked even more defeated, "How'd y'all know?"
"You'd do anything and everything to protect him," Soda replied.
"I ain't fair," she pouted easing herself down next to Steve and curling her legs beside herself. Darry's shirt fit more like a dress on an extremely short Cedar. "I'm gonna sleep now," she yawned curling up on Steve's shoulder.
Soda elbowed Darry, who just looked amused and didn't even glance at his brother for awhile. Then both busied themselves with taking Darry's bloodied sheets off his bed and putting new one on.
*
Steve started to Soda getting huffy -at- Ponyboy. That was a rare occurrence if you ever saw one. Most times Soda never took sides, he mediated - typical middle child. Not like Cedar did, however, but lightened the mood between the two opposing parties. Cedar actually whipped 'em inline without raising her voice. But at the moment, Soda was just mad, he was pissed. "What did you do?"
"Why do assume me? Do what?"
"Cedar got jumped today by a group of Socs saying they know one of us. We narrowed it down to you, buddy-o. You!"
Pony just scowled, "Narrowed it down? C'mon Soda. I wouldn't do nothing to get Cedar."
"Well, ya didn't have to want Cedar somewhere. Ya did something to as Soc and he's getting revenge. When Socs jump our girls, buddy, they don't just beat the tar outta them either."
"What did they do?"
"Let your fifteen-year-old mind run wild," Soda shot back as Pony pushed through.
Steve carefully lifted Cedar's still sleeping head and slipped a pillow under it. When had he fallen asleep? At any rate, when Soda and Pony argued it didn't ever go good. They argued so little that when they did, all the envy came out. It wasn't good.
"What did you do?" Soda demanded yet again.
"Do I have to send you two to your corners?" Cedar groaned from the couch and turned over to face the wall. "Soda ya ain't getting' anything in his head. Pony, your brother's pissed. When does he get pissed at you? Not often. Just eel him, he's just mad ya didn't tell him. Now shut-up or make- up!"
Pony bit his lip, "Me 'n Curly went to the Nightly Double and I met a chick there and we've been doing stuff. A Soc chick."
"Dontcha got Cedar?" Steve asked darkly. And he'd been worried about Cedar breaking a Curtis boy's heart!
"We're just friends Steve," she said tiredly from the couch. "I help him with calculus I've done it."
"Oh," Steve stated. There wasn't much else he could state. If he had been the type, his face would have been purple with embarrassment by now. But he wasn't just any old guy, this was Steve. Steve was an onion.
"Yeah 'oh'," she snorted. "Ponyboy ya wanna that to your other brother too."
"Ya okay, Cedar? Now I feel aw-"
"Its okay kid, I forgive ya," she replied. "Excuse me, I'm going to crash on your bed, preferably your brother's though... its comfy." She walked slowly but surely down the hallway and knocked on Darry's door as uncomfortable silence ensued in the living room.
"Its open!"
She opened it and supported herself with the door frame, "Don't be too hard on your lil' brother."
"You're just saying that because you're his friend."
"No," she said entering wobbly and sat beside him on his bed. He was going through the court papers from over six months ago. "I'm saying that 'cuz I know a lot more than you do right now... Wouldn't you say?"
"Well..."
"Just give the question and let him talk it might not be as stupid as you think."
"I never know anymore," he hung his head.
"You're not supposed to know."
"I'm not?"
She smiled, "No. You're a twenty-one year old man that works two jobs and is trying to keep track of two teenagers."
"Sometimes I wish I were just a brother again," he confided hanging his head. "That maybe I should let them be with some other guardian. Look how this is turning out."
"No you don't," she told him softly.
"I know, 'cuz I can't bear the thought of Soda being crushed or Pony having to go back to his normal grade."
Her light fingers grazed his bent neck, and she rested a hand on his back. "Ponyboy sometimes forgets that you've done lots of this because you love him. Since you've had to make yourself become an adult guardian for him, you're like a father, but no quite. Hard place, ne?" He pursed his lips. At least he was like her father figure that wasn't nearly father. "Did you agree with your father at Ponyboy's age?"
Darry laughed, "No."
"Mmhmm," she said. "Just let him tell you. He may not have a whole of sense, but he's still smart and he's still got morals. Actually he's just growing up, but it's hard in tough spots."
Darry laughed, "It's weird how this house always seems more pleasant when you're here to keep us sane."
"Oh... all y'all have a soft side," she winked.
"And I suppose you're still chiseling away at Steve's rock armor?"
"Yeah... I haven't quite figured out where his open button is yet," she smiled even though it hurt. She was beginning to think Steve was like an onion, the more layers you peel the more hopeless it seemed to get into the core.
"And you're counseling when you just got blooded up," he pointed out, patronizingly.
"Well it makes me feel better," she argued. "To know the big strong men that protect me are at peace with each other."
Darry laughed, "What're you back here for anyhow?"
"I am looking to crash somewhere somewhat quiet to aide a throbbing headache."
Darry gestured to the room and bowed out, "It's the furthest from the living room."
"Thanks," she sighed.
Before he shut the door, Darry added, "If you really want to get into Steve's layered armor... he's in a similar predicament as you." And he shut the door.
.-*-.
A.N.
LOL! Steve! Like an onion! Yes I did take that from Shrek because... I was up watching it at three am with my friends last night! I couldn't help it... *sighs* Some things I just have to warp to my own weird ficcies. ^_^
R & R! I love all you loverly peoples who do that! And I try and read one of your fics if you review... And if you've reviewed and I haven't reviewed any of yours yet... Either 1. I dunno what you're writing about 2. I haven't found time (2 is more likely!) KK...
-Nezie-
P.S. That was a long Author's Note! O.o?! (I'm REALLY over-tired, please excuse me!) Sorry about grammar / typos... you tell me, I fix! Honest to goodness! Unless they're purposeful... *beats self over head with stick* I'm shutting up now.
"Holy shit!" Soda yelled as Steve carried in a bloody body, his voice hoarse with worry. "What happened?"
Cedar moaned, shifting slightly as she awoke in Steve's arms and immediately regretting her movement. Steve's arms didn't even twitch, but his senses hit full blast when she shifted in closer with her eyes fluttering open on his collar; the one spot that got him every time right between his shoulder and heck.
Darry came down the hall and his eyes bugged out of his head, and the way his veins were popping, he almost looked pissed. "C'mon put her down on my bed, since... sheets wash better 'n cushions..."
"Do I look that bad?" she asked drearily.
"And worse," Soda replied. She just groaned and fell back half-asleep in Steve's arms.
"A couple of Socs decided to have a little fun, the disturbing thing is she says they did it 'cuz of one of us 'cuz they know one of us," Steve informed Darry more than Soda. Darry was the most responsible of all five of their little gang, so it was more useful to tell him than Soda. Unless you wanted something, then you asked Soda to ask.
"Which one of us?" Darry demanded.
"Didn't say. Where's Ponyboy?"
"Dunno," Soda said with a shrug. "Oh yeah! Library, Two-Bit's getting him."
"On a Monday? It's open to eight?"
"I guess."
Steve her down on Darry's bed. Sure it looked a little... peculiar carrying a beaten body with shards of clothes on into a bedroom, but it didn't matter that much he supposed. She groaned at the movement again
"Cedar, can ya get up by yourself?" Soda inquired.
"Yeah," she replied, cracking her eyes open. "I think."
"Then take a shower, so we can get you cleaned up a little," Darry told her, softly, in the concerned older brother voice he tended to use on Ponyboy more than Soda.
As soon as they all left, in one great giant movement she heaved herself up hissing at the pain. She wobbled to Darry's bathroom door, and felt slightly better as she stripped off her clothing that was for the most part in shreds, except for her under things. And they weren't even as mauled as her body.
As soon as she stepped into the water in the shower, she nearly screamed. It hurt. So much, but only a muffled cry she let out. Steve winced in the front room at the exact same time.
"I wanna know who it was," Darry paced the living room like a wolf configuring his attack on caribou. But which was the sick one? "Two-Bit or Ponyboy? Assuming you two haven't done anything to piss off a bunch of Socials lately."
"I breathed," Steve snorted with dry humor looking blankly out into the littered street.
"Nah. Haven't even tried to pick up their girls lately," Soda replied.
Steve crooked the edge of one corner of his mouth, "No. I only pick fights with my old man-"
"And Cedar," Soda added.
"And Cedar."
"Why would Ponyboy or Two-Bit pick a fight?" Soda wondered. "I can't see Pony doin' it."
"Two-Bit's a prime suspect."
"He is. Ask her."
The shower stopped, and the three waiting impatiently in silence. Waiting. Once she appeared, Darry immediately blurted out his question, because if he hadn't he would have exploded. "Who did what to the Socs?"
"I ain't sayin', because..." she trailed off. "I ain't sayin' 'cuz a' my valued trust."
"Ponyboy," all three said at the same time rolling their heads back. Ponyboy? Picking a fight? Not only was it disturbing enough that a girl had been raped because of her alliance with them, but it was even more unsettling to realize it was Ponyboy who was picking the fight to cause her agony.
She looked even more defeated, "How'd y'all know?"
"You'd do anything and everything to protect him," Soda replied.
"I ain't fair," she pouted easing herself down next to Steve and curling her legs beside herself. Darry's shirt fit more like a dress on an extremely short Cedar. "I'm gonna sleep now," she yawned curling up on Steve's shoulder.
Soda elbowed Darry, who just looked amused and didn't even glance at his brother for awhile. Then both busied themselves with taking Darry's bloodied sheets off his bed and putting new one on.
*
Steve started to Soda getting huffy -at- Ponyboy. That was a rare occurrence if you ever saw one. Most times Soda never took sides, he mediated - typical middle child. Not like Cedar did, however, but lightened the mood between the two opposing parties. Cedar actually whipped 'em inline without raising her voice. But at the moment, Soda was just mad, he was pissed. "What did you do?"
"Why do assume me? Do what?"
"Cedar got jumped today by a group of Socs saying they know one of us. We narrowed it down to you, buddy-o. You!"
Pony just scowled, "Narrowed it down? C'mon Soda. I wouldn't do nothing to get Cedar."
"Well, ya didn't have to want Cedar somewhere. Ya did something to as Soc and he's getting revenge. When Socs jump our girls, buddy, they don't just beat the tar outta them either."
"What did they do?"
"Let your fifteen-year-old mind run wild," Soda shot back as Pony pushed through.
Steve carefully lifted Cedar's still sleeping head and slipped a pillow under it. When had he fallen asleep? At any rate, when Soda and Pony argued it didn't ever go good. They argued so little that when they did, all the envy came out. It wasn't good.
"What did you do?" Soda demanded yet again.
"Do I have to send you two to your corners?" Cedar groaned from the couch and turned over to face the wall. "Soda ya ain't getting' anything in his head. Pony, your brother's pissed. When does he get pissed at you? Not often. Just eel him, he's just mad ya didn't tell him. Now shut-up or make- up!"
Pony bit his lip, "Me 'n Curly went to the Nightly Double and I met a chick there and we've been doing stuff. A Soc chick."
"Dontcha got Cedar?" Steve asked darkly. And he'd been worried about Cedar breaking a Curtis boy's heart!
"We're just friends Steve," she said tiredly from the couch. "I help him with calculus I've done it."
"Oh," Steve stated. There wasn't much else he could state. If he had been the type, his face would have been purple with embarrassment by now. But he wasn't just any old guy, this was Steve. Steve was an onion.
"Yeah 'oh'," she snorted. "Ponyboy ya wanna that to your other brother too."
"Ya okay, Cedar? Now I feel aw-"
"Its okay kid, I forgive ya," she replied. "Excuse me, I'm going to crash on your bed, preferably your brother's though... its comfy." She walked slowly but surely down the hallway and knocked on Darry's door as uncomfortable silence ensued in the living room.
"Its open!"
She opened it and supported herself with the door frame, "Don't be too hard on your lil' brother."
"You're just saying that because you're his friend."
"No," she said entering wobbly and sat beside him on his bed. He was going through the court papers from over six months ago. "I'm saying that 'cuz I know a lot more than you do right now... Wouldn't you say?"
"Well..."
"Just give the question and let him talk it might not be as stupid as you think."
"I never know anymore," he hung his head.
"You're not supposed to know."
"I'm not?"
She smiled, "No. You're a twenty-one year old man that works two jobs and is trying to keep track of two teenagers."
"Sometimes I wish I were just a brother again," he confided hanging his head. "That maybe I should let them be with some other guardian. Look how this is turning out."
"No you don't," she told him softly.
"I know, 'cuz I can't bear the thought of Soda being crushed or Pony having to go back to his normal grade."
Her light fingers grazed his bent neck, and she rested a hand on his back. "Ponyboy sometimes forgets that you've done lots of this because you love him. Since you've had to make yourself become an adult guardian for him, you're like a father, but no quite. Hard place, ne?" He pursed his lips. At least he was like her father figure that wasn't nearly father. "Did you agree with your father at Ponyboy's age?"
Darry laughed, "No."
"Mmhmm," she said. "Just let him tell you. He may not have a whole of sense, but he's still smart and he's still got morals. Actually he's just growing up, but it's hard in tough spots."
Darry laughed, "It's weird how this house always seems more pleasant when you're here to keep us sane."
"Oh... all y'all have a soft side," she winked.
"And I suppose you're still chiseling away at Steve's rock armor?"
"Yeah... I haven't quite figured out where his open button is yet," she smiled even though it hurt. She was beginning to think Steve was like an onion, the more layers you peel the more hopeless it seemed to get into the core.
"And you're counseling when you just got blooded up," he pointed out, patronizingly.
"Well it makes me feel better," she argued. "To know the big strong men that protect me are at peace with each other."
Darry laughed, "What're you back here for anyhow?"
"I am looking to crash somewhere somewhat quiet to aide a throbbing headache."
Darry gestured to the room and bowed out, "It's the furthest from the living room."
"Thanks," she sighed.
Before he shut the door, Darry added, "If you really want to get into Steve's layered armor... he's in a similar predicament as you." And he shut the door.
.-*-.
A.N.
LOL! Steve! Like an onion! Yes I did take that from Shrek because... I was up watching it at three am with my friends last night! I couldn't help it... *sighs* Some things I just have to warp to my own weird ficcies. ^_^
R & R! I love all you loverly peoples who do that! And I try and read one of your fics if you review... And if you've reviewed and I haven't reviewed any of yours yet... Either 1. I dunno what you're writing about 2. I haven't found time (2 is more likely!) KK...
-Nezie-
P.S. That was a long Author's Note! O.o?! (I'm REALLY over-tired, please excuse me!) Sorry about grammar / typos... you tell me, I fix! Honest to goodness! Unless they're purposeful... *beats self over head with stick* I'm shutting up now.