Darry's Sick Day

Darry's POV

I woke up to a headache. What a great way to start the day, I thought. I felt groggy and my throat was dry. I swallowed and my spit was bitter. I knew what that meant. I was sick. Nothing serious, just a little cold or maybe even the flu. A deep, painful cough erupted from my chest. I continued to cough until tears sprang to my eyes. After a few minutes my coughing ceased and I flopped back down on my bed, exhausted. I looked at the clock and groaned. It was Saturday, I had work, which meant I had to get up. I could still go to work, right? Just five more minutes…

"Dar?" a gentle voice called. I quickly sat up, my brotherly instincts kicking in. I groaned when the movement caused my head to pound. I slowly turned my head to see Ponyboy standing in the doorway, his face full of concern. I was surprised to see concern written on my kid brother's face. Sure, we had gotten along more since the…incident…but I was still getting used to our new relationship.

"What is it, Pone?" I asked, or at least that's what I tried to say, instead it all came out muffled. Ponyboy knew something was wrong with me, his expression gave it away. He moved over to my bedside and placed his hand on my forehead. I tried to swat his hand away, but Pony knew I had a fever.

"I'll be right back, Dar, don't go anywhere," He said, then left the room and went into the kitchen where my other brother, Sodapop, was getting ready for his job at the DX, "Hey, Soda, Darry has a fever. Can you call him in sick for work?"

"Sure thing. Gonna take a lot of persuasion to get him to take the day off, though," Soda said. You're right there, Little Buddy. I heard Pony say goodbye before Soda left for the gas station. Then, I heard the kitchen sink faucet running and him rummaging through the medicine cupboard, most likely for some asprin, before he came back in my room.

"Hey, Dar, Soda called you in sick today. You're gonna stay home today and I'm gonna take care of you. You have a fever, 'kay?"

"Nuh uh…gotta…work…pay…bills," I mumbled. Pony only shoved the glass of water and the pills into my hands. I quickly swallowed the pills and chugged down the water. It helped my throat but my head still hurt. Then I sat up and threw the blankets over the side of the bed before standing up. My vision was grey and fuzzy but I could make out the shadowy figure of my kid brother. I gripped Pony's shoulder to keep my balance but Ponyboy only pushed me back into my bed and pulled the covers back up to my chin. Traitor.

"Darry, you are staying home today. You can afford to miss one day of work. Soda is working two shifts at the DX today. We'll be okay." I was about to tell him that I needed to go to work but my stomach gave a lurch and before I know it I was gagging. Pony thrust a little trash bin in my arms and sat next to me as I continued to pour my guts out. His hand was rubbing little, soft circles across my back and I remembered how I'd do that to him whenever he was sick.

"You are staying home today," Pony said.

"I guess one day wouldn't hurt," I said after my stomach was empty. I think he understood my sentence, but he probably didn't care what I said as long as I stayed in bed. Pony softly eased me back into bed and draped the blankets over me. This time I didn't put up a fight, I was too exhausted. I closed my eyes and allowed myself to slip into the darkness.

When I woke up I felt slightly better. I didn't have the urge to empty my stomach out on the bed and my headache was lowered to an annoying ache instead of the constant pounding. I looked to the left and saw Ponyboy sitting in the recliner from the living room, sleeping. I remember myself in that exact position when he was sick after the Rumble. I reached over and gently shook his knee.

"Hey, Dar, how ya feeling?" Pony asked after he opened his eyes.

"Better. Not great, but better," I said, shrugging. He placed his hand on my forehead, searching for signs of a fever.

"No fever, that's good." He grabbed a few pills and a glass of water from my small nightstand and handed them to me. I sat up and swallowed the pills before sinking back into the blankets. Pony yawned and shifted his position, trying to find a comfortable position in the recliner.

"Come on, Pone," I said, gesturing towards my bed.

"You're sick," he pointed out, although I could tell he wanted to sleep in a bed more than anything.

"I don't have a fever," I reasoned.

He grinned, "Scoot over."

Okay, now it's time for your feedback. Which oneshot did you like best? Darry's Sick Day or Stormy Memories? Please review and let me know! There's more to come. Comment suggestions for oneshots.

Up next: Ponyboy's Nightmare

What happens when Ponyboy has a nightmare and seeks comfort from Sodapop? Read the next chapter to find out! Love you guys!

- Stay Gold -

Sincerely,

Teenbookworm13