Hi! I'm so behind updating I'm so sorry. I got sick sadly but am finally feeling more like myself a month later. Hope you've all been keeping safe. Just a little update please review if you can. It makes my heart happy, Jewels
Chapter 4: Stevie
Darry came out from the kitchen with a towel and a white box rushing over to Steve. Pony stood up and settled behind Darrys chair, frightened but trying to keep a tuff look on his face. Steve cussed up a storm as Darry cradled his left hand into the towel, "Those bastards Dar, didn't fight fair and pinned me down." Steve yelled adrenaline pumping through his veins as the white towel turned a vibrant red. Soda held Steve down as Darry opened the box, it was their Mamma's sewing kit and Pony cringed. "Pony, go get the brown bottle of booze in my room!" Darry yelled his voice laced with desperation and Pony ran as quickly as he could. Pony returned with the bottle and Darry used his teeth to unscrew it as Stevie thrashed around on the couch.
Pony dared to look down and he saw Steve's middle finger barely holding together as his bone was exposed. He gasped, "Look away baby, go sit down in Darry's chair." Soda tried to say calmly. Darry managed to get the lid off and poured the alcohol over Steve's finger. Steve thrashed around, but Pony couldn't move, he was glued to the spot. Before threading the needle through Steve's finger Darry turned to Pony, "Ponyboy unless you want me to skin you!" He yelled his voice thunderous, "Go sit down." Darry was frustrated he couldn't protect his baby brother from the reality of this moment. Pony couldn't move though; he was shocked by what he was seeing.
"Darry, but I am, I can't…" he tried to explain. Darry couldn't do much with Steve's bloody hand in his kneeled down lap and sewing needle threaded. Knowing Darry was starting to get angrier and Steve was pretty much passed out Soda got up. He walked up to Pony and slapped his butt as hard as he could. He wanted it to be a warning, but when Pony screamed loudly and burst into tears, he remembered his brother's freshly spanked butt. "Sodapop, get over here and leave him be." Darry was now frustrated with both his brothers; Soda knew better than to hit Ponyboy. Soda knew he wasn't supposed to spank Pony, so in Darry's mind, Sodapop just hit his brother. Pony backed up and cried rubbing the seat of his pants to calm the burndown.
"If I were you Ponyboy Michael Curtis, I'd get my butt to my room." Darry's voice was low and dangerous. Pony went to his room, throwing himself down on his bed crying. Great now Soda and Darry were mad at him. Soda went back sitting behind Steve holding his shoulders down. Steve had passed out as Darry sewed his finger back together. Darry raised his eyebrows looking dismayed at Soda, "Hitting your brother Sodapop, really?" Soda sighed, "I know Dar, I just was upset, he wouldn't listen and I didn't want him to see this." He waved his hand around at the blood, alcohol, and Steve's mangled finger.
"I know kiddo, I get it, but it ain't your place, you could have physically moved him, but not hit him." Darry scolded. Soda rolled his eyes, "I didn't hit him, Dar, I spanked him, I just forgot how sore he was." Steve laughed wildly out of nowhere, "You're so tough." Darry finished up with Steve's finger satisfied it'd heal alright, well, he hoped. "We ain't done talk'en about this Sodapop." Steve rolled his eyes open slowly, "Ooo someone's in trouble." He laughed again and Darry slapped the side of his leg, "Is it a greaser who went out and got jumped by Socs today? They could have killed you, Steven! You have to think with your head, even if it is hard as a sack of potatoes." Darry's hands were covered in blood and he held the bottle to Steve's lips, "Drink this, it'll help put you to sleep." Steve drank it, trusting Darry and the liquid burned. It was an old bottle of whiskey Darry's Daddy had lying around.
Steve coughed a little then snuggled on a pillow Soda gave him and he was asleep. Darry got up taking everything to the kitchen and Soda helped take the towels straight to the laundry. It was lucky they were white; he knew he could bleach them white again and he heard Pony crying softly. A wall of guilt hit him and he contemplated going in. Before he could though Darry appeared out of nowhere grabbing his elbow, "We need to talk." His voice was serious and he nodded. "I know, but Pony's real upset, can I talk to him first?" Darry was exhausted it was 3 a.m. and he just wanted to sleep.
Darry sighed heavily, "Fine, we'll talk about this in the morning Sodapop and you ain't squirming your way out of this. Truth is little man, I'm just too damn tired and I need a few hours of shut-eye before work." Soda felt bad and looked down at his white socks scuffing the carpet, "I am real sorry Dar, and thank you for fixing up, Stevie." His voice was laced with guilt, Darry smiled, "Yeah, yeah goodnight," he pointed to Soda's closed room door, "You got that handled." Soda grinned, "Yeah, it'll be okay, you'll see."
Darry kissed the side of Soda's head and walked into his room; Soda turned taking a deep breath in. Pony muffled his cries in his pillow, it wasn't like it hurt too bad, just that Soda spanked him. Sodapop was supposed to be on his side and he was too scared to move. There was a lot of blood and screaming. He felt a sob rack through his chest and his shoulders shook, but suddenly a gentle hand was on his shoulder. He knew instantly it was Soda and threw himself into his brother's embrace. "I was so scared Soda! There was so much blood and I thought….I thought he'd die." Pony sobbed into Soda's shoulder.
Soda rubbed Pony's back, "I know honey, I'm sorry I spanked you some, I just was upset you wouldn't listen." Soda's voice shook and he felt guilty. "It's okay now and Steve's all fixed up, so don't be scared none okay." Pony kept crying and Soda shushed him gently until he fell asleep on his brother's shoulder. Soda gently got up turning pony to lay on his side and checked on Steve. He was still passed out and Soda grabbed him some Tylenol and water. He shook Steve awake enough to take the medicine and then his friend passed out again. Looking at the clock it was 4 a.m. and he needed sleep. He crawled into bed throwing an arm across Pony falling into a deep sleep and dreaded waking up in a few hours to talk with Darry.