Hi! It feels like a lifetime since I've updated this story. I'm so sorry, but here's the next chapter and I hope you guys enjoy. Thank you for the reviews and kindness you guys have shown, Jewelie
Ponyboy rolled his eyes at Darry, the bedroom window it is then…. Darry gently nudged Soda's shoulder while he washed dishes. "Hey kiddo, let's chit chat a little while you finish up them dishes." Soda grinned at Darry trying to lighten up the mood a bit, "Look Dar, I know I shouldn't have spanked Pone, even if I was trying to protect the brat from seeing blood and gore." Soda sighed heavily. Darry nodded and his face turned to stone with no emotions, "You know Sodapop, I understand why you get frustrated with the kid, he's a hand full. He ain't like us in a lot of ways, but you know if Daddy caught you spank'en him sum, you'd get the same."
Soda washed the last dish placed it in the dishrack and faced Darry, "I know, so where do you want me?" There was no use in fighting the whipping promised, so he decided to surrender to it. Darry shrugged grabbing Soda's right elbow and pushing him over the kitchen counter gently. He didn't waste any time and spanked alternating jean-clad butt cheeks until Soda squirmed. He peppered his bottom quickly and then aimed below his butt cheeks where butt met thigh. He aimed higher and swung as hard as he could alternating left to right. On the 5th swing Soda cried out that he was sorry and to please stop. Darry's reply was in the harsh flick of his wrist spanking even harder 5 more times. Soda began to cry softly, it stung something fierce and Darry stopped. It wasn't the harshest spanking Soda had ever received, but it felt extra embarrassing because he'd be 18 soon. 18…. was it weeks now or months? He felt like they just threw out the when, but he'd need to look the calendar to confirm. Wouldn't matter much though Darry would still whip him if he needed it while he lived here.
Soda turned into Darry and cried for a few minutes, the spanking hurt but he felt guilty because of what Darry said. "Guess Daddy wouldn't have been too proud of me, spaanking, spanking Ponyboy." He sniffled. Darry shushed him and rubbed his upper back, "Awe, Pepsi, he'd be so proud of you and if he saw Pony now, that kid would have no skin left on his butt. Just don't spank him no more Soda, I mean it, because next time, 18 or not I'll strap you. Got it?" Soda nodded his head and backed up looking at Darry and wiped his snot on the back of his hand. "Yes Dar, I promise I won't." Darry smiled and reached out rubbing Soda's shoulder. "Alright, go show Pony, I didn't kill you and let's watch some television, then get to sleep, I'm exhausted." Soda smiled, guess this meant he wasn't grounded.
"Darry!" Soda yelled feeling panic rise in his chest as he searched their shared room. Darry came running in, what now? "Darry, he's not here, I looked everywhere I could think." Darry rubbed his temples and paced the room and the white curtain caught his eye as it blew forward, "Damn it Ponyboy!" he yelled and he slammed the window shut. Soda sighed heavily and gingerly sat down on his bed. "When I get ahold of that kid, I'll skin him!" Darry felt himself shaking with anger and tried to breathe in and out.
Sodapop hadn't ever seen Darry so upset, but he understood why he was. He wasn't sure where Pony went and after everything with Johnny and Dally. It didn't make no good sense why he'd squeeze out, but it was becoming a habit. Pony always ran from things he didn't like and it was dangerous with the socs. Darry took a harsh deep breath in, "Look, the kid will have to come home, if not we'll go look at the lot." Darry looked at the clock it was almost 7, and if Pone wasn't there by 9 p.m. he'd start to worry.
"What you going to do with the kid when he does get here Dar? You've already skinned him for this before." Darry rolled his eyes looking at Sodapop, "If I were you little brother I'd worry about my own hide, now let's go watch some t.v." Soda picked up on Darry's mood and nodded getting up and following Darry to the living room. "Dar, just don't be too hard on him." Darry stopped and glared at Soda, "You two I swear at each other's throat one minute, the next risking each other's butts for each other. Tell you this, say anything when he gets here that encourages his behavior, you'll be sorry kiddo." Darry's voice was stern and Soda decided to just nod, he tried, he fulfilled his brotherly duty to Ponyboy.
Soda laid on his side on the couch his butt was to sore for sitting and as Doc Adams sewed together Matt Dillons arm on Gunsmoke he felt his eye lids getting heavy. Darry stayed up though tapping his fingers against his chair and gripping the newspaper tightly. What was he going to do? Why did Pony have to push him constantly? Why couldn't his parents be here? Would this end up like last time when Pony ran away? Darry couldn't do that again, and he himself was exhausted from roofing all day. He started to nod off when the screen slammed shut, Pony walked in with his gray hoodie over his head.
Soda stood up immediately pushing back Pony's hoodie, revealing a big purple bruise on his face near his eye. Soda ran his hands over his baby brother's shoulders, chest, face and breathing a sigh of relief. No other cuts or bruises that he could tell, "Glory Ponyboy, what happened?!" Soda yelled. Darry sat just watching his brothers not trusting himself to not start yelling. Pony shrugged Sodas hand off his shoulder, "I was just ruff housing with Curly and he slugged me, on accident." Soda sighed loudly, "Where the hell were you, Pony? Were you at Bucks? That's the only place Curly hangs out at night."
Suddenly, Darry jumped up lunging for Pony, thankfully Soda was in between them before Darry did something he'd regret. "Move the hell out of my way Sodapop, I'm going to fucking kill him!" Darry yelled so loud the house shook and Pony backed up eyes wide and they glossed over in tears. Soda was jolted forward and looked at Pony, "Get your butt to our room, and I swear you leave I will hunt you down and strap you where you stand!" Soda yelled. It scared Pony something fierce, Soda barely yelled so he ran to their room shutting the door. The whole time Darry was still lunging forward against Soda.
Soda twisted so he could grab Darry, "Darry, damn it stop!" Darry was panting in anger and pushing Soda, but when he saw his kid brothers face, he stopped. He yelled loudly, "Why is this happening Soda? Why?" Darry started crying, rapidly wiping his tears away against the palm of his hands. Soda hadn't seen Darry cry except the one time he broke his finger playing ball, he didn't even cry when Johnny died or even their parents. Darry was always stoic, and Soda just encapsulated his older brother in his arms, "Shhh, it's okay I've got you. We're going to be okay." Darry's cries turned into sniffles and he held Soda tightly. He whispered out, "What do I do Sodapop? I've tried everything with Pony, and Daddy would be ashamed at the bang-up job I'm doing."
"Awe Darry, you work hard at work and at home. Glory, harder than anyone I know," Darry laughed, "Everyone you knows 17, Pepsi." Darry wiped at his eyes one last time then looked at Soda pulling away. "You okay brother? You look exhausted, maybe you should get some rest, Pony will be here when you wake up." Darry nodded, "Yeah kid, you're right…" Darry smiled and kissed Soda's head and went to his room. Soda took a deep breath in and decided to check on Pony.
Sodapop saw Ponyboy rolled into a fetal position with silent tears running down his face. He was losing his nerve to yell at his baby brother. He took a deep breath in, "You know Pony, you're a selfish kid, and Darry busts his butt for us, it's way out, he works harder than anyone I know. But, you, just run off whenever you feel like it. Worry everyone…" Pony sat up glaring at Sodapop, "I ran away, for you! I didn't want to hear you get in trouble and cry. It makes me sad Soda!" He yelled back and started to cry.
Soda rolled his eyes at his brother's theatrics, "Listen, I get it, I do. You don't see me running away though Pony when you get in trouble. I stay, and turn up the TV or the radio. I know you'll be sad after, and I want to comfort you. I don't run away from my problems Ponyboy, and I sure in hell for all that's holy make you worry where I went and if I'm okay." Ponyboy sobbed harder and threw his hands over his face. Soda couldn't do this anymore so he went to his brother, sitting on the bed bringing him into a side hug.
"Ugh Pony, you don't use your head sometimes, did you think you'd leave and be praised for coming back? I can't even stop Darry from killing you later. Lucky for you, he's sleeping and if you're lucky he'll wake up in a better mood." Pony sniffled wiping his tears on his hoodies dirty, grimy sleeves and took a shaky breath out. "I'm truly sorry Soda, I just am not sure what I'm doing anymore." Soda scoffed, teenage boys, he knew a few things about feelings as a sixteen-year-old. "I know Pone, it'll all be okay, but honey, Darry's pipping pissed and if I were you, I'd kiss up to him." Soda laughed.
Pony smiled at that, "Yeah, how are you?" Soda smiled, "Oh a little roasted." He winked and stood up. "You stay in here until Darry comes to get you, I'm going to make Darry's lunch for tomorrow, one less thing to worry about when he gets up." Pony panicked a little, what would Darry say? He laid back down and dozed off a bit. Then he felt a hand on his upper back gently shaking him awake…. "Wake up baby, we've got to talk some." Pony groaned and his eyes fluttered open heavy with sleep. Darry sat down on his bed, rubbing Pony's chest to make sure he was awake. "Ugh, what time is it?" Darry smiled, "It's 10 at night kiddo, don't worry you can go back to sleep soon, I just wanted to tell you I'm sure disappointed with you. I'm happy you're home though, safe."
"I really am sorry Darry, I know I mess up a lot, I don't mean too." Darry ran his hand through Pony's greasy hair, "I know little buddy, I know, we'll talk more tomorrow. I work a short shift, when I get home, we'll try to talk this out. I just wanted to come in see you safe in bed, Sodapop will be in soon," Darry felt relief wash over him, both his brothers safely at home and in bed. "Dar," Pony looked up eyes big as saucers, "Are we going to just talk tomorrow?" Darry stood up chuckling, "Oh Ponyboy, get some rest." He sighed heavily walking out into the hall, passing Sodapop. "What's with the smirk?" Soda asked confused. "Pony just asked me if he wasn't getting a whipping tomorrow." Sodapop laughed patting Darry's back and telling him goodnight. Pony huffed, pulling the blanket over his face.