Tuesday October 6th, 6:55 am

A soft knocking sound woke Ponyboy up. He had been peacefully asleep, and had gotten through the night with no nightmares. So despite the early hour, he woke up feeling more rested than he usually did. Opening his eyes, he saw his oldest brother leaning in the doorway, his fist still resting against the door he had just knocked on.

"Breakfast is ready" Darry had whispered, trying not to wake Soda. Pony gave a nod and swung himself as quietly as he could out of bed, following Darry into the kitchen.
He sat down at the table and Darry placed a plate with his eggs and some toast in front of him, giving him an affectionate pat on the back as he walked behind him. Darry took a seat next to him, and started on his own breakfast, taking sips of coffee in between bites of his sandwich.

Ponyboy had just finished his eggs when Soda came stumbling out of the bedroom and plopping himself into the other kitchen chair.

"Why'd you guys have to be so loud? You woke me up and I don't even have to be in to work early today!" Soda grumbled.

Pony huffed out a sound of protest while Darry just chuckled.

"What in the sam heck are you talking about? We haven't even been talking out here" Darry told Soda, an amused smile playing on his lips.

It was true, Darry and Ponyboy hadn't really been talking out here except for the mumbled thank you Pony had said when Darry gave him his plate of food. But even though they hadn't been talking, it didn't mean they were mad at each other or something. In fact, Ponyboy kinda liked that he and Darry didn't have to talk. They could just sit together in comfortable silence. Before Windrixville, Pony would've hated having to be alone with Darry at the breakfast table. He would've have sensed Darry's silence as judgement and would probably try to push his buttons just so they weren't sitting there in a heavy silence. But now, Pony and Darry were good. And Pony savored the quiet mornings with his brother.

"Well I heard yelling" Soda said with a huff, crossing his arms like an outraged toddler.

"Wasn't us" Pony said, sharing a grin with Darry, who had been rolling his eyes at Soda's pouting.

"Well now that you're up, do you want some breakfast?" Darry asked, already starting to get out his chair to start on Soda's food, even though he hadn't finished his own.

Soda brushed him off though.

"Nah, I'll make some in a bit. Might try and go back to sleep after y'all leave".

Ponyboy marveled at that. At how Darry was so good at taking care of them, always putting Soda and Pony before himself. He felt a little guilty, thinking about how he used to think his brother hated him. But he also felt proud that he had such a tuff big brother looking out for them.

A car horn blasted outside. Pony's ride was here and he still wasn't dressed. He dashed into his room and threw his clothes on and then ran into to the bathroom to brush his teeth and do his hair. Luckily he was speedy and when he was done, Darry was standing in the living room, holding out his backpack and a jacket for him.

"Thanks Dar" Pony said "Don't forget I'm staying after to run some drills for track but I'll be home in time to make dinner. See you tonight!"

"Bye Pon, have a good day" Darry answered , starting to put his tool belt on so he could leave for work.

"Bye Pony!" Soda yelled around the mouthful of Pony's toast he had started to munch on.

Pony waved a hand in Soda's direction as he shot out the door, trying to avoid Steve laying on the horn again and angering their neighbors. He clambered into Steve's car, saying a quick greeting before settling in. Steve grunted a hello, which was just how he sounded in the mornings.

Pony wasn't sure what made him do it, but he did something he'd never done before. He turned around in his seat, watching his house for as long as he could, almost like his brain was trying to take a picture of it and soak in as many details as it could. He watched it until they turned the corner and the house was out of sight.

He turned back in his seat and looked out the front window. The sky was clear and Ponyboy thought to himself 'it's going to be a good day'.