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“We don’t gotta go,” Soda said for the hundredth time as he shoved clothes into his bag. “I can tell them I can’t make it.”
Soda was invited to perform at a rodeo in Wyoming, they were putting him up in a motel and everything. Darry was going with him to make sure everything went smooth and in case Soda got hurt. Pony wanted to go so bad, but he had a test in math class that Friday and then a really important track meet over the weekend.
Pony rolled his eyes from where he sat on their bed, “You gotta go, Soda. I’ll be fine by myself.” Soda gave him a look. “What?”
Soda went back to packing, “You know what. The nightmares have been real bad lately, Pone.” Pony looked down at his crossed legs and shrugged. “You know they have been.”
“I guess. But I’ll be fine.”
“No, you won’t.” Darry appeared in the doorway, he was tucking his shirt into his jeans. “Two-Bit is gonna stay with you while we’re gone.”
“I don’t need a babysitter,” Pony snapped. “I’m fourteen, Darry, I can stay by myself.”
Darry stayed calm and just crossed his arms, “Never said you couldn’t. He’s not gonna be here all the time, just at night.”
Pony opened his mouth to protest, but Soda said, “It’ll make me feel a lot better about leaving you. It’s just three nights, honey.” And when Pony still didn’t look convinced, he added a soft, “Please?”
“Fine,” Pony huffed.
The two of them left Friday morning. Darry and Soda threw their bags in the back of the truck. They both gave Pony a long hug, Soda kissing his head and told him to behave. Pony flipped him off for that, behind Darry’s back.
“The number for the motel is on the counter,” Darry told him seriously. “If you need anything, call us. Got it?”
Pony nodded. Darry squeezed his shoulder one last time before hopping in the driver’s side. Soda waves the whole time until they’re out of view.
The first night went fine. Two-Bit teased him as expected, but was surprisingly caring in asking if he needed anything before crashing in Soda’s old room. Thankfully, Pony’s dreams were free of nightmares, though his sleep was still fitful.
He talked to Sodapop on Saturday, his brother almost tripped over his words in his excitement as he told him about the first day at the rodeo. Pony couldn’t help but grin.
“How did you sleep?” Soda asked.
Pony rolled his eyes, “Soda, I’m fine.”
Soda was quiet for a moment, assessing if he was telling the truth. Finally he said, “Okay. You’ll tell me if you’re not?”
“Yeah,” Pony lied.
Saturday night went much the same as Friday. Two-Bit brought them dinner from the burger place by the DX, Johnny crashed on the couch, and they watched TV until Pony nearly fell asleep on Johnny. He slept fitfully, but it was nothing that a little coffee in the morning didn’t fix.
Sunday was when things went wrong. Two-Bit came stumbling into the house well after dark. Pony shot to his feet at the distressed look on Two’s face. Dally, who was lounging on the couch, didn’t seem to care, he just kept smoking his cigarette.
Two-Bit ran a hand through his hair, “Pony, I’m sorry, I can’t stay tonight. My sister’s sick and neither of my parents are picking up the phone.”
Pony shook his head, “It’s fine. I don’t really need a babysitter anyway.”
Two-Bit raised his eyebrows and looked at Dally, “Dal, could you spend the night? Soda doesn’t want Pony in the house by himself.”
Dally took a long drag on his cigarette and blew out the smoke. “Sure. Probably was gonna crash on the couch anyway. Buck changed the locks on me.”
Two-Bit snorted, “About time.” He thanked Dally, ruffled Pony’s hair and darted out just as quick as he arrived.
Ponyboy woke up with a shrill scream, kicking at the blankets that encased him. He was covered in sweat. His throat ached as another scream ripped itself out of his throat.
Someone grabbed his wrists, Soda would never do that. Pony fought back, thrashing and yanking and trying to get away from whoever was in front of him. His mind was panicked. Every inch of his body was pin pricked with goose flesh.
“Pony!” Someone thumped him on the back of the head, hard.
He blinked once and then twice.
Dally was in front of him. He sat on the edge of the bed, still holding one of Pony’s wrists in his hand.
“Dally?”
Dallas rolled his eyes and let his hand drop. Pony pulled his legs to his chest self consciously. His hands shook and tears welled in his eyes. He didn’t know what to do.
Usually, Soda would be hugging him by now. He’d whisper soft words of comfort and run his fingers through his hair. Soda would promise him that the nightmares weren’t real. Darry would sit down on the edge of the bed and rub his back, asking if he was alright. Neither of his brothers would leave him until he could breathe slowly.
Pony pressed his lips together as a sob started to build in his chest.
“Kid,” Dally sighed. He reached out and grabbed Pony by the back of the neck and pulled him towards him. “You’re a goddamn shit show.”
Despite the fact that part of him thought Dally hated him, Pony couldn’t resist the embrace. He fell forward into Dally. He smelled like cigarettes and metal, it wasn’t at all like Soda’s shampoo or Darry’s aftershave, but it was comforting all the same.
Dally pulled back sooner than Pony needed, but he hadn’t expected a hug in the first place. Dally sighed, “I’m going to call your brothers.”
“Dally-” But he was already moving out of the bedroom. Ponyboy scrambled to follow him. “You don’t need to call them.”
“You’re still shaking,” Dally said. He leaned down and dialed the phone. While they waited, Pony shifted uncomfortably. He felt so much like a kid, his arms wrapped around himself and tears drying on his cheeks.
“Hey, Soda,” Dally greeted. “Yeah, it’s Dally. The kid had a nightmare, he’s freaking the fuck out.” Dally turned to Pony and offered him the phone.
Pony took it and pressed it to his ear as he curled up in the arm chair, “Soda?” His voice cracked.
“Hey, honey,” Soda murmured. Pony almost started crying all over again at the sound of his brother’s voice. “Can you take some deep breaths?”
Pony nodded even though Soda couldn’t see him. If Soda were there, he’d put a hand on Pony’s chest. As he inhaled shakily, Dally ducked into the kitchen. He breathed into the receiver for a few moments, until Soda said, “You’re doing great, Pone. Do you remember the nightmare?”
“No, but it was real bad,” Pony told him.
“I know,” Soda said. “Just keep breathing. That’s all you gotta do right now.” There was a bit of shuffling on the other line. “Darry wants to talk to you, okay?”
“Yeah,” Pony whispered.
Darry’s voice greeted him a moment later, “Hey, little buddy. You alright?”
Pony swallowed, “I think so. Soda helped.”
“Good, good. Is Dal still there?” At the same time, Dally came back into the living room with a glass of water. He set it on the table next to the phone.
“He’s right here. Can I talk to him for a second? I promise you can have the phone right back, okay, honey?” Darry’s voice was so gentle, Pony couldn’t remember the last time he heard him sound like that.
Pony nodded and then offered the phone to Dally. The greaser took it with a sigh, crossing his arms as he listened. Ponyboy couldn’t make out what Darry was saying, but Dally rolled his eyes.
“Cool your jets, Superman,” Dally said. “The kid is fine.” Pony looked down at his legs, obviously Dally and Darry were talking about him but it felt strange to only be privy to one half of the conversation. “Really?” Dally pinched the bridge of his nose. “Do I gotta?” A pause. “Alright, fine. Here’s Pony.”
And the phone was thrust back to him. He clutched it to his ear with both hands. “Darry?”
“Right here,” Darry said softly. “Soda is too. How are you feeling?”
And because Pony was still shaky from the dream and he wanted his brothers so badly, he murmured, “I wish you were here.”
“Me too,” Soda told him. “But we’ll be back tomorrow afternoon. Dal is going to stay with you until then. Do you think you can get back to sleep?”
“I can try.”
“Good. I love you so much, Pony.”
“Get some sleep,” Darry added. “You can call us again if you need to.” Pony told them he would, even though he knew it wasn’t true.
Once the phone was put back, Pony looked up at Dally nervously. Dally wasn’t the kind to be kind or gentle, not with anyone but Johnny. He had hard lines on his forehead that never went away.
“Come on, back to bed,” Dally commanded. Pony nodded and rose from the chair, as he walked back to the bedroom, Dally sauntered after him. He watched Pony get back into bed, leaning against the dresser.
Curled on his side, Pony looked right back at him, “What are you doing?”
Dally crossed his arms, “Superman wanted me to stay in the room until you fall asleep.”
Pony huffed, “Well I ain’t gonna be able to fall asleep with you standing over me like that.”
Dally rolled his eyes, “You sure are mouthy at 2 am.”
But he sat down on the floor and leaned against the wall next to the bed. It wasn’t the same as Soda holding him in his arms and stroking his hair, but he could hear Dally breathing and that helped.
So with Dally sitting as a sentinel beside him, Pony let his eyes slip closed.
He woke when the sun started to rise, casting warm light through the bedroom. He burrowed into his blankets as he blinked his eyes open. The first thing he saw was Dally. He was fast asleep, still leaning against that wall. His arms were crossed and his head tipped back. He didn’t look peaceful, but probably about as close to peaceful as Dallas Winston could get.
With a small smile, Pony snuggled back into his blankets for a few more minutes of sleep.