I LOVEEE your playlist for 'They See Right Through Me' but could I say that Merry Christmas, Please Don't Call by Bleachers would fit PERFECTLYYYYY
I'll have to add it! I'm going chapter by chapter so each Taylor song is a new chapter and then the next three songs are the songs that I feel like go with the vibes of that chapter!
So I'll listen to it and figure out what chapter it'll go good with in the future :)
If you're interested in the playlist I posted it in the comments on ao3 chapter 7 of They See Right Through Me
Summary: Darry's only sixteen when his parents die, and after two years in the foster care system he makes it his goal in life to bring both of his brother's home. But what happens when Sodapop has spent his time in the system on the west side? And what happens when Ponyboy spent his time in the system in New York?
Chapter 5: Just Not Home
Masterlist
TWs stealing, self harm by cigarette, child abuse, bruises, dissociating, food/cooking, very quick mention of blood but no actual blood
You can also find this on AO3
1) go read this on ao3 the author's notes are worth it I think. 2) please start leaving comments y'all the demons in my computer are threatening me if y'all don't feed them
“I go in and tell the clerk that I lost my mom” Ponyboy says, kicking his feet back and forth from where he sits on the hood of a car neither he or Dally are old enough to drive. “And then you steal us candy.”
Dally huffs, flicking away ashes from his cigarette. “You don’t just tell em’ you gotta put on an act.”
Ponyboy rolls his eyes, laying on the hood of the car “I gotta cry and act real scared and then you get us candy”
“Don’t be a smartass” Dally says, passing him the cigarette and Pony at the ripe age of ten, doesn’t cough as he takes a drag, he rolls up his sleeve huffing softly before he stabs the lit end into the underside of the top of his arm, near his armpit. As tears gather in his eyes he hands Dally the cigarette, rolls his sleeve back down and runs into the store just as he begins to sob.
----
“Did you know Mickey Mouse’s first words were hot dog?” Twobit says as he hops up on the kitchen counter, Darry resists the urge to push him off and does not resist the urge to roll his eyes, flipping the hot dogs he has cooking.
“Did you know that I don’t care?” Darry responds, grabbing a stack of plates from the cupboard next to Twobit, forcing him to duck or be hit in the head.
Twobit grins “Yup!”
Darry sets the table quietly, setting a plate for Soda and Steve despite having no clue where they are. Soda will be home eventually and hungry he’s sure. He pulls the hot dog buns out aka a loaf of bread and sets it on the table with a bottle of ketchup and decides if anyone else wants a different topping they can get up and get it themselves.
Twobit reaches into the pan, trying to grab one of the still cooking hot dogs and Darry smacks his hand away. “Well?” Two says “You wanna know or not?”
Darry knows what he’s talking about, the binder sitting on the coffee table. Ponyboy, the last four years, things he doesn’t have the permission of his youngest brother to know and yet the lack of knowledge could destroy everything he’s worked so hard to build. “Do I need to know?”
Twobit leans back, shrugging. “Maybe if we lived in New York”
Darry takes a deep breath “But not here?”
Twobit shakes his head. “Nah man. Not here. Not unless New York follows him to Tulsa.”
“New York is that bad huh?” Darry says, and watches the way Twobits eyes darken. He’s seen that look a lot over the years, the look of a man who would do just about anything for the people he loves. Darry knows that look from every time Johnny shows up with fresh bruises, or when Steve tries to play off just how upset he is with his dad, or when Soda used to curl up in the lot under one of their jackets, unable to so much as move let alone smile, too tired from playing pretend on the West side.
“New York is a piece of shit” Twobit says, hopping off of the counter. “You ain’t seriously gonna let Ponyboy rot in some group home are you?”
Darry sets up three plates with two hot dogs each and covers the last four. “I’m worried about Soda is all…”
Twobit grabs two slices of bread. “So am I” And Darry knows they mean it in completely different ways. Twobit worried about Soda if Ponyboy doesn’t come home, Darry worried about Soda if Pony does.
“New York ain’t Tulsa” Darry says, grabbing two slices of bread, tossing them onto a plate. “So long as New York stays in New York Ponyboy ain’t a problem right?”
Twobit pauses, looking up at Darry, he looks just about as serious as Twobit Matthews can possibly be. “Right”
Darry nods, grabs Johnny’s plate and heads into the living room. “If there ain’t a problem there ain’t a problem.” He gives Johnny his food, and then he hides the binder in his parents room in a box of his moms fancy shoes and prays that Twobit is right.
Soda doesn’t get home until late and when he does he takes his time, first he throws off his shoes and his jacket, then he covers a sleeping Johnny up with one of their bigger blankets. He heats up two of the hot dogs left on the stove and puts the other two in the fridge. He eats and does dishes and changes into pjs, brushes his teeth and then for good measure he brushes his hair. And then he stands outside of Darry’s bedroom door and stands…. And stands some more until the exhaustion hits and he simply has to lay down. Darry’s still awake, just like Soda knew he would be. Soda crawls into bed and collapses against Darrys side, only relaxing once Darry has wrapped him up in his arms.
“I need you to understand why I wasn’t sure Pepsi-Cola” Darry says gently, running his fingers through his brothers hair. “I’m just tryin’ to protect you”
Soda shuts his eyes. “We can’t give up on him, Darry. We can’t. I can’t. Please.”
Darry looks up at the ceiling. “I know honey” he kisses the top of Soda’s head. “We won’t.”
Soda looks up “We won’t?” he repeats.
“We won’t. Now go to sleep, we got a lot to do to get ready for next week.”
Soda smiles and even in the dark Darry can see it, because Soda’s smile is as bright as the sun and Darry doesn’t think he could handle going through another eclipse.
----
“Dal?” Ponyboy asks from where he’s sitting on the edge of a roof, flipping through the pages of a stolen library book. Dally is laying on the ground next to him bathing in the last of the fall sun. “You ever read Gone with the Wind?”
Dallas looks at him like he’s dumb and really it’s the opposite problem here. “Do I look like I read it?” Ponyboy shrugs and kicks his feet, Dally grabs the back of his shirt and pulls him off of the edge, Pony doesn’t fight it as he lands on Dally’s stomach both of them huffing. “Cops would think I pushed you if you fell” Dally says, lighting a cigarette.
“Scarlett O'Hara was not beautiful, but men seldom realized it when caught by her charm as the Tarleton twins were” Ponyboy begins to read aloud and when Dallas doesn’t protest Pony keeps reading.
-----
“Soda stop” Darry says desperately. “You’re gonna rip it stop” He wraps his arms around Soda pinning his brothers arms to his side, stopping him from ripping off the scratchy white sweater he’d been forced into. “Breathe little buddy.”
Soda lets out a soft sob, struggling weakly in his brother's arms. “I can’t. I can’t Dar. Please. I can’t.”
They collapse to the floor of the school locker room and only when Darry is sure Soda won’t move does he let go, he shifts and takes off the black t-shirt he’s wearing. Gently he helps Soda change out of the wool sweater and into the t-shirt, folding the sweater before setting it to the side, praying that it isn’t damaged or bloodied from Soda’s scratching and pulling.
“Shh it’s alright” Darry says, throwing on his gym shirt, leaning up against the wall, rocking Soda gently in his arms, ignoring the bruises covering his brother's arms. ‘I can’t breathe.’ Soda had said, finding him in between their morning classes, his entire face was red, hands shaking. ‘It’s too hot Dar I can’t-’ because who in their right mind sends their kid to school in a sweater in 90 degree weather. Sodapops foster parents trying to cover up their latest abuse, while inflicting new, is who.
They end up in the lot by lunch dragging the rest of the gang with them. They play cards and try to get Soda to play with them but he hardly talks, moves only when Darry guides him and stares at nothing for so long that even Twobit stops trying to joke with him. So when Steve gives up playing cards and pulls Soda down to lay in the grass no one protests. It’s over an hour before Steve gets him talking and even then their conversation is quiet. They wait it out until just before school is out, just long enough that Soda should get back to his foster parents at a believable time before walking him to the border. When Darry has to give Soda his sweater back he wants to throw up but Soda puts it back on without a word of protest. The dissociating happens a lot more often after that, Darry pretends like he doesn’t notice and is thankful when the rest of the gang follows his lead.
----
Ponyboy comes home today, permanently, maybe that’s what has Soda running around the house like a maniac. Or maybe it’s the giant bowl of cereal that is in Darry 's words ‘pure sugar, god I can’t believe you like that crap’. Either way he’s excited. And very VERY determined to make today a good fucking day. Because he gets it, Ponyboy has been through shit, they all have but Pony the worst. So that first weekend home must’ve been overwhelming and scary. Soda’s been there. But now it’s permanent. Ponyboy Curtis will be home to stay. So they can work on it, all of it, but most importantly being brothers again. Soda isn’t willing to even entertain the thought of any other outcome.
He makes a casserole that sits in the fridge waiting to be cooked for dinner, and bakes chocolate chip cookies and sings along to Elvis and when the doorbell finally rings he absolutely does not trip on his way to answer it. Darry is already there, looking put together enough for the both of them. Soda runs his hands through his hair and smiles and the door opens and there he is. Ponyboy Curtis, all angry and wearing a leather jacket, trash bag in hand, greased up hair that really really needs to be cut, and bruises- way more bruises than Soda remembers from two weeks ago. But alive and home. Soda opens the door wider and ignores the look on Darry’s face as he ushers Ponyboy into the house, leaving Darry to talk to Miss.Cowell.
“You’ve got no clue how much we missed you” Soda says, pulling Pony into a hug, the kid tenses but Soda makes sure to be as gentle as possible, fully aware of how much worse bruises always are under the cover of clothes. “But you’re here now! For forever- or till college I guess… You said you get good grades right? Good enough to go to college with, I bet.” Soda leads Ponyboy through the house and into their room, smiling brightly as he opens the door. “We’re gonna bunk together.”
Sure Darry was supposed to move into their parents room but Soda had told him to wait, better not to pack it up right before Ponyboy gets home, after all Pony might remember it. Ponyboy sets his trash bag on the bed and Soda decides it’s probably for the best if he doesn’t ask what happened to the backpack Darry had given him. Soda sits on the bed next to him, smiling.
“You hungry?” Soda asks, because fuck it if Pony isn’t ready to talk Soda will talk enough for the both of them. “I made cookies, mom’s recipe." Ponyboy just stares at him, icy eyes glaring into Soda's soul. “The gang is comin’ by for dinner. Everyone’s real excited to see you” Ponyboy huffs, like he doesn’t believe him, Soda doesn’t let it bother him, he stands up. “C’mon lets get you some food and-”
“You shouldn’t go gettin’ attached to me or anythin’” Ponyboy says and Soda freezes.
“What, you gonna run away or somethin?” Soda asks plainly.
Ponyboy looks shocked but gets over it quickly, shrugging “So what if I am?”
Soda smiles brightly, tilting his head to the side “Then you should know Darry’s a damn fast runner, and I don’t pay attention to stop signs.” Soda moves to kneel in front of the bed, looking up at his baby brother. “And you should know ain’t nothin’ in this world that’ll stop me from lovin’ you. So you can be as tuff as you want and glare as much as you’d like but I’m gonna be right here with you and ain’t nobody and nothin gonna change that ever again.” There’s a moment of silence and then Soda stands. “Now, I’m gonna grab you cookies. You wanna eat them in our room like a gremlin. Go ahead. You wanna join me in the living room and I’ll save you one of my cookies. It's up to you Pony.”
Soda turns and walks into the kitchen, grabbing two plates of cookies and tries not to be hurt when Ponyboy eats his in their room, instead focusing on the excitement of Ponyboy eating them at all.
Summary: Darry's only sixteen when his parents die, and after two years in the foster care system he makes it his goal in life to bring both of his brother's home. But what happens when Sodapop has spent his time in the system on the west side? And what happens when Ponyboy spent his time in the system in New York?
Chapter 4: Don't Call Me "Kid"
Masterlist
TWs stealing, hunger, bruises/cuts/being in pain
You can also find this on AO3
At this point maybe Darry should be expecting it when Miss.Cowel shows up on Thursday instead of Friday night and maybe he should be expecting the lack of his littlest brother in her car. Maybe he should have expected the way she looks uncomfortable, like she always does when she’s delivering bad news. But was it really too much to ask for the world to give him a break? Just this one time.
“Darrell” She greets “Should we go inside to talk?”
Darry shakes his head, shutting his front door gently. “Soda’s inside with a few friends” He says as half an explanation and sits on the stairs. Darry doesn’t know what she’s going to say but to tell the truth… he thinks it’s that Ponyboy doesn’t want to come home, that the state is giving the kid a choice and he’s saying no and really that’s the last thing Soda needs to hear from someone who is practically a stranger.
“Okay” Miss.Cowell sighs, standing at the bottom of the stairs. “I’m not going to sugar coat this, Ponyboy was picked up last night for shop lifting.” Darry freezes, entire body tense, mind racing. Shop lifting? What the hell was he thinking? Miss.Cowell continues. “He stole a pack of cigarettes and a candy bar, the owner of the shop has already decided not to press charges but with Ponyboy’s history the state has decided it’s best to move him to a group home outside of the area for now.”
Darry is silent mind spinning, he runs a hand through his hair. “His history?”
Miss.Cowell hands over a binder full of paper, Darry doesn’t want to take it, his hands shake as he does. “Theft, running away, violence, skipping school… honestly it’s surprising he made it this long without being sent to the group home… I thought you were aware of all of this when you made the request to take over custody.”
Darry’s grip around the binder tightens. “So what are you telling me? He can’t come home?”
Miss.Cowell shakes her head. “Not this weekend but after that it’s up to you. It’s best if Ponyboy isn’t moved back and forth too much so if you want him here then here he’ll stay and if you don’t then the suggestion is no contact”
Darrell stands, turning away from her, because god he needs a minute. “Is that it?”
“For now” she says “I’ll call next week, Wednesday, for your decision”
She leaves and Darry doesn’t move, because he turns around and there’s the world and if he goes inside then there’s his brother. His brother who has been making plans for how to break down Ponyboy's walls, Sodapop who has fallen asleep with boots every night this week…. Soda who is absolutely about to lose it when Darry says he’s not sure bringing Ponyboy home is the right thing. Because… god maybe he’s being selfish but he’s already so stressed and so tired and the binder in his hands is so heavy. Pony hadn’t seemed violent, hadn’t seemed like he’d run around stealing, Darry had looked and saw a hurt kid with walls so fuckin high that really Soda is the only one on earth with a chance to break them down. But looks are deceiving and Darry doesn’t think he’ll be able to afford bail if Pony gets into real trouble…. And if he does will the state blame Darry? Would they take Soda back to the west side?
Darry flinches when the door opens and Soda is frowning at him. “What are you doin’?”
Darry ushers him back inside, shutting the door with a soft click. “Let’s go talk in my room okay Pepsi-cola?”
Soda pauses, not moving, Darry can feel the eyes of the gang on them, for once silent. “What’s wrong? Is it Ponyboy? Did somethin’ happen?”
Darry moves past Soda, setting the binder down on the coffee table and decides ‘fuck it’, the gang will find out either way he might as well say it. “He got picked up yesterday for stealing-”
Soda cuts in “Maybe he needed to! Maybe he’s with some dumb foster parents who ain’t feeding him!"
Darry huffs “He needed cigarettes and a candy bar?” There’s a pause, Darry tries to keep his voice gentle for Soda’s sake “He’s in a group home, he ain’t comin’ home this weekend”
Soda sits on the couch next to Steve who places a hand on his arm, silent support. “He ain’t comin’ home this weekend or he ain’t comin’ home at all?”
Darry tenses, locks eyes with Twobit who had been staring at the binder and Darry knows somehow that Twobit knows. “I don’t know kiddo”
Soda sits up straighter “Well tell the state he’ll do better if he’s with us! He won’t be stealing or nothin’ we’ll keep an eye on him and-”
Darry has known literally nothing since his parents died, but he knows he hates it when Soda is upset “The state isn’t the reason I don’t know honey… it’s- Pony is.. He’s real different. It ain’t just stealing, Cowell said it’s running away and violence and-”
“Social workers lie all the time!” Soda snaps back “And so do foster parents!”
“I know. I know but if they ain’t lying he’s a risk I don’t know if I can take” Darry admits, and tries to ignore the way Johnny flinches. “We know he at least stole something and-”
“We don’t know why” Soda says, he’s getting desperate, Steve wraps his hand a bit tighter around his arm.
“If he does that here it isn’t just his ass he’s risking Soda. It’s-”
“I don’t care! I don’t- I want him home! Don’t you? Darry-”
“Don’t I?” Darry huffs “I didn’t give up my entire life for no reason Soda of course I want him home”
“Then why are you-” Soda starts and Darry cuts him off
“I don’t want you back on the west side Sodapop!” Soda flinches but Darry doesn’t stop. “If Ponyboy does something stupid and they blame me then you get taken too. Is that what you want? I love you both but you’re the one under my custody right now Soda! I have to do what’s best for you!”
There’s a moment of silence, Soda’s eyes fill with tears and then he’s bolting and Steve is following and Darry is grateful when Steve pauses to grab Soda’s shoes and a jacket. Darry stands and looks down at Johnny. “You should stay here tonight okay? It’s gonna be cold” He says and doesn’t stop Twobit when he opens the binder, one of them should know what they're getting into and Darry knows it can’t be himself.
Ponyboy flinches as a pebble hits the top of his head from where he’s laying in possibly the worst bed in this stupid group home. Top bunk next to the only window, a very open window, with bars. Ponyboy is freezing but if he gets up- he looks out of the window and glares when he sees Dally looking right back at him.
“Don’t be like that” Dallas says. “Shit kid they really did a number on you”
Ponyboy sits up and every inch of his body protests, he’s covered from head to toe in bruises and cuts. “No thanks to you” he bites back
“You ain’t stayin’ in New York” Dallas says, he shoves something through the bars and Ponyboy thinks about biting him until he realizes it’s his leather jacket. Pony snatches it out of his hands, putting it on slowly, trying not to whimper at the pain. “You’ve got a home and a family kid. You’re living with them even if I gotta drag you there myself”
Ponyboy sits back, curled up in the warmth of the oversized jacket. “They ain’t gonna want me now. Nobody wants a thief in their house Dal”
Dally shrugs, hands him a prepackaged sandwich, a water bottle and three pills, when Ponyboy glares he rolls his eyes. “Advil you baby. This place ain’t gonna feed you and you still owe me a pack of cigs”
Pony snatches the food and water, downs the pills and eats as slowly as he can manage. “Can’t pay you back from Tulsa”
Dallas smirks, tossing Ponyboy a black switch blade “Sure you can kid. Now try not to get beat up anymore, yeah?”
Pony runs his fingers over the cold metal. “Yeah” he mumbles, and when he looks up Dally is gone.
Summary: Darry's only sixteen when his parents die, and after two years in the foster care system he makes it his goal in life to bring both of his brother's home. But what happens when Sodapop has spent his time in the system on the west side? And what happens when Ponyboy spent his time in the system in New York?
Chapter Three: Everything You Lose is a Step You Take
Masterlist
Warnings: Hunger/being starving, stealing, if I forgot anything please let me know
You can also find this on AO3
Ponyboy is tired. He's so tired he feels as though he's going to pass out and he's hungry, his stomach won't stop growling. His feet drag against the cold tile of the small shop he’d found on a street he doesn’t know and won’t remember, he's only been in New York for four months but it feels like an eternity. He misses his brothers, misses his parents and his friends and Tulsa. He misses warm hugs and a belly full of food, misses playing in the lot, misses Sodapops gentle voice calming him down after a nightmare and Darry protecting him from any danger that would dare to come near him, from monster in his closet to soc in the street he had always been safe.
Ponyboy's eyes scan the rows of food, candy and soup, chips and pops. He doesn't have any money. His parents, hell, even his brothers would be disappointed if they knew what he was doing in this shop. But it’s not his fault and he swears he’ll beg god for forgiveness later. He just- he can't take the hunger anymore. He watches the cashier, some old man who looks so upset, Pony wonders if he was born that way, angry, maybe that's just who some people are. Lord knows Pony has seen enough anger these past four months to last a lifetime.
Pony waits until the old man looks away before he grabs one of the chocolate bars from the shelf. He wants real food, something better than candy, but the bags of chips would be too loud to steal, the cans too bulky and everything else is just too high to reach. Ponyboy's only got a thin sweater and jeans on, he can't hide anything bigger than the candy bar in his sleeve and get away with it.
His small fingers grip the candy bar, eyes trained on the shop clerk when suddenly someone runs straight into his back, he falls to the ground losing his grip on the candy bar, he watches disappointed tears gathering in his eyes as the bar lands on the floor, his heart beating wildly in his chest. He looks up to the shop clerk, praying that the man hadn't seen him stealing, when his vision is blocked by a wall of leather.
“Sorry kid, didn't see ya there.” A hand ruffles his hair and Ponyboy is tempted to bite it, but the hand in his hair isn't his problem, it's the guys other hand, picking the candy bar up and shoving it into the pocket of his jacket. Ponyboy can't find it in himself to care about the shop clerk, instead he follows the leather jacket guy as he swiftly makes an exit.
It's only once they're back in the cold and down the street that Ponyboy starts yelling. “That was mine! Ain't there supposed to be some sort of honor among thieves?”
The older kid stops, turns to look at Ponyboy and laughs. “Kid it's a dog eat dog world. If you're gonna survive you gotta be willin’ to do what it takes. You gotta be tuff.”
“I'm not a kid! You're a kid!” Ponyboy huffs, stomping closer. “Ain't tuff stealing from someone hungry! It's just-it's just mean! You're mean! And rude!”
The older kid is laughing, like Ponyboy is being funny, but it's not funny. He's never been so mad in his entire life. He's exhausted, he's hungry- and God help his parents souls he just wanted to steal one candy bar, that's all he was asking. One stupid candy bar.
He doesn't even realize he's kicked the older boy in the shin until the laughter stops and cold blue eyes are staring straight into his soul. He expects to get hit, the second the boys hand leaves the pocket of his leather jacket Pony flinches, but instead of pain there's a candy bar sitting in front of his face, the older kid opens it and Pony is sure he’s about to eat it in front of him, just to watch him suffer. Instead the guy breaks it in half, dropping the other half into Ponyboy’s shaking hands.
“Maybe you are tuff. Come on kid.” The guy says and doesn’t bother with waiting for a response, taking a bite from his half of the bar as he walks away.
Ponyboy has to run to keep up, he eats his entire half before he says. “Who are you?”
The guy rolls his shoulders “Who are you ?”
“Ponyboy” He says and doesn’t even flinch when the other guy laughs. “Ponyboy Curtis”
“That real? Shit kid- that’s a stupid name.” The laughter dies off and he says “I’m Dally, Dallas whatever’ Dallas Winston if your being all formal” Dallas Winston’s piercing blue eyes lock onto Ponyboys, the older boy smirks and then says “And you, Ponyboy Curtis are going to be my sidekick”
Ponyboy wakes up alone, the smell of bacon filling his senses and he wonders not for the first time why he’s home. Sure at first he’d hoped, begged, prayed that the social workers would one day take him back to Tulsa but after a few years it was only natural that he’d give up. So maybe one day when he was 18 he’d come home and see if anyone wanted him around, it’s not like he wanted to spend the rest of his life in New York. But he never thought he’d see Tulsa again before he was a legal adult.
And sure, it’s a good thing. Maybe. If Pony can manage to be good enough to stay. But, and Ponyboy never thought he’d think this, he misses New York. At least in New York Ponyboy knows the rules, knows where he can and can’t go, knows how long he can be gone from his foster family before it becomes a problem, knows where to find Dally and how to distract shop clerks and which bakeries he can go to to get free food. Ponyboy knows the streets there like the back of his hand, where to run, where to hide, which gangs run which parts and how to avoid them if Dally isn’t around. And fuck Dallas would kill him for saying it but he misses Dally, Dallas Winston who became his big brother, who taught him how to survive. If he stays in Tulsa will he ever see Dally again? Sure he can call but it’s not the same and Dallas doesn’t stay at the same place every night…
There’s a knock on the bedroom door and Pony huffs, getting out of bed. His brothers look the same, a little older but still themselves, maybe a bit more tired and yet in a way they are strangers. Pony throws on his same jeans, ruffling through his trash bag of stuff to grab a tshirt and then throws on his leather jacket, Dallas’s old jacket he’d only been given because Dal managed to win a new one in a bet.
There’s another knock at the door, Soda’s voice carries through the wood. “Ponyboy? You awake? Darry made breakfast-” Ponyboy opens the door and doesn’t bother to speak as he slips past Soda into the kitchen, three plates sit out and Pony picks the one with the least amount of food.
Breakfast is awkward to say the least. The entire weekend is awkward. Ponyboy hardly speaks and Darry doesn’t know how to get him talking, Soda rambles and Darry tries to at least indulge him. They decide not to have the gang around this weekend, not wanting to overwhelm Ponyboy anymore than he already is. Soda tells him about the phone call and Darry debates on asking but decides against it. Ponyboy can have his secrets, at least for now, at least until he’s home permanently. They don’t go out the first day, mostly because Soda looks close to tears with every unanswered or shrugged off question and really Darry doesn’t want to deal with the public looking in on their life, lord knows how gossip spreads in this town. So they stay home and Soda brings out old scrapbooks their mother made and Ponyboy listens to his rambling about only three pictures before he gets up without a word and locks himself in his room. Darry makes lunch and tries not to laugh at the very dramatic way Sodapop lays over the table like a child and then tries not to be hurt when Ponyboy doesn’t come out to eat. By dinner Soda is rambling again and really Darry has no clue what he’s been saying all day but now he really has no clue. Pony doesn’t bother with saying goodnight and Soda doesn’t even attempt to sleep in the same room as him, instead he curls up in Darry’s bed and doesn’t bother to hide the tears in his eyes. Darry wants desperately to say that everything will be better tomorrow but he knows better than to lie when they both see the truth so clearly.
Sunday Darry forces them all into the car and takes them out for breakfast, ignoring the way people stare.
“So” Darry says, because he absolutely cannot take another rant from Soda, no matter how much he loves him. “Do you do well in school?” Ponyboy shrugs, not bothering to look up from the menu. Darry sighs “Gonna need more than that kid”
Ponyboy sighs, grip tightening on the menu. Darry doesn’t think he’ll ever get over his brother having a New York accent- “Don’t go often, I get good grades.”
“You don’t go and you get good grades? Those two things don’t really go together kiddo.”
Pony sets the menu down, glaring. “Not a kid”
Darry sighs “Sure”
Soda chimes in, trying to ease the tension. “So tell us something about you, what do you like to do? Do you have hobbies or-”
Ponyboy is saved by their waitress coming over to take their orders and never does answer is brothers question. It’s not long after that that Miss.Cowel shows up to take Ponyboy back to New York. Darry gives him one of his old backpacks to put his stuff in and is surprised when Ponyboy mumbles a soft thank you in return. As Ponyboy walks out on the porch Soda says
“We'll see you next weekend alright?” He’s nervously shifting from foot to foot. “Can I- I know you- can I hug you? Please?”
Ponyboy freezes, backpack half falling off of her shoulder, greased hair covering his eyes and Darry is so sure he’s going to say no or just walk away that he’d probably have bet on it. But Ponyboy surprises him yet again when he shrugs and takes half a step closer to Sodapop. Soda surges forward, pulling the 13-year-old into his arms and for a long moment everything is right in the world, both of his brothers are exactly where they belong and then it’s over and Ponyboy is back in a car pulling him away from Tulsa and the house is silent. But Sodapop is smiling and Darry supposes that for now that has to be enough.
The Batfamily as Taylor Swift Lyrics (Midnights Edition) pt1
Bruce:🖤"I gave my blood, sweat, and tears for this."🖤"I laid the groundwork, and then just like clockwork the dominoes cascaded in a line"🖤"I'm only cryptic and Machiavellian 'cause I care"🖤
Bruce&Dick:🩷"Did some force take you because I didn't pray?"🩷
Dick:💙"Sobbing with your head in your hands, ain't that the way shit always ends"💙"You would break your back to make me break a smile"💙"flexing like a goddamn acrobat"💙
Jason:♥️"I find it dizzying. They're bringing up my history"♥️"it must be exhausting, always rooting for the anti-hero"♥️"You know how much I hate that everybody just expects me to bounce back, just like that"♥️"it's the past that's talking/telling me to punish you for things you never did so I justified it"♥️"if clarity's in death, then why won't this die?"♥️
Tim:💚"Did all the extra credit then got graded on a curve"💚"What if I told you I'm a mastermind?"💚"to a house, not a home, all alone 'cause nobody's there"💚
Damian:🩶"If you fail to plan, you plan to fail"🩶"it turned into something bigger/got a sense I'd been betrayed"🩶"I've got a lot to live without"🩶
Barbara:💜"I keep my side of the street clean, you wouldn't know what I mean"💜"give me back my girlhood. It was mine first."💜
Cassandra:💛"I don't start shit, but I can tell you how it ends"💛"in my tomb of silence"💛
Alfred:🩵"At the house lonely, good money"🩵"Bend when you can, snap when you have to"🩵
Batfam:🤍"Midnights become my afternoons"🤍"Life is emotionally abusive"🤍"You're on your own, kid. Yeah, you can face this. You're on your own, kid. You always have been."🤍"I'm on my vigilante shit again"🤍"every single thing I touch becomes sick with sadness"🤍"memories feel like weapons"🤍
The Outsiders as Taylor Swift Lyrics (Red Edition) pt5
Darry:♥️"I bet, you're tired from a long hard week"♥️"Could you just try to listen?"♥️"How can a person know everything at 18 but nothing at 22?"♥️
Darry&Soda:🖤"Come back be here"🖤
Sodapop:❤️"You had it figured out since you were in school. Everybody loves pretty, everybody loves cool."❤️"my cheeks are growing tired from turning red and faking smiles"❤️
Ponyboy:♥️"I was there to watch you leave"♥️"look at you, worrying to much about things you can't change"♥️"people ask me how I've been as I comb back through my memory. How you said you'd be here"♥️
Ponyboy&Dallas:🖤"I can't help but wish you took me with you"🖤
Johnny:❤️"right before your eyes I'm breaking"❤️"you wonder if you'll make it out alive"❤️"They sigh and say 'she looks like she's been through it"❤️
Johnny&Dally:🖤"Cause it's not fair that you're not around"🖤
Dally:♥️"I hear the sound of my own voice, asking you to stay"♥️"for the first time I had something to lose"♥️
Two-bit:❤️"You throw your head back laughing like a little kid"❤️"I've had too much to drink tonight and I know it's sad, but this is what I think about"❤️
Steve:♥️"'cause each time you reach out there's no reply"♥️"I might be okay but I'm not fine at all"♥️
The Outsiders:❤️"we had this big wide city all to ourselves"❤️"we were seventeen and crazy running wild"❤️"I don't wanna miss you like this"❤️"How did I go from growing up to breaking down?"❤️
Just wanted to say I love your Outsider fic, went through the effort of searching for your username on Ao3 when I saw your post and it was so worth it.
Y'all I wanna start an outsiders rp group on discord. No ocs. I'll play whoever is left over if I can find a group of people. If anyone is down comment or like this. Or add me on discord theangrypinecone
The Outsiders and what being their ex/breaking up with them would be like as Taylor Swift Lyrics (pt1)
Darry/Debut:❤️🩹"I hate that stupid old pickup truck you never let me drive"❤️🩹"you put up walls and paint them all a shade of gray and I stood there loving you"❤️🩹"I drive home alone as I turn out the light I'll put his picture down and maybe get some sleep tonight. 'cause he's the reason for the teardrops on my guitar"❤️🩹
Sodapop/1989:💔"I think about jumping off of very tall somethings just to see you come running and say the one thing I've been wanting, but no"💔"Remember when we couldn't take the heat? I walked out, I said 'I'm setting you free'"💔"You part the crowd like the Red Sea, don't even get me started. Did you get anxious, though, on the way home? I guess I'll never, ever know. Now that we don't talk"💔
Ponyboy/evermore:❤️🩹"But you'll find the real thing instead, she'll patch up your tapestry that I shred"❤️🩹"If our love died young, I can't bear witness and it's been so long but if you ever think you got it wrong I'm right where you left me"❤️🩹"I know my love should be celebrated but you tolerate it. While you were out building other worlds, where was I?"❤️🩹
Johnny/folklore:💔"You drew stars around my scars but now I'm bleedin'"💔"If I'm dead to you why are you at the wake? Cursing my name, wishing I'd stayed"💔"I persist and resist the temptation to ask you, if one thing had been different would everything be different today?"💔
Dally/ttpd:❤️🩹"oh here we go again, the voices in his head called the rain to end our days of wild"❤️🩹"I can fix him. No, really, I can. WHOA- maybe I can't."❤️🩹"could someone give a message to the smallest man who ever lived. Were you sent by someone who wanted me dead?"❤️🩹
Two-bit/Lover:💔"Would've fought the whole town, so yeah. Would've been right there, front row. Even if nobody came to your show. But you showed who you are then one magical night I forgot that you existed"💔"never grew up, it's getting so old. Help me hold onto you"💔"I get drunk, but it's not enough 'cause the morning comes and you're not my baby"💔
Steve/Red:❤️🩹"you never loved me or her, or anyone, or anything, yeah I knew you were trouble when you walked in"❤️🩹"then you come around again and say 'baby, I miss you, and I swear I'm gonna change, trust me' Remember how that lasted for a day?"❤️🩹"I try not to fall apart and the sinking feeling starts as I say hopelessly 'he said he'd be here'"❤️🩹
Y'all I wanna start an outsiders rp group on discord. No ocs. I'll play whoever is left over if I can find a group of people. If anyone is down comment or like this. Or add me on discord theangrypinecone
How the Outsiders love their partner/being in a relationship with them as Taylor Swift Lyrics(pt1)
Darry/Red:💖"your eyes look like coming home, all I know is a simple name, everything has changed"💖"You pull my chair out and help me in and you don't know how nice that is but I do"💖"this morning I said we should talk about it 'cause I read you should never leave a fight unresolved. That's when you came in wearing a football helmet and said 'okay let's talk'"💖
Sodapop/Fearless:💞"I wanna ask you to dance right there in the middle of the parking lot"💞"Walk in the streets with you in your worn-out jeans I can't help thinkin' this is how it ought to be"💞"Every time you smile I smile and every time you shine, I'll shine for you💞
Ponyboy/ttpd:💖"I'm dancing in my dress in the sun and even my daddy just loves him"💖"our fingers entwined cheeks pink in the twinkling lights"💖"don't want money just someone who wants my company""💖
Johnny/1989:💞"he says 'look up' and your shoulders brush no proof, one touch but you felt enough"💞"he said 'let's get out of this town, drive out of the city, away from the crowds'"💞"when you hold me, it holds me together"💞
Dally/Lover:💖"I screamed 'for whatever it's worth. I love you, ain't that the worst thing you ever heard?' he looks up, grinnin' like a devil"💖"Wanna see what's under that attitude"💖"I'm New York City I still do it for you, babe"💖
Two-bit/Midnights:💞"laughing with my feet in your lap, like you were my closest friend"💞"I'm the wind in our free flowing sails and the liquor in our cocktails"💞"stumble down pretend alleyways. Cheap wine, make-believe it's champagne"💞
Steve/Speak Now:💖"You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter. You are the best thing that's ever been mine."💖"I'll run my fingers through your hair and watch the lights go wild. Just keep on keeping your eyes on me"💖"Just one time maybe the moment's right. It's 8:05, and I see two headlights"💖
Masterlist
Breaking up with the Outsiders as Taylor swift lyrics pt1
Darry:🌻"Holding onto pictures and the smell of your clothes"🌻"Feel the world on my shoulders slowly pullin' me under"🌻
Darry&Soda:🖤"I'm scared you really mean it. That you're never coming back."🖤
Sodapop:🌸"Didn't wanna let you see me break down"🌸"I'd wipe the dirt off your name with the shirt off my back"🌸
Ponyboy:🌻"you've lost more than most people do. You don't know it now, but there's still more to lose"🌻"I've got a tendency to run"🌻
Johnny:🌸"You never left me you just left too soon. I'll save you a seat next to me"🌸"maybe by the morning, I will be ready for the end"🌸
Johnny&Dallas:🖤"What if I go first, and my angel's still on earth? I'll wait outside the gates till you're there too. 'Cause heaven won't be heaven without you"🖤 "or maybe it's the way the times are changin' and I'm stuck in the middle, frozen in a fire"🖤
Dally:🌻"and it's all for what? 'cause you're not around"🌻"You had to go, you couldn't stay"🌻
Two-bit:🌸"take that pain, pass it down like bottles on the wall"🌸"from where you came isn't who you are"🌸
Steve:🌻"back when everyone told you that you should run, you jumped in the passenger seat"🌻"but you're afraid you can't outrun what's running through your veins"🌻
The Outsiders:🌸"I wish you knew your brother would come back again"🌸"I wonder if the ones who go miss the ones who stay"🌸
Literally the entire song Bloodline for all of them :)
Sodapop:🤎"I'm just crying cause I'm proud of you"🤎
Ponyboy:🩶"Is it better to forget or remember what was left. 'Cause I could hang on forever 'Til the branch can’t hold my weight"🩶
Johnny:🤎"Now I only feel at ease behind deadlocked doors. 'Cause logic doesn’t stop the thoughts you can’t ignore"🤎
Dallas:🩶"You Validate my choice to leave and not to stay"🩶
Two-bit:🤎"If you've got a dream you go. Don't worry bout' me I'll be here when you get home"🤎
Steve:🩶"But don't look back, get rich fast, because your moneys gonna burn one day"🩶
The Outsiders:🤎"Find the ones who'll show you love, and leave the others in the yesterday"🤎"I don't want you to forget me and the memories we made. Easy days and climbin' trees, the things you lose past 17"🤎"I can tell you're claustrophobic tryin' to grow within these walls"🤎
