And It's Half My Fault, But I Just Like To Play The Victim - Whumpuary D21
And It's Half My Fault, But I Just Like To Play The Victim
Chapters: 1/1
Word Count: 1,101
Summary
"So…" Two-Bit hummed as his eyes landed on the group of Socs that had jumped Ponyboy a few days prior. Beside him, Dally made a noise of recognition. Steve had left already, having picked up someone's shift at work, with a comment about seeing them later at the Curtis house. He would hate to have missed getting a little bit of revenge for their group's youngest… "Got any plans?"
Dally made a hum of consideration. Two-Bit didn't glance in his direction. Just waiting for when Dally made a decision on whatever he was thinking about.
"I got a few." Two-Bit glanced towards Dally then, a tilt of his head with a smirk and raised eyebrow.
Or, or, Ponyboy gets jumped and the gang doesn't take too kindly to that. Especially Steve and Two-Bit.
Title from | Stick Season | by | Noah Kahan |
Day 21 of Whumpuary2025 (@whumpuary) || Bruises | "Who are you?" | Immortality
You can also read | And It's Half My Fault, But I Just Like To Play The Victim | on Ao3!
Warnings Include: Mentions of Meditated Fighting / Jumpings
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Ponyboy hissed, his head flinching away from the wet rag that Sodapop was trying, and failing, to press the cold rag against a forming bruise on Ponyboy's jaw. He'd gotten jumped, again. It was only luck that Two-Bit and Dally just happened to be nearby when it had started.
Supposedly.
Ponyboy didn't believe for a moment that they just happened to be in the area, especially since Steve also happened to be nearby. Just from the opposite direction.
Was he aware that the gang had become a little more… protective of him and Johnny. Could Ponyboy take care of himself? Absolutely. Ponyboy could fight just as good as anyone else in the gang despite his age. It annoyed him just as much as it made him feel… Ponyboy wasn't sure how he felt, about the gang's protectiveness.
"Hold still, honey." Sodapop uttered quietly, an expression of apology on his face. "Sorry, I know." His voice was a little quieter that time. He put one hand on the other side of Ponyboy's head, holding his jaw in a deceptively kind gesture. Well, it was a kind gesture, but it was only there at the moment to stop Ponyboy's head from jerking when he pressed the rag against the bruise.
Ponyboy hissed again, wanting to jerk his head again but he was unable to move his head. Sodapop made a humming like noise as he gently rubbed over the spot.
"You got a cut here, Pony." Sodapop informed him.
"Again?" Ponyboy asked, sighing in frustration as he glared at the wall just past Sodapop. Darry was going to be home soon, and the rest of the gang had all dispersed once Ponyboy was home safe.
Everyone but Johnny at least.
Johnny was curled up on the couch with a sketchbook on his lap and pretending like he wasn't listening in on Ponyboy and Sodapop. His wheelchair was carefully moved to beside the couch, out of the way of everyone else, but still completely accessible to Johnny.
"You got to stop antagonizing people, Pony. Especially if they are carrying blades regularly now." Sodapop sighed. Ponyboy ignored the irritation that bubbled up, though he could feel Sodapop hesitate before he moved to finish cleaning Ponyboy up. "Honey?"
"I don't…" Ponyboy stopped himself, hearing the bite in his voice be a little too much. "I don't antagonize them, Soda. I was minding my own business and they jumped me for now reason. I don't even know who they were." Dally had wanted to know who they were, and Steve had been more pressed on what Ponyboy had done to them.
"Do you think they were from school?" Sodapop asked. Ponyboy shrugged, another sigh as Sodapop stepped back. "Well, there not much I can do now. Go take a shower and I'll clean up out here."
"Can I help with dinner?" Johnny called from the living room, and Ponyboy smiled as Sodapop brightened. They were all happy whenever Johnny raised his voice and asked questions, no matter what kind of question.
"Of course, Johnnycakes!" Sodapop responded. He sounded so much happier when he said it too. Ponyboy pushed off of the kitchen table, accepting the first aid kit to put back into the bathroom. He needed a shower before Darry got home. If at least to wash all the dirt off.
He listened to Sodapop helping Johnny to his wheelchair with a feeling of warmth in his chest.
"So…" Two-Bit hummed as his eyes landed on the group of Socs that had jumped Ponyboy a few days prior. Beside him, Dally made a noise of recognition. Steve had left already, having picked up someone's shift at work, with a comment about seeing them later at the Curtis house. He would hate to have missed getting a little bit of revenge for their group's youngest… "Got any plans?"
Dally made a hum of consideration. Two-Bit didn't glance in his direction. Just waiting for when Dally made a decision on whatever he was thinking about.
"I got a few." Two-Bit glanced towards Dally then, a tilt of his head with a smirk and raised eyebrow.
"Only a few?"
"I don't want to have to actually try to make this up to Steve." Two-Bit laughed lightly, nodding his head.
"I'm following your lead, Winston."
"Good."
"What happened to you two?" Ponyboy asked, sounding vaugely confused and just the slightest bit hesitant. "Looks like you've been in a fight… and lost." There was a noise of offense, though no one quite knew who it had come from… it very well could have come from both Dally and Two-Bit.
"Well, little buddy." Dally pulled Ponyboy against him, making a fist and rubbing it against Ponyboy's head, much to the youngest's charge-in. "We didn't lose, for one." Two-Bit laughed as Sodapop watched them with curious eyes, he very clearly wanted to know whatever the two of them had gotten up to.
"But you did get into a fight?" Sodapop asked, tilting his head in interest. His eyes had turned critical, most likely trying to figure out why they'd gotten into a fight. Two-Bit only smiled at him innocently from where he'd made his way to sit on the couch. He wasn't bloody, so Sodapop didn't utter a word of Two-Bit's placement.
Dally on the other hand, was not wanting to just let go of the fact that Ponyboy had said they looked like they had lost. The two of them ended up wrestling in the middle of the living room, much to the amusement of some of the gang.
"What did happen?" Johnny asked quietly, and when Two-Bit looked, he found that their second youngest was staring at him with a tilted head. Two-Bit smiled, a faux innocence radiating from him.
"Nothing that can be proven. So don't you worry about it Johnnycakes." Two-Bit winked at Johnny as Ponyboy seemingly won the short wrestling match. Johnny snorted lightly, shaking his head as he looked towards Ponyboy and Dally, the latter of whom was breathing a little heavy.
"You guys are explaining to Darry why you all are bruised to high hell and back!" Sodapop told them, before moving towards the kitchen.
"Do you need help with dinner?" Ponyboy jumped up and followed after his brother, not waiting for an answer.
Dally and Two-Bit glanced at each other, eyes wide as they processed what Sodapop had meant. Johnny laughed at the two of them, relaxing as Ponyboy came back momentarily with a glass of water for him and two coke's, one for Two-Bit and the other for Dally, before moving back into the Kitchen.
With no Light of my Own (I Shine Only With The Light You Gave Me) - Whumpuary D19
With no Light of my Own (I Shine Only With The Light You Gave Me)
Chapters: 1/1
Word Count: 1,303
Summary
"You're overworking yourself too."
"That's a lie." Ponyboy felt annoyed enough to push off Steve, no matter how heavy everything felt. He turned and glared at Steve, feeling himself falter internally when he saw just how tired the other looked.
"Is it?" Steve asked. Ponyboy glared at him, but he knew that the facade wouldn't be held up for very long. He was tired. He wouldn't go as far as to say he was overworking himself, but…
Ponyboy looked away, a glare on his face pointed towards the ground.
Or, or, Ponyboy is struggling to accept that two of his friends are gone. Darry and Sodapop have tried everything to try pull him from the depression that he'd fallen into. Surprisingly, it's Steve that manages to pull him out.
Title from | The Moon Will Sing | by | The Crane Wives |
Day 19 of Whumpuary2025 (@whumpuary) || "Let them go." | Overworked | Head Injury
You can also read | With no Light of my Own (I Shine Only With The Light You Gave Me) | on Ao3!
Warnings Include: Mentions Death of Minors, Mentions of Neglect (From the City), Mentions of Death, Mentions of Dead Characters
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"Get up. Let's go." Ponyboy flinched in surprise as Steve dropped a jacket onto his head. Ponyboy pushed the jacket off of his head, glaring up at the other who was staring down at him unimpressed.
"Why should I?" Ponyboy muttered, pushing the jacket onto the ground beside him as he glared almost petulantly at the other.
"Because I said so, twerp." Steve responded, crossing his arms with a glare on his face. Ponyboy made another face at him, pulling his knees to his chest just a little more. Steve rolled his eyes as he reached down and grabbed Ponyboy's arm, pulling him up and snagging the jacket off the ground in one quick motion.
"What the fuck?" Ponyboy's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Soda! I'm taking your brother out for a walk!" Ponyboy baulked at the other.
"I'm not a damn dog, Steve." Ponyboy huffed, but he let Steve shove his shoes at him, along with the jacket that Ponyboy had initially shoved away. He did listen to the silent command to put his shoes on, although he still refused to put on the damn jacket.
"Alright, you guys will be back soon right? Darry will be home soon, and I need Pony's help with dinner." Sodapop's head popped out from the kitchen. The smell of chocolate cake batter sticking to him when he stepped out.
"We can try, but you might want to start on that yourself, and he can help with whatever after we get back." Steve told him, crossing his arms as he leaned against the doorway.
Sodapop hummed as he pulled Ponyboy into a brief hug. The scent of Chocolate Cake batter was stronger on Sodapop, and Ponyboy let his brother hug him before pulling back. He still wasn't entirely comfortable with too much physical contact.
"It may be colorful," Sodapop smiled brightly. Ponyboy and Steve both rolled their eyes, both having their own forms of a smile on their faces. "Now get. Get, get, get." Sodapop shoved at Ponyboy's shoulder and patted Steve's shoulder when Steve pushed off the doorway.
Ponyboy made a face as Steve turned and pointed towards the door as Sodapop made his way back towards the kitchen. He was probably assuming, correctly, that Ponyboy would make a run for it should Steve go ahead of him.
Didn't mean that he wasn't going to complain the entire time.
Ponyboy grumbled as he walked out the door, still refusing to put on the jacket. Steve made his own sound of annoyance, though he didn't say anything.
"Why are we here." Ponyboy's voice was quiet when he spotted the entrance to the graveyard. He'd stopped in the middle of the half abandoned road that they had to walk down.
The graveyard was nothing special. Glory, it wasn't even officially recognized as a graveyard by the city. It was just something that the greasers used whenever one of their own fell and weren't cared about enough for an official gravestone.
Darry couldn't afford to attempt getting just one of them an official gravestone. So they made their own and held their own little funeral at the half abandoned clearing that most greaser's used for the fallen.
Ponyboy was always vividly aware that every single gravestone was for a kid.
"Keep walking." Steve told him. His voice was quieter, and there was some weird tone to it that Ponyboy hadn't heard before from Steve.
Ponyboy wasn't sure how, but he'd managed to get his legs to respond to his command again. Everything felt heavy as he walked. He wasn't even sure if he was truly seeing anything as he walked. His head was lowered and he knew they were filled with tears.
He knew where they were going. Steve wouldn't have them come here for any reason other than to visit them.
Ponyboy felt himself falter when he came to the well worn pathway. He hadn't been here since they were buried. Not really, at least.
He'd known exactly where they were buried, having chosen the spot they were buried specifically. He'd never officially managed to come visit them, though there had been a few attempts.
Ponyboy hadn't realized that he was just standing in front of both makeshift gravestones until Steve had put a hand on his shoulder.
"Sit down." Ponyboy's knees buckled, and he was slightly surprised when Steve caught him and gently lowered both of them. "Easy, Pony." Ponyboy sucked in a breath when he realized that he was beginning to hold it. A coping skill that he'd, unfortunately, picked up from Sodapop.
"Wh-" There was definitely a sob beginning to build up in his chest. He already couldn't see. Not that he was looking at anything but the ground. "Why are we here." Ponyboy tried to demand.
His voice was too weak.
"You need to let them go." Ponyboy jerked away from Steve. Or, he'd tried to. Steve was stronger than he was and Ponyboy felt like even lifting his head was too hard for him.
"The hell are you talking about Steve?" Ponyboy muttered, crossing his arms. Ponyboy liked not staring or having to look at the other. Especially for what he now knew was going to be an emotional conversation.
"I'm talking about the sleepless nights that are scaring the fuck outta Soda, and the scrapes and bruises you think you're hiding from Two-Bit and I at school. I'm talking about the countless drawings of Dallas and Johnny that are causing you to go through sketchbook after sketchbook and notebook after notebook." Steve responded.
Ponyboy crossed his arms, trying his best to ignore everything Steve was saying.
"You're overworking yourself too."
"That's a lie." Ponyboy felt annoyed enough to push off Steve, no matter how heavy everything felt. He turned and glared at Steve, feeling himself falter internally when he saw just how tired the other looked.
"Is it?" Steve asked. Ponyboy glared at him, but he knew that the facade wouldn't be held up for very long. He was tired. He wouldn't go as far as to say he was overworking himself, but…
Ponyboy looked away, a glare on his face pointed towards the ground.
"Come on, kid." Steve uttered quietly. "It's just the two of us out here." Ponyboy felt the tears welling up in his eyes, but he felt unwilling to break. Steve was asking for just a bit of trust… Was asking Ponyboy to trust him enough to be vulnerable.
At least, he had been unwilling to break before Steve pulled him back to lean against him. And then the dam broke.
Ponyboy hadn't known where the sob had come from, but it was nearly impossible to stop. He broke down into sobs, leaning against Steve who wrapped his arms a little tighter around Ponyboy.
"It's okay to miss them… It's okay to cry about it… Shout, yell, break something, I don't care. It's okay, right now." Steve uttered quietly. Ponyboy wasn't entirely sure he was hearing the other properly, but…
It was almost comforting, hearing the other just speak.
Ponyboy wasn't exactly sure how long they sat there in front of the graves of two of their friends. Dally and Johnny, both having gone out too soon and with too much action.
However, he knew at some point that Two-Bit had joined the two of them, just sitting with a bit of pressure against Ponyboy's side. The three of them where all leaning against each other.
It was probably the only time he'd ever seen the two greasers cry.
And when the three of them finally managed to pull themselves together, and made their way back home, Darry only took one look at them and put a little extra food on their plates before ushering them to the kitchen table so that they could sit down and eat.
So Much More to Bleed, It's Like Bitter Defeat (It Can Feel Like The World is Nothing More Than Disease) - Feveruary D03
So Much More to Bleed, It's Like Bitter Defeat (It Can Feel Like The World is Nothing More Than Disease)
Chapters: 1/1
Word Count: 2,010
Summary
"Come on," Technoblade was lightly tapping Tommy's arm, directing where they had to go without outright leading him. Tommy made a face as he turned his head towards the other. He wanted to go towards the stream up ahead, but Technoblade was having them turn towards the left where there was an area of nature that had taken up residence in the worlds fight to regrow anywhere it could.
"But-"
"Come on, Theseus." Tommy pouted, though turned and continued to follow after Technoblade. He wanted to go swimming, but there was a rumor that had spread around survivors that talked; there were walkers underwater now. Walkers that could survive, and even thrived, underwater were dangerous to even think about.
Or, or, the one where Tommy and Techno wait out a storm before continuing to explore for a new location. Of which, Tommy runs into a little trouble (with an ambiguous / open ending).
Title from | Cold as Ice | by | Blacklite District |
Day 3 of Feveruary2025 (@feveruary) || Caught in the Rain
You can also read | So Much More to Bleed, It's Like Bitter Defeat (It Can Feel Like The World is Nothing More Than Disease) | on Ao3!
Warnings Include: Zombie Apocalypse, Ambiguous / Open Ending, Little bit of Horror, an attempt at least, visually impaired character, DSMP Fic, please please tell me if I have written anything wrong or that could be offensive
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"Techno!" Tommy whined, staring out the window at the pouring down rain. They'd been caught off guard when it had started raining, having to quickly take shelter in an abandoned building before they were drenched completely. It hadn't completely helped; Technoblade was still dripping despite them having been inside for nearly an hour, maybe two, and Tommy was still in the 'wet' category instead of simply 'damp'. "I'm cold."
"Quiet, Tommy." Technoblade responded from where he stood guard at the slightly broken, and very glass, doorway. Cold wind blew in and Tommy shivered, eyes darting towards the door hesitantly, from what he could see of it. Technoblade had a lantern lit beside him, something for Tommy to pinpoint where he was, and it just faintly outlined the door too.
"Are there any out there?" Tommy asked, his voice lowered as he sat with his knees to his chest. He didn't have the best sight, not since one of the 'damn walkers', as Technoblade would call them, has scratched at Tommy's eyes. Tommy needed light to be able to see well, and there was nearly no light left outside.
"No. Not right now, please just… Just try to get some rest." Technoblade sighed, and Tommy made a small noise of acknowledgement, but he made no move to go lay down. It was too dark for him to see to get around safely, and from the brief glimpse that he had gotten earlier, when they first took shelter, there was a mess around them.
Tommy let his eyes fall closed. However, trying to ignore how cold it was from the wind that was slowly picking up was becoming extremely difficult. Especially when Tommy was just in a T-shirt and cargo shorts.
There was a sigh before the creak of something, someone, moving.
"Come on, Theseus," Tommy tensed when Technoblade picked him up, relaxing quickly when he felt how much heat was coming off of him. Tommy purred lightly, letting himself fall completely limp as Technoblade moved him to a warmer spot in their little hideaway. "Get some sleep."
"What-What about the-the storm? The Walkers?" Tommy stumbled over his words slightly as he felt Technoblade's cape, something rarely ever taken off, get draped over top of him.
"I can keep watch while you sleep." Tommy frowned, but he wasn't going to be much help. Even with his other senses always working over time for his, primarily, lack of sight… Technoblade's senses were still far superior than his own. "Sleep."
Tommy hummed, laying down fully where Technoblade had set him down, curling into the soft fluff that lined the cape, which was also made out of a really soft material that Tommy couldn't even think to name. It kept him really warm and while Tommy was curious about what it was made of, mind wondering if they could start a farm when they returned home, he kept his mouth shut and let the steadily worsening storm lull him to sleep.
No matter how bad the storm got, it wouldn't hurt them… so long as they were not out in it.
It wasn't until the morning that Tommy realized he never heard Technoblade move back to his original watching spot.
The storm lasted four days before easing up and allowing the sun to peak through the clouds. Four long, insufferably long, days that Tommy almost thought was never going to end. He was starving, and he could hazard a guess that Technoblade was too. He could hear Technoblade murmuring about adding food provisions to their packs for whenever they went out past the confines of their territory.
Tommy was just glad to be able to see most than dreary grey or pitch black, the bright light that filled the sky easing his eyes as he started being able to pick up on objects and shapes, people or walkers, and as the day continued, he was able to pick out items individually from more than just a few feet away.
The good sight wouldn't last, Tommy knew, but he felt he was allowed to enjoy what he could see for however long it would be around for.
"Come on," Technoblade was lightly tapping Tommy's arm, directing where they had to go without outright leading him. Tommy made a face as he turned his head towards the other. He wanted to go towards the stream up ahead, but Technoblade was having them turn towards the left where there was an area of nature that had taken up residence in the worlds fight to regrow anywhere it could.
"But-"
"Come on, Theseus." Tommy pouted, though turned and continued to follow after Technoblade. He wanted to go swimming, but there was a rumor that had spread around survivors that talked; there were walkers underwater now. Walkers that could survive, and even thrived, underwater were dangerous to even think about.
Tommy sighed, letting his thoughts drift as he grabbed the edge of Technoblade's cape, how he could wear that in nearly 90 degree weather, Tommy wasn't sure. But it helped when his thoughts were truly drifting. He would hold onto it, letting Technoblade know about his head situation and letting him lead them to wherever they had to go next.
All Tommy knew about their upcoming destination was that it wasn't home. He wasn't sure if Philza was looking to expand, maybe make a new safe place for survivors that would get checked on every so often, or if maybe he wanted a new territory to make into a new home.
Whatever the reasoning for their venture was, Tommy was just happy to be on it… even if he wasn't as much help as he wanted to be.
He tried his best to ignore the rolling thunder that seemed to be following them. They'd already waited out one storm, and Tommy wasn't exactly looking to wait out another one. It was boring, with little to no light, and way too much time to pass and, probably, no food to ration out.
He didn't like the thought of Technoblade going hungry again, especially not if it was because he was sacrificing it for Tommy. Tommy let his mind drift further, holding just a tadbit tighter to Technoblade's cape, humming a melody that he remembered from his childhood.
He completely missed the brief bit of mourning that had crossed Technoblade's face when the other turned back to check on him.
"Come on, we'll settle here for the time being. Run around if you want, just don't go too far." Technoblade broke Tommy out of his thoughts, and Tommy hummed, forcing his eyes to focus a little. They were in a new town with sturdier buildings lining the streets and a silence that seemed to stretch on around them.
It felt a little haunting.
Like a ghost town that was just waiting to claim it's next victims.
Tommy ignored the feeling and took the chance to run around while he could. Exploring where he dared to venture when he decided he wanted to look around some of the old buildings. He had a flashlight, though he didn't remember it being in his pack before, he could assume that Technoblade had put it there while Tommy was in thought.
He also had a knife in case he needed it, strapped to his thigh. He did remember getting that one, and felt honored that Technoblade was trusting Tommy with one of his better, one of his favorite and preferred, knives. It was long, the blade itself taking up nearly half of Tommy's thigh.
It was also incredibly sharp.
Tommy hummed, looking around with the flashlight to help him see everything. He'd found himself in the lobby of what seemed to have once been a hotel, or maybe an apartment building for some rich assholes that Tommy vaguely remembered from when he was really young.
He decided to walk up the stairs, having no doubt that electricity was non-existent in this town. He hoped that he wouldn't get lost. He didn't exactly tell Technoblade where he was going to explore, and he didn't leave any sign that he'd gone into the hotel in the first place…
It crossed his mind to turn around and leave some sign or marker that he'd gone into the hotel, but Tommy felt he was already too far up the stairs to turn back now.
He switched which hand was holding the flashlight so that he could reach down and unbuckle the strap to the knife, wanting easy access to it should he end up in trouble.
He continued to hum as he patted the knife. He decided on letting the flashlight stay in his left hand, make it easier for himself. You never knew when there was a walker around the corner, especially when they had no reason to make noise.
That was something Tommy had noticed, when he'd turned 10. Walkers were silent unless they spotted 'prey', other survivors, or they were seemingly calling for back up from other walkers. Noise typically attracted them, so it was a plausible thought.
Technoblade often thought Tommy was talking non-sense, but Tommy knew that Technoblade had never encounter the Silent Ones. They scared Tommy more than the noisey ones, even if the noises left Tommy feeling haunted at night.
Philza, however, believed Tommy when he spoke of the Silent Ones. Tommy had woken up from enough nightmares about them that he definitely believed him. Philza asked about them, occasionally, after Tommy and Technoblade had been out for more than a few days. Asking if Tommy had encountered any. They usually never did…
But there were a few times, and those few times occasionally spooked Technoblade too… even if he still didn't believe they existed.
Tommy sighed, lazily scanning the hallway he'd found himself walking down with no idea what floor he was on or if he'd taken any turns. The silence was loud, his breathing felt louder, and there was nothing truly in sight. Hallways were clear of any items…
It almost felt too clear.
Tommy paused, his face scrunching up in confusion as he processed that thought. The hallways felt too clear of items. He'd not even tripped over a missed shirt or piece of garbage. No toys, stuffed or otherwise, from mad scrambles to run away or hide. The Hallways were clear of anything.
Tommy turned around, his heart slowly beginning to race. He didn't want to be in the hotel anymore.
Three sets of stairs and four turns later, Tommy realized he was lost. And what was worse was that it was darkening outside. He could hear gentle thunder rolling overhead, but there wasn't any rain yet. Yet.
Tommy huffed, the flashlight being his only source of sight, everything else either being too blurry, or too in the shadows to see. He found another set of stairs, but these ones went up instead of down.
Tommy turned around, barely catching something moving out of the line of the flashlight.
Tommy felt himself freeze, he'd barely seen what had run from the light. His heart was beating rapidly in his chest, hard enough that it physically hurt. He slowly scanned the flashlight around, praying he saw nothing but also hoping to see something to explain away what he saw.
He swallowed nervously when he found nothing.
"Hello?" Tommy called out. A stupid thing to do, but Tommy was scared. There was a thump nearby. Tommy turned to face where it seemingly came from, freezing when he saw a door, partially ajar.
Tommy took a step towards the door, hesitating just outside of it. He knew better than to go inside. He knew better than to be curious. He knew better, because this is exactly the kind of thing that had taken his perfect sight.
After a moment of silence, and a crack of thunder that seemingly shook the building as the rain finally started falling, Tommy took a step backwards, fully intending on trying to find his way out again. He had not been intending to step back into someone.
And Now He's so Devoid of Color He Don't Know What it Means - Feveruary D02
And Now He's so Devoid of Color He Don't Know What it Means
Chapters: 1/1
Word Count: 1,389
Summary
"Shh, it's okay Theseus, go back to sleep." A deep voice spoke from beside him. Tommy relaxed when he'd pinned it to be Techno's. His other brother was sitting beside him. It took him a moment to realize that Techno had laid a damp, and cold, wet cloth over his forehead.
He huffed as he shuffled his head just enough for it to drop on top of his eyes too. Techno let out a brief laugh that sounded more like a huff before adjusting the cloth to layout over his forehead and his eyes.
"Picky thing." Tommy scowled, though he settled. It was rare for Technoblade to be home anymore, nevermind in Tommy's room interacting with him or taking care of him. He would enjoy his brother's company while it lasted, no matter how short it would be.
Or, or, the one where Tommy wakes up sick with a fever. His family are more than happy to take care of him; even if he sleeps through most of their care. Fevers are Exhausting, you know.
Title from | Colors | by | Halsey |
Day 2 of Feveruary2025 (@feveruary) || Burning Up Then Freezing Cold
You can also read | And Now He's so Devoid of Color He Don't Know What it Means | on Ao3!
Warnings Include: Disease, Sickness, Brief Throwing up, Mentions of Gagging
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Tommy woke to a pounding headache and the feeling that his room was too hot to have any sort of blanket on top of him. Trying to shove the blanket off of him, however, turned into finding out that he'd been without his blanket. By his suspicion, it had fallen off a while ago. Proven by the fact his blanket was dry, in appearance at least, while it felt like his pajamas stuck to his skin because of how much he was sweating.
He huffed, turning his head and blinking at the light just beginning to peer through his window. It was too early for him to be awake. It was too early for him to be awake, and he hurt all over and he could already tell that he was not going to be able to get back to sleep. The best he could do was doze lightly and hope one of his older brothers didn't burst into his room to wake him up with the same noise of an angry elephant stampede.
Of course, being sick and having his eyes closed meant that he could hear every little sound that happened around him. He hated it. Other than the pain… he was pretty sure that the sounds were the worst part about being sick.
They were constant and never ending.
His clock was ticking, ticking to the seconds as time passed. It wasn't passing fast enough because Tommy couldn't sleep. He could hear the running of the air conditioning, which he debated getting up to turn off.
He felt dizzy just thinking about it.
He could hear water beginning to run somewhere in the house. He presumed that his dad was up and getting ready for the day. He's the only one in their family to shower every morning… well, Tommy had noticed that Technoblade was starting to do that more and more too.
He sighed, turning over onto his side with a quiet whine from how much he hurt. He tried to settled, but the position he put himself into hurt more than his previous. He pushed himself up, blinking as his vision swam. He laid back down, once again in a different position which was thankfully better.
His hands happened to brush against something soft, and a glance told him it was the stuffed cow thing that Wilbur had gotten him as a joke a few weeks ago. A brief bit of hesitation had him grabbing it tightly and pulling it up towards his chest. It was relatively big, at least as big as his torso and it was pretty round.
He wrapped his arms around it and sighed as he closed his eyes again. He hated how warm he felt, and how nauseous he was starting to feel. He sighed, trying to relax enough that he could, maybe, fall back asleep. He was feeling pretty tired again.
"OH TOMMY!" Tommy jumped awake, immediately crying out as his stomach gave a jolt. He was freezing, and his heart was beating so hard that it hurt. He looked around wildly, finding that Wilbur was standing in the doorway, a fading look of excitement. He was beginning to look concerned. "Toms?"
"Bu-trash-trash can now-" Tommy barely was able to turn, and Wilbur was barely quick enough to grab the trash can next to the door to get to Tommy before he was throwing up. He gagged, lightly when he was done, and tears were already falling down his face as he gave a hard shiver.
"Oh, sunshine, how long have you been feeling unwell?" Wilbur asked, his voice dropping into a murmur. Tommy shivered again, another round of gagging as Wilbur sat next to him as a steady presence.
"I-I don't know-" Tommy was crying, his breathing slowly building up into something similar to his panic attacks. It wasn't a panic attack, of that Tommy was sure. He was just upset and starting to cry, but being unable to truly get everything out. "I'm so cold…"
"Alright, let me turn off the A/C, yeah?" Tommy nodded slightly as he squeezed his eyes shut. He whined at the loss of Wilbur beside him, even though he could tell that Wilbur wouldn't be leaving him alone for very long.
Wilbur always was the one who worried the most when Tommy was sick. Not even their parents or Techno could match the level that Wilbur seemed to reach. It would be amusing if not for the way Tommy currently felt.
He heard the Air Conditioning get turned off, and he sighed lightly when Wilbur returned, calming down.
"Come on, let's get you back into bed sunshine." Wilbur uttered quietly. Tommy whined, gagging lightly once more before his body seemed to settle. It wasn't so cold anymore, though Tommy was slowly beginning to feel hot again.
Wilbur cooed at him when he'd managed to get Tommy back in bed, he'd wrapped a blanket around Tommy's torso, tucking him in partially. Tommy would wonder why except that he already knew. His arms always froze so quickly when he was ill, or even just under the weather, but his legs heated up quicker.
"I'll tell Dad that you're sick, alright?" Tommy hummed as he felt some semblance of tiredness that had stuck around beginning to tug at him. He blinked sluggishly now that there wasn't any sort of panic running through his nervous system. "Go ahead and sleep, okay Toms?" Tommy nuzzled into one of his pillows as his headache started to settle once more.
He fell asleep quickly after Wilbur left the room, not even stirring when Philza came to check on him before leaving for work.
Tommy huffed when he felt something get placed on his forehead, eyes struggling to open.
"Shh, it's okay Theseus, go back to sleep." A deep voice spoke from beside him. Tommy relaxed when he'd pinned it to be Techno's. His other brother was sitting beside him. It took him a moment to realize that Techno had laid a damp, and cold, wet cloth over his forehead.
He huffed as he shuffled his head just enough for it to drop on top of his eyes too. Techno let out a brief laugh that sounded more like a huff before adjusting the cloth to layout over his forehead and his eyes.
"Picky thing." Tommy scowled, though he settled. It was rare for Technoblade to be home anymore, nevermind in Tommy's room interacting with him or taking care of him. He would enjoy his brother's company while it lasted, no matter how short it would be.
There was a bit of silence before Techno sighed and moved to stand. Tommy whined, hands reaching out for his brother before he could even decide to do so. Why was Techno leaving? Tommy was being quiet, and un-annoying, and-
Technoblade had climbed back into bed, moving Tommy so that he was closer to the wall and wrapped up in Techno's arms. There was a blanket drapped overtop of Tommy, but he could feel that Techno was perfectly bundled up in a sweatshirt and sweats.
It was a thought that was so unlike Techno, and this was an action that was really out of character for him too. Tommy made a noise of confusion, wincing when it made his throat hurt.
"Shh," Technoblade murmured. There was some movement, and Techno's arms were gone for a moment before something, a straw, was pressed to his mouth. "Drink." Tommy happily listened. "Slowly." Techno added with a stern tone of voice when Tommy tried to down the water.
Tommy huffed, and would have rolled his eyes had his head not hurt so much. However, he did listen and was slower with his accepting of the water. He was almost a little sad when Techno moved it away and, presumably, placed it back on the nightstand.
And then the two of them were laying back down again, with Techno's arms around Tommy, who was more than happy to cuddle with his brother. Tommy could barely remember the last time the two of them had a 'sleepover' in any sense of the word. It was nice.
"Get some sleep, Theseus. in a couple hours we'll try feedin' ya, okay?" Techno asked. Tommy was sure that he'd made some noise of acknowledgement, but he couldn't quite remember.
Techno only chuckled, holding onto Tommy a little firmer and sighing quietly.
I Didn't Want Trouble, I'm the Boy in the Bubble (But Then Came Trouble) - Feveruary D01
I Didn't Want Trouble, I'm the Boy in the Bubble (But Then Came Trouble)
Chapters: 1/2
Word Count: 1,976
Summary
Tommy winced, a pain slowly spreading across his back as he waited almost anxiously for Dream's arrival. It wasn't usual for Dream to be late. Even less usual for one of Dream's visits to be in the afternoon after near months of it always being first thing in the morning.
He wasn't sure how, or why, but he felt like it was going to be a bad visit when he did arrive, which only made Tommy all the more anxious. The knowledge that his 'feelings' were always correct, in some form or another, only made him feel worse, and not with anxiety. He felt sick to his stomach.
Even at just the brief reminder of everything he'd predicted as a child, Tommy felt sick to his stomach. He almost felt like crying, but there was always the possibility that Dream could show up while Tommy was crying. Dream never liked it when Tommy cried.
Or, or, the one where Tommy grows wings while in exile and Philza and Technoblade just also happen to be planning and staging a rescue. Neither expected, nor planned, for an appearance of wings... or Tommy latched onto the closest person for comfort.
Title from | Boy in the Bubble | by | Alec Benjamin |
This fic was inspired by "An intervention from the rulers of the Antarctic Empire" by Sircantus on Ao3!
Day 1 of Feveruary2025 (@feveruary) || "How did you end up like this?"
You can also read | I Didn't Want Trouble, I'm the Boy in the Bubble (But Then Came Trouble) | on Ao3!
Warnings Include: Heavy Hurt/Comfort, One Scene is Graphic for Pain and a tadbit of Injury, Mentioned/Implied Abuse, Mentioned/Implied Child Abuse, Mentioned/Implied Psychological Abuse, Mentioned/Implied Manipulation, Tad bit of Kidnapping, Brief Panic Attack(s)
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Tommy was fine that morning. He woke up feeling fine, he'd gotten ready for the day feeling fine, he'd even made it through Dream's visit feeling fine. But then he saw a feather laying at the entrance of his tent. A single black feather.
A single black crow feather.
It had felt like there was just a tidal wave of memories rushing through his mind. All the times he'd cooed at crows that always hung around where he lived as a small child. All the small feathers he collected and kept safe. Or the ones that he'd sacrificed after… conversing with them some.
It had reminded him on cold nights when one of his mentors from school would bring him home with them because Tommy wasn't safe at home. It reminded him of dark wings that would wrap around him after a nightmare, something so unpreventable that Tommy was surprised that his mentor's dad would still try. Every time that Tommy was over for the night, Philza had tried to soothe away Tommy's nightmares.
Tommy hadn't seen a crow, or even their feathers, since Philza had joined the server.
Seeing one laying so innocently in front of his tent after so long almost… scared Tommy. He'd definitely felt like a bucket of ice water had been dropped down overtop of him. Afterwards, it had felt like Tommy had just begun to slowly feel worse and worse.
He'd rushed to pick the feather up, holding it so carefully in his hands with wide eyes and a racing heart. He was quick to shove the feather into his inventory, turning and sitting on the sandy beach with his knees pulled up to his chest as he began to cry.
He'd ignored the caw of a crow that sounded so different yet so familiar.
Tommy winced, a pain slowly spreading across his back as he waited almost anxiously for Dream's arrival. It wasn't usual for Dream to be late. Even less usual for one of Dream's visits to be in the afternoon after near months of it always being first thing in the morning.
He wasn't sure how, or why, but he felt like it was going to be a bad visit when he did arrive, which only made Tommy all the more anxious. The knowledge that his 'feelings' were always correct, in some form or another, only made him feel worse, and not with anxiety. He felt sick to his stomach.
Even at just the brief reminder of everything he'd predicted as a child, Tommy felt sick to his stomach. He almost felt like crying, but there was always the possibility that Dream could show up while Tommy was crying. Dream never liked it when Tommy cried.
Tommy swallowed as he started pacing, a feeling of restlessness filling him the longer he waited by the Nether Portal that Dream used to visit him most days. He never came by boat. He used to, though. Back during the first month that Tommy had been exiled.
He would use that over Tommy's head all the time, his hands having gotten hurt too many times by the old boat ores and the splinters. The only reason he probably still didn't come by boat was because the ores had snapped and the boat had sprung a leak somewhere that Dream couldn't find to fix.
Tommy sighed, looking up at the sun to see if he could figure out what time of day it was. He'd never been the best at telling the time with the positioning of the sun, that had always been more of Wilbur's thing… He looked away as a feeling of frustration began to rise up in Tommy… Before it was quickly wiped out by a deep seated guilt.
Dream took time out of his day, out of his very busy schedule, to visit Tommy. Those visits could always be stopped, even without warning… Without warning.
Tommy felt a jolt of realization before a wave of pain rushed through him. Both literal pain and the emotional kind that always annoyed his friend. Tommy stumbled away from the Nether Portal, tears welling up in his eyes against all of Tommy's best interests.
During Dream's last visit, Tommy must have done something to upset or annoy Dream enough for him to stop visiting. That's why there was no visit today. The answer seemed so obvious, now that Tommy had remembered some of Dream's hurtful jabs. No, that was a mean thought.
Dream had never meant to be hurtful, and it wasn't fair to think of any of his actions as such. Dream had only been trying to help Tommy. He'd been trying to help Tommy learn and understand. And Tommy had failed.
A quiet sob escaped Tommy as he dropped just outside of his tent. His back felt like it was on fire and it was starting to scare him. It hurt, it hurt, it hurt. And Tommy wanted it to stop and it wasn't stopping.
Tommy flinched as something landed next to him. He forced his eyes, which had squeezed shut at some point from his knees touching the ground and then, to open. He turned his head and found that there was a crow staring at him with a look akin to curiosity in its eyes.
Tommy flinched, less than before, as the crow hopped just a tad bit closer.
"Hello," Tommy greeted. His voice was shaky, which wasn't that surprising. It always was when he was hurt, or hurting he supposed. He swallowed as the crow came close enough to bump its head against his cheek. "It's been a long while since one of you has been near." The crow tilted its head curiously.
Another wave of pain washed over Tommy. He yelped, turning his head so that he was looking down at the sand that he was currently kneeling on top of. He could faintly feel the crow bumping its head against Tommy's cheek, crooning softly.
Tommy was panting lightly when the wave of pain ended. He was panting slightly, which he only noticed when the crow trilled lightly. There was a seemingly slow pattern that the crow was mimicking. A mix of trills and chirps that didn't take Tommy barely any time to realize was the crow walking him through a breathing exercise.
He could remember hiding in the forests, crying and panicking because he was hurt and lost. He'd run out there when his father had gotten mad at him and hadn't intended on getting lost. Nothing usually went how Tommy wanted it to. He could also remember how the crows around his home had learned how to communicate with Tommy, at least in a sense. When he was to panicked to listen, they would make patterns.
Patterns that usually followed breathing patterns.
Tommy took a breath in at the start of the next trill, breathing in until it ended and then holding as the crow chirped. The next trill had him releasing the breath. Then the two of them repeated the pattern. Over and over and over again. And then for some more time after that, just to make sure that Tommy wasn't going to start hyperventilating at quick movements from his little friend.
By the time Tommy had calmed down, he'd felt too exhausted to move. Well, too exhausted to move past turned and falling onto his eyes, his eyes opening briefly to stare at the crow who was trilling curiously, trilling in concern.
"Thank you, little friend." Tommy uttered quietly. The pain was, surprisingly, gone. At least, for the most part. Tommy wasn't sure that the pain would ever leave him again but he found that was okay… so long as he was uninjured. Tommy wasn't sure how he would fare if Dream thought he needed to be taught another lesson.
He felt a jolt of hurt at the thought of Dream. He was quick to stop the line of thinking before he worked himself up again.
The tiny crow made a purring sound before taking off into the air. Tommy didn't have the time to feel sadness at his 'little friend' leaving before the crow was back, landing on his chest now that Tommy was mostly on his back. Tommy smiled at the warbles of comfort as the two of them settled.
Prime was Tommy tired, he noted as he yawned suddenly. He hoped that the tiny crow wouldn't mind if Tommy fell asleep. Tommy wasn't going to be able to fight off sleep, even if he tried. And Tommy didn't have the energy to try.
He fell asleep to the soothing warbles and gentle waves.
He woke up screaming as a burning sensation came from his back. His back felt like it was burning, on fire, and like he was being stabbed all at the same time. It was tight, and tense, and Tommy couldn't pull his shirt off fast enough with the fear that his shirt had somehow caught on fire. It didn't.
A sob broke from Tommy's throat, eyes widening in surprise and shock before he was squeezing them shut, another scream coming from him as he twisted onto his stomach. The sand hadn't been the nicest to fall asleep on, and it definitely hadn't helped his back when the pain had come back.
Tommy struggled putting his arms up by his head so that he wasn't getting a mouth full of sand every time he screamed, he had a feeling this was going to be going on for a while and he wanted the reassurance he wasn't going to eat sand.
He didn't know when this was going to end. He wished he did.
A feeling of helplessness washed through Tommy, making him only feel worse as he got a sickening feeling of something in his back moving. He gagged, choking on a sob as he tried to open his eyes so that he could at least see his surroundings. The only thing he knew for certain was that it was dark out.
And the dark meant mobs. Mobs that would want to kill Tommy. Especially while he was down and weak and hurt. Tommy couldn't move though.
He was in too much pain to move.
Tommy sobbed freely into his arm as the pain continued to run through his body. It had spread throughout his body at some point after Tommy had moved onto his stomach.
Another sharp pain, different from the others, ran through his body and Tommy screamed before his teeth bit down into his arm.
He choked on the taste of iron in his mouth but it was like he couldn't get his jaw to listen to him. His teeth were locked in place.
Tommy was sobbing and choking slightly on the little blood that was in his mouth. His back was on fire and Tommy screamed.
"Oh Toms, how did you end up like this?" Tommy groaned lightly, eyes fluttering and looking around him in pain filled confusion. It felt like there was a haze over his mind, like a blanket had wrapped around his senses and was dulling everything. He groaned again as he spotted someone kneeling over him. "Oh Tommy, what happened? What did I miss?"
Tommy noticed that there was a lot of green and black, which initially made him think of Dream, but Dream didn't wear black. Ever. And with how dizzy Tommy felt, he couldn't possibly think of who it was kneeling over him.
"We have to go if we want to get out of here without a fight." Another voice spoke. Tommy looked over, his head lagging behind his command, and found a lot of pink. Tommy groaned, his eyes squeezing shut as arms slipped underneath him in an odd way and lifted him up.
He cried out in pain before everything around him faded out.
I Think He Did it But I Just Can't Prove it - Whumpuary D17
I Think He Did it But I Just Can't Prove it
Chapters: 1/1
Word Count: 2,005
Summary
He didn't get much of an answer, just a small groan.
"You probably won't hear this… but I'm glad you're alive, kid." Dally sighed as he pushed himself from his chair, turning and moving towards the door. There was a whine from behind him, but Dally knew he couldn't look back.
Unfortunately for him, Ponyboy had managed to weasel his way into being on the list of people that Dally actually cared about, and no matter what Dally did to try get him off the list, it never worked.
If Dally looked back, he wouldn't be able to leave to get the nurse.
Or, or, the one in which Ponyboy and Curly are jumped on their way home from school and the Curtis gang loses their shit a little bit. Tim does too. It's okay. It's deserved.
Title from | No Body, No Crime | by | Taylor Swift |
Day 17 of Whumpuary2025 (@whumpuary) || Drugged | "I'm glad you're alive." | Revenge
You can also read | I Think He Did it But I Just Can't Prove it | on Ao3!
Warnings Include: Hospital setting, Mentions of a Minor Getting Drugged
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Sodapop wasn't sure what was worse; knowing that Ponyboy had been jumped while walking home from school with Curly, or knowing that he'd been drugged during the jumping. How Ponyboy was drugged, Sodapop wasn't sure. Darry hadn't exactly been keen on sharing details with Sodapop after he'd accidentally shattered a glass upon learning both pieces of information.
Sodapop had focused in on Ponyboy's well being after they'd gotten to the hospital; he'd barely paid attention to the fact that Darry and Tim were both talking with the doctors, he didn't know how the boys had been found and while he was initially curious. He didn't care at this point in time.
Sodapop was curled up on a hospital chair, knees up to his chest as he half faced Ponyboy. His arms were wrapped around his knees and he was staring at the unconscious form of his kid brother. His eyes were slowly growing heavy and his chest had fallen on top of his knees a while ago.
"Soda-" Darry had come back into the room. "Oh, Pepsi." Sodapop lifted his head, blinking sleepily as he looked over at the older of the trio. Darry looked tired, which Sodapop felt in his bones. Today was supposed to be fine. Nothing was supposed to have gone wrong.
And now their youngest was in the hospital with an unknown drug in his system, a fever from something and beaten bloody.
"Come on, let's get you home. I'm gonna call Steve, and you're going home for the night." Sodapop made a noise of disagreement, but when he tried to push himself up from the chair, his back ached. He wasn't quick enough to hide the grimace of pain.
"No-"
"No arguments, Sodapop. I'm calling Steve. You have work tomorrow." Darry cut Sodapop off. Sodapop made a noise of irritation, stretching some before getting out of the chair. He absolutely ignored how his legs felt a little like jelly as he tried to follow Darry out of the hospital room when his brother made a move to leave the room.
"You have work tomorrow too!" Sodapop sounded annoyed, he knows he did. He didn't care.
Darry ignored him as he made it to a phone that was near the lobby of the hospital. Sodapop made another noise of annoyance before turning and making his way back towards Ponyboy's room. If Darry was so insistent on Sodapop going home for the night, he was staying by Ponyboy's side as much as he could.
"Alright, come on Pepsi-Cola," Sodapop blinked his eyes open, confusion running through him. He looked around with a small sigh before they landed on Steve who was crouching down in front of him. He frowned, closing his eyes once more and settled back in. He was going to be as difficult as possible unless it was a nurse and it was the end of visiting hours.
Steve sighed and the next thing Sodapop knew, he was being lifted up into his friend's arms. Sodapop yelped, eyes snapping open as he twisted in his friends grasp.
"Nope, no. Come on. We have to go now. Darry says so." Sodapop huffed, shoving Steve's shoulder knowing that it wasn't going to do what he wanted. He was stuck watching Ponyboy over Steve's shoulder as they left the hospital room.
Sodapop, despite knowing there was nothing he could have done, felt like he'd failed as an older brother. He wasn't sure there was a feeling worse than feeling like he'd failed his kid brother.
Steve had spent three hours making sure that Sodapop had eaten, drunk something, and had somehow managed to get him into bed. Was the other sleeping? Steve was pretty sure that answer was a no. However Sodapop was at least laying down in his bed.
He was now on 'Sodapop Watch Duty', assigned to him by himself. Darry had said that he was staying at the hospital overnight, but Steve had also seen the stormy expression that matched on both Darry's and Shepards faces. The two of them had something planned and they were most definitely not staying at the hospital.
Dally meeting up with them in the lobby of the hospital as Steve was carrying Sodapop out had definitely been suspicious enough that Steve was taking it as confirmation.
"Steve?" Steve glanced towards the hallway, where Sodapop was standing with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. "I…" Sodapop hesitated, glancing away with a bite of his lip.
"Soda?"
"I can't sleep." Steve was confused for all of two seconds before he remembered that Ponyboy and Sodapop shared a room, they slept next to each other every night. It had been like that for at least the last year.
"Alright, let's go." Steve offered a brief smile that he was sure must have looked like a grimace as he got up from the couch. Sodapop looked relieved, his shoulders dropping briefly before he was standing back up and the two of them walked back towards Sodapop and Ponyboy's room.
Sodapop was climbing back into bed as Steve pulled his shirt off. Sodapop was a furnace during the day, and Steve knew from one experience when they were younger that that was even more true at night.
"There's sweatpants in the third drawer from the bottom." Steve stared at the only dresser in the room.
"Soda, that's the second from the top." Sodapop giggled slightly as Steve mentally wondered why the other was like this. He found the sweatpants prettily easily, and it was only from knowing that Sodapop used the top two drawers in the dresser that didn't leave Steve wondering if he was grabbing Ponyboy's clothes.
Steve changed quickly before turning and climbing in beside Sodapop. Steve huffed as the other immediately turned and clung onto him, all octopus like that practically pinned Steve to the bed.
Steve rolled his eyes, but forced Sodapop to let him get comfortable. Sodapop huffed but allowed Steve that. When Steve settled, Sodapop latched right back on. Steve wanted to act annoyed, but he just couldn't do that to the other.
"Get some sleep." Steve muttered. Sodapop made some sort of noise, probably of acknowledgement, before everything fell quiet.
Dally huffed a small breath as he sat in Ponyboy's hospital room, a sense of boredom running through him in a way it hadn't in a long time. Johnny was with Two-Bit for the night, so he didn't have to worry about the other of the youngest too, but Ponyboy had been unconscious for nearly two days now and it was bothering Dally more than he thought it would.
Just last week, he had wished for nothing more than for the kid to shut his mouth for more than a few minutes or when he was sitting with Johnny and the other just needed some quiet. But now, he wouldn't even care if Ponyboy was spouting bullshit about sunsets or poems with, or at him.
He was bored out of his mind, but Darry had asked him to stay at the hospital while he and Tim… took care of some business. Dally didn't care to ask anything more. Dally was fine with both of them separately… but with both of them pissed off and looking for a fight? Dally was just a tad bit scared and more than perfectly fine staying right where he was.
He was tired though, with nothing to do other than sit there, because Dally was not picking up a damn book to read.
A groan had his eyes snapping open and over towards Ponyboy whose eyes were scrunched and his face was twisted up. Dally was pretty sure that Ponyboy's breathing sounded pained, but he couldn't be sure. It was wheezy, like his chest was constricting around his lungs and stopping him from breathing.
"Pony?" Dally leaned forward, eyes watching Ponyboy carefully. Ponyboy huffed, turning his head so that his face and it seemed like he was struggling to get his eyes open.
"Dal-?" Ponyboy coughed, and Dally winced at how rough the others voice sounded.
"Hey kid, yeah, it's me. I'm gonna go get one of the nurses or whatever, alright?" Dally wasn't exactly waiting for an answer from the younger, but he would like to at least know that Ponyboy knew what he'd said.
He didn't get much of an answer, just a small groan.
"You probably won't hear this… but I'm glad you're alive, kid." Dally sighed as he pushed himself from his chair, turning and moving towards the door. There was a whine from behind him, but Dally knew he couldn't look back.
Unfortunately for him, Ponyboy had managed to weasel his way into being on the list of people that Dally actually cared about, and no matter what Dally did to try get him off the list, it never worked.
If Dally looked back, he wouldn't be able to leave to get the nurse.
Darry had sighed in relief when he'd gotten back to the hospital in the early morning before work. Dally was still there and Ponyboy had woken up throughout the night, as brief as Darry had heard it had been.
"Thank you, for staying through the night," Darry had felt terrible asking Dally, but he'd also been terrified that Ponyboy wasn't going to get treated properly; neither him or Curly if Darry was being honest.
"'course, but now, if you'll excuse me. I'm bored out of my mind and tired." Darry chuckled a bit, nodding his thanks.
"Couch is always open. I think Two and Johnny are stopping by later today to see him, and then heading back." Darry told him, patting his shoulder as Dally grumbled something under his breath.
Darry watched to make sure that Dally wasn't stumbling from any sort of exhaustion before turning and making his way back towards Ponyboy's room. The nurses left him alone as he walked, and Doctors only gave him a brief look over before continuing on their way. Darry knew where he was going, and it was pretty obvious to anyone who looked at him.
He held his breath momentarily as he got to the doorway before shaking his head and opening the door. His eyes darted towards where Ponyboy was laying, still and pale, and then towards the only chair in the room. He paused in confusion, noting that Steve was slouched in the chair, his head nearly bowed.
"Steve?" Steve's head snapped up, and Darry winced at the crack that sounded and the briefly pained expression on his face. "Woah, hey little buddy, slow down." Darry raised his hands, eyes widening slightly.
"Sorry, I-uh," Steve stopped, swallowing as he glanced back towards Ponyboy before rubbing the back of his neck and standing up. That was when Darry noticed the school bag sitting at Steve's feet, or the bag that was sitting at his feet seeing as Steve was picking it up. "I had to see how he was."
"It's okay." Darry smiled briefly at him. "How is he?"
"Well, he definitely knows who's around him whenever he does briefly wake up." Steve huffed a breath of laughter. "Also, Soda's at work. Said that we'd have to drag him out of here tonight," Steve rolled his eyes and Darry grimaced.
Darry understood more than anything what Sodapop meant though. It was going to be hard pulling himself from Ponyboy's bedside to go to work, though he knew he had to.
"Well, get to school. He'll still be here afterwards, and you have work after too." Steve winced, sighing as he nodded. He looked tired, and Darry had to wonder how long he'd been there.
"Yeah, alright." Darry patted Steve's shoulder when he walked by, and Steve bowed his head a little bit to hide a smile. Darry felt comforted that everyone was worried about Ponyboy. They were all looking out for him.
He heaved a breath as he walked over towards the now vacated chair and sat down.
"Hey, Little Colt." Darry sighed, eyes locking onto his kid brother.
The Sun is Going Down (You'll be Alright, No One Can Hurt You Now) - Whumpuary D13
The Sun is Going Down (You'll be Alright, No One Can Hurt You Now)
Chapters: 1/1
Word Count: 1,434
Summary
"Dar-Darry-" Ponyboy wasn't quite breathing right, he was gasping and it sounded like Ponyboy was wheezing too.
"Hey, come on, let's take a deep breath. Don't think about your nightmare, just think about breathing, yeah?" Darry didn't know what he was really saying, just that he knew he just had to get Ponyboy's breathing semi-regular, or this could go from bad to worse. "In with me, okay? In… two… three… hold… two… three… out… two… three…"
Darry was mimicking the exercise that he could vividly remember their father doing with Ponyboy during times when Ponyboy would stop breathing when he was really little. He remembered that it worked pretty well, and he was relieved that it obviously still did.
Or, or, the one where Ponyboy wakes up from a nightmare. With Sodapop away at war, Darry is the one who is left to comfort Ponyboy back to sleep. At least they have Sodapop's most recent letter to help out.
Title from | Safe and Sound | by | Taylor Swift |
Day 13 of Whumpuary2025 (@whumpuary) || Close Call | Sleep | Choking
You can also read | The Sun is Going Down (You'll be Alright, No One Can Hurt You Now) | on Ao3!
Warnings Include: nightmares, mentions of war, asthma attack, probably an inaccurate depiction as my asthma is very different than the commonly headcanoned version, wrote this instead of sleeping,
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A scream sounded through the house, one of fright and anguish that had Darry jumping from his bed and rushing through the house towards Ponyboy's room. His eyes wide as his heart raced in his chest from just how scared Ponyboy sounded. Darry was almost certain that the nightmares that Ponyboy couldn't remember were back in, nearly, full force.
It wouldn't surprise him in the least.
He remembered Sodapop and Ponyboy talking about his nightmares before Sodapop enlisted, had remembered that they had started sleeping in separate rooms again for several months in advance in preparation. Ponyboy's nightmares had been manageable, once a week was nothing compared to every night.
But now they were back in full swing, every other night and always with a blood curdling scream that always had Darry's heart racing in his chest.
"Ponyboy, baby, hey," Darry was in Ponyboy's room now, eyes wide as they searched for his kid brother. He spotted him quickly, wincing at the sight of Ponyboy sprawled out on the floor, tangled up in a blanket and crying quietly as he tried to claw his way out of the restraints.
Ponyboy sobbed as he turned towards where he'd heard Darry, an improvement to last month. Darry's voice causing more fear for his kid brother had hurt more than Darry could ever put into words… but it also showed how far he and Ponyboy had come.
"Hey Little Colt, come 'ere." Darry was slow and purposeful with his movements, crouching down nearby but not close enough to Ponyboy for the other to feel trapped. Sodapop had once explained that Ponyboy was like a cornered and injured animal after severe nightmares.
Slow movements were best, and so was waiting until he came to you.
Ponyboy was quick to throw himself into Darry's side, and Darry was quick to untangle the blanket that was wrapped so tightly around Ponyboy's legs. How he always managed to do that, Darry had yet to figure out.
"There we go, I got you." Darry uttered, wrapping his arms around Ponyboy after he was done, gently rocking the two of them as Ponyboy cried. Sodapop didn't have much advice for comforting Ponyboy after a nightmare.
Sometimes it bummed Darry that Sodapop was a natural comfort to Ponyboy. Other times it was the biggest relief. At least one of them had been there for their youngest during the months where Darry struggled to balance the life between a guardian and a brother.
"Dar-Darry-" Ponyboy wasn't quite breathing right, he was gasping and it sounded like Ponyboy was wheezing too.
"Hey, come on, let's take a deep breath. Don't think about your nightmare, just think about breathing, yeah?" Darry didn't know what he was really saying, just that he knew he just had to get Ponyboy's breathing semi-regular, or this could go from bad to worse. "In with me, okay? In… two… three… hold… two… three… out… two… three…"
Darry was mimicking the exercise that he could vividly remember their father doing with Ponyboy during times when Ponyboy would stop breathing when he was really little. He remembered that it worked pretty well, and he was relieved that it obviously still did.
Ponyboy was quick to latch onto the exercise and he was pretty soon breathing in deeper. "In… two… three.. four.. five… hold… two… three.. out… two.. three.. four… five…" Darry was still continuing to count, even though by now Ponyboy was at least aware enough to do the exercise on his own.
Darry could tell that Ponyboy was calming down by how he had shifted in Darry's grasp, placing his head in a spot that Darry knew would let Ponyboy hear his heartbeat. His arms were also around Darry's arm, and he was curled up in a ball against Darry instead of desperately clinging to Darry like an octopus.
Eventually Darry's voice filtered out of the room, letting the silence fill it up instead as Ponyboy continued to carefully breathe through the exercise. They sat that way for nearly an hour before Ponyboy shifted.
"Darry?"
"Yeah, Little Colt?" Ponyboy shoved at Darry's arm in playful annoyance. Darry laughed, "Sorry, sorry. What's up, Pone?" Ponyboy stayed silent for a few minutes before sighing.
"Can we read Soda's last letter again?" His voice was quiet, almost quiet enough for Darry to be unable to hear him. But the room was too quiet and Darry was too focused on Ponyboy for the other to go unheard.
Hey guys! I hope everything's going good over there, cause I think I might just go insane if not. Steve and I had a pretty close call and I just need the reassurance that the two of you are okay. I know, probably weird that I'm making sure the both of you are taking care of each other when I'm the one who nearly died. And taking Two-Bit when he's around, how is he by the way, he hasn't yet returned the last letter I sent him… Don't tell me he's in the cooler.
Steve's grumbling about a letter Dally sent him, it's been a full week so something must have been said. Does Ponyboy know what could have possibly been said? Steve won't tell me, and I'm pretty sure he burned the letter after reading it as many times as he did.
How's Johnny been? His folks aren't being too bad are they? Where's Johnny staying at? Been wanting to write to him but I don't know where to send the letter other than home.
I miss home more and more everyday. I miss the DX and hearing Steve cuss out Soc cars and engines, I miss the breakdowns from what the Greaser's came in with to get fixed… I miss how easy the rumbles seemed, though I don't think I could stomach being in one again. I mis chocolate cake and hearing the two of you bicker over Ponyboy's homework.
Also, ignore anything Steve may right, he's a liar and he over exagerates everything. I swear he does!
Well, I don't have much more to say… More things are coming to us that I can't talk about, but just know that I'm working on coming home every day.
Say hey to the gang for me, send them my love and well wishes.
love, Soda
PS. Soda is a fucking liar. Just a "close call" my ass, Soda nearly died. Fucking fucker. He's okay though, he's too damn stubborn to die. Something about how you guys need to stick together or some shit. Hope to God he doesn't read this before sending this letter, he'd hate to worry you, and he can't exactly rip this piece off without that drawing he drew for Pony getting ripped up.
Darry, you need to kick Soda's ass when we get home. Too many damn close calls with fucking bombs and shit. He takes too many risks and I fully blame Two-Bit, I will be kicking his ass when I get home, and I'm dragging Soda back to watch. Also, Pony, shut your damn mouth about what Dally wrote me, you hear? Or I'll kick your ass too.
Steve
Darry hummed, glancing down with a small note of surprise. Ponyboy wasn't one to fall asleep next to Darry, never mind on top of him. But when Darry had gotten done reading Sodapop's, and a bit of Steve's, letter for the second time that night, Ponyboy was out cold on top of him.
Darry was curious as to what Dally, and Ponyboy apparently, could possibly know about Steve that would have him this up in arms about it. Darry knew that Dally only wrote Steve about once a month, if that at all. Two-Bit was probably twice a month if he wasn't too busy with Marcia.
But those were all thoughts for a different day, probably tomorrow seeing as Ponyboy preferred writing Sodapop at least once a week at the very least. He had yet to actually sit and write out a response, and neither had Darry despite the letter coming in nearly three days ago.
He sighed, carefully setting the letter on the stand next to his chair, carefully putting Ponyboy's theme on top of it to cover it up a little bit. He had to get Ponyboy back to bed.
Darry had work tomorrow and Ponyboy had school.
But if Darry carried Ponyboy to his room, letting the two of them cuddle for the night to starve off any more nightmares that tried to show their faces… Well, that was for Darry to know. And Ponyboy if he thought about it long enough.
I Love to Watch The Castles Burn (These Golden Ashes Turn to Dirt) - Whumpuary D09
I Love to Watch The Castles Burn (These Golden Ashes Turn to Dirt)
Chapters: 1/1
Word Count: 1,260
Summary
Johnny dropped the last of the kids out the window, a little girl exclaiming about her doll. Ponyboy looked around through a teary haze, coughing as he dropped to his knees. He spotted the doll that the girl must have been talking about, pushing himself up and running towards it.
He was quick to grab it, turning and finding that Johnny had followed him with wide eyes.
"We have to get out," Johnny was shouting, but Ponyboy wasn't understanding why. "We're running out of time!" He followed Johnny anyways, but the sound of cracking wood was loud. Ponyboy looked up and shouted as a flaming beam came down on top of him and Johnny.
Or, or, a different take to the Church Fire in a universe where Ponyboy and Johnny were just a tad too slow to notice the church was coming down on top of them.
Title from | Play With Fire | by | Sam Tinnesz |
Day 09 of Whumpuary2025 (@whumpuary) || Trapped Under Rubble | Gunpoint | Out of Time
You can also read |I Love to Watch The Castles Burn (These Golden Ashes Turn to Dirt)| on Ao3!
Warnings Include: Fire, Main Character Injury, Accidental Arson, Ambiguous Ending, Canon Divergence
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"I'll get them, don't worry!" Ponyboy was running before he could process what he had just assured two strangers that he'd do. The man, Jerry, had tried to catch his arm, but Ponyboy was quicker than Jerry was. All Ponyboy could think was that he and Johnny had started the fire.
Ponyboy wasn't about to go through a flaming door, though the thought did cross his mind when a child inside shrieked; a sound barely audible over the roar of the flames. He looked around, finding a big rock that he used to slam through one of the boarded up windows.
Glass rained down on either side of the window, a passing thought that it was surprising that he hadn't cut himself to death when he climbed through. He had felt Dally's jacket catch a few times, and he could only hope that the jacket wasn't damaged, or that Dally would forgive him.
"Ponyboy!" Ponyboy's head jerked in surprise, finding that Johnny had followed him into the church. Ponyboy hadn't realized that Johnny had been following him.
"Is that guy coming?" Ponyboy asked, coughing when smoke filled his lungs. His eyes watered, and Johnny was reaching out hesitantly.
"The window stopped him." Johnny shook his head.
"Too scared?"
"Naw…" Johnny grinned, and Ponyboy's eyes widened slightly in surprise. There was no fear in Johnny's eyes for the first time in just over four months. "Too fat." Ponyboy laughed, a mistake on his part as he coughed, crouching down to get underneath the smoke.
"Where are the kids?" Johnny followed suit, crouching down as he shouted his question. Ponyboy looked around, not spotting a single 'rugrat' as Dally would call them. He grimaced before his eyes landed on the door that lead to the back of the church.
"In the back I guess." Ponyboy hollered back. Johnny made a face, and together the two of them stumbled their way through the church and towards the back. All Ponyboy could think about was how hot everything felt. He almost wanted to take off Dally's jacket, a thought that was there and gone in moments as a flaming beam dropped down behind them, a shower of firey sparks flying up into the air.
Ponyboy coughed as they got to the door, kicking it open as best as he could as more thoughts from the past started to filter through his mind. Was now really the time to be wondering why nothing hurt or to be remembering a time when he had wondered what it was like inside an ember?
Ponyboy had his answer for the last one, it was a red hell.
It took a moment for Ponyboy to realize that one of the kids was screaming his head off, probably what Ponyboy had only barely heard outside of the church. There were five kids, all huddled in the back of the room in a corner. Every single one of them looked to be eight years old or younger.
"Shut up! We're goin' to get you out!" Johnny yelled, the kid looked as surprised as Ponyboy felt, though the kid had stopped hollering. Ponyboy took a moment to look at his friend, feeling almost disconnected as he watched.
Johnny wasn't behaving at all like his old self. He was constantly moving, his eyes darting around and it was obvious that he was forming plan after plan on how to get them out of the situation that they were in now.
Ponyboy saw Johnny break another window, turning and picking up the nearest kid to toss them out of the church.
Ponyboy caught one glimpse of his face; red marked from falling embers and sweat streaked, but he grinned at Ponyboy. He wasn't scared, and Ponyboy realized with a jolt that neither was he. It was the only time that Ponyboy could think of that Johnny didn't look defeated with a suspicious look in his eyes.
Johnny looked like he was having the time of his life.
Ponyboy ran closer, picking up a child and hissing as the child promptly bit him. He was quick to lean out the window, dropping the kid as gently as he could despite the hurry that he was in.
A crowd was there by that time, and the moment that Dally had spotted Ponyboy, he was hollerin' at him and Johnny to get out. Ponyboy didn't pay him any mind, turning back into the church to snatch up another kid. Ponyboy was relieved when this kid didn't bite him. Ponyboy dropped him out the window, not waiting to see if he landed okay or not.
Ponyboy coughed harshly, his breathing labored like it used to get when he was a kid. A wheezing that usually had Darry, Sodapop or their mama checking on him and having him sit down and take some time to calm down from whatever excitement or running around that he had been doing.
Johnny dropped the last of the kids out the window, a little girl exclaiming about her doll. Ponyboy looked around through a teary haze, coughing as he dropped to his knees. He spotted the doll that the girl must have been talking about, pushing himself up and running towards it.
He was quick to grab it, turning and finding that Johnny had followed him with wide eyes.
"We have to get out," Johnny was shouting, but Ponyboy wasn't understanding why. "We're running out of time!" He followed Johnny anyways, but the sound of cracking wood was loud. Ponyboy looked up and shouted as a flaming beam came down on top of him and Johnny.
Ponyboy was, surprisingly, still awake when firefighters had made it to the Church. In one hand, held tightly to his chest, was the doll a little girl had cried about. In the other, he was holding his best friend's hand as tightly as he could, a similar grip coming from Johnny.
And laying half overtop of Johnny, was Dally. He'd come running in, though Ponyboy hadn't remembered seeing him through the haze of red that had taken over everything.
The beam was laying overtop Ponyboy's lower back and overtop of Johnny's upper back. Dally was half overtop of Johnny, and there was rubble splayed out overtop of Dally's back. Ponyboy groaned, feeling too warm to be wearing a jacket like he was.
Ponyboy coughed harshly as Dally moved, pushing the rubble off of his back by simply sitting up on his knees. Ponyboy watched him through heavy eyes as Dally panted, checking on Johnny with an expression of panic.
Dally's head snapped up when Ponyboy groaned, Ponyboy's breathing was coming harsher as he looked around. It took a few moments for him to realize what had happened.
The Church had come down on top of them, and now they were trapped.
"Pony? Pone, hey-" Ponyboy coughed harshly, a feeling of panic bubbling up in his chest as Dally moved to sit in between Johnny and Ponyboy. "Quit that panickin' you hear me?"
"Dal-" Ponyboy's eyes were filled with tears and he couldn't breathe right.
"It's fine. You're fine. Come on, you're fine." Dally's voice sounded… odd to Ponyboy. There was a waiver that didn't belong there and for some reason, Dally's eyes were watery. "You and Johnny are fine. You and Johnny are going to be just fine."
Ponyboy didn't know who Dally was trying to convince, Ponyboy or himself.
"I found them!" A stranger's voice shouted. Ponyboy wasn't sure what happened, other than he felt immense pain and then everything had faded away to black again.
