The Outsiders - Three Brothers

After Party

Wisely, Ponyboy spent the rest of the ride home in silence. He was mostly just stewing in the trouble he'd found himself in, and was chewing on his thumbnail nervously. When they pulled up to their house, Soda was already out and opening the backseat. "Let's go Ponyboy."

"I'd rather stay in here..."

"One."

"Okay!" Ponyboy squeaked out, counting was not a good sign.

"Now go and do as I said and hit the showers."

"Yes Sir," He stopped as soon as he said it, his face turning a thousand shades of red. He only ever called Darry 'sir'. Saying it to Sodapop made him instantly embarrassed, Soda wasn't even an adult! Not really anyways, he acted like one most the time but he was still a kid himself.

"Sounds like you've scared some respect into the kid," Steve laughed as he made his way up to the porch.

"Keep walking," he decided not to comment on the slip up. It was nice to get some respect from Pony for once, but he also knew it had embarrassed the kid.

Ponyboy nodded and raced up the steps and went to his room to grab some PJs and then headed to the bathroom. He took a quick look at the clock, ten o'clock. He was supposed to have been in bed an hour ago, part of his grounding - early bedtime. He would've given anything to be in bed now.

Soda crashed on the couch and hung his head in his hands, "You alright pal?" Steve asked, sitting next to his friend after turning the TV on.

"Yeah. I just hate having to be the one to punish him. I don't know how Darry does it."

"He makes it pretty easy."

"We both do," Soda gave a small laugh. "God. When I saw him at Buck's I wanted to fry his ass then and there. Lord knows Darry would've." He grimaced a little at the thought, knowing if HE had been caught at Buck's, Darry would've tanned him in front of everyone too.

"Kid woulda had it coming. He must've lost his damn mind tonight."

"Hey..." Ponyboy came out of the bathroom and stood with his head down, rubbing his toe against the hardwood floor.

Soda sat up straight, trying to get back into stern brother mode. "Come here, in front of me."

Ponyboy trudged his feet across the floor and towards his brother, not looking up - not wanting to meet Sodapop's eyes. When he was close enough, Sodapop grabbed him and pulled him in between his legs. "Soda -" he squirmed a little and looked sideways at where Steve was still sitting. This was something their dad used to do, he'd grab them and hold them in between his legs to properly scold them. Soda was too big for it now, but Ponyboy was young and scrawny and fit perfectly.

"Ponyboy stop the squirming, it's getting on my nerves. We can have a conversation or I can just start the spanking now if you like?" Pony stopped his antics and stilled, his face pointed down still and refusing to make eye contact. "Look at me." Ponyboy looked up, and felt tears well up in his eyes at the look Soda gave him. His face was stern, and his eyes held enough disappointment that Ponyboy could crawl under a rock and die. "How about we start with what you were doing at Buck's tonight. When you are supposed to be grounded."

"I wanted to see what all the fuss was about with Buck's parties. And Curly was going and it just isn't fair that he gets to - OW!" Sodapop had cut him off quickly by turning him and landed three fast smacks.

"You know what? I'm getting just as sick as Darry is of hearing Curly Shepard's name coming out of your mouth. That little hood is not, and has never been, a gauge for you to determine what you are and are not allowed to do. I don't know where you got the idea for that anyways, but it stops here. Do I make myself clear?"