The Outsiders - Three Brothers

Suds

It had been a week since Ponyboy and Sodapop had been busted for going to Buck's. And both of them had steered clear of the place since, just as they'd swore they would.

"Ponyboy Michael!" Darry yelled from the kitchen. Said boy came running into the kitchen when he heard his first AND middle name being called.

"Yeah Dar?"

"Didn't I ask for the dishes to be done last night?"

Ponyboy looked over at the sink, still filled with last nights dishes. "Oh..." He had forgotten to do them. He meant too, but then Johnny came over and he went to the vacant lot to hang out until curfew and by the time he'd gotten home forgot all about the dishes.

"Oh? Ponyboy when I tell you to do something I expect it to get done. We've got the social worker coming for a visit today too. I want this place looking decent. Get them done NOW, or else."

"Yessir," the kid hurried to the sink to start the dishes.

"And is your's N' Soda's room clean?"

"Uhh."

"Get that done too before the case worker arrives."

"But Darry! That's not fair! Soda messes up the room just as much as I do!"

"Ponyboy do not give me any lip right now. You do as I say and that's final."

"You're not being fair!" Ponyboy slammed the plate he had in his hand back into the sink, frustrated.

"This is your last warning little boy."

"Fuck o-" he couldn't even get the rest of the word out before Darry had ran and snatched him by the arm. "Ow ow!"

The minute Ponyboy had let a cuss like that fall from his lips, Darry was right beside him. He grabbed the kid and yanked him against his side, holding Ponyboy in his grip and as he landed fast smacks. "That's it! I gave you plenty of chances to cut the attitude and instead you cuss at me?! I should've done this the second I saw you didn't do as I told you with the dishes last night, but no! I was gonna let it slide as long as you did them now."

He was lecturing his baby brother just as Soda walked in - hearing Ponyboy crying. "Hey what's - Ah." He grimaced and stopped mid-sentence when he saw what was happening.

"Darry I'm sorry! But it's not fair!" He insisted on using that line again.

"Fair or not - I tell you to wash the dishes, you do them. I tell you to clean your room and you do it! Without any lip!"

Soda felt bad hearing that was part of the problem, he didn't exactly make it easy to keep their room clean. "Darry I'll clean our room. You ain't gotta wallop him for that."

"You stay outta this Sodapop. Now it may not seem fair to you to clean your room alone, but you know Soda has done it without your help in the past. It's not only you." He said, standing Ponyboy back to his feet - the kid was sniffling now, the few smacks he'd received weren't enough to make him cry. But they did the trick in knocking him back down. "Go to the bathroom. We're gonna brush that mouth of yours out with some soap."

"Darry -" Soda hadn't heard Ponyboy cuss, so he thought Darry was overdoing it for a little attitude.

"You wanna join us Sodapop? Well?" He pushed for an answer when Soda just stared at him.

"You're being too harsh!"

"I didn't realize you were in charge around here. Go Ponyboy."

Ponyboy started for the bathroom when Sodapop grabbed his arm, "No. Darry you're overdoing it! You already spanked him! It was just a little attitude you ain't gotta make him put soap in his mouth too!"