The Outsiders - Three Brothers

36

Saturday morning, Darry had to wake up the boys so he could get out of bed and get ready for work. They both complained loudly about being woken up so early the moment Darry shook them awake. "I know," he made Ponyboy move so he Could get out of bed. "You can go back to sleep, I just need to get up."

Once he stood, he tucked them back under the covers. "Don't work too hard," Soda said - more talkative than Ponyboy was at six in the morning.

"I won't," he kissed their heads and turned the desk lamp on so he could see just enough to get dressed. "Remember I get off a noon, don't sleep past ten okay?"

"We won't," Soda mumbled into Ponyboy's shoulder - the two cuddled up in bed with the younger sound asleep again.

"I'm leaving money on the dresser for you to buy breakfast when you get up."

"Thanks," and then Soda fell back asleep.

Darry laughed, finishing getting ready and then heading downstairs to get some food and coffee before he had to start his shift.

Soda and Ponyboy slept until nine-thirty; and that's because the sun was starting to shine in Soda's face so it woke him up. "Ugh. Alright Pony. Guess it's time to get up."

"No." He wiggled down further into bed.

"Come on. It's after nine. We should get a little bit of breakfast. Darry gets off work in a couple hours."

"He said we can sleep until ten."

"I thought you were asleep for that."

"Mostly."

Soda rolled his eyes and threw the covers to the floor, making Ponyboy voice his complaints very loudly. "Let's go. Get dressed." Soda got out of bed and opened his duffel bag up to get a change of clothes before heading to the bathroom to fix his hair .

"You're the worst." Ponyboy said as he slinked out of bed and went to get his own change of clothes. "Uhm," he moved around things in his bag. "Soda?"

"Yeah?"  He poked his head out from the bathroom.

"Can I use some of your hair grease? I forgot mine."

"Thought I was the worst though?" He grinned, watching his baby brother pout. "Yeah you can use mine."

"Thanks. And you're only the worst SOMETIMES."

"Sure sure. Until you need or want something."

"Yeah," it was Ponyboy's turn to grin as he came into the bathroom and stood beside Soda, looking in the mirror and combing his hair back. "Lot easier to share a mirror in this big ol' bathroom." he noted.

The bathroom was pretty big, they both would bet Darry could stand comfortably beside them too and use the large bathroom mirror all at once. "Wish our bathroom was this big. Make mornings a lot easier." Sodapop agreed.

"I ain't even gotta shove you out my way."

"Huh? Who shoves who?" Soda said, making his move fast. He shoved Pony a little and when it took the boy by surprise, put him in a headlock.

"Hey!"

"Say uncle!" Soda demanded.

"No!" Soda squeezed harder and used his free hand to grab one of Pony's and pin it at an uncomfortable angle behind the boy's back. "Ow! Okay! Uncle!"

Soda let go, victorious, and finished styling his hair. "You're getting better," he commented as he watched Ponyboy in the mirror. Ponyboy tried to swirl his hair at the sides the same way Soda did.