Baby Ponyboy

Chapter 1- It's been a week

3rd person p.o.v.
January 26th, 1965
8:30 AM
Tulsa, Oklahoma

The cry of a baby rang through the Curtis house on a cold January morning. Everyone in the house had a long week. Darry and Soda had gone to identify the bodies of their parents after their car accident a few nights ago, and the gang had been staying over to help with the baby. Just yesterday, Darry, Soda, and Pony went to court so that a judge could decide if Darry was fit to be the boy's guardian. Thankfully, the judge sided in their favor and the boys were placed into Darry's custody. Overnight, Darry became the sole caretaker of his little brothers. 16.5 year old Sodapop, and 8 month old Ponyboy. It was the cries of baby Ponyboy that awoke everyone in the house that morning.

Darry creaked open the door to the bedroom where Ponyboy slept. Pony was sitting up in his crib, crying and reaching his small hands up to his brother. Darry was there now, no need to keep crying. Darry obliged, and lifted Ponyboy to his chest. "Shhhh, it's okay Pony, you're okay. Don't cry kiddo, you're alright." Darry whispered to his baby brother. Soon, Ponyboy's sobs turned to sniffles, and he was cuddling his head into the crook of his big brother's neck.

"You need your diaper changed." Darry said, setting Pony onto the changing table next to the crib. He made quick work of changing Pony's diaper, and zipping his long onesie back up. "You want your bunny? Is that whatcha want kiddo?" Darry cooed, giving Ponyboy his stuffed bunny. Darry smiled, lifting the baby, and walking down the hallway to the living room.

Steve and Sodapop sat cuddled close next to each other on the couch. Two-Bit was in a chair, Dallas was in another, and Johnny sat on the floor by the couch on a pillow. "Hey Pony, come 'ere." Soda sighed, coming to take the baby from his big brother's arms. Ponyboy was still crying. "Whatcha cryin' for Stinker? Huh?" Steve cooed at the little boy. Soda had sat back down next to his boyfriend.

"Everyone good with eggs for breakfast?" Darry asked from the kitchen. Everyone said yes, and Darry began to cook. "Pony, you wanna get in your walker? That makes you feel better, right? Here Johnny, will you take him so I can get Pony's walker?" Sodapop said. "Yeah of course. Come 'ere Pony." Johnny replied, grabbing the baby out of Soda's arms. Johnny bounced Pony lightly and rubbed his back. After a minute, Sodapop came back in, pushing Ponyboy's fabric walker. Johnny stood up and put Ponyboy's legs through the holes.

"Ponyboy, you gotta quit cryin' little boy!"  Dallas cooed to the little boy. It had been 20 minutes, and Ponyboy was still sobbing. "Breakfast is ready! Come sit!" Darry called from the kitchen, getting out plates. "Come on Pony, you wanna eat?" Sodapop asked, and picked up Ponyboy out of the walker and into the high chair. "Here Pony, you gotta eat." Darry spread some eggs out over the tray of Pony's high chair. Pony's tears died down as he began to pick up the eggs and feed them to himself. "Good boy Pony."

"I know bud, we'll getcha down in a second, you gotta have a bottle though." Sodapop said, and planted a kiss on the top of Ponyboy's head. Darry got up to go get a premade bottle of formula from the refrigerator. "Daaaaaaa!" Pony whined. Darry shook the bottle and came to pick up Ponyboy. Darry positioned the baby to lay down in his lap after sitting back down in his chair at the table. He stuck the bottle into the boy's mouth and Pony began to suckle.

After a few minutes, Darry moved to the couch, still feeding Ponyboy. Ponyboy took a fist of Darry's shirt into his hand. "You sure are clingy boy." Darry muttered. Sodapop came in and sat next to Darry. He scratched Ponyboy's belly. "You were hungry, huh?" Soda giggled, taking the now empty bottle out of Ponyboy's mouth. Soda took the bottle to the kitchen to wash it, while the other boys filed into the living room and took a seat. Darry burped Pony, and then repositioned him to be sitting upright on his lap. Darry bounced Pony lightly with his knee. "It's gonna be okay kiddo."

~TIMESKIP~
11:30
About 2 hours later, Ponyboy was sitting upright in Dally's lap on the floor and playing with a wooden toy car. Mickey Mouse was playing on the TV, and Ponyboy had a blue pacifier in his mouth. "What is that Pony? Is that a car?" Johnny said in a baby voice to Pony. After a few minutes, Pony leaned his head on Dallas' torso and let out a little yawn, his eyelids becoming heavy. "You a sleepy boy Pone?" Soda cooed, and came to pick up his brother. Soda rocked Ponyboy gently, standing in the middle of the living room. Soon, Ponyboy was asleep. Sodapop and Steve walked together to put Ponyboy in his crib. "See you in a little bit Pony." Steve said, as Soda set the baby boy in the wooden bed. "Night little buddy."

ANOTHER TIMESKIP!!
2:00 PM
"I'm coming Pone." Two-Bit muttered, getting up off of the couch. The other boys had gone to pick up some groceries. Two-Bit offered to stay with Pony so that they didn't have to wake him up. Two-Bit opened the door to the bedroom, and came to pick up a crying Ponyboy. "Come 'ere squirt, I gotcha." He cooed, bouncing Ponyboy.

He made quick work of changing Ponyboy's diaper, since he had experience from his little sister, and took Ponyboy to the wooden dresser across the room to pick some new clothes out. "You want the Mickey or the ducks, Pone?" Two-Bit asked, offering the two onesies. "Ponyboy grabbed the yellow duck one and giggled. "Fair enough." Two-Bit shrugged, and put Ponyboy in his new outfit. After Pony was changed, Two-Bit and Ponyboy went to the living room. Two-Bit sat on the couch, put Ponyboy upright in his lap, and turned on Mickey Mouse.

The boys came back around 30 minutes later, and the rest of the day was spent keeping Ponyboy entertained(and alive).

8:30 PM

"Hey bud, come here." Sodapop cooed at his baby brother, who was practically falling asleep in his high chair as the boys cleaned up dinner. "Aww, is someone sleepy?" Steve said, coming to rub Ponyboy's back. "Come on Pone, let's get you to bed." Darry sighed with a smile. The oldest brother came to take Ponyboy into his arms and walked to the bedroom. The gang followed. Darry dressed Pony into a light blue onesie with elephants all over it. Everyone gave Ponyboy a little kiss or cuddle, and then Darry set the boy in the crib. "Goodnight Pone, sleep well kiddo. We love you." Soda whispered. Ponyboy felt his eyes become even more weighted, and he fell asleep.

"Quite a day." Darry sighed, plopping down on the living room couch, and soda did the same. "Darry?" Soda asked. "Yeah Soda" "Are we gonna be okay?" Sodapop whispered, his eyes beginning to fill with tears. Darry put Soda's head into his lap and smiled, beginning to tear up himself.

"Yeah, I think we are."