The Outsiders Headcanons/Short Stories [COMPLETED]

Short Story: A More Unique Pony

A/N: this one shot is dedicated to @ashxlou  who requested a one shot about Ponyboy with autism. I don't know very much about autism, but they were kind to give me some information. Enjoy!

Darry's POV

The first thing I heard when I woke up was the sound of the TV. I knew right then and there that it was Ponyboy. That was part of his morning routine. He has autism, and putting autistic kids on a schedule helps them.

I literally rolled out of bed and waddled over to the living room. Ponyboy was sitting on the floor, with toys scattered everywhere. He was watching Mickey Mouse, Two-Bit had gotten him into it.

Ponyboy was making a clicking noise with mouth. He was stimming, which is what most kids with autism do. I kneeled down next to him. "Hey Pones." I said calmly. He turned to me. "Day'y! Day'y!" He squealed. Pony had trouble talking, but we're working on it and he's getting better.

I chuckled and sat down. "Did you try and go potty this morning?" I asked. We've been trying to toilet train Ponyboy for years, but it's real difficult. He's still in diapers, and it's one of the reasons why we don't to send him to a school for special needs kids, the other reason being that we couldn't afford it.

"Nuh-uh." Pony said, loosing eye contact with me and turned his attention to one of cars. "'iaper." I sighed and picked him up, and knew that he meant he needed to be changed. "C'mon Ponyboy, let's change ya, but you gotta start using the potty. It ain't scary, trust me." I put him in the bathroom and proceeded to change him. "Po'yboy." He said, poking his chest. "Yes, you're Ponyboy." I said.

Once I finished changing him, Ponyboy sat back on the living room floor and continued to watch his show. Soda woke up and played with him as I cooked breakfast. "Soda, Pony, breakfast is ready!" I called. Soda walked over and sat down. He put grape jelly on his eggs and proceeded to eat them. Pony was still on the floor, playing with his stuffed animals.

"Cmon Pony, time for breakfast." I grabbed his schedule from the coffee table and showed it to him, pouting to the picture of a breakfast plate. "See Pony? Breakfast."

Suddenly, Ponyboy covered his ears and started screaming and failing. He was having a meltdown. Soda turned to us and immediately got up. "Soda, go get him some water." I commanded. He nodded and ran off.

As Sodapop went to get water, I proceeded to do our regular meltdown routine with Ponyboy. I kneeled down and pulled him close to me. Pony was screaming and thrashing. He gripped onto my hair and kept hitting his face into my shoulder. It used to hurt a lot at first when he'd do that, but I got used to it. This happens at least once a day. It's just part of our routine.

"Pony, Ponyboy..." I said firmly. "Calm down, calm down, just relax. Big breaths, nice big breathes." But Ponyboy continued to scream and cry. I sighed and held him tight and closer, then started to sing to him. If holding him down alone don't calm him down, then usually singing helps too. He'll only calm down to one song: Splish Splash by Bobby Dylan. We ain't sure why, but it works.

"Splish splash I was takin' a bath.." I sang quietly.

"Long about a Saturday night.

A rub dub, just relaxin' in the tub, thinking everything was alright.

When I stepped out the tub, put my feet on the floor.

I wrapped a towel 'round me and I opened the door and then-a,

Splish splash, I jumped back in the bath.

Well how was I to know there was a party goin' on?"