Just a one-shot I've been working on. Hope you all like it :)

-Kylelover101

Title: Tuff Kids.

Summary: Poor little four-year-old Ponyboy just wants someone to play with, but Darry won't let him join in his game of football. Things escalate and a fight endures, leaving Ponyboy with the choice of running away thinking his big brother hates him.

Warnings: Spanking, and little-kid-curses-that-are-actually-adorable-but-still-need-to-be-warned.

Rating: K+

Mrs. Curtis smiled as she placed the chocolate cake into the oven, ready for it to bake. She went to wash her dishes before hearing the front door swing and slam shut and an audible cry racing towards her. She frowned, opening her arms as he littlest child, Ponyboy raced into her arms.

"Ponyboy." She hushed. "What's wrong?"

Four-year-old Ponyboy was a blubbering mess, his large green eyes dripping with tears that fell on to his shirt. He sniffed before crying.

"They. . . they won't let me play." He bawled before going back to crying into his mother's dress. Mrs. Curtis sighed, lately the boys had been "ignoring" Ponyboy. It was mainly Darry rather than Sodapop. It had to be Darry, Soda was at Steve's house playing and Darry was outside in back with Two-bit and some other boys in the neighborhood.

Mrs. Curtis took a towel and wiped Pony's face dry before taking her youngest outside in the back yard.

"Darry!" She called her oldest son over. Darry Curtis was turning ten soon and was in the state of mind that he was growing up and being around his little brothers wasn't exactly cool in the mind of a kid his age. Darry saw his mother and Ponyboy next to her. He groaned, knowing Pony must have tattled on him.

"Hold on," He muttered to his friends, walking to his mother.

"Darry, is there a reason as to why Ponyboy can't play with you guys?" She asked, she knew Darry was finding that playing with his brothers was boring and dull, he often pushed them away, but that was no reason to completely shove them away.

Darry bit his lip, "We're playing football, Mom. He's in the way!"

"I'm sure there's something Ponyboy can play with you guys." Mrs. Curtis suggested. "Isn't there?"

Darry frowned, "But he's small! We're already in the middle of the game-"

"Darrel Shayne." Mrs. Curtis firmly warned, "If you all can't play nice than you can't play at all. Now have fun." She smiled, petting Ponyboy on the head before walking back inside. Ponyboy nervously looked up at his brother who was glaring at him.

"Sit on the grass and be quiet!" Darry growled. Ponyboy frowned, "But Mama said-"

"I don't care! You can play when we're done with this game." Darry sprinted back to his friends, leaving Ponyboy to wait for a turn to enter the game. Waiting was such a hard thing to do, especially if you're a little kid. Nevertheless, Ponyboy was a good boy and waited for Darry to tell him he could join the fun.

After a while however, Ponyboy got fed up and right when Darry was about to hike the ball, Ponyboy walked up to his big brother.

"Darry! I want to play!" He pouted, stomping his foot.

Darry nervously looked at his friends, smirking and laughing at him. "Darry, he's a little kid! He can't play."

"He's too young."

"He's just a baby!"

Darry was about to argue when an brilliant idea came to his head. Ponyboy wanted to play football, than they'll play football.

"Alright, Ponyboy. You want to play, than fine. New rules gang, we're playing tackle football today."

Ponyboy gasped, smiling. Finally he'd be able to play. "Pony, go over to that side," Darry instructed, putting his little brother on the opposite side purposely. "I got the ball."

Ponyboy crouched down with the other kids and when Darry screamed: "HIKE!" Ponyboy assumed Darry would toss him the ball and it would be like their normal game of catch Pony played with his Daddy. Instead Ponyboy's face met the ground when his brother tossed the ball over his head.

The Four-year-old sniffed, shakingly helping himself off the muddy ground on shaky arms. His favorite yellow shirt was ruined by the mud, his pants were ruined and wet and his chest hurt from falling on the ground. Ponyboy whimpered and the older kids surrounded Ponyboy.

"Well, get up, Pony." Darry taunted, "You wanted to play."

Ponyboy looked up at his brother, crying. He couldn't believe Darry would be so mean to him! "You pushed me!"

"That's how you play the game, dummy." Darry rolled his eyes. It was bad enough Ponyboy was in physical pain, but to have Darry call him names was worse.

"Mama says it's not nice to push!"

"Then go cry to Mom!"

Ponyboy felt abandoned and humiliated. He did just that, running back into the house crying. Darry knew he'd be in trouble but rather than running away he started a new game to have some last minute enjoyment before his mother came out.

"Darrel Shayne Curtis! Get in here now!" Mrs. Curtis called, walking to the group of boys. "I'm sorry boys, but you all need to go home." Darry's friends groaned and Two-bit said they could have a game at his house since he had a football. Darry shrugged slowly behind his mother into the house. Pony's cries could be heard from a different room.

"Darry, go to your room, right now!" Mrs. Curtis narrowed her eyes watching Darry slide his feet to his room, purposely stalling. Darry was to be in his room until his father came home and that was something Darry was dreading to happen. He didn't understand what he did wrong. Ponyboy wanted to play and he didn't want Pony to be with him and his friends, so to teach him a lesson, they played real football. So what?

Darrel Curtis, s.r. had a long day already. He had to be up earlier and work later to earn some extra money for bills this month, he wanted nothing more than to kick up his feet and read the paper. Instead, he came home to a crying Ponyboy being tended to by his loving wife. Ponyboy looked miserable, he was in

"What happened?" Darrel asked, setting down his tool belt, approaching Ponyboy who held out his arms, wanting a hug.

"Today Ponyboy wanted to play with Darry and Darry wouldn't let him." She replied.

"He. .. he pushed me!" Pony cried, "I have an owie." Darrel held Ponyboy closer as Pony cried into his father's strong bold shoulders. Darrel looked at his wife and the two shared a silent conversation before he gently gave Pony back to his mother.

"I'll talk to Darry, Pony you be still for your mother, kay'?" He smiled, ruffling Pony's hair walking to his oldest son's room. Darrel knocked on the door before entering.

"Darry?" He called. Darry Curtis sat up from tossing the football in the air and cringed when it came flying on the top of his head. The ball rolled to Darrel and Darrel held it.

"Darry, you want to tell me what you did today?" Darrel asked, firmly. He was already in a bad mood from a long day at work and coming home and finding out his children had been fighting was enough to break his heart. Darry bit his lip, knowing the amount of trouble he'd be in if he lied.

"Well, I told Mom that Ponyboy couldn't play with us and she told me that he had to. So when we played, Pony got tackled and he told on me! I didn't do anything!" Darry offensively replied.

Darrel took a deep breath. "Darry, I've told you a thousand times, you're not allowed to play tackle football without me there to supervise." Darrel Curtis had a strict policy of Tackle Football. Knowing little boys as he once was, one wrong push or shove could escalate into a fist fight and someone could get hurt. He didn't mind the boys tossing the ball and catching it, but tackling was another situation.

"But Dad!-"

"No buts, Darry." Darrel sternly spoke. "Now I'm keeping this until your punishment is up. You're to apologize to Ponyboy and no football for a week."

No football for a week?! Darry's jaw dropped as blubbering tears started forming in his eyes. He was angry that Ponyboy got his way and in return got him in trouble, not to mention he had to apologize to him. He was mad that his Dad, his most favorite person, wasn't on his side. Darry's hands balled up into fists as he screamed:

"I HATE YOU!"

Darrel turned from the doorway, glaring at his son. "Do not raise your voice to me, Darrel."

Darry mimicked his father's voice, taunting him. It was a bad mistake and he found himself being laid forcibly over his father's knee and struck ten times on his rear. He cried in pain even after the spanking was done and Darrel had left the room. Darry stayed in his room the remainder of the afternoon, his mother called him to dinner but he ignored her.

Around seven-thirty there was a small knock on his bedroom door. Darry sniffed, his eyes were red from crying into his pillow and his rump didn't feel too good either.

"What?" He growled.

His anger boiled seeing Ponyboy slowly open the door, sticking his head inside. Ponyboy had a new shirt on, a small band-aid on his cheek and he looked nervous coming into the room with a large piece of paper in his hands. Darry was glad, Ponyboy should be nervous around him, if Pony didn't leave his room, he'd explode.

"What do you want?" Darry spat.

"Um. . . " Pony stuttered, "Here, Darry. . . I'm sw'orry."

Darry snatched the piece of paper out of Pony's hands. Ponyboy had drawn a picture in crayon of Darry with large muscles and a Superman cape as he held up (what Ponyboy drew to be) the World's Largest Football. Ponyboy was standing right next to Darry in the picture and he had hearts around the two brothers. At the top of the page in Red Crayon was: BEST BIG BROTHER.

Darry was unimpressed, still mad about earlier.

"I made it for you." Pony smiled softly.

Darry looked at Ponyboy for a moment before ripping the paper in half, startling Ponyboy and making the little boy gasp as his beloved picture he worked so hard on was now shredded into millions of pieces on the floor.

"I don't care about your dumb picture!" Darry started watching as Ponyboy crouched on the ground to pick up the remains of his photo. "I don't care if you want to play with me or not!" Ponyboy whimpered with salty tears in his eyes as he stared up at his big brother who was red in the face with anger and yelling at him.

"I don't care if you're sorry! I hate you! I wish you weren't my little brother!" With all his might, Darry pushed Ponyboy in the chest and sent the boy flying to the ground. Ponyboy broke into a loud sob before running out of the room, not bothering to shut the door. He ran into his room and cried in his toddler bed. He had worked so hard on that picture for Darry. His Mommy said that if he said he was sorry and did something nice than Darry wouldn't be mad at him. But she was wrong, Darry was still upset with him and now he hated him!

Ponyboy cried until someone came into the room.

"Pony?"

Ponyboy looked up seeing Sodapop rushing to him. "Pony, what happened?" Soda had just came home from Steve's house. He had a fun day of helping Steve work on an old junker in the back yard. The car in the backyard was a rusted out Cadallaic and would never be able to run ever again, but Steve and Soda liked to use their wrenches and hammers and make noise or pretend to be mechanics. Mrs. Randle invited Sodapop to dinner and that was exciting for the little Greaser and his pal. After a good day with his buddy, Soda was sad to come home and see Ponyboy crying.

Soda hugged Ponyboy and Pony cried into Soda's chest.

"Pony, what happened?" Soda asked again.

Ponyboy cried, "Darry. . . .Darry doesn't love me." He bawled. Soda didn't know what happened between Pony and Darry, but he was going to get to the bottom of whatever happened and solve this conflict. That night, tensions were high. Ponyboy fell asleep crying, Soda was quiet and Darry refused to talk to anyone. Not to mention poor little Johnny came in crying in the middle of the night because his Dad belted him real good. Dallas threw a temper because Mrs. Curtis wanted to put ice on his new bruise he got from Tim Shepard in the park earlier and no one was getting any sleep.

The next morning, things weren't much better.

"No! He can't come!" Steve yelled at Soda, obviously not liking the idea of Soda allowing Ponyboy to tag along with them to his house to bang or "fix" the car in his backyard.

"Why not, Steve?" Soda asked, curious as to know why his little brother couldn't play with them.

"Because he's little! He'll get in the way and mess everything up!" Steve's explaining just sounded like bullying to the little greaser and Ponyboy sassed back an attitude.

"I'm not little! I'm big! I won't bother anyone."

"Well, you'll bother me, let's go Soda." Steve started walking away and Soda looked back at Ponyboy. "I'm sorry, Pony. I know I promised, but we'll play later tonight."

Ponyboy whined seeing Soda had broken his promise about playing with him since Johnny felt too tired to play (and was requested to sleep in his bed for some rest by his Mother), Dallas left right after breakfast and Two-bit was at a doctor's appointment. He felt like no one would be willing to play with him. That left him feeling lonely and unwanted.

Ponyboy stomped into the house where his mother was putting away laundry. "Mama!" Pony barked, earning himself a shush from Mrs. Curtis as she pointed to a sleeping Johnny on Pony's bed.

"No one will play with me." Pony blubbered. "Will you?"

"Ponyboy, I have a million things to do right now, baby. I'll play later though, okay?" She gave a soft smile but Pony just stomped out of the room. He decided on playing by himself on the swing in the back yard but was surprised to see Darry slowly walking out the back door with a football in his hands. Ponyboy knew that his Daddy had put the football on the high shelf in his parent's room, only being four, he knew that's where Mommy and Daddy put their toys when they were being bad and they were not allowed to have them back unless the item was given to them.

Ponyboy raced after Darry, catching up to him on the sidewalk a little ways away from the house.

"Darry!" He called.

Darry froze, not turning around.

"Darry, where ya' going?" Pony wheezed, smiling. Maybe Darry wasn't mad at him anymore, maybe Darry would be nice and play with him today.

"Why do you have the football?" Ponyboy pointed. Darry knew he was in trouble now, if Ponyboy were to tell his mother than he'd be in more trouble than last night for sneaking into his parent's room and stealing his football back. Also, he was't supposed to leave the property, but here he was running to the park to meet up with the guys to play football.

"Where are you going?" Pony asked.

Darry turned around finally.

"Pony, go home." Darry glared, harshly. Ponyboy frowned, confused. "I don't want to see you, I don't care if you want to play, I don't want to play with you."

Ponyboy felt the repeats of yesterday happening again. The same confused fear of when Darry yelled and pushed him, the same sadness of when he ripped his picture. It was all coming back and hitting him hard.

"Why not?!" Pony asked. "I just want to play."

Darry had enough, "You're annoying!" Ponyboy's bottom lip trembled.

"No . . . no I'm not." He tried hard not to cry. What Steve said earlier to him combined with what Darry was saying now was all coming at him in full force at one time and he didn't know how to deal with it.

"Yes. You are." Darry said. "Now go home and leave me alone! I don't care if you're bored, I don't care if I get caught. I don't want you to play with me ever again!"

Darry tried to walk away but stumbled when he felt Pony's hands push him slightly in the back. He turned around abruptly and pushed Ponyboy for the third time on the ground, sending the boy flying on the concrete, scraping his hands and bruising his back. Ponyboy sniffles turned to full-blown tears as he ran away from Darry, leaving Darry to not care what just happened.

Ponyboy ran as hard and fast as he could instinctively running home to his Mother. There was a quick way to get to his house, Soda showed him once by cutting their neighbor's yards. He didn't remember it well, but he'd find his house he was sure of himself. He ran straight through his neighbor's backyard, jumping on a pile of wood, giving gained him access to climb the chain-linked fence into a neighbor's back yard and on their property. Ponyboy ran out of their property and cut a few more yards, before he realized he was lost.

The little Greaser looked around, fearfully. He cringed when he felt a sharp sting to his hands and realized there were cut and bloody. He sobbed loudly as he tried to find out where he was but each house either looked the same or different. He didn't even know what street he was on. He tried looking for his house, a white house with a porch, he knew. But there was a lot of white houses with porches.

Pony didn't know where he was but he was sure that if he walked around he'd find his house. . . . eventually.

Six Hours Later

Around six-thirty, Darry knew he had to be getting home, if he wanted to put his football back before his father got off work, that is. Darry gasped seeing his father was home early noticing his truck in the driveway. Not only was his father's truck there but there was also two police cars. Darry was scared that he was in bigger trouble than he could ever imagine. He slowly opened the door and was greeted with the sight of his father holding his mother, Soda sitting next to them and the rest of the gang along with Mrs. Matthews at the kitchen table.

"Darry!" His mother cried, running to him. Darry thought he'd get it now, but to his surprise she wrapped her arms around him and started crying.

Darry nervously looked around, he waited for his father to yell at him, but Mr. Curtis' gaze was at the floor.

"Am . . . I in trouble?" Darry asked.

"Darry, where's Ponyboy?" His mother didn't answer his question. Darry gulped. Soda looked at his big brother suspiciously and everyone waited for an answer.

". . . . I don't know." Darry answered, truthfully. Mrs. Matthews silently prayed and his mother broke down in a sob, hugging his tighter.

"Don't worry folks, we'll find Ponyboy as fast as we can." One cop promised. Dallas scoffed at him and the cop turned to Dallas.

"Watch it, Winston." He threatened before leaving the house with his partner. Darry was loss for words. What happened? He was sure Ponyboy ran home after he-

Darry felt guilt wash over his whole body. He knew why Ponyboy wasn't home now. Ponyboy must have ran away. And it was all his fault! While Mr. Curtis tried to calm down his wife, the kids all left the room, ordered by Mrs. Matthews. They all went to Darry's room, originally following Soda.

"Where's Pony, Darry?" Soda put his hands on his hips.

Darry turned to Soda, feeling accused. "I don't know, Soda. Why are you asking me?"

"I bet you know why's he's gone though!"

Darry bit his lip, knowing he was caught. "Soda. . . . I'm so sorry."

"It's not me you need to be sorry to, Darry!" Soda barked and stomped into his own room. Dallas, Two-bit and Johnny stayed while Steve followed his buddy.

"What happened?" Two-bit asked. Two-bit was older than Darry by two years, so he was eleven going on twelve, in Darry's case, he was wiser and smarter (but that didn't stop him from making good choices) In all seriousness, he was concerned about the issue.

"I. . . Remember yesterday, how I couldn't let him play football?" Darry asked Two-bit. Two-bit nodded. "Well, when I finally did, I dilebratly changed the game so I could have an excuse to push him."

Everyone looked at Darry like he was crazy. "Then. . . I did it again after we had a fight later that night and. . . I did it a third time when he tried to follow me to the park." It was hard admitting you were a jerk for a big brother. Dallas sighed, "Did you say anything else?" Darry shook his head before remembering all the nasty things he said to Pony. No wonder Pony must hate him. He said he didn't want Pony as a brother anymore for Pete's sake.

"Well, what do we do now?" Johnny asked.

Darry looked out the window, the sky was getting darker and Ponyboy was afraid of the dark.

". . . . I'm gonna' find my little brother."

While the adults tried to calm down in the living room, Dallas and Johnny (being only eight and five) were told to stay home while Two-bit and Darry snuck out. Darry rummaged through his closet before leaving. He went to find a jacket since it was cold outside, but instead found the Superman cape to his Halloween costume. He shrugged seeing it would keep him warm and tied it around his neck.

"Ready?" Two-bit asked, hopping on his bike. Darry nodded, placing a card on the spoke of his bike so it sounded like his two-wheeler bicycle sounded like a real bike with an engine. The two peddled off in search of Ponyboy Curtis.

Ponyboy sneezed into his chapped hands. It was getting cold, his arms were freezing and he was hungry. He had been wandering the neighborhood for hours before he realized he was going in circles. He sniffed, wiping away some tears that fell from his face. Darry hated him, even if he wanted to go home, he couldn't. He wasn't wanted there.

Ponyboy sobbed for a moment, trying to collect himself before walking into the dark, scared and alone.

Darry peddled as fast as he could, adverting his eyes and his head down every street.

"PONYBOY!" He called, hoping Pony would answer him.

"Darry, wait up!" Two-bit called, huffing and puffing trying to keep up. "I can't go that fast!" Darry ignored him and continued to look for Pony.

They searched for twenty minutes in their neighborhood and just when Darry was about to give up, Two-bit pointed down an ally and Darry smiled, recalling the little boy with slightly red-hair.

"Pony!" He cried with joy, racing to his little brother on foot. Ponyboy turned abruptly and his eyes widened seeing Darry race towards him, his red cape flapping in the cold wind as he hugged his little brother, almost tackling him to the ground. Ponyboy was more confused than anything.

"Oh, Pony. I thought I lost you!" Darry cried, hugging Ponyboy tightly. Pony held on to the front of Darry's shirt.

"I don't understand," Pony sniffed, "I thought you didn't want me."

Darry shook his head. "No. Ponyboy. You're my little brother. You always will be. You and I may have fights but we're blood, always."

Ponyboy sniffled again before hugging Darry back. Finally the lonely feeling he felt for days had ended. He never wanted to play with anyone, he just wanted to feel loved and be reminded of that feeling. Two-bit smiled at the sight as he watched the brothers return to Darry's bike. Darry hoisted Pony on the front of the handle bars and the three Greasers biked home where they were greeted by an overjoyed Mother and Father, pleased to see their children home safely, a brother who was happy the fighting was over and friends that would accept them.

That's how it would remain for years to come.

Aw, cute one-shot, am I right? Three cheers for Darry and Ponyboy brotherly-love!

Don't forget to leave a review!

-Kylelover101.