AN: So another story! This is my 4th Outsiders story, the other three are 'My Little Pony', 'Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot!' and 'Materialistic Sacrifices.' Just thanks to all who enjoy them. Based on pg 133 where Steve tells him "...but you have to wear clothes to work there's a law or something." This is after the book. Disclaimer is on my profile. Not beta'd.

CAUGHT PANTLESS

"Soda! Pony! Get up! You're both gonna be late!"

Ponyboy rolled over and put a pillow over his head to drown out Darry's loud and anxious voice. "Get lost, lemme sleep," he mumbled. He was still drowsy, barely getting any sleep because Soda kept kicking his shins.

"If I don't get a move on I'm going to be late too," Darry muttered, running to his room and getting his keys. He stopped outside his brothers' room again leaving instructions for Sodapop, the middle brother. "Soda, there's breakfast on the table. Ponyboy has track 'til 5, I won't be back 'til 9 so it's your turn to cook." With that said, Darry ran out the front door tossing his tool into the back before gunning the engine and roaring down the road.

"You get all that Ponyboy?" Soda yawned scratching his chest after hearing Darry leave. Pony nodded his head. "Good. I'm gonna take a shower," he declared tiredly, "Best you wake up to or you're gonna be late." I'll shut my eyes for a bit longer...

?_?

Why's it so damn bright! Soda thought. Light continued to stream through the thin curtains of the window and directly into his closed eyes. What time is it? Slowly creeping out of the bed as to not to disturb his little brother, he walked over to the dresser where their alarm clock was lying face down. He grabbed the clock and righted its position finally looking at its face. "8:45," he said smiling to himself. Wait! He read the numbers on the display again. "8:45! Pony we're late!" Running back to the bed, he jumped on Ponyboy violently and grabbed his hands. "C'mon! Darry's gonna kill us!" yelling, he pulled Pony off the bed and threw him into the bathroom.

Disgruntled, Ponyboy staggered out of the bathroom. "Where are my clothes?"

"Not out! In!" Soda cried, noting how Pony was in the bedroom and not in the bathroom – and he had not made any attempt to shower. Barrelling past his brother he brushed his teeth quickly and greased his wheat coloured hair.

Once outside again Sodapop pushed Ponyboy into the bathroom tossing clothes in his general direction. "Hurry up!" He grinned.

Whilst Pony showered, Soda scoffed down his share of the breakfast. Throwing his unclean plate in the sink and chipping Darry's mug in the process. "Crap," he cursed. Running to the couch, he bent down and fished around for his shoes that had somehow managed to walk themselves over from the front door to his amazement. "Pony, where's my shirt?!"

"Darry's closest!" Ponyboy yelled from inside the bathroom. "Cap's in the green basket – laundry!"

Soda gaped. Kid, knows me way to well. Rummaging around in the green basket he finally located DX cap. "Cap, shoes, shirt, food..." Soda whispered to himself making sure that he had everything that he needed. "Pony I'm off!"

Pony walked out of the bathroom dressed with clouds of steam billowing out behind him. He saw Sodapop dart out of the kitchen. Then he saw it. "Soda!" Pony called out.

"Can't stop!" Soda yelled over his shoulder, Drew's gonna sack me if I'm late again, he thought to himself. He had been having too many close calls over the last month.

Pony yelled again trying to get Soda to listen to him but to no avail. He then debated whether to go after his absent minded brother, but the guy was already out the door.

?_?

Soda ran through the street pumping his arms harder at the thought of being sacked. He grinned as he ran past a group of girls who all giggled, pointed at him with blush rising to their cheeks before turning away. Weird. He continued to run cutting across the train track noticing the shock of the people who gawked at him as the carriage rattled past. Nervously Soda tilted his head in greeting and continued to run wondering why people kept giving him strange looks.

The wind picked up a bit. Sodapop shivered still with a distance to run. He ran past a couple of Socy girls who yelled "You're a piece of white trash Greaser!" Sticking their heads up high in the air the walked away leaving Soda slightly bewildered. Though it was not uncommon to get that reaction from their type, the girls generally put that behind them and liked him. He had just turned left when a large truck came blaring down the road in the opposite direction.

"Hey you kid!" Soda turned. A fat man in blue uniform came walking down his way. Soda waved at the officer and began to run down the street.

"Shit! Not today!" Panting behind him the officer continued to run and unfortunately for Soda, he had a fair amount of running ability though you wouldn't have thought that upon a first glance of him.

When Soda though that he had lost him he slowed to a walk, the truck pulling up beside him. "Hey buddy!" Steve greeted fighting to keep tears streaming down his face. "I was just coming back from your place, Drew asked me to get you to work on time."

"Thanks but I was doing fine." Soda laughed, glancing at his watch.

"Stop!"

Soda's laughter died watching the officer stride up to him. Steve looked out the window seeing the portly red faced man make his way over to them. "Guy won't freakin' leave me alone," he whispered at Steve hanging his head low and turning to face the officer a with a smile plastered across his face as he looked up.

"You Greasers think you can do whatever you want don't you!" The officer snapped pulling out a writing pad.

"Honestly I don't sir."

"I'm going to charge you with indecent exposure. I've had a number of complaints this morning all fitting your description."

Soda turned to Steve who was busting trying not to laugh. He glared at his best friend, who snickered and finally managed to control himself enough to mouth 'pants' before he burst into hysterics again.

Pants? "Pants," Soda whispered...

"Pony I'm off!"

"Soda!" Pony called out.

"Can't stop!"

"But you forgot your pants!"

..."Oh." Soda looked down and sure enough he had no pants on. Boxer shorts but no pants.

"When I say so run and get into the car you moron," Steve whispered.

The officer looked at Soda and then at Steve. "Are you in on this?" He got his pen out and began to write on the pad. "Damn." He licked the tip of the pen and scribbled on the paper again. "Geez! Can I ever get a break," he sighed, "You two stay there, I have to go back to my car."

Both boys solemnly nodded.

As soon as the officer turned around Steve motioned for Soda to get in. The passenger side door closed just in time, the truck swerving to the middle of the road. The officer jumped up and down in anger.

Soda grinned sticking his head out of the window. "Have a good day sir." Back inside the cab he hit Steve on the shoulder. "You couldn't say anything sooner."

"Nope." Steve grinned, parking in the back lot of the DX. "There are some pants in the back seat; Ponyboy gave them to me, told me that I'd figure out what to do with them when I saw you." A minute passed between the two friends. "Remember that law I was talking about, the one with the clothes? Does it sound familiar?" Steve teased placing his cap on his head.

"Shut up," Sodapop groused. His cheeks were burning red. He flopped into the back seat where a pair of black slacks lay folded in the middle.

"Put on some pants!" Steve retorted laughing and getting out of the truck.

AN: Soda's pretty spacey and absent-minded I guess. Hope this was enjoyable for y'all to read. Leave reviews, Scareirony