Curtis Tea

The Swearing Situation

A/N: Sorry for the long read y'all! This was supposed to be a lot shorter but I was having so much fun with this story I just couldn't stop writing 😂. Also there's a lot of listed dialouge, so if you don't like that, please just skip! Thank you!!

                                                              ~

It was a peaceful afternoon and Darry was reading the newspaper. Soda was at the DX with Steve and Ponyboy was on a call with Dallas. Everything was quiet until Darry heard some cussing coming from Pony's room. The voice didn't sound a thing like his. Startled, he made a mad dash for Ponyboy's room; no one should EVER talk to his baby brother like that.

Darry practically threw open the door in the heat of the moment, only to pause suddenly when he saw Ponyboy, his kid brother, cussing the dalylights out of Dally.

Pony: Again, Dally! What the f**k is your problem? I don't understand why you have to be such an *sshole all the damn time! This is bulls**t! Total bulls**t!

Darry didn't even know what to do. He stood in shock at what Pony was saying before shuffling out of the room.

He sat back in the big armchair and tried to process what he just saw. Pony was the last person he thought would be cussing like that! For once it wasn't Dally... He wanted to tell Soda about it when he got home, but since Pony can do no wrong in his eyes, it'd be hard to convince him it actually happened. Unless, he saw it himself...

A few minutes later, he got the handheld camera ready and started recording Ponyboy as he spit every word in the book at Dal, who didn't say a word as Pony vented on. After about 3 minutes of recording, Pony turned around and noticed Darry.

Pony: *gasp* D- Darry? Um... haha... how long have you been there?
Darry: Oh just long enough to hear you cussing out Dally.
Pony: Oh my gosh. Um... uh...
Darry: And  I caught in on video!
Pony: Oh no... Darry... I- I didn't mean to.
Darry: ?? So you just accidentally cussed...?
Pony: Yeah... um...

It wasn't long before Pony gave up and started bawling like a baby. He had been caught and there was no turning back. 

Pony: It wasn't me!
Darry: Yeah, I didn't think it was you either! Until I came into your room and saw it coming from your mouth in some weird voice.
Pony: I'm sorry!! What are you gonna do with the video?!
Darry: Oh nothing much... Just show it to Soda!
Pony: No! Darry! Don't show it to Soda! Pleeeeeaaaaassseeee don't show it to Soda!
Darry: Too late for that Pony. Now, hang up the call, come to my room, and we're gonna have a little talk.

Pony was reasonably scared at that point. He almost kicked himself for being stupid enough to cuss with Darry right down the hall. Why couldn't he use his head for once? All the energy and adrenaline he had from anger earlier was gone, replaced with shame and regret. He knew he didn't have a choice so he headed to Darry's room for a "talk".

Darry: Sit here, Pony.
Pony: I didn't do it Darryyyy!
Darry: No, Ponyboy. You did. And I caught you on video, so you can stop lying. Anyway, why were you cussing at Dallas?!
Pony: 'Cause he's just such a jerk to me all the time! I'm sick of him!
Darry: Well you can tell him nicely to stop!
Pony: That's Dallas Winston I'm talking to, Darry! Do you really think he'd just stop?!
Darry: Yeah, you do have a point... But still. How old are you again?
Pony: 13 and a half! Dal's 16.
Darry: Okay... and is that how you think 13 year olds are supposed to talk?
Pony: Yeah! Everyone else in the gang does it!
Darry: Well no one except for me is old enough to cuss. So here's what you're gonna do; You're gonna call Dally back and you are going to apologize to him for what you said. And you are going to apologize like you mean it. Understood?
Pony: I don't want to apologize!
Darry: Well Pony, it's what all half decent people always have to end up doing. So go get it over with, then I'm taking your phone.

Ponyboy got up and started walking to back to his room, trying to stop crying as fast as he could so Dally wouldn't have another reason to make fun of him. But before they could make it down the hallway, Pony decided to put his 2 bits in about Soda.

Pony: Darry?
Darry: Yes?
Pony: You know Soda and his friends curse too, right?
Darry: What- no. What?! No they don't Ponyboy! Stop trying to drag other people down with you! You're on your own this time!
Pony: *sniff*  But they do curse! They curse all the time!
Darry: No they don't. Go call Dal back, apologize, and represent yourself.
Pony: Okay...

Ponyboy called Dallas and talked about how he was so sorry for cussing at him and that it would never happen again. Of course, Dally couldn't give 2 craps about what Pony said to him, so he just replied with 'um okay' or 'that's fine' most of the time. A few minutes later, they said bye and hung up the phone.

Darry: Alright Pony, good job. Now, this phone is mine now.
Pony: For how long?
Darry: Hmm... for 2 weeks.
Pony: *sigh*  I promise you, I'm gonna catch Soda and his friends cussing! I promise you that!
Darry: Yeah, I'm sure you will Pony... Soda and his friends are good kids. They do not cuss, trust me. They are good. Kids.
Pony: *whispering*  Soda and his friends are good kids my *ss...

After the whole fiasco, the day went on as usual. Ponyboy was bored without his phone, but that was part of the process. Although Darry knew how bad Pony felt, he was happy he had learned a lesson. He just hoped there'd be no more drama. It was always something with Pony. He couldn't behave to save his life! Other than that, things were uneventful. Or so he thought...

Soda and Steve came back from the DX and were hanging out in the bedroom. Well, more like arguing. Soda had done something to annoy Steve at the DX and they were fighting it out. Ponyboy heard this while walking to the bathroom and decided to eavesdrop for a bit. After-all, they did leave the door wide open. Not even a few minutes in, Steve called Soda an *sshole. Bingo! 

Pony knew they cursed. Only difference was they were smart enough to whisper it so they'd never be caught. Well that was about change. Pony practically sprinted to Darry's room, grabbed the camera, and started secretly recording the whole argument.

Steve: I think it's obvious that when someone says stop, it means you stop! God, you're stupid!
Soda: You're such a baby! The only thing you can come up with is 'stupid'? Johnny insults people better than that!
Steve: What's the matter? You can't handle the truth, son of a b***h?
Soda: It ain't the truth *sshole! No one asked for your damn opinion!

Pony decided that was all the footage he needed. He stopped recording, shut the door, then went back to the living room where Darry was watching TV, suddenly startled by the excited greaser in front of him.

Pony: DARRY! SODA CURSES! SODA CURSES! SODA CURSES!
Darry: Woah, what's wrong Pony? What are you so excited about?
Pony: *jumping up and down*  SODA CURSES! SODA CURSES! SODA CURSES! HAHA! SODA CURSES!
Darry: Ponyboy, Soda does not curse, okay? Stop trying to drag other people down with you.
Pony: THAT'S WHAT YOU WOULD THINK! BUT CHECK OUT MY VIDEO!
Darry: You have a video?
Pony: YEAH! WATCH IT!
Darry: Alright, I'll watch it!

Darry sat back on the armchair as the video played. He couldn't help but laugh at it. He never would've thought innocent Soda would actually have it in him to cuss someone out, let alone his best friend. He went to break up the argument and talk to the boys about their language. The youngest greaser sat on the couch and smiled.

Another one goes down with Ponyboy... He thought.