The Outsiders Imagines & Preferences

{Curtis Siblings} Almost Halloween; Don't Ruin It

Info: Platonic. Emotional hurt/comfort. Female!reader. Curtis!reader. Y/N is like 7ish in this. 2nd person p.o.v..

Warnings: Angst. Tantrums. Mentions of dead parents.

For welliqque :)

"When is Darry coming home?"

"I told you, he has to work late today," Soda reminded you. "Go to bed now, it's late."

"But I wanted to ask him about Halloween! How am I supposed to do that if he never has time for me?"

"You can ask him at breakfast tomorrow, okay? Come on, it's already past your bedtime."

You crossed your arms and plopped down onto the living room floor, ready to throw a tantrum if you had to. "I don't care! I never even get to see Darry anymore," you complained.

Sodapop sighed. "I know. But he has to work so we can pay the bills, honey. He would spend more time with you if he could."

"He could if you would let me stay up."

"If I did that you'd be tired and grumpy tomorrow and fall asleep in class."

"I don't care! I want Darry to have time for me!"

It sounded stupid even to your own ears — what was Sodapop supposed to do about Darry's being so busy all the time? But, as you were so fond of telling your brother, you didn't care. Since Darry wasn't there to suffer your mood, Soda would have to, even if deep down you felt a little bad about it. Part of you knew there was no point to this, but you had no other way to deal with your frustration, so you did what you did best and started crying.

"No, no, no. Don't do that." Soda knelt down in front of you and held out his arms for a hug. "Come here."

You reluctantly moved closer and let him hug you. It wasn't like that meant you were giving in, was it? No, of course not. You just wanted a hug, that was all.

Soda cradled you on his lap and said, "I'll talk to Darry, okay?"

"Can you make him have time on Halloween?"

"I think so. What do you wanna go as?"

"A vampire! But if Darry wants to be something else we can be whatever he wants... You can make him dress up too, right?"

"I'll see what I can do," Soda promised, ruffling your hair. "Now how about you go to bed, yeah? We don't want Darry to get upset because you're ignoring your bedtime."

No, you definitely didn't want that. If Darry was mad at you, he might ban you from going trick or treating altogether.

"Fine. But I want a goodnight story."

Soda wiped the tears from your face and nodded. "I'll send Pony to read you one, alright?"

"Hmm."

He pulled you to your feet and kissed your head, before wishing you goodnight and sending you off with a reminder to brush your teeth.

When you entered the bedroom you shared with Darry, Ponyboy was already waiting, book in hand.

You'd started sharing a bedroom with Darry shortly after the death of your parents. The oldest and your favorite of your brothers had been the only one able to console you in your grief, and after Soda and Pony had started sleeping together too because of the younger's nightmares, you had refused to go back to sleeping alone even after getting used to life without your parents. Though, with Darry working so much and often coming home late, you had to fall asleep without his comforting hugs anyway more often than not.