The Outsiders one shots (cause why not)

One shot

A year after The Outsiders, Steve, Soda, and Two-bit got drafted to Vietnam (or whatever war was going on then). All throughout high school, Pony lived with just Darry in an empty, quiet house. He kept his grades up and stayed out of trouble as much as he possibly could. 

In the middle of Pony's senior year, he got a letter addressed to him. He'd been accepted to Yale. Full scholarship. He wished the rest of the gang was there to celebrate. Though he was alone at the moment, he could imagine everyone's reactions. Soda and Johnny would lift him up and hug him tightly. Two-bit would give a loud holler of excitement. Steve would pat him on the back and say "congratulations". Dally would do one of those three things. But none of them were there. There was no one around for Pony to share his pride with. 

Tears formed in his eyes as he carefully set the acceptance letter down on the table and wandered out to the front yard for some fresh air. A memory rushed over him. Not an important one. Just a memory. From several years ago. Pony was sitting at his moms feet as Soda and Steve were wrestling in the yard. His dad was walking through the gate with Darry, both of them holding a bag of groceries. 

Pony moved over to the other side of the yard and a different memory fell into place. It was Cristmas day a few years ago. The whole gang was there, building a huge seven-foot-tall snowman right in front of the house. Darry went inside to grab a camera, but the snowman fell right on top of Steve, Dally, Pony, and Johnny before he got back. 

He went back into the house and looked at the living room. In his mind, he saw Johnny's fifteenth birthday surprise party. There were so many streamers hanging from the ceiling and they all ended up on the floor about three minutes in. Dally handed Johnny a present and it was the jeans jacket Johnny'd always worn since. 

The house wasn't empty after all. It was full of memories. Pony would take them all with him when he went off to Yale, and to the rest of his life. Darry wouldn't ever be alone between then and when the others came back.