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Sodapop wasn't a particularly light sleeper. But he could feel his kid brother slip out of his arms and stumble out of bed. Soda sits up, rubbing his eyes.
"Ponyboy? Ya alright?" He asks quietly.
Pony makes a little sound. Soda stands up. "Did you have a nightmare, honey?"
"I can't– I don't w– I can't–" Ponyboy says like he can't get the words out.
Soda's confused now. "What are ya sayin', Pone?"
Ponyboy just says a few more incomplete sentences. It's at this point Sodapop realizes that Pony is sleepwalking. He sighs. At least he wasn't freaking out yet.
"Let's go t' bed, honey." It's a futile attempt, Ponyboy had never been able to really hear them when he's like this.
"I want– I ca– bathroom..." Soda sighs. He helps Pony to the bathroom and hopes Ponyboy can figure out himself as Sodapop leaves to wake Darry up. Pony is saying something about the sun needing sunscreen.
He opens the door to Darry's room. He's not sure what time it is but he's sure it's late. He shakes his sleeping brother's shoulder. He hates to do that but he needs help.
"Dar?"
Darry grunts. "Soda? What time izzit?"
"Umm... I dunno. Pone's sleepwalking." Darry groans loudly but gets up to handle it.
They find Ponyboy in the living room running around. It really would have been funny but it's just unsettling. He's clearly upset and making distressed sounds.
Goddamn him for being a track star. Eventually, Darry catches him on his arms. Pony gets real upset at that and thrashes around.
Sodapop threads his fingers through Pony's hair. "We should get 'im back t' bed." Darry nods.
Once in bed Ponyboy mellows out a little. But he starts to chatter to them, incoherently at first.
"I'm gonna... I'm gonna punch Tulsa..."
Darry nods faintly. "Sounds about right." Soda chuckles quietly.
Pony leans into Soda and murmurs, "I don't want you t' think I'm a murderer."
Sodapop stares at him. "Why would I think yer a murderer?"
"Because I'm a murderer." Ponyboy responds. He sounds upset again.
Pony's never replied to them before, he barely even speaks in full sentences. It was off-putting, I mean it's hard to not be off-put by that. Soda rubs Ponyboy's back.
"I don't think yer a murderer, baby." Pony doesn't respond. He doesn't respond again, as he finally drifted back into his peaceful sleep.
Darry is a bit tense, arms crossed. Soda lays Ponyboy back down. "Let's hope he stays asleep, huh?" Sodapop smiles. He smiles but he's got goosebumps that weren't exactly normal for how warm the room was. He hates seeing his baby brother hurting.
"You should go t' sleep, Pepsi. It's late and you have a double shift tomorrow."
Sodapop shrugs. "I'd rather keep an eye on him."
Darry furrows his brow. "I'm telling you to sleep Sodapop. I don't want ya running on 4 hours of sleep tomorrow. You've already been working yerself to the bone."
"Yer one to talk!" Soda huffs before lowering his volume. "Fine, alright. You sleep too. G'night."
Darry goes to leave. "Sweet dreams."
—
Sodapop was already nearly done his eggs when Ponyboy wakes up.. He groggily goes into the kitchen.
Darry hands Ponyboy his already made plate. "G'morning. How'd you sleep?"
Pony shrugs. "Fine." Soda smiles. "What?"
Soda sets his fork down and goes to wash his plate. "You were sleepwalkin' again."
Ponyboy swallows his food. "I was? I don't remember anything from last night. I don't even remember any dreams."
"Hm." Darry hums in interest. "Well you were just kinda runnin' around and babblin', nothing new."
"You said some kinda funny things." Sodapop laughed, even though in the moment it has been anything but funny. "Said you were gonna punch Tulsa."
Pony laughs aloud. "Glory, I really don't make a lick of sense when I'm asleep."
"To be fair, you barely make sense when you're awake."
Pony glares at him. "Hey!"
"Finish eating Pony. I can drive you to school if you're ready soon." With that promise Ponyboy quickly finishes getting ready.
Darry leans on the wall. "D'ya think we should tell him 'bout what he said."
Sodapop hesitates. "Naw, ain't no reason to worry him with that. He'd probably start thinkin' he's having premonitions."
Darry stares at Soda. "I'm more worried that you know what a premonition is."