I’ve Seen Posts About Darry Longing For The Days When Ponyboy Used To Adore Him, But What About The

I’ve seen posts about Darry longing for the days when Ponyboy used to adore him, but what about the other way around?

Ponyboy, convinced that his eldest-brother-turned-guardian hates him now, longs to go back to a time when Darry actually seemed to like having him around. The days when Darry made Pony feel like his special little buddy.

Darry who used to give Pony piggyback rides, even after Pony was probably too big. “Nah, you’re light as a feather. That’s the advantage of bein a little shrimp.” “Am not!”

Darry who would do donuts in the car because it made Soda and Pony feel just like a roller coaster. It was so much more fun than driving with mom or dad. They never did donuts.

Darry who always made Pony feel so smart and talented and confident; who would help him with his homework and high five him for the right answer, who would play football with him and who was grinning ear to ear the first time Pony beat Darry when they raced each other. “We got us a new star athlete in the family!”

Darry who marveled at Pony’s drawings and asked him for a special sketch every year for his birthday, telling Pony it was his favorite birthday present when Pony felt bad about not having money to buy him anything.

Darry who protected Pony from bullies, who told him that the kids who made fun of him for using big words he learned from books were just jealous cuz he’s smart and they’re dumb.

Darry who comforted Pony after he got scolded by their parents. “Mama don’t mean nothin by it, she’s just worried about you is all.”

Darry who always made Pony feel so safe. He’d crawl into Darry’s lap or his bed when he was little and then not so little and Darry would hold him in those strong arms that felt like an impenetrable fortress where nothing could touch him.

Darry who would always come back from grocery shopping for mom with Pony’s favorite candy, who would ruffle his hair and tickle him and play pranks with him and laugh with him………

And now, Darry acts like he can’t stand the sight of him. Darry used to be so proud of him, and now Pony can’t seem to do anything right. Pony used to see Darry as his protector, and now Darry is the one he’s afraid of, who yells at him with that booming voice like the thunder he used to hide from by burying his head in Darry’s chest.

And the worst part is, Pony doesn’t even know what he’s done wrong. He doesn’t know why Darry’s love for him, Darry’s enjoyment of being his big brother, seemingly died with their parents. He doesn’t know at what point Darry will decide he’s enough of a burden and send him away. Everyone says that’s never gonna happen, but Darry sure acts like he wants to.

Pony doesn’t know why he can’t just hate Darry back, why he can’t seem to make himself stop seeing Darry as his hero when it would be so much easier to cast him as the villain; why he can’t get rid of the feeling that all he wants is for his big brother to love him again.