#I think the only argument I can think of to counter this would be if you live in a state where it's genuinely illegal to have anything else

[broareweabouttoviberightnow]

Do you think that you could do a minific about Darry's birthday and the gang accidently forgetting?

OOH!!! I love this!! I will do my best!! TY FOR THE ASK!!! fic under the cut!!!

Darry spent most of his life largely indifferent about his birthday. He celebrated it, sure, but that was mostly because Soda loved an excuse to have a party and the rest of the gang loved an excuse for Mrs. C to make her famed chocolate cake. It was never a real extravagant affair or nothin', just reason to get everyone in one place.

Until Darry's 20th birthday. But they don't really talk about that.

It's been a year now. Exactly. And Darry's been celebratin' by bribin', cajolin', 'n everythin' just short of pleadin' to work on January 5th, 1968. He finally gets the only thing he'd wanted on the 4th when his boss concedes. He had always been a real good guy, had been real good to his father. He'd put up the cursory argument that he should be home with family. Darry had countered he'd be better off away.

He's not sure what he's meant to be feelin' when he wakes up on the 5th. Different. Maybe. He rubs his eyes blearily and glances around at the still-dark room. When they had been kids, the only time Soda ever got up early was Pony 'n Darry's birthdays. He'd always wake them up with that big shinin' grin.

Darry hasn't seen that smile in a year. And the room is empty.

He dresses in the dark, throwin' on the first clean pair of Levi's he puts his hands on. His fingers are on the knob of the closet before he thinks better of it. He knows the hollow ghost of the dark suit he's only worn to funerals will be waitin' for him in the shadowy corners. It's been worn three times. Three times too many.

The house is quiet once he pads out into the hall and down to the kitchen. Steve's soft snores and Pony's raspy wheezes float down from beneath the closed door of the boy's room. Soda is the only silent sleeper. The only time he's ever quiet.

Darry's gotten used to the lonely mornin's. Before- well, before everythin'- Dallas would always get up real early 'n crawl up on the counter by the window. When Johnny would stay the night he'd always wake up when Darry turned on the stove. It wasn't unusual to find all three of them crowded in the kitchen 'n not sayin' one word.

There's a sharp ache in Darry's chest he can't fully ignore. Before he realizes what he's doin' there's already two plates of eggs out. He blinks hard, presses his fingers into his eyes.

"G'mornin' Darry." Pony still doesn't look fully awake, eyes mostly lidded, sleep cloudin' his voice.

"Mornin', kiddo." Darry slides the plate across the table to Pony, who plops down hard and instantly tucks in. He doesn't say anythin' else. Darry turns back around, squeezin' his eyes shut. Glory, he was a mess. So what the kid didn't remember. Darry wasn't gonna remind him. If it didn't hurt don't prod at it.

He flips another egg. Each of the boys ate like horses. It wasn't until Darry started cookin' all the time he would think of the way his dad would grin 'n joke they were gonna eat him outta house 'n home. Darry bites his lip on the choked little whine he can feel climbin' up his throat.

"Soda wake up." Steve still sounds sleepy and Darry can imagine him kickin' at Soda to get him off. Soda slept like a choker vine. If he managed to trick you into sharin' a bed he'd be out like a light in thirty seconds and you wouldn't be able to wake him up with an air horn to shake him off in the mornin'. "Sodaaaa."

Pony scowls and Darry uses the blessed distraction to swipe at the stray tear fallin' down his face. "I'm up, I'm up." Soda mumbles in a way that tells Darry that he'll be asleep again in fifteen seconds. The next sound is so familiar Darry would recognize it in his sleep. The distinctive noise of one of their poor battered pillows slammin' into Soda's head and Soda's resultin' indigent cries.

Darry chuckles and Pony glares solely because he's not involved. Darry plates the last egg and realizes they're out only when he puts his hand blindly back into the carton. He lets out a sigh and massages his temple with the heel of his hand. Well, there goes his breakfast.

Steve and Soda appear in the doorway, twin grins and pillow-touseled hair. Soda ruffles Pony's so now they're all matchin' 'n drops down into the chair beside him.

"Mornin' Darry! Shit Pony save me some fuckin' eggs before you eat them all!" He snatches his plate that Pony started in on since he 'n Steve were clearly too busy.

Darry white knuckles the sink. Ok. So they both aren't mentionin' it. That's fine. That's ok. And he stomps down hard on the resentment he feels shoot through his chest. Part of him wants so badly for them to turn 'n shake their heads in shock. How they could have forgotten! How could they have done that! He wants to turn around 'n ask shit haven't you missed somethin'?

He wants his dad to pat him on the shoulder. He wants his mom to let him have cake for breakfast. He wants Dallas to joke that Darry's an old man now. He wants Johnny's hand-drawn cards he always made on everyone's birthdays since he couldn't afford nothin' else. He was always so embarrassed about that, but they were the best present Darry ever got.

"Darry, you ok?" And Darry realizes his mistake too late. Soda's brows are all knit together and Pony looks lost and Steve's rubbin' the back of his neck in a way Darry knows he got from him but Darry got from their dad and suddenly it's all just too much.

"Yeah! I'm fine!" But he feels vomit come up the back of his throat and the words come out more forced than an armed robbery. The screen door bangs open and it's all a blur now so he doesn't even pause for a second before he thinks oh good, ma's home. Or maybe it's Dallas. God knows that kid's always at every meal. Shit, hopefully, Johnny didn't sleep in the lot last night, he'll never warm up.

But then Two ducks into the kitchen with a smile that slips right off his face the second he takes in Darry's face. "Dar-?"

"I gotta get to work." He doesn't hesitate another second because then he really will vomit or sob and he can't do either. Not in front of his brothers.

"Darry- wait!" But the truck's already started and he's already backin' out of the drive about fifteen miles too fast and he doesn't look at the house at all as he guns it down the street.

It's fine. He's fine.

...

It's after midnight when he finally crawls home feelin' like perhaps the worst brother in the entire world. There's still a light on in the kitchen and he grips the steerin' wheel tight.

Shit. He should have stayed with them. He shouldn't have left. It didn't matter they didn't remember. Shit, he's glad they don't. Because it's not just his birthday anymore. It's another excuse for them to remember the people they're missin'. It's the anniversary of the day their lives changed. And Darry would rather have them forget about him forever than have to feel that pain.

He eases the front door open as softly as he can, steppin' through and easin' off his tool belt and boots at the door. He can see the shadows of at least one boy at the table and he sighs softly and slips into the kitchen.

The whimper he makes is entirely uncontrolled. Soda 'n Pony slump against each other at the table, frostin' on Soda's cheek 'n Pony's nose. Two-Bit managed to fall asleep propped against the counter, Steve leanin' dangerously far back in his chair.

On the table is a chocolate cake Darry already knows will taste just like their ma's because Soda spent hours at her side while she lovin'ly stroked his hair 'n showed him how to crack an egg just right. Two candles have burned entirely out and Darry maybe should be cross about them fallin' asleep with an open flame but he can't feel anythin' right now but love.

Pony blinks blearily at takes a couple seconds to register Darry standin' there. A complicated swirl of emotions flit across his face and Darry realizes he's just standin' there cryin'. He reaches up to swipe them off his face but he's too slow and Pony has jarred Soda awake and now Steve 'n Two are both up and lookin' at him guiltily.

"Y'all didn't have to do all this." And his voice sounds all wobbly and weak and he thinks get it together because he's supposed to be strong for them. He's not supposed to let this get to him.

Soda doesn't say anythin'. Just flies around the table 'n wraps him in a hug and Darry's cryin' all over again. Darry just envelopes him and lets himself sob. He feels Pony shove his head into his side and makes room for him in his arms.

"I'm sorry." He says after a long moment, voice thick with tears.

"No! We're sorry. I can't believe we..." Soda trails off and Pony shakes his head and Darry had wanted this so bad only this mornin' but now it just makes him want to bawl again.

"I didn't want to say anythin' 'n upset y'all." Soda buries his head in Darry's neck and Darry can feel Pony nestle into his chest. Two's hand comes down on his shoulder and when Darry looks up Steve is hoverin' by, uncertainly. Darry grabs the kid and pulls him in and knows they're all thinkin' about the same people.

When Soda looks up his eyes are bright in the dull kitchen lamp. "It's not all bad." Darry cocks his head, lets his kid brothers go, gently.

"Your birthday's still worth celebratin' to us. Hell, the day I got the best brother in the world is still worth rememberin' to me."

Darry lets out a soft sob and presses a kiss to Soda and Pony's foreheads. He ruffles Steve's hair and squeezes Two's shoulder and takes a steadin' breath. Maybe it hurts. Maybe it always would. But there was a relief in the ache. The ache made him remember. And if it was painful, maybe there was a chance he could heal. Maybe.

"Well, if it's still my birthday one of y'all better get a knife. I want a piece of my brother's famous cake."

Darry had spent most of his life largely indifferent about his birthday. He wasn't sure what he felt now. But he'd gotten exactly what he'd wanted. His brothers all gathered together. Safe for tonight. And that made tomorrow that much more bearable.