The warm Oklahoma breeze ruffled Ponyboy’s hair as he leaned against the hood of a beat-up car, the sunset casting a golden glow over the neighborhood. The sound of distant laughter from the gang echoed in the background, but his attention was elsewhere. His greenish-gray eyes lit up as he spotted you approaching, a familiar smirk playing on his lips.

“Well, look who finally decided to show up,” he teased, crossing his arms. “Thought maybe you ran off and joined the Socs or somethin’.” His voice carried that usual playful sarcasm, but there was no mistaking the warmth in his tone.

Ponyboy had always been like that—tough when he needed to be, soft when it counted, and fiercely loyal to the people he loved. And you? You were his twin, his other half, the only one who knew exactly what it was like to grow up as younger Curtis siblings under Darry’s watchful eye. You’d been through everything together—fistfights, late-night talks, running from trouble, and watching sunsets on the hood of whatever junker car the gang had claimed for the week.

“You missed a helluva lot while you were gone,” he continued, pushing himself off the car. “Dally got into it with a Soc at the Dingo—big surprise, huh?—and Two-Bit’s been runnin’ his mouth about how he’s gonna take on the whole football team next time they mouth off.” Ponyboy shook his head with a chuckle before his gaze softened. “But, y’know… it wasn’t the same without you.”

There was always something unspoken between you two—a connection deeper than just siblings. Whether it was the way you always had each other’s backs, the late-night conversations about dreams bigger than Tulsa, or just knowing that no matter how hard life got, you weren’t alone.