Sunburn (Stevepop)

Ch 10- What Dally and Johnny have

Once they made it to the Curtis house, Steve and Dallas sat on the living room couch for some time talking. Dally has gotten to telling them about his newfound relationship with Johnny, and how Sylvia was trying to get in the way. He said he loved him with all his heart, but he still thought sometimes about her. She always satisfied the "lustful fire inside him" that Johnny refused to do anything about. "He's not ready, he's not ready, whatever..."
It made Ponyboy mad that he would be so inconsiderate of Johnny's feelings. Seeing his unwillingness to put out as nothing more than a road block, talking about it to all his friends even though he obviously doesn't like it.
Soda broke away from the group, which had effortlessly formed around Dally when he started venting about his previously unknown relationship. He walked to the kitchen, and Two-bit took the chance to follow him.
"Hey Soda," he said awkwardly.
He cracked open a Pepsi from the fridge, "Two-bit."
Soda immediately assumed he'd want to talk more about Sandy, and he didn't feel up to it at all. He was bummed out enough as it is.
"Listen, after Mr. Steve-o called me from the bar, him 'n' Evie were together the whole time at the movies..."
Soda questioned if they were yelling at each other the whole time, and he shook his head.
"It was almost as loud, though!" Two said, laughing.
After he explained, Soda looked and muttered "Oh... Uh, thanks. W-why are you telling me?"
He threw an arm over Soda's shoulder he looked at Steve across the house. He looked tired, his denim vest barely covered his chest, his hair fell over his forehead. Two looked back at Soda, who had joined in the staring, and gave him a meaningful smile.
"Just thought you'd wanna know," he said, but that's of course not why.
Soda returned the smile, sighed, and thanked him again.

Dally left after a while to find Johnny, and Pony huffed and went to bed. Darry went to bed too, complaining that staying up past 11 will ruin his sleep schedule. Two-bit didn't want to stand between Steve and Soda then, even though he wished he could stay and watch whatever happened, so he left for home soon after. Without anybody around, they didn't have to pretend nothing happened, and so there was an awkward silence for a few moments.
"You got anything to say to me?" Steve piped up.
"What?"
"You're the one that said we should talk. So...?"
He cleared his throat, "Alright. Uhh, what's with all the drunk making out with Evie at the movies, Steve? What ever happened to I don't love her anymore, huh?"
"Hey, well..." He stood and shouted defensively, "You're still backin' up Sandy even though she's bad news!"
"Man..." he sighed, "I know that... C'mon, what do you want from me?"
Steve looked nervous, looked in his eyes and muttered, "Maybe I want what Dally and Johnny have..."

Soda pov
"...We could do it better though, I think..." he followed up with a mutter.
Steve's eyes were shimmering with tears again. I hate seeing him cry, especially since it's been years since I even heard of him crying. He ran his hands through and over his hair nervously, sweating. Nervous, sweating, crying. Who is this guy and what did he do with Steve Randle?
"Wh... What Johnny and Dally have-what are you talking about?" I sputtered.
He rolled his eyes, just like Steve does, and whispered, "You know, like... D-dating and shit, Soda..."
I swear none of it was hitting me. Not a single word was actually getting to my head. He wants to date me? Why?
"W-what about that lady crush you were talking about? The one you wouldn't tell me the name of- oh..."
He smiled shyly when he saw me realize, his cheeks were brighter pink then his shoulders.
Suddenly I remembered, "Wait, Sandy..."
"Soda, she's no good to you! Come on, you just said you know that!..."
"I know, but... She says you're no good to Evie, okay? I wouldn't be doing myself any favors jumping out of one bad relationship to another, Steve!... I-I can't take your word over hers on this, of all things."
He was pacing in front of me, back and forth and back and forth, farther away and close to me, far and close and far and close.
He stopped a few feet away from me, not looking at me, "Really, man? We're back on this again? Look, she-... I just-..."
He kept starting sentences that faltered before they could get anywhere. He paced some more. He stopped less than foot from me.
"Hey, Soda, look, this is different. I love you-"
"Man, don't say that...!" I spat out, "This can't happen, we both got girlfriends-"
"Girlfriends that don't love us," he suddenly held my hands in his, "And that we don't love... Right, Soda?"
I looked down at the floor, avoiding his entrancing gaze.