Steve sat in his car outside the curtis residence. He had been contemplating walking up to the porch but kept hesitating. See steve had broken a promise, he had had told darry and pony he would return home from vietnam with their brother, but he had failed and had since been living with the guilt.
Before he had the chance to start his car again there was a knock at his window "geez two-bit, scare me like that" steve jumped. "Why dont you just go inside man, i know they'd love to see you man". Two-bit opened steves door. The two made their way up to the front door.
As soon as the door was open, darry wrapped his arms around steve "welcome home brother". Steve began to sob into darry's shirt "i'm so sorry, i couldn't save him" "hey, now you listen, its not your fault you hear me. Now if you need a place to stay, you are more than welcome to pony's old room".
So steve settled in to the curtis house. It was somewhat strange not seeing his best friend every day though. He had gotten a job at the old dx where he worked, but because it was still owned by the same boss, he was instantly made store manager.
Pony was lying in his bed when he was awoken by screaming accross the hall. He got up and made his way to his old bedroom. Darry went to the bathroom and grabbed a glass of water. He handed it to pony.
Pony stepped inside the room and tried to shake steve awake, but when he couldnt wake him, he threw the glass of water in steves face. "Shit kid, why are throwing water at me" steve wiped his face on the shirt that was thrown on the floor.
"Sorry, but i tried to wake you, you were having a nightmare, kept yelling for soda" pony explained. Pony then left and came back with another glass of water. Steve drank the water and just sat there not saying anything.
Pony was about to leave the room. "Pony, could you, are maybe, um i mean you dont have to go" pony could see what steve was asking and he could tell he was a little embarresed. "Scoot over" pony told him. Pony had missed the comfort of sodas arms around him at night, so being comforted by steve and being able to do the same for him, was almost as good as having soda beside him.
"Thanks kid, you know i always thought you were just a little brat, but now not so much" pony took this as a compliment. Coming from steve it was probably the closest thing he'd ever get to an apology from him.
