Steve never hated Ponyboy. Sure the kid could be annoying and Steve wasn't good at being kind around anyone other than Soda, but he didn’t hate the boy.
They had grown up together, ever since he had first met Sodapop, ever since he found refuge in the Curtis home with Soda and Darry and baby Ponyboy and mr and mrs Curtis. Ponyboy was like a really irritating little brother to him. He'd never say it, but he cared.
So when Ponyboy was in the passenger seat of his car on the way back from school—Steve often picked him up, what with Two-Bit skipping so often—and Steve heard him mumble about being stuck with him he frowned.
"Ya got a problem wit' me pickin' ya up?" He asked, glancing at Pony.
Pony clenched his jaw and looked out the window. "You don't have ta bring me home. I know you don't wanna." He grumbled.
Steve's brows deepend. He kept his eyes on the road, keeping himself from staring at Ponyboy like he had grown a second head. What was he on about? Where had he gotten the idea that Steve was doing this for any reason other than the fact he had chosen to? Did he think Sodapop was forcing him or something?
"What are ya talkin' 'bout?" He asked.
"Don't play dumb. I know ya hate me. Soda's gotta force ya to play nice but I know."
That's when it dawned on Steve. Ponyboy really did think he hated him.
He was silent for a long time, driving more so on autopilot now as he pondered on how he could show Pony he cared. He didn’t want to go the full five yards with all the words from the heart bullshit. That wasn't how he was. Steve Randle was tuff and he had to play the part, even in front of the gang.
It took until they turned onto the street the Curtis house was on for Steve to figure it out.
He parked the car and locked the doors so Pony couldn't get out just yet. Ponyboy glared at him when the car door didn't budge.
"Ponyboy, I wanna talk to ya." Steve said, forcing his features to soften. He was tryna show he cared, not look angry. For once, he had to show at least a little vulnerability.
With a shrug, Ponyboy leaned back in his chair, staring ahead of him.
"Ya know I drive ya home by choice, right?"
Steve sighed. "Ya might not remember this, but when you was small, and me n' Soda was just friends back in grade school, Soda got jumped by a couple o' Socs." They had been much bigger than Soda, and Steve had been with Darry and Pony when they found him crumpled up on the ground in the lot once those no good Socs were done with him. He had been so small and they couldn't have even really known much about the Greaser versus Soc rivalry just yet.
"Yer Ma and Pa brought him to the clinic n' you n' Darry had to stay home." Steve continued, watching closely as Ponyboy began to turn to him, listening to him talk. "Darry was scared outa his mind. You was too."
Steve remembered so clearly how small and scared Ponyboy had looked then. Eyes filled with tears, ready to bawl, asking about Soda while Darry paced.
"I asked ya if you was ok." Steve said, "And ya just started bawling." He hadn’t known what to do. He didn’t have a kid sibling of his own, he didn’t have any experience comforting people. Not really. But he remembered that Mrs. Curtis would always bring him into a tight hug whenever his father got to harsh with him and he'd hoped it would be the right thing to do for Pony too. "I picked ya up, hugged ya 'n everythin'. And you just bawled, saying Soda's name over 'n over again." With a small smile, Steve looked at Ponyboy.
He was older now. He still bawled but less than when he was a little kid. He still had the same big, almost pleading grey-green eyes and Steve could see his face softening as he took in Steve's words.
"Ya ended up falling asleep on me."
Ponyboy just stared. He didn't say anything, didn't scoff disbelievingly. He just kept his eyes fixed on Steve, confused.
Steve cleared his throat. "What I mean to say is I don't hate ya, Pony." He said, awkwardly. "You're like a annoyin' kid brother, but a kid brother all the same. My kid brother, blood or not."
For a moment, there was only silence in the car. Steve almost expected Ponyboy to try to leave again, even though the doors were still locked shut. But instead, he reached over the middle console and—
He brought his arms up to wrap around Steve, hugging him for the first time since he was itty bitty. He was reminded of Mrs. Curtis' hugs, and Soda's. Warm, and tight in a way that made you feel grounded instead of trapped. Pony's hugs were like that, but a little awkward given both the console in the middle of them and the fact Steve wasn’t exactly known for his affectionate side.
Hesitantly, Steve brought his own arms up to wrap around the younger boy in turn.
@wearingpants look at what you've done to me
Anyway, this will probly get longer for when i post it on ao3 but here's what you get for now ig
@sodasodasodapop just cuz its steve randle angst (ill tag you in the soda angst fic too dw)
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