Stepping off the plane and traveling into the airport, Ponyboy takes a deep breath, chilly air filling his lungs. The redhead was finally glad to be back home, even if it was just for the holiday season. Thanksgiving all the way past New Years.

He was in his second year of college, working extra hard to be able to become what he wanted. The male wanted to be an author, but journaling was a close second, seeing as there really wasn't an author course.

Although this course was helpful. It gave him an insight on a lot of things. He was very thankful to have the teacher that he did. She was wonderful in every sense of the word.

The 21-year-old grabs his luggage once he manages to track it down, humming softly. He slips his backpack over his shoulders while he drags the suitcase on its wheels.

Someone from the gang was supposed to be picking him up. They were all still close and interactive with one another's lives. He wasn't all that surprised. They've all been a close-knit group for as long as he could remember.

He had known all of them for what seemed like his entire life. Soda and Darry were obvious because they were brothers, Two-Bit helped the younger redhead after getting beat up by some jerks at school and was instantly introduced, Johnny and Dallas showed up roughly around the same time, but Johnny was first, and Steve was Soda's best friend, so he was obviously there the longest out of the others.

The male's eyes scan around the airport, pursing his lips in thought. He wasn't sure who would pick him up or where they would be at. Darry only told him that someone was coming, and that his old room had been tidied up for his stay.

Soda had an apartment now, but still sometimes crashed at the house. And Darry still owned the house and kept it. He didn't see any reason in getting a new one, even after his brothers left to be somewhere else.

The redhead puffs his cheeks out. It had been a long time since he had seen anyone from the gang. He comes by for holidays every year. The male couldn't dream of spending them alone in the dorms.

But he was more than excited to see everyone.

"Hey, brat!" Someone calls.

Ponyboy found the voice to seem familiar, a bit gruff but gentle in a way, causing him to turn his head. And sure enough, there was Steve. Only he would call him something like that.

As the two got older, their senseless bickering stopped. Now it was just teasing and poking at one another for fun, not just out of spite. They both realized they needed to grow up and that being at one another's throat all of the time wasn't going to do anything.

The redhead couldn't help but grin widely, walking over with his suitcase rolling behind him. Once he got to the older male, he sticks his tongue out, a laugh bubbling up in his chest.

Ponyboy had managed to become taller than Steve, a devastating three inches, according to Steve. The brunette had been huffy when Ponyboy had surpassed him in height. Everyone had teased the older male that the baby was taller than him.

"Didn't think that Darry would send you of all people," Ponyboy teases, a hand moving to rest on his hip. "Last time I came home, Soda practically begged to be the one to get me."

"Well, no one else was free to do it," Steve responds, snickering. "Everyone else has work or was just plain busy with something else. You know how life is. I just happened to draw the short straw."

Although Steve wasn't going to mention that he took work off for this, and that everyone else was free too. Ponyboy would be harping about it for days if he knew. The whole gang had made sure that they could see the redhead when he came back home for Thanksgiving.

"Well thanks for volunteering, Steven," the younger redhead responds playfully. "Glad that you're here. Now let's go. I'm ready to see everyone. The flight felt like it took forever."

Steve rolls his eyes, and he simply grabs the redhead's suitcase from him, starting to walk off. He didn't mind helping out with taking things to his truck. The brunette had missed Ponyboy. Not that he'd admit it out loud, ever. Emotions weren't his thing, and it was sometimes easier to bury it deep inside of him where no one would ever see them.

The younger redhead simply follows, deciding not to fuss over Steve helping. If he was younger, he would have thought Steve was messed up in the head, trying to play some sort of trick on him. Now, he was happy to accept his help and not question it.

They eventually make it to Steve's truck, the redhead hopping into the passenger seat as Steve lifted his luggage into the backseat. The brunette gets in the truck and buckles up, starting the engine. This thing was his baby. He'd bought it back when he graduated and spent plenty of time keeping it in tip top shape.

"How's school been going?" Steve asks. "Straight A's, I assume. You've always been good at that."

Ponyboy giggles.

"For your information... I've got a B in my Literary Theory and Criticism class," the redhead retorts. "Top grade though is my creative writing class that the college offers."

Steve playfully rolls his eyes, starting the drive back to the house he's spent plenty of time in. He had an apartment of his own, away from his dad. But he still slept over from time to time just as everyone else did. It was just rare now for Darry to have so much company.

"Oh wow, a B," Steve responds, lifting a hand off of the wheel to wave it playfully. "Absolutely groundbreaking, world shattering even."

Ponyboy laughs, the kind that tips his head back with the force of it. It was loud and genuine; one Steve didn't hear a lot when they were younger. He certainly never made Ponyboy laugh like that. This time it was him though. The brunette glances at the younger male and he felt his stomach twist at the sight.

Steve looks back at the road though, a grin pulling at the corners of his lips. The brunette was happy for the younger male. Everyone in their friend group knew that he would be the one to go off and do something with his life. Not that any of them weren't capable. Darry could have gone to college and Steve could have too. Out of everyone, they were the most book smart.

"Hardy-har," Ponyboy responded once he had stopped laughing. "I swear you got funnier as I got older. Still a grouch... but being funny helps."

Steve huffs as Ponyboy made that comment, turning his head for a moment to look at him. Although he was quick to look back at the road. Getting into a car accident was the lowest thing on the list of things he needed to happen while bringing Ponyboy home.

"Could say the same about you, shrimpy. Couldn't see past all your annoyingness until you got all mature," Steve responds, a hand moving to punch Ponyboy's shoulder. "Didn't know you had it in you."

Ponyboy rolls his eyes in response.

"Shrimpy? Me? Do I need to remind you that I'm taller than you?"

"By three inches!"

Ponyboy barks out a laugh, shoving Steve's shoulder carefully. He didn't want to cause them to crash. The redhead would feel awful. But he knew that they were just having fun with one another.

The drive continued just like how it had been, teasing one another with their usual back and forth banter. Steve was enjoying every minute of it, the grin on his face proving it, even if he wouldn't vocalize it.

Eventually Steve pulled up to the Curtis house, parking on the side of the road. Ponyboy thought that it had looked the same as it always had. It seemed a little smaller though... Maybe because he was older and bigger than what he once was.

The redhead chews his lower lip as he stares out of the window.

"Ready to head inside?" Steve asks gently, moving a hand to rest on his shoulder. "Everyone is excited to see you again."

Ponyboy smiles softly, relaxing under Steve's touch, as small as it was.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm ready."

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Welcome to my steveboy story!

I've been absolutely dying to write one of these. I love this ship and I love Steve, so it only makes sense that I give out some steveboy content! I hope you guys can enjoy this! I love the holiday season and thought steveboy would be perfect for some soft content :)

I started writing this at the beginning of Ocotber and have been waiting ever since to publish this. It's been so hard being patient but it's finally time to let everyone get a look at this! I'm so incredibly excited to finally be able to publish this and have it get the love it deserves!

Also, an absolutely huge dedication to miss @greaserbabes who has helped me so much with this. I've been writing it on a google doc and she's been reading along and helping me with editing if she sees any mess ups as well as just hyping this thing up! An absolute saint right here. Thank you so much, Rae <3