It was only a day later, and Steve still couldn't get Ponyboy's face out of his mind. He'd looked so defeated and the vision of it was burned into his mind. The brunette wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around the redhead and keep him close until the end of days.

He hated seeing him so sad and knowing that there wasn't any way that he could have helped him. At least he thought that there was no way that he could help him. The thought of that alone ate him up all night.

And he also thought about what Ponyboy was going to say. The younger male had said he was thinking about someone. As much as the thought hurt, Steve assumed it was someone back at college who had his heart. Ponyboy would never pick him.

The brunette was currently sitting on the couch in his apartment, Soda lounging right next to him. Despite having their own places, Soda found himself on Steve's couch often. He had grown up in a house that was full of people and their usual chatter for years and years. Going straight to silence was hard. Steve's company was always better than silence, in his opinion.

Steve was bumped out of his thoughts when Soda nudged his elbow against his ribs not once, but twice. It was a bit rough, but the older male knew that Soda just wanted his attention. He turns to his best friend, a grumpy expression on his face. One that Soda had ignored over years of friendship, being persistent as always.

"I can see the smoke coming out of your ears," the blonde teases, laughing. "You're gonna hurt your brain with all that thinking. Might knock a screw loose. What're you thinking about?"

Steve rolls his eyes.

"I ain't thinking about anything," the brunette responds, shrugging his shoulders. "I guess I just spaced out or something."

"You've been spacing out a lot lately," Soda comments. "I was trying to talk to you about my raise yesterday and you were just off in your own world. It reminds me of Ponyboy, his head's always in the clouds. I guess that's what makes him a good writer though."

Steve snickers, nodding his head. Ponyboy had always been an airhead, always thinking about anything else but what he actually needed to be thinking about. It had gotten him into loads of trouble over the years. And as much as it irritated Steve because the redhead would end up hurt, he thought that it was cute. Ponyboy was dreamy. That's just who he was. No one could ever change that about him.

The brunette had caught Ponyboy staring off into space plenty of times. It was usually when he was drawing. He used to bring that sketchbook of his into work and sit in the garage, claiming that the usual flock of girls up front would be too distracting. He wasn't really wrong, but Steve had been too thick-headed to realize that it was an excuse to sit in the garage with him. Hell, he still wasn't aware of that now. And how when Ponyboy was spacing out, it was always in his general direction. Always.

Another two jabs to his ribs from Soda's elbow.

"You're doing it again!" Soda whines, looking at his best friend with amused eyes. "I'm gonna start getting real concerned about you if you don't cut it out. Talk to me."

Steve chews at his lower lip as he looks at Soda. He didn't want the blonde to know that he was thinking about Ponyboy. The blonde would probably wring his neck on the spot. That was his baby brother, even if he was old enough to legally drink now. Although he knew well enough that Soda couldn't figure it out on his own. His best friend was one of the most oblivious people that he knew.

Soda stares at Steve with a concentrated expression, trying to rack his brain for any kind of information about why the older male would be spacing out so much. There had to be something, anything. He wouldn't be so out of it for no reason.

Eventually his eyes widened.

"There's a girl!"

Steve's cheeks flush a deep shade of red at Soda's outburst. Alright, so maybe he was a lot closer than he originally thought. It was bad that he'd never exactly gotten around to telling Soda about his attraction to the same sex. He was never sure how to.

The older male's reaction was the only answer that he needed. Soda grins widely and he grabs Steve's shoulders, shaking him excitedly. Steve hadn't dated anyone since Evie. They'd broken up when they were 19. Steve was now 24. That was a long gap to be single.

"Who is she?" Soda asks cheerfully, continuing to shake Steve by his shoulders. "You never tell me about girls you like anymore! I thought you were gonna die alone and grumpy!'

"Ouch," Steve responds bluntly, moving to take Soda's hands from his shoulders. All of his shaking was going to scramble his brains. "And maybe I'm not ready to say."

"Really?" Soda asks, sticking his lower lip out in a small pout. "She must be awfully special if you're keeping her to yourself."

The brunette moves a hand to rub the back of his neck sheepishly, his face still red hot. He stares at the blonde in front of him, taking a small breath. Soda had every right to know about him. As his best friend, Soda needed to know.

"Soda... It ain't a girl..."

"Well, who else are you going to like?"

"Soda..."

"I mean, seriously," Soda babbles. "Who else are you going to like if not a girl?"

"Soda..."

Steve stares at Soda with a pained expression. Mostly for the fact that his heart was pounding at the thought of Soda dropping him completely after this, that he was gross for liking boys. The other part being that Soda could be so painfully stupid sometimes."

Soda furrows his eyebrows in thought. Steve sure was confusing sometimes. Who could he even like if it wasn't a girl? Steve had always liked girls. They talked about girls and cars a lot while growing up. He was confused.

And it hit him like a bus.

Oh.

Oh.

Steve liked a boy.

"You like a boy?" Soda asks softly, staring at Steve with gentle eyes. He didn't want to scare him. "Steve..."

Steve cracks a weak grin as Soda finally cracks his code.

"Surprise," he breathes out. "I like boys."

"Just boys?"

Steve slowly nods his head. It had taken him so long to come to that conclusion and be okay with it. And even as much as he loved Evie, nothing compared to thinking about dating another man. It just... it fit so much better in his head. It felt normal. He loved Evie, but Evie wasn't a man.

Soda lurches forward and he wraps his arms around Steve tightly, listening to Steve's choked cries as the dam behind his eyes broke. The blonde squeezes him so tight that he thought his best friend would burst on the spot. Listening to Steve cry into his shoulder was heartbreaking. He had been scared...

"How long have you known?" Soda murmurs.

"Since before Evie..." Steve croaks, a heavy sob escaping his lips. "I didn't... I didn't want you to hate me. So, I never told you..."

Soda's eyes widen and he takes a shaky breath. Steve had started dating Evie at 16. And he stayed with her for three years knowing that it wasn't what he wanted, but what he thought was right.

"I could never hate you," Soda breathes out. "Never. Nothing could ever change that. You're my best friend and I love you so much."

Steve sniffles and he lifts his head up, looking at Soda with red-rimmed and bloodshot eyes, his lower lip quivering. He never really cried, even in front of Soda. Bottling it up inside of him had always been easier for him. The brunette had an overwhelming sense of relief. Soda didn't hate him.

"Really?" The brunette responds shakily. "You don't?"

"I'd never dream of it," the blonde responds, his tone gentle and kind. He lifts a hand to wipe away Steve's tears, a small laugh escaping him. "Brothers for life, man."

Steve couldn't help but laugh.

Soda always had a way to make anyone laugh. He was thankful for that. There had been many times where the blonde had been the most comforting person in his life. He'd never forget any of that.

"Brothers for life."

And with that, they had both lost track of who exactly Steve had been fawning over. It wasn't the time to tell anyway. Spilling his guts about his sexuality had been hard enough, draining even.

Another day.