It took Ponyboy a couple days to work up the courage to be able to even think about calling Steve to hang out with him. Mostly since he knew the older male had to work. It was Saturday and he knew for sure that he wasn't scheduled.

The redhead hadn't seen him at the house, so he pulls out his phone and taps on Steve's contact. He'd gotten everyone's number down pat before leaving for college when he first left. Everyone demanded that he call and check in, or that he called if he needed absolutely anything. Anything at all.

Ponyboy holds the phone to his ear, listening to it ringing. It took a couple of rings before Steve actually answered the phone. The redhead was nervous that he wouldn't pick up after what happened with Johnny.

"Hey, Pony," the brunette greets, his voice sounding gentler over the phone than it ever did in person. "What's up?"

"Hey," Ponyboy starts. "I was... I was wondering if you wanted to hang out. Like, just the two of us. I thought that we could go ice skating."

"Ice skating? I haven't done that since I was a kid."

The redhead laughs, smiling against the receiver of his phone, leaning back onto his bed so that he was lying flat. He felt like a teenage girl who finally got the guts to actually call her crush. And in a way, that's exactly what it was.

"Yeah, well I wanted to go ice skating, and no one would go with me," Ponyboy lies.

Although he knew everyone that was free would drop whatever they had going on to come with him. Even if a good handful of them didn't even know how to skate. And as sweet as that was, he wanted Steve to himself. That was all part of the plan.

"Not even Johnny?"

He could hear a hint of bitterness in Steve's voice.

"Johnny's busy today," the redhead responds simply. "Hanging out with Dallas."

It wasn't far from the truth. Johnny really was hanging out with Dallas. The redhead just didn't bother to ask him. Besides, even if he did, he'd ask to see if it was the plan to get Steve out alone, and then say no.

"Oh..."

"So, do you wanna come skating with me?" Ponyboy asks gently. "I'll even pay if you're worried about it."

"You ain't paying for shit," Steve says quickly, shutting that idea down just as quickly as it started, "I'm paying. I'll be at your house in five. Be around."

And with that, Steve hangs up without saying goodbye. Ponyboy turns off his phone and he grins widely, resisting the urge to kick his feet out and yell. He was really excited to be hanging out with Steve.

He was quick to jump up and out of bed, starting to get around. The male was taking everything seriously as he got dressed, thinking more of how he wanted to look for Steve rather than about how warm he needed to be.

By the time he slides his shoes on, he heard someone honking outside of the house. Immediately he knew that it was Steve waiting for him. The redhead rushes to the front door, opening it and sliding outside, closing the door behind him.

Ponyboy grins widely at the sight of Steve in the truck, the older male smiling gently at him. It made the redhead's heart melt on the spot. He gets into the passenger seat and buckles up, rubbing his hands together. He was already cold.

Steve pulls away from the house and starts driving toward the skating rink. It was outdoors and there was a skate renting fee, as with most places. The brunette glances at Ponyboy as he sits excitedly in the passenger seat. He was smiling so wide and he wondered if it was because of him.

He wanted it to be because of him.

The brunette turned his attention back to the road as he drove, just happy that the younger male even asked if he wanted to hang out. Although he knew it was only because Johnny already had plans. His stomach twists in jealousy again.

He didn't know why it surprised him so much to see Ponyboy and Johnny together like he had. The two of them had been incredibly close since they were kids. They were attached at the hip, practically. It was no wonder that they'd taken that next step further. It couldn't have been much different than being friends, for them. Ponyboy and Johnny were always pressed together somehow, smushed onto the couch or in bed, heads resting on one another's shoulder.

The brunette squeezes the steering wheel.

"Are you excited to try skating again?"

Steve looks over at the redhead before turning back to the road. He had to pay attention to the road. He was a fairly good driver despite the occasional speeding.

"I think I am," the brunette responds. "I haven't been since my mom left... I wonder if I still know how to keep my balance."

'I'll hold your hand if you don't."

The brunette's cheeks heat up and he shifts in his seat. He was trying hard not to smile at the redhead's words. But he wanted him to hold his hand so bad, even if it was just for balance. He'd happily take that offer.

"You might just have to."

The drive to the ice-skating rink wasn't that far. It was near the park and within walking distance. But neither of them wanted to walk with it being so chilly outside. There were a couple inches of snow, soft and puffy. Definitely not packing snow for snowmen or a snowball fight.

Steve turns his truck off after he parked, getting out as the redhead did the same. The younger male's hands were jammed into his pockets, trying to warm them up the best that he could. He should have worn gloves.

The brunette stares at the rink for a few moments, swallowing down any of the memories that he had come to the surface. He didn't want to think of his mom right now. He didn't want to think of her kind smile and gentle hands that patched so many scraped knees and wiped away so many tears.

She left him there.

And he'd never forgive her for that.

Ponyboy gently grasps the older male's arm with one of his hands, giving him a comforting smile. The brunette looks up at him, the corners of his lips twitching up just slightly. He had the redhead to catch him when he fell. That was something to focus on.

"Are you okay?" The younger male asks gently.

"More than okay," Steve says quietly. "Now let's get skates. I gotta check how my balance holds up."

The redhead laughs gently and he nods. tugging Steve off toward the building that held concessions as well as skate rentals. They wait in line patiently before getting their skates.

Ponyboy sits down at an empty table, sliding off his shoes and replacing them with ice skates. He laces them up with ease, watching the older male. The brunette could easily get his skates on and laced up. It was the standing up that was hard.

The younger male stands, grinning widely. He offers his hands to Steve, who graciously took them. Ponyboy pulls the brunette only his feet carefully, the older male's grip tightening as he wobbled on shaky legs.

"You're doing great."

Steve smiles softly, carefully following the redhead's lead onto the rink. As soon as he stepped foot onto the ice, he nearly fell flat onto his face. Ponyboy was there to catch his mistake, one hand gripping the older male's tightly while the other one was pressed firmly against his lower back.

Neither could lie and say that they weren't enjoying the touch. The older male felt on top of the world, regaining his balance as the redhead kept him steady. He looks at the younger male, laughing breathlessly.

"Don't let me fall," Steve says quietly.

"Never."

The brunette smiles thankfully, keeping his own grip on Ponyboy's hand tightly. Like if he'd let go, he'd fall and crash and would never get back up again. And physically, that could very well be, But emotionally, he wanted the redhead to grip him tight.

"I've got you," Ponyboy says gently. "Now, just slowly slide your feet forward, one at a time. Focus on going forward and keeping your legs straight."

Steve nods his head, slowly sliding his right foot forward before his left. He was shaky on his feet but it didn't take long to get the motions down. After all, it wasn't his first time skating.

The brunette squeezes the younger male's hand, even if he knew that he wouldn't fall now. He didn't want to let him go, no matter what.

They eventually got a steady rhythm of skating next to one another, their hands still grasped in one another. Steve carefully shifts how he was gripping Ponyboy's hand, fingers intertwining.

Despite their hands being cold, it was the warmest Steve had ever felt.

"I think you've got it," Ponyboy cheers, one of those excited laughs escaping his lips as he smiles so wide.

"Don't let go," the brunette responds, turning his head to look at Ponyboy with an almost desperate expression. "Don't let go."

The redhead simply continues to grin, squeezing his hand. He didn't want to let go either, enjoying the contact more than he ever would have thought. This was much better than the occasional brush of fingers as they decorated the Christmas tree.

The two continue to skate around the rink, doing slow laps, letting anyone pass who wants to. It was like they were in their own little bubble, both enjoying the comforting silence between them as they skated, their fingers intertwined.

Time passed like that, slow laps and the occasional squeeze of the hand, shoulders bumping whenever they turned a corner. Steve felt like he could do this forever. Ponyboy thought the same, that content smile on his lips saying everything that he needed to without actually opening his mouth.

Eventually, their feet got tired and they slid off of the rink, wobbling as they stood back on the sidelines.

"I want hot chocolate," Ponyboy states, turning his head to look at Steve. "Do you want any?"

Steve smiles.

"I wouldn't mind some."

"Then wait right here. I'm paying," the redhead responds. "I know you said that you'd pay for everything but let me have this one. Just once."

The older male rolls his eyes before nodding. Letting the younger male pay for once wasn't going to change anything. He sits down and takes off his skates, sliding his shoes back on. He figured that they wouldn't be going back onto the rink. And he missed the feeling of flat ground beneath his feet.

Ponyboy did the same, taking both pairs of skates and walking off. He'd turn them in while he was getting hot chocolate.

"Steve?"

Steve lifts his head up to look at who was saying his name. There only a couple feet away stood Evie. A shocked expression took over his face and he couldn't help but stare at her. He hadn't seen her around town for a long time. At least not that he knew of.

"Evie... What're you doing here?"

"Skating with some friends," the woman responds, grinning widely. "It's a blast from the past seeing you, that's for sure."

"You're telling me."

Evie steps closer, standing in front of Steve who was sitting at the table still. She looks down at him, laughing gently. She couldn't help herself. Seeing her ex boyfriend after so long was shocking.

"What're you doing here?" She asks.

"Skating, same as you."

"You on a date? You never took me ice skating, even if I asked."

Steve's cheeks redden, both at the assumption and at the irritation she brought from her words. The brunette clasps his hands in his lap, looking up at her. Evie was beautiful, he couldn't deny it. She was even more beautiful than when they'd dated. But she wasn't the same kind of beautiful that Ponyboy was.

Ponyboy was different.

Evie couldn't compare.

"So what if it was a date? It don't matter to you."

The woman couldn't help but laugh loudly. Steve was being so defensive over this. It was funny. He'd never acted like that while they were dating, He'd never been defensive of her or anything like that. Whoever this was must be something.

"It's just a question, Stevie," Evie teases, resting her hands on her hips. "Besides, you gave me the answer that I needed."

"Which was what?"

"That you're actually happy with whoever it is. You'd never act like this with me, I know that. I knew it back then, too. You can put on whatever face you want but it doesn't mean anything."

Steve scoffs.

Although she was right.

She had always been right.

And then she walks away.

From afar, Ponyboy watches the encounter. Steve was facing away from him so he couldn't see his expression. But Evie was smiling too wide and laughing too hard at whatever Steve had to say for it to just be nothing. The redhead grips the two cups of hot chocolate tightly in his hands, his stomach swirling.

He was jealous and upset.

The redhead takes a deep breath, sitting the two hot chocolate cups onto an empty table near him. He couldn't stand to watch him make her laugh and grin like that. He suddenly felt he was 14 again, watching them longingly from afar, wishing that he could take Evie's place.

And then he walks away from the table, away from Steve.

It would never be him.