It was now a week into December when Darry deemed it alright to start decorating the house for Christmas. He'd always been a stickler about it. Soda and Ponyboy were always jumping to try and get the decorations out the day after Thanksgiving. Not in his house they weren't. He always made them wait until December actually hit before getting any kind of decorations out.

The redhead loved Christmas. He loved all of the smells and the coziness of it all. He hated being cold, but he felt like it was worth it to partake in the festivities. Sledding, ice skating, decorating, wrapping gifts. There was just something about all of it that had him giddy.

And considering the crappy few days he's had, decorating the house seemed relaxing. He'd drug the decorations from the attic, nearly busting his ass while trying to get back down the ladder. His balance was never that great.

Darry had gotten a tree and put it up, leaving it bare for anyone else to decorate. He didn't mind Christmas, but decorating was a task since he wasn't that creative. He always left it to Soda and Ponyboy, who always had a better knack for making things look good.

Ponyboy purses his lips, looking at the living room. He was trying to make a game plan on how he should decorate. The house was peaceful, and it did wonders for his thinking mind. Hopefully this could take his mind off of things, off of Steve.

Although he turns his head at the sound of the front door opening. It was Steve standing in the doorway, kicking off his shoes and shedding his jacket. It was snowing outside, and everyone had been bundling up.

The redhead felt mesmerized, Steve's brown hair filled with white specks of snow. He looked angelic, almost. It had his heart in his throat in seconds. The male almost wished that Steve wasn't so handsome it hurt. He loved the sight though.

"Hey," Ponyboy greets slowly.

Steve nearly jumps out of his skin at hearing Ponyboy's voice. He figured that he'd be out and about. But apparently not since he was standing in the living room, tubs of Christmas decorations popped open on the floor.

"Hey," Steve breathes out. His body was freezing from the snow outside, not that he hadn't been outside long. It was just snowing so heavily. The sight of Ponyboy was instantly enough to melt his heart though. "You... need any help decorating?"

Ponyboy slowly nods his head, still staring.

"Yeah, yeah, that would be cool."

And then he turns to look back at the Christmas tree.

The redhead was having a hard time being around Steve after his failed attempt at a confession. He couldn't look at him without remembering that they'd been interrupted and that he'd hid in his room, crying for the next 20 minutes. It had hurt him really bad knowing that he'd never get another chance.

Steve makes his way over to the redhead, running a hand through his now damp hair. The snow had melted in his hair. He bends down a bit and grabs a box of Christmas ornaments from inside one of the tubs.

"Shall we start with the tree?"

Ponyboy smiles gently, nodding his head. Maybe this could be another chance. It was just the two of them in the house and he was sure that no one would be home for a while. It felt like perfect timing in comparison to the last attempt.

"But the lights go on first," the redhead teases. "It's much easier that way."

Steve rolls his eyes and he chuckles, putting the ornaments back down and grabbing for the box of lights. They seemed brand new, still wound up neatly in the box. At least he wouldn't have to worry about untangling them all. He'd always been bad at it. His temper was too short for the amount of patience that he needed to have.

"Then pull the tree out a bit and we'll get started."

The younger male nods, carefully managing to pull the tree from the wall, enough for someone to squeeze behind it. And with lights, it was a two person job, easily. Steve takes the lights from the box, carefully unraveling them and plugging them into the outlet behind the tree. He shimmeys himself into the gap Ponyboy had made, starting to press the lights into the branches.

Ponyboy was waiting on the front side, carefully grabbing the lights from Steve as they came around, their fingers brushing. His fingers were cold but still nice to graze anyway. He wraps the tree on his side before carefully handing off the string of lights, their fingers brushing again.

Would it be bad to say that he was doing it on purpose?

He didn't think so.

The two continue to pass the lights back and forth, fingers bumping at every pass. And eventually, both managed to get the lights all the way to the top.

Steve wiggles his way out from behind the tree, pushing it back against the wall carefully. He takes a step back and looks at the tree, smiling gently. It looked good, even without the ornaments.

The brunette enjoyed Christmas. Although he hasn't properly celebrated it in a while. When his mom left, his dad didn't do anything for holidays. No Christmas, no Thanksgiving, and no birthdays. The only thing he had close to it was the Curtis family when they'd get him something.

He loved the Curtis parents so much.

The male had been devastated when they passed.

Everyone had been. They'd all grown a connection to the Curtis parents. They would give them food and a place to sleep if they ever needed it. They encouraged good behavior and would patch anyone up if they were hurt.

Those people gave them everything.

Ponyboy stares at Steve, watching the lights reflect in his eyes. The brunette seemed content, caught up in childhood wonder. He knew Steve never got Christmases much after his mom left. So knowing that he was having one now made his heart swell.

He'd make sure to buy him a present before the actual holiday rolled around. The male had to buy presents for everyone else, anyway. He just wasn't sure what to get. Everyone else was easy while Steve was complicated.

The redhead slowly reaches his hand up and rests his hand on Steve's shoulder, giving a small squeeze. They had to continue decorating. The older male turns his head to face Ponyboy from where they stood next to one another.

He hadn't realized how close they had gotten. Their shoulders nearly bumped together. Steve had found himself staring at Ponyboy's lips. They were plump and pink and oh so kissable. The brunette takes a shaky breath before looking up to his eyes.

The Curtis family really did have some good genes.

"Ready to put the ornaments on?" Ponyboy asks gently, giggling.

"Yeah, let's do it."

Steve was quick to turn and grab the box of ornaments, opening it up. They were simple colored bulbs: gold, red, silver. He was sure that they had homemade ones somewhere, ones that they made as kids. The brunette would make sure to get them out and on the tree.

"Are these all?" Steve asks. "Like, of these ones?"

Ponyboy shakes his head, digging around into the tub further. He eventually finds a shoebox, opening it up. Here were the homemade ornaments.

Steve leans over and looks into the box, laughing. He reaches a hand over and pulls out the ornament on top. It was a plastic star glued together with glitter all over it, Ponyboy's face right in the middle. He'd been around five or six in this picture. One of his front teeth was missing but he still smiled so wide.

"You were a lot cuter than I remember you being," the brunette teases.

The redhead playfully bumps his shoulder against Steve's, not making an effort to pull away after. He just kept them pressed together. It was something so simple but it had Steve's stomach doing flips. Any kind of touch from the younger male set his senses ablaze.

"You only thought I was annoying," Ponyboy retorts. "It's not a wonder you didn't see me as cute."

"Yeah, well I don't think you're so bad now."

"Really?"

Steve takes his eyes away from Ponyboy's ornaments to look up at him. He stares at him fondly before looking back down again. The brunette couldn't even handle looking at Ponyboy's face for long, despite how handsome he thought that he was.

"Really."

The brunette puts the ornament back in the box before taking the basic bulbs, putting them on the tree in a random order. He made sure that no two colors pressed together or were too close to one another. He might not look like it, but he did enjoy decorating. Not as much as Soda did when they were little, but he added a few of his thoughts here and there.

Ponyboy watches Steve decorate the tree, a gentle grin on his face. He looked good placing bulbs in precise spots. The redhead would have to praise him for his decorating skills. As much as Soda loved to decorate, he just placed things at random and hoped for the best. Ponyboy always changed things around to make them look good.

Steve seemed to think before placing something. He liked that. A lot.

The redhead joins Steve at the tree, placing the homemade ornaments around wherever he saw fit. A lot of them were ones that all three Curtis boys made in school while they were little. Some were ones made at the house. Mrs. Curtis enjoyed crafts. Which meant that the rest of the boys had some as well.

Ponyboy couldn't help but laugh as he pulled an ornament out of the box. He remembered this one vividly. His mom had made dough that they shaped and painted once they baked. The one he was holding had been Steve's. A sloppily painted stocking that held just about any color imaginable. And on the back, Steve's sloppy handwriting with the year.

Steve had been 10 while making this.

"What're you laughing at?" The older male asks, turning his head. He caught sight of the ornament and his gaze softened. "God... I nearly forgot about that. Your mom was so insistent that I made one."

"Well, duh. You were family," Ponyboy responds. "And I think it's cute. It's the most artistic thing I've ever seen you do. It's going on the tree."

Steve rolls his eyes.

Ponyboy was right though.

"I ain't stopping you."

The redhead giggles and slips the ornament on the tree, making sure to stick it next to the ornament Steve had found earlier. He felt that they fit well together. It made him feel such joy to be decorating with the older male.

And soon enough, the tree was filled with lights, store bought ornaments, and homemade ones. The two had to take a step back to admire their handiwork. The tree looked gorgeous in their opinion. Darry knew how to pick a good tree.

"The star!" Ponyboy finally exclaims.

The redhead bends down to one of the tubs, digging through it to find their tree topper. He eventually found it, showing it to Steve excitedly. He makes his way to the tree next, standing on his tiptoes to try and slip it on top.

Steve watches Ponyboy, a wide grin on his face as the redhead tries to put the star on the tree. It made him happy to see that even the redhead was too short to do something. He makes his way up to the younger male, resting his hands on his hips. The brunette carefully lifts Ponyboy up, thumbs pressing just underneath his sweatshirt, making sure to hold tight so that he doesn't drop him. Not that it was a far fall. His skin felt so warm...

Ponyboy gasps as he feels Steve's hands on his hips, looking down at the older male for a few moments. His hands holding him like that made his stomach twist and his heart pound. And his thumbs pressing into his hip bones did something to him. Steve would surely be the death of him.

The redhead eventually peels his eyes away, lifting the star up higher. With the older male's help, he was able to put the topper on the tree. He makes sure it wasn't crooked before pulling his hands away.

Steve slowly lowers the redhead back down to his feet. Although his hands made no effort in moving. Part of him wanted to wrap his arms around the redhead, hands sliding up his sweatshirt to keep his own fingers warm. He knew the younger male would squirm because he hated the cold. But he'd just laugh and keep his hands there.

Eventually, the older male pulls his hands away from his hips, stepping away to give Ponyboy some room. He sticks his hands sheepishly into his pockets, embarrassed that he'd grabbed the younger male like that and held him. The brunette wanted so badly to hold Ponyboy close, press his face into his shoulder, relax.

The older male's green eyes slowly travel upward to meet Ponyboy's face, finding a beautiful sight of flushed cheeks and a concentrated expression. It made it hard to keep his hands to himself. The redhead eventually tears his eyes away, going back to the tubs on the floor, digging around before pulling out the mistletoe.

Ponyboy eyes one of the dining room table chairs before making his way over to the doorway where the kitchen and dining room meet. The redhead could easily grab a chair and put it up himself... but he wanted the brunette's touch. Not that he couldn't reach the top of the doorway.

"Steve," the younger male starts gently, his voice sounding like music to Steve's ears. The way his name rolled off his tongue made the older male want to kiss him until he couldn't breathe. "Can you help me, please?"

The older male stares at Ponyboy, heart pounding in his chest. He felt like he was frozen in place. His whole body felt tingly and he was caught between so many thoughts filling his head, some cleaner than others.

"Steve?"

Steve swallows thickly, shifting on his feet for a moment before making his way toward Ponyboy. He comes up behind him before gently rests his hands on his hips, not lifting him up quite yet. The brunette found himself kneading the younger male's hips, loving the shaky exhale Ponyboy gave him in response.

Before he could get too ahead of himself, Steve lifts Ponyboy up just barely so that he could touch the top of the doorway. The older male knew the redhead could reach on his own, but there was something about knowing that Ponyboy liked his touch. That part of him wanted more than what Steve was giving home.

Ponyboy lifts his hands the few centimeters it took to hang the mistletoe, hanging it on the hook that was there. He felt himself being lowered, keeping his balance as Steve lowered him to the ground.

His hands, yet again, stayed pressed firmly against Ponyboy's skin. The younger male turns his head slightly to look at Steve, eyeing his lips the same as the older male had earlier. Steve's lips were full and red, looking just as irresistible as they always had, even when he was younger. He wanted so badly to kiss him, to tug Steve closer desperately like he couldn't get enough of him.

The younger male shifts in his arms, turning to face Steve. They barely had more than an inch between them. Both could feel the warmth rolling off of one another in waves.

Steve found himself leaning upward toward Ponyboy's lips, hands finding his hips again and gripping them tighter than before. His heart was pounding and his stomach was filled with those metaphorical butterflies. Or maybe something else that he was too embarrassed to say out loud.

Ponyboy leans forward as well, slowly. The redhead couldn't help himself. Their faces were so close now, able to feel one another's shallow breathing, Steve felt like he was going to explode on the spot.

The door throws itself open and both males jump away from one another so quickly that they were afraid they'd smack into the edges of the doorway.

Darry closes the door behind him, taking off his coat. He looks at Ponyboy and Steve who looked more startled than anything else. And then he caught sight of the decorations that they had managed to put up while he was away.

"Thanks for decorating, you two," the oldest of the three said. "I'd have a hard time."

Steve lets out a breath and he just nods his head barely. Ponyboy did the same before quietly responding.

No problem..."