Sunburn (Stevepop)

Ch 15- I thought you'd be happy

Third person
Sodapop was close enough to home to hear Steve shouting at the socs to leave him alone. He recognized his voice immediately, he probably knew it better shouting than he did using an inside voice.
He even saw the shiny car speeding away. From behind it emerged the figure, broad-shouldered, wearing a denim jacket, a nasty look on his face and complicated twirls in his hair. Soda almost jumped out of pure shock. Somehow he'd nearly convinced himself he would never see him again.

Steve watched the car drive off, thinking of what would've happened if he had given the some time. He knew he'd get beat, but he couldn't help but feel angry at the guy that used Sandy to hurt Soda. But Steve hated Sandy even more, and blaming her for all Soda's problems was easier. Of course, Steve thought he still loved her, but maybe loved him too? He couldn't be convinced.
His thoughts were interrupted suddenly.

"Steve?" Soda's voice shouted from the other side of the street.
He gripped the handle of the switch, wondering if it was another soc. He wouldn't recognize Soda's voice yelling with such question, concern, and confusion.
Steve looked to see him and his heart jumped.
"S...Soda!" he shouted back, a sheepish smile grew on his face.
Soda sped across the street to meet him, Steve hopped off the curb and met him a few feet into the road, where he fell into his arms.
All Sodapop could do was smile. He held Steve close in his arms, pressing a grin against his skin. But Steve's eyes teared up.
He remembered how he treated Soda the night before. And he thought he looked stupid for crying, which just made him feel worse. He'd been doing a lot more crying in front of people than he ever liked to, and he was beating himself up over it.
But most of all Steve had a feeling that Soda shouldn't love him like Pony said he does, like maybe he doesn't deserve it. After the way he treated him the night before, trying to pressure Soda into a relationship even though he knew he loved Sandy, he thought he'd be unforgivable.
So Steve gripped the sleeves on Soda's shirt and cried quietly. Soda remembered that they were standing a road and he quickly broke away from him and they walked back to the curb. Steve's head was down and he was trying to be silent.
"Hey, uh... I'm really sorry about last night," Soda began, "I know I hurt you, and I regret it, 'cause your my best friend and I never wanna lose you. I thought I would, after last night..."
Steve felt his throat close infinitely more when he said best friend. Of course he wanted to be more than that. But of course, Steve thought, Soda wouldn't feel the same way.
"I never wanna know what that feels like ever again... I'm sorry Steve, I couldn't make any last-second decisions knowing that it might hurt somebody... That's why I broke up with Sandy this morning."
Steve's words got caught in his throat, "You br..." he stared at him in shock.
Soda laughed, "Yeah, I did!"
"Wh... A-are you sure that's the right thing to do- I mean, w-weren't you happy with her?... You really don't have ta-"
Soda tried to crack a smile, "I thought you'd be happy...!"
"...Ya shouldn't do things just ta make me happy," he said quietly but sharply.
"I know! I didn't!" he said defensively.
"Well why then, huh?"
"Glory, Steve, why in the world do ya think?..."
Steve stared at him for a long time, at his face, into his eyes and at his lips and cheeks-perfectly colored, non-sunburnt cheeks. All the while one hand trailed up to the collar of Soda's shirt, which he finally gripped.
Steve pulled Soda into a hard kiss by the collar. He wasn't able to get the moment he almost kissed Soda on Thursday night out of his head. Finally, he thought, he got a chance to make up for not doing it then.
Soda pulled away finally, though he couldn't help but giggle at Steve. His actions were so dominant, but his face was practically glowing red and his expected sly smirk was much more like a sheepish grin. Steve couldn't be bothered to pay attention to his demeanor, he was lost in the sound of Soda's laugh and the smile on his face.
Steve finally laughed and told him to quit giggling at him, and Soda yelled "Make me!" so Steve chased him all the way back home. Soda flung the door open and catapulted on the couch, then Steve came in shortly after and jumped on after him.