the outsiders ✰ imagines

needy ✰

summary: "but what you can trust, is i need your touch."

word count: 900+

warnings: none (?)

enjoy <3 (updated ver.)- 

"you gotta tell her, soda," steve said with a slight frown, looking at sodapop. simultaneously, they both took a quick glance at the folded letter in soda's hand. "she's your girlfriend."

sodapop never heard steve sound so concerned for y/n. after all, it was only now when they got along since steve always insisted she was just like sandy. but later on, he realized she was the complete opposite of sandy. (name) always put others before herself and steve knew that she was right for sodapop.

"i know," he bit his lip. he had no idea how'd she react or whether she'd blame him. the utter thought of her leaving was so terrifying to soda. but he knew (name) valued honesty over everything. no matter what, he'd tell her the truth. 

"i understand it's gonna be hard, soda." steve sympathized, like he knew what thoughts were clouding sodapop's mind. "but you know how much she'd want you to tell her instead of finding out. she deserves to know the truth too." 

"i'll tell her tonight," he answers. 

-

"soda," he turned his head to her. it was night and they had already settled into bed. "i know about the letters." a deafening silence fills the air. everything he wants to say is held back, choked up in his throat. "i thought you stopped writing to sandy. why didn't you tell me?" she whispered, her voice already on the edge of breaking. y/n stared up at the ceiling of sodapop's bedroom, unable to make eye contact to him. 

"it's over with sandy," he answered, a quick look of empathy flashing on his face. "she wanted me to go to florida and raise her kid, (name)."

"and were you going to?"

"no, never," he quickly said. "especially if that meant leaving you." (name) let a sad laugh escape before she sighed. 

"you know," she started. "i didn't even want to be with you in the first place." 

"i was more than fine just staying your best friend and you coming into my bedroom almost every day during the middle of the night to cry over sandy. i wanted to be there for you, soda, and i got what i wanted. i was more than satisfied with the sole fact that i was the one you could rely on. but then. . . you kissed me. and i knew you really didn't mean it-- you were searching for every way to get over her as fast as you could and i just happened to be there. but i was so. . scared that being your rebound would be the only way of you getting over her."

"(name)," he cups his hands over her own. "why didn't you tell me? it was never like that."

"before, it seemed like it, but now. . when i hold your hand, you flinch, or when i tell you that i love you, you hardly even say it back. and coincidentally, i saw the letters." her voice breaks but she keeps her gaze on the ceiling above her to hide the tears that started to form before turning her head to sodapop. "you can't even look me in the eye, soda."

"(name)—"

"let me finish," she urged softly. her eyes beginning to become glossy. 

"but i knew that you had feelings for me by the way you looked at me or when you told me how much you loved me. and i knew it was true," she said. "especially when i realized i started to feel the same way. and i didn't know i could feel so loved." (name) squeezed his hand, like she was looking for reassurance that he was still there. 

"but i don't even know whether or not it's true anymore." she cried, her body racked by her sobs. without a second thought, sodapop quickly pulled her into his chest, rubbing her back. after all this time, (name) never let soda see her cry. she didn't have any time to herself after hearing sodapop's problems instead of her own and he only began to realize that now. guilt filled his body. how could he let her deal with her emotions all by herself? why didn't she ever let soda take care of her?

"don't cry, baby," sodapop said quietly, like he's on the verge of tears himself. "please, i hate seeing you like this."

"i'm sorry," she sobbed, trembling. sodapop quickly wrapped her arms around her, her head leaning on his chest.

"don't be. i'm sorry for making you feel like this. you deserve everything, (name)." he pulled her head up by her chin, wiping her tears with his thumb before pulling her into a kiss. 

"(name), sandy could never get in the way between us. no matter how many times she insists i'd be better off in florida with a kid that isn't even mine-- i know that's not true. i'd rather die than live a life without knowing you."

"i love you, (name)," he continued. she takes a glance at sodapop,  and she knew he was sincere with his words. "and i only hope you know even a fraction of how much i need you." sincerely, she cupped both sides of his face for a moment before she pulled him into a kiss. they realized then, that they belonged together. 

she pulls away for a mere second. "i love you too, soda." and he pulls her in for another kiss while sandy's myriad of letters are at the bottom of the garbage bin.