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.