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Steve Randle hated- no, despised, being vulnerable. Having a soft spot for absolutely anyone was utterly unbearable to him! His only exceptions were best friends in the entire vast planet, Sodapop Curtis and Keith Mathews.
They really were the only ones who understood him. Steve struggled mentally for a long time, and they were the only people in his life who knew and cared. Especially Soda.
Their 10th grade year was the peak of their friendship. They shared a 4th period math class, and Steve looked forward to that damn class every day, despite his utter hate for the topic. They’d talk all period, and no one would bother them. It was towards the end of the school year that things started to… progress.
It was the last day of school, and the Curtis brothers held their annual end-of-year party. Previously, the pair would make eye contact more often than usual. Not just any eye contact though. Steve was unsure what kind of eye contact this was, but it sure wasn’t just friendly. Deep in both of their eyes was a hint of… desire?
When Steve walked into the loud, cramped house, the rest of the gang was already there. He sat down right next to Soda, unusually close this time. In between all of the jokes and chaos, their fingers touched. Neither one of them pulled away, nor did they get closer. There they sat, slightly yet intimately making contact.
Eventually, things progressed even more. Everyone Steve knew was straight, or at least wasn’t out as queer, including himself. However, these same people would joke around, acting all gay with each other. Everyone knew it was a joke. So, he went along with it happily. To fit in. To have fun.
Hanging out with the gang once more, they sat in the Curtis living room as the sun shone brightly and reflected off the TV before it hid under the horizon. Steve’s heart beat rather quickly as he took a seat next to his best friend like usual. This time, Soda sat with his legs extended, and signaled for Steve to… lay down on them? Steve gladly agreed, eager to go with the "joke," and rested his head on the boy’s leg. Once again, “acting gay”. As a joke. As everyone else in the gang had done many times before. This time was different for Steve, however. As he felt Soda’s soft, thin fingers running through his short, black hair, his heartbeat increased rapidly. Faster and faster. Why? He thought. It’s just Soda… my best friend in the entire world…
Summer came, and the pair’s friendship only grew stronger. They began texting more often. All. The. Time. Random Snaps using funny filters, ranting about Steve’s bitchy parents or how Soda struggled so badly on school work. But then, it would move to deeper conversations, which was quite unusual. In their gang, no one would talk about these things openly. About who they truly were, and what they wanted in their lives. Their friendships consisted almost entirely of jokes and roaming around the streets together. Especially for Steve, who wanted to show emotion to no one, this was extremely rare. Yet, things were different with Soda. He was just… different.
That boy was all that filled Steve’s head anymore. Soda. Soda. Soda. He was done. Done with denying the fact that he was completely and utterly head over heels for his best friend. Done with denying the fact that he was very likely a raging bisexual. Done with faking it all, and flirting with girls he didn’t like “just for kicks” and to fit in and to “impress” Sodapop. So, he came out to the gang (who accepted him eagerly), and talked to the only other person in the world that he trusted; Two-Bit Mathews.
July 16th, 2025
6:27 PM
Chatting with: “mickey mouse dick rider”
me: hey
mickey mouse dick rider: sup stevie
mickey mouse dick rider: something up???
me: yeah… so yk soda righttt
me: i think i really like him
me: like i want that cookie fr
mickey mouse dick rider: …
mickey mouse dick rider: ur serious right?
mickey mouse dick rider: ITS SO OBVIOUS BUDDY ur just now realizing this?
mickey mouse dick rider: ok whatever
me: 🙄
mickey mouse dick rider: okkkk so the way yall look at each other… ik yall r “joking” BUT YOU CAN SEE IT IN UR EYESSSS
mickey mouse dick rider: so just ask him out already man
me: yeah… only problem is hes dating fucking SANDY CHEEKS rn so
mickey mouse dick rider: WELL FUCK SANDY WANDYY if its truly meant to be, hell leave her
mickey mouse dick rider: probably
mickey mouse dick rider: he doesnt even seem to like her anyways
me: HE JUST FUCKING TEXTED ME ABT HER
me: omg apparently shes being a bitch to him rn
me: yet he still wants her??? bitch i could treat you 67 times better than that whore sybau
mickey mouse dick rider: BRUH ASK HIM OUTTTT IM TELLING YOU
me: ok hold up
8:47 PM
mickey mouse dick rider: im holding up gang
me: KEEP HOLDING TF UP BRO
Chatting with: “pepsi<3”
me: hey pepsiiii
me: you feeling better?
pepsi<3: yeah actually
pepsi<3: yk i think i might leave sandy soon idk
me: good for you soda, do what makes you happy
30 minutes later of pacing around the room while listening to music. “back to friends” by sombr begins to play. Then, he begins to type again after another 5 minutes, because Steve is the king of procrastination and anxiety yk.
me: hey pepsi? kinda random sorry, but i wanna get smth off my chest. yk i used to really like you. romantically. just thought it was funny
pepsi<3: yeah? thats funny, i did too. round last school year
me: lol it was the same time for me too! funny
A long 5 minutes later:
pepsi<3: stevie?
me: yeah pepsi?
pepsi<3: i still like u
me: oh wow, fr?
me: thanks for telling me
pepsi<3: yeah, its nice to get offa my chest too
me: yeah
me: soda?
pepsi<3: mhm?
me: i still like you too. a lot.
pepsi<3: fr?
me: yeah
pepsi<3: stevie, will you be my boyfriend?
me: actually???
pepsi<3: yes, actually!
me: what abt sandy??
pepsi<3: FUCK SANDY CHEEKS BRO I LOVE YOU
pepsi<3: just broke up w her
me: WAIT FR??
pepsi<3: YES BRO
me: OK BET
me: ILL GLADLY BE YOURS SODA<3
pepsi<3: YAY
3 minutes of Steve pacing around his room, music blasting in his ears, and tears of shock and happiness pouring down his face. The pair continued to exchange more Snaps.
me: hey, wanna keep this private or what??
pepsi<3: idk, i dont want anyone to know. maybe two??
me: sounds good ml
pepsi<3 liked a message
Chatting with: “mickey mouse dick rider”
mickey mouse dick rider: sooo like what happened
me: TWOOOOOOOOOOO
me: I AM NOW A TAKEN MANNNNNNNNNN this dude dumped sandys sandy ass for me and now were together
mickey mouse dick rider: FUCK YESSSSSSSSSSSSS abt time bro
me: yeahhhh its a secret tho ok? stays between us 3
mickey mouse dick rider: i gotchu guyss
10:32 PM
mickey mouse dick rider created a group chat
mickey mouse dick rider named the group chat “big ol happy family”
mickey mouse dick rider changed Steve’s name to papa
mickey mouse dick rider changed Soda’s name to mama
mickey mouse dick rider changed their name to child
papa: TWO BRO
child: <333
mama: IM CRINE
*they go on to chat and joke around for a VERY long time, all of them beaming behind their bright screens.
And so, times went on like this. The pair was happy together. Both shared a love for sombr. They would hang out and listen to his music. They even secured tickets for his concert! It was comforting, relieving, to Steve, to be with his crush who he’s liked for God knows how long! However, he didn’t stop to think about how much stress this would bring him by day 3. He never had a great relationship with his parents. They wanted a perfect son, a perfect scholar, which he was not. Yet, he often tried his best to obey their orders and do anything to satisfy them, completely out of character for him. They enforced a strict rule of no dating until 18 years of age. One which Steve had never broke, unless you counted flirting. He did not plan on breaking this rule, knowing what would come out of it. He’d gotten horrifying yellings and beatings for the simplest things, but these things weren’t as serious as this rule to his parents. Oh sure, he trusted his best friend and boyfriend to keep the secret. But a quick search of his phone could reveal it all. The paranoia, the possibilities of it all was what kept Steve doubting every decision he made.
Every second they talked, every message he sent. Steve felt stuck. Like he was lying to the person he’d loved the most. Did he actually like Soda? Or was he just craving something more from the kind friendship they had shared? Why date him, why lead him on, when he couldn’t picture a future with the boy?
Day 6 of their relationship, not even a week in, Steve broke. He’d been crying at night, picturing the possibilities. Then, he sent the message. It’s for the greater good, he told himself. If he didn’t think Soda was truly the one for him, why keep going? What would go on to pain him for months was the fact that he had seemed to truly hurt Soda for a bit. He stopped smiling as much, stopped texting. And the brutal guilt hit Steve like a bus. He loved Soda. But it was platonic, wasn’t it? He could never see himself going past the dating phase with him, when Sodapop clearly wanted more. It was all he’d talked about when they were just friends- finding the perfect partner who would stay with him forever. And to Soda, this partner was Steve. Regrettably, Steve knew that he didn’t truly exchange these feelings. But oh, how he wished he did. Soda was the sweetest boy anyone knew. He was just so understanding, and gave the best advice. If Steve was even slightly tired out one day, he would know if something was wrong. He deserves someone better, Steve believed.
Steve just roamed around for days, not knowing what to do with his life. He wasn’t wanted at home, and didn’t want to go to the Curtis house and see… him. He drove through the street late at night one time, and almost crashed when he heard that wretched song introduction.
“back to friends” by sombr.
The intro that he had once yelped in joy when hearing, the one that always reminded him of the person he had loved dearly, had now brought cold tears to his eyes.
how can we go back to being friends,
when we just shared a bed?
He pulled over, and let the music blast. Rain trickled down the car window as he lay his head on the steering wheel, his knuckles white from pressure and heart feeling empty.
Steve Randle hated- no, despised- himself. With his entire being, as months passed and Sodapop moved on, he never, ever forgave himself. Despite all of the times Keith had reassured him, saying it was for the better good, that Soda was recovering. Despite all of the times Steve noted Soda’s smile returning stronger than before, and how the boy made up with Sandy and got with her a month after the breakup. He was alone now. Soft spots for absolutely no one. He deserved it after what he’d done to his old best friend, ex-boyfriend. Why couldn’t he just be normal? Why couldn’t he have anything good? Some questions simply will never be answered.