Work Text:
The DX was half empty, it was later in the day, the air cold, the sun already setting despite it only being 5:30.
The only people there in the moment were Steve and Soda. Soda was at the front desk, bored as hell, drawing the ugliest shit he could fathom on the back of some receipt a customer left, unaware or Steve's growing agitation in the garage.
The radio was too loud, he was sweating to much for how cool it was outside, and this car was really getting on his nerves. It kept making a very wrong sound and wouldn't start right, and he'd been dealing with it all day.
Steve couldn't help the anger, so much making him upset in a way he couldn't control.
"FUCK!"
Soda jumped when he heard the sound, followed by the unmistakable sound of something small and metal, most likely a wrench, being thrown full force at the wall, the sound was horrible- scratching at his ears. Soda straightened up, dropping what he was doing to go check on Steve.
Right before he went into the garage, he turned down the radio- not off, not wanting to make it totally silent other than the city outside their work, but he didn't want it to be super loud whole he tried talking.
He made his way into the garage, concern and confusion etched on his face as he walked out, spotting a wrench discarded on the floor, the garage door open, no Steve in sight. Soda was confused, and a bit scared.
Steve had been.. aggressive lately, blowing up more, just tired of keeping it all in.
Soda quickly snapped out of his thoughts, walking out the gas station via the garage door and followed the trail of smoke, seeing an irritated Steve outside, sitting with his legs to his chest, his left hand gripping his knee, his right holding a cigarette to his lips that were pressed in a thin line. His knuckles were bloody and scraped, and the wall behind him had very visible blood lightly splattered in one spot.
'that dumbass' Soda thought, though, he still found his way to go over to his best friend, crouching down next to him with a worried expression.
"Stevie," He started. "What the hell just happened?"
He asked the irritated Steve, though it seemed he fresh air, even if he wasn't really taking it in preferring to inhale smoke, calmed him down some. Or maybe it was the quiet, the only sound outside being nature and the city, which was silence that wasn't quiet.
Steve stayed quiet for a moment, taking a puff of his cigarette. "I.. I don't know..."
He mumbled as smoke left his mouth. "Just got real annoyed real fast." He said, embarrassed in a way.
They both knew how Steve had been lately, things at home were getting worse, and he's been struggling to keep all those emotions in, just blowing up when things got to loud, just all fidgety and high-strung.
Soda recognized it, Darry got like this too sometimes, especially the time Pony came home at two in the morning and he accidentally slapped Pony.
Soda stayed quiet a moment, putting a hand on Steve's shoulder. "Was it the radio..?"
He mumbled a question, knowing how Steve ain't like noise when it came from one thing and not multiple sources. Steve hesitantly nodded.
"Yeah.. it just- the car was getting me mad- and that damn radio was blasting and I just-.. just blew up."
Steve admitted more, the two of them settling into tense silence again. Soda's hand moved from Steve's shoulder to his chin, pushing it up to look at Soda, then dragging his hand along to cupping the smoking boys cheek in his hand.
"Stevie, next time just tell me..." Soda said comfortably. "I ain't gonna blow up, ya know? I'd rather turn down the radio then have ya' hurt yourself."
Soda said, glancing at Steves knuckled and the wall with some blood on it behind him, a look of disapproval but humor on his face, teasing in a way. Steve's face got lightly pinker.
"Yeah.. sorry." He mumbled to which Soda smiled, taking his hand off the others face, slapping a hand down in his shoulder before taking his hand in his, pulling him up. "Well..."
Soda spoke again. "Time ta' get home, don't want Superman blowin' up on us for comin' home late, savvy?"
Steve just smiled and nodded. "Savvy." He said, getting up with Soda.