Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

~~~~~

Soda was born with a four leaf clover on his shoulder- real damn lucky. Though he was usually a great worker, his manager Kiera had a very no bullshit policy on tardiness. She had an even no bullshit policy on being flirted with to get out of trouble since she had a fiancé so soda didn’t even try to bat his eyelashes when he got to his morning shift 20 minutes late.

“Sodapop,” she remarked sternly as he frantically got into her office, still buttoning up his blue DX shirt, hair still messy and sleep tousled.

“I am so sorry,” he said immediately. It wasn’t often soda was late, but he had been told on Friday to be on time Monday for a meeting. And he completely missed it. “Rough morning. Forgive me please?”

“Only because Steve got me a coffee and started your shift when the customers came in. You’re lucky you have him as a best pal. I’ve fired people for less.”

Sodapop breathed a sigh of relief. Morning shifts were the most hectic, especially in the middle of summer, and Steve very likely had his hands full with cars out in the garage anyway. He would probably get chewed out by customers on his behalf. Soda sighed in relief. 

Thank God for Steve.

“So I’ll let it slide this once. Anyways concerning the morning meeting. The store owner hired a couple of workers.”

“What? Really?” Soda was stunned. Since he started working there at 15, the store owner has not hired an extra hand. Even when Steve was drowning in car tasks outside with Micheal, a mechanic who later quit for that reason, or when Kiera was struggling to put boxes of merchandise away, the owner had always been too cheap to hire anyone. 

“Yeah looks like he finally figured we were busy enough for it.”

“About damn time,” soda shook his head in disbelief. “Thought it was just going to be us three until the end of time.”

“Don’t joke about that,” she rolled her eyes. “I’m getting out of this town soon as I’m hitched. Anyhow, I put Steve to teach them the ropes. Well, I was gonna but considering he had to clean up your mess this morning-“

“Wait, what mess? I’m sure I scrubbed down Friday..”

Kiera gave him a disbelieving raise of brow. Then Sodapop remembered. 

“Oh. That mess.”

“Yeah 20 minutes-“

“Okay okay I’m sorry. I’ll show them around-“

“Don’t worry about it. Honestly with your forgetfulness I think I’d prefer Steve to do it.”

As Soda turned to leave and get his shift started, he was halted by her somewhat affectionate voice.

“Y'know what Soda?”

“What?”

“You better thank your lucky stars you're pretty.”

Soda grinned. 

~~~~

“I owe ya man,” Soda sighed gratefully as he slipped behind the counter where Steve was finishing up a customers total.

“$. 26 cents ma’am. Yes Soda, you definitely do. I’ve been chewed out all morning.”

“This store just can’t run without me,” Soda joked dramatically, taking his place for the next customer. 

“Guess that last twenty minutes were a figment of my imagination then,” Steve responded dryly although there was a hint of a smile on his face as he left.

~~~~~

It was busy all morning, without much more than a couple minutes between floods of customers. Soda attended all of them with his usual charming demeanor, even when they took up his time uselessly, causing other customers to get impatient when it was finally their turn.

“You oughta put as much effort into cashiering as you do flirting, things would come along much quicker ‘round here,” an older gentleman scolded him. 

“I’m afraid the customers might get upset if I didn’t give them some attention sir,” he explained smoothly. Before the man could blow up in his face, he slid a lemon cough drop onto his receipt. “Here’s a little something for all your patience. Have a wonderful day.”

The man just grumbled and left, leaving the long line to inch forward.

Finally it hit his lunch break. Since they were always so understaffed usually, he wouldn’t be able to take it unless it was completely dead in the store. Seeing the many people still looking for pop and ice cream fizzled any hopes on that. 

Then Steve came into the store, bringing in what had to be one of the new workers, a young looking girl with big bushy brown hair and a uniform so bright, Soda wondered if they changed the color. 

Nope, mine’s just washed out to hell, he thought  absently and smiled at the new girl.

“This is Sodapop, he’s been working here as long as I have. Soda, this is our new coworker, Daphne.”

“O-oh hi,” Daphne brought out her hand to shake, already enamored with Soda as she became a bright pink. She had cute crooked teeth. She couldn’t be much older than Ponyboy. 

Soda leaned against the counter, wearing an easy smile. 

“Hey how’s it goin Daph?” 

Usually girls didn’t mind if he gave them a little nickname. She jolted in surprise, but seemed excited, if not nervous. 

“It’s good…Um. Steve’s showing me the ropes.”

“I brought her so you can take your break. Mind explaining how the cash register works? I ought to get back outside to the others.”

“Sure,” Soda winked, wondering just how many coworkers he now had. He needed his hours and wasn't adverse to buttering the new guys up to steal them back.

With a bit too much honeyed friendliness, he explained the basics of the register, guiding Daphne's hand around and standing close to her. He wondered if she was even paying attention but, on second thought, if she wasn’t and ended up fired, it’d be just as swell. One less person on the schedule. 

“T-thanks.”

“Course. Hey I’m gonna take my lunch break now, do you feel okay being left alone? I promise it’s really easy.”

“U-uh,” she stammered, eyes like a deer caught in headlights. “This is my first job.”

“You’ll do great, I know it. Holler Kiera if you need anything,” he suggested, knowing very well Kiera was too intimidating to call for. “Bye!”

Freeing himself temporarily he stepped outside the station for the first time. He breathed in, enjoying the cool summer breeze. Sodapop didn’t have anything elaborate planned for lunch, just the sandwich Darry packed, so he grabbed it and went to find Steve.

Steve was likely on his lunch break as well but, being much more of a caring supervisor,, he was explaining something to the new guys in the garage. Soda counted three new people.

“Hello,” he entered with an easy going smile. “You guys must be new, I’m Sodapop.”

He shook their hands. One older girl, with dark makeup and an uninterested demeanor. One teen boy, black beady eyes like Johnny, and a middle aged man who he assumed to be a seasoned mechanic. 

“Terry,” is all the older guy said, prompting the others to introduce themselves too. 

“I’m Darleen.”

“Darlin’, what a sweet name for a sweet girl,” he flirted. She rolled her eyes with a smile. “Whatever.”

”Mickey,” the boy nodded 

“Like the Mouse?” 

Mickey rolled his eyes, but smiled. “Never heard that before.” 

The garage door creaked open, a cocky smile following the shift of light that spilled inside. Soda didn't need to look up to know someone new was walking in—he could feel it. The air shifted, the tension creeping in with every step.

A lanky figure in a half-unbuttoned DX shirt swaggered toward them, hands already stained with grease, eyes narrowing when they met Soda’s.

"Aw, c'mon," the voice was smooth, but laced with something that felt like a challenge. "Y’all are already bonding without me?"

Soc, Soda stiffened, though the newcomers worn jeans immediately gave his status away. 

The guy’s eyes locked on him, piercing, as if he was trying to figure something out.

“Nice to meet ya,” he extended a hand, but the grip was firm—too firm, as if there was some kind of unspoken competition being waged. “I’m Gio. I’ve heard a lot about you Soda.”

Something about the way he said it left a bad taste in Soda’s mouth.

 “Sodapop,” he corrected. 

“Ooh, you wound me,” Gio’s eyes narrowed and grin widened. “Looks like we’re  not buddies quite yet.”

Sodapop gave him a slow once over. “You knew around here?”

“Something like that,” he agreed with a shrug, lips dancing with a challenge. His gaze switched to Steve.

“So Stevie. You, Terry and I are the guys roughing it outside. And these guys,” he drawled, sizing each of them up. “Sit behind the counter?”

It didn’t take a genius to see the way faces twisted into discomfort. Steve gave him a no nonsense look.

“Someone has to.” He left it at that. 

Gio chuckled, nodding his head. 

“Yeah guess someone has to. Say!” He suddenly perked up. “What did I miss?”

Mickey seemed to eye Gio uneasily, before he answered his question. “Steve was just telling us how to fill a tank.”

“Aw c'mon,” Gio slid an arm over Mickey's shoulders, who blinked mockingly at him. “Whose applying to a gas station job without knowing how to fill a tank. Am I right, kid? You drive dontcha?”

“Uh, not yet-“

“What are you, 13?”

“16,” Mickey straightened up a bit. Already Soda felt a bit defensive for Mickey, maybe it was cause he reminded of Johnny.

“Not everyone can afford a car,” he reasoned with a light tone. “Anyway it’s alright. That’s why Stevie’s gonna teach y’all ain’t that right?”

“Carjacking don’t cost none,” Gio shurgged. “But I’ll digress.”

“Have some respect, kid,” Terry said gruffly, being the oldest among them.

Gio grinned slyly, but Steve intervened.

“Listen up, I don’t need anymore arguing among y’all. We’re all coworkers now whether you like it or not, and if you think I’m joking, I’d be more than happy to adjust the schedules. So can we all get along?”

They all agreed, some begrudgingly.

“Sure thing boss man,” Gio grinned. Soda couldn’t help but upturn his nose. He was so greasy he was sliding around. 

“Great,” Steve said after a moment. “Then I’ll be back after my lunch break to show y’all how to pump a tank. Till then, don’t burn the place down.”

Sodapop was surprised at how Steve was taking the lead, seeming both serious but friendly at the same time. As they began to walk away to finally enjoy their short lunch break, Gio opened his mouth again, an action Soda officially deemed unnecessarily annoying. 

“Where you going, Sodapop?”

“It’s my lunch break too.”

“Oh is it now? It’s like you’re almost best buddies. Enjoy then.”

Soda shot him an irritated look but shrugged it off, trying to shake his uneasiness as he caught up with Steve. 

~~~~~

Chapter Text

~~~~~

Soda swung in through the window of Steve’s Chevy Corvair, immediately propping his boots on the dash. His seat was already reclined, worn in where he settled his hands behind his head, and he reached out to steal Steve’s bag of cold fries off the console.

“Would it kill you to enter normally?” Steve grumbled, pulling open the driver door. “We’ll never beat the grease monkey allegations.”

“Would it kill you to order more salt? Swear Dairy Queen is serving you cardboard right under your nose and you don’t even know it.”

Steve shoved a rag at him and Soda threw a fry back with a chuckle.

“So whats the deal with all these people anyway?”

“The deal?”

“Yeah,” Soda stuffed his mouth with the rest of the bag, motioning with his hand. “Did the owner finally decide to hire after he saw a flying pig or what?”

“You’re the pig. Stop throwing crumbs everywhere would ya? I just vacuumed her last night!”

Soda threw his head back in a snort. “Aw, you vaccum her every night Stevie.”

“Yeah all thanks to you,” Steve huffed, sliding his comb through his hair in the reflection of the rear view mirror. “And no, I don’t know what got into him. We’ve been handling it alone for what? Three, four years?”

Sodapop tossed the paper bag to the back, ignoring Steve’s sharp glare and sat up higher.

“That’s if y’aint counting all the hours we do in our sleep! Just the other night I was ringing up Caroline peanut butter and condoms in my dream!”

Steve swatted him with the comb, a wide grin on his face. “Sure that’s all you were doing, you dirty animal.”

“Hey, just saying!” Soda snickered, snatching Steve’s paper bag on the dash. “He’s doing a one-eighty, for what? Sure I complain about not having help but- you mind?”

Steve didn’t blink. “Nah, I got the one without tomatoes for you.”

The deli sandwhich was already halfway in Soda’s mouth. “Thanks man. But anyway-“

“You’re such a child. Who the hell takes off the vegetables in a sandwhich?”

Soda furrowed his brows, swallowing down fast to get a retort in. “I’m not a child. The wet texture is bogus half to hell! And quit interrupting me!”

Steve snorted, wiping his comb down before picking it up again. “Sure, man.”

“Nasty,” Soda muttered under his breath, picking out a stray purple onion that snuck in. “Anyway, I need the hours, you know that.”

Steve turned to face him, hair back in its pristine greased glory. Sodapop always admired how quickly Steve could tame his hair into swirls.

“Soda, listen to yourself. You bring in more than half the customers who come here man. Nobody’s gonna take your hours.”

Sodapop chewed hard. “Damn straight.”

“I mean it. If you’re so worried about it, give these guys a few weeks tops. I’m sure they’ll beat it once it hits 90 degrees and they realize the AC broke during the civil war.”

“And another thing!” Sodapop launched into another argument. “He has money to hire four, five new guys and not replace that blasted AC! When it heats up I gotta so stick my ass in the freezer ice. I’ve gotten frost bite!”

Steve bursted into laughter.  Sodapop smirked, trying not to cackle at his joke. Steve laughing made him feel funnier than Twobit.

Sodapop eased back into the seat, drinking from an apple juice box. Steve always preferred orange- with pulp. Soda still had suspicions he only drinks it to mess with him.

“So what Stevie? You’re like the second manager now?”

“Hell I wouldn’t mind it. Lord knows the extra dollar would help feed your juice box addiction.”

Soda rolled his eyes. “Oh yeah you’re a real Soc aint ya?”

Steve shot him the bird before reached for a cool and flicking it on. The scent of Camel smoke danced out the driver window. Sodapop just watched for a moment before taking the lighter from Steve’s outstretched hand.

A sudden slam on the hood made him drop both.

“Jesus,” Soda muttered, shooting a look over to one of the new guys. Giovanni or whatever.

“Hey boss,” he smirked lighting his own cigarette against the hood of Steve’s Chevy. “Manager lady sent me to come get yall. Something about break being over two minutes ago.”

“Oh did time pass that quickly?” Soda chuckled. Gio slowly turned to look at him with the complete unbotheredness of a practiced asshole.

“Yeah,” he shrugged.

“Yeah?” Soda repeated, a little incredulous that this brat said it to him like that.

“Time flies when you’re flapping gums, I guess.”

Steve lifted a brow before climbing out of the car. Soda took an extra second to control his expression before shoving his unused cigarette into the glove compartment.

“We’re going, we’re going,” Soda jumped out, stretching leisurely. Usually they’d be in a bigger rush to get back but something in him didn’t want to show this Gio kid he was bothered.

“No rush,” he said plainly, eyes bored, and turned to Steve instead. “Nice ride. You fix her up?”

“Obviously.”

Gio hummed. “Used I’m guessing.”

Sodapop straightened up. “Whats it to you?”

Gio ignored him.

“My brother used to fix up cars from a living. Taking scraps and making em purr like new. He’s made over a grand doing it.”

Sodapop could see the spark of interest that lightened beneath Steve’s eyes. He crosses his arms. “That so?”

“Yeah, it’s taken him across the country. He’s back from Memphis now.”

Soda resisted the urge to say “so?” and get back inside the gas station. Steve was thrumming his fingers on his arm now. He had him hooked.

“What’s your brothers name?”

“Bruno Bianchi. He’s staying with my family for a week. You should come by, might learn a thing or two.”

Steve stubbed his cigarettes. “We’ll talk after.”

He turned to walk inside the gas station. Sodapop followed behind, feeling an odd annoyance that they didn’t just go in sooner.

“The bathrooms a mess by the way,” Gio called out. “Some kid missed the lid by mile.”

Sodapop turned around, hands shoved in his pockets. “You didn’t clean it?”

Gio puffed out a ring of smoke and shurgged. “It’s my break.”

~~


“You two are back early,” Kiera remarks proudly when Sodapop bumps into her ourside the bathroom, bucket and mop in hand. 

“Early?”

”You had six minutes left. I appreciate you though.”

Sodapop stares hard at the wall when she walks away. 

~~~~~