#imgoingcdayzee

I think Sodapops love language is acts of service and physical touch, meanwhile Steve’s is gifts and quality time, but I don’t think Steve really recognizes it.

We already see Sodas love language in action in canon, but I think with Steve it’s a lot more personal. Soda knows exactly what to do when Steve is having a hard time (it kind of freaks Steve out sometimes. How does Soda know exactly what Steve needs without even Steve knowing what he, himself, needs??)

So, Soda is very in tune with Steves emotions, so much so that Steve feels so very incredibly out of his element when Soda needs comfort.

I think this is especially evident when Sandy broke up with Soda—Steve didn’t know how to comfort Soda AT ALL. I think that, ignoring the baffling nature of the whole situation because— Sodapop Curtis being cheated on and broken up with??? Tulsas dreamboat loverboy??? The guy everyone and their mama wants a chance with?? (Including Steve)

So obviously I think Steve is taken aback and the usual talk of calling Sandy every name under the sun and offering to key the cheaters car and the usual stuff they talk about when someones wronged them isn’t working Steve feels kind of at a loss. And so, he backpeddles.

Instead of talking trash and seeking out revenge, he just sits with Soda. He sits there quietly as Soda weeps and sobs and rants about everything. He lets his buddy wrap his arms around him and pushes down his greaser pride of looking tough for his friend. He listens, but most importantly he stays. He stays with Soda and barely leaves his side because that’s all he knows how to do. He knows how to be a present and steady support for his friend. He doesn’t know how to know exactly what everyone needs or wants at any given time and he doesn’t know when it’s appropriate to hug someone in a moment of comfort like Soda seems to effortlessly understand, but he knows how to sit his ass down and let his friend lean on him.

And then, once all the heavy emotions have calmed down, Steve feels ashamed that he never quite knows how to comfort Soda (because, in his head, what he’s doing isn’t enough for someone as incredible as his best friend. He thinks that he should be able to comfort Soda without being so awkward and bad at it) and so, as an apology and as another way to make Soda feel better, whenever he sees something he just knows Soda would like, he gets it. Within his budget or within his swiping capabilities, of course.

Maybe he saw a little horse minature that looked like Mickey Mouse and got it without even thinking. And when he actually gave it to Soda—apologizing for his lousy way of comforting him all the while—the way his eyes lit up and he start jumping around all excited-like and hugged Steve so tightly his ribs would get all busted, it was all worth it. Soda also smacked him upside the head and reassured Steve that what he had done was exactly what Soda needed.

Steve ain’t great with his own emotions, let alone other people’s, but he knows how to be an anchor.

Sodas the sails—always blowing in the wind and chasing everything and being the direction in the storm, meanwhile Steves the anchor—keeping things grounded and steady, always reassuring in his own silent way.

Some might try to argue that all the anchor does is weight and bring the ship down, but that’s far from the truth. Steve helps keep Sodas ship afloat.

OWA that’s a lot/pos

steve not being good with words is so good to me because sodas the communicator and he’s just listening. he doesn’t always know what to do, but i think he’s very receptive and kinda catches on after a while taht “oh, sodapop is sad and when he’s sad he gets clingy, maybe i should offer to give him a hug” or something (even though steve’s not a physically affectionate person he’s willing to push down his pride and discomfort for soda). he probably offers words he’s heard before because he’s not feat with handling emotions, be it his own or other people’s, so when it did come to sandy and such, he tries really hard to empathize, but he doesn’t know what sodas going through, and he knows he can’t relate. steve being a gift giver is also ironic to me because of the way his dad apologizes with money which probably makes detector think “oh it’s normal to jsut pay people off when you hurt them” and it’s led to a lot of fights between both gina bf evie as well as him and sodapop. he’s learning though.