I desperately wish to test the borderline of brotherly-love and incest-love. If you are slightly offended in any way by incest or implied incest... step away now. Those who are brave enough to read this and not flame me for my 'disgusting' curiosity or whatever you may like to call it... move on.

Summary: Pony ponders on the different types of love and decides to discuss it with Soda, unintentionally putting the blonde to a test.

Warnings: Implied and actual scenes of incest. Click the back button if this does not settle with you.

Seated on the steps of the wooden front porch of his shabby home, the auburn-haired boy slammed his book shut, finally finishing the agonizingly long story.

A story of love.

Which, of course, set Ponyboy to wonder.

About love.

He was aware of the idea of different kinds of love, but it really didn't make any sense. How is it that one could feel a different type of love for one person, compared to loving someone else.

Really, love is love, is it not?

Sighing, he looked around the bare yard, noticing a dirty football lying ahead of him and an empty driveway, which was really just a patch of gravel, to his side.

Which meant Darry was not home and at work.

But, fortunately, Ponyboy was not completely alone at home.

The other brother, Sodapop, had a rare day off of work today. And, according to him this morning, he was celebrating by taking a nap.

Which lead to Pony reading outside so he could finish in peace, alone and with no embarrassment.

But, please realize, it was not the reading that was embarrassing, but rather the actual book itself. This book was not exactly a book that some teenager should read, let alone a 14-year-old like himself.

Sadly (perhaps?), curiosity got the best of him. Now, he wouldn't say this book was a mistake to read, no. But rather, it made him wonder... a lot.

And Pony gets annoyed when he can't figure out things quickly.

Such as the topic of love. And its supposed 'types'.

Standing up, he brushed off his pants (out of habit) and turned around to walk back inside his house. Opening the screen door, he closed it carefully, making sure it didn't slam, just in case the blonde was still sleeping.

Then again, Soda could probably sleep through anything, so did it really matter?

Looking around cautiously, Pony, first, snuck into Darry's room to return the book back on the small bookshelf inside. No, this book didn't belong to Darry, but rather their late mother, who was quite a reader herself.

Taking another glance around, as if he was being spied on, the youngest brother quickly made his way out of that bedroom and into his own. There, he found Soda, lying on the bed...

... completely awake.

"Hey there, Pony. Whatcha doin'?" He asked, arms crossed behind his head. Grinning, he reached out to pat an empty spot beside himself, indicating that Pony was to sit or lay next to him.

Just to be safe, for reasons unknown to him, Pony only sat down.

"Nothing, I just finished reading another book." The boy shrugged his shoulders, steadying his gaze out the window. "Did I wake you up when I came inside?"

"Nah, I've been up but I didn't feel like moving." The blonde chuckled, closing his eyes with a dreamy smile on his face.

Pony had a sudden feeling of guilt, looking at the peaceful face of his beloved older brother. Biting his bottom lip, he decided to risk his chance. "Hey Soda?"

"Hmm?"

"I... uhh..." Eyes shifted to the side, brows furrowing towards the center in thought, "I have a question... sort of..."

Chocolate brown orbs appeared, staring at the form seated beside him. "Alright... so what's up?"

"Well, it's kind of embarrassing 'cause ya think I would know or somethin' but I really don't get it." Pony said, rubbing the back of his head, still not daring to look at the other boy.

Soda frowned, wondering what Pony was getting all flustered about. Sitting up, he turned to lean back against the wall, legs crossed Indian-style. Lifting a hand, he tugged on the younger boy's sleeve, making him move back to sit next to him.

Pony also leaned back, but opted to leave his legs stretched out. Wiggling his toes distractingly, he kept his gaze forward.

The blonde poked him in the (face) cheek. "C'mon, what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. I just... don't understand... love."

Soda blinked, obviously not expecting this sort of topic. "Love? As in... liking a girl or something?"

Shaking his head, Pony closed his eyes. "No... I mean, the different types of love. Like, how can love for one person be different for another person?"

"Hmm... I see." He didn't say anything, but a smile appeared on his face anyways. "So yer sayin' love between loving a girl and say... loving a brother?"

Finally, Pony looked over, seeing his older brother's calm features, an understanding look showing through his eyes. This action caused him to relax immensely. Nodding, Pony added on, "Yeah, how can that be different? Love is love, isn't it?"

"It's the way ya feel that's different. Love, really, is just a word. Like, if ya like a girl, ya kinda get that... rushed feeling in yer chest and head... but it's a nice feeling. Love for yer brother is always there. Its an unbreakable bond unless something bad happens, I guess."

"But there's a bond between a girl and boy liking each other, isn't there? And that can break too."

"Yeah, but its the feelings that are different."

"If the bonds between loving a girl and loving a brother are similar, then shouldn't the feelings be the same?"

"They're not the same, Pony. There's always bonds between brothers. Ya create a bond with a girl that ya like."

"But, in a way, they're the same. Like ya want to protect yer brother with yer life. The same with protecting a girl that ya like!"

"Pony-"

"And always bein' there for them! If I were to like a girl, I'd always want to be there for her, but if Soda were in trouble, I'd always want to be there for him as well!"

"Well, yeah-"

"So really, its not the feelings that are different, right?"

"Ahh, no, its not like that."

"No, the feelings are exactly the same. Its the physical..." Pausing, feeling a heated rush overflow on his face, he quickly looked away, disbelief in him treading into such a topic.

Soda grinned, ruffling the younger boy's hair. "I take it yer talkin' about sex?"

The auburn-haired boy was silent, but the cheeks grew redder by the second.

Chuckling, Soda closed his eyes again. "All right, I change my mind. Its not the feelings that are different, but the physical attraction for the person that is different."

"That was a pretty complex statement ya made."

Frowning, Soda reached over to smack the other boy lightly upside the head. "Watch it. Anyways, when ya like a girl, yer attracted to them physically and... uhh... the feelings too. But with a brother... well... who sleeps with their brothers?"

"Don't put it like that!"

"Well gheez, how was I suppose to say it? I, Soda, would not screw my brother, Ponyboy?"

"Oh god, shut up!" The younger shouted, pushing at the older boy, face turning into a brilliant shade of red.

Silence combed through the room, Soda grinning as Pony tried to calm down. When he did though, another thought came to mind. "Soda?"

"Hmm?"

"Is our relationship... as brothers... strange?"

"Eh?" The blonde looked around, staring at the younger boy. "Whaddya mean strange? What are ya tryin' to say, Pony?"

"I don't mean it offensively. But... from what I've seen from other people and their siblings... they're not like us. I mean, we're really close and hardly fight and stuff... but other people always talk about how they hate their sister or brother and whatnot."

"Pony, we just happen to get along well. And we should consider ourselves lucky for that, not embarrassed. Unless... yer bothered by the bond we have?"

"No!" Pony stared at his brother with a desperate look on his face. "No, I don't ever want lose you, Soda! I love you more than anyone else in this world!" He confessed, breathing heavily. Gulping, he slowly reached over, grabbing onto Soda's sleeve. "I don't know what I'd do... if ya left me."

"Pony..." Grabbing him by the shoulders, Soda pulled the boy in a tight embrace. "I would never leave ya ever. You and I both know that. We have a great bond of bein' best friends and brothers at the same time."

"How come my love for you is different from my love for Darry?"

"Oh Pony..." Soda sighed, keeping the boy in his lap with arms wrapped around his shoulders. "You and Darry... just kind of clash, I guess. I mean, yer personalities and stuff don't... work well together all the time."

"So, how come ours do?"

"I don't know, honey. We're just lucky like that."

"We were made for each other?"

"Eh... I suppose, as brothers, we were."

"Soda, I don't want to ever leave you."

"Neither do I, I just said that."

"I don't want some girl getting in between us. I won't let it happen."

"Pony... did ya forget what we just talked about?"

"No, but I seriously think my love for you is most different from any other love I feel for other people, like Mom and Dad, and Darry, and the gang, and so on." Pressing his face against the warm chest, Pony wrapped his arms around Soda's waist tightly. "I'd die if I lost you."

"Pony, don't say that. Don't ever say stuff like that again."

"Then promise me!" The younger boy cried out, shaking.

"Promise you what?" Soda sighed, rubbing at his temples.

"Promise ya won't leave me. Please?" Finally, as if he was holding it back for so long, his will broke and he started sobbing uncontrollably.

"Pony!" Grabbing him by the shoulders, Soda pulled him back far enough to take a good look at his face. Then just as quickly, he pulled him back into his tight hold. "What's wrong? Tell me!"

"Just promise me! Both verbally and physically!"

"Wait, what?"

"Soda, promise me!"

"Pony, ya know I'd never abandon you!"

"Just do it!"

"Do what?"

"Promise me! Physically!"

"I... I don't understand."

Choking out another sob, Pony reached up, wrapping his arms around the blonde's neck. Then, from there, he took control. Pulling the confused boy's head down, Pony lifted his own, quickly pressing his lips against Soda's.

Soda was, needless to say, utterly and completely speechless. He didn't dare to make a move, lest he were to make Pony cry again, for whatever reason. A moment later, Pony finally loosened his hold, allowing Soda to slowly move his head back.

Looking up at the older boy's shocked face, his lips still slightly parted, Pony sighed heavily. Sitting up properly, he turned around to slide off the bed, until he felt a pair of hands grabbing him by the arms, pulling him back against that warm chest.

Soda breathed unsteadily, leaning his head forward, resting it against Pony's left shoulder. "Pony, I... don't really understand... but I swear I'll never leave you. I swear it, no matter what happens between us."

The auburn-haired boy blinked, eyes glancing over to stare at the blonde head lying against him. Smiling, he leaned back into Soda's embrace once more as Soda shifted his arms around his waist.

When Darry came home later that night, he would walk into the room, only to see a pair of brothers, sleeping together, completely unaware of the trial they gave to each other, testing their fragile bond that they are desperately holding onto.

Wow... that was really weird. I don't know where this came from, but please be aware that just because I wrote this, does NOT mean that the rest of my stories will involve some sort of incest... because they won't.

Well, if there's anyone left, thanks for reading and please review!