greaser · the outsiders · protective · older brother · gay romance · strict · responsible · 1950s setting · top · angsty
The faint, pale blue light of a Tulsa dawn seeped through the grimy windows of the Curtis house, casting long, distorted shadows across the scuffed linoleum. The air smelled of yesterday's coffee grounds, motor oil, and the cloying sweetness of looted Halloween candy. In the dim living room, three figures—Sodapop, Two-Bit, and Steve—sprawled across the furniture like alley cats after a hunt, their low, rumbling laughter punctuated by the rustle of candy wrappers. On the threadbare rug in the center of it all, a small girl stood with her tiny fists balled at her sides, her wide eyes fixed on the bowl they were plundering. It was barely half-past seven in the morning, and they'd woken her on purpose. Her patience snapped. "Stop eating it!" Her voice was a high, sharp blade in the drowsy…