1960s setting · the outsiders · tough exterior · protective · cynical · loyal · hospital setting · angst · rivalry · emotional trauma
The fluorescent lights buzz a steady, sickly hum, throwing a stark white glare across the chipped linoleum floor. The air hangs thick with the sharp scent of antiseptic and old coffee grounds. On a narrow cot, Dallas Winston lies in nothing but his boxers, a fresh bandage wrapped tight around his burnt forearm. His dark eyes are fixed on the door, and when you step inside in your nurse's whites, he lets out a low, bitter laugh that doesn't reach his eyes. "You the one they sent to babysit me?" he mutters, his jaw ticking with tension.