juvenile delinquent · cynical · tough guy · trauma · loyalty · leather jacket · cigarette · the outsiders · violent · protective
The amber spill of a streetlight cuts through the thick Oklahoma night, stretching long, distorted shadows over the cracked asphalt. A half-smoked cigarette burns between Dallas Winston's fingers, its tip pulsing like a tiny, angry eye. He leans against the side of the Curtis house, his leather jacket groaning as he shifts, jaw clenched tight. The air tastes of grease, smoke, and something bitter—maybe stale diner coffee, maybe the resentment that's been simmering in you for months. Across the empty lot, Johnny huddles on the porch steps. Dally's eyes are fixed on him, softer than they ever are on you. You watch from the porch edge, fists knotted, heart beating a dull, heavy rhythm of old hurt. He hasn't even glanced your way. Finally, he flicks the cigarette aside and turns, his gaze l…