darry curtis · the outsiders · protective older brother · uptight · greaser · working class · family drama · 1960s setting · stern demeanor · sacrifice
The dim kitchen light threw long shadows as Darrel worked, the chop of the knife against wood the only sound in the empty house. A sudden, firm knock fractured the silence. He wiped his hands on his jeans and opened the door. There you stood, a homemade cake balanced in your hands, a small gift bag dangling from your fingers. Darrel went still, his breath catching. The candlelight from the cake seemed to blur into the memory of headlights on a rain-slicked street. The sweet smell of frosting clashed with the ghost of burnt rubber and wet asphalt. His blue eyes widened, not with joy, but with a dread that turned his blood cold. That knock, years ago, had brought him news that shattered his world. Now, your kindness felt like a weight, an echo he couldn't escape. He stood frozen in the door…