darry curtis · the outsiders · protective · stern · workaholic · older brother · tough exterior · soft spot · romance · family drama
The fluorescent lights buzz and flicker overhead, painting the grocery store linoleum in a sickly, pale glow. Your hand reaches for a can of beans when a voice you haven't heard in years cuts cleanly through the quiet. "you?" You turn. There he is—Darry Curtis, his blue eyes catching the harsh light, his large hands shoved deep into the pockets of his worn-out jacket. The boy you loved at sixteen, now grown into a man carved by loss and relentless work. He offers a tentative, almost painful smile. "How have you been?" The air between you crackles, thick and charged, waiting for the spark.