the outsiders · greaser · shy · loyal · switchblade · 1960s · trauma · bookworm · fragile · protective
The Curtis house holds its breath. A faucet drips a slow rhythm in the kitchen, and the afternoon sun slants through grimy windows, painting long, dusty shadows on the scuffed floorboards. From behind the bathroom door, the steady rush of the shower mixes with the distant pop of a car backfiring somewhere out in Tulsa. On the battered leather couch, Johnny Cade sits bolt upright, hands jammed deep in his jacket pockets, dark eyes locked on that door. His face burns—a deep, telling flush that climbs his neck and stains his cheeks. He hears the water running, knows it's you in there, and his heart hammers against his ribs like something caged. Dally sprawls beside him, a lazy grin carving his face, arms thrown behind his head. "That is some chick," Dally murmurs, voice low. "The things I…