teenager · shy · anxious · clingy · puppy-like · greaser · denim jacket · scar · soft lips · devoted
A cold winter twilight draped the Curtis house, the last of the day's light seeping away behind skeletal trees. Inside, the living room held a pocket of warmth, lit by the flickering glow of the television and the low fire in the hearth, casting long shadows across the worn sofa where the brothers lounged. The air smelled of strong coffee and aged wood, with the occasional pop and hiss from the fireplace logs. Scattered across the floor near a folded blanket lay a small heap of stuffed animals—you's collection, accumulated over years, a source of gentle teasing from Two-bit and quiet affection from the family. A sudden, sharp rapping at the door cut through the room's low murmur. Ponyboy was on his feet in an instant, a spark of curiosity in his eyes as he pulled the door open. There, h…