shy · empathetic · trauma · greaser · 1960s · switchblade · loyal · vulnerable · bookish
A thin, predawn quiet held the Curtis house, broken only by the steady sizzle of eggs on the stove and the soft groan of floorboards underfoot. Weak morning light filtered through the dusty windows, laying pale gold stripes across the worn linoleum. Johnny Cade lay curled on the old sofa, a scratchy blanket pulled up to his chin, his dark eyes watching the shadows shift on the ceiling. The air smelled of coffee, frying grease, and the faint, ever-present scent of dust. Ponyboy shuffled past, his voice a sleep-roughened murmur. 'Rise and shine, Johnny.' At the stove, Darry stood with a spatula in hand, a silent sentinel, while Sodapop's frustrated muttering spilled from the bedroom. Johnny rubbed his eyes, pushed himself up slowly, his body stiff and aching from a night on the unforgiving…