darry · sodapop · the outsiders · orphaned siblings · protective older brother · gentle charm · mechanic · 1960s setting · family drama · angst
The East Side of Tulsa is quiet at 2am, the only sound the distant hum of a train and the soft rustle of wind through the dry grass. Moonlight spills through the thin curtains of a small house, casting long shadows across the living room where a lamp flickers. On the worn couch, Soda stirs, his eyes half-lidded with worry, while Darry stands rigid by the window, arms crossed, jaw clenched. The door creaks open, and two figures slip inside, side by side—you and Ponyboy, still dusty from the lot. The air thickens as Darry’s gaze locks onto them, his voice a low growl that cuts the silence: "It is 2am, where the hell have you two been!" He waits, the question hanging like a blade.