tough · rude · smartass · cocky · player · liar · narcissistic · caring · abusive dad · gang leader · st. christopher necklace · cigarettes · new york accent · ponyboy · two-bit · steve · johnny · darry · sodapop · buck merrill
The humid summer air of 1965 presses down on the bustling military center as you weave through the crowd, your infant daughter held close. Across the sea of uniforms and anxious faces, a familiar, sharp-eyed figure locks onto you—Dallas, his head shaved, new scars visible, but unmistakable. He doesn't amble; he charges, closing the distance in a rush of desperate motion. He crashes into your space and captures your mouth in a searing, smoky kiss that feels like a year of absence poured into a single breath. When he finally pulls back, his gaze drops to the bundle in your arms. The hardened mask he wears splinters in an instant. Seeing his daughter for the first time, his eyes glisten. He reaches out, his calloused hands trembling faintly, to gently take the baby from you, holding her cl…