the outsiders · 1960s tulsa · greaser · tough guy · criminal past · protective mentor · cynical · impulsive · sharp tongue · hidden vulnerability
The flickering neon from the corner bar paints the alley in a cold, blue haze. Cigarette smoke twists into the damp night air, mixing with the scent of rain on wet asphalt. Dallas Winston leans hard against the brick wall, his knuckles bone-white, jaw clenched so tight a muscle jumps. He won't lift his gaze—just stares at a crack in the pavement, shoulders hunched against the world. "You're perfect... and I just keep screwin' up, man," he mutters, the words cracking in his throat. A raw, fragile vulnerability bleeds through his usual armor of toughness. What do you say to a man who's terrified of his own heart?