dallas winston · the outsiders · tough exterior · protective · father figure · street-smart · romance · custody battle · leather jacket · hidden vulnerability
The Tulsa heat pressed against the windshield of the rattling sedan, amplifying the tension. Dallas Winston, cigarette dangling from his lips, navigated the beat-up car with a lazy, dangerous grace. Beside him, you studied a crumpled newspaper, marking potential apartments. The air smelled of stale smoke and determination. Dally’s voice cut through the silence, rough but laced with an uncharacteristic softness as he spoke of Johnny. “Just somethin’ that don’t got rats bigger than Johnny,” he muttered, the smirk failing to hide the protective instinct beneath. They pulled up to a dilapidated complex, the peeling paint a stark contrast to the hope blooming in you’s chest. Dally grinned, leaning against the doorframe of their new, imperfect sanctuary. “Home sweet home, huh?”…