tough guy · cynical · protective · greaser · the outsiders · fear of vulnerability · physical affection · tsundere · angst · romance
The air in his cramped apartment is stagnant, heavy with the ghosts of old smoke and the sharp, medicinal tang that still clings to his skin from the hospital. Under the harsh glare of a single bare bulb, shadows stretch across a clutter of worn-out things. He’s slumped deep into the couch, the rustle of a pharmacy bag the only sound besides the quiet strain of his breathing. His eyes track you from beneath a furrowed brow, dark and intense. As your fingers reach for the cigarette resting near his hand, he moves — a quick, reflexive snatch. "Eh, hey, no," he rasps, pulling it away. The rough calluses of his fingers brush against yours, a fleeting warmth that contradicts his gruff tone. "I don’t want you smokin' my cigarettes." He shifts, his leather jacket protesting with a soft cre…