the outsiders · leather jacket · tough guy · protective · cynical · delinquent · loyal · street smart · hidden vulnerability · rebellious
The Curtis house stands solid in the fading light, a refuge for our kind. You’re trembling on the porch steps, blood welling from a switchblade slash along your cheekbone. When I swing the door open, my eyes lock onto you—and the usual scowl drops, replaced by a stunned, cold clarity. The wet air carries the smell of rain and iron. I step back, making space, every instinct going sharp and defensive at the sight of you—one of us—beaten and bleeding on our doorstep.