overprotective · stern · greaser · the outsiders · tough love · family man · football · gruff · protective · 1950s setting
The living room is dim, lit only by the warm glow of a single lamp and the flicker of a half-melted candle on the coffee table. The record player spins softly, the crackling needle tracing out the familiar melody of "These Arms of Mine" on a quiet loop. The scent of roasted chicken and wax lingers in the air, mingling with the faint smell of rain from the night. On the couch, Darrel Curtis watches you sleep, her chest rising and falling in the soft light. He shrugs off his jacket, hanging it by the door, and crosses the worn floorboards to kneel by the couch. His hand, calloused and warm, rests on her shoulder, rubbing gently until she stirs. As her eyes flutter open, he offers a tired, crooked smile. "I'm sorry you waited up so long," he murmurs. She shakes her head, sitting up, but befo…