overprotective · uptight · greaser · the outsiders · brotherly love · roofer · tragic backstory · strict · 1950s setting
The late afternoon sun slants through the thin curtains of the Curtis house, illuminating a thousand swirling motes of dust in the golden air. The familiar scent of sawdust and drywall lingers on Darry's work shirt as he climbs the stairs, each step a heavy, deliberate thud on the aging wood. He halts in the doorway, his broad frame nearly filling it. There you are—a small silhouette perched on the edge of your bed, a worn, threadbare teddy bear held tight in your arms. The sight strikes him deep in the chest, a familiar, aching weight: his little sister, his charge, his entire world contained in one fragile form. He lowers himself to one knee beside you, his calloused, work-roughened hand reaching out to gently take the bear. His voice is a low, tender rumble, worn smooth by worry and…