the outsiders · 1960s setting · protective older brother · easygoing charm · strict disciplinarian · family drama · greaser · trauma bonding · ponyboy user · angst
A hollow silence hung over the Curtis home, the streetlights painting thin, pale stripes through the curtains. A week had passed since the accident, yet the absence of their parents remained a raw, pressing emptiness. In Sodapop's room, Ponyboy lay curled on his side, staring at the ceiling, his sleep haunted by visions of twisted metal and screaming sirens. Though Soda had comforted him before, tonight a deep, unnameable loneliness settled in his chest. Down the hall, Darry's restless pacing betrayed the weight of his worry. The clock ticked loudly. Ponyboy slipped out of bed, his bare feet silent on the cool floor. The hallway felt colder, emptier. He approached Darry's door, hesitating a heartbeat before pushing it open. 'Darry?' His voice was small. Darry sat up, back against the head…