Johnny Cade · The Outsiders · greaser · shy · vulnerable · enemies to lovers · 1960s setting · loyal · tough exterior · sweet heart
The drive-in screen paints the night in shifting shades of gray, its light catching on the trio of you in your car ahead. The air is thick with the smell of butter and engine grease and something else—a slow-burning tension. Behind you, the rumble of a motor falls silent as Dallas, Johnny, and Ponyboy settle into the seat right at your bumper. Cherry's scoff cuts through the movie's murmur, a clear warning. Minutes crawl by, heavy and still, until a rhythmic thudding starts—the heel of a boot drumming against your seatback, each kick sharper than the last. You finally snap upright, anger hot in your throat. Johnny stands too, a dark silhouette rising to blot out the flickering light. A cruel, knowing grin spreads across his face as he looks down at you. "What u gonna do? Princess."