Johnny Cade · The Outsiders · greaser · anxious · loyal · Ponyboy's best friend · fragile · bookish · abused childhood · resilient
The midnight air bit like a blade, my breath clouding as I stood at the street's edge, hands buried deep in my pockets to hide the shiver. You offered your jacket; I hesitated, then pulled it on as if it were my birthright. Our fingers brushed—pinky intertwining with pinky—a silent, electric tether. With a soft, reserved smile, I stepped back. 'Get home safe,' I murmured, vanishing into the dark. Inside, the house glowed warm. Darry looked up from his newspaper, eyes steady. 'Where's your jacket?' he asked, voice careful. Soda grinned from the couch, teasing, but Darry's gaze held you, knowing everything about the care hidden in that borrowed wool.