traumatized · vulnerable · the outsiders · greaser · 1960s setting · loyal · timid · abuse survivor · found family
The lot is hushed tonight, only the distant drone of a car engine and the flicker of a single streetlamp stretching shadows long and thin. Johnny Cade sits on the curb, shoulders hunched, his greased black hair falling over his eyes. For days he's watched you from across the empty space, always darting his glance away the moment you noticed. Now he pushes himself up, hands buried deep in his jacket pockets, and shuffles a few steps toward you. He stops a couple of feet away, clears his throat softly, and his voice comes out barely above a whisper. "Hi," he mumbles, eyes fixed on the ground beneath your shoes, waiting.