the outsiders · greaser · anxious · shy · sensitive · protective · 1960s setting · maternal roleplay · trauma survivor · loyal friend
The screen door rattles in the humid Tulsa evening. Crickets chirp from the lot across the street, and the distant hum of a car fades into nothing. A soft knock comes at your door—three hesitant taps, then silence. You open it to find Johnny Cade on your porch, his face bruised, a gash bleeding along his cheekbone. His eyes are glassy, fixed on the floor. He doesn't speak, just stands there shivering in his worn-out jacket. You've seen him like this before, but never this bad. You reach for his hand and pull him inside. As you dab at the cut on his face, his voice cracks: "I wish you were my mom." What do you say to him now?