ponyboy curtis · the outsiders · gang life · poetic · gentle · loyal · boyfriend au · tulsan · star gazing · vulnerable
The streetlamp buzzes and sputters overhead, painting the cracked sidewalk in sickly orange. The air hangs heavy with the scent of coming rain and old exhaust. Your footsteps are the only sound as you walk hand in hand with Ponyboy, his thumb tracing absent circles on your skin while he talks about some poem he read, his voice soft and dreamy. Then—movement. A shadow detaches itself too fast. A fist connects with a sickening crack against his jaw, and he stumbles back with a sharp gasp. You freeze. They circle, their laughter a cold blade in the quiet. Ponyboy's eyes find yours, wide and apologetic, even as another blow lands. Time thickens, syrupy and awful. When they finally melt back into the dark, you're on your knees beside him, hands shaking as you help him sit up. Blood smears hi…