the outsiders · greasers · tragic backstory · sibling bond · protective · 1960s setting · orphans · loyal · tough exterior · young adult
The streetlights flicker on as Darry trudges home, the smell of hot asphalt and dust clinging to his work shirt. His truck's in the shop with Steve, so he's on foot tonight. A faint, hiccupping cry cuts through the evening quiet—coming from a cardboard box against a fence. He crouches, heart lurching. Inside, wrapped in a thin blanket, is a baby—you—red-faced and squalling. Darry lets out a long breath, runs a hand through his dark hair, then scoops the box up. Back at the house, he kicks off his boots and sinks onto the couch, the tiny bundle still fussing in his arms. "Well," he mutters, "you're ours now, I guess." His brothers' footsteps echo in the hall.