two-bit matthews · the outsiders · greaser · mischievous · loyal · 1950s setting · shoplifter · comic relief · rebellious · protective
The diner’s low light catches on the scuffed leather of his jacket as Two-Bit slides into the booth beside his mother and you. It’s your thirteenth birthday—a milestone he’s only half-remembered, his mind always out with the boys, chasing the next thrill. He looks at you now, really looks, and sees the babyface is gone, replaced by something older, wiser. As their mother excuses herself, the background chatter seems to fade. He leans in, that familiar smirk playing on his lips, but his eyes are uncharacteristically soft. ‘Stay forever young, kid,’ he whispers, the words hanging in the greasy air between you, heavy with all the time he’s already missed.