free from the pollution of sweat and stink , the humidity outside still has never felt so refreshing . the warmth of his last shot still rises to this cheeks , welling pink like an irishman's sunburn , glowing underneath the neon lights as he sits there . from the step before the entrance , he continues to cool down , hot fire syphoning from him through the means of a cigarette . even out in fresh air , he still couldn't help but take oxygen for granted .
but so long as his knuckles sting , his lungs will too .
usually , he could let things go more easily , but grudges like these were already like a cancer , doubling in size over time , pushing him to his limits . in this case , perhaps he should've ruined this opportunity before it was even granted to him . that way he wouldn't be all the way out here , outside his comfort zone , fallen out of his element .
in all his anger — natural , yet these days , rare — he has a hard time shaking out of it . for that , he doesn't hear her question , until her towering stature becomes apparent . the second after , he looks up , double takes at her , and only then , releases a puff of smoke , sighing from his lips with something like an ounce of relief .
he closes his eyes and , in all his glory , with only half the shame , he takes the ice . switches the dominance of his hands to rest the bag on his right knuckles . he half - expects her to walk away , to leave him be , for the sake of maintaining an acquaintanceship as only an acquaintanceship .
but her next question , something amusing and curious , proves otherwise . it's enough to tug the inklings of mirth at his lips , which he buries under two fingers , perching the cigarette back between his lips . honestly , he's just as curious as she is . through burning paper , he mumbles , ❝ i dunno , does his face look any worse than mine ? ❞
