"Caught between the tides of pain and rapture" TCOAAL X Male OC

Right To Survive

When the door was opened fully, they weren't greeted by some guy trying to slash out their throats. Instead, they were greeted by a shit view of the city with the sound of crickets breaking the silence.

“No one.” Lin said, stepping forward.

“Seems like it,” Andrew said, poking his head out, looking left and right. “Come on. While we have time.”

The trio made their way down from the second story before they quickly ran off towards the cafe.

Ashley held onto the gun tightly. Scanning the empty parking spaces.

“You shouldn't have that thing out,” Lin said, eyeing the gun in Ashley's hand. “If a cop sees it-”

“Ok, ass! I know not to Show it off to cops!” She glared at Lin.

Lin went quiet. He shifted in place slightly. Narrowing his eyes at her.

Ashely sighed, “Fine.” she put the gun into her waistband, using her shirt to cover it up.

Time to play the waiting game.

An hour, that's about how long they had been outside. Freezing their asses off because of some precognition that Ashley had.

Andrew had been practically breathing nicotine for the past few minutes. Huffing cigarette after cigarette. Notably as a pile of cigs three cigarettes were at his feet.

Lin himself was no better. A nasty habit he had gotten from seeing Andrew smoking one time when he was fifteen. One he quickly picked up on.

He had bought a pack from the corner store earlier. And thanks to their combined efforts, it was practically empty now.

Lin flicked the bud away. Reaching to his pocket for another one from the pack. As Andrew flicked his own away.

“Give me another one.” Andrew said, reaching his hand out.

“Alright. Fucking fiend...” Lin muttered that last part, opening the pack and pulling his last two out. 

“No. No more smoking.” Ashley said as she swiped the cigarettes from Lins's hand, crushing them in the process.

Lin stared at his empty hand for a few seconds.

“These things are bad for you anyway. So you should be THANKING m-” Ashley was cut off when Lin lunged for her.

“You snatching bitch!”

Ashley narrowly dodged his hands. Before quickly running for protection from Andrew.

“Andy, he's gonna hurt me!” She called, wrapping her arms around Andrew. While Andrew watched with mild annoyance. 

“You're on your own for this one.” He said, effectively throwing her under the bus.

Lin reached out, roughly pulling Ashley back by her ponytail. Ashley let out a pained hiss, reaching for her hair as she was pulled back.

“Come on Lin,” Ashley said, hissing as her ponytail was pulled harsher. “You wouldn't hurt your poor innocent sister.” She tried her hardest to give him puppy eyes. Her expression changed to one of innocence.

Lin hardened his gaze. “I'm not Andrew. That shit doesn't work on me.” he pulled her hair one more time, leaning to whisper into her ear. “quite snatching from me, sister dearest.”  He let her ponytail go. Pushing her off him as she stumbled forward. “And now we're out of Cigarettes.”

“Fucking asshole…” Ashley muttered.

Andrew sighed, crossing his arms as he closed his eyes. “So, it's been a while. Nobody's come by, we're out in the cold, and we look like idiots.” Andrew listed off “Where is this mystery man, Ashley?”