somewhere behind the smoke

2

a voice echoes in the empty space. it's as viscous as it is deep, edward notes.

"ah, yes. apparently, I've forgotten my lighter somewh--",

sharp, blue eyes meet his own. the man before him looks like he's straight out of a movie with golden hair that puts every light he's seen to shame as it glows brightly in the moonlight and a face carved by god himself.

he's dressed so sharply that edward wonders if touching him would inflict a cut on his skin.

he stands tall, impossibly untouchable like a statue.

but before he breaks the painfully long eye contact, a flame gathers between the two of them.

his cigarette burns with gentle embers.

suddenly, edward feels self-conscious; he's too shabbily dressed compared to the man before him.

"thank you.",

he whispers, feeling himself getting smaller and smaller before the man's gaze.

"you're welcome.",

the blond man answers, eyes disappearing behind a grin.

and edward scolds himself for the second time for thinking how handsome the man is.

but here's the thing -- he's objectively handsome. anyone with functioning eyes would think the same.

edward tries to focus more on the ribbons of smoke escaping from his lips and the sound of falling rain.

like it'd create white noise and silence his mind.

"tired of the party inside?",

the man speaks and all he wants is to not answer.

"not really. I think I've had too much to drink, is all.",

edward replies with reluctance. reluctance obvious enough to be noticed by the blond man but subtle enough to not be rude.

"me too. champagne would've been a better choice for an event like this than wine, don't you think?",

the man says, words slurred around the cigarette he places between his teeth. the lighter flicks loudly after.

"I...don't have much knowledge on things like that.",

edward answers with great effort.

"no, I mean, considering the low alcohol content and all.",

the man answers, now releasing a ribbon of smoke he's created.

"then I suppose it would've been more apt.",

edward sees both their cigarettes' strings of smoke tangle before the indigo backdrop of night.

he glances at his wristwatch before saying,

"please excuse me, I think it's time for me to return home.",

edward turns around and takes a few steps forward to go back into the venue to exit the event but before he accomplishes that, a hand grasps his wrist.

he flinches at how cold it is.

"I think it would be too unfair,"

the man says as he throws his cigarette on the floor, stepping on it to put it out.

"to have such a night end like this, don't you think?",

edward sees the man's intentions clearly and a part of him muses that what would he even do when he's at home?

drink some more, cry and pass out on the sofa?

even if he declines the offer, what else does he even have to do?

he can hear the voice in his head chuckle.

pathetic.

"okay.",

sharp, blue eyes close and curve behind a brilliant grin.