Smoke and Fire
Vanitas lights a cigarette in the passenger's seat of Ventus's old Ford Escort, ignoring the telltale sound of the other teen clearing his throat noisily as hot air ruffles his bangs through the opened windows. The thick flannel of his button-up clings to his sweaty skin as his fingers idly twitch in the wind, eyes burning as they slowly approach the front gates of the school parking lot. Shouts and horns honking, fighting and rock music fill the air, pointedly ignored by the dark haired boy as he takes a puff of his cigarette, wiping stray ashes from his tattered pants onto the floor. Ven makes a choked grumble, disdain obvious in the lines of his mouth, still ignored by his car-mate as he pulls his rusty automobile into its designated parking space.
"Do you have to do that in here?" He finally snaps, gesturing wildly at Vanitas and his goddamn cancer incarnate.
Vanitas makes a move as if to say, "Do what?" but decides against it, instead scowling and putting it out on Ven's dusty dashboard, cackling inwardly when the younger teen gasps.
"Does it only bother you because it's in your car?" He draws out languidly, sending Ven his famous "come and get me" look from under his lashes that causes the blonde's heart to skip a mile a minute.
"O-of course not!" Ven stutters, refusing to meet Vanitas's eyes. "Smoking is bad for you! Aren't you afraid of cancer?"
Vanitas is quiet for a moment, as if mulling over his answer, as he flicks the remains of his cigarette out onto the concrete.
"Well," He finally hums, unsnapping his seat belt before grabbing his school bag from the backseat. "Would you rather live until one hundred eating celery and doing a bunch of shit that you hate to stay healthy, or die at twenty-three drunk and fucked up after partying every night and having loads of awesome, unprotected sex?"
Ven fights down his shock, unsnapping his own seat belt before pulling the keys out of the ignition.
"When have you ever had 'awesome, unprotected sex'?" He questions, sarcastic as Vanitas slips his cigarette box into the front pocket of his bag.
"We could have some later if you're up for it."
He looks so serious that Ven's heart feels as if it might explode, as his stomach lurches uncomfortably and he waits for Vanitas to start laughing.
"Uh, well, no." He coughs, and when Vanitas finally does laugh, continues with, "And anyway, are those really the only two options?"
The older teen shrugs. "You have any other suggestions?"
Ven sighs, pushing his door open and stepping out into the late summer heat.
"What about, you know, not smoking in the car that drives you to school? Or maybe actually trying to get good grades instead of goofing off or being nice to people instead of acting like a jerk?"
At this, Vanitas scoffs, sliding out of the passenger's seat and winding his way around the rusty expanse of Ven's car, stopping only inches from the shorter teen so their noses nearly touch.
"You sure have a lot of advice for someone who isn't living their life the way they want to." He whispers, breath heated against Ven's face, heavy with the scent of nicotine and mint gum.
"Wha-what?" Ven starts to ask, but is cut off by a kiss, minty and bitter and way too short, before Vanitas chuckles, pulls away, and begins the short trek toward the front doors, waving behind him as he yells,
"You want me, Ventus, just admit it!"
When he's finally out of sight, the blonde teen lets out the breath he didn't know he was holding, flushed as he grabs of fistful of his bag and hoists it onto his already tired shoulders.
"Do not." He mutters, wiping the sweat from his forehead before following Vanitas into the school building just as the first bell rings.
Fin.
Freshman year of college started for me last week. It's interesting enough, and definitely a lot less stressful than high school. I've been so busy working and partying over the summer that I haven't had any time to actually sit down and write something, so I thought, 'My math assignments aren't due until next Friday, so maybe putting them off for a story won't be so bad.'
So there you have it. Thank you so much for reading and please feel free to review and let me know what you thought!