Smoke lifted above his head and drifted into the dark night, a soft mist from his own breath mixing and dancing with the heavier smoke of his cigarette. He took a deep drag, the ember at the end lighting brightly, a nicotine firefly. After watching the tip fade back down he rested his arm back on his knee and looked up at the dark sky, sitting in the glow of the bright, incomplete heart-shaped moon. It glinted in his single gold eye, partially lidded, while he reflected back on old memories.
"Tch."
Old memories… Why did he hang onto them anymore? He looked down, swinging one leg over the edge of the castle wall. Memories didn't do anything for him now. Sure, he would expect to remember the important things. But when stupid little things popped into his head…
Times patrolling with Dilan and Aeleus. Teasing the kids around Radiant Garden. Messing with Even and Ienzo. That old bastard Ansem…
He knew it shouldn't bring a smile to his face but it did and he wiped it away quickly, distracting his mouth with what remained of his cigarette. He remembered the days of sneaking out in the night, settling in the gardens and having himself a few cigarettes and watching the smoke drift up into the sky… just like he was doing now.
"Bad habits never die, do they, Xigbar?" a voice commented, accent smooth, wispy but strong.
Xaldin stepped over and looked down at the other man, who was turning the dying cigarette around between his fingers as smoke billows from his nostrils.
"S'pose they never do," Xigbar replied as the Lancer settled down on the edge of the castle beside him. He held his hand out to the other man expectantly and, rolling his single eye, the second in command took out his pack of cigarettes and held it out to the other man to choose his own. Xaldin took it gratefully, as well as the lighter that was offered not long after.
"You're still interrupting me when I'm off trying to get away from all the shit. As usual."
"What shit are you referring to?" Xaldin raised an eyebrow at the other man, taking a drag. Xigbar was lighting another cigarette up for himself, he glanced over and snorted.
"If you don't see it then I can't explain it," he replied, pocketing his lighter.
Xaldin still looked at the other questioningly. It was just like him to press until he got an answer when the response he received wasn't sufficient enough for him.
"What have you to complain about? You're under the Superior's wing quite securely."
"Look," Xigbar sighed and shrugged. "I know I got it pretty good. Even I get tired of it all sometimes. Just need a break once in a while… Gotta keep yourself sane in this place somehow."
"I recall Braig saying something similar from time to time." Xaldin eyed his companion idly. "Stressed, angry, annoyed, worried… I suppose the situation is rather different now though." He tucked the cigarette between his lips.
Xigbar's gaze was fixed on the abyss below, his cigarette burning down and the ashes sweeping below them with the gentle, barely existent breeze.
"Not everything can stay the same. Be pretty boring if it did," Xigbar replied, finally taking a drag off his cigarette before dropping it down and watching it fall.
Then again, perhaps some things never changed.