A/N: A very good friend of mine (who thinks of me as the Liam to her Break) doesn't approve of me smoking, be it e-cigs or regular ones. I don't smoke anymore, but this story was born from a conversation we had about it regardless.
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It's an uncommon sort of fad but a fad nonetheless; electronic cigarettes are slowly making their way around the members of Pandora. Many of the members smoke already, so for them, the electronic version of their vice is often seen as a means to kick the habit once and for all. For others, those who have never smoked a cigarette in their life, the e-cigs are a temptation, with the packaging and advertising claiming to be virtually harmless.
Liam doesn't want to give in to temptation. He knows already he can't smoke regular cigarettes; he tried several times during his younger years and always ended up going into a violent fit of coughing after just one drag. He could barely even manage to light the cigarettes in the first place, uncomfortable with a flame being so close to his face or hand. It caused some embarrassment at first, but these days he's grateful for it. He's thankful he didn't end up like Gilbert, the man who continuously tries to quit and fails. Even the electronic cigarettes don't help him.
He intends to refuse at first when one his Pandora associates gives him an electronic cigarette as a gift, telling him to "relax for once." The other man gives him no choice, walking away immediately after placing the present in his hand, and Liam can't bring himself to refuse it or throw it away. His attempts to pawn it off on someone else are completely unsuccessful:
"Nah. E-cigs burn my throat."
"…It's water vapor. You're inhaling smoke. Which one do you think is more harmful?"
"I don't care. I'll die someday anyway."
He tries to get rid of it by giving it to Gilbert too, but the dark haired man's shoulders just droop and he shakes his head, lighting a normal one to smoke instead with a melancholy expression. Liam almost feels guilty for even showing it to him.
When Liam is told to run an errand to the Rainsworth household, he decides to give the cigarette a chance. He's heard of their calming effects, and if he has to deal with Xerxes, any amount of apathy he can muster is useful. He puffs on it, not entirely sure how to inhale anything while there's an object between his lips, but eventually manages to figure it out. It is a sort of pretty habit, he supposes. The smoke—vapor— whirls upwards toward the sky out of his nose and mouth, a cloud of white fog. And he does feel a little more relaxed than usual, though not much.
Break meets Liam at the door. His uncanny ability to have the worst timing possible is truly a wonder. Liam manages to shake him off long enough to deliver the package, but as soon as he's done, Break is back.
"For someone who's blind, you're sure good at tracking people down," Liam comments, pushing his glasses up. He sits with Break, albeit with reserve. Break offers no response but leans forward with a quizzical look on his face. He sniffs at the air then at the skin on Liam's neck, causing the brunette to push him away with red tipped ears. "What the hell are you doing?"
"You smell like smoke," Break notes. His voice is light but full of barely disguised accusations.
Liam sighs and scratches his head, all too aware of Break's eye on him (how he even does that will forever remain a mystery to the brunette). "I don't smoke cigarettes, Xerx. I was with people who do is all," Liam replies, and Break shakes his head.
"You don't just smell like normal cigarettes."
"…I received an electronic one as a gift, okay? I tried smoking it. There." Liam knows he's being too blunt, but Break's disapproval is somewhat hurtful.
"Those aren't as bad, but they're still dangerous! You shouldn't have anything in your lungs except air," Break says, concern in his tone even while his expression remains angry.
Liam can't help but be amused by the irony. "Aren't you the one who's always calling me a mother hen?" he asks, and it's Break's turn to sulk. Liam rolls his eyes and smiles slightly. He takes out the cigarette and sets in it in Break's hand, closing the other man's fingers around it. "Here, you can have it. I smell like smoke because I tried to get rid of it."
"I'm already dying. It's like I have a terminal illness, but you don't. I don't need you to get cancer from smoking this damn thing," Break replies quietly, and he pulls his balled up hand out from beneath Liam's. "So I will gladly keep it for you." His demeanor changes over the course of approximately three seconds, from sorely disappointed mother to teasing older brother. He takes a quick drag and blows out the smoke in Liam's face with a cocky grin. "I don't smoke either, you know. I'll just give this to Gilbert."
Liam starts to tell him that that's the opposite of a good idea, but when he realizes the white haired man will just do it anyway, he shuts his mouth.
All things considered, Liam knows he came out on top of the situation. He's just sorry Gilbert will have to suffer the consequences of his actions.