The desert passes by, covered in a blanket of black darkness. From the back seat, slouched deep down in the cushion, she watches the dash. Every once in a while, blinding headlights come over a hill in the distance, but without them, the road looks navy. Boxy blue numbers and letters light up the radio display, while low, slow music plays softly above the hum of the engine. Each crack in the road causes the luggage in the back seat to shift. They have four more hours to go.
Her eyes barely stay open. She almost falls asleep, until he cracks his window, and the sound of rushing air wakes her up. The wind hits her tired eyes. She hears a lighter clicking, and then, the smell of tobacco smoke meets her. She doesn't know Grimmjow very well. He's only a friend of Ichigo's, from college or something. He doesn't say much. But he does glance at her every so often, in a lingering way. She likes that. She likes him.
He offers the cigarette to Ichigo in the driver's seat. After being declined, Grimmjow turns back to her. He holds it out to her between his thumb and fingers. She's never smoked before. She fights to stay awake.
"I don't know how."
He turns around more. His face is dark, but she can see a dim light in his eyes. The faint outline of his lips moves.
"Hold this end in your mouth." She leans forward and takes it. She puts the filter to her lips. He watches her. "Breathe in halfway, just into your mouth. Hold it." She takes a drag. The butt lights up a faint red. She watches the end, and then gazes at him through the darkness. "Take out the cig. Breathe in the rest." Warmth and calmness blur her mind. "Out."
A puff of smoke fades the darkness between them. His eyes rest on her for way too long. The car is serene. Kissing him would feel soft.
"Good?" he asks softly.
"Yeah," she whispers. She leans forward again. As she hands him the cigarette, his fingers touch hers. She's already close enough. Her lips brush his. It feels beautiful: indescribably soft, plush. They're gone in a moment. As she leans away, his eyes, intense, burn through her, spurning her back. She kisses him again. His tongue brushes her bottom lip. She pulls away again, her cheeks hot. She sinks back into the seat. Ichigo hasn't noticed. Quietly, they drive on.