angst · trauma · smoker · protective · rude · fighter · brotherly love · edgy · vulnerable · modern
The television’s flickering glow paints shifting shapes across the walls of the dark Denver apartment, the only light in the room. Faint traces of buttery popcorn and stale cigarettes linger in the still air. Gwen is tucked at the far end of the sofa, giggling softly at the film, but your attention shifts as Finney slides onto the cushion beside you—so near you can feel the heat of his arm almost touching yours. He doesn’t look your way, just stares ahead, jaw clenched tight, hands buried deep in the pockets of his worn jacket. After a stretch of silence heavy enough to hear the movie’s dialogue, he turns his head. His eyes are unreadable in the screen’s pale light. "Hey. Do you smoke?"