𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐓 𝐂𝐔𝐋𝐓⁰²ʰᵉᵐᵐⁱⁿᵍˢ

22 all the nice things

asari
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It felt like having a drunk time out at 2AM, the night filled with untold conversations, tired sighs, and the occasional longing stare at someone when they weren't looking. By far, it wasn't an ideal scene, but it was far from unwanted. I'd climb up the narrow and steep stairs of the building, following Luke all the way to the rooftop, reminding me of Calum and his occasional outings. Empty glass in hand, my breath falling and collapsing within my lips, I found myself squatted on the cement floor with Luke by my side.

We'd shared the glass we brought, pouring in wine and talking about how we'd reinvent the dusty rooftop. There wasn't a lot in it, which provided the perfect canvas for our weary selves and overactive imagination. It was like a dream come alive in my mouth. I explained how I'd definitely put on brick flooring, a grill by the corner, a campfire-like structure in the middle - made for people who were interested in pretending like they were in the middle of nowhere gone camping.

"It's only half the experience, though," Luke commented, pouring more wine into the glass. "I mean, you have the campfire, campsite, the grill, you could bring your tent - but what makes the camping actually... I don't know, somewhat what it's meant to be, the experience falls short,"

I couldn't get him. The sine had gotten to my head, leaving me to nod at most of the things he said. "Words. Right,"

"At least, for me, the camping is the stars," he continued.

"Well we don't have those here,"

"And the sounds of nature around you,"

"But you can get the divine ambience of traffic!"

I managed to bring out a laugh from him, quietly satisfying me as I took the glass from his hand and started to lift it to my lips. Just in time, his hand swooped forward and retrieved it. "And you can rest knowing you're far from the busy workplace. It's nature. It's calming to a lot of people,"

"Wine's calming to a lot of people,"

He scoffed, followed by a smirk as he drank what had been in the glass. "Especially for light weights like you, huh?"

"A personal attack - how rude," I poked a finger at his arm, narrowing my eyes at him in a plsy of suspicion. "And you don't really know if I'm a light weight, huh, maybe I just don't drink as much as you probably do,"

He scrunched his face at the slight insult. "Ouch. I don't, actually. As far as vices go, it's just the smoking, and maybe my fatally handsome look, you know? Good looking men are damned to -"

"You can add 'cocky' on that list then,"

He leaned towards me, nudging his shoulder with mine playfully as a slurred laugh escaped his mouth. "And the wine's the finished, so there's not much of anything to gorge yourself on. Light weight or not,"

I sighed, resting my head in the councrete railing. From a distance, I could here police sirens, wailing like a child's cry. Somewhere off, there was an actual child crying. The city sounded ugly with my eyes closed.

"I'm tired," I let the words escape me, no longer caring whether the slight breeze had carried them off or Luke had caught my voice.

"You should probably go home then, get some rest," He answered, confirming that he had heard.

I gently shook my head left then right. "Not that kind,"

Silence from him. Then "Oh,"

It was a dumbfounded silence, something you gave to your friend if they ever confessed their love to you. Just oh, followed by the frail hope that perhaps the silence could on longer and that they weren't anticipating a longer, better reply.