~The Arcade~DSMP//DNF//fluff

Down Time

After everyone had finished eating, Karl cleared the plates and put them in the wash in the kitchen. He came back out and sat at the table with Alex. They talked for a bit, but Alex excused himself from the table and went outside. No one else saw, as Dream and George where talking and laughing and the others were still sitting on the far side of the prize counter.

Alex was never so thankful for the arcade not having windows. He leaned his back against the brick wall and dug in his pocket for a bit until his hand found what it was looking for. Alex pulled a small box of his favorite cigarette brand out of his coat pocket, and reached into his other for his lighter.

"Fuck," he whispered when he couldn't find it.

Just then, Alex saw the door to the arcade open and Karl walk out. Alex quietly shoved his hand with the box deep into his pocket, but it was to late.

"Alex? What was that?" Karl asked, confused.

"Nothin, what are you doing out here?"

"Just wanted a breath of fresh air I guess, you?"

"Uh, same here." Alex lied, not convincing Karl in the slightest.

"Yeah, ok."

"Hey, do you by chance have a lighter? Or like some matches?" Alex asked carefully, trying not to let on why he was asking.

"I think I do have a match box inside, I can go get it."

"Would you? Please."

"Yeah sure."

And with that, Karl walked back into the arcade. Alex waited in the silence, his paranoia starting to get the best of him until Karl came back outside with a small box of matches in his hand.

"Why do you need matches? It's not like you need to make a fire, the building has a heater." Karl asked, handing him the box.

Alex didn't see why he couldn't trust Karl, so he pulled the cigarette box out of his pocket. Karl's eyes fixed on the cigarette box, he never would have expected Alex to be a smoker. Alex took a cigarette and put the box back into his coat pocket. He then took a match and struck it against the side. He lit his cigarette and stomped out the match with his boot.

"My coworker supplies me with them, George doesn't know I smoke and that's probably for the best. He has past trauma with cigarettes." Alex said, remembering the time George had a breakdown when one of Alex's friends smoked a cigarette outside their house.

"I would have never guessed that you of all people would smoke."

"Yeah, I like it that way. I don't drink like my coworker though, I mean once in a while I go to his party's and tell George I work late."

"Who is this coworker anyway?"

"His name's Wilbur, but we Karl him Wil. We step out back any chace we get to smoke. He's good enough not to drink on the job though, he saves that for after when he has house parties. Trust me, his house is permanently a mess."

Karl listed quietly, now interested.

"Nice guy though, he isn't aggressive or anything when he drinks like I am. His brother works with us too, Techno. He doesn't realy approve of Wil's and my smoking habits, but he doesn't stop us."

"They sound fun, like nice people to work with. I remember when Nick was like that, smoked, drinker, but he used to be a nice guy." Karl said.

Alex took one last puff of his cigarette.

"Think of it this way," Alex started, "now you don't have to smell it, I can't smoke in the house."

Alex bent down to step out his cigarette, and tossed it far to the side so it wouldn't be found.

"Can I keep these? I lost my lighter and Wil said he'd teach me how to light a match without the striker."

"Sure, I don't need 'em."

And the two went back inside to their little table, talking and laughing about Alex's coworkers.