smokin' | louigan

seven

she watched as logan slammed the restaurant door, the bell ringing so loudly louise yanked on her bunny ears. she was fuming, whistling with anger. and as he lit another cigarette louise stormed out right after him.

he heard her stomps and rolled his eyes, but they quickly opened again when she grabbed his arm tightly.

"what the h*ll bel—" louise quickly spun him around, ripped the lit cigarette from his mouth, and smashed it to the ground with her foot. logan's jaw clenched as he let out a deep sigh, blowing the smoke into louise's small face. she hacked into her elbow, angrily batting the fog away. louise returned her gaze to logan's eyes in pure rage.

"so you not only want to be homeless, but you want cancer too!? what the h*ll happened to you!" louise screamed in logan's face, jabbing her hand into his chest. he tried to get a word in, but she was just screaming nonsense, small fists pounding into his sternum and reverberating through his ribs. he quickly grasped her tan wrists, thumbs quickly finding her racing pulse.

"what the f**k else am i supposed to do, four ears? huh!? i should've never come back, go*da**it!" he turned away from her, walking towards the lamp post and retrieving another cigarette. he searched for his zippo, only to find the short brunette holding the open flame up to his mouth.

logan stared unemotionally at the small woman, leaning closer to light his cigarette. her hands shook slightly as he quickly inhaled his first drag, and she slipped the lighter into the pocket of her shorts. silently, she watched his anger dissipate with each drag. he blew the smoke in the other direction, the ocean breeze carrying it away down the dark street.

"you can always stay here bush," her mind quickly caught up with the words that just spewed from her mouth, and they both stared at each other in surprise, "i-i-i've got an empty room upstairs. and air conditioning." the blond reached over and tugged on her ears, smirking as she batted his hands away. he crossed his arms over his chest as he walked away, leaning against a light post.

"thanks princess, but i'll have to pass." his voice was a cool whisper, and louise couldn't help but stare at his lips shaping each word, every syllable. she watched the muscles of his arms ripple as his body tensed, and she quickly brought her gaze back to his eyes. they frosted over once more.

"i don't need your charity," logan ground out heavily. the sound of gravel rushed through louise's ears as she angrily ripped her ears off her head, speedily walking towards him.

"listen you big oaf," louise's voice grew louder with every word, "this is not charity. this is kindness. this is compromise. now shut up and get back inside!" logan stared, shocked at her words. his chest ached from where her fists pounded into his sternum. but as she turned away, he shivered at the sway of her hips, the echo of her voice in his ears. he didn't know why, and he didn't want to know.

but he did know that he was broke and without a place to call home. he knew that his childhood nemesis was living in an empty house and she was willingly offering a place to stay. no mother to yell at her obnoxiously or father to rejoice about the extra help around the restaurant. it was her; it was pure louise, always her, always four ears.

"you said an extra room?"