James and Sharna One-Shots

5th Hour // AU

James was a smoker. While Sharna didn't necessarily care if he smoked - sure, she knew it was a bad habit, but it wouldn't be the end-all-be-all of a relationship - but she wouldn't smoke. Sharna respected how James had started to slowly quit. He had started his departure from nicotine a week ago, but ever since the new school year had picked up, Sharna noticed that so had James' cigarettes.

It was around 2:30 in the morning when something pulled Sharna out of her sleep. She noticed that James wasn't beside her. After taking the covers off of her legs, she traveled around the apartment. Sharna nodded to herself when she saw James standing on their deck, smoking.

"What are you doing out so late?" Sharna asked, opening the door and stepping out onto the deck beside James. An ashtray separated the two of them, but Sharna didn't mind.

"What are you doing up?" James asked, turning to face Sharna as he exhaled another steady stream of smoke.

Sharna sighed. "Well, I freaked out because you weren't upstairs. What happened to just finishing those papers?"

"I did finish them, it's just...I just, nobody got above a 72% on those tests, and Sharna, I feel like I'm failing them! These kids are going to go on and be the next generation of teachers and artists and scientists, and it's my job to teach them things correctly, and I obviously can't do that!" James pressed his now burnt out cigarette into the ashtray, and started for his pocket to retrieve another, but Sharna stopped him.

Sharna had the urge to aim a "that's a nasty habit anyways" comment to James, but she bit it back, simply because that isn't what he needed to hear in that moment. "Listen, there was probably a miscommunication somewhere. And it's one test, who cares? It can be made up."

James threw his hands into the air. "I care! I care because it's my job! I care because it'll bring semester grades down, and if it's bad enough, these kids won't get to play the sports they want, and not to mention the parents! I grew up knowing kids who's parents would beat them if they didnt have straight A's, and I dont want any of these kids getting hurt because I couldn't do my job! I can't do this anymore!" James put his arms against the railing of the deck, and his head in his hands.

Sharna moved the table with the ashtray over to the other side of the deck. Once she set it down, she came back, and wrapped her arms around James' waist, resting her head on his back. "No, you can't quit. What's quitting going to accomplish? I understand and admire your love for these kids, but you're going to slip up here and there. Its okay." She couldn't see it, but James gently smiled. "And maybe it was just a hard concept for them to learn. That's okay. Everyone is going to learn a little bit differently. Everyone, including yourself, is going to be okay."

James spun around. "Thanks, Love." He smiled. James leaned down to give Sharna a kiss, but she pressed her finger to his lips.

"No, you're not kissing me until you go brush your teeth. I said I wouldn't judge you for smoking, but that doesn't mean I'm going to kiss you when your lips taste like that ashtray." Sharna said with a chuckle, as she pointed to the ashtray.

James laughed in return "Okay." He went to go open the door to go back inside the home. Sharna noticed how he still looked sad, though.

"Fine. Maybe just a cheek kiss." Sharna smiled and kissed James' cheek, before following him back inside.

~~~~~

So this was actually an AU I sent to morningthunderstorms like FOREVER ago, so Sami, do you remember this one?

Regaurdless, I hope you all enjoyed! Xoxo! ❤