Tiny Fic- "Habit" (Gojyo-centric, First Time prompt)
Title: "Habit"
Author: clytemnaestra
Warnings: Worksafe, no spoilers, no pairings.
Notes: "First Times" prompt, 43 minutes taken, not much in the way of editing or planning, I'm afraid.
This didn't really turn out how I expected, but I think that may be the fun thing about this community and these challenges!
I used to tell people- ok, chicks mostly, that I was a natural-born smoker. Came out of the womb with a Hi-Lite in my hand. That's a load of bullshit. I mean, of course it is, but even though it sounds cool it's not even remotely close.
I had to practice, because I couldn't light them at first. No one taught me how. I'd sit there burning the end of the damn thing, but forget to suck on the filter. Or I'd suck and suck on it, but let the damn lighter go out. In the beginning I wasted a good half a pack before I really started to get it. I got frustrated and stamped on the burned-out stubs, rubbing them into the ground.
The first time I took a real good puff, got the smoke all the way into the lungs, I thought I would die. I thought my lungs were catching fire, it was passing through my throat and scorching everything in between. I coughed, I spat, I guzzled water as fast as I could. Then I did it again.
...
"Jien, how could you?"
"I know, Mother, I'm sorry..."
"But Jien, you're always such a good boy, how could you do such a disgusting, stupid thing like that to me?! You're not old enough to even start thinking about things like smoking!"
"Mom, I know. Some of my friends were trying it, and it was stupid I know, I didn't mean to hurt you!"
"Jien! What would I do without you? You're my son, you know better than this! I need you, Jien, how could you go behind my back like this?"
"I know Mom, it'll never happen again. It's ok, Mom."
"Jien..."
"Mom, you're tired, ok? Do you want me to fix you a drink? Then Gojyo and I will start dinner, ok? Just lie down and don't worry, it'll be ok."
"Jien, what would I do without you? I need you to be strong for me, Jien..."
"I know, Mom."
Jien closed the door to Mom's bedroom quietly and sat on the floor against the wall. He put his head back against the wall and shut his eyes. I watched him silently for a while, he sat and breathed in and out.
"Jien?"
"Yeah, kid?"
"What was it like? Was it cool?"
"No. It sucked." Jien looked at me then, his face was determined and a little angry. He got up, threw the pack of cigarettes on the ground and crushed them with his boot. "Gojyo. Don't you ever, ever do something stupid like that. Got it?"
"Ok...."
"Gojyo, listen to me. It's not worth it, it was stupid and I shouldn't have even tried. If you tried, Mom..."
"Ok. I get it. Jeez."
Jien didn't look convinced. I smiled at him, but I don't think that was the right thing to do. He looked sad for a moment, then slapped my back and went to the kitchen to start dinner.
"Come on, runt, whaddya want for dinner?"
"Don't call me that! Hey, Jien, are you even listening to me?"
...
Hakkai always gets on me to cut down, and sometimes I try, I really do. Not for him, not because it costs an arm and a leg. Sometimes I swear I'd cut off an arm or a leg for a cigarette, or maybe I'd cut off one of Sanzo's, that sounds like a better option.
Smoking feels good, it tastes good, at least now it does anyway. But every now and then I pull one out of the pack, looking incredibly hot as I do so of course, and my chest tightens up and I get this sick feeling in my gut. It's not that I can't breathe or I cough, just something doesn't feel right and I can't place it. Times like those, no matter how many I smoke, they all just taste bitter.
Author: clytemnaestra
Warnings: Worksafe, no spoilers, no pairings.
Notes: "First Times" prompt, 43 minutes taken, not much in the way of editing or planning, I'm afraid.
This didn't really turn out how I expected, but I think that may be the fun thing about this community and these challenges!
I used to tell people- ok, chicks mostly, that I was a natural-born smoker. Came out of the womb with a Hi-Lite in my hand. That's a load of bullshit. I mean, of course it is, but even though it sounds cool it's not even remotely close.
I had to practice, because I couldn't light them at first. No one taught me how. I'd sit there burning the end of the damn thing, but forget to suck on the filter. Or I'd suck and suck on it, but let the damn lighter go out. In the beginning I wasted a good half a pack before I really started to get it. I got frustrated and stamped on the burned-out stubs, rubbing them into the ground.
The first time I took a real good puff, got the smoke all the way into the lungs, I thought I would die. I thought my lungs were catching fire, it was passing through my throat and scorching everything in between. I coughed, I spat, I guzzled water as fast as I could. Then I did it again.
...
"Jien, how could you?"
"I know, Mother, I'm sorry..."
"But Jien, you're always such a good boy, how could you do such a disgusting, stupid thing like that to me?! You're not old enough to even start thinking about things like smoking!"
"Mom, I know. Some of my friends were trying it, and it was stupid I know, I didn't mean to hurt you!"
"Jien! What would I do without you? You're my son, you know better than this! I need you, Jien, how could you go behind my back like this?"
"I know Mom, it'll never happen again. It's ok, Mom."
"Jien..."
"Mom, you're tired, ok? Do you want me to fix you a drink? Then Gojyo and I will start dinner, ok? Just lie down and don't worry, it'll be ok."
"Jien, what would I do without you? I need you to be strong for me, Jien..."
"I know, Mom."
Jien closed the door to Mom's bedroom quietly and sat on the floor against the wall. He put his head back against the wall and shut his eyes. I watched him silently for a while, he sat and breathed in and out.
"Jien?"
"Yeah, kid?"
"What was it like? Was it cool?"
"No. It sucked." Jien looked at me then, his face was determined and a little angry. He got up, threw the pack of cigarettes on the ground and crushed them with his boot. "Gojyo. Don't you ever, ever do something stupid like that. Got it?"
"Ok...."
"Gojyo, listen to me. It's not worth it, it was stupid and I shouldn't have even tried. If you tried, Mom..."
"Ok. I get it. Jeez."
Jien didn't look convinced. I smiled at him, but I don't think that was the right thing to do. He looked sad for a moment, then slapped my back and went to the kitchen to start dinner.
"Come on, runt, whaddya want for dinner?"
"Don't call me that! Hey, Jien, are you even listening to me?"
...
Hakkai always gets on me to cut down, and sometimes I try, I really do. Not for him, not because it costs an arm and a leg. Sometimes I swear I'd cut off an arm or a leg for a cigarette, or maybe I'd cut off one of Sanzo's, that sounds like a better option.
Smoking feels good, it tastes good, at least now it does anyway. But every now and then I pull one out of the pack, looking incredibly hot as I do so of course, and my chest tightens up and I get this sick feeling in my gut. It's not that I can't breathe or I cough, just something doesn't feel right and I can't place it. Times like those, no matter how many I smoke, they all just taste bitter.