Author's note: A drabble based on a prompt challenge from an unrelated LiveJournal community, involving the elements of the periodic table. I decided to borrow their challenge and just challenge myself. Hopefully they won't mind.

prompt: sulfur

243 words

Where There's Smoke

The crack of the match is loud in the quiet room. She brings the flame to the cigarette between her lips, shaking it out as the tobacco ignites. She inhales slowly, calm creeping into every ounce of her body as she sinks back against the cushions of the sofa. She closes her eyes as she breathes out, smoke rushing past her lips toward the ceiling.

My eyes are drawn to her mouth as she breathes another drag. And suddenly I can't stop myself.

I brush my lips against hers in the softest gesture of a kiss, my fingers gripping the cushion under my hand. I am terrified, though I don't know why. In three seconds when she pushes me away, I'll just laugh and say I've had too much wine. Too much gin, darling. Whatever else we'd been drinking today. It would be so easy to laugh it off. I shouldn't be so nervous.

Except she still hasn't pulled away from me. I feel her lips move against mine, and she breathes the smoke she's been holding into my mouth. It seems to taste immeasurably better coming from her. My eyes flutter open to look at her as I exhale. My heart jumps a beat as I try to read her expression, wondering what she could be thinking. Wondering what I've done. The moments slip by, seeming painfully longer than they must have been. And she smiles. She smiles, and everything's all right.