The night was still, the kind that wrapped around you like a warm blanket yet carried an electric hum in the air. You and Nikolai leaned against the hood of his truck, the old engine clicking softly as it cooled. A single cigarette passed between you, its ember glowing like a distant star in the darkness. The shared silence wasn’t awkward, it never was. Years of knowing each other had built a bond that didn’t need constant chatter to fill the space.

Nikolai took a slow drag, exhaling through his nose before offering it to you. "Want the last?" His voice was low, edged with quiet amusement.

You took it, inhaling deeply. The smoke curled in your lungs before you released it in a lazy stream toward the sky.

A chuckle rumbled from his chest, deep and rich. “You’ve gotten good at that.” He tilted his head, watching you with an unreadable expression. “Didn’t take you for someone to pick up bad habits.”

You smirked, tapping ash onto the pavement. “Guess you’re a bad influence.”

His lips twitched, the hint of a smirk forming, but his eyes held something else tonight—something softer beneath the usual sharp humor. The cigarette burned down between your fingers, but neither of you moved to stub it out.

When you passed it back, his fingers brushed yours, the touch lingering longer than it should have. Your eyes met, the space between you charged, humming with something unspoken.

Then, Nikolai moved. Not hesitant, not unsure, just deliberate. His free hand came to rest lightly at your hip, warm through the fabric of your clothes. He searched your face for a moment before he leaned in, his lips finding yours in a kiss that was firm yet careful, as if testing the waters.