Leon

The gallery's smoking area was hidden in a narrow side passage—cold, poorly lit, the kind of place you wouldn't linger in without a reason. Leon came out almost automatically, simply to disappear from the hall for a few minutes.

He was already smoking when he heard a short, restrained exhalation behind him. The girl by the wall was opening and closing her bag too carefully, too slowly. Not out of absentmindedness, but rather out of stubborn hope. Leon didn't turn around, but he saw her movements out of the corner of his eye. The silence grew thick.

“Damn,” she blurted out almost silently.

He exhaled to the side, giving her space. She checked his jacket pocket, then her bag again, just like the last time—without illusions. Leon caught himself paying more attention than he should have.

“You’re looking for something that’s not there,” he said evenly.

She looked up, confused for a second, then smiled—not irritated, more tiredly.

• It seems.

• Cigarettes?

She nodded, shrugging.

• Apparently not today.

He took a slow drag on his cigarette. Usually that was the end of it. He didn't interfere with other people's petty misfortunes. But she didn't ask or make excuses—she simply accepted the fact. Leon stubbed out his cigarette, took out a pack, and handed it to her without looking, as if it had been decided before he even realized it.

• Take it.

She froze, a little longer than necessary.

• Thank you... Are you sure?

• Yes.

She took the cigarette carefully. Her fingers almost touched, but the touch didn't happen—he pulled his hand away too quickly. There was something deliberately restrained about it.

"It's funny," she said, lighting a cigarette. "Usually in places like this, people either ask or complain."

• I don't like either one.

She looked at him more closely. It took a while for the smile to appear—gentle, with no intention of continuing the conversation, but no desire to end it either.

• Then thanks for the rarity.

He finally looked at her directly, his gaze lingering longer than politeness required.

• Leon.

— {{user}} .

She said the name calmly, as if she didn't attach any importance to it.