Give and Take(Closed for MTPersson)

"AAAHHH!" Gary Jenson cried out in aggravation as he threw down his pencil, tore the piece of paper from his pad and crumpled it into a ball. He threw it angrily in the direction of the garbage can, not caring where it landed, being that the can was overflowing with similarly crumpled balls.

With a sigh of defeat, Gary pushed himself angrily away from his writing desk and to his feet. He paced back and forth across the small amount of space that was available to him in his small, but big enough apartment, running his hands through his short black hair as he did. With an aggravated sigh he scooped up his pack of cigarettes and let out another aggravated groan. He crumpled up the empty pack and tossed it in the same direction that he had tossed the crumpled up paper. He knew now how bad things really were.

In truth, Gary wasn't a smoker, not in the truest sense, but artists, as well as writers, had to have a way to calm their nerves when things weren't going right, and things certainly weren't going right. That was the second pack he'd gone through in two days, and he still had nothing to show for it.

With a heavy sigh he scooped up his wallet, keys, and cell phone. If he was going to have any chance at all of getting, well, anything done at all, he was going to need more cigarettes, and a LOT of them.

Gary gave his pockets a final pat before he opened the door, making sure he had everything before he left, locking his door behind him. He was one of the lucky people able to secure an apartment directly across from the campus, keeping him out of the dorms, but it was still far from safe to leave one's door unlocked, even if you were home.

Soon enough, Gary was in his car, a fairly beat up, but still sleek and reliable Honda Civic. The drive was thankfully a short one, since he was still very much on edge about his inability to produce anything worthwhile.

The liquor store where he parked his car had a full lot, not unsurprising given that it was the closest one to the campus. The fact that they also sold cigarettes, among other things depending on who you knew, didn't hurt either.

The inside of the store was even more packed than one would have thought, even with the large number of cars. As such, it definitely took Gary longer than he would have liked to get to the back of the place, where the refrigerated beer was kept in it's own section. It didn't take Gary long to pass over the 12 pack and grab a 24 pack of beer. It was probably going to be a rough stretch, and he didn't like to have to make multiple trips in the middle of a project if he didn't have to.

Unfortunately for Gary, the line at the counter was 10 groups deep, several of them requiring several different transactions. So it took him that much longer to finally reach the counter. When at last it was his turn to step up though, Jesse, the guy behind the counter was already reaching up to grab the brand that he knew Gary was going to ask for.

"You're in luck man. Last pack."

"Thank god Jesse. You're a good man, no matter what any of these other guys say." Gary responded with a smile as he put his case of beer on the counter and reached for his wallet.

Gary headed towards the door the second the transaction was complete, and the second he stepped outside, he set the beer down, pulled the wrapper off the pack and lit one up. He took a long drag off it, holding it for a fore a good stretch before letting out in a slow and relaxing exhale.

The night air was cold on Tamsin Walker's face as she walked slowly down the sidewalk. Her blonde hair was mainly contained under her beanie but stray strands of it blew out behind her in the wind. It was mid-December and the sounds of several rowdy and raucous christmas parties could be heard spilling out of the open doorways of student houses all over the small city. It was on nights like this, nights of celebration and frivolity, that Tamsin found her midnight walks being dictated by the sounds around her. She could be strolling down a street and hear a party ahead of her and find her body automatically forcing to turn left or right in order to avoid it; like a leaf caught in the current of a river.

She had been out for a few hours now; it was hard to keep track of time but every now and again the ringing of the cathedral bells could be heard faintly in the distance if the wind was blowing in the right direction. Sounds like that were the antithesis of parties. They drew her towards them like bees to pollen and she would drift aimlessly in their direction not knowing where she would eventually end up. She didn't worry about getting lost or bored. She had a book buried deep in one of her macs pockets ready to read if a spot of suitable peacefulness and beauty showed itself.

She just went where the city sounds took her.

The street she was on ran parallel to the river that ran through the middle of the city and was flanked on both sides by parkland, well maintained avenues of trees and flower beds which were sadly lacking in colour at this time of year. Tamsin had been here before during the spring and summer and the smell of the flowers was intoxicating; heady to the point of bliss. Turning off the sidewalk, she cut across grass and headed towards a wooden jetty that stuck out into the river. Perching herself on the end, she removed her boots and dipped her bare feet into the cold water.

Shards of freezing cold ice shot into her foot and up her leg. Pulling it out quickly, Tamsin left her toes mere inches above the water's surface before slowly lowering them back in. Little by little, the water level rose over her delicate toes as she allowed her body to acclimatise itself to the temperature. Once she was used to it, the river's water wasn't as cold as the first shock had made her think and it felt nice having the current tickle her ankles as she sat on the jetty smoking her last cigarette and watching the smoke make intricate patterns on the wind and against the backdrop of stars that filled the sky that night.

Tamsin had been there for a while, her cigarette burning low, when the peeling of bells was blown her way and she was brought sharply out of the trance caused by the smoke and stars. It was almost one in the morning and she was out of smokes. There was only one place she was going to get some at this time of night and she would have to hurry if she was to get there before they closed. Picking up her boots, she began to walk barefoot across the parkland, letting the cool grass dry her feet as she went.

Fifteen minutes passed and Tamsin found herself walking in areas with ever increasing noise and activity; unusual for her but needs must. The store was a busy one and for god reason. It was the closet to campus which sold booze and smokes as well as more nefarious products if you knew what to ask for. Still barefoot, Tamsin entered carrying her boots in one hand and rooting around in her myriad of pockets looking for some money. Passing a group of drunk girls, she grabbed a bottle of vodka before joining the queue and waiting for her turn to be served by the guy behind the counter.

The noise of those around her filled the store and enclosed itself around her. She could feel it pressing tightly against her body and her head making her feel uncomfortable and wanting to yell out in protest. But she held her frustrations inside and stood in her own small pocket of isolation as she inched closer and closer to the front of the queue and the moment she could escape into the night again.

"This and a packet of Fenson's." She said, placing the bottle onto the counter in front of her.

"Sorry, guy in front of you had the last packet." The cashier replied. He turned and looked towards the door and pointed to a well-built man standing just outside the door and lighting up a cigarette.

Tamsin paid for the vodka and walked towards the man. There was a small cloud of smoke hanging in the air above him from where he had just taken his first drag. Walking around him, she placed her petite frame in front of him, bottle in one hand and boots in the other.

"Can I buy half of that packet?"

Gary had his eyes closed as he blew out that first drag he'd taken, and when he opened them, ready to grab his bear and head home, he saw a woman standing in front of him.

"Can I buy half of that packet?"

The woman's question wasn't unreasonable. Jesse had said that he'd gotten the last pack, and given the length of the line that was still in there, somebody was bound to want that brand. His deep brown gaze met the woman's blue eyes and held them as he spoke in a calm but confident tone.

"Buy? Probably not. I might be willing to trade ten of them for some of that though." Gary said, with a slight nod towards the hand that held the bottle of Vodka.

He didn't want to come off as creepy, but the last thing Gary needed was to go home and try to work without a full pack and the possibility of running out again, not without something a little stronger than bear in his stomach anyway. Then again, it didn't truly matter to him. They were his smokes, and therefor it was his offer. The woman could simply take it or leave it.

He didn't answer her right away. Instead, he looked down at her, his deep brown eyes taking her all in; surveying her and weighing her up in is mind. Taking a long pull on the cigarette in his hand, he filled the space between the two of them with a thick cloud of smoke. It hung around their heads for a moment before slowly drifting up and away into the night. He looked at her a moment longer before answering her question.

"Buy? Probably not. I might be willing to trade ten of them for some of that though."

His voice was deep, slow and confident as he nodded his head, gesturing to the full bottle of vodka that she clutched in one of her hands. Tamsin paused for a minute and glared at him. He was taller than her and looked like he could pick her up and carry her for hours if he wanted to but she was reluctant to give away any of her alcohol to this stranger. To go without cigarettes until the next day would have been hell, even with the effects that the vodka would have on her. Reluctantly, she decided that she would have to bargain with the stranger.

"Half for half."

Gary could tell from the look in the woman's eyes as she met his gaze that she didn't really want to trade with him. The way her fingers twitched a little on the bottle she held made it that much more clear to him. They were both in the same boat. The problem for her though, was that he was holding both of the paddles.

When the answer came, yielding the response that he expected, Gary couldn't help but be surprised by one thing. Despite the woman's position, and the clear reluctance in her voice, she hadn't actually asked for a half and half trade. No, it had been a statement, one that he found interesting.

"Half for half."

"Half for half it is then."

Gary replied simply, leaving his cigarette in his as he put one hand in his pocket and pulled out the pack and his lighter. He removed a single cigarette and offered it to the woman. At the same time, he gave the large silver lighter a flick, a simple and effortless motion for his strong hand, sparking a flame at the top, which he also offered to the woman.

"Need a light?" He asked simply, making no forward motion with his hand, but rather offering it in such a way that she could reach it if she chose to accept the offer.
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Sappy or not, this song is the story of my life, but truthfully, I wouldn't want it any other way.