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Callum wandered aimlessly through the many and eerily identical hallways littered throughout the library. He made his best efforts not to flinch at the loud booms of thunder that echoed and vertebrated on each and every bookcase. What an awful place.
He soon found himself in front of a large round table in a giant open room. He walked by and ran his fingers over the smooth wood finish, admiring its craftsmanship.
Suddenly, he smelt smoke. He inhaled deeply only to cough slightly as the smoke infiltrated his lungs. Christ, a fire in a library would kill him before any mafia even got the chance.
That about sums up Callum’s luck. Throughout his life but particularly in the last few months, it wasn’t exactly good. It was uphill and then uphill and then he’d finally reach the top only to realize it was the base of yet another hill.
Now he's perusing a worn-down library fearing for his life.
As the sharp and bitter aroma of smoke increased, Callum realised its tobacco essence was from a cigarette. And as the cigarette smoke increased, so did the presence of a very familiar smoker.
He looked up only to be met with a pair of piercingly blue eyes and a flatteringly-tailored brown suit.
Hudson approached him rigidly as he moved towards Callum, taking a puff before tilting his head and blowing it away.
“What are you doing straying so far from the group? Trying to get yourself killed?” He sounded genuinely perplexed.
Callum observed the newly blooming purple bags sitting comfortably under Hudson’s eyes. He carried the revolver on his hip around tirelessly as the weight of being a vigilante poured onto him.
“Do I need your permission to walk around?” He knew that Hudson had good intentions and was only trying to help him. However, it was almost in his blood to make things more difficult for the other man. Plus, Hudson was kind of snappy with him earlier. Probably the lack of sleep.
“Alright fuck me for trying to keep you safe. As if it isn’t my job to do so.” Hudson barked out with that same sharp tone from earlier.
“Only doing it because it’s your job?” Callum was internally smiling. He tried to uplift his own sorrowful mood by messing with Hudson’s. It worked sometimes, and other times he would poke the bear a little too hard. Hudson never despised him though. He always made that much clear.
The vigilante sighed and took another puff of his cigarette, clearly using as a comfort mechanism. Alright, Callum felt a little bad now.
Hudson took a step closer to Callum and shoved his unoccupied hand into his hair, using the grip on his skull to pull him closer. He ran his hand through the shiny and silver white strands. He really did have a strange way of showing compassion.
“You know I don’t want to see you killed.”
“How romantic,” he sighed out but reflexively pushed his face into the crook of his neck, breathing in the smell of crisp cotton and warm tobacco. Being near the other man always brought him a deep sense of comfort, like both a nostalgic and terrible embrace.
Callum could feel the tensing in his neck as Hudson broke into a small smile. He ran his fingers over the wooly feel of his coat.
“You know what I mean.”
Callum only nodded, revelling in the small bits of comfort that he rarely received.
Hudson slowly pulled away and rested a hand on Callum’s shoulder, keeping him close.
“Stay by me. Seriously.”
Callum swallowed as he was hit by the solemn and sincere tone that he hardly ever heard. He nodded in response.
“I want you to say it. And mean it.”
Callum blinked for a moment before obliging, “I will.”
“Alright, I saw a bunch of people heading for the main staircase. Let’s get going.”
Right back to business, just the type that he’d always been. He cared though, Callum could say that much.
He grabbed onto Hudson’s arm, gripping the dip of his elbow. He didn’t protest.