~~Thanks for reading! I'll be updating this randomly as i edit and rewrite certain parts, as well as adding to the story of course. I'll write up a special header if I've drastically changed any writing, just small edits until then. I'll try to add chunks of the story when I can, I know the general story I'm trying to tell, it's a matter of putting it all on paper more or less. (Still can't decide if I want this to be a short one off or something longer but I'll figure it out soon.)

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	The lighter wouldn't spark. John gave a slight frown in response, rolling his thumb across the sparkwheel a couple of times for good measure. A light rain had begun, tapping the pavement and brick buildings around him. Nothing more than a drizzle.

	Bringing the disposable thing up to his face, he squinted an eye before determining the flint was wet. He shook it briefly and used his tan khaki jacket in an effort to dry it. Once again he brought the lighter to his face, this time flicking it successfully, igniting the cigarette sitting on his lips. Depositing the lighter back into the half empty cigarette pack, then the pack into his coat pocket, John continued to meander on down the sleeping streets. 

	Two short puffs and a long drag. 

	It was nights like these that made him extremely nostalgic for a time he couldn’t quite remember. Like a dream from long ago that one can still remember, and holds a special place in your heart, but never really existed. John winced and tugged at his collar, a single droplet rolling down his spine. He’d neglected to consider a jacket with a hood, not that he was worried. The narrow and sparsely lit street he was travelling down opened up to one of the main streets into the borough. 

	This, being a small college town, was usually the time everyone was awake. On the weekends, even well after midnight as it was, bars still served, pizza shops still delivered, and there were always a plentiful amount of drunken college kids roaming the streets. But during the summer, most kids who didn’t live locally were gone. They either had families to visit or spend weekends driving to the beach. John continued to smoke his cig as he meandered onto main street, taking in the rare emptiness of his surroundings. The old University clocktower in the distance rung out twice and fell silent. The warm summer air had the slightest breeze, washing his face every so often with a mist from the light rain, but not enough to douse the cigarette. 

	He sauntered down one final street before arriving at his destination, an old five storied parking garage nestled between two much taller brick-clad buildings. The roof was the real destination however, and John finished the last of his cigarette as he climbed the five stories inside to the roof. Scaling the final steps, he noticed immediately the dark car parked in the northeastern corner. Slightly spooked, he crouched and tried to get a better look. The car didn’t look like law enforcement, and as long as it wasn’t there were no issues. Not that a couple of joints would get him arrested, but he preferred that the two resting in his cigarette pack were not discovered. Typically there were a handful of cars parked here during the day, but at night, the only cars were police or abandoned. The black sedan was running despite being parked. The windows were tinted, so its interior was completely obscured, but John could see the faint white light from a dashboard screen inside. 

	“Ah… well…” he thought to himself, “I doubt they’ll care about a little pot. It is the current year after all.” Smiling at his own stupid joke, he made his was to the northern side of the building. No longer concerned with the black sedan, he posted up against the northern wall and leaned over the edge for a prime view. The whole of his small college town was within view from here, and it was his favorite place to be on nights like these. Once again retrieving the cigarette pack, he flipped open the top and grabbed one of the joints sitting among the remaining cigs, taking it and the lighter in hand. He briefly burned the end and brought the joint to his mouth to light it.
	
	Two light puffs and a long drag. This time he held the smoke in.

	The sky and the edges of town melded together in an infinite darkness, a stark contrast to the town and its lights as they trickled and faded into the surrounding forest. This was the peace John needed after the days prior. He took another long drag and held it, slowly exhaling the smoke and his worries. He turned, facing the rest of the roof parking, putting his back up against the wall. A smile formed on his face and he closed his eyes. Now fully relaxed, the world shrank around him until it was just John and the gentle pitter patter of rain around him.

	However, one sound was foreign. Sobbing. It was faint and nearly unnoticeable at first, but cocking an ear in the direction of the sedan John could hear the faint cries of someone sobbing within the car. His whole body stiffened, he felt awkward now standing there, only a few car parks worth of space between the sedan and himself. Had this person not noticed him yet?
He thought to himself for a moment, puffed on the joint again and adjusted his hat. He still couldn’t make out whoever was sitting in the driver’s seat, tinted windows and lack of light made it impossible. Although, as he continued to think, he decided it was best not to pry, lest he wind up in some sort of trouble. He turned once again, facing the town and put his elbows on the wall, using his hands to support his head as he leaned over. He was here to smoke a couple joints and enjoy the view, not meddle in others' affairs.

	As the thought left his mind, the driver side door of the sedan clicked open. John’s eyes went wide. He turned his head ever so slightly to his right, using one eye to peek at the car so as not to raise suspicion.
	
	“Shit!” he cursed in his head, “I hope they don’t mind me being…”

	And his thoughts were abruptly cut short. From inside the car emerged quite a tall figure, slowly rising to its feet. Now outside, it left the door ajar and walked towards John. He froze. John stood at a respectable five foot ten, but this person stood well over a head taller than him, and he turned to meet the stranger. To meet her. A curvaceous wolfess, her fur a deep soot colored grey, approached him. Her gaze was cast down as she walked, coming a few steps away from him before the wolfess lifted her head. He locked with her bleary eyes for only a moment before she turned her head towards town, bringing her one arm up and scratching the back of her head, drowning her fuzzy hand in billowing fur.

	“Sorry to bother you hon, could you- erm… would you mind sparing me a cigarette?” She sniffled, trying to hold back tears.
Her voice was sultry but sweet, although quite hoarse. She must have really been upset about something, John pondered to himself. Without thinking much, he reached into his coat pocket for his cigarettes and pulled one out for her. She took it between two claws and hung it loosely on her lip right under her nose. Then she leaned forward and held a hand up to one side to block the wind. Slightly taken aback at her forwardness, he took his lighter and aided her. In the short moment when the flame erupted, John could see her emerald eyes peering down at his, before quickly darting to the side. Trembling, she gripped the lit cigarette and quickly turned, now fully facing town.


	She took two short puffs and a long drag.


    Her voice cracked a bit, “Thanks hon… I needed something to calm me down…” She spoke after a moment. Her gaze was now squarely focused on the view before them. “Such a nice view isn’t it?”

	“Its ah.. Well honestly my favorite spot to be on a night like this,” he responded, “its usually pretty quiet too.” 

	Immediately realizing how his words could be misinterpreted, he smiled bleakly.
 “Hope I wasn’t bothering you any..” and fumbled out a chuckle.

	Silence.

	She stood there like a statue, every few seconds moving the cigarette back and forth to her lips. John stood there wracking his mind, trying to break the silence. She looked like she needed more than a cigarette to console her, but he couldn’t find the words.

	“I’m Eileen” she exhaled. Another sniffle. “Sorry… I would've said something sooner… it's just…” She paused. “It's been a hard night.” This time a very long drag from her cigarette, Eileen quickly plucked it from her muzzle and stared at it. She exhaled roughly, and from the sound of it, she was getting worked up just thinking about her night's events. She brought her arm up to her eyes and rubbed them furiously.

    "Haven't had a cigarette in a long while.." she choked, her voice began to tremble.

	Unable to find the right words, John walked closer. Eileen was starting to hunch over, shallow gasps escaping her mouth. He stood beside her for a moment so she knew he was there, then leaned to the side and wrapped his arms around her. She didn’t flinch, like he had expected. They were, he reminded himself, complete strangers after all. But instead she brought herself lower and threw her arms around him. Now the tears were flowing, her head buried in his shoulder. Deep sobs shook her body as he stood there, consoling this wolfess whom he'd just met. He hadn't noticed until now, but she was dressed quite fancily. Perhaps she had a bad date? It wasn’t safe to say, nor would he dare ask.

	She was trying to say something through her tears, but with her face in his jacket it was too muffled. They stood there for a while, then after a few more moments, her sobs slowed down. Eileen's grip loosened on his jacket, and she let one arm fall to her side as she regained her composure.


	Slowly, they ended their embrace. Eileen stood upright and cracked a weak smile.

	“I’m not usually this much of a crybaby,” she laughed, wiping her eyes dry, “thought i had thicker fur than this!” She pointed at her tear soaked face and smiled wider, letting her tongue half hang out. John was unable to contain his smile and they both burst into laughter. Eileen squinted as she took a final drag from her cigarette then dropped it, crushing the thing with her marine colored high-heels. 

	“I’m John, by the way,” he beamed, resting his fists on his hips in an equally goofy pose. 

	“A pleasure to meet you John,” she giggled. “You certainly know how to help a lady in her time of need.” She struck a pose like a damsel in distress, eliciting laughter from both of them. John was content, she seemed to have cheered up quite a bit. Now that they were close, John could make out more of her features. Eileen had a thick coat of pewter fur, turning darker and longer around her head and ears. He was in his mid-twenties, and she seemed more than a tad bit older than him, but he couldn't really tell yet. However, closer inspection revealed flecks of white around her muzzle and eyes, something not many girls his age featured. Her green eyes, still a bit bloodshot, were a mesmerizing shade of chartreuse, and every second he spent staring into them felt oddly relaxing. Her attire was a matching marine like her heels, a somewhat form-fitting sequin strapless dress. It hugged her hips even through her fur. He noticed how plush she was when he first hugged her. Eileen was not only taller, but was significantly softer than his skinny body. She carried the extra weight extremely well however, especially if she was a couple decades older as he surmised. It was a wonder her dress held her chest in, as it appeared to be strained to its max. Her voluptuous frame was slowly stirring things inside him, but he quickly purged the thoughts. He blinked hard twice and rubbed his nose, trying to quell the lewd ideas from his mind. The joint he was smoking had gone out, so he flicked it over the edge, stuffed another cigarette in his mouth and lit it. He shoved his hands in his jacket pockets, hunching his shoulders a tad as the rain began to come down harder.

	Eileen smiled, flashing large canines. "Why don't we talk some more inside," she said warmly, motioning towards her car. 

    John knew better than to trust a total stranger and get into their vehicle, but after her vulnerable moment earlier, he figured she couldn't possibly mean him any harm. Right? He had a wolfess manager at a drug store he used to work in, a gruff divorcèe who constantly berated her staff. Half of the time she seemed ready to lop off his head with her ferocious attitude, but that was her status quo more or less. In stark contrast to his anecdotal experience, Eileen seemed to be much more gentle. Perhaps she was once a mother, perhaps a teacher? He certainly wouldn't ask now, but the whole situation was undeniably odd.

    Rain now dripping off the brim of his hat, John nodded and thanked her, making his way around to the passenger side. She watched him a bit more intently than she had meant to, trailing her eyes from his scruffy head of hair down to his tight jeans. Her tongue ran across the side of her muzzle before she caught herself. Eileen shook her head, silently berating her own gawking. Her face flushed as she averted her gaze and entered the driver's side of the dark sedan.

    John hadn't really gotten a good look at her car from the outside, he was never big on car makes or models. If it ran and got from A to B without exploding it worked for him. Sports cars were nice to look at in his opinion, but a bit too much maintenance for his liking. He'd had the pleasure of driving a few luxury cars at an old job as a parking attendee, but they were short rides around the lot. Now inside, he noticed Eileen's car had all the features of a luxury one, plush leather interior, full sized touch screen console, automatically adjusting and heated seats, the works. He strapped himself in and looked over at her expectantly. She was gripping the steering wheel with both paws, her shoulder tensed, stare cast downward. John frowned, slightly worried about the wolfess. He opened his mouth to say something, but before he could she shook her head, relaxed her body and put the car in reverse. She turned to him and gave a wry smile.

    "Let's go grab something to eat, hm?" She practically cooed.

    ~~~