[they're not a crutch for his mind, not yet; he wouldn't have not been able to eventually shrug off that shoulder, to stand up, and skulk back to the asphalt (sand is too unstable, he needs hard pavement, even if it hurts more when you fall down)]
[but they are an acidic comfort, a warm reminder, and a chemical haze that drowns out (hateanguishhatehatehate) those feelings he falls prey to far too easily]
[he's too numb and dumb to stop the other man from taking them, but there's exhausted relief on his face when it's not another bullshit fight, not another pointless battle (nobody worried about smoking down there -- it was a much more generous death)]
[Badou provides the catalyst, and the chunky square lighter provides the flame]
Re: action mofo
[but they are an acidic comfort, a warm reminder, and a chemical haze that drowns out (hateanguishhatehatehate) those feelings he falls prey to far too easily]
[he's too numb and dumb to stop the other man from taking them, but there's exhausted relief on his face when it's not another bullshit fight, not another pointless battle (nobody worried about smoking down there -- it was a much more generous death)]
[Badou provides the catalyst, and the chunky square lighter provides the flame]