Blinking, more than just perplexed, startled at the sudden outburst, too, Chas just stared at John for a moment, longer, he didn’t know. And John didn’t sound like was joking, and hell, who’d even make jokes about that?
He swallowed hard before he spoke again, his throat suddenly feeling all too dry. “…dying?” He repeated, sounding incredulous and his voice just a little more quiet than he’d intended. Suddenly he realised that if he’d smoke, that would be one of the moments to go through half a pack at least.
…and what he wanted to hear? Talk about sensitive, asshole.