John Constantine

John had to open the doors between the closed ward and the lift bank that was closeby. Someon ehad spilled an entire bottle of juice so John mopped it up. He'd been mopping for 45 minutes, periodically stopping to check his phone.

About the time he finished, he decided he needed a cigarette. He also knew the nearest exit he could get back into was down the defunct hallway.

He strolled right in, disregarding what he'd been told about entering the set. He simply ducked out the secret door to have a puff.

John was taking care of clean trash and wandered into the surgical waiting lounge. The sofas in here were decent and John was used to seeing people at all hours.

He didn't usually find the doctors.

He checked his watch and went about his business, figuring Alwyn needed the rest. He finished up on the ward, then he went to the junior doctor before he left.

"Davies," he said, giving him a shake. "Alwyn, hey. Hey, there's a trauma downstairs. This lounge will fill up in a minute. Come on. Up we go," he added, gently as he could.

He'd been asked to come check out a graveyard and the weekend was days away so he went to sniff out Aaron. It had been a bit since he'd had a chance to chat with him. John was a busybody so he knew he was doing well in his classes, bu beyond that...

He knew the trauma of the jobs he had the boy doing could sneak up at the oddest times.

He tracked the lad to his room in the evening, when he was sure he'd be getting ready for bed.

"Aaron, lad," he smiled when the door opened. "Have a minute?"

The ministry was taking a great interest in John Constantine.

The old warlock had been watched closely all year. It was clear from his demeanor alone when he began his relationship with the Rooks boy, his honest grief when the boy vanished, and, most interestingly, the rapid turn around.

Aaron Hotchner sat in the far corner of the cafe in the school, watching John Constantine grinning and chatting with students and fellow instructors alike. It was curious, the investigator though, because he had no doubt the distraught had been real. And the dramatic turn around. The gentle euphoria. The serenity.

Hotch wished he could test him for potions.

"Alright, mate. Come see me if the wolf's bane gives you a rash, and follow the instructions to the letter," he told a lad who'd asked for a bit of help with the lesson. John bid him goodbye and went back to his coffee until another familiar face walked in and he smiled and gave a wave.

John was coming back after a night at the pub. He definitely didn't want to run into Bond. That creepy motherfucker was always prowling the halls at night. He made his way in through a secret passage and came out from behind a tapestry. Just down the hall he heard voices and tried to keep out of sight. But he recognized Wyn's voice and took a peek.

And saw two of them.

"What in the bloody hell?" he asked, coming toward the pair.

Things were going swimmingly. He'd pissed of Fin, hurt Fawn, and gotten a reprimand for smoking in his quarters. They weren't even worth smoking, the awful cigarettes the replicator gave him, but he did anyway- and more recently with his life in shambles.

He'd come to Forward for a drink and a bite, but mostly the view. There wasn't a lot of outside in space, so being able to see the stars was exciting.

John sat at the table at the edge of the viewing window, sipping a gin and tonic because at least that tasted right, and he let himself lose himself in thoughts of the present, the past, and against his better judgment, the future.

Fawn had given John the pass code so he could come inside without Fawn needing to be there to give permission. And so, naturally, John took advantage of it. He had his feet up, watching a video, when he heard the door.

"I brought some beer, love. And some chocolate. Come see, this is the newest bit of your sho-" he said, slowly turning to look at Fawn.

But it wasn't Fawn.

John sat bolt upright and scrambled to his feet.

"Fin," he said, his throat tight.

"He's an asshole, love," John said. "I'm not jealous. I think you could do better."

He could certainly do better than John, too, but the warlock wasn't going to point that out.

John hadn't checked in with any contacts, he hadn't really read the papers, and hadn't been keeping on his fringe websites. He was in love, and he didn't want to waste a moment. He had no idea how long this was last, but he was all in...to the detriment of the rest of his life.

He'd taken Fawn out and they'd got 99's. The weather took a turn, though, and the pair found themselves eating ice cream in the rain under an awning. John smiled at him, but the smile fell as the rai stopped falling. Not ended, simply froze in the air. The curtain of water parted and ahandsome Black man with orange-gold eyes stepped.

"Constantine," he said, then looked at Fawn as if he was rubbish. "Fae."

"Manny," John replied, "What do you want?"

He subtly slipped closer to Fawn and put his arm around him protectively.

Fawn was out, exploring the world. At first John had been worried about him, but now he was confident the nymph was safe. And he was building them a house. A house. He was going to live in a house with a bloke he'd fallen for in less than a week. He was dizzy with love and he felt easily thirty years younger.

And yet, in the back of his brain he kept thinking of Fin. He'd fallen for him, too, and knew he was being a proper cunt not calling or texting more than a yes or no.

come to dinner with me at 9 at Ginger's. I miss you

And he did. He missed Fin terribly. It was complicated- when he missed Fin he felt like he was unfaithful to Fawn. And yet, when he was so overjoyed to have Fawn in his arms, he felt unfaithful to Fin. There was no winning.

His clothes were new, but the same uniform as ever. He'd had to buy a new coat after Scotland, so at least that was broken in, but his trousers and shirt were still crisp and fresh. He looked put together until his shadow of stubble and unwashed, wild standing hair completed the picture.

John got there at 8 and got a table. He ordered a beer, took out his phone, and waited.