Coping (John/Sebastian)

"I've had fights with more than just two people before. You get hurt, obviously, but it's no huge problem when you know what you're doing." he shrugged, smiling lightly.

John was a very talkative person and even though Sebastian was the opposite, he found it rather easy to talk to him, unlike many other people. He also seemed quite friendly but Sebastian couldn't relate to that because he wasn't the slightest bit friendly at all. At least he was trying to be.

Sebastian watched as the other man finished, slowly getting up afterwards and examining his bandaged hands. "Uh... thanks, John, isn't it?"

"You're a soldier, aren't you?" he asked, his eyes moving on the other's face, he wasn't Sherlock Holmes, but there were certain things about this man that screamed military training. Or maybe it was just because he had been a soldier himself.

He stood up after him, limping a bit on his leg, it still got like that when he sat for long. "John, yes," he confirmed, and crossed his arms over his chest. "Maybe you can do me the favor of keeping the bandage on your left hand for at least a few days? That way you won't have any scars from the glass..."

"A soldier, yes. Worked in the military for a few years before I got kicked out." he replied, laughing gently.

Sebastian turned his hand round to examine it more, glancing back up at John a few times as he spoke. "Yeah, that's fine. I'll keep it on." he answered, hesitating before reaching his hand out to shake the other's.

John smiled hesitantly at the piece of news, "Did you get injured too?" he asked, because that was the reason why he had been kicked out.

He looked at the outstretched hand, and then tentatively moved his own to shake it, he tried to be delicate, knowing about the injury he had just treated. "I am glad you had someone to take care of your bruises this time, some things one just can't do them very well on their own," he tried to joke.

"I got injured, yes, but that wasn't the reason why I got kicked out. I started having problems working with some people and all hell broke loose. So they got rid of me for causing them to loose soldiers." he admitted, shrugging. "I couldn't give a damn at the time anyway. Still don't."

Sebastian took his hand back after a few seconds, staring at John curiously, "Were you in the army as well?" he asked, guessing from Did you get injured too? that this man had also been in the army.

He frowned at the explanation, it sounded rather complicated, and he knew that the army could be that way. He didn't pretend to understand, confusion clear on his face for a moment. "You don't look like someone who likes authority," he commented, and shrugged a bit.

"I got injured in Afghanistan... have been back for a few years now..." he touched his shoulders faintly. "Injured soldiers are no use after all."

"No, they're not. What happened then?" he asked, wanting to hear John's back story.

Sebastian stood facing the other man, feeling slightly awkward. He could have been away by now but instead was still talking to John. He didn't usually stand around talking to people he barely knew but Sebastian liked the sort of comforting feeling.

"It's getting dark..." he said quietly, looking around him and finding it hard to see anything in an alleyway.

"What happened in Afghanistan? Or what happened here?" he asked, his heart clenching in his chest, and he couldn't help turning around to hide his gaze. He would never speak about Sherlock Holmes to a stranger, but it always wanted to come out. Sherlock had been all his life after all. "A lot of things happened, and now I am always bored... so bloody bored," he said, and looked up.

"Yes, we shouldn't stand here like some sort of drug dealers..." he commented, wondering what to do. He wanted to ask the other to a few beers in another pub, but he was rather sure Sebastian wasn't of the idea.

"You're bored? Well... that makes two of us I guess." he muttered, smirking again.

Sebastian had noticed John's suddenly saddened look but decided not to ask and possibly change the subject for now. "So... um... I should probably get going. It's not a good idea to hang around here when it's dark." he said hastily, halfway turning in the other direction but pausing to look back at John. "Will you be able to get back all right? I've never actually seen you around this part so it might be slightly unfamiliar to you in the dark. Even if you do have a torch."

"They say if you get bored of London, then you are bored of life," he joked with an answering smirk, it rang rather truthful in his ears though.

He frowned when Sebastian moved to walk away, his eyes moving up when he realized the man was trying to be helpful in a complicated turn of phrase. He hadn't exactly thought about how to go home. He had been visiting Lestrade at a crime scene, and had ventured in a pub on his way home.

Sebastian was being nice though, so he reckoned he would at least look around. "It would be useful if you could point me to the nearest tube station... even though I guess I could use another few beers, it's still early... I don't live that far actually, a few stops away..."

"If you keep on walking down that street which we entered from and turn left after about five minutes of walking, turn left again and you'll see a corner shop before going round the back of that and turning right, walk straight for about another ten minutes and you'll find the station easily enough."

Sebastian exaggerated, using his hands and turned round fully to face John again while he explained. "I could use with a few more drinks myself..." he added, giving John a small, amiable smile.

John tried to follow the other's explanation and then he laughed. "You know what, I will just call a cab once I am drunk enough to go home," he exclaimed, there was no way he could remember all that.

"I thought so," he commented to the other's words. "Please, Sebastian, guide me to the best pub you know... provided it's not the one we were in before..." he suggested, grinning. At least this stranger was interesting, John hadn't met anyone interesting in ages.

"Okay then, just tag along and follow me." he said, walking past John and out onto the street. "There's one down here, it's not that far though."

Sebastian glanced over his shoulder as he walked, making sure the other man was following. He led them down more alleys and through streets and having memorised nearly all of London beforehand, found it easy guiding John.

"Here we go." he exclaimed, stopping outside the bar he had been leading John to.

"Yes, sir," he replied with a chuckle, throwing the First Aid kit into the nearest bin and pushing his hands in his pockets as he followed Sebastian.

It was rather cold outside now, he realized.

"Do you live near here?" he asked, even though it didn't really matter. "Not that it's any of my business," he added automatically, he was just trying to make conversation.

He looked at the bar from outside and smirked: "Looks shady enough..." And then he was looking up at Sebastian: "Are you actually going to drink with me, or we are going to sit at opposite side of the pub acting like we have never met?"

"I live about half an hour away from here." he answered, leading the way through the door and into the bar. "No, I'll sit with you." he laughed, sitting down at a table over in the corner and gesturing for John to come over.

"At least it's quiet in here." he mumbled, looking around him at the few people who where here.

"Mm, exciting," he commented sarcastic as he started taking off his jacket, the room was much warmer than the outside.

He followed him to the table and placed his folded jacket on the booth. "Let me buy the first round, what do you want?" he asked, ready to move towards the counter. "Should we go for something stronger than beer?"

"I drink anything to be honest but something stronger would be better." he mentioned, wondering what John would end up getting anyway.

Sebastian waited for John to go up to the bar counter and buy the drinks, not sure how long they'd be staying here. He had known him for less than an hour although it seemed like he had known him longer. Sebastian had to admit he enjoyed the company for it seemed less lonely but he wouldn't be admitting it out loud.

John came back with a bottle of good tequila, two shot glasses and a small bucket full of lime's slices. "Here it is," he said with a grin, he had decided he could get plastered today.

"I am planning to forget my own name, so if you feel like leaving any time, do not worry, I will just pass out until they kick me out," he joked, sliding in the booth and pouring the tequila in the two glasses. "This is good tequila, hope you like it," he said, raising his glass to cheer.

Sebastian raised his own glass in response to John's, drinking it all down at once.

"Bloody hell... that is strong." he exclaimed, shuddering slightly and grinning at the effect. "I'll even be forgetting where I live by the end of the night and probably who you are as well, so yeah, it'll be that bad." he joked, shrugging.

John laughed loudly at the joke, the tequila burning nicely in his throat. "It doesn't matter that much, since we don't really know each other," he commented, and poured another glass for them both.

"I don't know about you, but I have too many memories I wish to forget," he said, and drank another shot without waiting for Sebastian, the man could take his time if he wanted to.

"I suppose I could say the same." he muttered, avoiding eye contact for a few minutes before shaking the thought out of his head. Not now.

Sebastian hastily took the other shot, looked back up at John and decided to change the subject. "So, uh... what job do you have?" he asked, trying to look somewhat interested in what he did for a living.

John could hardly believe the other man was trying to have a conversation, he didn't think he was interested in niceties at all, considering how hard it had been to approach him in the first place. Maybe there was just something, maybe the both of them were just too desperate.

"I am a doctor," he said, and shrugged. "Got a tremor in my hand from the war, can't do much other than clinic's hours," he admitted, and looked at his hands for a moment. The tremor that had disappeared when Sherlock was with him, and was now back full force.

"You?" he asked, filling in another glass.

Sebastian regretted asking the question as soon as John asked him what he did himself. It was hard enough trying to forget it.

"Oh, um... I don't have any job at the minute." he said, clearing his throat.

John's eyebrow rose in surprise at the answer, he knew there were a lot of people who had troubles in this economy, but he had a feeling Sebastian wasn't telling the whole truth.
"It's good you have me to pay for this, then," he said with a grin, pointing to the bottle of tequila, it really didn't matter to him if the other decided to keep things from him, he didn't care. This was just to pass the time and distract himself from the constant of his heartache.

"Let's talk about something different, work is boring anyway... I used to have an exciting job, but that's gone as well..." he commented and downed his shot with a grimace. "Bloody hell, I don't think I know how to make conversation without commiserating myself... I am a sad person," he joked, even though he reckoned it was quite true.

"Yeah, talking about work is boring." he said, not sure if he was lying to himself or not. Sebastian enjoyed to talk about his job but he didn't think John was someone he'd tell. Or anyone. And if Sebastian was to start explaining what he did, he was sure John would be quite alarmed by it and probably leave.

"I'm not sure what I want to talk about. Anything I suppose. As long as it's not boring." he commented, smiling lightly and taking another shot. "Any ideas?"