Work Text:
The pub that you picked was quieter then you thought it was going to be. That had been the original appeal of the entire pub when you walked in through the doors.
Halloween in towns like this usually meant that the streets would be crowded. Filled with loud music, people making there way down the street stumbling into bars with costumes that you start to question were even costumes anymore.
Yet this little pub was tucked into the corner of some buildings, and been mostly ignored by the people roaming the streets. Not to say that there weren’t some carved pumpkins on the steps, and windowsills. A string of lights that were hovering above the bar entrance. With a radio that played lowly in the the background so that conversation could continue to flow effortlessly.
For once, John didn’t have a single place to be and neither did you.
John was sitting in front of you in one of the many booths in the pub. His arm was slung over the back of the booth. His pint was left mostly untouched, water droplets falling down the side of the mug, and for several minutes at he just listened to you retell a story about something so funny, but also ridiculous that had happened just a few days prior.
John would smile occasionally at you, so you knew that he was still listening. It was a different kind of smile one that he didn’t give out freely to strangers. It was the real one, the one had been softened over the years of knowing you, loving you.
It was the kind of smile that you said also made him have those soft lines around the edges of his eyes. “You’re laughing at me, John.” You accused the older man, interrupting your own story. He shook his head at you, smiling even more now. “Wouldn’t dream of it, luv.”
You took a sip from your own pint that had also been ignored in favor of your retelling. “You absolutely are.” You said as you smiled into the mug. “Maybe just a little.” He teased. You kicked at his boots underneath the booths table.
Johns smile only growing wider, it was so nice to see him like this, without the crackling of radio, without the reports that always seemed to make their own onto his desk, no mission to fuck up the night, without the responsibilities that were waiting around every corner on base.
It was just John, your John.
So there you were halfway through another retelling of another story when someone, a random stranger approached your booths table. “Sorry to interrupt.” You looked up thinking that maybe it was the bartender, or server. Only to come face to face with a stranger who was dressed in a shitty store bought vampire costume with those stupid plastic teeth and a far to unnecessary cape that looked like it was meant for a child not an adult in a pub.
“I thought that I should come over and say.’ He continued, looking right at you and completely ignoring John on the other side of the booth. ‘That you’ve got an amazing smile.” The man said with a crooked smiled, you blinked at him. “Thank you… I guess.”
On the other side of the booth, Johns was still sitting there, holding the same expression as before, it was coming though. He could feel it in his bones, he had been around long enough to know when a man was going to keep running his mouth.
The strange man leaned in to the booth on your side “You here with someone?” He asked arrogantly, as if he couldn’t feel the presence of John sitting across from you. You looked quickly away from the man over to John. When your eyes met he looked and remained perfectly calm. Perfectly still in his spot in the booth.
A little too still for your liking. You looked back at the stranger, “I am actually.” You said, the vampire looked over at John, then back towards you. “Boyfriend?” He asked arrogantly once again. Deciding it was best to keep his attention on you and ignore the man on the both side.
Before you were able to muster up an answer, John was lifting his pint and interrupting. “I’m her husband actually.” His voice gruff, and deep. What was in your mouth nearly came out, the vampire stood there dumbstruck, and frozen. Possible with fear, and stupidity.
John took one long slow sip from his pint, you stared at him over the rim of the pint glass. To you he looked completely and utterly unbothered by the situation currently going on around you. The man muttered something under his breath about having a good night and then disappeared back into the pubs crowd. With a swish of his cape he was gone.
For a few long seconds, you couldn’t think of anything to say. Then the laugher bubbled out of you. John set down his pint “What?” You smiled, “You said that you were my husband.” You said pointing out the very important information John had just dropped on this random stranger.
“Oh, did I?” You hummed, “You’ve never said that before.” Johns brows lifted high, “It seemed like the right thing to say in the moment.” You giggled, and shook your head, “You’re ridiculous you know that right?” He looked over into the crowd where the vampire had taken to talking to a lonely girl sitting at the bar now. “Seemed like it worked, didn’t it?”
You followed his line of sight, and laughed again. Reaching over to take his hand in yours. Pulling Johns eyes effortlessly from the man back to you in a matter of half of a second. His fingers curled around yours immediately.
Something about his grip was different now, a little firmer, more deliberate in a way that made you tilt your head up at him. “Were you jealous, John?” You teased, he replied quickly. “No.” You raised your brows at him, “Come on now, John. You can tell me the truth.” You teased more, “Nope, not jealous one bit.”
You rolled your eyes, hands still locked together. “Oh come on, you just declared our marital status to some stranger dressed in a shitty vampire costume.” John cleared his throat, “He was flirting with you.”
“And?” You asked, finally getting somewhere. “I didn’t exactly care for it.” You smiled, and bit at the bottom of your lip. Yeah you had finally gotten there, the smallest of cracks in Johns great composure. That only ever cracked when it was just you and him. “John you don’t have to worry you know.” You told him as you gave him hand a good, reassuring squeeze.
“I know, luv.” He said looking down towards your connected hands. “I’ve only got eyes for you, John.” You told him, as his thumbs brushed delicate over the tops of your knuckles. “I know that too, luv.” You smiled, “Then what was all that for?” You asked him.
His eyes traveled from your hands back up to your face, before he was leaning in slightly closer to you. “Maybe I just like the idea of him knowing that you’re already taken.” Your soft smile, morphed from grin to a teasing smile. “Oh, John’s a possessive man.” You teased him.
“I’d called it protective.” He corrects you, easily. “No, I’m sticking with possessive.” You smiled from across the booth. “Well that just depends on who you’re asking.” You laugh softly, you head falling back.
John shook his head, but couldn’t help the smile that was tugging to much at his lips. For the rest of the evening things passed by quietly, slowly, and smoothly. The two of you shared a plate of fries, John even reaching over to your side of the plate once or twice to steal one or two fries even though his side was stacked high still.
You reached over and stole a few for yourself in retaliation. John of course complained, and you ignored him. Truly from the outside most people would think that you were married, but then again most people weren’t worried about the two of you.
They were just wandering around in their shitty store bought costumes, laughing loudly so it drifting in through open windows, and doors. Somewhere long down the street the pub was located on, someone was shouting something about some shitty haunted house you had read the reviews on and passed over.
Inside the pub, it was warm and safe.
When you had first made your way to the pub, it was a warm October evening, and now that you had stepped back outside. The nights air had gotten colder, enough so that you had pulled your flimsy coat around yourself tighter.
John took notice immediately. Blame his military training for noticing everything. Without saying anything, because some things didn’t need words. He took his shearling jacket off and draped it over your shoulders.
The warmth was immediate. “You’ll get cold.” You said looking over your shoulder at him. “I’ll survive, luv.” He said, shoving his hands into his jeans pockets. “So will you?” Your statement coming off more like a question. John had done enough tours, and enough missions with less in colder spots. “I’m not that one that’s shivering.” He pointed out, your own body giving you away.
“I wasn’t…” John raised just brow at you, “You were.” John said looking down at you, “Come here, luv.” He said pulling one of his hands out of his jean pockets, making a clear open space for you. You stepped closer with out much need for convincing.
His arm settled around your shoulder, pulling you into his warmth as the two of you starting walking. After a few steps you started to smile. “John?” You called out his name, he hummed. “Happy halloween, John.” You muttered, he looked down at you once more, “Happy halloween, luv.”
You leaned into him, your head resting agasint his shoulder. John pressed a kiss to your hair. You continued walking like this for awhile, and when another costumed random stranger glanced over your way as the you passed. Johns hold on you tightened just slightly.
You noticed, but didn’t say anything all while you smiled with glee. John pretend that he wasn’t bothered, and hadn’t pulled you possessively into his hold. You were his, even now.