Come have a drink with John~

[drpsychosomatic]

WHO: Dr. John Watson and... you, if you like! As long as you are of legal age to drink, I guess.
WHERE: The most pub-looking bar John can find within a walkable radius of his flat
WHEN: After moving in with Sherlock to their new place in the City
WARNINGS: None really. John's a fairly well-behaved drunk. Mostly.
SUMMARY: John's scouting out a watering

Comments

[enigmaestro]

Of course, he had been watching. Desire's interest in Doctor John Watson naturally drew Eddie's own, like rivers leading to oceans. Eddie Nygma was a curious creature by design, and his growing stake in Watson only couched more questions.

A bar, modeled after a pub. Of course. The atmosphere was open, public. Accessible. Edward took the empty stool nearby with a whiskey in hand and a smirk on his face.

"Doctor."

[drpsychosomatic]

John looked up warily. That tone, the voice unfamiliar, coupled with the fact that its owner apparently knew who he was? Trouble. He smiled, tightly.

"Sorry, have we met?"

[enigmaestro]

"Not in person, no." Eddie smirked, ordering a whiskey neat in the next breath. It was a revealing answer, as he had intended. "Busy time of year for you, is it?" A flash of a smile, a wink. Vague questions implying specifics, an ideal way to invite tension.

[drpsychosomatic]

Oh, that was more than enough to get John on edge, though he did his best to hide just how off-balance the suspicious questioning had thrown him. His half-smile never wavered, gaze utterly steady despite the alcohol.

"Most people seem to get busy around Christmas," he agreed carefully.

[enigmaestro]

"Most people," Eddie intoned, undeniably amused with every syllable stress. His eyes flickered over John, looking for body language telltale signs. "But I suppose we're not used to the company of most people." He paused, for a sip. "Being imports and what not."

And then he flashed a rather wide, predatory smile.

"How has the adjustment been treating you, Dr. Watson?"

[drpsychosomatic]

John was rigidly still and steady, not a single unnecessary muscle moving as he listened. He really could have been quite happy without yet another self-styled man of mystery deciding to play games with him on his day off- but apparently this city, even more than the one he'd left behind, wasn't one to let him relax.

"Just fine, thank you," he replied tightly. "And you are?"

[enigmaestro]

"Edward Nygma," he said with a slithering offer of his hand. "I think we have a few acquaintances in common, John, it's really such a pleasure to meet you in person. Finally."

He knew Dr. Watson would clue in to the reference -- it would be rather hard not to; Eddie had begun to keep an eye on the man's more public connections, and very few overlapped with his own. There was a reason why Desire was interested in Dr. John Watson; loyalty was always more sincere when obliged to a certain number of recipients.

[drpsychosomatic]

"Right," he said, shaking Eddie's hand firmly, his eyes hard. "Pleasure. He's not here, though, so you're probably wasting your time."

[enigmaestro]

"Trust me, I know he isn't here." Eddie bit his lower lip, shooting an amused glance. "I'll get this round, shall I? You look like you might need it."

[drpsychosomatic]

John was practically radiating his discomfort by now, locked firmly into polite acquiescence and quite obviously unhappy about it. He smiled.

"I couldn't say no."