Aquiver -> J. Constantine

23

John's groans filled the room as Zed cheered. It had seemed impossible for this to happen a third time in a row.

"That is Jed 3 and Jas 0!" Jade exclaimed.

She laughed before turning around to wipe the white board where her drawing of a bunk bed had been. Chas took the gin bottle and poured one out for himself and John.

The exorcist grumbled before drinking it all in one go. It wasn't the drinking he minded, it was the losing.

"A bunck of cheating wankers, you two." He accused them.

Jade fake gasped while clutching her hand over her heart. Yet she couldn't hide the smug grin on her face. It was a sight almost worth losing for, John thought to himself.

Zed cracked open a beer as she saw the frown on John's face. The man could face down demons from hell, but losing any board game was enough for him to sulk for days.

"The Great John Constantine, Master of the Dark Arts, cannot stand the fact that he got his ass handed to him in Pictionary." she teased.

John let out a fake laugh before flipping her off. The act made the rest of them chuckle. Jade dramatically lowered herself into her seat on the couch.

Chas smirked. "Don't get him started on Monopoly."

"You were skimming off the bank money and you know it!"

The women couldn't stop their giggles and Chas shook his head in amusement. It was then that John's phone started ringing. As he went to answer it, Chas and Zed both took another gin shot.

Jade's eyes were drawn to John's figure in the back. In moments like these, it was easy to pretend that nothing was wrong. They were just four friends hanging out without a care in the world.

She got up from her seat and went to see what the phone call was about. A weak excuse, she knew that, but she wanted to speak to him. To pretend for a while longer that she could have him like this.

"Who was it?" She asked, leaning against a nearby wall.

John looked up at her presence. He never tired of looking at her. If he had his way, it'd be the only thing he ever had to gaze upon.

"Jim Corrigan with a possible case for us." He replied.

The hesitation within his voice didn't go unnoticed. Jade read between the lines. He didn't want to go. Not when they were all still together and happy. A rare sight for their group.

She spoke before he could. "You should take Zed. Chas and I can hold down the fort."

His eyes narrowed at her concealed eagerness to be away from him. John Constantine was many things but he was no fool. He knew what thoughts were running through her head and he didn't like a single one.

"Don't do anything stupid while we're gone, you hear me?" he demanded.

A smile planted itself onto her face as she let out a gentle scoff. She wasn't looking at him yet he knew it was all for him. The nonchalance and the easygoing expression on her face.

"I don't think it's fair of John Constantine to be saying that." She teased him.

He is literally the man who summoned a demon king into himself. Stupid decisions were kind of his thing. And it is precisely because he knew his influence on her that he demanded she do the opposite.

"I'm not trying to be fair," he got closer to her, "and I'm not leaving until I hear you say it."

The smile faded from her lips as the close proximity made her brain stop working for a moment. Always so close yet out of reach.