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It was a few weeks after John had lost Desmond… again. Zari had known, honestly she’d been waiting for it. He’d been honest, but far too blase in his admission. She knew he’d fall to pieces eventually, and she’d made plans. She hadn’t expected the sudden increase in magic that came with it, or the sudden rush of items lifting into the air. It had knocked Mick out.Gary had come when the Legends had called, but he honestly wasn’t sure why HE was Zari’s choice for calming Constantine down. Especially when he could barely get into the room with something flying at him. He wasn’t good at comfort, the best he could do was awkward back patting and the occasional. “There, there.”He sighed, Zari was convinced John needed him, and Zari was usually good at knowing these kinds of things, but he couldn’t think how. He groaned a little as one, pathetic idea came to his mind… Oh well, he was used to embarrassing himself, and if it helped John, even by pulling him out of this with a laugh, Gary could accept it. He cleared his throat. “… God save the Queen… The facist regime… They made you a moron… Potential H-bomb.”He knew he had a terrible singing voice. So did John, but if the sound of him badly singing one of the strange songs John played a lot after they… had sex didn’t shook the other man out of at least some of his distress, Gary wasn’t sure what would. He raised his voice a little louder. “God save the Queen… She ain’t no human being… There is no future… In England’s dreaming.”He wasn’t sure, but it seemed like there were fewer things flying around. He went in on his hands and knees, just in case, but, even though things were still floating in the room, nothing came flying at him.“Don’t be told what you want… Don’t be told what you need… There’s no future… no future… no future for you.”It seemed like a pretty awful lyric to sing to someone having a breakdown, but John actually seemed to find comfort in it. Then again, John had always seemed most comfortable when he ignored his own future. Alway so determined to save everyone elses future.“God save the Queen… we mean it man…We love our Queen… God saves.”The floating items finally dropped to the floor. So did John. Hesitantly, Gary crawled over until he was kneeling next to the anguished man. He didn’t touch John, he didn’t sing more of the song. He just waited.It took what seemed like ages. John’s fingers curled into the leg of his pants, but he otherwise didn’t move. Slowly, gently, Gary lowered his hand to stroke between John’s shoulders. The sound that came out was almost terrifying.John wasn’t even 40 years old, but it was as though hundreds of years worth of sorrow all tried to force themselves out of his throat at once. He saw Sara, Zari and Ray’s panicked rush to protect John from the corner of his eye, but he ignored and kept softly stroking the other mans back. Zari seemed to understand as she quickly herded the other two away, Sara understood fairly quickly as well, but he could hear Ray’s well-intentioned protests until they reached the end of the hall.John had also quieted a bit, the ravaged noises weren’t coming anymore, bit Gary could feel tears soaking through his trousers. John had pulled himself up a little until he was resting his head on Gary’s lap. He was also laughing, just a little mind you, but it was definitely a laugh.“…Sex Pistols Gary… really?”“… I kind of panicked?”“…I didn’t realise you knew the words.”It was clear John wasn’t ready to talk yet, too raw, and Gary knew he’d probably clam right back up once this was over.“…Eidectic memory, I learnt all the lyrics the first time you played the song.”He wasn’t ready to push him either.“… Really… I didn’t know that.”He seemed almost wistful as he spoke.“… Yeah, give me any song you played while at my place, and I’ll know it.”He finally felt John give a full smile against his leg.“OK… London Calling.”“London calling to the faraway towns now war is declared and battle come down.”“… that was too easy… Real World, by the Buzzcocks.”I’m in love with the real world, it’s mutual or so it seems, ‘cos only in the real world, do things happen like they do in my dreams.“Gary wasn’t sure how long they spent with John throwing random Punk Rock songs he’d listened to at Gary’s place, even trying to find ones he knew he’d only listen to once there.Eventually they were interrupted by Zari.“Food guys.”They thought for a bit, then Gary’s stomach growled, quickly followed by John’s.“Yeah, we could eat love.”The trip to the dining area was quick and quiet.Mick and John stared at each other for a few moments after they arrived though. John gesture vaguely at Mick’s head.“…So…”“It was payback for the barfight a that Smelly concert.”“Oi, we were called The Smell you flame happy weirdo.”“…Whatever.”Both Gary and John’s stomachs rumbled again as the smell of food finally registered with them.“Sit… Eat.”Sara waved them towards the two empty chairs with plates of food in front of them. Ray still looked concerned, but Zari and Sara had apparently quelled his desire to interfere. They both dug in.“HEY… vegetables as well John.”John stared at Sara suspiciously for a few seconds after that.“… Are you sure you’ve never met some of my best friends.”Sara just smiled at him. “Eat John.”
