Even though John often grumbled he needed a break, within only a few days of leave he'd find himself itching for work.

Sure, he was more than happy to see you, and eating and sleeping as much as he wanted was nice enough. But mostly he found himself spending increasingly unnecessary hours in the gym and home office.

John knew you didn't love it- he wasn't around for you even when he was home. But sedentary life wasn't for him.

Maybe, then, that was why he picked up the drinking. Not how he often had a couple glasses of whiskey or a beer at night, just to relax. He'd started getting pissed for no reason.

It started when he'd come home reeking of the bar, ignoring your worried questions about where he'd been. He hadn't bothered to explain it in the morning.

And then whenevr he'd get too far along on a break he'd start leaning too hard on the alcohol. It'd make him more irritable and crass, not like the calm and charming man you got used to.

This time he'd gotten back and had wanted to crash in bed, but for whatever reason had zeroed in on your little collection of memorabilia. Why did it annoy him so much in that moment?

"All this... shit you keep on here, I can't even put my keys down," he muttered harshly, a slur to his voice as he started picking them up with a scoff.