"Couldn't you have showered?" Midnite asked without looking up from the book that lay on his desk.
"Honestly, they turned my water off. Apparently I didn't pay last month's bill." Constantine replied, sitting down in the chair across from him. Midnite got up and returned the thick book to a shelf behind the desk then turned around to gaze at his old friend.
"Why did you come back John?" Midnite sighed. The question shocked Constantine more because he had asked the same question than the fact that it was rude. "What is left for you here?" Constantine pondered the question before opening his mouth to answer. "The girl?" Midnite shook his head, coming around the desk to sit atop it. "It is better if you leave her be."
"Why? Has something happened to her, did she mention me?" Constantine snapped, panic in his voice. A slim smile snaked around Midnite's lips.
"Ah, so it is the girl!"
"You son-of-a-bitch." Constantine pushed his chair away and came at Midnite. Laughing, Midnite put a hand up in mock self-defense.
"I joke, John. Hmm, in all our years together I have never seen you so defensive. Do you know what they call that John?"
"Bad luck?" Constantine replied, righting the chair again. Midnite shook his head again and walked towards Constantine.
"No, John. Love. They call it love."
"Love!" Constantine spat the word out as he sat back down. "You think I'm in love with her?" Constantine gave a pained laugh.
"Hard to believe, but yes, I do believe the great John Constantine is in love."
"Lust at most." Constantine said, stretching his long frame in the chair. Midnite just smirked, knowing glimmering in his brown eyes.
"Call it what you want John," Midnite said, returning to the seat behind his desk "it has held many names and shall have more with time. And lord knows, the feeling is used to being denied."
"Loveā¦" Constantine scoffed, glaring at his old friend.
"Well, if that is all the business we have today then I'll have to ask you to leave." Midnite said, back to his usual manner. "I have a 10 o'clock meeting with a particularly nasty half-breed and I'll need time to prepare all my wits about me."
"First you insult me with this love business, now your kicking me out?" Constantine asked, standing up.
"Such is life." Midnite said as Constantine opened the door to leave. "Oh, and John?" Constantine looked back at the powerful shaman sitting behind the deep desk. "Take a shower before you go visit her, you stink something awful"
