John supposed it was about time to get a job. Or rather, he saw a help wanted poster outside the grocer's while he was tying William to a post.
"That's one way of telling me to get off my arse, I suppose," John muttered.
William barked.
"Hush, you," John said as he rubbed behind Williams's ears.
He walked into the store and quickly made his selection of dog food. Colorful toys lined the wall opposite.
Mycroft would hate those. John smirked. He squeezed them all for good measure and selected the most obnoxious ones.
It seemed every walk was filled with Help Wanted posters. John wondered if they had always been there or if the universe was shouting at him to get over himself.
On impulse he plucked an application from a bouquet in front of the flower shop.
He contemplated roses and vines on the way home.
Mycroft came home later than usual, because he did need to put in some actual hours. While the world would survive, his position wasn't set in stone. It required cultivation.
He wandered into the living room searching for William, intending to give him a treat without catching John's attention.
He found John lying on the floor, asleep, curled into William. A colorful animal shaped thing lie underneath John's arm.
Mycroft smiled. He knew the thing would be a nuisance, so he picked it up and decided to hide it before John woke up. He walked back into the living room with a blanket and laid it over John's body. His chest felt warm. He decided to retire as well.
"Why a florist? You are a military man. You are a doctor," Mycroft said.
John looked at his feet.
"I'm not fighting anymore. I don't want to fight anymore," John said.
Mycroft raised an eyebrow.
"You love the fight," he said softly.
John looked up with conviction in his eyes.
"I want to make floral arrangements and live here and raise my dog. I'm not in the fight anymore," he said.
Mycroft smiled.
"Good. I needed a discount. Pacifying foreign dignitaries is so costly," he said.
John laughed.
"You won't be getting any discounts from me. I need all the money I can get off of you," he said.
Mycroft attempted a pout.
"Doesn't suit you. I'll say, you can get a repeat customer bonus," John said.
"Consisting of?" Mycroft asked.
"The dog toy you stole from William. Who steals from a dog? Honestly," John said, exasperated.
Mycroft smiled.
"You will never get that back," he said.
John reached underneath the couch with a triumphant grin and retrieved a plastic bottle covered in fur and bells.
"That's why I bought more than one. Good luck finding them all," he said.
John left the room laughing.