Title: You're Not Really Drinking Alone When You're at a Bar
Fandom: Hawaii Five-0
Characters: John McGarrett, Joe White
Rating: PG
Length: 217 words
Content notes: set pre-series
Summary: Shortly after Doris' 'death', Joe finds John with his fingers wrapped around a bottle of whiskey.

"John." Joe slid onto the bar stool beside his friend, and gestured for the bartender to pour him a shot of the whiskey that John had his fingers loosely curled around.

His friend raised bloodshot eyes and scowled at him. Joe sighed, but offered John a smile and a nod of thanks when the bottle was relinquished for a moment. Once the drink was poured and set up in front of Joe, John poured a glass for himself and gripped the bottle a little tighter.

"I didn't invite you to join me," he said roughly.

Joe shrugged and tossed his drink back. "Didn't ask for an invite."

"Leave me alone," John said, weary.

"I can't do that," Joe said. "You shouldn't be here, drinking alone."

John shook his head and laughed -- a bitter, self-deprecating bark of sound. He gestured around him and smiled wide, crazy. "I'm not alone," he said. "I've got all these people drinking with me."

Joe said nothing. Instead, he coaxed the bottle from John's fingers once again, poured himself another drink and sat beside his grieving friend, hating that John was feeling this way, that his best friend was pushing him away. Hated what he'd come to Hawaii to do at his friend's request, take Steve back to the mainland with him.