Oddly enough, if there was one man in the entire world, or at least in Halcyon, that could relate to what Noah was going through, what he felt, right now, it was James. Funny that considering that they hated one another. But he too knew what it was like to love a girl, one in particular, and to not have that particular brand of affection returned. And it was that that had kept him in pretty much the same state as Noah. Of course there was a little more to his own issues than simply just that.
Normally speaking, James preferred to keep his drinking confined. He had been trying his best to resist the urge to drink, for one, and for two, it was best done alone to avoid any violent outbursts. But tonight, he wasn't in the mood to be alone. But he wasn't exactly in the mood to be in the same bar as one of the few people in the world that he detested either. Apparently that was how it was going to work out.
He had barely entered into the place, had just started to remove his coat and scarf, when he saw the familiar form parked on a stool at the bar. Noah. A look of near disgust curled the features of his face and there was that split second where he thought better than to stay there, where he considered just turning around and walking right back out the door, but that part of him lost, whether that be his better judgment or not. Was this or was this not the perfect opportunity to rub salt into a wound that he knew to be open? Or maybe it was less that and more just the appeal of how ironic it was that they both, for once, had something in common.
Jacket off and scarf laid over the wool, James made his way over to the bar, tossing the two of them onto an empty stool before seating himself on one directly beside it. "Let me get a double of Jack on the rocks. Coke chaser." He said nothing to Noah even though he was itching to say it, instead focusing himself upon the retrieval of his cigarettes and lighter followed quickly by the first inhalation and a slow exhale.