[CW: mentions of drinking and smoking. alcohol abuse. breakdowns. discussions of suicide and depression. man noone here can catch a break huh]

While everyone's life was a living hell, Anthony was just enjoying himself. Living the life. In other words, he was spending the little money he could allow himself to spend on alcohol, again. This time, though, he wasn't depressed or close to a panic attack—far from it, really. So that was good, at least. After deeming himself suitably drunk, he retreated onto the streets again because being on the streets alone when it's late and he's drunk as hell has worked out well for him before. He started the walk of shame home, and only tripped over his feet a few times. Truly amazing and something to be proud of. Anthony was, right now, of the opinion that life was actually pretty good and he shouldn't have ever been sad or worried ever and that he's happy. He has evolved from a sad drunk to a happy drunk. He has lots of reasons to be happy, right now!

But, of course, being drunk comes with bad decision-making and impulses, among other things. And Anthony's happiness faded for a moment as he realized that he was missing just one thing—that is, one more self-destructive thing to do for the sake of his happiness. Life is good but it'll be even better if he does whatever dumb, destructive shit he can think of.

Anthony approached whatever unlucky person happened to be closest to him, clearly with the intent to bother them. "Hey!" he said, to make absolutely sure they had noticed him. "hey, mate, you got a cigarette?"

Ben was an early riser and was not usually found outside this late. But he had a lot on his mind as of late, and so after a long day's work, he had gone to see the minister. Now he was on his way back home, in thought too deeply to pay much attention to his surroundings. He wasn't very interested in seeing Whitby's night life: those who did not work by day and had leisure and money to drink their nights away, and those who had questionable work by night. He did not know which of these two he disapproved of more.

But he turned when someone addressed him. It was a young man, and poor Ben did not yet quite realize that said young man was drunk. "Sorry mate, I don't," he replied. Ben did smoke, but he used a pipe, rather than cigarettes.

Anthony stared at the man in complete silence for a few moments that seemed way too long, just processing the answer he was given. He didn't seem to realize that the guy just straight-up didn't have a cigarette to give to him—instead, he seemed to believe that he was clearly doing this on purpose because clearly he has something against Anthony. So much for Anthony being happy, then.

He frowned, swaying so very slightly in place as he tried to form any sort of response. "You're very cruel."

Ben looked confused. "What?.. No, I literally don't have 'em. I don't smoke cigarettes." He shrugged and was about to walk on.

Anthony has been wronged, and he will never forgive this man for doing that. He frowned, trying to make himself look more intimidating or whatever but, really, he just looked the opposite of that. "Yes, you do," he decided.

"Right..." Ben said with a frown. He walked away. Probably drunk, that one.

He did, of course, have tobacco in his pocket, but he wasn't sharing that with a drunk.

Ben greatly underestimates exactly how determined and annoying Anthony is. He followed the man, only tripping over his feet a few times. One foot in front of the other, certain he's doing an amazing job of faking sobriety. (He's not.)

"That wasn't very polite." he said, looking up at the other man as he tried to walk with him.

Oooooh dear. Ben certainly did not want to show this man where he lived, and so he took the long route home. But he was also terribly uncomfortable with being stalked by this drunk - Ben had no doubts about the man's inebriated state anymore. He tried to walk faster, but his heart did not allow it. He sighed. "I told ye. I don't have any. Yer wasting yer time," he said, as if he believed reasoning with a drunk was effective.

"I have time," Anthony said, walking alongside the man as if they were friends and not as if he was basically just stalking the poor guy. He barely even remembers why he's following this guy anymore. Right now he's just doing it for the sake of doing it.

"So it would seem..." Ben muttered. "Haven't got a job or owt?" It wasn't really a question.