No Smoking

When James returned thirty minutes later, carrying two coffees and a bag of pastries, he still seemed unable to keep still. After sitting back at his desk, he was chewing on his pen, biting his nails, cracking his joints, adjusting in his seat - all with the accompaniment of either incessant pen tapping or the occasional drumming of his fingers.

After a further fifteen minutes, Robbie asked, “Is everything all right James? You seem... fidgety.”

James looked up, looking slightly bashful. “Nicotine craving," he explained, making a visible effort to still his fingers. "My resolution this year is to quit smoking."

“Ah, that explains why you've been abusing your pen all morning."

James nodded, giving Robbie an apologetic smile. "I hope I haven't been too distracting."

"Hasn't been too bad - it's no worse than all the opera Morse made me listen to," Robbie replied. "Though I'm a little worried about the damage that pen's doing to your teeth."

"Probably less than a cigarette would do."

"I suppose. Still, it can't be good for you."

"Well, until I have another way of distracting myself, it'll have to do."

"Hmmm." Robbie turned back to his paperwork, an idea beginning to form in his mind.