Re: Registration: Eddie N & Reece E
He had wine. It was mulled, warm against his ...palm, with spices—ginger, unwaxed orange, lemon, cardamom in a wine-dark potpourri on his tongue. It had him feeling cozy (which he was not afraid to admit), even in an open field with wind starting to pick up from a loose corner of dusk peeling up like film from the backdrop of the horizon. Reece pulled his broad shoulders together and curled inward, twining toward the piping glass in his hands, which, at least, was ...well, it was probably better than feeling at the air for a nonexistent tie, like some creep feeling up Mother Nature.
The weight of the mulled fragrances was as raindrops on pine branches, wet and heavy. Reece let the steam rise to his face and cling and condense.—Obviously, he was, um, a little distracted, his impatience funneled into the warmth of the wine. It was only when a ripple seemed to go through those near him, and when that ripple became a man—5'8" his eye told him, dressed like an eccentric from a Victorian children's book— that he actually remembered to pay attention to something that wasn't delicious—by which, I mean the wine, in case that needs clarifying.
And it was only then that it clicked in Reece's mind. Eddie, Cat's friend. (Followed by the tagalong thought: this guy is her friend? Followed by: He's... so... small? Followed by: That's a nice suit, though.) His face, youth and mismatched eyes, lit up as he prepared to shake the short-statured man's hand, but he stopped when Eddie diverted, placing his name-tag in the band of his hat. Quickly, Reece smoothed his hair in an attempt at recovery. It was totally natural, right? Not at all like he was awkward.—His smile managed to be sincere and he laughed at the silly idea of clowns being herded, totally not weirded out by clowns at all, in spite of their disturbing makeup.
He took a sip of his wine and gave a small head-shake.
"I don't have any other plans and—and, it's not like the eggs are going anywhere, right?" He gave a bracing smile he imagined was charming. "I guess it's probably important to keep them corralled. The—uh—the clowns." Good one, Reece. "Anyway, do you want a drink before we go, or...?" He cleared his throat. He acted natural.