#convo: catalina4

[fairywilds]

Nereus leaned casually against one of the tall columns near the edge of the dance floor, a glass of sparkling wine in his hand. His tie was already loosened. He spotted Catalina across the room and, with a sly grin, he weaved through the partygoers until he reached her. Reaching her, he gestured to the polished glamour of the room they were in. "So," he said, his tone light but edged with familiarity, "on a scale of ‘not enough booze’ to ‘overwhelmed by insufferable guests,’ how are you holding up?" He tilted his head, studying her expression with a knowing look. ( @howmcnythings )

[fairywilds]

Nereus huffed out a laugh, tipping his glass toward her in mock salute. "A six? Not bad, considering the company." He gave the room a slow once-over, his smirk lingering as his gaze returned to her. "But, hey, if you ever are looking for another excuse, I'm more than happy to play that role." Taking a sip of his drink, he let the bubbles fizzle on his tongue before answering her question. "Me? Oh, I’m at a solid five. The booze is decent, the music could be worse, and I’ve only had to fake-smile through two painfully long conversations." He sighed dramatically. "But now that I’ve found you, I might actually survive the night. Safety in numbers and all that, 'least for a bit." He mused.

Catalina was not one to conduct herself in a royal manner at public events. Somewhere under the surface, her parents were probably dreading what she was doing above water. She let out a soft hum at Nereus' words, drinking more from the beer bottle in her hand. "I'm a six," she said. "Handling the booze just fine, I feel great," she told him. She was many drinks in already, and you could see it on her face that she'd had a fair bit. "But I could do without the majority of these people. I only came because most of the town is here, and it gives me an excuse to get drunk," she joked. "What about you?"