sound check muffles his arrival from the other fans. a-train was on an overseas mission, protecting american interests with static presence. reggie franklin quickly folds his visor & tucks it away to blend into the festival crowd. speed leaves him entirely unseen to the world: strobe lights slowly change to reflect blues & pinks between seconds. a light jog to the merch line picks up reggie's cropped tee with a gentle wind.
his slipstream leaves cash behind & earthy cedar with bergamot, the only signs of his presence. stolen moments of anonymity last for a short eternity in slow motion. the world almost catches up to him stopping to watch @neridoes. it was rare for a star to be starstruck: honest admiration is too close to vulnerability. but another nanosecond of self-conscious musing might have missed the body shifting through the barricade. one by one, reggie arranges her security personnel as a wall in front of the man. the dominos fall to his laughter as he brushes pine needles out of his braids.
you didn't need to step in like that.
her voice is the first sound reggie hears in real time, before he can catch his breath or hide his surprise. rhythmic bass & his own heartbeat rush him back into the pace of life with excited energy behind his smile. "nah, of course not," is all he can say in the shock of seeing her & being seen.
"i'm sure that guy would've died happy if you beat his ass. he seems like that clingy type ... so it's a good thing your guys stepped in, right?" a knowing wink cuts into the innocence of his tone, purposefully ignoring the dumbfounded stare of the scalper. "almost heroic. can't say i would've let him get that far but they're doin' their best."
