zain felt someone shift beside him and turned around— more so out of habit than actual annoyance. apologies tumbled from the other’s mouth instantly, which he shrugged off with practiced ease. sure, he wasn’t fond of people invading his personal space but what on earth could one possibly expect in this shitshow of an event? or any other shindig in d.c. thoroughly uninterested in getting embroiled in further conversation with the man before him, he looks past him to focus on anything else. somebody else, a few steps behind, caught his eye. naaz. who both made these events all the more insufferable, as well as somewhat bearable, at the same time. not that he’d admit the latter to her; that would give her far too much credit than he was willing to do so. zain excused himself from the gentleman to join her and the rest of the folk she was surrounded with. “ now there’s a face i haven’t seen in a long while, ” he greeted her boss with a broad smile, deeming that to be less of an embarrassment to his person than specifically zeroing in on naaz, herself. @riawritcs