The boy was attentive as Eddy talked, his pretty grey eyes wide and interested like Eddy was something fascinating. Eddy didnt quite know how to handle that, he never had even at the height of his fame. He's spent so long shunning attention that such earnestness left him slightly offkilter. His usual tactic was to bristle, get defensive and biting to distance himself, but the boy didn't deserve that and it was Eddy that had offered anyway.<br/><br/>He had to look away and resist the ridiculous urge to glare. His eyes gazed at the counter instead, following the old marks and scuffs in the wood as he lifted a hand to scrape his thumb across the scruff on his cheek, a nervous tic. His beard wasnt wild but it was getting untidy and he suddenly wished that he had trimmed it this morning, though he couldnt he bothered to care most days.<br/><br/>The kid offered his condolences, and Eddy shrugged his shoulders at it.<i>Was a long time ago </i>he was too tired to say. Everyone loses someone eventually.<br/><br/>The kid's sympathy didnt feel grating at least, and Eddy looked back to find him smiling. Christ, it was like staring at sunshine. It transformed his whole face, the lines of tiredness gone and replaced with something warm and gentle and soft. It made Eddy want to lean into it, bask in that uncomplicated happiness.<br/><br/>Eddy was smiling back before he could stop himself.<br/><br/><i>"And it looks cool too," </i>he said.<br/><br/>"Yeah it does," Eddy agreed, and then obligingly filled their glasses again. First the kid's, then his own.<br/><br/>"So what's your story, freckles?" Eddy asked. An abrupt subject change, but Eddy was honestly curious. Not many people that looked like him would find themselves in places like these.