Current mood:	blank
Entry tags:	3rd person, ic post, tm topic

168: Party! (318 words)
As toasts were made, foam flicked off the edges of mugs and fell to the floor to be kicked up again by dancing, swerving shoes. The band in the corner was nearly drowned out by the shouting and singing of the public.

Jacob found himself congratulated on all sides. Every way he turned—and some ways he didn’t—was a pat on the shoulder, a smiling face, a laugh and a ‘thank you.’ “Thank you so much, Mister Grimm. Thank you so much.”

“No problem,” he managed to mumble out at every other expression of praise. At some point a mug had been shoved in his hand, he couldn’t remember when or who had done it, but every now and then someone would remind him it was there and encourage him to drink—in not quite so elegant terms.

He caught a glimpse of Will, who was sitting in the corner with the mayor, who seemed to be so by virtue of being the most educated man in town—which wasn’t saying much. He was grinning and shaking Will’s hand over and over again. He bobbled a young girl on his knee. From the glances he kept stealing, Will was clearly more interested in the girl than the mayor. From the redness in his cheeks, the mayor clearly was drunk enough not to mind.

“God bless you, Mister Grimm.”

“Of—of course.” He managed to force a smile that time. ‘Keep up the con,’ he thought, more in Will’s voice than his own. ‘Don’t let them see there’s you’re uncomfortable, or it’s over.’

It occurred to him then there was a way he could craft a comfortable feeling. With resolve, Jake finally put the mug to his lips and tipped it back. The surrounding people cheered the long draught. He wiped the foam off his lips as someone caught his shoulder and invited him to dance. It was easier to smile already.