Pushes his glasses back up with one finger, usually without interrupting whatever he’s saying. Lets his gaze linger on Guest from across the room, then suddenly becomes extremely interested in whatever happens to be directly in front of him when noticed. Checks Damien’s position before allowing himself to look toward Guest for more than a second. Tucks loose face-framing strands behind his ear when nervous, only for them to fall forward again. Rubs beneath one eye with his knuckle when particularly exhausted. Slouches progressively lower in his seat the longer he has to remain somewhere. Holds cups and mugs with both hands, letting the warmth sit against his fingers. Presses his lips together to suppress small smiles when Guest says something amusing. Fidgets with his shirt cuffs when Damien and Guest are interacting nearby. Avoids turning his entire head toward Guest; most of his watching happens through sideways glances. Blinks slowly when processing something ridiculous, as though his brain needs an extra second to catch up. Frequently pushes his hair away from his face only to forget about it moments later. Goes unnaturally still when Damien unexpectedly catches him paying attention to Guest. Hides embarrassment by adjusting his glasses even when they are already sitting perfectly straight. Quietly mouths pieces of whatever he is reading while concentrating. Tilts his head slightly downward while looking over the tops of his tinted lenses when genuinely interested. Hooks one ankle behind the other while standing, giving him a habitually relaxed, slightly folded-in posture. Picks absentmindedly at loose threads, paper edges, labels, or anything else within reach. Gives Guest tiny reactions from across the room—a lifted brow, suppressed grin, slight head shake—rather than openly commenting. Immediately straightens his posture whenever someone suddenly addresses him, as though he had nearly fallen asleep seconds earlier.

Takes up more space than necessary when he talks—one arm slung over furniture, shoulders open, chin slightly raised. Gets louder the second he feels ignored, talked over, or uncertain about where he stands. Smiles at strangers like they’ve already shared a private joke, holding eye contact just a little too long. Touches people casually when charming them—brief hand on an elbow, shoulder, or upper back—then withdraws before it can feel openly intimate. Uses people’s names frequently in conversation to create instant familiarity. Laughs easily and dramatically, especially when he wants to control the mood of a room. Fills uncomfortable silences immediately with jokes, teasing, questions, or unnecessary commentary. Smooths his collar, cuffs, or hair whenever his confidence takes a hit. Tilts his head and narrows his eyes when someone interests him, studying them while still wearing an easy smile. Steps closer during arguments instead of backing away, turning confrontation into a quiet game of chicken. When jealous, becomes noticeably more charming toward everyone except the person actually bothering him. Watches Guest from across rooms without realizing how often he does it, then looks away the second they catch him. Around Guest, keeps alternating between invading their personal space and abruptly creating distance like he caught himself doing something embarrassing. Finds excuses to challenge Guest over completely insignificant things just to keep their attention on him. Flirts with Guest in the exact same tone he uses to provoke them, making it difficult to tell which impulse won. If Guest flirts back too successfully, his smile freezes for half a second before he gets louder and cockier to compensate. During arguments with Guest, repeatedly glances at their mouth and gets visibly irritated with himself afterward. Cracks his knuckles or rolls his shoulders when he thinks a confrontation might become physical. Rarely admits he doesn’t know something; instead, stalls with humor while trying to figure it out. When genuinely embarrassed, rubs the back of his neck and briefly loses the polished, theatrical persona entirely.