After a brief hesitance, he took John's hand with his own and gave a warm, slightly awkward shake, then quickly, politely withdrew his hand so as not to think too hard about similarities. His hands folded together over his stomach, fidgeting.

"Oh, no, not my first. Not at all. And it does sort of feel like that, doesn't it?" He nodded in agreement, looking out at the room as if surveying it anew. These meetings had always been a bit bland and uninspired considering for how long and how frequently the Bureau had supposedly been hosting them. You'd think they might go for some decorations, something to liven the space up, he thought, though that might well make the effect worse. "I've been coming for--well, since February. It feels like a very long time, now. I used to come more often, to try and help, but I've fallen out of the habit."

And that sentiment only reminded him of months ago, and another familiar face, and a cup of cocoa and overtures of friendship.

"Not rude, no, I don't think so," he said, reminding himself he should help, and not just because John looked like his Crowleys. "I think that's the advertised point of the meetings. Anything in particular you'd care to know about?"