[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/KHcHypx.png[/img][/center]

[b]"Eric, wait... ummm thank you for helping me... do you... could you... I feel bad but... I might need help getting to my room after this, is there any chance you can stay?"[/b]

[b]"it's ok if you can't! I'm sure I'll manage"[/b]

Eric felt his heart skip a beat as he stopped in the doorway and stared down at the floor, swallowing hard. He honestly wanted to run away. He'd had his fill of socializing today but something... something in her voice made him feel bad. [i]'I'm sure I'll manage.'[/i] He could just imagine the fake smile she was giving him, a similar expression to that he'd seen on Lucy's from time to time when she said one thing but meant another. 

After what seemed like ages, Eric slowly turned and walked back toward Andromeda and sat down in a nearby chair to wait for the other two in the infirmary to help her. This was definitely not his usual self. He had a really bad feeling about all of this. What exactly was he getting himself into? He should have just left like he always did. Ignore her, that was better right? No chance of getting back stabbed. [color=orange]"I-I'll stay..."[/color] He told her, looking over at one of the other corners of the room.  

When he heard the red haired boy talk to him, Eric's head jerked over to look at him, eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights. He nodded quickly, obviously nervous with so many people around. He hadn't even really planned to go to the assembly. He really hoped that Andromeda wouldn't want to go either. That way, he could just take her to her room and then return to his own. Maybe by then Lucy would return to the other world and he could pull her back out. He needed the comfort. 

He looked over at Andromeda and then back at the two red heads, then to Andromeda again. [color=orange]"Ready?"[/color] He asked. His pale brown eyes stared at her with a soft expression. For some reason, he felt the need to protect this person. She seemed a lot like him but... better. Like she'd gone through similar events but handled them much better than he ever had. Eric himself always constantly looked as if he could disappear at an moment. Everything about him was pale from his skin color to his pale brown hair. He wasn't a presence that demanded attention but he liked it that way, preferred it even.