Criston and Ayane

[color=yellow]"Ahhh... Now that, that is an interesting story. You see here, Ryuu, it all started with a certain Skylark."[/color] He told him, lowering his voice in case she happened to be within ear shot, as she almost always was.

Ayane was still confused and now had a rather large looking at her weirdly. She squirmed under his gaze, suddenly realizing every small detail she hated about her body, including the small shimmers of scales that appeared on her shoulders when she's nervous.

[color=yellow]"See, I just wanted some music to pump everyone up, you know? I'm pretty sure 16 year old high school students don't want to listen to... whatever she had going. I mean, hell... Anime music would be better, yanno? At least that would get my blood pumping. So, When Carmen stormed out of here after breaking all the equipment, I was... uh... distraught. Until!"[/color] Criston explained, pausing for effect, [color=yellow]"Wait until you hear this..."[/color] He paused again, [color=yellow]"Ayane here fixed our problem! You see, you hear that lovely music? Well, it's coming from a conch Ayane here provided, and damn does it fill the room!"[/color] He finished, grinning to himself.

Ayane listened, still suspicious of the man Criston called Ryuu who was still, for whatever reason, staring at her. She put on the best smile she could manage and waved at him slightly before pulling her shaking hand back down to her side.

Criston, meanwhile, had forgotten to introduce Ayane to Ryuu and in looking around the room to demonstrate to Ryuu, he remembered something very suddenly. He noticed it as he turned his head back to Ryuu. Slowly, his head rotated back and he lifted him self a little straight to see who it was. Yeah... Sure enough. It was Kathy and Crash. Criston forced a smile onto his face as they were too close for him to run away. Besides, Ryuu and Ayane would notice and tell them and...

Shit...

He prepared himself for what was to come, preparing for painful smiles and sinking hearts. Ayane, meanwhile, was looking to and from Ryuu and Criston again, hoping Criston would notice her. After a few moments, she tugged at his coat. He didn't move... She tugged a little harder. Still nothing... She stepped forward to get a better grip to tug just a little harder but managed to step on her dress and began falling.

Ayane closed her eyes to prepare for the impact but her side was only met with warmth. Confused, she opened her eyes to see the ceiling with Criston watching the crowd silently. His whole body seemed to be tense but he'd still managed to catch her as she fell. 

He felt the tug every time but couldn't bring himself to take his eyes off of the two making their way around the ballroom. He was trying to discern if they were or were not holding hands, something he desperately wished wasn't happening. But when he noticed something blue begin to tumble in front of his, his arms reflexively extended and he caught her, pulling her up in a sort of 'princess' carry, still watching those two. 

[@NarayanK][@Theobromine][@FaithsRose]

Mentioned briefly: [@Driving Park]