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Upon hearing Kathy's laugh the shapeshifter felt his grin grow, almost forgetting the blunder he'd made before...the grin subsided and relief flooded his face when she shook her head, his gaze didn't leave her even as she glanced at something else. Mostly because he was nervous, if he looked away...well, it was obvious what he was worried about on that count. [color=red]"W-well...I didn't have much choice in the matter"[/color] He murmured, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand. He swallowed nervously as Kathy looked at the offered hand, worried for a moment that she wouldn't accept it. He was beyond relieved when she closed her fingers around his, he recalled how she had always gripped his wrist rather than his hand before the...

Once Kathy was on her feet, Crash reluctantly loosened his grip on her hand and small smile flittered across his face as he parted his lips to say something, lifting a hand as he was going to touch the back of his neck. When Kathy suddenly wrapped her arms around him however Crash's mind went blank, he wondered if she could hear his heart thudding in his chest. He swallowed a lump in his throat as her words hit him, calling a mixture of emotions to cross his face, guilt, uncertainty, relief, sorrow, joy it was unclear what was what. Two seconds in he hugged her back, folding one arm around her back as the other came around her side so his hand could briefly touch the back of her head. When he felt her move his arms sprung out of the way so they didn't hinder her retreat, his face had only just started to return to a normal color, now the blood came rushing back into his cheeks. One of his hands shot up to rub the back of his neck and the other dropped to his side.

[color=red]"I-it's-"[/color] He tried to stutter out as she took another step back, his arm reflexively shot up and he jerked forward as she slipped on something though he retreated as she regained her balance. [color=red][i]'It's more than fine...'[/i][/color] he finished in his thoughts, deliberately ignoring the damp patch that he could feel on his chest. He was acutely aware that Kathy hadn't hugged him before...he pulled his hand away from his neck and ran his fingers into his hair unintentionally pulling it away from his eye patch as he tried to find something to say, he knew he'd missed his chance to say he'd missed her too...yet those were the only words that jumped to his lips. The nervous laugh made him smile as Kathy whirled through two more unnecessary apologies...well at least he thought they were unnecessary. 


Crash felt his smile soften as she grew more flustered [color=red]"You don't need to apologise..."[/color] He murmured, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck again. He went to say he was 'fine' when she promptly reminded him exactly where he was. [color=red]"The infirmary?"[/color] He repeated, taking his eye off of her to glance around. He felt like he was actually seeing it all for the first time...technically he was because of the way he'd entered. His hand lifted to his forehead, wiping at the drying blood [color=red]"I...Lily, made me come here"[/color] He answered [color=red]"I had a run in with a rose bush...and a tree"[/color] He admitted sheepishly [color=red]"Wh-what about you?"[/color] Concern crossed his face and for a moment it looked as if he were going to step closer to her but he stopped short. 

He jumped as Illias cleared her throat and turned to look at her in surprise, having not noticed her before he felt instantly guilty. Kathy had a way of pulling his focus. Color flushed his face with renewed vigour as he rubbed the back of his neck and smiled apologetically [color=red]"Only if you're around me I'm afraid"[/color] He glanced back at Kathy briefly. [color=red]"Ah sorry, I'm Crash by the way"[/color] He added turning back to Illias and tapping his head with two fingers as if he were saluting, he managed to bash the tender part of his head in the process, cutting the action short as he jolted backwards. [color=red]"Forgot about that...I should probably fix myself up...Lily seems to be lost in the-"[/color] He cut himself off as a boy he hadn't seen before, suddenly ran out of the bathroom. The shapeshifter barely got out of the way in time, he frowned after Edric no doubt wondering what had possessed him to run. Suddenly the color drained from his face and he sheepishly checked the direction he'd come from, in his experience people ran from the Athalia infirmary for one reason...[color=red]"Or maybe that's the sign that it's time to go"[/color] 

[@Theobromine]