Golden thorns chapter thirty seven

It felt good to seal that rift. He and Weiss conversed amicably for a time before Neptune appeared and Coran took his leave. He looked around the room once more and couldn't stop himself from laughing in shear confusion at the sight of Jaune Arc walking through the hall in a dress. This was a whole new level of goofball. Did this guy have any dignity left at all? It was admirable just how little he cared what people thought of him.

The masked DJs changed their tune from ballroom to disco and JNPR broke into a complex dance routine. Had they planned this? Shouldn't they be focusing on their studies instead of dace moves? Oh well they seemed to be having fun so he wasn't going to judge. However this wasn't exactly Coran's style. He stepped over to the wall and watched the spectacle. Not too far from him, Blake was dancing with the monkey Faunus. Sun, wasn't it? What do you know, Stonewall von Grumpy finally decided to have fun for a change.

He stole his way closer when Sun left to get them a couple of drinks. He caught her attention and she raised an eyebrow, a look of polite dismissal crossing across her face. Coran, unperturbed, closed the distance. She spoke.

"In case you hadn't noticed I'm already taken."

"Blake please, I'm not blind. I'm Coran Silverthorne. Weiss may have mentioned me."

"I know who you are. You play very well." She said

"I- I'm sorry?" Coran replied, confused

"That piano you repaired." So it had been her that was wandering the corridors late at night.

"Thanks."

"So why did you come over here again?"

"I just wanted to talk to you about something. I need your help and it has to be you."

"Why?" she answered, but Corn wasn't listening. He had glanced over her shoulder and seen Marie and Jet. The music was slower and more sedate now. They were dancing with each other, their faces very close. Coran snapped his attention back to Blake.

"I'm- I'm sorry. It can wait. See you round." He turned and walked direct to the exit. On his way out the back door he noticed Ruby leaving via the main doors to the hall. He wondered if she was in a similar situation. He doubted it.

He fumbled with the key to the door and slammed it behind him. He went over to his bedside table and dug out the small silver pendant. He gripped it in his whitening knuckles as he sat on his bed and bit his lip until he tasted the metallic tang of blood.

He had to distract himself. He started to pack his backpack for their mission. Extra layers, long lasting energy bars, water purifier tablets. A knock on the door. It opened. A sibilant voice.

"Hey, I saw you left early. You get tired or just bored?"

"Go back to the party dev. You've earned a break." Coran said gently

"Not before we talk about this." Devlyn was unusually assertive

"There's nothing to talk about." Coran went back to his packing

"Coran- no, Coran listen to me." The Faunus gripped him by the shoulder and forcefully turned him around, the small claws digging into his shoulder. Coran raised an eyebrow. He continued. "You've been distancing yourself from us. You are more irritable than usual and you have been obsessing over plans and preparation. I know you're OCD about this kind of stuff anyway but your obsession is becoming unhealthy. I've kept my mouth shut because I didn't want to force you to talk about it. But since you're clearly not going to get over this by yourself, you've left me little choice. Now sit down," he shoved him down onto the bed, pulled up a chair and sat it, "and neither of us are leaving until we've talked this through." Coran couldn't believe this.

"I'm not doing this."

"Yes you are. Now why did you leave the dance early?"

"You know full well why."

"Yes, I do. I still want you to tell me."