After School

[Ace Stone]

Ace studied her eyes silently, trying to understand what she was getting out. "What did you do?" he asked carefully, fear clear in his voice.

[Crash Bandicoot]

Hearing the fear installed in Ace's voice, Crash had to bite the inside of his mouth, otherwise he knew he'd end up laughing until he busted a lung. "Why don't you guess?" he mumbled.

[Arianna Rivers]

Ari looked at Crash, trying to decipher his expression. Sure, he was being his usual cocky self, but she wanted to make everything right without hurting either Crash or Ace. She chided herself for being too optomistic- of course someone was going to get hurt; she just wished it was her instead of one of the guys. She took a deep breath and bit her lip.

"Well, see, Crash and I were having an ingredient battle after he started eating all of the chocolate chips. We were going to make chocolate chip pancakes, but he was eating all of the chocolate, so I poured sugar on him. And it just snowballed from there and soon we were on the floor covered in ingredients and-" she stopped.

[Ace Stone]

Ace glanced up at Crash uneasily, starting to get really annoyed with him. "And what?" he asked, pressing for her to cut to the chase. He silently prayed it wasn't what he feared, that he was just over thinking things. Ari wouldn't hurt him.. right?

[Crash Bandicoot]

Crash met his stare and really wanted to punch him, getting annoyed with Ace as well. This guessing game really wasn't all that hard. "And what do you think?" he asked, finally finished with his food as he scraped the crumbs into the sink. "I know you're not that dumb or am I overestimating you?" he asked with a glare.

[Ace Stone]

Ace's face burned red in shame and got up, standing up striaght as he looked over at Crash with a troubled expression. "Can you just spit it out already? I don't want to guess wrong and sound like a foul."

[Arianna Rivers]

Ari stood up too, standing between the two of them. "Ace... Crash kissed me. That's it; nothing more happened."

[Ace Stone]

Ace blinked, his face slowly draining of color as he looked between the two, completely speechless. It was exactly as he feared... "Wait.. so.." He swallowed slowly, his hands clenching into fists when as his jaw flexed. "Why?" he questioned, suddenly snapping his green eyes to Crash. "You know she's mine!"

[Crash Bandicoot]

Crash stared at Ace for a while before his expression darkened. "Well first because I wanted to. And second, if Ari is so yours, then howcome you don't know what she's really feeling half the time?" His voice became harder, glare more pronounced as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Maybe you should try understanding her every once in a while, it might do you some good, huh boy-o?"

[Ace Stone]

"Understand her more?" Ace repeated in confusion, taking a menacing step forward at Crsh despite Ari between them. "You've got one hell of a nerve, little boy. You don't know anything about our relationship."

[Arianna Rivers]

Ari tried to separate the two of them, to no avail. "Guys... stop this," she muttered, though neither listened to her.

[Crash Bandicoot]

"Oh really? I know enough", he growled, also taking a step forward, ignoring Ari like she wasn't even there. He felt really angry all of a sudden. "Otherwise, I don't think we'd be in this situation, now would we? Come on, man."

[Ace Stone]

Ace stepped around Ari then, reaching out to grab at Crash's shirt. "I want you to leave," he told him in a low, dangerous voice. "I need time with Ari right now."

[Arianna Rivers]

Ari reached Ace's hand, the one that was holding Crash. She pried his fingers off and turned to Crash. "Stay here. I don't think this is over." She made sure she had a tight grip on Ace before walking upstairs and into her bedroom, closing the door behind Ace.

[Crash Bandicoot]

Crash watched them go up and sighed, shaking his head a little. He grabbed more pancakes and just ate them on the couch, thinking over everything that had happened in his head.

[Ace Stone]

Once alone in her room, Ace's tough guy act completely melted away as he looked over at his girlfriend of the past year and a half. What was going to become of then now? "Did you kiss him back?" he asked quietly.

[Arianna Rivers]

Ari closed her eyes, wishing with all her heart that she could say no. But after all they'd been through... even though she might lose him, Ari knew she owed him the truth. He deserved at least that much.

"Yes," she said, staring at her hands. "But Ace, I- I wasn't sure if you still loved me. We haven't seen each other in ages and I... I thought you were just pulling away, or wanted to break up or something... I honestly thought you had given up on us, given up on me... and for these past couple months, I haven't been myself. Crash was... well, he was there for me, he was one of the few people who made me laugh and made me be, well, me... for the first time in a long time I was... happy. So when he kissed me, I couldn't not kiss him back. He had already given me do much... one little kiss couldn't even tip the scales a little, but it was a start. I had no idea that you still loved me, Ace, but believe me, I had no intention of hurting you..."

[Ace Stone]

Ace was silent for a long time, his heart sinking lower and lower in his chest as he realized what a horrible boyfriend he had been lately. "Of course I still love you, Ari," he whispered when he finally spoke, his eyes down cast. "I've just been really busy lately with football.. I had no idea what you felt this way. You never said anything so.. so I just thought everything was okay." He sighed heavily and ran a shaky hand through his redish brown hair. "I would have been so much better if I had known.. damnit.. I'm so stupid when it comes to girls.."

[Arianna Rivers]

Ari shook her head. "Not stupid... you've been busy lately, there was nothing that you could have done to prevent that. But I shouldn't have doubted you..."

[Ace Stone]

Ace hesitantly reached out to take her hands in his, smiling sadly at her. "Do you still want to be with me?" he asked quietly, though he was terrified of her answer.

[Arianna Rivers]

Ari closed her eyes, somewhat torn between Ace and Crash. "Yes, but..." she started, trying to figure out how to word what she was feeling. But words were failing her... she couldn't find any way to say what she wanted to. "But it's not just between you and me, here. Crash has to have his say too. Or, he should... I owe him that much."

[Ace Stone]

"Crash hates me," Ace mumbled knowingly. "He's going to want us to break up.." Ace sighed heavily and leaned down to kiss the tip of her nose. "Football is almost over though.. we could spend every day together like we always used to."

[Arianna Rivers]

Ari looked up at him. "Are you sure? The last thing I want to become is an obligation."

[Ace Stone]

"You're not an obligation," he assured her with a warm smile, giving her hands a tight squeeze. "You're my beautiful girlfriend. Is it so wrong of me to want to spend time with you?" he asked playfully, trying to stay positive.

[Arianna Rivers]

"No, it's not. I just want to make sure that we will spend time together because I love you Ace, but I don't think that's going to be enough... if we really want this to work, I need more than just a wave in the hallway. If you want to be my boyfriend, then BE my boyfriend." Ari sighed, then chuckled. "I can't believe it took me this long to say anything."

[Ace Stone]

Ace pushed his eyebrows together in thought, his nose crinkling slightly as he studied her face. "Then I will BE your boyfriend," he assured her. "From this day forward, I will make sure it's obvious to everything that you're mine and I'm yours. Goodbye waves in the hallway, hello kisses!" With that, Ace closed his eyes and pushed his lps against hers.

((by the way, his expression in the first sentence is totally the adorable one in his avi ))

[Arianna Rivers]

(It is absolutely adorable!!!! )

Ari smiled into his kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck. She was... content. Not ecstatic, but finally happy. She pulled back from him and smiled before her expression fell.

"Crash."

[Ace Stone]

"No, my name is Ace," he corrected with a small smirk, his tone playful as he wrapped his arms securely around her waist to hold her body against his. "And I'm not done kissing you until I'm sure every bit of him is off your lips," he whispered against her lips. "Kiss me," he begged quietly.

[Arianna Rivers]

Ari, torn as to what to do, decided to comply. She moved her arms back to his neck and stood on her tiptoes, pulling him down to her as well. She kissed him softly at first, waiting to see how he responded.

[Ace Stone]

Ace kissed her back just as softly, moving his lips slow and lovingly with hers as if to make up for the last time between them. "I love you," he mumbled against her lips after a long moment, his hand running slowly up and down her back in a soothing manner.