Piritta hesitated, but smiled even brighter after a second. "Thank you, Tristian," she said, his first name feeling unfamiliar but nice on her tongue. She liked him, though not in any special way. Perhaps like an idol if anything. To be given the chance to work with him and speak like friends made her glow. "I hope you and Ren are also getting along now." Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she stepped back, looking around to see if she could spot the model.

"Ah yeah, I guess we are," Tristian said, smiling awkwardly, thinking of the conversation he still wanted to have with Ren once the show was over. The conversation which honestly might set them a million steps back again. But they were back to being comfortable with each other, so Tristian couldn't say they were still the awkward mess they were the day Piritta stopped by. "He's around somewhere, we could go and find him if you wanted to say hi. I wanted to talk to him about how well he did anyway. Commanded the stage just like I knew he could." His voice full of pride as he said this, obviously glad that Ren was not only doing well but excelling under him.

Pirtta smiled and nodded her head, glad for them. She couldn't put her finger on it, but the two of them seemed to have something important. It wasn't her business to pry too much though. "He did, didn't he? I'll make sure to say hello to him," she said as she gazed into the crowds once again. Her eyes caught on someone in the distance, not Ren, but for some reason, her gaze lingered. After a second, she turned back to Tristian. "Well, it was nice to catch up with you. I hope the rest of the day is wonderful for you. Bye!" She flounced away again, still looking awkwardly out of place, but too excited to mind. Now just where had Ren gotten off to?

Tristian smiled after Piritta shaking his head. The girl was certainly cute and maybe a little eager, but he had to admit a part of him couldn't help liking her. He shook his head and turned to go find Ren. He really did want to talk to the other male.

Cyril sighed looking around the party and contemplating when it would be okay for him to leave. He didn't mind the events, but he also didn't really like to stay too long as the celebrities and others in attendance got drunk and the party descended into madness. He took a sip of his drink and studied the crowd. It really did seem Tristian had managed to attract a larger and more significant crowd than past events. He smiled softly happy for his boss. As he turned his head he felt something rather small crash into him and looked down to see a young woman. He reached out and steadied her, helping her take a step away, "Are you alright?"

Piritta tried so hard to find Ren in the crowd that she didn't even notice when she walked right into another individual. One second she was walking, the next, a face full of shirt. She squeaked and looked up, feeling an arm steady her. And her gaze caught all over again. The same face from before looked at her from so much closer and she found a furious blush sweeping over her pale features. "I-I...I'm sorry, I...." she trailed off, not having words to finish that thought. She found it impossible to pull away because there was something and she didn't even know. Something that eluded words.

Cyril smiled down at the young woman, unable to help thinking about how adorable she was. "Oh no it's okay," he said at her stuttered apology, finding himself reluctant to let go or look away from her, captivated by her very existence. The more he looked at her, the more he felt like the party was draining away so that she was the only thing he was aware of. As if she was the only thing he ever needed to be aware of again. "I'm Cyril. I do makeup for Tristian's shows. And you are? I don't think I've ever seen you before." He knew he'd never seen her before. He'd remember someone that his entire body tuned into at simply a glance.

Still lost in a bubble with this man—Cyril—Piritta continued to stare up at him. She thought right then, that she wouldn't mind being alone with him. Parties like this never suited her anyway. A smile curving over her glossed lips, she extended a hand to shake, even though they already pretty much hugged. "Oh, so we will be working together then." She felt another tingle of electricity when their hands touched. "I'm Piritta. I look forward to getting to know you more..."

"And I you," Cyril said, shaking her hand and feeling reluctant to move away. A part of him feeling very glad that Tristian had decided to hire the girl.

Tristian had spent the last several minutes, feeling in a way like he was aimlessly wandering, since all the looking got him no closer to finding Ren, though he'd been stopped a few times to be given compliments. He finally saw Ren again across the room, which really for someone that tall he shouldn't be hard to find and moved quickly toward him determined, "Ren!" he called.

Ren never moved around a lot at parties like this if he could help it. He just stayed there, something of a handsome statue that people flocked around. It worked well and he interacted when prompted, perhaps less reluctantly now than in the past. His faint smile felt more true. At the sound of his name, he turned and that smile widened just a little more. Nothing boyish, but happy nonetheless. "Hey. Been complimented enough yet?" he asked, aware of all the talk that the other man must have been involved in even this early into the party. No one was even disgustingly drunk and hooking up with models yet.

Tristian grinned wide at Ren, especially to see the other happy to see him. He nodded at the question, "Yeah, it's kinda incredible," he gushed, "I mean, I've always known my work is awesome, but people are seeing it. And they actually really like it. Like yeah some of it was the typical, 'good job' politeness, but I've had some really genuine comments. I saw Piritta earlier too and she seemed to really enjoy the show." He sidled up to Ren, leaning into him, just feeling really happy and wanting to be close to the other.

Ren hummed in response before Tristian shifted closer. He sucked in a breath, hyper aware of the other man. Still, he didn't say anything. Even if it was a little uncomfortable, he enjoyed it. Having Tristian close felt too natural. "Piritta? Hm, good. She really likes your stuff," he commented, though really, he could care less about her next to Tristian. Only he mattered now. Shifting closer, he offered his own drink to the other man. "Had any yet? I told you nothing would go wrong."

Tristian shook his head, "No haven't really had much chance for anything," he said, gratefully taking Ren's glass, his throat feeling slightly dry, "I definitely keep getting stopped to long to get a drink," He took a sip before looking over at Ren. "I'm really glad it didn't, but I think you had something to do with it. You looked amazing out there. Even though I was supposed to be monitoring, whenever you took the stage, you were all I could see. I'm glad to have you here with me." He paused, and didn't continue, not sure where his mind was going but something about his clothes being made for Ren flitted through his mind before he shook his head. "So really I want to thank you for sticking with me. And just say, well, I'm proud of what you can do." He finished somewhat lamely, but feeling like his mouth had gotten ahead of him and he needed to stop.

Ren nodded to Tristian's first words before he had to drop his gaze, not so much embarrassed as just awkward under so many compliments. At least he never felt the need to question such words these days. He didn't think the success was his fault though, it being Tristian's show in the first place. "Of course. I'm not going anywhere," he murmured as he pretended to fix a wrinkle in his shirt. His next words caused him pause, but he didn't stop himself from saying them this time. "...We should talk later, after the party. Somewhere just us..."

Tristian's heart rate picked up slightly at Ren's words before he nodes, "Y-yeah, I was thinking the same thing..." he said, though not really aware why Ren wanted to talk, but he knowing that the two of them needed to talk really talk. "I didn't want to before the show, but yeah...." he let out of puff of air, "We could go back to one of our places. I mean, I can't leave early being the designer and all, but once people get too drunk to function, well no one, not even me, has to be here. And I don't have any plans of getting drunk off my ass or sleeping any time soon, so wherever after is good for me."

"Tonight then? We'll go to your place," Ren nodded. He always preferred Tristian's to his so he needed that with the things he planned to say. And if things went wrong, at least he could run away. He didn't know if he was ready. And tonight. So soon. But now that he said it out loud, he couldn't go back. They would talk and whether they were ready or not, they'd both know after tonight that they were soulmates.

Tristian nodded, leaning farther into Ren as if seeking comfort from the nervousness that was filling him. He didn't know what the outcome of tonight's conversation would be, but something told him it might change his life forever, whether for good or for ill. And well, he hoped that he didn't chase Ren away forever. He didn't think he could handle being separate from him again. "Tonight." he confirmed, hoping he sounded entirely more sure of that than he felt.

For the rest of the night, things moved by at a pace that seemed excruciating and like a whirlwind at times. Just slow and fast, slow and fast in cycles. Ren didn't stick too close to Tristian the whole time. They both engaged in their own conversations and Ren eventually ended up sitting outside, enjoying the cool night air. By now, things should be winding themselves up into a frenzy with a few hours passing since their proper conversation. Tristian wouldn't be too long either at this rate.

Ren looked up at the sky and found himself surprisingly calm considering what lay ahead. The calm before the storm perhaps. No stars lay overhead, but then, the city lights made a good impression of it. Should he look at it as a good sign or a bad? Tonight would change their lives and he just sat there, waiting for it to come.

As the party went on, Tristian couldn't help the surmounting need to just leave. As happy as he was that his designs had been recognized. He was becoming increasingly aware just how much more important Ren was to him than anything, even his own success. But he forced himself to stay and mingle the appropriate amount of time, aware just how bad it would look for him to dart out early. He tried to keep himself distracted in any number of ways, mostly through rambling at whoever would listen.

Finally, though, the party had reached enough of a peak that he knew no one would be aware whether the designer was there or not. The people in the industry who cared most likely having long since left, so he found Annette to let her know he'd be heading out and then all but bolted towards the door. However before he could reach he, he heard his name called and stopped. He turned to see Yasu and bit back a sigh, "Good evening, Yasu, what can I do for you?"

Yasu really only came to see the competition. Things looked too good though and after his last failed attempt to ruin Tristian and Ren's names, he wasn't sure where that left him. Anxious perhaps. For the first time in years, he worried that some new upstart would take his title from him and where would that leave Yasu, the must have fashion? So rather than biting his lip, he drew his pride around him even more. "Tristian!" he called just as the man seemed about to duck out the door. Yasu walked over with a smile on his face. "I seemed to have missed you all night. Congratulations. This just might be enough to win my title, but who knows. We'll see who really comes out on top then, eh?" It wasn't quite a threat, but a dangerous sounding challenge perhaps. Yasu didn't know if he wanted to ruin anyone anymore, but if it came down to clothes, he'd beat Tristian the old fashioned way.

Tristian sighed, he really did not want to deal with Yasu tonight and had thought himself quite lucky that he hadn't seen the other at all. "I guess, we'll just have to wait until the award shows. But I think it's high time someone else won the big award of the year, don't you think." He look at the other, "Now if you excuse me, I have something else to attend to, and I was just heading out. Enjoy the rest of your evening Yasu."

Yasu ground his teeth together, but said nothing in response. They would see. Oh, they would see. This year, he would design something that not even God could compete against. With that thought, he spun away himself.

When Ren saw Tristian exit the building, he lifted himself off of the wall he leaned against, looking as relaxed as he oddly felt. "Ready?" he asked with a faint nod in greeting.

Tristian shook of the frown from having to deal with Yasu and smiled gently at Ren, "Yeah, I am. Ran into Yasu on my way out, never been happier to not have to stay and talk to the man. But he gave me the perfect way to beat him. He's won the Menswear Designer award for the past couple of years. I have a feeling I might just be able to take it from him this year. And maybe for the the next couple years to come. What you say, you wanna help me with that goal whatever it takes?" The more he talked to Ren, Tristian felt almost giddy, when he probably should have felt nervous, but maybe it was a combination of being with the person who was rapidly becoming his favorite person in the world, and the praise from the evening. He felt good.

Ren didn't know much about awards or the shows. He figured Tristian didn't really need him, but if he wanted him, Ren couldn't say no. "Yeah. We'll beat him. You and me." Stretching with a slow, languid move, he headed out into the parking lot. "Your clothes are nicer anyway. Meet you back at your place?" he added. Swallowing hard, he felt a small rush of nerves, but looking at Tristian cooled them again. They might as well just get this conversation over with.

Tristian grinned wider at Ren before nodding, "Yeah, I'll see you back at my place." Tristian said, the nerves he thought were gone returning but with them a striking determination to get whatever needed to be done tonight. He wouldn't let either of them run away again. And hopefully, neither of them would ruin what they had again.

The drive to his apartment felt endless but they did eventually reach it and soon enough they were inside, seated on Tristian couch, staring at each other, neither really sure where to begin or who should talk first. Both feeling the fear of moving forward in whatever way, now that they were faced with the prospect of actually talking it out.

"I'm sorry...." Tristian, eventually started, before trailing off, not really meaning to start there but having nothing else to get the ball rolling.

Ren forced himself not to turn his eyes away now. Even if it was difficult to look Tristian in the eyes, he did it anyway. At the other man's words, he just shook his head. Sorry did matter now and it didn't really made the hurt from before okay, at least not when it was meaningless now, when Tristian didn't know what he apologized for. That wasn't really the point of this conversation. He cleared his throat before finally speaking. "The thing I wanted to say...that is..." he mumbled, still without looking away. He didn't even think he could anymore, but his hands still twisted in his lap. "We're soulmates. Sorry." He mumbled the last word, finally dropping his gaze so that he spoke to the couch instead of Tristian.