( she appears to be more discomfited by this party than he is, a rarity. he smiles wanly, though there is no humor to be found in it, only a sliver of comfort. )

Truthfully, they are not mine either.

( hence his presence here with nothing but water in his hand. he'll need to replenish that glass later. for now, his attention remains on her. )

Would you like me to escort you to a quiet corner somewhere? Surely they cannot penalize you so long as you adhere to the letter of the law, if not the spirit.

( they're both at the party, socializing. is that not good enough? )