A Club in Baltimore, Monday Night

[arboreal_priestess]

Between snake cults, dragons, and now singing fish going evil for a lack of participation trophies, it had been awhile since Verity and Liam had had anything resembling a real date. So Verity had skipped out on her shift at the Devil's Nest and headed out to the mainland with him, dressed to kill (both literally and metaphorically), and looking for a good time.

The club they'd ended up at was a lot smaller and quieter, one where they could have dinner the second floor up and actually hear themselves talk. "Oooh, good call," she said as they were led to their table. "Dinner and dancing. It's like you know how to show me a good time."

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[arboreal_priestess]

"Well, if you're not, we're going to have to have a serious discussion about the expectations for our relationship," Verity said with a laugh, tracing her finger over the rim of her water glass. "Cause you'd better be."

[firstofitskind]

“In that case, I absolutely am,” he grinned at her, waggling his eyebrows in an exaggerated manner.

You chose this nerd, Verity.

[arboreal_priestess]

And she got the same dopey look when she thought about him that Candy wore when she'd mentioned William.

"Good," she said, as the waiter came over to fill their glasses, hand over menus, and drop off a basket of bread. "Cause it's working."

[firstofitskind]

And Liam was so close to just suggesting they go find that hotel room now, but no. They’d made plans and they were going to stick to them... this time.

“That’s what I like to hear,” he said huskily, tongue darting out to moisten his lips.

[arboreal_priestess]

Oh that was absolutely not fair. Verity had some very lovely memories of that tongue and none of them were fit for a restaurant setting. Leaning in, she reached for his hand, first lacing her fingers through them and then straightening them out so their hands were flat, palm to palm.

And focused for a moment on just exactly how she was feeling, seeing if he'd pick it up.

[firstofitskind]

Yes, yes he did, as a matter of fact.

Judging by the way he very pointedly sent back an image of just one of the many things he could do to her with that tongue.

[arboreal_priestess]

Verity gasped softly, taking a long drink of her water to cool her cheeks. Not embarrassed, but flushed with desire. "That's gotta be cheating," she said, as if she hadn't started it.

[firstofitskind]

It took a moment for Liam to bring himself back from the Sharing's all-encompassing way of communicating enough to form words again. "Nah," He declared, shaking his head. "Not cheating, just using what I've got to my advantage."

[arboreal_priestess]

"I need more advantages, clearly," she said, fanning herself a bit with the menu. She hadn't even opened it yet, but it was serving a noble purpose now. "You have Sharing, I have talking mice. Seems unfair somehow."

[firstofitskind]

“I don’t know,” Liam said thoughtfully. “I think the Sharing works out well for both of us, don’t you?”

[arboreal_priestess]

"Do you get the same thrill from what I Send as I do from what you do?" Verity asked, tilting her head.

[firstofitskind]

Liam nodded. "It's a very- intimate, I guess, is the right word?- experience." Verity had probably noticed by now that he didn't really do casual touch with not-Verity people. "When you choose to Share something with me, it goes beyond just thoughts, or emotions. I get a glimpse of the energy, the essence that makes you you."

[arboreal_priestess]

"Sounds intense," Verity said, being honest instead of flippant for once. "At risk if sounding like a BuzzFeed internet quiz, can you tell me what that's like? Mine, I mean."

She gave him a soft smile. "I'll understand if it's one of those 'don't really have words' things."

[firstofitskind]

"I don't know if I can describe it," Liam admitted. "It's a little beyond 'sugar and spice and all kinds of knives'." Yes, he was well aware that wasn't how the rhyme traditionally went. But this version fit Verity far better, so shh. "But if I had to pick words, those would be the ones."

[arboreal_priestess]

"That's probably the best description of me I've ever heard," Verity said, amused."Sweet and accurate."

She looked at him, wondering if he'd been touch-starved before they'd gotten together, if he'd even realized it. And resolving to touch him more anyway, not that that would be a terrible hardship.

[firstofitskind]

A little, yes.

"And I realize you carry much more than just knives on a regular basis, of course," he added with a teasing grin. "But it's much harder to make all that rhyme."

[arboreal_priestess]

"Maybe that's what I should teach this semester," Verity mused. "Intro to Weaponry. Maybe with an emphasis on how to hide it under a tiny tango dress."

[firstofitskind]

“It’d suit you,” Liam agreed. “... And the types of kids that tend to end up here.”

[arboreal_priestess]

"You never know when you're going to have to hide a set of lockpicks in your thong," Verity said with a sigh. "It pays to be prepared."

[firstofitskind]

“... I can’t say I’ve ever had to resort to that, but I suppose that’s valid.”

[arboreal_priestess]

"Well, if you're gonna make me spoil what I have planned for our one year anniversary..." Verity teased. "I guess it's more of a banana hammock, so the mystery is still there."

[firstofitskind]

“You would not,” Liam narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously. Although it was hard to maintain that while thinking about the fact that though it may have been in the context of a joke, Verity was taking for granted the fact that there would in fact be a one-year anniversary. So that suspicious look kind of melted away into a goofy smile after a few moments.

[arboreal_priestess]

So much for granted, she hadn't even realized what she'd done. "What are you grinning about, banana hammock?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

Clearly he was Up To Something.

[firstofitskind]

"Nothing," Liam said. Super-convincingly.

What would they even count from, for anniversary purposes? First kiss? First date? ... Because of course they'd thrown the usual order of things on its head, here.

[arboreal_priestess]

Verity hadn't sat down and figured it out yet, but probably their first kiss? Their first kiss that they'd volunteered for anyway.

Though who knew? And argument could be made for their first PB&J sandwich, even.

"You're not as good a liar as you think you are, Kincaid," Verity declared, pointing her fork at him.