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."

Comments

[firstofitskind]

"Exactly," Liam said. "A chance to impress you with my... performance... is all I ask."

[arboreal_priestess]

"Mmm, you know, in the name of getting to have you move with me, I'm willing to be good for a little while," Verity said, still looking utterly delighted. "Just promise me you'll keep some impressive moves for later once we're off the floor, too."

[firstofitskind]

"I promise," Liam grinned. "There are some moves I have in mind that are not for public consumption. Your eyes only."

[arboreal_priestess]

"Tell that to my mice," Verity said, laughing.

Wasn't the first response that came to mind, but she'd just promised to be good. And that comment had been anything but.

[firstofitskind]

"And that's why we're getting a hotel room tonight," Liam said pointedly. "No prying eyes."

[arboreal_priestess]

"Without having to resort to bribery, even," Verity remarked, shaking her head in disbelief. "This evening is turning out to be magic."

[firstofitskind]

“I suppose technically speaking, we are paying someone for the privilege of having a room to ourselves with no interruptions,” Liam pointed out. “But magic sounds way better.”

[arboreal_priestess]

"Yeah, so don't you ruin my illusion of magic with your logic," Verity said, pouting at him. "Also, we can go to any hotel in the city except the Ivy."

And not just because it was far too rich for Verity's salary.

[firstofitskind]

"I did say 'no prying eyes'," Liam reminded her as the server dropped off their food. "That goes for your cousin too. I'll book us a portal to a completely different Baltimore if I have to."

Liam's own salary was hardly exorbitant, but he did through the magic of handwavey when it came to dimensions have access to a certain CEO's corporate account. It came in handy sometimes.

[arboreal_priestess]

Verity laughed. "I think a perfectly reasonable hotel at least a few miles from the Ivy should be fine," she assured him. "Though I'm keeping that alterna-Baltimore plan in mind for later if necessary."

[firstofitskind]

"We wouldn't be us if we didn't have a backup plan," Liam pointed out with a grin.

[arboreal_priestess]

"Backup plans are how you manage to survive when your first plan inevitably explodes," Verity agreed.

The 'explodes' was also meant to be taken literally, not figuratively. Because their life.

[firstofitskind]

"Hey now, things don't always explode. Sometimes they implode," Liam pointed out. Reasonably.

[arboreal_priestess]

"Fair point," Verity agreed as the waiter brought out their meals. "And rarely, it's some other kind of catastrophic failure. That's when things get really exciting."

[firstofitskind]

A statement that got them something of an odd look from the waiter, but Liam just smiled and shrugged.

“Not the kind of excitement I’m hoping for tonight,” Liam said.

[arboreal_priestess]

"I dunno," Verity said, pretending to give it some thought. "Fireworks count as explosions, don't they?"

[firstofitskind]

“Controlled ones, I suppose,” Liam said slowly. Were they still being literal, or was she now talking about metaphorical fireworks?

[arboreal_priestess]

Fair question. She was talking metaphorical ones, but his confusion was understandable.

"Controlled explosions are a Questing Beast of another color," she said, grinning at him. "Those are signs that everything is going exactly as planned."

[firstofitskind]

"Well, I have no literal controlled explosions on the agenda, personally," Liam admitted.

The metaphorical ones, on the other hand...

[arboreal_priestess]

"Well, if you're just gonna say no to all my fun ideas," Verity said, cutting into her roast. "I guess I'll just have to expect metaphorical ones."

They were on similar wavelengths, yeah.

[firstofitskind]

“How about I leave planning the next date to you, then?” Liam said. “Feel free to include all the controlled explosions you’d like.”

[arboreal_priestess]

Verity grinned up at him. "Be careful what you wish for," she said, a mischievous gleam in her eyes.

[firstofitskind]

“I know what I signed up for, don’t worry,” Liam said with a smirk to match that mischievous look.

[arboreal_priestess]

"I can only assume you were missing all the excitement that comes from the constant threat of bodily harm when you decided to kiss me at the bar," Verity teased. "Going from near death experiences on the regular to sternly talking to bee ladies is a hell of an adjustment."

[firstofitskind]

"That was definitely the primary motivating factor," Liam said solemnly. "And not at all the fact that I thought you were incredibly hot."