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

[arboreal_priestess]

"First anniversary of sharing weaponry?" Verity asked. "I mean, it was practically a sign that I was going to get serious about you."

The waiter came over to get their order, prompting Verity to open hers for the first time. Fortunately, she was easy. Was there a chunk of meat on offer with a side of delicious carbs? Great, she was having that.

[firstofitskind]

Liam's order may or may not have included actual leaves. You can't prove anything.

"That's a Price way of doing things?" he wondered. "Or just a Verity thing?"

[arboreal_priestess]

Why? Was he a rabbit?

"If you need to ask that, you need to talk to the mice about my Great-Grandma Fran more often," Verity said with a grin. "Of course, her name is the Violent Priestess, which probably answers the question."

[firstofitskind]

Sometimes you just needed to eat green things! They were good for you!

"It does seem pretty straightforward," Liam had to admit. "I'm definitely glad kid-you trusted your instincts. These last nine months have been," he took a deep breath. "Honestly? Some of the best of my life." Which sure, technically speaking, hadn't actually been that long, but a lot had happened in those six years.

[arboreal_priestess]

Mmm...sounded like fake news. He never ate anything green from Verity's fridge!

"Mine too," Verity said, leaning across the table to lace her fingers through his. "And considering I was on Dance or Die for awhile, that's saying something." She winked at him. "Of course, if I'd won, that might be a different story."

[firstofitskind]

Because there was never anything green in there!

... Although now that he had a key and everything, it was entirely possible he might attempt to smuggle some contraband salad in there every once and a while.

"You probably wouldn't have ended up in Fandom, for starters," Liam said, squeezing their laced fingers together gently.

[arboreal_priestess]

Sometimes things went green in there!

"True, I'd be living the glamorous life in LA, not slogging through sewers looking for snake cultists with Sheriff Sexy Butt."

[firstofitskind]

"Thought we'd agreed it was Sexy Ass," Liam countered, raising an eyebrow as he took a sip of his drink.

[arboreal_priestess]

"I apologize for getting your title wrong, Officer," Verity teased. "Is this an arrestable offense? Are we looping back around to that conversation about getting tied up again?"

[firstofitskind]

"Well, I was going to let you off with just a warning," Liam said. "But I wouldn't want anyone to think I'm letting you get away with things just because we're dating and all..."

[arboreal_priestess]

"Plus, you know I'm incorrigible," Verity said and wow, her foot was sliding up his leg again, who would have ever expected that. "You give me an inch and I'm going to demand...at least five or six more."

[firstofitskind]

Liam would never call Verity predictable, but she did certainly have her go-to moves, there was no denying that.

"Hmm," Liam said thoughtfully, uncurling their fingers and lazily tracing one finger over Verity's open palm. "That's true, you are very demanding."

That was not a complaint.

[arboreal_priestess]

There were a very limited number of moves one could engage in in public without being either very sly or willing to be legitimately arrested.

Besides, why waste good high heels by keeping them on the ground?

"I know," Verity said, shaking her head. "Constantly asking you for...more."

The way she said that, she probably ought to be arrested for indecency right there.

[firstofitskind]

"Not to mention making it difficult to stick to the plan for the evening," Liam retorted, desire clear in his voice.

[arboreal_priestess]

"We could always ask for this to go..." Verity wheedled.

Someone was clearly Not Feeling Helpful.

[firstofitskind]

"We could," Liam said. "But I wanted to show off how much I've been practicing the whole dancing thing." He was finally at the point where he didn't look, well, like an alien attempting to behave like they thought a human being might.

[arboreal_priestess]

"Oh really?" Verity asked. "And just who have you been practicing with, hmmm?"

Goddammit, he'd been practicing dancing. For her. Was there something beyond love you could confess to somebody?

[firstofitskind]

“I might’ve gone to, uh, a few handwavey classes over at the gym. General basic dance stuff.” Not that Verity hadn’t been a great teacher, but he’d wanted to surprise her.

He was working his way up to tango lessons, and those he wouldn’t be trusting to anyone else, naturally.

[arboreal_priestess]

Yeah, Verity was definitely surprised. And leaning over to give him several happy kisses to prove it.

"So I should stop trying to seduce you here and wait until we're on the floor to do it?" she asked, all bright smiles. "So you've at least got a chance to show me what you've learned?"

[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."