Toby and Tybalt | Mid-Masquerade

[om_changeling]

Tybalt challenges Toby to a dance



Tybalt had sauntered into the Masquerade on his own, going stag and owning it. And also owning the elaborate costume he'd acquired. Not quite 3 musketeers, not quite Puss in Boots, but confidently worn either way. And of course he was fashionably late. Which let him check out everyone else's costume with an air of amused interest.

The slow circuit around the outside of the party carried him arou nd the dancefloor towards the bar. He didn't make it there though, not when he spotted an amusing distraction trying to pretend she was part of the scenery. Tybalt got an extra spring in his step and some extra snark in his smirk as he stepped over to the tree Toby was leaning against. "What fae creature is this? You look ravishing tonight my lady." Of course, if he was going to be a brat ren fair style then he had to go the whole 9 yards, including the low bow and sweeping his hat off his head.

Toby was, in fact, trying to blend into the trees, something she'd actually taken into consideration when she'd thrown together her costume. Nick may have talked her into coming for moral support, but parties weren't her thing and she'd been more or less content to lean there, nursing the beer she'd picked up earlier and trying to figure out who everyone was. She grinned a little, though, even as she rolled her eyes at Tybalt. "I should've known you'd be into this," she replied. "Who'd you steal the Ren Faire costume from?"

"A Ren Fair." Tybalt replied simply and with absolutely zero guilt. "Or at least a supplier for them. i think. There were a lot of similar costumes there. but I decided that the princess ballgown would be a little bit too much. And where did you get that delightful number from?" of course that wouldn't be a Tybalt compliment if it wasn't delivered just a touch teasingly.

"The second hand store in town," Toby admitted. She took a sip of her beer, then grinned as she held it out in case he wanted some. "And I don't know. The ballgown might've been a good look for you." Not that those pants weren't. Fuck, he looked good in leather. It was just too bad he knew it.

Tybalt took the beer, toasted her with a brief raise of the drink and then took a generous sip. "I'd have upstaged you and you would have sulked." He shot back archly. Because that was CLEARLY how Toby reacted to things.

"Right, because my self-esteem is completely dependent upon my ability to rock a ballgown." Obviously. What was she thinking? "Also, I don't sulk."
Tybalt just smirked cheekily and took another sip of the purloined beer before deigning to hand it back. "So, are you enjoying your foliage camouflage routine?"

"Of course I am," Toby lied. "I'm a dryad. My whole goal for this party is to stand here leaning against this tree. It's part of my costume."

"Of course you are." Tybalt continued blithely. There was a good chance he'd have said that regardless. He set the beer inside and instead beckoningly held out a hand to her. "Which is why i think it's time I uprooted you for a dance."

Toby's eyebrows climbed abruptly and she ignored Tybalt's hand in favor of directing a highly skeptical look at his face. "You're kidding, right? I don't dance. You know I don't dance."
"I know you haven't." Tybalt corrected her gently. Well, if gently can be used as a synonym for cheekily. "I also know that you will. Tonight. C'mon Toby, it'll be fun." Tybalt generally went for her full name (to be a brat) when talking to her. Except of course when he was intending to wheedle something out of her.

"I'm pretty sure your definition of fun doesn't match up with the dictionary's." Nonetheless, Toby smiled just a little as she took his hand. "Fine. But if you end up unable to walk afterwards, I'm not taking responsibility."

"Not being able to walk afterwards sounds very much like a consequence of my kind of fun." Tybalt quipped cheerfully as he pulled her towards the dancefloor. "Oh and we need to pick a song at some point. otherwise how will i claim they're playing our song?"

"Don't Stand So Close To Me?" Toby smirked. "I mean, the lyrics don't work, but the title sounds about right."

"Oh, how hurtful." That had to be the least sincere attempt at feigning hurt that Tybalt had ever gone for. Which was saying something. "See, here I was going to suggest My Favorite Game."

"The game part I can believe. Not so sure about the favorite. What about The Winner Takes it All?" They reached the dance floor, and Toby stopped, looking awkward. "I really don't know how to do this."

Tybalt just smiled at her choice of song, deigning not to quip further. "Honestly? With most club songs you can just move to the rhythm however you want. But since this one is a little bit more formal, how's this? Put your hand here." Tybalt took the hand he hadn't pulled her out by and put it on his shoulder. Then his went on her hip to guide her through some basic steps. "And then it's just a matter of three basic steps. Preferably made on the floor, not my feet."

"You're awfully optimistic." Toby watched her feet as she followed him through the steps, looking up just long enough to smirk. "Look at it this way, at least I'm barefoot? I'm in more danger than you are."

"I don't think glass slippers would be your style anyway. And sadly Puss in Slippers would rather break the theme." Still, Tybalt was taking it slow with the dance and making sure he paid attention to where he put his feet.

"You mean there's an actual theme beyond it had leather pants and was easy to grab?" Not that she'd noticed the leather pants. Noooo. Totally oblivious. "But no. I've never seen the point of glass slippers. Why would anyone want to wear something that's going to cut their feet to shreds if they put their foot down wrong or someone stepped on it? It seems masochistic."

Of course she hadn't noticed the leather pants. And Tybalt was smirking for a totally unrelated reason. Obviously. "True, glass slippers would be impractical. But then mistaking a wolf for your grandmother or kissing frogs don't seem like terribly good decisions either. I think fairytale women are selected more for golden locks and less for what's underneath them."

"How is that any different from reality?" Toby grinned. "Though I've gotta way, the fairy tale writers would have a hard time finding blondes in this crowd. They might have to settle for pink or purple."

"This is also probably the only place in the world where kissing a frog might reasonably be expected to yield a prince." The quips wasn't followed with the usual flash of a grin, but only because the young man was distracted by having a misstep not end with his boot on Toby's bare toes. "Careful." he warned her cheerfully."

Toby stumbled, grabbing onto Tybalt more tightly so that she didn't fall, then loosened her hold as she caught her balance. "I did warn you," she pointed out, pulling away from the odd scent of musk and pennyroyal that seemed to accompany Tybalt whether he was bleeding or not. "You might want to find a safer game. Dancing with me could prove life-threatening."
Smiling, Tybalt waited until she'd steadied herself. Then he simply took her hand again and restarted the dance. "My dear October, when have you ever known me to be safe?" Which could have come close to being some sort of sincere sentiment, if he hadn't thrown in a saucy wink as well.

"Never. You're an even bigger idiot than I am." Toby attempted a smirk, but couldn't quite get past a faint smile. "I still maintain it has to do with your brain growing and shrinking every time you change forms. I mean, that can't be good for it."

"And would the source of this extraordinary insight be your time spent as a raccoon?" Tybalt shot back archly. "I was very disappointed to have missed that. You were adorable from what i hear." Sighing dramatically he added. "The price of truancy I suppose. Still, maybe I'll get to see something like that again some time."

"Oh no. I'm swearing off animal transformation," Toby attested with certainty. "Not even trying out Diaval's bird trick." She fixed him with a look. "Also, I was not adorable. I was a deadly raccoon; I got hold of Summer's eyeblasts for the occasion and took out some of the landscape. It's just too bad I missed the barking gerbil."

That got a short burst of surprised, but delighted, laughter from Tybalt. "Now I am doubly sorry that I missed it. That sounds hilarious. And here I thought you were at your most dangerous human but uncaffeinated."

Toby rolled her eyes, but smirked. "Try human, decaffeinated, and on the dance floor. With intent."

"Well, depending on the intent that might not be so bad." Was Tybalt....flirting? As in not making a snarky comment? No, the tone of voice was still cocksure and smirking.

"Bodily harm is a turn on for you?" Toby pretended to consider that for a moment, then smirked back. "Actually, I've seen you fight. It probably is, or you'd be better at avoiding it."

"Heh. YOU are lecturing ME on unnecessary risk? I feel like I've just been called black by a whole pot factory. If you'll remember the park it wasn't me who decided to take on the armed thug head on." Tybalt was smirking too, but it was just a bit sharp edged. Humor and teasing mixed with some actual reprimand.

"Hey, it worked, didn't it?" Toby's tone sharpened a bit as well. "I barely even got shot. But no, I wasn't lecturing on unnecessary risk." She smirked. "I was insulting your fighting style. There's a huge difference."

The sharpening tone didn't phase Tybalt in the least. But the implied insult to his prowess put a twinkle of challenge in his eye. "Oh is that so? Then perhaps my next invitation to dance shopuld involve the Danger Room and a boxing ring." The challenge was playful, but for someone who knew him as well as Toby it was pretty clear he also meant it. He was looking forward to the idea even.

"Any time." Both her tone and her grin held a challenge of their own. "There's a sim of Summers' I think you'll just love."

"Summers eh? You've been fighting with other men October? And here I thought I was your favorite." Teasing or not, Tybalt sounded keen. It put an extra spring in his step as they shiffled across the dance floor.

"Not sure where you ever got that idea." Toby grinned, her own confidence with the dance growing just a little. "But yeah, Summers is trying to break some of the bad habits I picked up from someone. Like getting myself stabbed first thing. I'm up to about five minutes now; I'm sure you're proud."

"Very. If Mr. Summers can curb your suicidal urges then he is a genius beyond mortal ken. I am going to have to shake his hand." And just because that was too serious a response he slyly added. "Now if only you could go that long without stepping on my feet you would be as good a dancer as you are a fighter."

Toby had opened her mouth to protest her "suicidal urges" - they got the job done, didn't they? - but instead closed it and smacked Tybalt in the shoulder, fighting an urge to laugh. "I warned you. Asshole." She smirked and retorted, "Besides, if you led better and stopped distracting me, I wouldn't keep stepping on your feet."

That earned her a flat, skeptical look from her dance partner. Which was more of a reaxction than she got for smacking her shoulder. In a grave, dry voice Tybalt answered back, mustering all his considerable (but possibly imagined) dignity) "Now tell me October, if I were to come along and ask you to dance with full seriousness and no banter, what would you say?".

"Who are you, and what have you done with the real Tybalt?" Toby retorted without missing a beat.

"Precisely." The mercurial grin was back. "So you see it is imperative that I tease you, if only to convince you that I am in fact the inimitable original. And then how would I continue your education into the finer things of life that don't come caffeinated in mugs? That seems like a cause worth sacrificing a few toes towards."

"Which, of course, you'll then turn around and use as an excuse to tease me endlessly for the next six to twelve months." Toby tried to look unimpressed, without a great deal of success. "Besides, I really don't think you count as a finer thing of life."

"And yet despite that here we are, dancing." Tybalt replied smugly. If he didn't count as a finer thing, then what were they doing here? Before he could tease her further, the song wound to a close and the dancers parted. Still smirking, Tybalt inclined his head towards the edge of the dancefloor. "Here is your chance to escape." Then he mischieviously held his hand out to her "Unless of course you're up for another."

Toby eyed him consideringly, then shrugged, grinned, and took his hand. "What the hell. I've gotta do something with that death wish, anyway."

"An excellent choice" The next song was starting up, and Tybalt pulled Toby into another dance with a cheerful grin. He'd even go so far as to not tease her. For the first half of the song.