ic Could've Danced All Night (IC)

[Gizmo]

Much of Trevor's carefully schooled expression had returned, but a smile continued to pull at the corners of his mouth, and his deep brown eyes conveyed an uncharacteristic lightheartedness. "Maybe next time, Bonnie," he drawled dryly. His body language was completely at ease, and if he was watching the young woman driving the car, it certainly wasn't out of protectiveness for the vehicle. Erin's obvious enjoyment seemed to be contagious, and he returned her smile with a magnanimous nod. "Glad to see someone enjoying her. Garage was left for years; been slowly restoring them."

[Electra]

They arrived at the party all too quickly, but Erin enjoyed every minute of the drive. She hastily put her shoes back on as the valet approached the car, so as not to climb out in her stockings and ruin their entrance. Even at a ritzy place like this, such an unusual car drew a few second looks. Erin had no idea what to do with herself at this point, so she simply held onto Trevor's arm and looked around, as much to drink in all the beautiful sights as to scope out exits and defensive positions. "There are a lot of people here," she murmured.

[Gizmo]

Trevor nodded the valet as the redheaded young man took the keys from Erin. "Pete," he greeted amiably as the young woman took his arm.

"Hey, Trev," the freckled young man returned easily before tipping his cap in Erin's direction. "Miss. Hoo hoo, broke out one of the good ones, huh?" he noted as he took his place behind the wheel. "You always bring me the best toys, Slim."

The dark haired teen pointed a jaunty finger at the valet and winked, a hugely exaggerated gesture from the typically reserved youth. "Bring her back in one piece, huh?"

Pete grinned and waved as he drove off, leaving the pair to head towards the entrance to the hall. "I suppose," Trevor replied to Erin's observation. He noted a banner hanging above the massive double doors. "'Benefit for People Against Deforestation, Land Overwork and Carnivores'. Looks like vegetarian meals after all."

[Electra]

"Carnivores?" Erin asked, sotto voce. "Like all carnivores, do you think? I'm having a hard time reconciling a group of tree hugging vegetarians who go out and shoot wolves for fun." She grinned. "I guess we can always go out for burgers later if the food here is really bad." She walked with him up to the large entrance doors, gaining confidence in the whole dress and heels ensemble again as she went. She had superhuman athletic ability, she reminded herself, that wasn't going to be undermined by wearing shoes that were pointy on the bottom. "Do you think there'll be a lot of people you know here?"

[Gizmo]

Trevor considered. "I think that's mostly for the acronym," he opined. "Wouldn't worry about the food; I know a couple of the guys in the kitchen. They know what they're doing." The lanky young man surveyed the crowd as they walked. "...there'll be people I'm acquainted with," he allowed slowly.

Climbing the marble stairs, the pair were met a severe looking man with a narrow black tie and receding hairline who accepted a small card from Trevor before turning to announce to the ballroom, "Mr. Trevor Hunter and Miss Erin White." Only the attendees closest to the door turned to offer polite nods and raised glasses in greeting, and the teens were able to enter with little fanfare. The rear third of the hall was filled with tables, numbers attached to the centerpieces direction everyone to their assigned seating. The remaining floor space was left open between the tables and the space reserved for a podium and string quartet at the far end, and most of the guest mingled there, the low hum of smalltalk filling the massive room up to it's ornate ceiling.

[Electra]

Erin's eyes were wide as she looked around, it was like something out of a movie, but much bigger and infinitely more real. She could smell the flowers and the expensive perfume in the air, plus an appetizing aroma that suggested Trevor was probably right in his optimism about dinner. Her dress did stand out amongst the largely muted colors of this serious gathering, but people didn't stare at her any more than the kids at school did, at least. She decided that was good enough. "So you make the rounds and talk to people, and then food, and then dancing?" she asked Trevor quietly.

[Gizmo]

"Thought you said you hadn't been to one of these before," Trevor deadpanned, leading Erin gracefully around the tables to their assigned seats, nodding politely to a number of the other guests as the walked past. Although there were a significant number of attendee around the high school students' age, presumably the sons and daughters of Freedom City's social elite, Erin noticed that Trevor generally seemed to be on friendlier terms with the older socialites. Even so, none of the calculatingly charming smiles approached the warmth with which he'd greeted Frank Jr. or Pete he valet.

[Electra]

Erin took her cues from Trevor, smiling when he did and staying pretty quiet. Not too many people were particularly interested in her, and those that were generally were content to know that she was a fellow student at Trevor's exclusive private school. She was perfectly happy with that, since it meant she blended in well enough. It was kind of fun, like a costume party that only she and Trevor knew about.

They were seated with three other couples of similar age for dinner, and the conversation quickly turned to universities. That was a thoroughly boring topic for Erin, who had no college plans, but it kept the talk at the table going. And the food, as Trevor had promised, was very good and not ostentatiously vegetarian. It was just good. And she figured she'd much rather listen to talk of colleges than how McDonalds was destroying the world. She had enough to worry about already.

[Gizmo]

"...of course, with my list of extracurriculars, the universities can fight over me!" the young man with the salmon shirt and tie concluded with a posh drawl, eliciting laughter from the others seated at Trevor and Erin's table. The dark haired youth chuckled in his resonant baritone on cue, though if was reasonably evident that he hadn't really been paying attention. From her seat next to him, Erin could see that Trevor had begun to tap his heel, too lightly to make any sound but a noticeable gesture from the usually preternaturally still teen.

The overachiever's date turned turned to look across the table, chestnut curls shifting over her pale blue dress as she moved. "So Trevor," she began airily, "I thought you were dating Maeghan."

Under the table, Trevor's foot froze in midstep. "...no, just partners. Former partners." A large amount of the good cheer he'd effect for the evening was absent from his reply.

[Electra]

Erin did her best to remain blase, but she was pretty sure she raised at least one eyebrow as she looked over at Trevor. He really hadn't wanted to talk about his dance partner when the topic had come up in conversation at Frank's place, and she'd let it drop. She was briefly torn in her desire to know more about the mysterious Meaghan, but loyalty to a teammate always came first. "Dance partners come and go," she said lightly, laying a hand on Trevor's arm. "Swing dance is more an athletic event than it is a social activity, anyway. But speaking of dancing, do you think they're going to start soon?"

[Gizmo]

Another young man at the table snorted under his breath, lifting his glass to his face and noting in a voice so quiet only Erin's enhanced hearing was able to pick it up, "Huh, not the way those two did it, it's not."

"I think they're going to do the speeches first," the girl in the blue dress responded with a pert grimace, apparently not overly interested in her original question. "Boring, boring, boooring..." she whined

Her date tutted, shaking a finger. "It's all for a good cause, Cherrie." His voice carried a distinct note of moral superiority. "Every year, acres and acres of--"

"Nobody cares, Richard," she retorted, interrupting him. Turning to Erin, she rolled her eyes. "It's so hard to get them to shut up sometimes, isn't it?"

The bespectacled youth seated on the opposite side of Trevor leaned over and whispered, "Okay, heads up, man: Maeghan is here tonight. I saw her talking with some of the council members when we came in."

Without looking over, Trevor's face flattened into a completely unreadable deadpan. Inwardly, he was torn between a sudden desire to scan the room and an intense awareness of Erin's hand on his arm.

[Electra]

Erin had no such compunctions, her eyes flicking around the room for all that she had no idea what this Meaghan looked like. Given Trevor's unusually obvious discomfort, she could've been anything from drop-dead gorgeous to horns-and-a-tail. "Well, if she decides to come over, you'll have to introduce us," she murmured to Trevor.

"Oh please, oh please," Cherrie begged, her eyes bright. "That is the only thing that's going to save us from the monotony." Up in front, a speaker was ascending the podium, but not too many people stopped their dinner conversations for him. Like the young people at the table, most of the diners were more concerned with being seen to support causes than actually hearing about them. She sipped her coffee and left her other hand where it was, more curious than nervous for the time being about how this was all going to play out.

[Gizmo]

Seeing Erin's calmness, Trevor was reminded of his own pragmatic inclinations, deciding to focus on what was before him rather than a past he couldn't change or future trouble that might never occur. "Yes," he agreed carefully, "I'll have to do that."

The woman at the podium took her cue from her inattentive audience and kept her address short. The table of younger guests might have missed its conclusion altogether if they hadn't been alerted by the smattering of applause. With the formalities taken care of, the string quartet was cued, and conversation renewed in earnest among the diners. At least for the time being, no one made a move to the hall's open space to dance.

[Cyroa]

James didn't need to glance in the mirror he passed to know how he looked. Dressed a tux that cost more than more than most people would ever dream on spending for clothes certainly helped. The funny part was that this time, he hadn't spent a dime. It was amazing what Persephone and his ship could replicate. He hadn't had time to have one made anyway. This one was perfect down to the last stitch. (His last one he had burned after...dallying with a rather annoying young lady after a mob fight. He didn't want to be reminded of that one.) He shook his head ruefully and stepped through the door.

He had beamed down a short while ago, not intending to stay long. He'd been swamped as usual though the horizon was looking better. But after going through some of Hell-Ion's things and notes, he figured he could carry on some of the same work. James now had a huge zoo of endangered and should-be-extinct animals up there. He didn't exactly keep much of a predictable schedule at the moment. And this was the perfect chance to mention it to certain environmentalists and activists. He wasn't here for the party, or dance or any of that strangely. He was working.

A private meeting in a room off to one side helped make this go much quicker. They'd been thrilled at the possibilities. Even just from the cloning standpoint and reintegration, the possibilities were more than they had dreamed. And twenty minutes of private and excited conversation later, they were done. Well, he was leaving anyway; they could keep talking excitedly. He had things to do. He stepped out of the room and closed the door behind him, taking a deep breath with half-closed eyes. It was a quiet moment to himself in a sort of familiar setting. The music was just starting and the dancers were likely starting to move soon.

[Electra]

Not quite sure of what to do with the looming threat of ex-"dance partner" and the empty dance floor, Erin spent a few minutes in conversation with Spectacles, whose name turned out to be Lucas, about the World Cup. It was something she knew a lot more about than universities or endangered trees, anyway! Just talking to someone about sports made it seem more like a normal party and let her forget she was wearing an absurdly pretty dress and talking to people who probably got more money for their weekly allowance than she'd made since arriving on Prime. Trevor seemed to be feeling better about the situation too, so when a few couples got up to dance, she looked inquiringly in his direction.

[Gizmo]

As the music began, Trevor smoothed his crease-free vest with both hands before rising from his seat. "Well," he began, turning to Erin, his composer fully regained, "I believe I promised a dance." The dark haired youth extended a hand to her, his slight smile somehow radiating quiet confidence.

[Electra]

"Be a shame to waste the great outfits and the music," Erin agreed as she rose and took his hand, her words pitched for his ears only. Smiling back at him, she walked with him to the dance floor and stood opposite him, putting one hand on his shoulder and the other in his. With prom coming up, she and Alex had both been practicing how to do it properly, though it was substantially easier when the partners were close in height. In her heels, Erin was just a touch shorter than Trevor, letting her look eye to eye with him with ease. "I don't really know how to dance," she murmured with a chuckle. "We'll have to fake it."

[Gizmo]

Trevor placed his free hand on the small of her back, the corner of his mouth curving slightly higher as brown eyes looked into brown eyes. "Sure you do," he assured her. "Like breathing: just have to let your body do what it knows it's supposed to. Follow my lead." With a slight bob in time with the music, the lithe young man swung them deeper into the growing mass of dancers, spinning gradually as they went.

[Electra]

Erin was a little uncomfortable for the first few moments, but Trevor was right. When she relaxed into the music and let her naturally graceful body follow his, it wasn't really too hard. It was pretty fun, actually. She was so acutely conscious of how close his body was to hers, she actually stopped scanning the room or thinking about potential threats for awhile. It was peaceful, in an extraordinarily tumultuous way. She kept her eyes on his most of the time, still smiling as they moved around the edge of the dance floor, avoiding the other couples. "You're right," she told him, "I could probably get used to this."

[Gizmo]

Trevor's smile widened for a fraction of a second to display teeth. "Glad to hear it," he replied as his more reserved expression returned, though it did little to hide the emotion in his dark eyes. In many ways dancing was like driving for the youth. The movements were so comfortable, so natural that it left his mind free of distraction. Self-consciousness melted away, leaving only a smooth sureness. "I don't think I said anything specifically earlier, but you look amazing," he told Erin.

[Electra]

"Thanks," Erin told him, a little bit of pleased color rising in her cheeks. "Frank did a really good job on the dress, didn't he? I guess I never should've doubted him. Although," she murmured confidentially, putting her lips close to his ear, "it does weigh a pound or two more than I would've expected. I'm not sure there isn't a parachute or spare bulletproof vest tucked away in it somewhere, just so he can keep his hand in." She laughed, moving with him as they spun to avoid getting stuck in a corner of the dance floor. "You look really great, too. I mean you always do, but especially with the tux on. Even greater," she explained, wincing a bit at her own stumbling. He would probably get the idea.

[Cyroa]

James took a final breath, intending to go; he still had 8 million things going on. He stopped a moment, his sensitive nose picking up a scent that he'd recognize anywhere. It just threw him as he didn't expect it here. Erin? Here? He hadn't seen her much at all lately with everything going on but he knew her scent. She was here apparently. He opened his eyes and headed out of the hallway, looking around curiously.

He actually missed her the first time his eyes passed over her. Up till then, he'd ever only seen her in relaxed clothes or her uniform. His eyes suddenly snapped back to the couple and openly stared for a second that lasted an eternity. He recognized Trevor with her of course but Erin became the entire focus for James. It was like his mind kind of clicked and went on pause for a bit there.

He'd known her for almost a year now. And she was easily one of his best, if not the best, friend. Up until recently, they spent 3 or 4 nights a week, every week, hanging out together. James was a flirtatious guy by nature but he'd toned it down a lot with her. It was still there but minor and just in a good fun. Not that he hadn't been interested in sleeping with her (there were few he could have said that of) but she just couldn't handle the whole dating and sex thing. So his natural tendency to hit on women kind of faded away to just minor flirting as part of goofing off. It had probably helped cement their friendship too really. She had become a great friend.

Seeing her now, after hardly seeing her at all for several months, looking the way she did was like having a wrecking ball slammed into him. It crashed right through his carefully built up life and perceptions to slam the truth right into him. He knew he had loved her; he loved all his friends. He'd known that a while now. But now, with Erin, it was like a light went off and he knew he care for her as more than just a friend. A lot more.

He felt his insides get all jumpy at the sight of her as he tried to find his equilibrium. He loved Erin, damn. He'd never felt this before. Sure, he'd been in lust hundreds of times. And this wasn't like that or puppy love or a crush or anything. This was the real thing. He couldn't help but watch her, in awe and fascinated by her and the revelation. He couldn't help but be enthralled, watching her smile, laugh and dance.

Of course, he realized something else too. In all their time together, he had never once seen her this happy. She had smiled and laughed at various things of course, but this was the first time he had ever seen her so relaxed, so free. And she liked him too. James could tell that easily enough. Even as his emotions welled at his realization for her, his guts twisted. It hadn't been him that had gotten her to open up like this. It wasn't him she looked at that way.

"Damn," he whispered as all the realizations came crashing down. With long practiced ease, he buried it all, hiding behind a practiced face. Life had just become so much more complicated. Now it sucked far more than it ever had and that was saying something.

[Gizmo]

An abrupt but smooth twirl brought Erin around so that Trevor was standing behind her, one hand crossed over her waist to remain in hers, while the other rested on her hip and he leaned over her shoulder to return her whisper. "It's not the dress," the dark-haired young man assured her softly before gracefully bringing her back around to face a faint grin that exuded easy assurance. "Ready to try something a little more... challenging?"

[Electra]

Erin turned her head to look at him over her shoulder, raising an amused eyebrow. Her heart was beating a little faster now, both from the challenge and the half-embrace. "Is that a dare?" she murmured back. "I'm up for anything you can dish out." She wasn't at all sure of that, given that Trevor was some kind of champion dancer, but all those hours of acrobatics training had to pay off sometime, right? "Just let me know if you're about to throw me. We don't want to hit any civilians."

[Gizmo]

Trevor's grin widened again and stayed that way. "I'll keep that in mind." The effect wasn't unlike the transformation that took place when the lanky teen donned the garb of Midnight; he seemed to suddenly fill a larger space, to defy mundanity with his very presence. Now, however, his usual quiet reservation was replaced not by an ethereal grim chill but a sense of energy which could only be expended through movement.

As the baroque piece wound down, he had maneuvered them near the string quartet. He gave the wiry bonde playing the cello a significant look, and the musician turned to her fellows with a nod. "Owed me a favour after I fixed their van," Trevor explained to Erin as the quartet switched instruments and took up different postures. By the time the pair had made their way through the crowd back toward the center of the dance floor, the cello was already being plucked like an upright bass to lay down a syncopated rhythm. Trevor's eyebrows lifted wryly. "Remember that obstacle course I had programed for the Doom Room?"