I'm not stalking you or anything

Though social affairs weren't something Maverick found himself a part of very often, he wasn't an oblivious or uncultured idiot either. Like a chameleon, the vagabond could blend in with his surroundings, looking as if he had always belonged there. With his somewhat groomed fur in an attempt to make himself presentable at Venom's side and keen turquoise eyes picking up on the subtle details of the party, like their hosts, Mav treated the event almost like a game to see how much information he could glean from the powers of observation alone. He didn't know who or what Venom's ex husband looked like, but given that she didn't seem so on edge, he could only assume the man hadn't shown up to this event. Good, that meant he had all the more liberty with the gorgeous empress—not that her former partner's presence would have deterred him anyway. If anything, he would have had more fun showing off being at the side of the Ashen alpha with the eyes of the betrayer on him.

Venom confirmed his astute observations, and then sputtered on her drink when he made a comment about being her arm candy for the evening. A rakish smirk made its way across his lips while he nonchalantly lapped at his drink as if he hadn't completely undone the Empress' decorum with a single sentence. He quite enjoyed the way he could fluster her like that; it made playing with her so much fun! And just as Venom suspected, he was not giving her the chance to deny him either. He would be her date for the evening, and should anyone ask, the renegade would come up with some suave and charismatic lie to help save Venom face. He knew how important appearances were to her when it came to the public eye, and as much fun as it was to make her squirm with his teasing, he wasn't cruel about it. It was one thing to have Venom act a certain way when on their own, it was another to undo her authority as an alpha in front of everyone. That sort of fun could wait until a more private setting. Maverick grinned at the thought.

When Venom mentioned his declaring himself her date as the gentlemanly thing to do, he snickered from around the rim of his goblet while he took another mouthful of semisweet alcohol. "Oh please, don't give me that much credit. Being a gentleman is so much responsibility. I'd much rather be the swashbuckler," he teased her back. Perhaps one day he'd be turned into the domestic gentleman, but it would not be today. Venom had her work cut out for her if that was her intention. After some more playful banter that had become a comfortable staple of their interactions, Maverick was surprised by Venom's acceptance to let him dance with her. The soft touch of her white-gloved paw rested on his own alabaster paw, leaving a warmth there that tingled on his skin. He followed her gaze to where they were touching—and almost choked on his own drink when Venom offered to consider letting him get her drunk again. He coughed on the mead, pulling the goblet from his lips as he turned a raised brow in her direction. Well, well, well...! It seemed he was getting Venom to surrender some of her inhibitions after all!

"You are full of surprises, Your Grace," Maverick quipped with a chuckle, taking pause long enough to down the remaining liquid in the goblet in one chug before setting it aside to allow her to whisk him off toward the dance floor. Some music had been struck up by wolves that drummed a beat on tables, dexterous companions assisting to pluck the cords of stringed instruments found in the castle to create a lively melody. A few others had begun dancing already, so when Maverick was led to the dance floor, they weren't the only ones there. At least now he could hide Venom away amongst the crowd and keep her attention to himself if he wished. Maverick had only danced on one other occasion, but the mechanics seemed simple enough. Casting a crooked grin to the Empress, the vagabond gently took one of her gloved paws in his to lift to his lips, brushing a formal kiss across her digits before lowering it back to the floor. He picked up the rhythm of the song easily and followed the steps of the others around them, pressing his body close to hers until their chests met and their heads and necks were aligned.

Maverick took the lead, circling with Venom in slow, smooth strides across the stone floor. His pale turquoise eyes never left her sunset jewels, his easy grin plastered on his face all the while. "You're very much in your element tonight," he mused while they swayed together, pausing only long enough to switch their directions around and continue their dance. "Graceful, powerful... It's a look you wear well, Ven." His grin widened a bit while he inclined his head to bring his muzzle beside one dark ear to whisper in husky tones, "Though I'm also fond of seeing you lose control too." He chuckled mostly to himself, his tail wagging in a slow, happy metronome behind him. He was having a lot of fun being with the Empress again.

"Maverick"