I'm not stalking you or anything

It still baffled Maverick to think of how long Venom had been denying herself the chance to play, to frolick, to feel happiness and laugh and live. The woman currently dancing as light and spry as a nymph with him was a far cry from the dour monarch he had met prowling the edges of her territory. It was almost enough to make him laugh out loud how drastic the change in her demeanor was! She was smiling and flirting with him, looking like the liveliest and easily the loveliest wolf on this room in his eyes. Which truly was saying a lot when the notorious debonair playboy only had eyes for the monochrome wolf with sunset jewels in a room filled with the most affluent wolves in Ardent. Venom had done something to him and now Mav was addicted to her presence.

When Maverick brought their voyeur to Venom’s attention, he was already half preparing to expect a fight this evening. From what he understood, the separation between Venom and her ex-husband hadn’t exactly been an amicable affair, and if the brute was the violent type, he suspected he wouldn’t take kindly to seeing a stranger trying to woo his former spouse. Fortunately, whoever the stern man was didn’t seem to panic the Empress. In fact, she was chuckling and smirking up at him like the rogue had just told her a sordid joke. Maverick raised a curious brow, but Venom didn’t leave him in the dark for long. That was her brother! Another quick glance over to the man leering daggers at him and suddenly it made sense. Similar monochromatic coats, his was just more starkly split. Mav gave a rich chuckle as well, flashing a grin over to her brother just to try and get a rise out of him because that’s who Maverick was before focusing his entire attention back on his date.

"Well, at least I don’t have to worry about starting a fight at a wedding for your honor," he remarked with another rakish grin, shooting her a wink. "Not that 8 wouldn’t mind putting on a burly display of manliness to make you swoon." The music came to a swell and then a stop, the song reaching its conclusion. Maverick gave a bow to his partner, his tail giving a gentle yet happy wag behind him. Though he wasn’t usually a dancer, Venom had made the experience more than enjoyable and an absolute blast! "Will the Empress permit a lowlife vagabond from faraway lands to buy her a drink?" Of course he knew all the drinks here were free, but hey, the sentiment still stood! Gesturing with his head towards the feasting tables overflowing with food and drink, Maverick took his place at Venom’s side, giving her the lead to pick whatever her heart desired while they caught their breaths.

"Maverick"