I'm not stalking you or anything

Venom did not answer him verbally, but she didn't need to. The way she sipped at her drink with a coy smirk and a raise of her brow said more to him than her words would have and kept their little game of cat and mouse going. He was having a tremendously fun time with this dance they were doing together, practically in the eyes of the public when they'd been inside the castle's halls. Out here, it felt much more intimate; a game shared between lovers to keep the other enticed and pursuing. He chuckled under his breath and gave her a knowing look, allowing her to keep her secrets for now. They'd all be laid bare before him soon enough—along with the rest of the Empress if he played his cards right. Fortunately for him, Maverick was a man of fortune, and games of chance were his absolute favorite.

At his suggestion for a drinking game, the beautiful fae gave him a curious glance, but expressed her interest to play with him. It would be an interesting way for the pair to learn more about the other and took a lot of pressure off of following the expected social norms and rituals. It was also a gamble on his part too; he'd be allowing Venom to peek behind the facade he showed to the world. If she was keen enough, she might uncover things about him that no one else ever had. As easy as it would be to cheat and lie at this game, the renegade felt no compulsion nor desire to. He just wanted to have a bit of fun with his lady, get a peek into the intimate and personal side of the Ashen Empress, and perhaps get her well on the way to drunk for them both to enjoy their time entwining together all the more when it came.

Venom asked him to go first to demonstrate, and Maverick gave a confident grin and chuckled. "Certainly, my snow and shadow queen," he replied, "but first, I think we're going to need some more drink." Excusing himself for the briefest of moments, Maverick unwound himself from Venom to go trotting back to the terraces, managing to swipe a couple skins of the mead she'd been enjoying, then hurry back to settle in at her side again, tail wrapping around hers while he placed one full skin by her cup and another by his. If they were going to get each other drunk tonight, they were going to do it right! "Okay, I'll go first. And remember, this is a game of honesty. So no hiding things, Your Grace." He shot a playful wink to the gorgeous femme, then released a pensive sigh as he shifted to face her a little more. Turquoise eyes gazed with piercing scrutiny into her sunset jewels, a roguish grin playing on his lips while he considered Venom and what he knew of her. Lifting a paw, he gestured to her and kicked off their game by declaring, "You're the eldest of all your siblings, and I'm betting you have more than just the one brother here tonight."

"Maverick"