Dance With Me

[EPONINE GASCOIGNE]

Eponine looked at herself in the mirror with approval. It wasn't often that she paid a stylist to come help her prepare for an event, but the masquerade was one of those rare events she needed one for. This year, she styled her dark hair in a double twisted bun and her make-up flowed with the black and gold theme of her outfit. Her dress was black and subtly sequined with intricate gold accents. It was high collared and a wide cutout in the front of the dress revealed her collarbone and the top of her small cleavage, the dress creating the illusion her bust was larger than it was, accented by black lace. The skirt flared dramatically to accent the shape of her hips as the dress hugged her well, but not enough to suffocate her. Her mask was half black, half white, and highlighted with gold, intricate swirling gold patterns cut from the black half reaching up over her forehead, a small gold bead dangling from the white half. It suited her very well and she was pleased. The stylist had left minutes before, but she put dangling pearls in her ears to complete her ensemble. What would Micah think of her look? (dress HERE mask HERE)

She knew she shouldn’t really care what Micah thought of her look; it was unprofessional. It was impossible not to notice how handsome he was, though, and they worked so well together. The past week had taught her both of those lessons, and she found herself enjoying his company as more than a friend or a bodyguard. But how could she help herself when they were around each other from the moment they woke at sundown until they returned to stone at dawn? Even when she was working, he was never far from her side. Tonight her excuse was she had to go to this masquerade and that was the only reason Micah was her date, so he could protect her, but she had to admit she was excited to be toeing that line between employer, friend, and something more.

Her black heels clicked on the hardwood floor as she made her way out to the living room. He stood there, all 6’7” of him clad in a nice, simple suit, and a simple mask on his face. She gave a smile and was glad the mask could hide the small blush on her cheeks. She felt so silly at the moment, but it was…refreshing. Then her eyes fell on his tie. She bit back a laugh, walking forward. “All those years in the military, and you didn’t figure out how to tie a tie?” she teased. When she was in front of him, no doubt smelling like perfume and hairspray, both of which the stylist had been a little too liberal with, she reached up and worked on detangling the cloth at his neck. “You made a mess of this!” she fussed softly, wondering if she should have gotten him an extra tie in case he ruined one. It wasn’t so bad, though, once it was tied properly around his neck, the knot snug but not too tight at his throat. When it was finished, she smiled again in satisfaction and ran her hands down the tie to remove any other wrinkles. Her brown eyes came back up to his blue ones, a smile on her lightly painted lips. “There! Now you look nice,” she complimented off-handedly, as if she was perfectly comfortable doing so. “You ready to go?”

[MICAH STOKES]

Micah wasn't one for fancy balls. Anything fancy just wasn't Micah period. But Eponine said that this was something she had to do and he wasn't going to disagree that this would be a good opportunity to show that she wasn't going to be backed into a cage by the council. He had an old suit at home but it was.. brown. So he ended up having to go out and get himself a new suit and a mask for the party. He picked a simple black suit and tie and a plaint gold painted mask. He didn't want to stand out and intricate designs just wasn't him. And since he was going as Eponine's date he figured she'd rather they matched than not. He didn't need a mirror to get dressed in front of but because he didn't want Eponine to be disturbed and walk out on him changing he'd used the spare room but the tie was taking him too long.

He decided to go out into the living room and fidget with it some more, crossing one end over the other and then turning it into a bow, a knot, and he even managed to make it a noose at one point. But a double or single windsor? Not a chance in hell. He heard her laugh before he noticed her and it threw him off since he was usually more alert than that. The mask was already on and he thought maybe that was the problem so he pushed it up to rest on his forehead.

The woman who stood before him looked really nice. He didn't know if he should give her a compliment or not however. Would she deem it unprofessional? What did he care, it wasn't like he had a boss to answer to. Was she really going to call it sexual harassment? But before he could decide whether to give a compliment or not she was talking, "All those years in the military, and you didn't figure out how to tie a tie?" He pursed his lips and shook his head. "I was a grunt. We learned how to tie them once in boot camp and I never untied it. Just loosen it enough to get it over your head and then tighten it." He explained and knew he wasn't the only one who had done that. There were plenty of other grunts out there that he knew who couldn't tie a tie to save their life.

"You made a mess of this!" "It's not that bad," he stated quietly and looked down to watch her hands at work. She obviously knew what she was doing and he looked straight ahead so that she could tighten it and felt the knot resting near his throat comfortably. "There! Now you look nice," she had complimented him and he raised a brow at her curiously. "I look like a monkey." He wasn't about to look her over since that would be rude but he did look over her appearance when she wasn't paying as much attention to him.

"But you look nice too," he said trying not to sound so out of his element but he obviously was. He didn't usually compliment women on their appearance but he couldn't deny she looked beautiful. Not that she didn't always have a soft natural beauty to her usually. He'd been around her for too long at this point since he was starting to notice little things about her that he wouldn't normally notice in a person. He could study a person in a matter of seconds and be able to tell whether they were a threat or not just by mannerisms. But to actually take notice of other things such as how gentle her eyes came off when she wasn't in work mode and how she always smelled great, that was new ground for him.

"You ready to go?" "Yes." He told her and let his eyes wander around the living room momentarily before he headed for the door. "Do you have everything you need?" Micah asked Eponine before he went and got the door for her and allowing her to leave first before he followed behind.

[EPONINE GASCOIGNE]

“But you look nice too.” Micah’s compliment still rang in her ears as Eponine grabbed her gold clutch off the coffee table nearby. She knew she looked nice; she’d paid someone to make sure she did. But it still made her stomach twist a little to hear Micah tell her that. “Yes. Do you have everything you need?” Eponine nodded with a smile and moved toward the door with him. He held the door open for her and as she passed, she brought her eyes to his. “You don’t look like a monkey,” she assured quietly, her smile playful. She locked the door to her apartment behind them and then made her way to the elevators in silence. The silences she had with Micah were long since uncomfortable, however; most of the time they spent together was spent in silence because she was working. He was the definition of the strong and silent type, but Eponine liked that. Being able to sit in silence with a person was just as important as being able to carry on a stimulating conversation, in Eponine’s opinion; with Micah, she could do both.

Once they reached the garage and climbed into her car, she slid her mask to her forehead so she could drive and handed him her clutch with a playfully hopeful smile. “Please hold it while I drive?” she requested. Eponine could count on one hand how many people had seen her playful side in her entire life—Micah was one of those few. There was something just so calming about him. As soon as he took her clutch, she got underway. “You’ll have to stay close tonight. With all of the Council members present, we’ll both be in harm’s way, not just me. I wouldn’t be surprised if Goodman finds some way to sneak into this event, either. But I don’t think I have to say, we’ll have to look like we’re enjoying ourselves. I’d like to keep up this appearance that the Council doesn’t scare me,” she explained. Her brow knitted a little, hating to ever admit she was scared. Just the fact that Micah was guarding her, showed that she did feel fear, though, and there was very little she felt she could actually hide from the man sitting beside her. He was much too observant for that.

It only took about fifteen minutes for them to pull up to the museum and Eponine took her clutch from Micah before she climbed out. He was doing her a huge favor, so she didn’t need to make him feel uncomfortable by holding her purse. She used the mirror to readjust her mask, making sure it was well fastened before she opened the car door. Once on her feet, she locked the car behind her and smooth her hands over the front of her dress, afraid it might have wrinkled while sitting in the car. She made her way to his side finally and gently slid her slender arm into his strong one, smiling at him kindly. “Make sure I don’t slip, okay?” she requested, hinting at the first night he protected her and she slipped in her kitchen. A small laugh left her as she looked ahead of her once more, but even though she looked calm, her hand clutching his arm made it apparent how nervous she was. Were they going to try to separate them somehow so they could attack her? Would they hurt Micah to get to her? She hated fearing the Council, but she had no choice in this case. She had more than angered them, she had humiliated them, and there were very few who could stop them from exacting retribution, whether it was exacted on her or on Micah.

[MICAH STOKES]

Micah felt weird holding onto Eponine's clutch. He didn't want to accidentally break it or open it and have everything fall out onto his lap. Purses were such a taboo thing to Micah, never knowing what they contained but knowing if he were to look in one then he would be in a whole mess of trouble. Women carried so many things on them and they stuffed them into small bags with the skills of a grunt straight out of boot camp. He was curious what sort of things Eponine carried in her little clutch but didn't dare to ask. It wasn't his business so he held it there with caution, making sure it stayed upright during the whole ride.

When they finally arrived at their destination he was relieved when she took her purse back. He could see the uneasiness in her face, the small little changes in her expression that weren't there when she was working or laughing with him. And once the two of them were walking arm in arm towards the museum he could feel her grip on the sleeve of his coat. The more she held on the tighter the sleeve was around his arm as she pulled on the fabric. "Make sure I don't slip, okay?"

Micah glanced down at Eponine by his side wanting to see her expression, see just how nervous the woman who saved his life truly was. He found himself in a predicament. It wasn't as difficult as making sure he threw the right blow to knock someone out, but it was a predicament all the same. It was unknown territory for him in fact and that was what made it tricky. Should he try to assure her that everything would be alright or remain his usual silent self, saying nothing at all and just letting her come to the realization that she would be fine. He was there and she would be safe. Nobody was going to get to her as long as he kept her in his sights at all times. When it seemed he was going to remain silent he finally found his voice, "Try not to dent the floor if you do?" He was sure she could hear the sarcasm in his voice but if she was too worried and might have missed it there was a smile creeping onto his face. Playful sarcasm must have been the answer.

He slowed down just before they reached the entrance of the museum and he gently pulled her off to the side. "Hold on," he said and let his eyes roam around the others who were piling into the museum. It was going to be crowded but he already expected that. But just how many council members would be there that night? So far he hadn't seen any of them outside, but once inside he was going to get a good look. Unless they were wearing full face masks he'd be able to pick most of them out of the crowd.

Micah's eyes finally fell back on Eponine and he tried not to look so hard, trying to relax his face and his stance a bit to try and make her more comfortable but it was difficult for him to do that. It just would have made what he was going to say seem much more comforting if he didn't say it and look like he was about to hulk out on the first person who looked at Eponine the wrong way, "You're brave. Don't forget that. You're not going to give them the satisfaction of instilling fear into you. Understood, Ms. Gascoigne?" He said her last name to try and keep the mood light, grinning since he knew she preferred him to call her Eponine. But it made for good fun every now and then.

[EPONINE GASCOIGNE]

Eponine thought Micah might not react to her playful request, which she would be okay with, but it just made her more anxious. Since when had she ever been so concerned for her safety when it came to the council? Since when had she ever been so concerned for anyone else’s safety? “Try not to dent the floor if you do.” Micah’s soft voice finally broke the silence and she laughed, appreciating the humor. It eased her some, and his small smile only added to that growing calm. He was there. She had to remind herself that Micah wouldn’t let something happen to her. But she was also worried about something happening to him. Actually, she may have been more worried about Micah than she was for herself. She didn’t want to see him hurt, whether for her sake or not. That was a new feeling for Eponine.

“Hold on.” She turned her wide eyes back up to him and followed where he led out of the way of the crowd. What was he doing? He turned to her and she just continued to look up at him with curiosity. Eponine could always tell when Micah was concerned because he didn’t really seem to know how to show it. He looked uncertain and confused of how he should act, stand, or even contort his face. It was almost funny, and she thought it was funny that she even noticed that about him. “You’re brave. Don’t forget that. You’re not going to give them the satisfaction of instilling fear into you. Understood, Ms. Gascoigne?” Eponine grinned at his grin, her eyes warm beneath her mask. No other pep talk in history had ever made her feel as grateful as this one. “Yes, sir, Gunnery Sergeant Stokes,” she replied with the same air of playfulness. Using his military title was becoming one of her new favorite ways to tease Micah, and it suited this case perfectly. If he was going to call her by her last name, then she was going to use his title. But though the air was lighthearted, she allowed her hand to slip into his briefly, squeezing gently. “Thank you,” she all but whispered, holding his gaze through their masks. The warmth of his rough hand made her feel better…and a little giddy. It was like she reverted to a teenager around him.

Her hand remained in his for only a moment before she took her place beside him again, linking her arm in his once more. With a deep, calming breath, she made her way to the doors now, taking Micah with her. Something occurred to her, though, and she stopped again, looking up at him. “Micah, don’t do anything stupid,” she instructed, her eyes worried. “I don’t want you to get hurt, okay?” Eponine didn’t worry about other people often. Most of the time she was pretty selfish and did what was in her best interest, but she couldn’t do that with Micah. She had come to genuinely care about him and what would happen to him over the last several weeks since meeting him. When she was satisfied that he understood, she began moving again, finally making it through the doors. They had decorated wonderfully and she found she was pretty impressed. With the sea of masks greeting them, she wondered if she would be able to recognize the council members. Her cousin was sure to be around here somewhere, no doubt with his lovely ginger Blurr who she recently ran into at the leaders’ meeting. She would have to find them and say hello. Seeing the couples on the dance floor, she smiled up at Micah. “Do you dance?” she asked with a teasing tone.

[MICAH STOKES]

"Yes, sir, Gunnery Sergeant Stokes," Their little banters with formalities were always fun and he took her arm in his once more. "Thank you," He nodded mutely and started for the entrance again only to be stopped this time by Eponine. "Micah, don't do anything stupid, I don't want you to get hurt, okay?" The concern was sweet but confusing all the same. Nobody cared about his safety the way that she seemed to these past few weeks and he didn't know how to take it. Then again he didn't surround himself by women and they were known to be the more compassionate gender.

He looked down into her soft brown eyes through the masks for a moment before he spoke, "I'm always careful, Eponine, even when under a time crunch I always proceed with caution." Micah didn't anticipate any trouble that night but there was never any telling. He couldn't predict what would happen once they strolled into the museum but if he could catch it ahead of time then he could prevent things from spiraling out of control. That was what he did.

When they strolled into the museum he took in their surroundings almost as if he was absorbing information. His eyes scanned the decor, where everything was placed and all the exits along with what people held in their hands. Were they drinking from glass or plastic? From the way the light hit it they were glass, which could be both good and bad depending on how things played out. Would someone drop a glass, would someone come and briskly clean it up or would there be the possibility of broken glass for them to cut themselves up with if they fell? It might have been an odd scenario but anything could happen and Micah wanted to make sure he was ready.

The people were the next on his list to watch. He watched their mannerisms and the way they held themselves. So far they were all relaxed and having a good time, nobody in his line of sight seemed to be tense, no hard shoulders or hands balling into fists. Just a group of strangers gathered to dance. Everyone looked similar in the way they were dressed and their masks, and although they were all different colors he found the synonymity a little unnerving. The members of the council could be moving along blending in with the crowd and he wouldn't notice unless he watched each individual like a hawk.

"Do you dance?" Eponine's question brought him back to her and his face tensed at the thought of it. He'd been such a loner that he'd never even gone to the military balls. Micah was quick and agile on his feet when it came to battle but dancing? It was like trying to dance with a robot, his moves were so rigid and monotonous. "...not exactly," he said and gave her a sidelong glance to show his uneasiness. "I have two left feet but if you want to dance I could... try." He'd be better off in a foreign prison than on that dance floor. But he sucked it up and headed for the dance floor, a part of him hoping she would change her mind and tell him that she wanted a drink instead. Maybe if he had a drink he'd be able to loosen up a bit. Not that he'd want to loosen up too much.

"Do you? Dance, I mean." He asked, coming to a stop right before they got to the floor. He had no idea how all those people could move the way they did and he found himself looking around once more for anyone that might pose some danger. Dancing might be a good idea though, since it would also come off as a means of showing Eponine was enjoying herself and not worrying about what the council thought.

[EPONINE GASCOIGNE]

Eponine saw the way Micah became uncomfortable with her question and it almost made her laugh. This gentle giant didn’t look like the dancing type, and what he said confirmed that suspicion: “…not exactly. I have two left feet but if you want to dance I could…try.” He moved toward the dance floor, but she could tell how reluctant he was. It made her smile wide and stifle her laughter. If she didn’t know better, she would say it was more than just reluctance; it was nervousness. She found it made him cuter, in her eyes. Her arm remained looped in his as they made their way to the dance floor. He stopped just as they reached it. “Do you? Dance, I mean.” She looked up at him, but he was glancing around the crowd. “I do when I come to these functions,” she replied casually. She bit her lip, trying to decide whether to be nice and suggest drinks, or to pull him onto the dance floor now. It was too good an opportunity to pass up. She was going to teach him how to dance.

“Come on, I’ll teach you,” she said with a firm warmth, amusement written all over her face. Micah was going to learn how to dance if only to make her less nervous. It gave her a project to work on and not focus on the fact that there were probably council members watching them right now. She found a good spot on the edge of the dance floor where there weren’t many couples, giving her plenty of room to work with. It was early in the night, anyway, and people were still arriving. “Okay, first is stance,” she instructed. She took his left hand and placed it on her waist, then took his right hand in her own, holding it up beside them as she placed her hand on his high shoulder. He already stood straight, so she didn’t need to tell him to not slouch. When she brought her eyes back up to his, they were standing close, but correctly for dancing. “Now we’ll step in threes in time to the music. As we step we just go around in small circles. I’ll say when to start. Okay…now.” She took a step and led the dance, stepping always with her right foot. He was all out of sync with the music, though, and she stopped with a small laugh. “No, follow the music. At the low notes, that’s when you step. Again.” She started again and he did a better job this time. He was still so stiff in his movements, though, and she laughed. “Relax! It’s not the robot,” she teased. “When you move, pretend you’re ice skating. It’s all one fluid motion.”

The longer they danced, the more relaxed he became, though he certainly had a long way to go. She just smiled wide, genuinely enjoying herself and teaching Micah how to waltz. When she felt he was more comfortable, she said, “Now you lead. I’ll follow where you step.” It wasn’t a complicated dance and easy enough to get a handle on. Their movements stayed pretty much the same, but she let him decided where they would go. “See? I’m not always bossy,” she observed playfully. Maybe she should have offered him lessons before the ball, though. Regardless, she was having a good time already.

[MICAH STOKES]

"I do when I come to these functions," Damn, Micah thought and sucked in a sharp breath, allowing Eponine to lead him onto the dance floor and place his hands in the appropriate positions as she said she'd teach him. His left hand was set on her waist and he sort of let it hover there for a moment before letting it rest gently against the material of her dress. His other hand holding hers out to the side, feeling her soft palm in his rough one. "Now we'll step in threes in time to the music. As we step we just go around in small circles. I'll say when to start. Okay...now." Eponine had to take the lead to show him how it was done and he followed very.. badly.

Micah didn't know how to follow the music and he kept stepping after her and stiffening up. "No, follow the music. At the low notes, that's when you step. Again." He listened for the deep notes of the music and still his steps were a little out of sync but better than before. He was concentrating fully on where his feet went and making sure he didn't step on her feet that he didn't expect the laughing that came from the woman and he looked up at her confused. "Relax! It's not the robot. When you move, pretend you're ice skating. It's all one fluid motion."

"I've never been ice skating. And your feet are so close I'm going to step on them." He muttered, afraid he was going to end up breaking one of her toes with his massive feet. But he never did and as they continued moving around he began to ease up a little bit more and become less robotic, as she so nicely put it. He still couldn't relax completely and a part of him just wanted to tell her to stand on his feet that way he could just do the steps and not have to worry about stomping one of her pretty toes but he kept his mouth shut.

Finally, getting a little better hang of the movements he looked up away from their feet and at her with a pleased little grin on his face like he just achieved something remarkable. For Micah, this was an achievement. "Now you lead. I'll follow where you step." Now she was going to make him in charge of picking the steps? It couldn't be too hard since it was just the same steps repeated over and over again, except that he was the one who got to choose where those steps lead them. With a slight hesitation he took the lead and felt a little more at ease now that he was in control of where they stepped. With her following he felt less likely to step on her.

"See? I'm not always bossy," the playful way she said it made him laugh softly and shake his head. "No, just most of the time." He teased right back at her and found himself comfortable enough to relax his hands so they weren't so stiff, able to feel her side a little better letting his fingers mesh with the curve of her body. His eyes looked around at the crowd, seeing if there was anyone he could recognize in all the masked faces but as of yet there was nobody he knew.

When he did look back down at her he could see that she looked like she was having a good time. And that meant a lot for him, since Micah was a pretty boring person it was nice to know that she was still able to enjoy herself in his presence. "Look at you, acting like you're having a good time." He said lightly and looked into her eyes through their masks, "Good thing I distracted you by pretending I couldn't dance," he said but as if on cue he stepped in the wrong direction and bumped right into her. The smug look that had been creeping onto his face wiping away. His feet gave him away. He really was an awful dancer but he tried to play it off as if he was only pretending. But that was a total fail.

[EPONINE GASCOIGNE]

Eponine smiled more as Micah laughed and shook his head. “No, just most of the time.” She tapped his shoulder playfully as though hitting him and she felt him relax more. He was scanning the crowd and she did the same, though reluctantly. She was afraid of who she might see. She was enjoying herself, and if she saw anyone from the council, it would ruin that. After a moment, she looked back to Micah, moving carefully with him, smiling. He looked back down at her and she smiled more. What was it about him that just made her smile so much? Right now, she supposed it was the fact that she had actually gotten him to dance with her. And really, he wasn’t so bad. She was half tempted to just rest her head on his chest out of sheer satisfaction, but she resisted the urge. She wasn’t that swoony, after all.

“Look at you, acting like you’re having a good time.” Her big brown eyes looked a little confused through her mask, holding his blue gaze. Acting? “Good thing I distracted you by pretending I couldn’t dance.” She was about to make a smart comment, seeing the smug look that crossed his face, but he took the words right out of her mouth by bumping into her, making her trip up and hold onto him a little tighter so she wouldn’t fall. She laughed loudly, though, seeing the almost puppy dog look that came across his face. “Pretending, huh?” she teased, getting them back on beat. “I don’t think either of us is pretending.” She gave him a warm, meaningful smile to let him know it wasn’t an act; she really was enjoying her time with him. In fact, she enjoyed her time with him over the past few weeks more than she had enjoyed her time with anyone else in a very long time. So much of her life was wording things the right way, manipulating the facts and acting a certain way, but with Micah, there was a reprieve from all of that. There was only one time when she was dishonest with him, and that was when she said she wouldn’t actually get someone killed, but they both knew that was a lie. Other than that, she had been completely honest with him, and he had no trouble with that, preferred it, even.

The song ended and she slowed to a stop. “Looks like your torture is over,” she said playfully. She took his arm and started moving toward the drinks. “Let’s have a drink before I make you do it again.” Her smile was bright and full of amusement. She glanced around one more time and could have sworn she saw Sebastian, but knew that had to be impossible. If he was smart, he was in hiding right now, not at this masquerade. As they moved, she looked up at him, asking quietly, “See anyone we know?” If he could see someone, she wanted to be prepared for it.

[MICAH STOKES]

"Pretending, huh? I don't think either of us is pretending." He didn't really think she was pretending but when she confirmed that she wasn't it made him feel good. It was a nice feeling knowing that he wasn't boring her. They two of them continued to dance until the song came to an end and the pair of them slowed until they stopped moving. "Looks like your torture is over," he had to chuckle and shake his head. "It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be." He confessed.

"Let's have a drink before I make you do it again." So Eponine wasn't done dancing with him but at least she'd let him get a drink before they stepped onto the dance floor again. He moved close by his date but because they had to move through a crowd of people he had to walk behind her a few times but that was fine just as long as she was within sight.

He'd been looking around, scoping out the occupants every couple of minutes to see new faces and storing them in his mind for safe keeping for the rest of the night. He saw a couple of council members, but they were low ranking and wouldn't give them any trouble. As if reading his mind Eponine spoke, "See anyone we know?" He glanced around one more time. "Nobody to worry about," he mentioned just as they arrived to the bar. The bartender coming over wanting to know what they were going to drink, and he ordered just a water. Micah enjoyed to drink beer every now and then but not when he had a job to do.

He turned his back to the bar since he didn't need to watch the bartender make drinks. "There's Castle and Aiken with their wifes in the east corner. But they're harmless." Castle and Aiken were in the lower branches of politics and could barely order coffee without getting permission from someone higher than them. Not to mention they were well in their older years, bald, gray and brittle. "So far so good. And you're doing an excellent job, showing you're not going to let them get to you." He looked down at Eponine and gave her a grin of approval.

[EPONINE GASCOIGNE]

“Nobody to worry about.” Eponine nodded and leaned on the bar when they reached it. Micah ordered his water and she ordered champagne. It was a great example of their differing tastes on display; his was simple while hers was more elegant. She kept close to Micah as he turned from the bar and she remained leaning her elbows against it. “There’s Castle and Aiken with their wives in the east corner. But they’re harmless.” Eponine let her eyes wander over to the east corner, and she saw the old men there. They were harmless, and surprisingly kind. Eponine had spoken with them on several occasions and always felt they were more than willing to help with anything if they could. Her eyes turned back to the bartender, waiting for him to come back with their drinks so they could go once more without the risk of being overheard.

“So far so good. And you’re doing an excellent job showing you’re not going to let them get to you.” Eponine looked up at him again and smiled wide at his grin. “Well, I’ve had some help with that,” she admitted, her eyes warm. She couldn’t have been as calm as she was without him there. With anyone else, she might have just stayed home because she knew she would be paranoid the whole time. But Micah had such a reassuring presence, and who wouldn’t feel well protected with a man that big at your side? The bartender came back and handed them their drinks, for which Eponine thanked him and turned to face outward as well, watching the faces go by. The champagne was good, the music was soft, the crowd was friendly, and she was there with a handsome man who wouldn’t dare leave her side. It was a good evening and she was surprised at how relaxed she was. She was close to Micah, her arm resting against his, and she felt so comfortable with just the warmth of him right next to her, reaffirming that no one would hurt her as long as he was there. She raised the flute of her glass to her lips, taking a sip and letting the champagne tickle across her tongue and ease her even more. Such a lovely evening…

Just when she was feeling comfortable, that’s when she saw him. The man struck fear in any Gargoyle at first glance, but Eponine was also apprehensive that he would see her. Robert Snow and Eponine had a very convoluted history together. Before she could turn away once more, Robert caught her gaze. “Shit!” she hissed under her breath, almost speaking to her champagne. Micah must have seen him—the man wasn’t easy to miss. He wasn’t as big as Micah, but he had a very imposing presence. Micah at least had a kind, quiet air about him; Robert didn’t know what kindness was. Eponine flicked her eyes up to Micah uncertainly, before watching Robert approach. He was smiling, and she did the same, feeling her stomach squirm. For some reason she had caught his eye once more, after seven years, and it made her more nervous than the council. How could she tell him again she had to interest in being anything to him except an employee? He reached them and Eponine’s smile was plastered to her face as she looked up at him. Robert reached for her hand which she gave hesitantly, only to have him bring her hand to his lips; she felt her breath catch as she glanced to Micah nervously. “Eponine.” Her smile was forced and jittery as Robert held her hand for a moment. “Robert. It’s good to see you,” she greeted, wishing she could just run away now and take Micah with her.

[ROBERT SNOW]

“Robert. It’s good to see you.” Robert observed how nervous Eponine was and felt somewhat vindicated by it. The woman had humiliated him seven years ago by denying him, and yet he couldn’t deny he had continued to carry something of a torch for her. He admired her strength of purpose and her political ambition, not to mention her soft, classic beauty. She was well-mannered but fiery and knew exactly what she wanted without being afraid to get it. In other words, she was Robert’s perfect match, and he had yet to encounter a Gargoyle woman like her. In recent events, she had caught his attention again with outwardly defying the council, a bold move that reminded him all too well how set he was on getting her closer to him. Wining and dining didn’t do the trick last time, however; he had decided since the leader’s meeting that he had to come up with a different approach.

His eyes fell on the man standing next to her, staring at him, and he maintained his pleasant, albeit cool smile. “Is this your date, Eponine?” he asked, keeping his eyes on the weathered face. There was something familiar about him. “Yes, he is. This is Micah Stokes. Micah, meet Robert Snow.” Robert let his recognition show as he realized who the man was. He extended his hand to the big man, giving him a firm handshake. “Ah, Mr. Stokes. I heard about your case. I apologize on behalf of the council for all of the confusion and your unfortunate incarceration. Thank goodness Eponine did a phenomenal job with your case,” he said politely, turning his smile back to Eponine. She smiled a little wider, nodding as she looked down almost bashfully. “Thank you.” The woman reached for her champagne and downed the rest of it. Too bad he was only going to make her more uncomfortable.

“I hate to interrupt you two, but would you do the honor of giving me this dance, Eponine?” he requested. He wanted to get her alone and finally gauge how he should approach a relationship with her. Surely she wasn’t actually dating Stokes. She was a very professional woman and he was certain she wouldn’t blur the line between professional and personal. Eponine looked very uncertain, though, and brought a hand to her lips as if to hold her champagne in. He watched her eyes go to Stokes again, and Robert did the same. “Unless you object. I wouldn’t want to interrupt anything,” he added, waiting patiently for Micah’s reply, though his eyes made it clear he wasn’t looking for a dispute. He had a feeling Stokes wasn’t easily swayed, but Robert would find a way to peel Eponine from his side by the end of the night.

[MICAH STOKES]

Micah didn't see the man at first. It wasn't until he heard Eponine swear that he spotted him in the crowd. It was Robert Snow, the leader of their kind, attending a masquerade ball. Micah thought that was a little odd, thinking that a leader would have something more pressing to do than to come to a masquerade ball and mingle with the low lifes such as himself, but clearly he was wrong. "What is it?" But his question was lost, Snow was heading in their direction and all Micah could do was keep his eyes on him. Eponine didn't sound worried when she swore, she sounded like it was an inconvenience. She must have actually known Snow.

The formalities came and he could see Eponine growing nervous which only put him on alert. He couldn't very well tell their leader to go away or start a fight with him. That would do more harm than good and Micah didn't pick a fight he knew he couldn't win. There was always another way to solve a situation if violence wasn't the answer. But what this situation actually was he had no clue, yet.

"Is this your date, Eponine?" Micah just stared right back at Snow, his face an unchanging blank slate. "Yes, he is. This is Micah Stokes. Micah, meet Robert Snow." When Snow's hand went out Micah did the same and shook it firmly before retracting it back down to his side almost as if he were standing in formation only a little more lax. So many years of military training it was hard to beat it out of him. "Ah, Mr. Stokes. I heard about your case. I apologize on behalf of the council for all of the confusion and your unfortunate incarceration. Thank goodness Eponine did a phenomenal job with your case."

"Yes, she is excellent at what she does," Micah said and realized that probably came out sounding a little stupid, but he glanced down at Eponine anyway and offered her a grin before looking back at Snow and his face going blank once more. He didn't know what it was about politicians, but he always had a difficult time talking around them. Then again he didn't talk that much to begin with, and maybe because it was Snow he felt a little nervous himself.

"I hate to interrupt you two, but would you do the honor of giving me this dance, Eponine?" He didn't know why but the thought of Eponine leaving his side, even if it wasn't to go far, and with Snow no less just didn't settle well for him. He wouldn't let it show but he didn't like this idea at all. He wasn't concerned about Eponine's safety. Snow would be smarter than the average gargoyle and would know better than to try anything on the dance floor, surrounded by such a large crowd. Plus they clearly knew one another and that also made the likelihood of him harming her next to zero. But it was the fact that they knew one another that didn't sit right with him.

"Unless you object. I wouldn't want to interrupt anything." He could see the look in Snow's eye. That look that he'd seen far too many times in training, the look that contradicted the words that spilled out of your mouth. I'm declaring you have a choice but my eyes are telling you that you don't, was a look he'd used himself over the years when it was necessary. Slowly he looked down to Eponine, wanting to gauge her reaction to being asked to dance. "Eponine can decide whether she is interested or not," he said in his quite, calm voice and turned his eyes back to Snow. He wasn't going to tell him no but he wasn't going to cower away either. It was Eponine's decision, so Micah was simply taking himself out of the equation. For now anyway.

[EPONINE GASCOIGNE]

Eponine almost spit out her champagne when Robert asked for a dance. Fuck! Eponine didn’t want to dance with Robert Snow. She didn’t want that time alone with him where he could ask her about her personal life and her political ambitions. More than that, she didn’t want their past to come up for discussion. When Robert turned to Micah, asking if it was okay with him that they danced, her own large brown eyes turned up to the man she trusted to be her bodyguard. She knew what he would say, and she truly appreciated it, but she almost hoped he would tell Robert no. “Eponine can decided if she is interested or not.” A small smile came to her lips, having a quiet appreciation for the way Micah stepped back and let her make her own decisions. With that said, the whole weight of this situation fell on her shoulders. Robert turned back to her expectantly.

She knew what answer was best for her politically. Dancing with Robert, she would have an opportunity to express genuine interest in serving under him. Eponine couldn’t deny that she still had high political ambitions, though she had screwed over the council and dreaded Robert’s further involvement in her life. This was a chance to set the record straight and tell Robert she had no interest in personal involvement with him. Now if only she could say those words. With a small, uneasy smile, she tilted her head to the side. “Yes, of course you may have this dance,” she replied, leaving her empty champagne glass on the bar. She wished it weren’t so difficult for her to get drunk. Robert took her hand gently and led her to the floor. She looked back at Micah as she went and gave him the best reassuring smile she could, though it was half apologetic too. She would rather be dancing and laughing with him than dancing and chatting with Robert Snow.

Once on the dance floor, she kept her hand softly in Robert’s as her other hand came to his shoulder. “That dress is stunning on you, Eponine.” She took the compliment graciously with a smile. “Thank you. You look quite handsome tonight as well.” Robert gave her a smile, but she noted that it never reached his eyes. Eponine herself had given countless amounts of those smiles over the years, but in the last few weeks, that number had greatly diminished. Micah made her smile more genuinely than anyone had in a very, very long time. “What did you think of the leaders’ meeting a few days ago?” Eponine gave a sigh and raised her eyebrows as she shook her head as if in disbelief. “It was…fascinating. I’m not sure how you and Mordecai are going to pull this off, but I think…I think it’s time for a bold move like that. I’m not big on change, but it would be nice to know that guardians don’t have to hide anymore. And yes, I’m hoping the other guardians choose to join the cause.” Her answer was genuine and well thought out. She had talked it over with Micah the night the meeting occurred and had thus come to her own conclusion about it, despite however Micah felt about it. It had also come up with the other Gargoyles she was required to inform, which helped her even more to articulate her feelings on the subject.

Her eyes came back to Robert’s with a small, hollow smile. “I think it was a wise decision,” she told him with a small nod. Robert seemed to appreciate this remark and his small smile grew a bit. “We’ll see.” Robert spun her gently, making her trumpeted skirt flair around her lower legs somewhat before he pulled her back in, his hand once more on her waist. Perhaps all of their discussion would remain on politics.

[ROBERT SNOW]

Robert pulled Eponine back to him, having admired her petite, willowy frame as she spun away from him. She was stronger than she looked, undoubtedly, but that was the exciting thing about women like Eponine. One never knew what they were capable of. “Have you thought about your political standing since your bold move with the council?” he inquired. He had asked her to serve as secretary at the most recent leaders’ meeting because Cadence had been unavailable, and while the position was not a permanent one, he wanted to raise her higher. She nodded politely. “I have. I hope that business won’t stop me from furthering my career. The council is no longer my biggest fan, but there are other avenues for which I could serve.” Robert smiled enigmatically. Yes, there were many avenues for which she could serve, but he would get to that in a moment. “I think you know I personally admired your courage in standing up to the council the way you did. They’re a sloppy, worn-out excuse for the council of our forefathers, and I appreciate you calling them out on it. It’s given me all the more reason to start replacing council members with younger, more talented recruits,” he confessed. Eponine looked surprised and a little skeptical, but she eventually gave a smile. “Well, I’m glad I could be of service.”

“There is another capacity…for which you could assist me,” he began, broaching the topic smoothly. Eponine’s eyes looked suddenly uncertain but he pressed on. “Eponine…in seven years, I haven’t given up hope that you and I could be more than colleagues.” She looked very uncertain now, her brow furrowed and her pretty mouth frowning. “Is there any way I could convince you to give me a chance?” She swallowed hard, her eyes flitting away from him. At first he wasn’t aware of what she was looking at, but when he followed her gaze discreetly, he saw Stokes at the end of it. That made his own brow furrow as he looked down at her. “I’m flattered that you still think of me that way, Robert. Really, I am. But…but I’m not interested in a personal relationship with you. I admire you as a leader and I would like to serve you professionally…but I can’t be anything more than that.” He was disappointed. A nobody like Stokes had caught her attention, but she turned Robert down? It was foolish in his mind and it made him angry once more. What sort of move was that? A cruel smirk came to his lips as he looked down at her. “It isn’t like you to mix business and pleasure, Eponine. Have you made an exception for Mr. Stokes?” Her eyes came back to his, now bordering on angry. “This has nothing to do with Micah.” That neither confirmed nor denied his suspicion that they were something more than client and lawyer, and he was starting to seriously consider that possibility.

With a sigh, he looked over the crowd, cooling his frustration. “Well, if you won’t date me, then I suppose that makes you a good candidate for becoming one of my legal advisors.” That statement stunned her and though he wanted to do nothing more than sulk about being rejected once more by the only woman who ever dared to do so, he offered her a small smile. “There’s an opening and I would like you to fill it if you can get through the application process. Would you be interested?” His voice was a mix between professionalism and exasperation. Eponine seemed speechless, her eyes wide as she stared up at him. Slowly she began to nod. “Yes…yes, I would be very interested. Thank you…” Robert spun her away to give himself a break from looking at her frustratingly beautiful face. When he pulled her back, she still seemed bewildered.