Color My Life [Lyra]

[Locke Levington]

He first saw her earlier in the evening, during the time when the shows were still going on. It wasn't hard to pick her out onstage; she was easily the most beautiful, the flashiest, the boldest, and when Locke saw her and matched her face to the picture in the file, he knew that yes, tonight was going to be a good mission indeed.

He could have cornered her right after her performance, isolated her then and after that he'd be done for the night, because even though technically he wasn't allowed backstage he'd long figured that if he walked, talked, and dressed similarly everyone just assumed that he worked there. But no, she was a real prize, and he was going to savor it. It wasn't often Valentines were assigned to people who were actually attractive so this, if nothing else, was going to prove to be fun.

And now here he was, dancing with her on the crowded floor, his back pressed against the same pole that she, hours before, had ground against. He placed one hand on her side, a light touch on her ribcage, and let out a low purr that was probably lost to the music, the laughter, the sound of bodies sliding against one another and the pounding of feet against the floor. His hand slid down her side and came to a rest on her hip. He gave her a sultry look and a smile as he tilted his head downward in the way that, he'd found, made him near irresistible to almost anybody, female or male.

Locke hoped that she would get the message. Sometimes people didn't, and in a crowded place like this that could get awkward. But she was a Telum rebel, and though he didn't hold them in too high of a regard, if she was noticeable enough to have a Valentine sent after her, surely she was intelligent. Surely.

[/blockquote]

[Lyra Pendragon]

Well, lookie there. Pretty boy wants to play.

She tilted her head, making her dark hair (up in a high ponytail because goddamn it got hot on the floor) swish, and flashed him a purely Lyra grin -- all energy and mischief. She leaned in as if to kiss, but quickly ducked back, laughing. If you want this, if you want this, if you want this, baby, you're gonna hafta ask, her mind sang -- lyrics from a song about lesbian sex, honestly, but hell, it was pretty damn fitting, wasn't it?

Lyra loved the dance floor. She loved her job. The energy, the attention, the music, the chemistry -- It all combined into a mass of gotta-love-it fun-for-Lyra stuff, even if it did put her out there in the spotlight where people like Pretty Boy could find her.

Well. Even if she could be found, that didn't mean she could be caught. She's Lyra, after all, and trying to catch her was like trying to catch sunlight with your bare hands.

"Catch me if you can," she sang, almost shouting the words to be heard, "and when you figure out where I am, I'll be somewhere else..." She danced behind him, behind the pole, only to lean in and continue singing in his ear. "Run, run, run, as fast as you can... Come on, baby, catch me if you can~."

[Locke Levington]

She was sunlight, but Locke felt that even that was too bland a description for her. She was sunlight glinting off of a fast-moving stream in some verdant, bejeweled forest, and like the light she was there in one second and gone in the next only to appear right beside him again.

He admitted, he fell for it when she leaned in, tilted his head upwards as if to meet her for a kiss but then she pulled away, laughing, and Locke couldn't help it, he smiled too. Her energy was contagious, and soon he found himself infected with the same kind of happy, wild mood, bold enough to tease, playful enough to grant, and when she leaned in, behind him, behind the pole, to sing in his ear, the only thing Locke could consider was to accept her challenge.

While still keeping his own handle on the situation, of course. Maybe he was having fun, but at the same time he was still a professional, and professionals don't get carried away, ever, and they don't allow themselves to lose control - over what's happening, over themselves, their environment. So even as he grabbed her hand with a roguish grin and pulled her close, into what could have been a tango stance, Locke was reminding himself of his mission, the expectations, what he came here to do.

She was sunlight, this beautiful, brilliant rebel. She dazzled and shone and sometimes she was so bright he wondered if he should shield his eyes, but if there was one thing he would not allow her to do, it was blind him.

[/blockquote]

[Lyra Pendragon]

An organized dance? What the fuck is this shit? Lyra freedanced, thank you very much, screw all this organized stuff with rules.

"When ya tango," Lyra said, "the follower is s'pposed to dance with their eyes closed." She grinned. "So close your eyes, babe."

Gyahahahaha.

[Locke Levington]

Locke laughed. She was cheeky, but she was definitely aggressive and bold and he was, without a doubt, extremely amused right now. He toyed with the idea of humoring her, but decided that he couldn't risk closing his eyes against the sunlight, lest it vanished while he did.

"I'd like to," He said, "But what's to stop you from disappearing behind a cloud, eh?"

He would allow her to lead and pick whatever kind of dance she wanted - that much he could grant her, but closing his eyes when he was probably already at risk of being stabbed by some other Telum? No way, he couldn't do that. But Locke relinquished his arm around her waist, putting a little distance between them even though he held onto her hand.

If he couldn't catch sunlight, he could catch the next-closest thing.

[/blockquote]

[Lyra Pendragon]

Whhaaaat? This kid's a weirdo. He's probably narrating something about me all poetically in his head or some shit.

"What makes you think I'll run from a pretty thing like you?" she cooed playfully with a wink. Come ooon, stop actin' like this, or I'm gonna start to think you're some kind of stiff.

[Locke Levington]

He shrugged. Not much else he could do, and if he wasn't careful he might end up losing her. Best course of action was probably to just play along with her for now, dance with her, do what she wanted.

"Haha, well if you can guarantee that, then lead away, beautiful." He allowed his eyes to slide almost closed, keeping one barely open, just enough for him to make out his surroundings and orient himself. Though, dancing with her, that orientation probably wouldn't last very long.

He relaxed a bit and smiled. That's right, be natural at a dance club, have fun. Just because this was his job didn't mean that he couldn't enjoy it as well. And with a dance partner like her... well, how much more enjoyable could this get?

[/blockquote]

[Lyra Pendragon]

Excellent. This'll be fun. Lyra grinned widely, grasped his hands, and shouted over the music, "Oh-kay, here we go!"

The music was fast, and so was the dance. Despite her dislike for organized dance -- the ones with rules like how straight your back should be and how far away the partners' chests should be -- Lyra knows a lot of forms and steps. She made a point of taking lessons when she was a kid (paid for them herself, she did) so she could learn the moves and the rules -- and then, like a magpie, she took all those things and made off with them so she could do with them as she pleased.

And in this situation? She was pleased -- very much so -- to toss in the random non-tango move in there, just to see what this weird hottie would do. Spontaneity was fun, after all! Especially in dance.

But that's all life really was, wasn't it? Making shit up as you went along.