It is only the soft, gentle lyrics of her distinctly feminine voice that see his eyes draw away from the floor and those tired wooden boards so scuffed and marked from years of wear and truly little care and yet even that shabbiness managed to bring a smile to his lips all the same if only for the unique realisation that it was perfectly them. All of them. Raven and Samantha and Tetra- even Nadya though she would never admit to it. Both dark golden eyes glance upward at the slight stumbling sound of shoes, Raven wobbling a little in the heels she was clearly unused to wearing. Tobias lifting his hand softly to hide that simper that threatened to tease at his lips at her stumbling efforts- afraid to discourage her in even the slightest as she came to his side. It was an effortless thing to wrap one arm around his girl, drawing her close, hand resting on her hip as his lips brushed against her cheek in a gesture of affection before that soft grin found its way to his face as he allowed his eyes to rove down her form in an entirely unashamed fashion. He could not recall ever having seen her in a dress, not through his eyes or Tobias' own, although that deviant boy was so rarely inclined to pay attention to clothing that he is assured it would have gone unnoticed all the same- lost somewhere within the void that was his memory- a place even he was unwilling to delve too deeply lest he find himself unable to get back out else discover that which he no longer held even the faintest of desires to recall. Some things were better left forgotten.

"-and I have never seen you dressed like that. You look lovely."

And she did. Tobias assured Raven was never told quite enough that she looked lovely. That of all the woman upon that Ark and all the companions they kept who surely told them often of how they looked or smelled or moved it was surely his Raven whom was so often left out of those compliments or looks or touches she was so deserving off and yet never seemed to complain of missing. She had accepted less than herself- in so choosing him and yet he knew entirely well that any mention of such would only distress the girl. Would make her, somehow, question her own value to him as if he was somehow the superior one in this relationship when the truth of it was so plainly stark to see. Such thoughts are distracted from his mind however by the press of Raven closer to himself, his lip quirking just so as this mention of his appearance and her apparent thrill at him being 'clean'. He knew, entirely so, that his Other was so often inclined to avoid water all together and yet in this they were perhaps agreed. Water was a struggle even for himself. He knew of the relative safety of a shower and yet how could he prevent that fear from touching his other side when it was that very fear that had saved them both before? The battle for a bath, it would seem was not one he was truly willing to have if only for his knowledge it was simply un-winnable. For tonight however, he had managed this and if it pleased his companion then that, truly was all that was given to matter. A deep, rumbling sound rising within his chest, like a purr and a chuckle combined.

"Raven, are you smelling my neck?"

It was a decidedly feminine thing to do, her hands upon his chest and too her sudden closeness distinctly feminine acts Raven so often tended to avoid though whether through shyness or fear of inappropriateness somehow he hardly knew. Her hand reaching for his own was hardly missed, nor the manner in which she squeezed it. Tobias distinctly displeased that tonight, when they might enjoy a nice evening, was going to be spent attempting to appease those other sides of himself that were distinctly and far less adapt to morals. Worse still, he was going to so drag Raven into this. He would have to have words with...well.....himself later on, the slight anxiety within her words hardly missed. Tobias reluctant to afford her the truth of just what they would be doing and yet, perhaps, they might be away to so at least spare her some of the details, his fingers so entwining with her own as he gestured back outside. Content to lead her now back out and onto the docks.

"Did you not ever wonder, Raven, just where Tetradore and I ever managed to get all those Christmas or birthday gifts we give to you and Samantha and Nadya and any other throughout the year?"

There was an almost sheepish look to his features now. In fact, the man entirely anticipated Raven might very well hit him once she knew the truth of his escapades with his companion and yet to allow that other side of himself to attempt to run this even would result in nothing more then what he is assured would be utter failure, the inside of a jail cell and an entirely distressed Raven phoning Jackal or Nadya to bail them out. Yet- that part of himself was so engaged with but a simple understanding of pattern. Every Christmas they did just this and this Christmas would be no different save for Raven had replaced Tetradore. There mere thought of his companion so threatening to bring tears to his eyes again as he hurriedly cast them away. There was no time for that tonight. The sound of music was beginning to grow only louder as they approached a well-lit up warehouse and perhaps the only truly decent building in the West. Several expensive cars were pulling up, decidedly wealthy people stepping out and onto that red carpet as the paparazzi's cameras flashed. The men wore suits, the women flowing dresses, everyone in a clearly pleasant mood. His voice low now once more.

"Every year Tetradore and I come to this party. It is an event hosted by a certain organisation for the influential people in town to come together and support.....several......local businesses. I think it better Raven, truly, that the less you know of this the better. Regardless, Tetradore makes a donation to this event every year its....something of a tax dodge I think and in turn he and I borrow some things."

It was a vague response still, Tobias so evidently having left out, perhaps, some key criteria to just what they were doing and yet what Raven didn't know was surely unlikely to hurt her. A part of them man however was almost looking forward to taking his mate to the very sort of event he was sure she deserved to go too. She looked beautiful. She looked entirely as if she belonged in this world of red carpets and champagne and fine food much rather then that boat. One day, perhaps, he might truly be able to give her everything she deserved. One day.

"Are you ready to have your photo taken?"

madness, as you know, is like gravity: all it takes is a little push