It was a rare moment indeed that saw the gangly young man take his place at one of those rounded tables. Tobias having spied his name upon the place card and indeed, in that moment, so having displayed an actual ability to read before seating himself at it. There was a part of him that so relished this- this simple existence amongst others, in blending so flawlessly with that crowd and too that sense of simple belonging he seemed to achieve from it. Yet, another part of him was almost wary of these gathered individuals, though whether this was simply because Tetradore had often found distress in crowds and Tobias, in turn, was prone to mimicking his favoured companions behaviour remained to be seen. It was instinctive, in a sense, to want to be near those other people and yet in turn that feline part of him wanted to be away. A sense of confliction stirring within him at the very idea before his attention returns in full to his mate. His own idle thoughts brushed aside in the wake of his attempting to explain that other side of himself and those more difficult characteristics that tended to personify him before her hand rested upon that all-too sensitive thigh. It is surprise that seems to touch his features then, golden eyes cast downwards at her hand as her fingers press closer to the inside of his thigh- that action alone resulting in a short, sharp, intake of breath, an instinctive reaction to that touch. If her touch had surprised him however, her words very near shocked him. Raven was, by definition, an entirely chaste individual. She was nervous of any embrace to physical, she allowed his own affection to only ever go so far before gently pulling away each and every time. Whether it was fear or nervousness or shyness he hardly knew. Tobias having come to decide somewhere in those fractured thoughts that it was perhaps a little of each and yet she had never been ready. Not in any sense. This open flirtation, this tease was- new. Breathtakingly new and for at least several moments he is caught off guard.

He is quick however to let that crooked smile return to his youthful features. Such boldness as that took bravery on her part. The dark-haired man unwilling to have her doubt herself or allow his inaction to cause her any sense of worry. It was easy to reach his hand forward, capturing her own, tugging her just slightly closer before letting his lips brush against her own- Tobias momentarily deepening that kiss by way of appreciation for this teasing promise, both hands coming to rest either side of her neck in a truly tender gesture before he lent just slightly away, breaking that kiss well before it was over in his own sort of tease. His words little more than a whisper against her lips now.

"Hmm, I shall have to make sure no harm comes to you then."

He smiles once more, leaning away from her now to rise and take her hand in his own again. His pants feeling perhaps a little tighter then before. If tonight was going to be any sort of success they would need to act as they did when Tetradore was here. Performing just as they had then. Tobias willing enough to take that leading role as he moved to lead her towards Gerald Lowsten, the managing director of the main company and the host of tonight's affairs. It was important to be seen and more then that, it was important to be seen donating to that cause. Tetradore's reputation of being a man of few words and Tobias' of being a man of no words evidently caught the director by surprise and yet he recovered quickly to take Raven's hand. The tall man introduced his companion easily, using both human and Were titles, aware Gerald would understand them both, the man nodding in turn as they completed that introduction. That smile upon Ravens lips stirring one to his own. It was only that sudden request for his last name that saw him hesitate, a panic of sorts settling within him. His name. His last name. What was it? Searching amongst those fractured thoughts was like searching for a grain of salt on a beach of sand. It existed he knew. It teased at him, lingering like a hollow memory, one he couldn't grasp, one that lingered out of reach. He knew he had a last name. He had to and yet what was it? He didn't know. No part of him knew. That memory so deeply buried he could barely recall it and yet those words seemed to erupt within him, uttered suddenly and to his entire surprise. Cain. It sounded right. It felt right and yet he couldn't be sure, he didn't know. Gerald hardly seeming to notice his distress and indeed if he did he simply took it as part of the boys naturally curious demeanour.

The moment Gerald turned away he felt his mates hand against his own, Tobias glancing briefly downward, one hand running through his hair before her lips pressed against his cheek and distracted the thoughts that ran rampant though his mind. The world suddenly seeming quiet as his attention focused upon her alone. Perhaps she was right. Perhaps it was his name. Who was to say it wasn't? She didn't know, not for sure and yet he wasn't entirely surprised. Her assurance that the name sounded good managed to stir that chuckle from within his throat, those golden eyes rolling softly and yet it was with affection alone. He was oblivious in those moments to the way in which the woman had so seized upon his last name, adding it to her own within her mind as a million women in love surely had before, saying it over and over. His own mind turned instead to those gifts piled high and the food that surrounded them. He had been aware, vaguely, of that date his Other had taken the woman on, a part of him having managed to see through those dark eyes and cringe at the fish she had been offered. He knew that instinct part of himself had been acting as nature itself intended and yet here and now when his thoughts achieved that rare clarity he was almost ashamed. That woman's laugh and the roll of her own eyes saw a look almost dubious take over his features as she attempted to praise that other part of himself and his attempts to wear a tie. A snort of amusement uttered.

"I did try, I suppose."

One arm wraps itself around her waist as they begun to make their way back into that crowd, Tobias leading her towards those tables of food, the man reaching to pass her a plate before taking one for himself, the feline halted abruptly as he reaches for that cutlery. He was not supposed to touch that. No. Yet he couldn't remember why. He frowns softly, head shaking a moment later before he bypasses that knife and fork, moving to take a bread roll and butter for them both before gesturing for Raven to choose what she liked from the table present. He himself reached for those slices of roast beef, ignoring salad and vegetables entirely. Both sides of himself so evidently carnivorous as he led the way back their table, head nodded politely to the other young couple already seated. He paused, briefly, eyeing Ravens own choices of food with approval before starting his own, hoping that this, somehow, might make up for the fish he had presented her with before. They hardly had to wait long however before that host for the evening at last took the stage, Tobias remaining in his seat, politely finishing his roast beef roll, clapping as the first guest speaker was introduced before one hand moved beneath that table, lightly squeezing Ravens knee to draw her attention to him. A few minutes after that he rose, offering his arm to Raven and an apology to the others at their table, declaring his need to make a business call. If there was anything these people understood it was business.

The crowd was absorbed almost entirely with those speeches, Tobias gliding smoothly to the back of the room before slipping into those shadows and towards that rear door. It was pried open silently, held for Raven, before he led the way out and to the back of those buildings. He moved quietly but lightly, heading for the adjacent warehouse, this one acting as a store-room for even more gifts then the one they had just come from. The room dimly lit to revel shelf after towering shelf of gifts reaching for the roof- a large roller door open at the opposite end. That there goal.

"I'm going to borrow a few of the gifts in here, everyone is at the party, security circles the building every six minutes on a loop. Once I have the borrowed gifts we will exit out that back door. This, however, is why he had you do the obstacle course."

One hand reached easily then for the light switch beside him, Tobias flicking it then, plunging the room into darkness, allowing Raven's eyes to adjust before gesturing to those thin red beams of light that littered the room in almost exactly the same pattern as those obstacles he had made her do before. Trip beams. Each one connected to an alarm that would take but a touch to set off.

"By the time I've grabbed what we need you have four minutes to get us through that and out that door before security notices the light in here is off and comes in. You ready, Birdie?"

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