tampered | Log: Complete

That was always his way, to woo women of mundy and fable origin alike with his legend. It wasn't fair not by a long shot, but a part of Charming... a part he'd locked up since the end of his first marriage, believed that eventually everyone would come to learn romance was just that; pure fantasy. Another part of him genuinely enjoyed Toshiko's company, and she was beautiful and smart to boot. What was one casual night? Except Charming failed to declare the 'casual' part in his proposition. Perhaps he was expecting Tosh to have heeded those warnings and understood that was how Charming worked.

"Follow me," he offered another brilliant smile, arm in arm, and towards Xanadu's main gate.

For the most part, Tosh had come into the evening with a clear understanding of what she ought to expect, both because of Blue's warning and the benefit of past experience. But she was maybe too much of a true romantic at heart to be completely unswayed by Charming's gentlemanly manner.

And there was at least one being who, had she not been sent to her death by Torchwood's captain, could have told advised Charming that perhaps the fastest way to Tosh's heart was simply to listen to her, and to show interest in what she had to say.

She returned his smile, and willingly walked alongside him, silent until curiosity got the best of her and she had to ask, "Do you live close by?"

And he did show interest in what she had to say, perhaps just not for the right reasons... But who was to designate right and wrong towards unvoiced reasons? For all he knew Toshiko was agreeing so she could see his place, and bug it. That sounded like something Cindy, Bigby, or Mowgli would do. At her question he nodded.

"I live in an apartment that overlooks the edge of the park," Charming said. It was a holdover from his Wardenship days. The job did have some of its perks. "That one," he gestured to a building blocks down. It wasn't as tall as the main Apartment Buildings, but it had far more spacious quarters. Fit for a prince.

Tosh smiled at that detail about the view. "Back home, I've got a flat that looks out on the bay. A little pricey for the size, but you can't beat the view."

For just a moment, she felt an unexpected pang of homesickness, although it passed quickly enough, when she reminded herself that everyone who meant anything to her was here in the City anyway.

If she could have read Charming's mind, she'd have pointed out that she only built and monitored the bugs, planting them would have been someone else's job. If Torchwood were the sort of organization that did those things.

"So you enjoy the water," he asked Toshiko with another smile.

It was a conclusion he drew from her home overlooking the bar. Charming liked his place because it had style and status. It was no Fabletown penthouse though. He could get by without it... with effort. It didn't take them long to reach the front of the building with its glass doors and coded access.

"I do, yes. I grew up in Osaka, which is a bay city as well, so I guess that sort of view reminds me a little of my childhood home. But it's peaceful, too, which can be important with a job like mine."

Little bits of unrequested personal information, which were a clue to how comfortable Tosh was beginning to feel around Charming.

She couldn't help but be impressed, and a little intimidated, by the posh interior that the entryway suggested, feeling a little bit as though she probably wouldn't have been given the time of day by anyone inside if she hadn't been arm in arm with Prince Charming.

"I've never been to Japan," he admitted with a shake of his head, "but it sounds like a place I should put on my list of locations to visit."

Charming had heard tale of the women there too, ahem. Stories of the Eastern Fable courts were also prevalent in the Homelands. As for the poshness of it all, it was upscale but Charming bringing ladies to his apartment had become somewhat of a norm for the lobby. No one batted an eye anymore. He was fortunate to not live in the Torchwood building.

The elevators were equally polished, taking them to the seventh floor.

"It's really a beautiful country. Although I think I'm probably really a Londoner at heart. Japan is my parents' homeland, but the UK is mine. I could give you a few suggestions on places you should be sure not to miss, though, if you did manage a visit."

Tosh had to admit that the lack of reaction was appreciated, as was the fact that there were no protective friends lying in wait to commence with interrogation upon their arrival. And considering the seemingly constant comings and goings of residents and guests of apartment 32/33, the Torchwood building was probably developing a rather interesting reputation of its own.

Seventh floor meant the view over the park promised to be a nice one indeed, although Tosh was feeling equally appreciative of the interior charms of the building as well.

"London, now there's a place I know," Charming nodded, "from Islington to Brixton." He smiled again, "I'd certainly appreciate it, Toshiko."

He knew the city rather well, though he'd never admit that the upper class women in the Smoke rarely ever fell for his charms. Royalty was old hat to them, much like the under appreciation he felt in America. Really, the prince exaggerated the highs and lows of his conquests. He would take care not to... brag about this one in a crass manner.

"Here we are," he led her to a door with a gold monogram nailed to the front. Yes, his monogram, P.C. Some things about Charming could never change.

He punched his code into the panel then opened the door for her. The interior reflected the modern chic design of the rest of the building. If Toshiko was observant too, she might have also noticed that it barely looked lived in, even for a bachelor. His rapiers were in a floor standing sword rack on the other side of the living room.

Tosh couldn't help a grin at the monogram on the door. It didn't surprise her a bit, but it was a conceited touch that was in a way almost endearing. She gazed around as they entered with the eyes of someone who both appreciated the fashionable beauty, and who was accustomed to evaluating her surroundings for visible threats. Not that any were expected, but by now it was instinctive.

"It's beautiful," she stated. Then spying the sword rack, and of course that too made sense, added,"You fence."

She wondered if what she was seeing was meant for show, or if Charming simply spent so little time there that it hadn't acquired a lived-in feeling.

He was the best swordsman in all of the Homelands! Well, with a rapier anyway. His handling of fencing blades was legendary and his handle on broadswords and the like wasn't something to scoff at either. He always led cavalry charges with a sabre.

Ahem, to put it shortly, Charming nodded, "I do. Since boyhood."

The mark of a prince. The lack of a lived-in feeling was most definitely owed to his spending little time there. Like during his position as Mayor, half the time Charming spent his nights in the office. Due to that there were no other real threats in the apartment. The sword rack was likely the most accessible weaponry, second to the revolver at his back which he smoothly slipped out from his waistband, holstered. He set the leather holster on the counter separating the kitchen and dining area from the living room.

"Would you like another drink," he asked.

Spending more time at work than at home was the reason Tosh's own flat in Cardiff didn't have an especially lived-in appearance itself. That, and she liked the open simplicity of having a place to go that wasn't full of clutter.

"I imagine that's a lot more common where you come from. The only person I know who carries a sword is Captain John, and although I suppose he probably knows how to use it, I get the idea it's half just for looks." If he was paying attention, Charming might have detected an underlying edge of dislike bordering on anger when she mentioned John's name. But it disappeared quickly enough, as she turned toward him from her perusal of the room and smiled.

"I would, thank you." Tosh slipped her bag off her shoulder and set it on the floor against the counter, eying it hesitantly for a moment as she remembered she'd left her gun inside it, where it would now be completely inaccessible if she needed it. Then she shrugged off the concern, deciding that if worse came to worse, there were plenty of other ways to defend yourself against a man, and during her years at Torchwood she'd learned quite a few of them.

"I don't believe I've met Captain John. Is he like Captain Hector," Charming asked while retrieving a bottle of white wine, like he remembered seeing her drink. He paused briefly then looked to Toshiko, "or do you want something stronger?"

Rest assured the prince had no intention of drugging her alcohol. He'd never resort to such dirty tricks; the challenge was in using sheer charm and wit! He'd also detected the hint of distaste when she mentioned the other man's name. That was what drew him to mention Hector Barbossa, the pirate, but Charming believed Hector knew how to use the sword he carried.

"I don't believe I know a Captain Hector. John is an old acquaintance of Jack's," Tosh replied, her own mind going immediately not toward pirate but toward Time Agent, and that lent a little wariness to her response. "Um, oh no, wine would be perfectly nice, thank you."

The possibility that Charming might have more nefarious ideas wasn't something that worried Tosh -- in fact, she probably had begun to trust him more than she should have. But when you've had a lover hold a knife to your throat, you learn to take precautions.

He'd had Beauty threaten him with Beast tearing him limb from limb once? Did that count? He poured two glasses of white wine in handsome glass flutes for two. Then Charming laughed, soft and brief, at yet another example of City coincidental similarity. He offered a glass to Tosh.

"That's amusing, Toshiko. You see... Captain Hector was once absolutely obsessed with one Captain Jack," ah but then Charming shook his head, "but I don't believe it was your Captain Jack."

This was Captain Jack Sparrow to be specific, but he'd left the realm months before Captain Jack Harkness' arrival. He raised his glass to Toshiko's for a gentle clink, a toast but to what he didn't specify, then he sipped.

With a smile, Tosh ran a finger along the side of her glass in admiration for it, and gave a little nod at the toast before taking a sip of wine.

"And I suppose even more amusing yet, then, because John is completely obsessed with Jack. Jack's the only person who can keep him in line without the threat of imminent death."

She gave a small, one-shouldered shrug, as if to dismiss the unpleasantness of that particular topic so that it didn't mar an otherwise perfect evening.

Edited 2008-04-25 19:40 (UTC)

He hadn't forgotten Jack's warning to him, not by a long shot. It was a matter of whether Charming cared or not. And besides, he wasn't planning anything terrible for Toshiko, not by his standards. Then again, Charming had a reputation and all those warnings had to be rooted in truth somewhere.

"The parallels this city draws are uncanny," he grinned, taking another sip. His eyes were watching Tosh coolly, down to that gesture of her shoulder. Already he was contemplating the style of bra she wore. Hm, silk and synthetic fabric blend, demi cups.

Tosh wasn't aware of the warning, but even if anything did happen, unless it posed a threat to the team or the community at large, she'd stand in the way of Jack doing anything violent. She'd even tried to stop him from destroying Mary, after all.

It took her a minute to realize she was being studied, and when she did, she blushed lightly. Not because she minded, though -- it was a rare compliment to be made to feel as though she was attractive to someone, and she reveled in the thought. After a moment, she took a breath and set her glass on the counter, and stepped closer.

Wouldn't that be messy, because violence against the prince was violence against the Mayor of Fabletown, and Blue and Fly knew he had to stay alive in order to return and fight against the Adversary. Charming however had no idea what had been going on between the Homelands Convict (one day Tosh should learn of Blue's prison sentence) and the Time Agent. Ignorance was bliss and all that.

Charming easily slipped into that working mode, arm snaking out to draw Toshiko in by her waist. He leaned forward to kiss her, this time with his mouth open.

That made two of them, because Tosh was living in blissful ignorance as well, beyond the suspicion that there might at one point have been some dabbling. But maybe she and Blue could trade prison stories sometime.

She raised her hands to rest them on Charming's shoulders, and met his mouth with parted lips. Maybe down the road she would learn to regret not paying better attention to the warnings she'd been given, but right now she was positive there'd been no point to any of them.

Oh but that would be equally detrimental to Charming! He was the one who sentenced Blue, hah. There was more to that story really, but he could never count on the boy fable to give the full detail.

His hands snuck along her back, till his fingers roamed across her nape and into her hair, then they trailed downward again till they settled just above the top of her rear. Charming leaned back briefly, to give Toshiko a mischievous smile. Cinderella was a popular fable, she drew her physical strength from that, thus she could lift an average sedan. Prince Charming was no different (though realistically he probably couldn't benchpress anything beyond a VW Beetle). He swept Toshiko up into his arms, without her permission, to carry her towards the bedroom.

[ooc: Do you want to wrap up here, fade to black? PC by the way is renown for his "cocksmanship", the term is canon XD]

[That sounds perfect. I sort of assumed that he wouldn't have kicked Tosh out of bed and she'd have stayed til morning?]

[I saw her post! That's right he would've walked her out in the morning .]

[Yay! Yeah, she'll be flying high for a while after this. :D]

[Aww Tosh ;-;!]

ooc

warped-inside.livejournal.com - 2008-04-25 20:51 (UTC) - Expand

Log: Complete

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

ooc

ooc

Re: ooc

ooc

ooc