A Dare Plus A Hat Equals A Date

[Star]

For most questions? His smile was probably answer enough.

It was completely unexpected. Which, he wasn't sure why, either. He was figuring out their rhythm, which was far more disjointed than any song, but maybe, it was there. Explain, get teased before or during, and she was game. And she'd had fun on the train --laughing, yo-- so why not dancing?

"Cool."

He answered as he wound her back in like a yo-yo. And, really, why not? Because fearless. Was it an Arrow thing? Or did she see the Lie that fear was? He also knew the hamster wheel was turning on her, because he didn't really want to turn it on himself. This was Not The Plan. Some strange little Warlock with scars wasn't why he'd come to Sacramento. But improvisation? That was his thing. And maybe Sacramento was his thing, and not some other thing.

It was all really, really confusing.

"Ummmm, great." He was still smiling, and added a nod. How long had he been smiling? "Most people, even if they feel the beat, they're nervous. Or shy. Or just, I don't know, afraid of not doing well? But you're doing great."

All those things got people got caught up with. With everything.

Everything, yo.

It was twice as quiet without the music. An illusion. The silence was the same as the when they'd first walked in. Maybe. But it still sounded awfully loud when he swallowed. Could she hear it, too?

"How, ummm, how am I doing? With this whole date thing?"

[Avis]

"Um. I don't know. I mean, I've never really dated before. I've, uh," she trailed off, looking away. Even in the darkness, the thought of eye contact was uncomfortable, and there was no point in finishing the sentence. Point was was clear: this 'whole dating thing' was new. Still, the concept was familiar, burned into her brain with the light from movie screens and the black of novel pages.

"Well, anyways, I can't say how you're doing with the 'whole date thing', but I am gonna remember tonight. Riding on the train, this tunnel, and um, everything else," she explained giving his hand a squeeze. "It wasn't a bad night. Which means you do suck at this 'whole dare thing'. Definitely doesn't feel like a dare. Not a proper one anyway. You have to be uncomfortable while doing those, right?" It was as close as she could get to saying she'd liked it. The words were implied, she knew that, but her tongue preferred to skirt the border of the obvious. For now.

"So, uh. Now that we've danced and stuff, do you wanna get out of here? Maybe give the dare thing another try in the future?"

[Star]

A light, silent laugh rippled through him at the question.

Oh, really?

If the definition of a good dare was being uncomfortable, then he thought this was a heck of a proper dare, for both of them.

But he got it.

The date? By any definition of mensch, it was not good. No flowers. No moonlit carriage ride. No fancy restaurant. No... But definitions were illusions, yo. And sometimes 'not bad' could be 'pretty good'. At least, for him. For her? Maybe she just meant dare, in the future. Or maybe she meant date. Or maybe she meant both.

"Yeah. I definitely think so," he smiled in the darkness, squeezing her hand in return.

Him? He meant both.

[Avis]

For some moments she said nothing. It was just them, their hands, and the sound of their breath mingling from less than a foot away. Then she let go of his hand and stepped back.

"Ok. Good. But, uh, for now you gotta help me look for the garbage. I think I accidentally kicked it somewhere when I did the spin-thing," she said, flicking her flashlight back on and sending the beam of light skittering around the rusted floor.

End scene?