You're Working Too Hard (open)

Though Garrett Balington had changed shape after Chernabog’s curse, not that he knew that of course because very few people in town did know, a lot of things had stayed the same. He was still as carefree and as easy going as he had been, but this time as a human instead of a bear. He still enjoyed his fruits, only now on top of eating them raw he liked to put them in the snacks and pastries he served at his own restaurant.

Yes, the one thing that had really changed was his work ethic. In the world before, he had been the big bear Baloo, who didn’t have a care in the world other than the man-cub he looked after, Mowgli. Yes, to Baloo work was just a bad time. The switch between worlds had changed that. Garrett Balington, as he was now called, believed in hard work and dedication. He kept himself running his café, Papa Bear’s, and did very little for himself.

That was a stark contrast to what he was doing now. Antonio, his adopted son, had sent him to have fun and enjoy himself for an evening. Garrett had decided to go check out The Alley Cat bar. His friend Nathan Scatt co-owned it and was always telling Garrett how much fun it was. As he sipped his drink, a fruity concoction that he couldn’t remember the name of, and watched Carter Thomas and his band play, he had to agree with his son.

He was workin’ too hard.

Beca Hunter had been very different before the curse took of her, she had been a lioness and future queen of the Pridelands. But then the curse changed her and now she was a rookie cop, not that she remembered her days as a lioness. The curse made sure of that and she was like many of the others. Beca wasn't even sure why she has let her friend drag her out to Ally Cat's, she wasn't much of a partier and normally she was too focused on work to want to go out. But her female co-workers had talked her into a girls night and here she was, helping Lupa carry the drinks back to the table.

Becca Smollett smiled as she sat with Lupa and her partner Beca Hunter, her eyes scanning the bar. "Oooh Becs, look its Garrett Balington and he's headed this way!"

Garrett was indeed heading over to the table where his friend Beca sat. They had talked a few times at Papa Bears where Beca often tried out new recipes that he himself wasn't sure about. "Beca! I didn't know you'd be here little britches!"

Beca smiled and turned to face her friend, "Hey Garrett, I think this is the first time I've seen you outside Papa Bears." She softly teased him, "Having a good night so far?"

Garrett grinned, pulling up a seat to sit with the girls. "Oh you better believe it. I'm usually so busy with work that I don't feel like I can go outside of it. Antonio talked me into comin' here tonight and I have to say, I'm glad he did. The music is great!"

"This is a really nice place, its been a while since I've been in here. The music is really great." Beca smiled at her friend, feeling almost shy around him.

Garrett grinned wide, "Yeah, the music is great. Do you wanna go dance with me, cut a rug little britches?"

"Go on!" Becca encouraged, "It'll be fun!"

Beca smiled shyly before taking her partner's advise and nodding, "Yeah I'd love to dance." She answered before standing up to go with him.

Garrett took her out on the dance floor, a smile on his face. Though he didn't look it, primarily because of his age and stature, he was quite lithe on the dance floor. He loved to dance, it was a part of who he was. With a smile, he took her hand as a fast song played. "You ever swung dance before little britches?"

Beca smiled shyly, she wasn't sure if she wasn't much of a dancer. She was quite graceful though, she pushed a piece of hair out of her face. "I've never swung dance, is it hard?" She asked him curiously.

"Nah," Garrett grinned as he looked at her. "Swing dancin' is a fun time. You just let the music take you. Sometimes the moves can be fast and jerky but mosta the time, you gotta keep yourself loose."

As the music began to play, he took her hand and led her in a slow dancing. She wanted to make sure that she understood the motions of the dance before he led her in a quicker dance.

Beca shyly looked at their joined hands as they slowly moved together, she couldn't believe she was dancing with Garrett. She knew she had some feelings for him, but she had never looked close at them though.

Garrett hadn't really looked at Beca until now. She was a bit young for a man his age so he had put all thoughts of getting together with her out of his head. But as they danced together, he had no choice but to look at her. Her eyes were radiant, her smile was heartwarming, and yet all at once a person could tell that she was not to be messed with. "So...do you think you're ready to speed the dancing up? Swing dancing is a lot faster than this."

Beca smiled shyly and nodded, "Yeah I think I'm ready to speed up." She looked at him, hoping she wouldn't mess up.

"If I didn't think ya had the motions ready to go, I wouldn't suggest that you were fast enough to pick up the beat," grinned Garrett as he started to move just a bit faster. "Now, yeh don't mind being lifted and dipped do ya?"

"No I don't mind being lifted or dipped." Beca answered with a shy smile.

Garrett grinned and nodded, keeping that in mind as they spun around the dance floor together. She was very graceful, Garrett would have to give her that. "Are you sure you've never danced before?"

Beca smiled shyly and shook her head at his question, "No never, I've never really had the chance to before."

Garrett grinned wide, "Now who in the world would not give a pretty girl like you reason to dance? Even if they didn't dance with you, everyone deserves a good dance. Music, after all, is part of what keeps the world spinning."

Beca smiled softly, feeling a little shy when he called her pretty. "I enjoy music a lot."

Garrett smiled at her, knowing that she was probably feeling shy and that she had no reason to. "That's good. You know...you should dress up like this more often. I mean...work's important to you and I get that but...well...you look perfect just like this. Casual and fun, like I know you are."

Beca blushed softly when he told her she looked perfect, "Thanks.. I guess I do work too hard sometimes."

Garrett grinned and held her close, smiling, "We all do. I think everyone needs time to get away. That's why Antonio sent me out for the night. He thought that I needed time to think about what was going on."

Beca smiled back at him as he held her close. "The girls decided we needed to have a girls night out, they were right."

Garrett chuckled, "You girls practically run that police office. Only male I ever hear anything out of from the force is Mr. Markos. But yeah, I'm glad that you got the night off too."