RT Log: Dance Aftermath

[ethereal_sage]

Characters: Albel Nox, Rinoa Heartilly
Date: Oct. 11 - Backdated - After DwtS
Summary: Albel catches Rinoa retracing her steps for the Cha Cha. They get a little cozy in the empty stage room. Albel takes Rinoa back to her place.
Warnings: Just some fluff.


Rinoa lifted a hand and pulled it over her beaded top -- if one could even call it that. Feathers fell around her pale flesh and the heels of her shoes tapped against the floor of the stage. It was so different to perform in front of so many people. She really had no idea how she was to feel. Was a part of her nervous?

She thought about what Diego had told her, during rehearsals, after the performance... everything. And holding out her arms, she began to swivel her hips, retracing her steps for the Cha Cha Cha choreography. "One-and-two-and-three-and-four-and. One-and-a-two-three-four. One-e-and-a-two-e-and-a-three-four..." Tap, tap, tap went her dainty feet. Swing, swing, swing, went the trails of feathers across her legs.

There was a single person in the darkness, just watching as she retraced her moves seemingly alone in the otherwise empty stage hall. Slowly, the figure rose from his seat, making his presence known. "It took you long enough," was the soft reply that nonetheless reached her ears through the silence.

She jumped. Stiffening her posture for just a moment, she squinted and through the dim lights spied him. Her eyes sought the stairs and she found herself moving without thought. Down the stairs and towards him, black hair askew and unruly, beads making their 'clacking' sounds as she progressed. "I'm so sorry you had to wait..."

"I see you that you're still wearing that ridiculous outfit," he replied, strangely calm. That outfit. He was in a state of shock when he saw her step on-stage with... that. After her set, he had tried to storm into the backstage, but was stopped by security before he could even do such a thing. Now he simply stood there, the faint light just catching the crimson tint of his eyes. "I should at least be thankful that it's just me in the room."

She flushed at his words. He disapproved. Clearly. It was written across his face. At least that was what she had seen. "...I... had not been given the chance to change just yet. Is..." She tilted her head to the side. "...Ah. You were a saviour. I can't think of anyone else I would have wanted to sit on the lap of. I was really lucky you were here tonight. If Godot has something like that again, though, I might not get it so easy next time."

Yes, he was lucky that he had happened to be sitting right there when she decided to pull that stunt, even if he ended up being such a useless babbling pile of goo afterward. Had she sat on anyone else's lap... "His idea then?" he scoffed. The thought of her dancing up there displeased him, but what would he do? He couldn't do anything, but he was indignant all the same. No one should see Rinoa dressed like this. No one save for one person that is. "I'd prefer to have as few worms touch you as possible. Godot is enough. It would be nice if we don't add any maggots to the equation."

It was all a part of the choreography. That was what Rinoa had thought. It had not exactly been her idea to find herself on anyone's lap. She did, however, choose Albel as her appropriate victim when she found out about what would happen. "...I assure you, Godot is nothing but... He's very nice to me. I don't think he'd do anything detrimental, Albel." Then she smiled shyly and shuffled her weight between her feet, "How did I do?"

"You bared yourself to Ares, caught in the embrace of another worm, wearing something that would make even me blush" he scoffed derisively as he approached her. He learned forward, but his serious expression lightened into mere amusement as he continued his reply. "But... you were absolutely magnificent."

His initial words caused her to retract. Did he dislike it so much? Was he so offended? She couldn't turn it down. If she did, she'd have to answer to Ultimecia, and on her own, she couldn't. Even with the others from Earth, she couldn't. Standing tall, she resisted the temptation to flee. Her cheeks darkened at his response and then when she heard his final statement, her expression immediately brightened, "Oh! That makes me so happy! I worked really hard! I'm so glad you liked it!"

"It shows, Rinoa," he smirked. "You had those worms in the palm of your hand" Ha. She teased all of Ares with that outfit, but that magnificent dancing specimen was his. All his!

"...The palm of my hand..." she murmured gently. "Unlikely." Rinoa reached forward and took him by the collar of his apparel, drawing him towards her. "You are the only one I want in the palm of my hand." She rested her lips upon his briefly. Hyne, she missed him.

Albel was in a similar mood, so her swift movement didn't seem to bother him in the least. Nor did he seem surprised when he found himself pulled flush against her body. They were both relatively scantily clad and he felt more of her skin against him than he was used to. He dared so slip his right arm along her exposed back, drawing her against him. "You're a little more bold than usual," he teased, offering a simple meeting of their lips as he spoke.

She never would have done such a thing if there had been someone else in that room. The lighting, however, and his praise of her had somehow encouraged her to do such a thing. Of course, her feelings played a part in it as well. A shudder scaled her spine and her lips upturned, "I missed you, Albel Nox," Rinoa confessed. "I've been so busy with rehearsals as of late that I haven't gotten to see you at all."

Albel felt a kind of rush pass through him, an exhilaration when his senses became overwhelmed with her presence. Her late night practices meant that he had to sleep alone. And much to his annoyance, his nightmares grew in intensity without her in his arms. "Whatever..." he replied. There wasn't much that could be done about his own habits even with her by his side. "You're definitely seeing me now. And..." He backed away to appraise Rinoa's costume. "...I'm *really* seeing you..."

Rinoa had never known of Albel's feelings for her. Not to that extent. In fact, she didn't really know how he felt at all. She didn't bother to ask. There was no reason for her to. She trusted Albel, and quite a bit, it seemed. She smiled and nodded in agreement, "Yes. I most certainly am. I'm seeing quite a bit of you." Though she hadn't noticed it before until he said something. Her attention immediately turned onto his eyes and she turned from him, drawing her hands over her abdomen, "....Ah... I... It's... too provocative. I know."

"It is...completely fine. That is, when it's just me in the room," he replied with a sly grin. He came up behind her and brought his gauntlet across her stomach, pulling her back into him. "So delectable..."

Her heart pounded against her chest, pleading for that freedom. When had she begun to open her ears and listen to this nonsense her feelings were spouting? How stupid. She allowed him to draw her close, "...D-delectable...?" Rinoa echoed him tenderly, "...I... I am hardly edible."

"You are in every meaning of the word," he smirked and kissed her neck, drawing her skin in with a light suck.

Seriously? He was teasing her. He had to be. If he wasn't then she had every right to suffer that terrible tingle in her body. "...Albel..." his companion gasped softly at his gesture. "...Here...? Should... should you be doing this here...?"

"If anyone shows up, we can say that you're just...dancing" he lightly snickered, half-seriously, half-jokingly. With that sort of dance, one wouldn't be able to tell at first glance.

"No one would be the wiser."

He had a valid point. No one else would know. That was what made the situation interesting. She turned to him and laughed softly, "They would, however. You are not Diego Armando. There is a very large difference between such... a feminine form." Rinoa purred with approval, "...And how completely rigid Godot is."

Albel looked down to the side, tracing the outline of their bodies together, matching her curves with his. Two similar forms... "You're right. I'm not that fool," he replied. "Would you prefer if I was more solid, more...substantial?"

She darkened when he reached for her and found herself trembling against him. "...I like you just the way you are, Albel. You do not need to change yourself in the least. I think you are..." What was he? "...becoming." And she mimicked him, bringing her fingertips along his ribcage to emphasize her point.

Albel felt... squirmy when Rinoa passed her hands along his body, along theirs. He shivered, drawing himself closer to her form, perhaps even seeking it. "Then I suppose you wouldn't mind if you try a few of your moves with me." Did... he just ask her to dance with him? Even Albel was slightly surprised.

She paused for a moment and then nodded slowly, "A Foxtrot it is then." Silly of her to assume she would dance in any other fashion with the man who lived with her. Well, man... woman... Person. She couldn't quite decide what he was. Not yet, anyway. It didn't really matter to her.

"The foxtrot might be fine with your evening dress, but not with that," he said. Unfortunately for Rinoa, he had other ideas in mind.

Rinoa blushed. It was not something she could hide, she found, and for that reason, she felt only a little vulnerable. "...Do you really need to see all of that again? You did not see enough before?" How easily flustered she became.

Albel laughed in that Albel-ish sort of way, composed yet amused all the same, even a little sinister in its intonation. "If you can dance with someone like Godot, what hesitation stops you from dancing with me?"

She caught that sound and the implications behind it, which didn't seem to help her cause any. "...I am not involved with Godot. I would feel more nervous doing such a thing with you, Albel. Though, if you insist..." She withdrew from him and took his hands, demonstrating with her form how he should stand. And with a simple movement, she cocked the right hipbone forward, causing the feathers along her thigh to adjust.

Albel rarely ever put himself a position that implied that he was the student, that he was the inexperienced once. However, just for Rinoa, he allowed himself to do so and despite his lack of knowledge in dancing. "Like this?" he asked and mirrored her form.

She chuckled and with a jerk of her head she indicated his opposite hipbone. "My right, your right. My left, your left. The movement and rotation between the two is a shimmy, assuming you don't physically lift your heels off the ground. It's a common dancing maneuver."

Albel corrected himself, attentive to what she was saying and interested to actually learn. He even put aside the fact that they were both on stage in their respective outfits. Just a little. "Like so?" he said and started with a rotation of his own hips.

She chose to perform the same gesture with her corresponding hips. "Very good, Albel. You're not bad on your feet at all." Even she had put her doubts aside. Then she released his hands and turned, swiveling her hips from side to side, using the heels of her shoes to keep count, "Try that too."

Dancing wasn't exactly Albel's forte so while he did perform the manuever, his tenseness showed and he looked stiff as he kept count. He seemed to realize that something felt wrong and looked a bit put off by his own performance.

She chuckled and stopped, circling him once. Stopping behind him, she slipped her arms around his waist, "What is it? Don't look that way. You have to be a little more loose. Not quite so refined. It's... like... intimacy while standing. Sort of."

"Intimacy... while standing..." he repeated. Loosen up? The idea of relaxing was terribly foreign to him, but he tried anyway. His shoulders dropped a little as he lowered his guard. "Better?" he said and playfully backed his hip against her.

She wasn't accustomed to having someone so close to her. She could feel the heat of his body come off of him. It was a glorious feeling, really. "Allow me," she commented softly. Her hands lowered to his hips and inclining her head, she shifted her hips against his backside, using her hands to do the same.

Though they did live together and they were 'dating' so to speak, they never really got as physical close as they were now. Albel picked up on this as he swayed and moved along with Rinoa. "Something like this?"

She moved him only a little more and then withdrew to watch him. "I would say you look splendid. Unfortunately, you only know the feminine side, as that was what I was taught. You look wonderful anyway."

"...Feminine... side? No wonder I felt...girlish," he scoffed lightly. He twirled around and brought himself to a stop next to Rinoa and took her back into his arms. "Those moves suit you more," he answered, lifting his claw to carefully cradle her face.

"Hee. Sorry. I only dance like a girl." She allowed him to draw her near and she coloured vaguely. A shudder scaled her spine and she was well aware he could feel it, "...Yes... I suppose they do... You look cute doing them, though."

"Me, cute?" he snickered. "You should stop describing yourself. In fact, you are...many things..."

An eyebrow lifted as her gaze rested upon his, "Oh? And what sorts of things am I?"

Did he say that? He was growing sentimental, wasn't he?. He closed his eyes to avoid her gaze with an arrogant expression on his face. "You're...special. You're..." He didn't know what else to say now that he was on the spot.

"I'm..." What was she? What was he describing her as? What did he want to describe her as? She drew her hands over him once more, marveling in how perfectly smooth his flesh was. "What am I... Albel Nox?"

How could he describe such a creature that is Rinoa? What adjective would there be that best represents how the Wicked saw her? "You're...you are...an anchor." ...Such an unflattering image, yet it was the best that he could come up with. He himself knew that he was going to have to explain this one.

An anchor. Something that kept him held down. Not physically. Surely it had to do with support of some sort. She didn't really know too well, but she thought she was on the way to understanding. Her lips upturned and she nodded, "Acceptable, I suppose."

He was expecting some sort of retort, but oddly enough, she understood where he was getting at. Somewhat. "And most of all, there is one word that describes you now." He wrapped his arms around her, wrapping her securely before he spoke against her ear. "...mine..."

Rinoa shuddered once more against him, finding a heat pervade across her cheeks. What an unruly man this Albel was. How... rude and barbaric... and so terribly wrong for her. Yet she liked him. She was exceedingly fond of him. She enfolded him in an embrace, noting the feel of bare flesh upon hers, wishing she had at least gone home to change rather than wearing that... odd ensemble. "...Yes. This is true, Albel."

Albel missed Rinoa. He missed her incredibly and those feelings were beginning to catch up to him when he had her in his arms. "Mine...and right now...I really do want you..." he whispered and offered a kiss upon her lips.

She had reassured him enough, hadn't she? She wasn't going to run off to some other guy, or girl. Rinoa wasn't acquainted with enough people in the first place. And she rather liked Albel. There wasn't another guy who could compete with him. "...Want... w-want me...?" she asked in an uncertain tone, soft and tender. She wasn't accustomed to those words either. After all, there was no other guy who used that with her.

"Yes," he whispered against her lips. His hand rose to stroke her cheek as he marveled at his current situation. "I...haven't seen you in ages," he said.

"You... exaggerate," she murmured gently. She rose a hand to rest upon his and tilted her head to the side at him. Naturally innocent, naturally naive, it was becoming perhaps.

"Fool, that is how it felt to me," he scoffed and gave her a small squeeze. With Rinoa gone, his nightmares went rampant and it was understandable that he would spend a lot of sleepless nights just thinking about her.

The smallest gasp, nearly inaudible to average ears, escaped her lips with his gesture. Hyne, he was... incredible at the least. "...I will try not to be gone so often..." It was all she could say. "...Should I leave a piece of me with you?”

"A piece of you?" he said with a tilt of his head. "What would you leave to me?" he asked as he more comfortably draped his frame along her body.

She leaned forward and quirking her head, she left a kiss upon his neck, "What would you like? A lock of hair? My clothes...?"

Albel felt himself shiver from her affections and let out a soft hiss as she let her lips grace the skin of his neck. "Your clothes? For... me to wear?" he said, somewhat confused.

"I was actually thinking undergarments, but.. if you want to wear my apparel, you could..." His sounds caused her to pause, momentarily retracting her lips from him. After all, even she could traipse too far.

He felt her retract and moved in to mirror those kisses upon Rinoa's own neck. His sounds weren't of displeasure. Hardly. Quite the opposite really. "Getting a bit bold there, Rinoa," he smirked upwards with a light nuzzle of his cheek against her skin.

She knew this the moment he moved in on her. Rinoa cringed when he reached for her and the softest mewl left her. "...Bold... an interesting word coming from a man who seems to hold me in the palm of his hand..."

"You can't blame me if I happen to like the position that I'm in," he remarked as he trailed those kisses along the rest of her neck. How reactive could she be? Well he was about to find out.

Well aware of the fingernails she was growing, it wasn't enough to prevent her from tightening her grasp upon him in reply. "...N-no... I guess I can't, can I?" To distract herself, she drew her fingertips to his back.

How incredibly delightful her reactions were, how satisfying were her every movement, orchestrated and controlled by yours truly. "If I was doing anything wrong, you would have stopped me by now," he said, just momentarily pausing in his actions.

This was true. If she had disapproved, Albel would have been made aware of it. She would have stopped him. Big time. She liked that attention, though. She loved it. She took a lot of enjoyment in it. "You're right. I would have hurt you a long time ago if I didn't like the way you touched me."

So, he was right. It was a guess, but not an altogether illogical one. "Would you say that even if I add my gauntlet to the equation?" He brought a claw tip along her abdomen, just lightly trailing it along her skin.

Rinoa shuddered when he reached for her. "...Even... if you add your gauntlet. It's a part of you. That means that I like that part of you too. It's... surprisingly cool against me, which at times is... incredibly..." She lowered her tone, "It's... attractive."

He laid his gauntlet to rest along her hip. If it weren't for that thin strip of fabric, his claw would have been laid bare along her body. "You are such a strange girl. Not that I'm complaining," he said with plenty of affection in those crimson eyes of his.

She might as well have been bare. After all, there wasn't much hiding her. She turned her attention onto his claw and smiled, "Well... I'm strange for you. I thought you'd prefer me that way." She offered him a wink in return.

Oh, she was definitely teasing him. Most definitely. "Maybe you would prefer it if we were in a less...open area," he suggested slyly as he leaned his frame against her body.

Extending a hand, she traced her fingertips over the claws of his gauntlet. She had grown accustomed to it. It didn't frighten her anymore. Albel would never hurt her. He would never use his claws against her in terms of anything other than love or desire. "...Is... that what you would like, Albel?"

"Yes. Very," he smirked. He figured that they had spent enough time out in the open. Things may get interesting if they were in more private quarters. Or so he imagined.

"...I guess it is time to go home," she admitted. Withdrawing from him, she lifted a hand and offered it to her companion, along with a smile. "So when you're ready to go home, we can go together. And we can be in a... 'less open area'."

Albel took her hand, but quickly drew Rinoa close against him. "Now would be perfectly fine," he said and began to led her out of the room.

Of course he wanted to leave right then and there. She wasn't about to argue with him. With a smile, Rinoa nodded, "All right, all right. Let's go." And without a single argument, she began to follow after him.

The night was chill and Albel made it a point to keep her near to keep her warm. Though his body was naturally on the cooler side, it was better than letting her be exposed to the night air. Besides, how could he resist not having her by his side?

Of course he would use that as an excuse to hold her close. It was a bit cold, and in her outfit, it was better to have him near. Prying eyes were the bad kind and she preferred to be protected by a man who wouldn't let anything happen to her. Her thoughts by now had grown far more innocent. Fortunately.

And of course Albel would be a watchful guardian. Anyone who so much as cast an eye on Rinoa was meant by the death glare of Albel the Wicked. He would have none of that gawking. No lecherous eye would be given the privilege of being graced by her image. And thus this continued until they were back at the apartments, back to the room they had shared together.

Rinoa had to admit she was happy to be back at their apartment. THEIR apartment. There was something about that, which made her blush a little. It was nice having him near, though. She liked it, a lot more than she'd bother to show. "Thank goodness. I've had enough dancing for now. I can wait for the next episode." She heaved a sigh and stretched a little.

He opened the door after her and allowed her in before closing the door behind him. "Confident that you'll make it to the next round?" he asked as he watched her from afar, stretching.

She spun once and and drew her hands over her form before leaning against the doorway to the hallway. "I don't know. I could go either way, Albel. You'd prefer it if I wasn't on the show at all, right?"

"You are correct, but c'mon," he taunted. "You're not going to be sent home on the first night. You were...far too perfect on stage Even those worms could see that," he complemented.

Rinoa darkened and she smiled, "Well, maybe I'll pretend I hurt myself and get out that way." A shrug was offered. Lifting a hand, she withdrew her hair from the ponytail and shook her head, letting the dark strands fall over her shoulders.

Albel watched her, wondering if he should do the same. However, that would just be stealing her thunder. Whenever Rinoa let down her hair, it had such a strange magical quality to it that he couldn't quite explain. "I wouldn't mind if you just put on a show just for me," he teased as he approached her, a claw upon his waist and walked with that subtle swaying motion of his hips.

His companion flushed. After all, Rinoa wasn't used to that attention just yet. Of course Albel would be thrilled. "You didn't get enough dancing back onstage?" she asked with the lift of an eyebrow. Her eyes dropped to the curve of his form. So like an hourglass...

"No, I meant something else entirely," he said, purposefully pushing the envelope to see how far she would take this before she objected. He had no idea if he would act upon his words, but he wondered nevertheless.

Something else entirely...? She didn't seem to understand what he was doing either. As a result, she blinked at him and smiled, "Meaning? I'm sorry. I don't seem to understand, Albel." She was naive. Terribly so.

A firm believer in show, not tell, Albel leaned forward and captured her lips and offered Rinoa exactly what he was talking about, a kiss that was more than just a simple meeting between two lips.

Now that was pretty incredible. It took only a few moments before she caught onto the idea. Well... of a kiss at least. She reached forward and slipped her arms around Albel's form, her hands carefully pulling over the curve of his hips. It seemed that was what he'd been waiting for,

Albel wrapped himself in her embrace and offered a smirk to Rinoa. Without another word, he leaned forward to give her a more proper kiss.

She nearly mirrored his expression as she rewarded him with a simple peck. "My, you're just adorable, Albel. In a bad-ass sort of way. I think I've found you irresistible."

"What luck considering my charm. Or lack of it," he said and allowed his hands to rest much more intimately around Rinoa's form. They were in the room in private. No chance for anyone to see them in such a compromising position.

On the contrary, Rinoa thought he was terribly charming. In an odd sort of way. She enjoyed his company. That was for sure. "You have charm. You have charisma. It's just not the same as what everyone else expects. But who cares what everyone else thinks, right?" She smiled and lifted a hand to tap her fingertips against his cheek gently.

His sentiments exactly. He wasn't sure exactly what he did to earn so much of Rinoa's favor, but he sure as hell didn't mind. "Everyone else except you," he commented. He allowed her to touch his cheek, a gesture that he wasn't altogether used to. In fact, everything about this was definitely not the norm at all.

He had grown more tolerant of her actions. He wasn't pushing her off or telling her not to act in this way or that. It was nice. It was becoming. She was actually relieved. It meant she didn't have to hide so much of herself, even from Albel, who at times, seemed not all right in the head. It was something to be forgiven, though. "Well, I'm me. I'm special."

Albel answered by nipping at her neck with light bites. She was absolutely delectable and he played with her as an animal might play with his prey. "Damn right you are," he smirked.

Rinoa gasped in a strange delight. She tightened her hands upon him. Every now and then, the thought crossed her mind that with his nature, he might end up drawing blood or something else of the sort. She expected it. Perhaps. "A special woman... for a special man..."

He didn't know about that. There were probably far better men out there. Albel knew that he regarded some as much higher than himself. But he wasn't going to point that out to her with her mind so set on him. "You know, you've been on your feet all day. This would be better if we were to lead this over to bed," he replied with a sly mischievous grin.

How did he know her so well? That was the whole reason she was leaning against the archway. Rinoa was so certain that if she let go, her ankles would give out beneath her. Those heeled shoes were the most uncomfortable things she'd ever had the privilege of wearing. "Carry me?" she asked in a teasing tone, mirroring his expression.

Without hesitation, Albel did pick her up bridal-style, quite easily despite what his slender frame might have one believe. "Better?" he smirked and headed off towards their bedroom.

"I was teasing!" his companion protested when he hoisted her up as though she was nothing. And perhaps in a way, she didn't weigh much in the least. Then she chuckled a little, "You must be tired too, right, Albel?"

"I wasn't the one dancing my heart out. But I wouldn't mind slipping in with you for the night," he teased and held her close. He got right up to the bed and with such care, he laid her out onto the bed.

"Of course you wouldn't mind," she murmured in reply. Hyne, he was just... something else, wasn't he? What it was, she didn't quite have a definition for. Yet. As he laid her down, she lowered a hand to the straps of her shoes and removed one and then the other, relieved at the sound of them colliding with the floor below.

"I've been waiting to do so all this time," he smirked. Albel leaned against the wall as he worked on removing his own weight, that gauntlet on his arm. It was a ritual that he did every night. Of course he didn't sleep with that thing on. That was just plain silly. He had originally felt uncomfortable with allowing Rinoa to see his exposed arm, but he was tolerating it now, more or less. With a soft chink, the gauntlet fell to the ground.

She adjusted her sitting form, her legs to her left. Extending a hand, she rubbed her ankles gently and watched him with a softened expression. He was handsome. With or without that gauntlet. Yes, the claws had a tendency to cause those delightful flutters she enjoyed so much. His hands could do so just as easily, she knew. "...All... of this time...?" she asked gently. Did he mean the entire night, or since her absence between work and rehearsal?

"Since you've been gone," he said curtly and slipped over to his side of the bed. "When I said that I missed you, I did mean it."

Her eyes followed him, along with the turn of her head. "...I missed you too, Albel. I'll... try not to be so busy. You should come to the love hotel and watch me dance sometime. It's... a lot different than how we danced last night."

Albel rolled over to Rinoa's side of the bed and quickly wrapped her up in his embrace, loving the feel of her warm body against the cool sheets of the bed. He missed that feeling of having her so close to his side. "It better be," he scoffed. If she danced like that every night... The thought left such a bitter taste in his mouth. "But I wouldn't mind seeing you during my breaks," he conceded.

It used to be in the summertime, she'd only wear her undergarments to bed. She couldn't do that with Albel living with her now. It was a little different tonight. Her outfit was as closed to undergarments as Albel would ever get to seeing her. "...There's something tasteful about kabuki. The white makeup. Wearing my hair up." By this time, her tone had softened considerably and she was drawing her fingertips over his flesh.

Rinoa was wearing so little, yet she didn't seem to mind really. And he appreciated her attentions upon his body. It was therapeutic, he felt, and would later ease his mind later when he faced his nightmares again. He growled approvingly and nuzzled her neck. "I'll have to see for myself. I haven't really seen it since coming here."

"That's... why... I said you should come..." she commented softly, in a nearly inaudible whisper. It was incredible. How could he create such ridiculous feelings with a simple tip of the nose into her neck? Honestly, he'd already seen her. It would do no good to hide it now. Even she knew that. "I... would like to see you there..." she continued, leaning into him to rest her lips upon his cheek.

"If you're going to sound so pathetic, then I'm definitely coming," he teased and kissed her cheek softly.

"Pathetic," she snickered gently. Then she reached up a hand and tugged upon his hair gently. "I'm hardly pathetic. You must have mistaken yourself for me." Oh, she could play too.

"Pathetic? Hardly. You can't go around spouting such lies," he replied, just going along with the line of discussion for now.

"And yet you can say such in regards to me?" She laughed. "How about trying this on? You can't stop me, Albel. I'm allowed to do as I please."

"True. But I know you wouldn't do anything to displease me," he snapped back. "That wouldn't be right for you, now, would it?"

"Wouldn't be right for me... An interesting way to phrase that. Are you saying you have a definition for me?" Rinoa asked. Lifting a hand, she traced his lips with her fingertips.

Albel caught her fingers in between his lips and sucked lightly against the skin before he had to release them to speak. "Rinoa: noun, a light-hearted fool who dares to dream about an arrogant bastard," he replied as though reciting it from memory.

She trembled against him. What a provocative gesture. Daring. Enticing. "I don't think you know enough about my dreams, Albel. I think you're overly arrogant to believe that I dream of you. Though... You are pretty dreamy." Then she chose to tease him, "I think I dream about Seifer and Squall." Painfully obvious teasing.

Albel responded by biting her neck just a little sharper than his other ones, though not enough to be particularly painful. Just enough to get the point across. "Those fools?" he scoffed. "Do I need to make a better impression upon you?"

Rinoa offered a soft cry, though it was more out of enjoyment and surprise, rather than pain, though with a wince of her form, it could have been taken as either. "You know... I'm not serious, Albel Nox..."

"I know. But that doesn't mean that I wouldn't enjoy making an impression on you," he said, possibly with some insinuation. With Albel, you can never really tell.

"An... impression on me..." she murmured gently. "And... what sort of impression do you want to make on me?" Her lips upturned as she tilted her head at him.

He knew that she was going to say something of the sort. He rocked forward and tossing his leg out, he sat up and straddled Rinoa in one quick motion. "Something like this," he smirked as he leaned forward with both arms propping himself up just over her head. He was being pretty playful right now, wasn't he?

She held her arms to chest, relishing in the feel of her rapid heart beat. Rinoa rested her eyes upon him and she simply stared before coercing herself to speak again, "And you somehow believe that... this is going to make a good impression on me?"

"I said impression. I never said anything about good," he smirked, but from the looks of it, her reaction didn't seem negative. He admired the few, mainly because of how...improper it was, to look at Rinoa clothed in such scandalous clothing from that angle. He lowered his once-gauntleted hand and just had to explore her curves with the part of him that normally remained so closed off to her.

This was true. It was a very valid point for him to make. When he reached for her, she paused for a moment and splayed her left hand's fingertips against his chest. She trembled. She was not accustomed to this attention that she was receiving. "...What... sort of impression... do you hope to make?" she asked softly, forcing her words through her lips.

"Enough to slip myself into your dreams for one," he replied and found his chance to lean forward and play with her through a kiss.

She tightened her grasp upon him and lifted her chin to return the gesture. A kiss was not something she would so quickly turn away. He was being sly, though, and she had to admit, she was a bit impressed.

He came this far. What was he to do now? Such desire concentrated on a single person, yet somehow just the thought of the act itself felt like it would tarnish her image. "Did I accomplish that? Or need I do more?" he whispered. He would be pleased no matter what answer she took.

Did he accomplish reaching her dreams? Rinoa lifted her hand from his chest to his cheek and pinched him softly, "...You're so silly... You didn't know I already dreamt of you, Albel...?" It was a terribly clever way to evade his question too.

Albel made a sound, much like an annoyed child. "I thought as much," he replied with his face still pinched. "But I wouldn't mind asserting my presence there a little more..."

What an adorable man. Reaching up across his ribcage and to his back, she began to draw him closer to her, "Permissible. I would be lying if I said I didn't... If I said I wasn't in the least intrigued."

Albel smiled, resting lightly atop Rinoa as he reached up to play with a strand of her hair. "Another time...when you're more rested," he said.

Her expression softened and she loosened her grasp upon him, "...Unfortunately you're right. I... wouldn't be very satisfactory for you tonight... Perhaps you'll just stay close to me. Of course, keep this up, and I'll wake right up." Rinoa offered him a wink.

"I wouldn't want to wear you out," he applied nonchalantly as he cuddled against his Rinoa pillow.

She cradled him against her gently. She hadn't held anyone like that, but she was enjoying it. Having him close to her, feeling his flesh upon hers... "I wouldn't mind." But she'd respect his wishes.

One day's rest. If she wasn't ready by then...well, there wouldn't be any question about that. Tonight she shall rest, but they'll celebrate her first night of dancing tomorrow. "And I thought that I was impatient," he teased.

"I'm not impatient," she murmured, enwrapping him in an embrace. She was too tired to argue with him, though, and it showed. And fortunately for her, he would give a night's rest. Perhaps.

"Hm..." was his noncommittal response as he felt himself slip into sleep. He wouldn't have been so eager to sleep without her. Perhaps tonight he'll be able to dream or something else. Something...pleasant. Maybe...