One step at a time. Moonlit Ball. [CLOSEDish]

Alexandra wasn't expecting Alonso to move in for a kiss, but thinking about it briefly in retrospect, she realized that she did unwittingly lead him on with her answer. "Well, there's no going back now," she thought to herself. She had lead him on and she couldn't turn him down now, especially with him going the extra effort in front of so many people. But the more she thought about it in that brief moment, the more she found herself drawn in, an inexplicable desire urging her on. Alexandra closed her eyes and moved in close. Their lips met, a brief but endlessly atemporal moment of passion.

Alicia wasn't entirely sure what Lí meant, but she nodded anyway, and finished the dance with him smoothly.
Looking around quickly, she blushed a bit, noticing people clapping. Of course they weren't clapping for her, but it was still embarrassing either way. She smiled at Lí and took his hand, half-shaking it.
"Thanks for the dance, and he drink." Her feathers fluffed up and smoothed themselves down again. She looked around and saw the coat check, just past what she now saw was the refreshment table. "I'm going to go put my shoes in the check," she said sweetly, "See you around."

Being the first to pull away Alonso smiles as he looks at the girl in his arms, quietly letting the moment set in before saying anything. Luckily everyone was more focused on the spectacle and payed them no heed before everyone else started returning to their seats. Letting go of Alex's waist but keeping a hold on her hand he smiles and says, "Did you enjoy the fireworks?"

Sitting back the table, Alexandra took a sip of her sherry.  Putting it down, she softly answered with a slight and amused, but genuine, smile, "You know I did."  She looked at the crowd at onlookers still wowed by the fireworks, even as they faded away, "and it looks like everyone else did, as well."  The two sat together silently for a little bit, not so much in awkward silence but more in enjoyment of the other's company over the course of that night.  Alex started to muse about the night about what had happened and what was to happen, as she once again absentmindedly played with her necklace with her free hand.

Fionn continued to stand at the drink table having a great time even with no one accompanying him as he noticed Alicia walk away from Li, he continued to watch her as she went on her way to the coat check, briefly noticing her lack of shoes and deducing that she meant to put them away at the aforementioned check.

He sighed and continued to drink, the taste of the olden alcohol flaming his tired and worn throat as his liver fought the battle of its life, attempting to keep the powerful forces of the ancient drink from breaching his defenses of sobriety.

After a couple of minutes the crossbreed would have lifted himself from his seat, seeing as the dance-oriented activities had been put to a current hold...or at least, it seemed to in his eyes. He stretched soundly while looking around silently, blinking to himself as he caught sight of Fionn once more. Heaving a sigh he would shrug to himself, walking over to the lad as he sat afar. On the way he came across a man with a couple of drinks upon a tray, quickly brushing past him and taking one of the two drinks in the process. He nodded toward him while passing by, shooting him a grin before finding himself behind the lad that he had spotted. His right foot nudged, gently kicking the heel of the chair. "Yo, that isn't some of that weird shit that you brought to the truth or dare session, is it?" he asked suddenly with a sly smirk, chuckling quietly before taking a sip of his held refreshment.

"Why don't you say we sit the next one out." Alonso said, getting a hold of Alex's hand. Taking a drink with his free hand he holds it up against the glass ceiling, letting the light pass through it to form a pink visage of it across the table. "There's something else on my mind aside from dancing at the moment." He said, squeezing her hand a bit.

"Of course," Alexandra said. After the last two spectacular dances, she was in no hurry for another. She was still looking out across the ballroom, taking in the scenes of the lovely evening. She had much more fun at this ball then she had had in quite a while.

Alex looked at at Alonso when he mentioned that there was something else on his mind. "Oh? And what would that be?" she responded in a semi-flirtatious but interested manner.

Enjoying the serene ambiance and the lovely music, Alonso gets lost in thought before hearing Alex's reply. Not wanting to make her wait for an answer he starts leaning towards Alex again, locking eyes before whispering, "Do you want to find out?"

Alex was a little taken aback. Hadn't she just asked him what was on his mind? Besides that, the way he was leaning forward and locking eyes with her made it's seem like he was going in for another kiss, something Alex was not going to give up so easily this time. Still, she wanted to know. Without moving, she maintained eye contact and, with a slightly sly and cunning look, amusedly said, "Yes."

Alonso smiles before squeezing Alex's hand again, carefully moving in closer, every second seemingly longer than the previous one. Every sense heightened and every touch more exhilarating than before. He then places one hand on Alex's shoulder, the other brushing strand of hair over her ear, before leaning in for a kiss, carefully pressing his lips against hers and instantly recognizing the same familiar softness that he felt just a moment before under the moonlight.

Alexandra beat herself up on the inside a little bit.  She saw it coming and promised herself not to give in so easily, but she didn't stop it.  Perhaps she didn't want to stop it.  Regardless, after the first second of that kiss, a second that would have been a lie for Alex to say she did not enjoy, she forced herself to pull away in the middle of the kiss and placed her index finger to Alonso's lips.  Keeping her finger on his lips, she whispered as soft as Alonso had, though adding a vaguely provocative edge, "Well, aren't you a little greedy?  I already gave you one; you're going to have to earn this one."  

She got up from the table, gently brushing her fingers across Alonso's shoulder and upper back, and walked in her own elegant way towards a large open door in the ballroom.  She stopped at the large door, and looked back at Alonso, her alluring eyes beckoning him to follow, before she continued out the door onto a large, private balcony.

A bit disappointed by his failed attempt at another kiss, Alonso regains his composure after hearing Alex's words. The second she reached the balcony door and locked eyes with Alonso, he felt shocks run down his spine causing him to jolt up from his seat and head straight for the door. Before going through, Alonso reaches into his coat to pick up another rose that he's been carrying around since he got here and holds it gently between his palm and sleeves, slightly hiding it from plain view. Having noticed they were the only two people there Alonso walks across and jumps onto the edge, nimbly balancing while doing a few quick steps as if in a dance before bowing towards Alexandra, rose still in hand. "Beautiful Night, Madame." He said in a manner as if they just met. "Has anyone told you how beautiful you are under the moonlight?"

Alexandra, at the balcony's edge, sat on the parapet and looked musingly out across the city below them.  The endless sea of lights illuminating the city contrasted with the pitch black of the surrounding forests and ocean.  It was so beautiful.  Yet even more beautiful was the way the moon, perfectly round and the shade of the purest silvery-white, bathed the entire landscape, touching everything with its gentle ethereal rays.  

"Beautiful Night, Madame.  Has anyone told you how beautiful you are under the moonlight?"

Alex did not respond to Alonso's comment, nor did she take the rose that he offered in his hand.  She was too lost in thought for that now.  This night was perfect, and she thought to herself that had other girls had the night she had tonight, they would all say that there was nothing could make it any special than it already was.

Alexandra, however, thought of just one way.

While still sitting on the parapet, she brought her feet to the other side, facing outwards towards the city.  Alexandra looked at Alonso, staring deep into his eyes.  She whispered but three words, "Dance with me," and let herself slide off the edge, diving down to the city.  A glyph activated, pushing her back higher above the rooftops.  Using her semblance more, she created several more glyphs, leaping between the rooftops and danced a small ballet in the moonlit sky.  She elegantly came to rest upon a tall roof before looking back up at the balcony, waiting for him to join her.

Alonso's heart stopped for a moment when Alex dove off the balcony, nearly spreading Lucifer out in full form but stopped at the last moment when he saw a glyph manifest. Amazed at how Alex managed to maneuver so effortlessly through the the use of her glyphs, Alonso then decides to follow her through on the rooftops. Manifesting several swords Alonso then starts nimbly jumping on their flattened edges, carefully making sure not to miss a step lest he fall down towards the city. Every time he would leap from a sword it would disappear and reappear a few feet in front of the next one. Alonso was doing so in a manner to conserve his aura after his enthralling display at the dance to make sure he wouldn't exhaust himself because, of course, he had one more dance to attend to. At the last few meters Alonso then spreads Lucifer's blades out in all their glory, their ominous and eerie presence deeply contrasting with the serene outlook of the city at night.

Leaping from the last sword Alonso glides towards Alexandra before closing Lucifer back to it's folded form as his foot touched the roof, grabbing Alexandra by the waist as he landed then holding and tilting her down in a manner so that he would be looking down at her from above. "Alexandra" He said, staring deep into her eyes as he did. "May I have this dance?"

A shiver shot up Natalie's spin when she felt Matt's hand rested on her back. She gave a slight blush, feeling a little awkward about it, but pushed on. Leading the dance as stealthy as she could to make it look like Matt could actually dance. "Alright, nice and easy" she cooed, trying to keep everything nice and calm. She was actually starting to feel a little calm during the whole thing.

That was until Matt sprung the question on her about where her parents were. "Umm..." She began looking around nervously, had they seen her before she saw them? Maybe they even saw her attempt to break Matt's foot. "I... I don't know... Just... Just keep on dancing...alright?" She spoke a little sheepishly. She didn't want to worry right now. She was so stressed out by getting everything organized for the ball, that she just wanted to enjoy herself for a bit.

Alexandra brought herself upright and gently broke free of Alonso's grasp.  She walked towards the far end of the roof, and looked back over her shoulder at Alonso.  She appeared so serene and majestic whilst being bathed in the moonlight; her figure contrasted against the moon behind.  The calm way she looked back at him evoked a sense of elusiveness that carried with it the image of angelic beauty and purity, a beauty that was not meant to be gazed upon but still teased with its mere existence the hearts of those who were lucky enough to catch but a glimpse.

With that, she stepped off the edge of the roof and onto a glyph, launching her up into the air with an acrobatic flip.  The glyph persisted, seemingly as if intended for Alonso to step onto it.  They were going to dance, but it would not be so simple as merely dancing on the rooftops.  For this dance, the midnight sky was to be their dance floor.

Alonso found himself staring at Alexandra before she suddenly leaped into the air, leaving a glyph in place for him to use. Placing the rose in his mouth he dashes for the glyph leaping after it and then finds himself vaulting towards Alexandra. It wasn't the first time he found himself chasing after a girl but it was definitely the first time he jumped off a roof to do so.

Still in the air, Alexandra did not wait for Alonso to catch up with her. She used another glyph to launch herself again, this time back in the direction she came, towards Alonso. Their eyes met as she passed him, barely out of reach of his arms.

Alex created several glyphs to alter her direction and speed into the most artistic aerial dance forms possible, while the light generated by the glyphs themselves dotted the night sky. Though she occasionally left glyphs for Alonso to use, she did so only sparingly. It was clear that she wanted him to use his own aerial maneuvers, reflecting the essential, but perfectly complimentary differences between them. Like two birds in the sky, they continued to glide and leap in the moonlight.

In many ways, their dance was a game of cat and mouse, with Alonso chasing and Alex always just barely managing to elude him. But it was through this game that the unspoken bond between them was forged.

Alonso had to sparingly use his swords as foot holds and eventually had to spread Lucifer out to maneuver mid-air as he chased after Alexandra, every step seemingly heavier to him then the one before it yet every glide as graceful as his partner's. Every time he'd be within arms reach of her he'd fall short and grasp air but he didn't give up. Their display coupled with the moonlight against their silhouettes gave a serene and graceful atmosphere while Alex's glyphs and Alonso's swords and Lucifer giving even more of a display. Catching a few eyes withing the ballroom Alonso decided to put some more effort and managed to get within arms reach of Alex, reaching his hand towards his while gliding from the hilt of one of his swords.

The pair continued to dance in the sky as time became every bit as irrelevant as everything else outside of their dance.  

Alex passed Alonso yet again, but this time, she decided to relent.  Taking his hand, she pulled in very close to him while in the air.  With this interruption of their individual but complimentary dances, they fell together downwards out of the sky.  Alexandra closed her eyes to relish the otherworldliness of their freefall descent.  

As they neared the ground, she activated several glyphs to slow them down before putting all of her concentration into creating one powerful glyph to propel them back up the balcony outside the ballroom.  The force was just right to get them to the balcony, and they were able to land on the balcony easily and gently.

"It looks like my efforts were not wasted." Alonso said while brushing some hair over Alexandra's ear. After their return to the balcony Alonso folded Lucifer once again back to it's folded form but still keeps his hands firmly on Alexandra. Holding her closer to him once again his face now just mere inches away form hers he says, "Think I managed to do enough to deserve the next one?"

As the two were dancing a couple of songs played back in the ballroom as the ball itself was nearing an end. Some guests started leaving already while the few that remained were enjoying what little time there was left.

Alexandra stood in Alonso's arms and gazed into his eyes.  "Yes."  Bring her arms over Alonso's shoulders and up and around his neck, she closed her eyes, leaned in, and brought her lips to his.  They kissed.  It was a long, passionate kiss.  For Alexandra, the kiss was a sincere one that reflected all of the romance and desire that built up over the course of the night.  Any lingering doubts about Alonso's sincerity, if they still persisted in her mind, were forgotten as kiss continued on, neither person seemingly willing to pull away.

After a moment of hesitation, Lí departs after Alicia, stopping by a server along the way to an empty table to grab another pair of drinks. For a few seconds, he watches the avian faunus woman, then pulls his attention away from her and brings his focus back to the dance floor. Idly, he begins sipping at one of the glasses, looking to at least get a buzz, if not a dance.

As the music continued, Matt would nod back, replying with an "Okay," a feeling of embarrassment and awkwardness between them as he moved about the floor carefully to the music under the girls hidden lead. Dancing slowly started to become more natural to him as he focused on his feet, hand occasionally pulling away and resting back against the small of his partners back as he'd blush and mutter an apology time to time for an awkward step. As the tempo became clearer and clearer to him, his steps became much more natural due to the others coaching, eventually beginning to take a little charge in their motions as he followed the flow around the room.

Soon enough, he was finding himself getting lost a bit, and forgetting all about the planned mission as he danced with his partner. His stance seemed a little less rigid, a little more bolder with his motions as he'd take more command in their direction with turns and spins, standing much closer to the Faunus. He'd crack a smile, blushing a bit in realization at what was going on as he sheepishly would look away from the girl a moment-- was he actually beginning to agree with Natalie for once? A sheepish laugh would come from him, beginning to enjoy himself and this 'acting'.

As the two continue their kiss the music starts fading away as the last note is played leaving a lingering mark emanating across the ballroom, the waiters start cleaning tables and only a few guests remained. The moon was now high up in the sky as the clock struck 12, signalling the end of the ball. People started leaving through the large silver laden doors, finding their way down the large flight of stares that lead to the street below.

Alonso is the first to pull away from the kiss, resisting the temptation to take it a step further despite the lingering passion burning in his chest and while keeping his arms around Alexandra he starts slowly backing away before taking a deep bow. "Thank you for the beautiful night, Alexandra" He said, taking her hand in his and placing a kiss on it. "It will be something most memorable to me and I'd hate to see you go, though it might be for the best as we barely know each other." Taking a step back he pulls a blue rose from his coat pocket and offers it to Alexandra. "A gift from me to you" Alonso says with a slight hint of sadness in his voice.

Alexandra took the blue rose from Alonso.  It was the most delicate shade of whitish blue.  In many ways, it matched the pale bluish argent moonlight.  She smelled it, letting its fragrance memorialize this beautiful night.

She looked at Alonso, and put her hand on his cheek.  "I had a great time tonight.  It was the best I've had in quite a long while."  She gave him one last brief kiss on the lips.  With her face still close to his, she said, "Maybe we will run into each other at Beacon.  I really hope we will get to know each other better."  With that, she turned and walked back into the ballroom.  

In truth, her doing so could not have come at a better time.  Against her best conscience, her heart told her that she had not had quite enough of that night, and in the grip of passion, who knows what might have happened.  Certainly not she.